Just two days after the official publication of the new pastoral guidelines concerning marriage, there seems to be in Germany an increase of disorder. Contradicting, confusing, and alarmed voices are now to be heard from all corners of the country. But, foremost, the document itself turns out to be more insidiously dangerous than had seemed to be the case at first sight. We have even now come to wonder about the extent to which laymen themselves will now have jurisdiction in the Catholic Church.
As we reported two days ago, the German guidelines concerning the “remarried” divorcees seemed at first to be less liberalizing than the Maltese guidelines – the latter of which Dr. Edward Peters (the canon lawyer) has described as the “Maltese Disaster.” However, at the same time, as I then also put it, the Germans have come pretty close to the Maltese standard. That is to say, the German expression that “the decision [of the “remarried” divorcees] to receive the Sacraments must be respected” comes close to the Maltese statement that the “remarried” may go to Communion if they feel “at peace with God.” In both cases, the subjective and more sentimental conscience is highlighted and given much decisive weight.
For example, here is what Archbishop Heiner Koch of Berlin has just recently said concerning the matter of conscience: “We [German bishops] write that – in justified [sic] individual cases and after a longer process – there can be a decision of conscience on the side of the faithful to receive the Sacraments, a decision which must be respected.” When asked why the German bishops – in contradistinction to other, more cautious, episcopal guidelines – now “chose the largest opening world-wide [with regard to the “remarried” divorcees], which makes one’s own conscience the standard,” [my emphasis] Koch momentously answers: “Because we are firmly convinced that this is the intention – according to the word as well as in the spirit – which Pope Francis himself desires and takes, and which we thus carry forth with him.” [my emphasis]
Thus, it is already clear that the German pastoral guidelines are increasingly troubling due to the accent which is now to be put on the individual conscience – if not quite yet on an unformed subjective conscience.
What we have, indeed, somewhat overlooked so far is the fact that the German Bishops now do not any more even speak explicitly about the employment of ordained priests with regard to that “path of discernment” which should ostensibly now be willingly undertaken by the “remarried” applicants themselves.
For example, in the whole set of pastoral guidelines, only the words “pastoral” and “pastoral caretaker” (without further definition) are now being used; the word “pastor” or “priest” is nowhere to be found. The grave consequences of this linguistic phenomenon is that, at least in Germany, now also laymen (women and men) may officially “accompany” the “remarried” in their discernment as to whether they may have access to the Sacraments or not. This matter was just brought to my attention through an interview which was published yesterday by the German Bishops’ own website, Katholisch.de. In this interview, Ute Eberl, a lay woman working in the field of the pastoral care for the Diocese of Berlin, comments on the new German pastoral guidelines and explicitly praises the fact that the accompanying person can also now be a layman. Eberl explains:
First of all, I am content. I think it is really wonderful that the bishops have put the footnote “remarried persons” into the main text and said: the decision of conscience is to be respected. I hope that thus the controversies will have an end. The advice to get in contact with a pastoral caretaker is excellent. Next to a priest, this can first also be a person to whom one is close, who accompanies someone through a separation, but then also rejoices about the new relationship. The episcopal letter [the new guidelines], therefore, is not a way of restricting people to a new order of rules and conduct, but breathes a great liberty. [my emphasis]
After reading this entire interview, I contacted the press office of the German Bishops’ Conference, asking for a further clarification as to who it then shall be who officially accompanies the “remarried.” I also quoted the following passage of the new German guidelines: “Amoris Laetitia speaks about a process of coming to a decision [about the reception of both the Sacrament of Penance and of the Eucharist] which is accompanied by a pastoral caretaker.” [my emphasis] To the question as to whether this means that it can also be a person other than a priest who authoritatively accompanies the “remarried” divorcees, I received the following answer today from Dr. Michael Feil for the German Bishops’ Conference – and these are all of the words of explanation I then received:
For a further definition of the expression “pastoral caretaker” in this context, one may see Canon 519 CIC [the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law – link provided by M.H.]:
The pastor (parochus) is the proper pastor (pastor) of the parish entrusted to him, exercising the pastoral care of the community committed to him under the authority of the diocesan bishop in whose ministry of Christ he has been called to share, so that for that same community he carries out the functions of teaching, sanctifying, and governing, also with the cooperation of other presbyters or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of the Christian faithful, according to the norm of law. [my emphasis]
So far, I have not yet again heard back from Dr. Feil, namely after I wrote to him a second time, asking him for a confirmation that this now effectively means that laymen may also allowably accompany the “remarried” in their discernment as to whether they may receive the Sacraments; and whether the German bishops are now also saying that the local priest has to respect in all cases the decision of conscience of the individual “remarried” person with regard to the reception of Holy Communion.
Moreover, another matter in question also remains somewhat unclear, namely: what would this mean with regard to the reception of the Sacrament of Penance? Would there thus be a layman counseling a “remarried” person and thus being involved in the decision as to whether that other person may now also receive absolution in the confessional? To what extent will laymen now have jurisdiction in the Church? After all, the German bishops speak about “pastoral caretakers” in general when explicitly mentioning the allowed access to both the Sacrament of Penance and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Dr. Peters himself raised yesterday in his own commentary on the German guidelines a similar and related question, namely:
By the way, other passages in the German documents imply that Confession, too, might be sought in these cases [of the divorced-and-“remarried”], but without, it seems, requiring of penitents a ‘firm purpose of amendment’ (even in regard to voluntary sexual activity with a non-spouse). As I noted in HPR a few years back, this approach exposes the celebration of Penance to the risk of sacrilege and its minister to the charge of solicitation in confession.
Here Peters points to the danger of priests being thus pushed – under a reference to the subjective conscience of the “remarried” person – into giving absolution to an unrepentant adulterer, which puts his own priesthood at risk – under canon law! We therefore earnestly recommend to our readers a close study of Dr. Peters’ 2011 analysis of Canon 1387 (see link in Peters’ quote), which says that a priest who “solicits a penitent to violate the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue,” in or around the confessional, is to be punished. This solicitation, according to Peters, can also mean that a priest could improperly allure and encourage a penitent to violate the Sixth Commandment with any other third party, and not only with himself. We have recently – after having ourselves received a reference to this matter from another counseling canon lawyer – pointed to this dangerously developing situation with regard to Amoris Laetitia, specifically.
If this same sacramental problem in itself – as caused now by the German bishops – is not already sufficiently confusing, the reactions to the new German pastoral guidelines are even more so. For example, today, the German bishops’ website, Katholisch.de, published an interview with the German Bishop Konrad Zdarsa of the Diocese of Augsburg. This bishop is unmistakably and openly confused himself, and cannot publicly even clearly answer the question as to whether the “remarried” divorcees may now receive Holy Communion in Germany. He insists that now, one might even need a further clarification of that German document! “Here we are now again in such a need that someone else has to come and interpret for us the [German episcopal] document,” [my emphasis] the bishop himself says, after being asked specifically about the question of the “remarried” divorcees and whether “everybody can now do things as he wishes.”
Zdarsa sees, moreover, that there is now even more of a need for an “attentive pastoral care” for those with marriage troubles. He sees that “we [bishops] now have given such an immense responsibility [to the local pastors] that not everybody can handle it and endure it in the same measure.” The German prelate then asks a piercing question: if a pastor does not even have the time for a thorough preparation of the youth and of future married couples, “how much less time, strength and patience” will that same priest have in order to enter into this desirably thorough process of discernment, “as the pope now demands it”? In this context, Bishop Zdarsa fears that thus there will be “premature decisions” (“Schnellschüsse”), “or that there will be other [grave] causes of conflict which cannot yet be adequately foreseen.” [my emphasis]
Zdarsa also puts into question whether, in general, the German “remarried” divorcees will at all even seek the counsel of the priests, inasmuch as “the frequentation of the confessional is here among us not so high.” With regard to the question of the individual conscience, Bishop Zdarsa, with a painful look on his face, says that one first has to start with “the formation of conscience”; and he then admits that, in Germany, much has been neglected in this regard. “We barely discuss this question of the formation of conscience,” adds the bishop. After pointing out the importance of orienting human life according to the laws of God, this bishop – who himself grew up in Communist East Germany and who had suffered under Communism – answers to the rhetorical question “So, it will remain difficult?” with a heavy heart, saying: “Yes.” It is nearly palpable how much this beset prelate suffers under the current confusion and disorder.
However, Bishop Zdarsa is not the only churchman who sincerely expresses his reservations about the newly promulgated pastoral guidelines (which have not been approved by all German bishops individually, but, rather, only by the General Council of the German Bishops’ Conference in which sit the chosen delegates from all of the German dioceses, one per diocese). For example, the German progressive journal, Der Spiegel, published an article today which has as its title: “Conservative Priests are Rejecting the Initiative of the German Bishops’ Conference.” The article thus reports:
Representatives of the Network of Catholic Priests (“Netzwerk katholischer Priester”), of the German Opus Dei, of the Legionnaires of Christ, and of other orthodox groups speak now about “schisms in the parishes” and about an “obscuration of the Sacrament of Marriage.”
It is also important to note in this context that a German canon lawyer, Father Gero P. Weishaupt, has just today posted a comment on the facebook of Mathias von Gersdorff, describing the increase of chaos in Germany: “Chaos reigns now, especially among bishops. The Cardinal of Cologne [Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki] said yesterday […] that he does not exclude a schism. The pope will not be able to avoid having to clarify the matter.” [my emphasis]
It is also worthwhile to consider here the comments as published by the German Catholic commentator, Mathias von Gersdorff himself. He reports on a 2 February article published by the prominent German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), which now even claims – with regard to the new rules for the “remarried” divorcees – as follows: “All the other bishops’ conferences in the world will now have to ask themselves with which arguments they will now deny the pope their loyalty in this question.” [my emphasis] Von Gersdorff comments upon this subtle quote with the following, quite perky words: “These are new times: of all people, the German bishops are now the new model for papal loyalty!” [my emphasis]
As von Gersdorff also says, the German FAZ now depicts and presents those three bishops, Walter Kasper, Karl Lehmann, and Oskar Saier – who, first in 1993, pushed strongly in their own dioceses for allowing sacramental Communion for the “remarried” – to be valiant victims who have finally been vindicated.
“In the past year, with his document Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis now embraces the insights of these three [formerly dissenting] bishops,” [my emphasis] says the FAZ. To these words, von Gersdorff then ironically comments: “After a long time of suffering – nearly 25 years – the following becomes apparent: the true loyal followers of the pope are the Germans, after all! As soon as Cardinal Kasper dies, Daniel Deckers [the FAZ journalist] will most probably propose his canonization.” [my emphasis]
The world often enough now seems to have turned up-side down. The earlier dissenters are now the loyal papists, and the orthodox Catholics are the new recusants and recalcitrant dissenters.
The chaos in Germany is now unmistakably increasing – as is also now the case in the larger Church.
Primacy of conscience, set in opposition to the objective moral law, is not catholic. Rather, it is “do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.”
So true…’Whateva man’
Die magische 8 Ball. Was für ein Spaß! Get the ‘pastoral assistant’ version. Ask it a question. Turn it upside down and recieve a “Yes” to receive Holy Communion.
It should be pointed out that is the Satanists mantra, is it not?
That is what most Catholics have been doing for quite a while anyway. No one teaches anyone how to deal with temptation any longer. Penance is disappearing etc. it is a free for all Protestant-style thing.
“You will be like God. knowing good and evil” — Primacy of individual conscience is the gospel of the devil, a gospel of death, an abomination.
Horrific.
They should STOP calling the wayward German, Malta or Amoris Latita church a Roman or Catholic one period.
Reformation 2.0
Maybe when Müller talked about the true intentions of the Pope he meant… the “contemplative Pope” 😉
Possibly.
Pope Benedict XVI: Petrine Ministry is “Forever”. He explained that the Petrine ministry was “forever” in his life and added: “My decision to give up the active exercise of the ministry, does not revoke this fact.” @veritas-vincit-international.org
When will he speak though? It’s getting very late, maybe too late.
I hate to agree with your last sentence, but it seems VERY late in the game. He’s already done so much damage and put so many of his cronies in place it almost seems futile.
Something I read today, in two different places: Bergoglio has appointed a certain ‘Archbishop
Becciu’ to be the ‘Representative’ of the Knights of Malta. He is to help them ‘restructure’ their spiritual guidelines and to be the ‘go between’ between Malta and the Vatican. Isn’t that the same job that Cardinal Burke now has? On Canon212.com the article says that Francis has assigned this guy and hasn’t even fired Cardinal Burke yet! Isn’t it logical to remove a prelate from his position before you assign someone else to it? I must be missing something here.
But surely this is the tactic of Pope Francis vide Cardinal Sarah has all his people replaced and Cardinal Muller has three of his best people sacked by the Pope. Yet both Cardinals are still in place so there is no surprise Cardinal Burke does too with all his people replaced. Whether the tactic works remains to be seen. I will be surprised if it does work with Cardinal Sarah.
Maybe the same tactic can be used against himself. Elect someone in his place & ignore him. If he doesn’t teach the faith he extracts himself from the CC & therefore the Papacy.
Cards. Burke and Sarah adhere to the conciliar church and operate under the assumption that V2 was a legitimate council and that the NO is a legitimate rite. They are not standing on firm ground.
Both Cardinals Burke & Sarah are critics of the NO and keen on the TLM. You must read Cardinal Sarah’s “La Force du Silence” and his scathing criticism of the abuses of the NO and the need for it to be reformed. I believe an English version will be available shortly: some say February but maybe April. It is a brilliant book and will become a classic comparable to the Imitation of Christ and the Introduction to the Devote Life.
Bishop Fellay admitted on tv that the NO Mass was legitimate, if not liked, so is he also not standing on firm ground?
If that is true then he is not in line with Abp. Lefebvre who called the NO a bastard rite. Perhaps he used the word valid?
It’s about nine months since I viewed the interview but as valid is a synonym of legitimate (as is licit, legal) it is splitting hairs to argue over which word was used. The outcome was that he could not say the NO Mass was invalid & that is what has us in the predicament we have been in since VII. Obstinacy on both side leading to ruin of souls – this should have been put to bed under PB, especially at the time he stated TLM was not abrogated.
Well, that’s the rub, isn’t it? The traditionalists say the NO is valid but illicit and the newchurch folks say that the sspx Masses are valid but illicit. This issue must be resolved. The problem was supposed to have been prevented by the Mass being codified by St. Pius V, but the V2ers ignored it and invented their own mass.
The V2ers ignore everything that went before VII. This situation cannot be tolerated any longer. If the four Cardinals are not going to take their formal correction to its conclusion then the laity will have to step in with more posters & loss of revenue globally until they all get the message.
You and me both.
Bishop Emeritus Ratzinger’s claim is bogus.
He resigned. Period. He did not retain one single element of the Petrine Ministry anymore than when a King abdicates he retains part of the Monarchy.
For some trads, if the emeritus Bishop said that the resurrection was not a physical act they’d believe it
Umm, Ratzinger, the emeritus Bishop did deny the Resurrection, but I don’t see many “trads” following him into heresy.
Read on…
“Thus the Resurrection cannot be a historical event in the same sense as the Crucifixion is. For that matter, there is no account that depicts it as such, nor is it circumscribed in time otherwise than by the eschatological expression ‘the third day’”
(Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology)
“Jesus, however, does not come from the realm of the dead, which he has definitively left behind: on the contrary, he comes from the realm of pure life, from God”
(Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth)
Commenting on the following post-Resurrection passage from the Gospel of Luke, the Emeritus Bishop of Rome explains the passage below. First the passage in bold; then the “explanation” of the passage by Ratzinger in italics:
“Now whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of them, and saith to them: Peace be to you; it is I, fear not. But they being troubled and frightened, supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them: Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? See my hands and feet, that it is I myself; handle, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me to have. And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and feet. But while they yet believed not, and wondered for joy, he said: Have you any thing to eat? And they offered him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb. And when he had eaten before them, taking the remains, he gave to them.” Luke 24:36-44
“Most exegetes take the view that Luke is exaggerating here in his apologetic zeal, that a statement of this kind seems to draw Jesus back to the empirical physicality that had been transcended by the Resurrection. Thus Luke ends up contradicting his own narrative, in which Jesus appears suddenly in the midst of the disciples in a physicality that is no longer subject to the laws of space and time.”
(Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth, p. 269)
This is the teaching of the so-called German Shepherd; the “orthodox”, “traditional”, “conservative” Ratzinger. I hope I have blown that caricature of him out of the water, because it is completely false.
If you buy into this garbage, this absolute vomit and filth that he teaches, you will end up as a modernist heretic, outside the Church.
The point here seems to be that Jesus’ body after resurrection is not a mere
physical body like that of Lazarus after being resurrected, but is
transformed into a glorified body which is not limited by space and time and can manifest physically on Earth. Yet these excerpts cast doubts to the physical part. He calls it a “physicality… no longer subject to the laws of space and time” but then they don’t take this “physicality” seriously, as if this body is not capable of eating and being touched, etc., and then make a suspicious distinction between an “empirical physicality” and an (imaginary?) “physicality”?
Still, at least he was careful to publish this as Ratzinger and not as Benedict XVI. Francis says all kind of strange things in homilies and encyclicals as POPE.
I think Müller also wrote something like this or even worse…
Your attempt to get JR off the hook is admirable, and I think it comes from genuine charity. But the truth is that Ratzinger is a dyed-in-the-wool modernist – who happens to like the “Latin Mass”, so many give him a free pass. Until they read what he believes and teaches, that is. At that moment, one realises that the popular narrative only tells half the story.
Mueller is just as bad.
Exactly right.
Mike You missed the, to me, obvious, sarcasm of my observation.
Why do you think that example was chosen?
OK, got it. Well said!
The quotes were for the viewers at home.
There are not two, but three opinions regarding his resignation.
1. That he did resign from the Papacy.
2. That he did not resign from the Papacy.
3. That he was incapable of resignation from the Papacy.
Couldn’t access link. Rats!!!
Why should bemoaning Bishop Zdarsa be so upset? Is he not the Pastor of a diocese and has he not sworn to uphold the teaching of the Church. He is under no obligation to accept the guidelines of the Bishop’s Conference, and he is obliged to uphold what the Church has always taught. Here there is a matter of definitively defined teaching of the Council of Trent.
Unheard-of since the Papal States fell: Rome covered in posters critical of the Pope
– See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2017/02/unheard-of-since-papal-states-fell-rome.html#sthash.jOLCivV1.dpuf
All countries should urgently follow this lead – maybe then the word would get through to PF that the Catholic world want him to sign the Dubia NOW.
The trickle is turning into a tidal wave. Praise to our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Whoever put up those posters has done more in one night to defend the Faith than 150+ cardinals have done in the almost ten months since Amoris Laetitia was issued. There’s a lot to be said for direct action.
You don’t think it’s orchestrated by a few Cardinals?
I’m sure the four cardinals will stick to the formal route. Maybe this particular bit of guerilla action was the work of some very disgruntled Maltese Knights!
No, wasn’t thinking of the main 4 but you’re right.
For a long time I have been concerned that as soon as His Mercifulness becomes a liability to the Progressives, an assassination will be arranged, the press will proclaim PF a martyr, and — enter the ghost of Nero past– Trads will take the blame.
I hope you are right about the efficacy of the posters, but I’m not totally convinced they are the work of Francis’ opposition.
Really.. I wonder who may be behind this??? So that is it in the end… sticking posters on walls….Anonymous….Somebody lacks something to face the Pope.
Well there are a few laity who would. But we do not count much. Fair enough.
Does this pope not see that the laity are begging for him to stop these attacks on the faithful traditionalists? We are NOT the enemy, which definitely seems is what he believes.
He has taken up with the world and is putting his eggs in the wrong basket dear friend.
He is on a very bad course if he does not change his ways and return to the will of God.
He cannot cure the world of evil! He cannot right the many wrongs!
Only God can do these things through His beloved Bride, the Church and her many.
The pope must not worry of the world, for the world will dispose of him when it has its full.
I am praying very hard for him right now.
The Church will move forward, smaller, but purified of this darkness that has been with her long before PF. I pray he is with her.
What laity?there are millions literally who stand by Peter…the problems for trads unfortunately is their numbers.loud but very very few..sorry..but again..the Dubai..what ever happened to the “fraternal correction’.believe me..the world is not thinking about traditionalists..in fact..are absolutely invisible in much of the world
You seem to believe there are few laity who are traditionalist, ( Catholic, btw).
It does not matter. None of what you said matters.
Likewise?
How many of the disciples stood with Christ when he was on the cross? They all fled except the Blessed Mother, her sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Mary Magdalene, and the Beloved Disciple.
Well ..then I am dealing with the chosen here.I didn’t know.the few. The Proud.
It is not a numbers game or a question of being chosen. Most the bishops of England went along with Henry VIII except for St. John Fisher. The majority often does not do what is right, preferring the easy way out, the path of least resistance.
It’s 2017 ..
It is known the fraternal correction would be done first in private. I have my suspicions, as do others, that it has already taken place. Cardinal Burke was effectively removed of all duties by the new “special delegate” to the Order. That could be retaliation. I don’t know of course, but it’s my guess and I hope it’s true.
If the Pope wanted Burke gone he’d do so in a minute. But that is precisely what many fail to see. They think the RCC circles around Burke while that is not the case at all. Most of the RCC world never even heard of him. But indeed you are correct, unofficially he has been “demoted” once again. Becciu has been appointed to speak on behalf of the HS, so it leaves Crdl Burke to do not much as he was THE papal rep before the KOM.
Let is be shown then, for those who remain faithful to the teachings of Christ.
Francis will not be able to create his own church. You do know this?
The Church circles around Christ! This is what the faithful know and perhaps Francis should realize this as well.
Oh sure, but disparaging his reputation and assigning someone over him is much more damaging and effective. He could be removed but the outcry from the traditional and conservative worlds would be outrageous. Bergoglio is far too clever for that.
And that’s precisely my point.: the outcry from traditionalists worlds has been reduced to putting up posters in Rome and the internet..4 cardinals started the criticism, 4 cardinals still.No matter how right you may be. Bergoglio as you call him, didn’t hesitate to move him grin the Rota with the stroke of a pen.
Yes, I would also believe it has taken place but now it must be followed-up by an Imperfect Council without further delay. Dragging of feet only allows the opponents of Christ more time in which to think up other nasty strategies & regroup. The media needs to get out the message that the chess game must now stop & action begin.
As I understand it, another fraternal correction needs to be made before the steps of an imperfect council can be taken (2 warnings). And the pope would need to be given at least 6 months to respond after the second warning. I’m not an expert on the matters though. This is just what I’ve gotten from them. What I think needs to happen more than anything, though, is for more cardinals and bishops to get up and say “Hey! What the heck???”
I pray that God will stop him.
CS, you are spot on but save your prayers for Cdn Burke and Cdn Sarah and, of course, for Holy Benedict in his prison.
The bishop of Rome is on his own tragically sad course to his new religion.
In his prison.. Are you for real? are you reading what you write?
My friend, it is you who should wake up and smell the coffee.
Luther had done it before. Free speech. Someone has to do it.
So they may be protestants…
I see spadaro is happy that there is annoyance of Francis. What a strange and hate filled man Francis puts by his side. This could be the shot heard over all the world. Would be good if ewtn covers this. This needs to be spread!
That Uberl is not just a simple lay woman:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ute_Eberl
Thank you for the information. So for those who cannot read German, Mrs. Eberl is also a theologian and had participated at the 2014 Synod of Bishops on the Family where she insisted – with Cardinal Schoenborn’s support, that one should not look into people’s bedrooms.
The boil is about to burst.
Many years ago one of our sheep was attacked by a dog. We saved it and dressed all the wounds we could locate, but there was one on its head I didn’t see, a tooth hole. Nothing gave us any indication of the existence of this wound until sometime later, when one morning I saw a massive bump on the head. We caught the critter and when I was examining the animal’s head, the abscess EXPLODED, shooting white pus all over, narrowly missing my face. Common, actually, with wounds of this type. We now had to deal with what was a more serious wound than if we had identified it and treated it in the first place.
Moral of the story is that in the Church it is just like the sheep. The Church has been attacked and the shepherds have not sufficiently identified and treated ALL of the wounds. Festering has occurred, and infection has spread. Now we have pus getting spewed all over.
Let this be a lesson to a future Pope.
Find the infection and dig it out. Naturally, in doing so, you will ACTUALLY wind up “smelling like the sheep”…
GREAT story/analogy! Very appropriate—unfortunately!
This is the way it is in the Church today. Virtue is portrayed as evil
and evil is portrayed as virtue. Good is bad and bad is good. Condom
giveaways get a pass while those who maintain Catholic teaching are
punished. Fidelity to the faith is “rigid” while novelty is
“discernment” and “accompaniment”.
Amen. Christopher Ferrara, in a recent post at the Remnant, quoted Bishop Athanasius Schneider explaining that during the Arian heresy, the defenders of the divinity of Christ were called “intransigent” and “traditionalist” by the heretics.
http://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/3013-the-heresy-of-discernment
YAY US!
I LOVE him. He’s so holy and faithful! Would make a GREAT pope, IMHO. It’s good to know we’re in good company. Now, if I can be holy and faithful……
Wow! You put it so succinctly! Care to pass this onto Francis? I pray for the Holy Father, but who, except God, knows who that might be, OR if we even have one at this point in time?
One of the things that Hans Scholl complained about the most bitterly was the twisting of the word “loyalty” into something grotesque and unrecognizable. (Hans is the originally anonymous founder of the White Rose resistance group–a former member of the Hitler Youth who, realizing with creeping moral revulsion the full horror of the ideology into which he had been more or less unwittingly recruited, began publishing leaflets critical of National Socialism and its impact on his native land, and was executed when his true identity was discovered.) So really, what is being touted in a pro-Bergoglio quotation above as some kind of “new era” proves to be nothing of the sort. Where else would an abdication of personal, intellectual, official, and moral responsibility be touted as “loyalty” except in Germany?
Honestly, it is so hard to believe that one belongs to the same Church as these people. IN terms of beliefs, we seem to have virtually nothing in common.
They belong to the church of man, the conciliar church that is the great facade and their deception is becoming more and more clear by the day. That is why they are scrambling now to get as many souls to go down with them as quickly as possible. Their time is running out and they know it. Our Lady’s triumph is at hand.
Many Catholics do not realize that it was St Thomas Aquinas who posited that to not follow one’s conscience is a sin. I daresay there is no one who wants to challenge this Saint be cause of his stature in the Church. It is unfortunate we do not trace back where all these wacky ideas come from and reverse course.
I had the greatest sorrow for the many souls that condemned themselves to Hell, especially those Lutherans. […] I saw souls falling into hell like snowflakes. St. Teresa of Avila.
To decide against the teachings of Christ is to NOT follow one’s conscience. Those who do so, betray their consciences because they are either dead or not formed correctly.
It’s so elementary a point that the conscience in question here must be PROPERLY FORMED, that I hesitate to repeat it. But clearly at least for some of us it bears repetition.
St. Thomas was correct. The Church teaches exactly what St. Thomas taught.
The problem arises when the Church permits those whose conscience has rejected the truth to pretend that they are still Catholics.
Working toward the fuhrer.
So essentially the German bishops are not only rejecting the validity of the Sacraments, but, as a logical corollary, are rejecting the validity of Holy Orders – that is, of the ordained priesthood. If “pastoral accompaniment” is just a matter of chatting with your best friend or, at best, the parish lady who has designated herself a “pastor,” and is the same as going to Confession, then what’s the point of the ordained priesthood? They German Church is going its own way.
Exactly; worked themselves out of raison d’etre.
Seems we are now stuck with 3 choices; Pope Francis:
1} is a heretic at least under under Webster’s definition:
religion : a person who differs in opinion from established religious dogma (see dogma 2); especially : a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who refuses to acknowledge or accept a revealed truth
2} was never a valid Pope.
3} was a valid Pope but is no longer a valid Pope.
None of the 3 appear to fully satisfy the Canon lawyers and the theologians. We especially need not discuss the latter 2. We will leave the Big Shots to their discussions. But while they are at it, those who have wondered just what it would all look like if a Pope taught heresy have been given a pretty clear picture.
For us ex-Lutherans all this “priesthood of all believers” stuff of Bergoglio and his allies is obviously just the mopping up operations of the Germans that have taken some time {centuries} to accomplish.
The Jewish folks wondered if John the Baptist was Elijah.
I keep wondering if Pope Francis is Martin Luther…
Lol
Luther redivivus or not he is the Pope that so many saints warned us about. He can repent like Peter did — more than once — We have to respect his office but we don’t have to follow him blindly into heresy. This is a sign. The Lord is not far when the abomination stands on holy ground.
Indeed. I find myself wondering when Kasper and Marx and the rest will nail their copies of The Joy of Sex on the door of the nearest cathedral–Lutheran or otherwise.
Or, as his namesake prophesied, an anti-pope?
Time to consider Daniel 10:21/12:9 – the Book of Truth
http://www.thebookoftruthonline.blogspot.com
I truly appreciate your mention of private revelation as a means of trying to bring some meaning to the situation; but truly, I do not think “Maria Divine Mercy” is a valid revelation. There are, however, many approved private and scriptural prophecies that seem to be in a state of fulfillment. Our Lord did warn us to be aware of false prophets during the final days, no?
Greetings qbitman,
Up to this point in time, it is my observation and firm belief that at least 5 messages that contained prophecy (ies) seem to have manifested. (With other prophecies seemingly very much in the process of fulfilment.) * I can vouch for the fact that the messages containing the prophecies were posted online prior to the events happening.
The message prophecies that I feel confident about are:
5/22/11 This message contains predicted ecological events –
archive news search illustrates all predictions happened within a few months of message date. Accordingly, the message was given to prove to message recipient and to the world that the messages from Heaven were not imaginary and were meant to prepare the souls of mankind for the Second Coming judgment.
2/19/12 Russia and China are to join forces, in 2016 this
became reality. See: http://blog.spiritdaily.com/news-links/china-russia-in-joint-exercise
4/23/12 UK independence (Brexit Referendum – July of 2016
passage). In this message the UK is listed independent of the EU. At the time of the message date the UK was a member nation of the EU.
2/11/12 This message predicted the forced removal of Pope Benedict through devious efforts. Exactly one year later (2/11/13) Pope Benedict resigned (resignation of a pope happened only one other time in history). *Whether or not Pope Benedict willingly resigned or was forced from the papal office is speculative, however because of information found in other MDM messages, we come to understand he would be succeeded and is to eventually lead a Remnant Church in the end times, to the Second Coming of Christ. So by implication the MDM messages predicted the profound historical rarity of an era of two living popes – naming Benedict by name and Bergoglio, now Francis by explicit timeline (directly succeeding B. XVI) and many exacting character traits.
1/18/12 In
this message it is said: “Pope Benedict XVI is being plotted
against, within his own corridors, by an evil sect.”
*Consider research into the St. Gallen’s group, a member of
which has boastfully spoken publicly of his involvement in removing Benedict XVI. Here are two articles:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/swiss-bishops-confirm-existence-of-cardinal-danneels-mafia-against-benedict
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-danneels-admits-being-part-of-clerical-mafia-that-plotted-francis
4/7/12, 11/1/13 & 4/8/14 These
messages speak of the structural changes that are to be implemented in the Catholic Church. A “healthy decentralization” of the Church has been promised by the present pope (this pope [Francis] is called, by the messages of the Book of Truth (MDM messages), an impostor and the False Prophet written about in the Book of Revelation). For the last few months we have seen the restructuring of Vatican offices, with curia reforms promised in the very near future.
For your review I offer an archive website of the alleged Heaven-sent messages of Maria Divine Mercy, which is to be called the Book of Truth:
http://thebookoftruthonline.blogspot.com/
For other languages see: http://www.theremnantarmy.info
Thank you for contacting me.
Best wishes,
Bill
What a surprise that communion for the adulterers has become a race to the bottom amongst various bishops. Didn’t anyone really think that the German Cardinals would actually accept the practice of a couple discerning prayerfully with their pastor and undergoing a period of penance before deciding to return to communion (sacrilegious in itself, of course)?
No, as Pope Francis remains silent at every new and more scandalous interpretation, the sheet is pulled back on what he had planned all along: that adulterers should receive communion without giving it a second thought. Next stop will be Lutherans, then gays.
Don’t forget gay Lutherans like the Lesbo-Lutherans of Lund!
This is what One World Religion looks like – the lowest common denominator – a false religion that even atheists can swallow. We’re seeing the development of it now.
Would seem like. Stay close to the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
As each bishops’ conference falls, we will see who is in schism and who is not. I think we all know who’s side the USCCB is on. God help us.
I’m actually a bit surprised we haven’t heard more about AL from the USCCB. I suppose the US elections may have been a bad time to drop a bomb on the church, but it’s still surprising.
Me, too. I’d think we would here more than we have pertaining to the longest apostolic exhortation in history.
I think a lot of Bishops know it’s crap.
If they know it’s a lot of crap, then they should support the four Cardinals and the dubia.
That;s what I think, but then as Christ said, a general planning a battle must take stock of the cost, and maybe they know that full rejection of this man will result in damage to the flock.
Yes, 1P5 folks, RTHEVER/Rod Halvorsen/RodH is trying to show a bit of compassion/charity {today’s readings in the ’62 Missal at Mass got to me…} for Catholic prelates, not something he is well known for….
Here’s today’s readings:
Prokeimenon, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us and will keep us* from this generation and for ever.
verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man. (Psalm 11:8,2)
Epistle
2 Timothy 3:10-15
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, [ 11] Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. [12] And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. [13] But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse: erring, and driving into error. [14] But continue thou in those things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee: knowing of whom thou hast learned them; [15] And because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy scriptures, which can instruct thee to salvation, by the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Gospel: Luke 18:
[10] Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[11] The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. [12] I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.
They’re probably focusing their energy on fighting Trump’ s immigration reform. Souls? Who cares! Humanism? Right on!
And don’t forget the money. All that Federal cash for “refugee programs.” Thirty pieces of silver magnified many times over.
Just when you thought the “interpretations” of Amoris Laetitia couldn’t stray any further from bimillennial Catholic Teaching, in walk the German bishops with further guidance that sounds like it’s the illegitimate brainchild of Kasper, Marx and Schonborn combined. It looks like the diabolical disorientation that Sister Lucia often referred to has significantly tightened its grip.
Yes it has tightened its grip, but Our Lady said when all seemed lost that would be the time of her Triumph. This is the centenary Year of Fatima & anything is possible. It is said also to be the year of the Last Stand of Satan. I read where he is to lose his power next October – let’s hope & pray so.
Especially pray! Satan appears all the stronger the closer to his end he gets!
We [German bishops] write that – in justified [sic]
individual cases and after a longer process – there can be a decision of
conscience on the side of the faithful to receive the Sacraments, a
decision which must be respected.
If this statement is true, then its application cannot be restricted only to the divorced and civilly remarried. Clearly, this can also apply to those engaged in the practice of sodomy, which, as Cardinal Pell stated after the fiasco known as the 2014 Extraordinary Synod on the Family, is the real goal here.
For those who are puzzled by the current theological and pastoral insanity, this is the explanation; the Church has been hijacked by butt pirates.
The real goal is to remove the real Christ from all hearts, any way the devil can, and he his using every clever tactic he has at his disposal. It’s the perfect storm, folks. Satan, you may take a short-lived bow.
Gen. 3: 15: I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.
[15] She shall crush: Ipsa, the woman; so divers of the fathers read this place, conformably to the Latin: others read it ipsum, viz., the seed. The sense is the same: for it is by her seed, Jesus Christ, that the woman crushes the serpent’s head.
She will crush his head – you can bank on it.
And the demonic!
a person to whom one is close, who accompanies someone through a separation, but then also rejoices about the new relationship.
This is completely demonic
…and a perfect reflection of modern Developed World culture.
love the honeybadger handle……… I’m praying for his re-version to the Faith
Yes, and so many bishops and catholics laity. I’m a recent convert, and have begun reading the catechism. The popes position is even against VII! Its under the atheism heading. Its a cowardly, weak way to teach. His “pope video”? Have you seen that insanity?
Which pope video? One that was out awhile ago or is there a new one?
Oh, it’s been out for a year. I think January 2016. Its a scandal .JUst today I’m reading in the catechism about relativism. And the catechism isn’t as orthodox as the church use to be about ANY OTHER PHILOSOPHY OR SO CALLED RELIGION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THAT GOD FOUNDED, the Cathoic CHurch.
Notice wHAT HAS BEEN done. Instead of on or off. Truth or lie, now things are on a spectrum. Sexuality is a spectrum, gender. I wonder if this didn’t start when the church says that there are “rays of light” in Islam and budhism, but the Cathlicic church is the “fullness” of the faith.
I’m so frustrated….
Understatement!
Let me remind the heretical German bishops. I don’t me brave Bishop Hanke who is a brave man. A baptised person who has left their wife or husband and moved in with another male or female with whom they are sexually involved is living in adultery. Unless the marriage is shown to be invalid or being invalid they validly marry they are living in sin. No individual conscience can justify the reception of Holy Communion while living in a state of mortal sin. There has to be an end of the situation and sacramental confession with a firm purpose of amendment before Holy Communion is to be received. Our Lord taught clearly about adultery and any conscience that sought to justify this would be warped and is not excused from faithfully following Our a Lord command. The Germans have caused another trouble in Europe and the Church and need to stop causing mischief. The church tax needs to be abolished together with the unjust automatic excommunication of those who ask for an exemption from the tax office. As usual the Germans are being efficient at destroying themselves and the Church.
Given the billions which the German church receives from the Church tax, it will not be abolished soon. But there has already been speculation in the German press that it will be abolished by the 2030s as the last few serious Christians die off and the wholly secularised population get sick of paying it.
Personally I am looking for a priest willing to move with us to a community where we will respect the Tradition of the Church while pretending that we are a geriatric community or something of that sort, keeping a tenuous connection with whoever the sell-out bishop of the diocese may be out of respect for his chair. Innocent like doves, cunning like serpents we shall wait for the Lord’s arrival for He will not tarry. We better stop touching the abomination if we expect to survive.
My thoughts exactly. We can’t do much else, but read books about Jesus, what he wanted, read Scripture with joy, decipher the summa theological and take naps. I’m there already. He Will Come to Join us doves in old clothing.
So you are founding a sect.
Really? I don’t think you know what the word means theologically speaking. If that is a sect so is Opus Dei, or Miles Iesu, or the Cathecumenal Movement, or Communion and Liberation … do you want me to continue the list? I won’t join the sect of the obvious pedophiles, sodomites, heretics, and the desecration crew visible everywhere right now. Learn the faith, Violetta. It is something a bit more complex than simply following orders from the top without any consideration to truth or godliness.
You speak the truth here. This is the hard choice we need to make: follow the corrupt heirarchy out of (false) obedience or follow the true Church, which seems hidden, and risk being called schismatic and losing friends and family. We can’t do this without consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In order to make any choice we need to hear from the four Cardinals as to what is happening to the formal correction. Will there be an Imperfect Council called or not & if not how do they intend to rid the CC of the present incumbent of the Papal Office before respect for that Office is obliterated.
I agree. The time has come for the four cardinals to give an accounting of the private, formal correction and quite possibly, risk a formal schism.
But the schism will not come from the faithful, it will be on the shoulders of PF and his followers. Who knows what this will look like? But,,,,the present situation as things are in the Church are intolerable to our Lord.
If not soon….many faithful will become weakened, despair and untrusting of the
passion and zeal of the four cardinals. More souls to be lost.
How do you know I don’t know the Faith? One doesn’t have to know Theology to understand what a sect is.If you are so concerned for the truth or godliness, learn from the Lord, the Magisterium, the Fathers of the Church, and the Holy Spirit in sincere prayer and contemplation of the Mysteries of the Faith. A good hour before the Blessed Sacrament, does wonders for the soul, and time is certainly spent worthly.
So, your word is final, even if you are ignorant. Good I did not know I was talking to a Pope. BTW read my comment again, this time try to use your brain. I resent your implications and innuendo that show clearly you are a self righteous prig with nothing to do. Your comments are empty and accusatory. Take your meds or see a psychiatrist, honey.
If that’s the case where do I sign up!! A faithful Catholic Community used to be where EVERYBODY lived.
No, a faithful Catholic community follows Jesus in the Church.There were other men before, who thought they knew more than the Magisterium. They are still alive…in the Protestant denomination.
Allow me to add that there is no standing principle that forces me to continue associating with known or potential pedophiles, sodomites, heretics or any combination thereof. If a Catholic Priest and a community retire to form a penitent community that is NOT A SECT by any stretch of the definition. I am under apostolic command to stay away from false brothers: 1 Cor 5:11 “But now I have written to you, not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or a server of idols, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such a one, not so much as to eat.” AND THAT separation does not imply to betray Catholic doctrine or becoming a sectarian. Allow me also to add that I hate to block commenters but I hate idiotic comments more, so get into an idiotic conversation and you’ll get virtually impaled: blocked. Then you can speak your mind but not on my time. I will not be forced into a “diverse” Church is by diverse we mean a collection of sodomites, pedophiles and heretics. Thanks, go talk with them and “be merciful” drown yourself in that stuff if you like it. As for myself and my house we will serve the Lord.
What about sacramental marriage? If the civilly remarried are allowed communion, why should they be denied a marriage within the Church? Why one sacrament and not another?
And why stick to the one-spouse limit, too?
Howzabout 2 or what the heck, let’s go the Muslims one better, how about 5.. No, no…7, that’s a good “Biblical” number.
And naturally, we aren’t can’t restrict them all to the same gender. Or genus and species, for that matter!
The Bergoglio meltdown continues!
How Long, Oh Lord? How long?
Bergoglio must be dancing on the head of pin.
Pastoral caretaker?
Just out culling the sheep.
But why would one even bother with the Sacrament of Reconcilliation? It appears we no longer need confession for anything. Long process of discernment my foot. Just go to communion. Come one come all; who is to stop you? Only God.
A fellow parishioner and I have been exchanging some extremely ribald emails about the moral status of acts where you can walk directly from one country into another. A good example is the bridges at Frankfurt-on-Oder and Gorlitz where you can walk from Germany (all mercy, discernment and accompaniment) into Poland (which sadly seems to be run by Pharisees and Doctors of the Law).
What if you are standing in Germany and your partner in sin is standing in Poland at the time you do the immoral deed (though I would definitely not advise it at this time of year)?
The fact that we can imagine such fatuous scenarios shows the evil engendered by deliberately ambiguous Papal documents. We have Argentina, Malta and the dioceses of Rome and San Diego in one camp versus Poland, England and the dioceses of Milan and Portland in the other. Plainly the farce can not continue without clarification and/or schism.
Wow…..
Y’wanna know what I wanna know?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ANNULMENT PROCESS?
Isn’t it curious that PF loosened up the annulment rules but that wasn’t enough. No, now the Germans aren’t even talking about the annulment process, the process by which the Church has to deal with these situations.
No, they’ve skipped right past that. Now it’s all about getting it all over with simply with a chat {if that’s even necessary} with a buddy who is sympathetic to your cause.
If that isn’t Episcomethodispresbytelutheranism I don’t know WHAT is.
But the annulment process didn’t help the homosexual lobby like the new “at peace with God” doctrine does…
Ewwwwww. Mmmmmmmm. Methinks you’re onto something, and it’s certainly demonic, so it’s right up satan’s alley!
When are people going to stop pretending the Pope is ambiguous ? He know exactly what he is doing. He is a modernist, and if you believe the official 2000 year Church teachings, he is a heretic. He is also only the leader of the vast majority of the episcopacy who support him.
It may be time to step back from being part of this. If the Catholic Church wants to self-destruct, there is very little any of us can do about it. We’ve been watching this escalating process for what, over three years now, it gets worse every week, and there is nobody who is in a position of authority within the church who is willing to do anything about it. Frankly I’m worse than tired of it I’m fairly convinced it’s over. Nobody is going to stop these destroyers in Germany or anywhere else. Only God can stop these men. I don’t wish to be a negative Nelly, or encourage discouragement, but maybe it’s time for us to start thinking of our own spiritual health and stop watching a situation that is so beyond our ability to control or change.
One can do both: look after our personal sanctification, and keep up with the news too. The key is CHARITY towards Francis and all his minions. We must leave them to God as only he knows what their intentions are. Our pastor gave us a sermon on this just this morning after reading Our Lord’s Parable of the Wheat and the Cockle. God allows the cockle to grow with the wheat until the end – then – WHAM! into the fire with them. In the meantime pray that they all convert before that final harvest.
“Next to a priest, this can first also be a person to whom one is close, who accompanies someone through a separation, but then also rejoices about the new relationship.”
Sounds like someone who can be objective to me…/s
You mean like the new sweetie pie – sorry ‘wife’?
Bad Bishops and other leaders beware (and so too the rest of us). In Jeremiah 23:2 we read: “Therefore thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel concerning the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah.”
It is easy to form the impression that there is a long-standing “incestuous relationship” between Pope Francis and a significant number of German-speaking and other like-minded prelates. The notion that Kasper, Lehmann et al were speaking as essentially isolated individuals over the last quarter of a century or so is simply preposterous. The recent revelation of the informal Sankt Gallen group would seem to bear this out; (though not all members of this “progressive” clique were German). These elements would have undoubtedly had their ears to the ground and would have been confident of a growing support base for their envisioned “reforms”. Does it belong strictly in the realm of conspiracy theory to propose that this was communicated to the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires? Pope Francis wasted no time in embarking upon this course, knowing as he must have that he had the support of his “panzer division”.
Did not Pope Francis spend a time in Germany following some course that he never completed? Half-baked ideas?
Indeed he did. Maybe that’s when the links in this intriguing chain were forged?
He was studying for a thesis on Guardini but never finished it.
This is an important comment because it brings to light once again the Sankt Gallen group. The cartel and its activities were dismissed early on as having any effect on the legitimacy of the 2013 conclave. Not wanting to be perceived as one who has “traversed the edge” I always withhold my question on this verdict.
Given the bold and irresponsible behavior of Pope Bergoglio simply acquiescing to anything that justifies his grasp of the Chair seems equally reckless. I recall clearly that Jorge Mario Bergoglio was characterized in the initial weeks after the conclave as being compulsive in his weekly phone conversations with Rome – keeping “in the know” as it were, hot for the gossip. Jesuit Superior General Father Kolvenbach described him before
his appointment as archbishop as emotionally unstable and temperamentally unreliable. This same insight into Bergoglio’s comportment was offered by an Argentinian bishop whose name escapes me at the announcement Bergoglio’s election to the papacy in 2013.
Were Jorge Mario Bergoglio to approach his eternal reward today what effect would his have on the pontificate to follow – even if a faithful Roman Catholic would be elected? This need be considered carefully. For him to continue to go unchallenged ensures a diminishment of the Chair of Peter – for who knows how long?
Is it not ironic that the ecumaniac obsessed with unity with all manner of confessions has so little regard for maintaining unity within its own body?
Pope Francis has been consistent in “questioning” the mental state of all those who will not acquiesce. It happened during both Synods; he has posed the same rhetorical question regarding the for cardinal authors of the dubia, (even hinting, without specifically naming them), that they could be under demonic influence. He even implied the same thing, (psychological disturbance), about the increasing numbers of young people who are being drawn to the Extraordinary form of the Mass. He also accuses them all of lacking love. This is a similar tactic to the ever-present accusations of “racism”, “homophobia”, Islamophobia, etc. employed by the lunatic left. Those who maintain a strict orthodoxy and adherence to doctrine are “cold” and “rigid”. and thus made to feel ashamed. Except that it doesn’t work.
Though I do not possess any professional qualifications with which to make an assessment, I find all of this to be very revealing about Francis’ own mental state. He is, himself, so it would seem, an unyielding tyrant. I was told recently that someone who knew him well in Buenos Aires, described him as “a narcissistic psychopath”. (I have tried, and failed, to find any verification that this quote is accurate). But many of the things he says and does seem to be deliberately calculated to cause serious concern, if not insult, among faithful, conservative Catholics, both clerical and lay. There are too many to list here, and I’m sure you’re well familiar with them, any way. Now, “narcissistic psychopath”, if indeed it was said, may be a little extreme; (I hope so), but I do wonder if there could be grounds to consider at least a “borderline psychopathy”.
Poorly developed men in clerical and religious life act out as all poorly developed adults do. Given the constraints of the life that acting out frequently revolves around who has a superior esoteric perspective — it revolves around ideas, academics, jockeying for position — the usual “top dog” nonsense. But given their “religious” perspective these skirmishes have something of a greater gravitas.
Bergoglio and his crew are frightening exhibits of this protracted developmental disability.
And believe me, this only scratches the surface.
I would suggest that the kind of dysfunction you describe has never been more clearly manifested than in the clerical sexual abuse crisis, not just on the part of the perpetrators, but also those who concealed it. The very fact of this concealment reveals their own dysfunction and inner conflicts.
Regarding Jorge Mario Bergoglio, within a few months of his election, while trying to comprehend Benedict’s abdication, it occurred to me that the explanation could possibly be found by adapting God’s directive to Samuel in 1 Samuel: 8; 7.Those who were implacably opposed to Benedict made his job of governing the Church impossibly difficult, such that the Holy Spirit said to Benedict, in effect: “It is not you they are rejecting; it is Me Whom they reject. So, step aside and let them have what they want.”
When Benedict was elected, he pleaded with all of us: “Please pray for me, that I do not flee for fear of the wolves.” With the Sankt Gallen group in mind, it is now clear that Benedict was not speaking in general terms; he was being quite specific. It was rumored for years that Pope John Paul II was virtually isolated in the Vatican, save for a very few whom he knew he could trust. Cdl Ratzinger, Prefect of the CDF, was one of them. The Sankt Gallen Group and other similar elements had nothing but contempt for JPII. And their disposition towards Ratzinger was no different. Their own “chosen one” was the infamous Jesuit Carlo Maria Martini. But by the time JPII died, Martini was too old, and they had re-directed their attention to Bergoglio. But in the 2005, conclave, who did they get, but Ratzinger.
Undeterred, they set about isolating Benedict, just as they had isolated JPII. And Benedict did indeed “flee” but not out of fear. Rather, he knew only too well his own lame duck status, and that was no good for the Church. Instead, “let them have what they want” so the greatest crisis in the history of the Church can reach its painful climax, the summit of her Calvary. The promised renewal of the Church can only spring from the ruins of the old. The Church can only be rebuilt from the ruins.
Informative, well put.
Your citation of Samuel is profound.
Not all were Germans: Our UK Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor was of the Sankt Gallen group and was once our diocesan bishop and I always think that with his support Pope Francis is the way he is. More surprisingly Cardinal Basil Hume, for whom I had a lot of time, was also a member but that was in the last century and perhaps he was a bit naïve.
And don’t forget the south and central american ones.
I always believed Cardinal Basil Hume to be soft on homosexuals. A lot of that activity at Ampleforth when he was there & the press reported that he failed to call the police when parents complained. Couldn’t have been that dumb surely?
The problem was the whole culture. After the decriminalisation of homosexual activity there was a lot of sympathy for homosexuals who had been unjustly persecuted by the authorities. As a result a lot of homosexual abuse of young people got under the radar. If matters were reported to the police they did nothing. If matters got as far as a court then magistrates would be satisfied with a commitment to psychiatric treatment when they should have been sent to prison. It got to the point when it seemed pointless to refer the matter to the police. Some Catholic lawyers gave advice to warn clerics of the dangers of doing nothing. But then why should a cleric consult Catholic lawyers when they could use very competent secular lawyers who would do everything to protect the client?
Catholic boarding schools were hot beds for homosexual priests well before the decriminalisation of homosexual acts. One cannot absolve Religious Orders from such wrongdoing or their Abbots who turned their gaze the other way. There is really no difference to the enablers of more recent times, e.g. Danneels, O’Brien, Bernardin, Law, Macial etc. Homosexual men were drawn to such Orders because of the closeness they afforded them to youths & young male adults. It would indeed be naive to say they weren’t aware of this huge problem & their irresponsibility in not eradicating this demonic culture within their own houses has done untold damage to the CC worldwide. False obedience to secular law or one’s Bishop/Cardinal who is implicated, cannot be condoned by any Catholic – religious or lay.
Cardinal Hume was also close to Jimmy Saville, the notorious British Paedophile in the pay of the BBC. He introduced him to some male-only club in London who were highly embarrassed when the news broke about his activities.
As I heard it, the very exclusive Athenaeum Club was horrified when the bizarre Jimmy Saville was proposed as a member by Cardinal Hume. But, according to the rules of the club, if the Athenaeum members “blackballed” Saville, Hume would have been forced to resign as he would have violated the ethos of the Club by trying to introduce an unworthy member. As the Club was anxious not to lose the Cardinal, Saville was accepted into an inner sanctum of the British establishment.
Yes I’m sure that was the case, but Cardinal Hume should never have introduced Saville in the first instance. One cannot put this down to naivety. Cardinal Hume must have been aware of Saville’s corruptness as, indeed, also the BBC, but in the latter case they didn’t represent the CC (or any other faith).
God bless you and may He keep you in the truth in your research and findings.
Occam’s razor: they’re all homos.
And where are the Freemasons in all this?
Since Freemasonry is a secret society, they don’t publish their membership list, so individual members are impossible to verify. But, we were warned by the revelations by Our Lady of Good Success in the early 17th. century that in the twentieth century, (and early 21st.), satan would rule the world, (and the Church?), by means of the masonic sect. Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich foresaw the establishment of a “false Church” whose construction would be overseen, not by angels but by demons. Bl. Emmerich clearly foresaw that this false church would be the work of Freemasonry. And Our Blessed Lady told us through Fr. Gobbi that Freemasonry would penetrate up to the very highest levels in the Church. So, your question cannot be answered directly, but we can be certain beyond all trace of a doubt that events are being guided in no small measure by the hidden hand of Freemasonry.
Regarding the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, it was reported that Pope Francis demanded of Cardinal Burke “clear out all the freemasons” from the Order. If this is so, then I suspect that Francis’ reference to freemasons was a red herring. I suspect a cunning ruse here. Of the five members appointed by Francis to “investigate” the SMOM, three of them were close friends of (dismissed, and now re-instated – by Francis), Grand Chancellor von Boeselager; (who has now been given even greater powers than are defined by the Order’s statutes). Also, these “friends of von” Boeselager apparently had some measure of executive control over a large bequest left to the French Chapter of the Order. Wherever there is control over money, in societies and sovereign nations, there also is Freemasonry.
A friend of mine is coming out of Freemasonry, and I’ve been reading the papal pronouncements on Freemasonry, and interacting with a novus ordo priest who continues to commune Freemasons, and I…agree with everything you say here. I think you nailed it.
Each day, each story, each “twilight zone” moment of this pontificate, of this reality which we live in the Church, leads me to more deeply ponder the nature of the events in which we are about to take part. In 2 years time how will we look back on this moment? Will we have regret over not having more purposefully dedicated ourselves to prayer, penance, and preparation? Will we look at ourselves and think “what fools, how could they have ever conceived of what was to befall them?”
Yes!
Having been brought up Catholic as a child, then leaving the Church amidst the Vatican II changes, I recently returned to find a different Church, not just the Mass and all the sacraments, but the Catholic mindset of the lay members. At first it was like swimming upstream, I knew I needed to be back in the fold but where did the Church I grew up in go. Finally I found an FSSP parish and found the Church I remembered. Sadly I didnt find the dear nuns, but all the rest was there.
The point is that the changes were slow and as they occured the minds of the faithful were changed so that now one walk into a protestant church and feel at home, perhaps missing the body of Christ.
Pope Benedict realized the damage they had done but was forced out. There has been a schism for a long time, now it is in the open. You can either stay in your local novus ordo parish and be tossed around like a deck hand in the midst of a hurricane or join a good latin mass parish that sticks to the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church.
Pray that God bring strong bishops that will return the Catholic Church to the right course.
It is good that you have access to the traditional sacraments but I would be concerned about what your Fraternity priests will do if their diocesan bishop tells them to follow the guidelines of AL to give communion to adulterers. Have they spoken about that possibility?
They have and they will stick to the teachings of Jesus Christ. They mentioned the scripture that even if an angel were to tell you to do something that contradicts Jesus words, you will not listen but continue to do as Christ teaches us.
They cannot operate without the permission of the Bishop & this demonstrates how fragile the Traditional Orders are in relation to receiving faculties to minister within Dioceses. It is really up to Bishops collectively to decide whether to follow PF or not & to state clearly their position. You cannot continue living a lie which many have been doing. They are either in full communion with Rome or not. The four Cardinals must now lead from the top & call this present incumbent & regime what it clearly is, which is their duty, & start the restoration of the CC. No more hanging around for PF to die & for another replica to be installed, i.e. if they really are wanting to rescue us from such wolves.
Let’s take one step at a time. There is no order from Bishops who have FSSP parishes to do anything they don’t want to do – yet. My pastor also says he will go to the wall for the Faith, the Mass and the Sacraments. It may happen that families and singles will have to give up their jobs and move to attend a Catholic parish – but those times are in the future. For now let’s be grateful for what we have and try not to imagine things before they happen – we have enough to worry about now!
There are no SSPX or any other Traditional Order parishes in Spain or in most European countries because in order to administer a parish the Bishop has to issue them with faculties, i.e. his permission, which no NO Bishop here will do. Even in the unlikely case of a sympathetic Bishop allowing them to say TLM, there is nothing to say that the one who eventually succeeds him will. If you are lucky & have a travelling priest going around saying Holy Mass only, and about once a month, that’s as good as it gets. In order for me & innumerable other Catholics to access TLM it would be necessary to take a plane journey & then travelling to & from airport which is beyond me, so saying that such times are in the future is incorrect. We have & continue to live them in the here & now, & for the past 27 years.
Once PB didn’t mandate the Old Rite to continue the New Rite Bishops decided to trash it, regardless of public demand. Their conduct just emphasises that the CC is no longer a Universal Church. AL just underlines what has been happening in the CC for past decades.
Did you check out LiveMass.net? It’s an FSSP apostolate. You can see the TLM live.
Heck, I am a member of an FSSP parish, but I’d never heard of that. THANKS!
Thanks – now I feel like I’m carrying coals to Newcastle. ??
Yes, but the sound was terrible. I couldn’t hear the words spoken by the priest. Would be better if cameras & microphones were closer. It’s not necessary to show congregation which is far away from the action.
That’s terrible! Did you email the FSSP and let them know about the problem?
” for another replica to be installed”
Ouch, but I agree. Great post.
I know my FSSP priests well personally and as priests/teachers. They won’t cave. No way. Rest assured.
This is why Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated four Bishops for the SSPX – for the preservation and sanctification of the Catholic priesthood, to ordain priests according to the traditional Latin rite and administer the sacrament of Confirmation.
The more things go on, the more the actions of Archbishop Lefebvre seems very prescient.
And as I’ve said before, it’s another reason why the SSPX should not even THINK of regularization until the next pontificate.
I disagree. I think today is the BEST time for the SSPX to regularize. We need every man on deck, every gun pointed at the enemy, every bayonet sharpened, every belt tightened.
In one sense they have been protected by the struggles and burdens of the NO Catholics and FSSP etc folks for a long time. They need to see what it is like to truly be in the fray. They have lived an easy and frankly, effeminate existence for too long, calling their own shots. We regularized and struggling need what they have, and we need them…NOW. This is not the time to be dodgy.
Sorry, but I don’t buy it. Remember the diocese of Campos and what happened to them after the death of Archbishop Castro de Meyer? Remember what happened to the Transalpine Redemptorists?
The SSPX has survived so long because it has bishops and is not dependent on the local Bishop like the FSSP.
Also, I humbly submit that the SSPX IS in the fray, and has been since their founding.
As I’ve said before, the SSPX has chapels, churches, schools, convents, monasteries and dedicated clergy and laity who generously give their time, talents and treasure (I.e. $$$) to support the SSPX. That $$$ is not going to the local diocese nor, I suspect, Peter’s Pence.
***
I’m going by memory on this, so please forgive me:
About 15 years ago in The Remnant, there was an interesting letter to the editor.
The writer recounted an exchange between him and an Orthodox gentleman. He asked the Orthodox gentleman why he didn’t convert to the Catholic Church. The Orthodox gentleman replied that he didn’t want to see his liturgy “butchered”.
The writer also recounted an exchange between Pope John Paul II and an Orthodox prelate. The Orthodox prelate told the Pope to put his own house in order first. The Pope asked him what he meant. The Orthodox prelate told Pope John Paul II: “Settle your differences with the Society of St. Pius X first and then we’ll talk.”
Ever since the Jubilee Year 2000, the Vatican has been making overtures towards the SSPX.
This is just my opinion, but quite frankly, I believe that the Vatican took this to heart. IOW, they’re only interested in the SSPX because the SSPX is an obstacle to ecumenical relations with the Orthodox.
The SSPX preaches extra ecclesiam nullum salus; present-day Vatican policy is “be a better _________” (fill in any non-Catholic denomination). The SSPX preaches on chastity, modesty, i.e. keeping the 6th & 9th commandments. (I’m sure the FSSP does too, but I’m talking about the SSPX.) When I used to attend the NO, I never heard any sermons on those topics. Mother Angelica (eternal memory!) would talk about those topics on her show.
In fall 2007, my parents and I were visiting my aunt and uncle who were Russian Orthodox. Somehow the conversation turned to PB and how he changed the Good Friday prayer. I tried to explain how PB was pressured to change it. My aunt pounded the table and said: “HE HAD NO RIGHT TO DO THAT!!!”
That gesture – changing the Good Friday prayer – may have been acceptable to the Jewish community but in the eyes of the Orthodox, it was (for lack of a better term) an ecumenical setback.
Think of it from the Orthodox point of view: If the Pope is willing to change a centuries-old prayer in order to please people, what guarantee do they have that Rome will not do the same thing to their tradition (which is almost the same as ours – I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic)? (Cf. Remnant citation above)
I’m sure that whatever happens between the Vatican and the SSPX, the Orthodox hierarchy will be looking at it very closely.
Sorry for the long post. That’s my 10¢ for now.
They would leave before going against the vows they keep. Such is the reality of the FrancisChurch
You place 10 catholics in a row and 8 would stand by the Pope, The remaining 2 would be a rad and a lib in your terms .SImple as that,
Honestly, you may not like it , but what ever happened to the 4 cardinals, their correction, the KOM who were about to invade the Vatican and burn the heretic. And Fellay? and more. Could it be that maybe just maybe you could be wrong in your omnipotent views?
“the other face of the same vice is the Pelagianism of the pious. They do not want forgiveness and in general they do not want any real gift from God either. They just want to be in order. They don’t want hope they just want security. Their aim is to gain the right to salvation through a strict practice of religious exercises, through prayers and action. What they lack is humility which is essential in order to love; the humility to receive gifts not just because we deserve it or because of how we act… BXVI
Omnipotent views? I think you mean omniscient views. I’m not clear on how a view can omnipotent. And I don’t think anyone here thinks they’re omniscient – I certainly don’t. I tend more towards being nescient. Though I can see when the Church’s constant teachings are being subverted, denied, controverted, pick the verb.
In any event, when the anti-Christ comes, he’ll be wildly popular, in the world and the Church. He’ll speak much like PF: mercy, love for everyone (except those who get in his way – they will be ruthlessly extirpated), all the while jettisoning truth. PF is really showing how it’s done.
Much like Francis,,,,
Oh? What teaching of the Church did St. Francis deny? I’m at a loss here . . . help me out.
Scary! PRAY long and hard!!!
So what, exactly, are you saying about BXVI, with this quote?
Guess he is taking about traditionalists?
You place 10 catholics in a row and 8 would stand by the Pope, The
remaining 2 would be a rad and a lib in your terms .SImple as that,
You place 10 Catholics in a row and 6 would be lapsed Catholics who never attend Mass, use artificial contraception and routinely vote for pro-abortion Democrats. Another 3 would be clueless, poorly catechized Catholics who attend Mass but have completely swallowed the “Vatican II gave us springtime” shtick, are oblivious to the convulsions which have shaken the Church these past 50 years and see the Church as a largely horizontal construct which didn’t really get its act together until 1962. They’ll all stand by Francis.
The remaining one Catholic would realize that Familiaris consortio closed the door on Communion for those in ongoing adulterous relationships and that Amoris laetitia is a clear rupture with Catholic tradition. This Catholic will resist Francis and hold faithfully ( read “rigidly” in Francis-speak) to the faith which was handed down to him or her.
And what is your point?
But in any case, the fact that they are anonymous speaks of their bravery.
I am single, but I have fond memories of fornicating and don’t think it is natural to avoid this sin, I’m sure God understands so knowing in good conscience I can still receive sanctifying grace from Communion with the new foul breeze blowing out of the Vatican I am a Catholic in good standing. Thank you Francis the talking mule, there are some other vices I feel like pursuing- really- where did you come from, are you the creature from the black lagoon.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6313bef1950708f1120e462d53367abcb999ed91837ffe6d26f43ea09b64c549.jpg
Do you know what came to mind, making this even worse? What if priests decide to commit adultery and break their vows but “are at peace in their conscience”? Maybe they just confess to the conspirator. All evil is now unleashed within the church’s walls- not just out
And PF just did a video blessing of the Super Bowl!? Sheesch!!!! Priorities!!!
Hi G4e – The World or the Word. Francis has made his choice. It would be interesting to hear his take on Lady Gaga.
The money quote is this:
“What we have, indeed, somewhat overlooked so far is the fact that the German Bishops now do not any more even speak explicitly about the employment of ordained priests with regard to that “path of discernment” which should ostensibly now be willingly undertaken by the “remarried” applicants themselves.
For example, in the whole set of pastoral guidelines, only the words “pastoral” and “pastoral caretaker” (without further definition) are now being used; the word “pastor” or “priest” is nowhere to be found. The grave consequences of this linguistic phenomenon is that, at least in Germany, now also laymen (women and men) may officially “accompany” the “remarried” in their discernment as to whether they may have access to the Sacraments or not.”
As is later pointed out, does this mean that lay pastoral caretakers will be privy to the contents of confessions?
We are well on our way to the destruction of the institutionalized church. Where pray-tell are our Pope JPII priests and bishops? Bueller? Anyone?
Pastoral not dogma or doctrine and it is time the canon lawyers of the Church took these useless idiots before the signatura and in individual parishes befoer the diocesan rota.
I thought I would never say this but this Pope doesn’t sound Catholic.
You’re three and a half years late to the party, but welcome aboard.
Ha! I said this about 2 years ago. “Whatever this man is, he’s not Catholic.”
Nm
Citing a dubious prophecy only serves to discredit the legitimate ones, many of which speak clearly of the times we are in.
Sorry, I did not realize I was linking to a sedevacantist website when i posted it. My bad.
Caveat lector! That’s a sedevacantist website.
“Quis est doctrinae totius de Ecclesiae praeceptis et traditionibus usus ac fructus?”
“Postremus est ut verum inter legitimos et nothos Ecclesiae filios, seu inter catholicos et haereticos, dicrimen inde accipiamus. Illi enim simpliciter in doctrina Ecclesiae, sive scripto ea, nempe Biblicis literis tradita sit, sive patrum traditione comprobata, acquiescunt. Sequuntur enim verbum Dei: ‘Ne transgrediaris terminos antiquos, quos posuerunt patres tui.’ (Prov. 22, 28)
Hi vero qui sunt haeretici, ab hac simplicitate fidei et a venerandae matris Ecclesiae sanctorumque patrum probata sententia discedunt, nimiumque sibi vel desertoribus Ecclesiae fidunt, adeoque ne moniti quidem resipiscunt. Quare Paulus de iis tam serio sanxit, dum ait: ‘Haereticum hominem post unam et secundam correptionem devita, sciens quia subversus est, qui eiusmodi est.’ (Tit 3, 10-11).”
(S. Petrus Canisius, “Summa doctrinae christianae”, cap. ‘De traditionibus’)
“As soon as Cardinal Kasper dies, Daniel Deckers [the FAZ journalist] will most probably propose his canonization.”
I laughed more than I should with this sentence..