Joining their voices to an ever-growing group of concerned Catholics, an international coalition of organizations of clergy has issued a joint statement on the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia. “As members of the International Confraternities of Catholic Clergy,” the authors write, “we believe there would be great value in an authoritative interpretation of the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia in line with the constant teaching and practice of the Church.”
One of the signatory bodies is the US-based Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, which, according to their website, “is an association of “600 Roman Catholic Priests and Deacons pledged to the pursuit of personal holiness, loyalty to the Roman Pontiff, commitment to theological study and strict adherence to the authentic teachings of the Magisterium.” The joint statement also bears the seals of the Australian, British, and Irish Confraternities. In total, according to the National Catholic Register‘s Edward Pentin, the statement represents “thousands of priests from around the world” in requesting this authoritative interpretation.
Thus far, Pope Francis has been careful only to affirm his preferred interpretation — that of allowing Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried — through unofficial channels. This has not stopped groups of bishops in countries such as in Malta and Germany, nor even the Cardinal Vicar for the diocese of Rome — the pope’s own diocese — from following his lead in a more official capacity.
As of this writing, it has been 135 days since the Four Cardinals — Walter Brandmüller, Raymond Burke, Carlo Caffarra, and Joachim Meisner — sent their letter to the pope informing him of their dubia, or theological doubts, pertaining to Francis’ signature exhortation. Over 25,000 Catholics have signed a petition of support for their effort, and other groups of scholars and bishops have weighed in, but there has still been no response from the pope.
The authors of the joint Confraternity statement continue:
This statement comes in light of continuing widespread divergence of understanding and growing divisions in practice. A clarification is clearly needed to correct the misuse of the Apostolic Exhortation to undermine sacred Tradition. We, therefore, thank the four eminent Cardinals who have recently submitted their dubia to the Holy See, requesting such clarification. The Confraternities recognize that this action has been taken out of love for the Church and concern for the salvation of souls. As the Cardinals themselves have made clear, this step has been taken with deep respect for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and should not in any way be used to foster divisions in the Church. The grave danger to the unity of the Church due to increasing moral relativism must be honestly faced and clearly remedied.
As pastors of souls, we are well aware of the many challenges facing the men and women of today. We strive to help our people, often living in complex situations, to hear the call of Christ and his Gospel. This task is made easier when the Church expounds her teaching boldly and clearly. It is also essential that the Church’s discipline must always follow her dogmatic teaching. In particular, since at the present time there is much confusion, it is necessary to make clear that Holy Communion cannot be given to someone choosing to live in a sexual relationship with a person other than their validly espoused husband or wife.
The authors insist that such clarity of teaching is not contrary to the application of mercy, but an application of it:
Requesting such a clarification, which reiterates the perennial teaching of the Church, is an act of filial love by faithful sons of the Church who turn to our Supreme Shepherd seeking his paternal guidance. It is our desire that this elucidation will enable us and other Catholic priests and deacons to carry out our ministry in ways that are faithful and effective. We hope that this request for clarification may be an occasion for the Holy Father to feed and tend the flock entrusted to him by the Lord and to support us, the clergy, in doing the same.
The Confraternities statement represents the largest unified group to date to join in support of the dubia.
Steve Skojec is the Founding Publisher of OnePeterFive.com. He received his BA in Communications and Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2001. His commentary has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Crisis Magazine, EWTN, Huffington Post Live, The Fox News Channel, Foreign Policy, and the BBC. Steve and his wife Jamie have eight children. You can find more of his writing at his Substack, The Skojec File.
Good. Very good.
I think the key phrase in this statement is the affirmation that this has not been done to undermine Francis, but that “this step has been taken with deep respect for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and should not in any way be used to foster divisions in the Church.” That is, the division and chaos running rampant through the Church is not the fault of those who are simply reaffirming the Church’s immemorial teaching on divorce and remarriage, but rather by those (implicitly Francis himself) who teach otherwise, whether overtly or covertly. They have very respectfully thrown this back in Francis’s lap; if there is any division, he owns it.
I may be a tad too optimistic for such a dark time, but to me, Francis’s options seem to be growing more and more limited by the day, and unexpected but greatly appreciated by faithful Catholics events such as this statement serve to paint him further and further into a corner. If he wants to remain the Most Mercifulest Pope Evah!™, he has to remain silent and fume in private, as the optics of a pontiff lashing out against priests who simply uphold Church teaching no longer fool even Jimmy Akin and the folks at the National Catholic Register (cf. “Cardinal Müller on Amoris Laetitia: 12 Things to Know and Share”), available here: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/cardinal-mueller-on-amoris-laetitiae-12-things-to-know-and-share
Francis and his cohorts in the German episcopate and the other Modernist progressives are losing the media narrative, and he knows it, hence the ramblings from this past week from Francis on how following the Ten Commandments indicate one lacks “courage”. Unfortunately, anyone who has dealt with a terrified animal knows that they are at their most violent and deadliest when backed into a corner. If Francis decides he no longer cares about being the Most Mercifulest Pope Evah!™, he may decide to simply go for broke and become even more of a Peronist, arbitrary, and vindictive dictator. The public formal correction cannot come soon enough, Cardinal Burke.
‘Things’ are lining up. Many souls to be saved and so therefore, “things” must be crystal clear to the many, as their decision will either be pleasing to God, or not so pleasing. ( my humble opinion), when the public formal correction comes. It will take a spine of steel, a faith not to be shaken from its roots, to withstand it all and choose Christ. I have great confidence in Cardinal Burke. He is not a man to be shaken.
Each of the four Cardinals have shown strong resolve to having the Dubia answered. It is, after all a requisite for confirming that the True Faith stays intact & people living such disordered lives must disentangle themselves in order to access the Sacrament of Confession & thereafter gain access to Holy Communion. The Ten Commandments were given us by the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity & therefore no-one can either delete or make change to them. Catholics know this very well & this call for a pastoral change comes from those Modernist Cardinals & Bishops hopeful of it being extended to the LGBT community of whom many of themselves are participants.
Whether PF will or not actually reply in writing as he is called to do doesn’t make any difference to the fact that the Dubia has been sent & ignoring it is not acceptable. The True Faith must be upheld & if PF is not going to do that he must resign.
There’s one thing that makes me uneasy: PB resigned, PF may resign and if another Pope is elected
This sounds like something out of the Great Western Schism, where three popes were vying for the papacy. It took the Council of Constance to make all three resign and call for the election of a new Pope.
I’d bet you a dollar to a peseta (or is it the ugly Euro now?) that 90% of Catholics never heard of the Great Western Schism, and I’d further bet that they wouldn’t know how to deal with it.
Lord, have mercy!
There is no resignation… he/the chair is forfeited by a council if he does not correct himself in the true teaching of Jesus and His Church…
My opinion is the Vatican is too much committed to the Obamaification/Clinton liberalism that got derailed in November….
It may sound crazy but I think francis is very soon going to feign or cause, or become seriously ill or injured and become clinically deceased but in amazing wonder return with proof through signs and.wonders that he is the real thing…. and subsequently the multitudes will undoubtedly proclaim Francis’ way is the only way…
Because look what he can do… it’s like magic…
Oh by the way, I can interpret from your steadfast faith that you and many others who see through this heresy and schism, you will be remnant catholic church and confront the Antichrist…
Maybe with prayer and repentance we can delay it…
It’s a major spiritual battle for souls.
it wouldn’t surprise me. He is definitely in a corner now. It will be interesting to see how he tries to get past it. That said, I pray for him daily, and I hope for his conversion.
It could very well be that he’s clearing the way for the Antichrist. Many saints, mystics and the Blessed mother have prophesied that there will be an anti pope. Bishop Sheen in one of his books also mentions an anti pope in the Vatican. I’ve often wondered what he and Hussein Obama talked about when Obama went to Rome to meet with Francis, Biden also met with Francis yet, these meeting’s never came out in public
Bible revelations, and true mystics and prophets have written about and mentioned about what francis is doing… Christians including Catholics should have a working understanding of the bible… or at least know someone who can truly interpret scripture. It can be hard to understand.. It is God’s owners manual for the world..
You are correct in that this is clearing the way for the antichrist. Unless we are off about by 50 years but I don’t think so..
Francis is the False Prophet… A lot of bible interpretations point to this… But note this:
The bible indicates the antichrist will be engaged in a continuous blasphemy against God…d id
The False Prophet does amazing wonders, fire from the sky, probably levitation, bi location etc.
With that in mind Francis needs the worlds attention, NOW and ALWAYS… He singles out every secular interest and says to the effect SO AM I interested. e.g.
The SUPER BOWL,, he sends his video blessings for the super bowl.. Why???? so he can get on the main stage of the world again…
But God isn’t making it that easy for him… He for sure thought that Hillary was going to be the next president and he was using Obama, Biden, Hillary to help his False Prophet Agenda????
One or two bible experts interpret portions of the bible relating to francis splitting the catholic church into two thirds and one third…..
The 1/3 will be the remnant catholic church. The 2/3 will follow francis the so called false prophet.
The only way a false prophet can cause multitudes and multitudes of populations to follow him is by doing these so called MIRACLES…
Unless you know forehand the false prophet will be so amazing it will be hard not to resist.
I suspect the bread and wine of the false prophet and antichrist when administered as a fake sacrament will cause and ecstasy in the person who received it.
Also the fake bread and wine will cause some persons to levitate and do amazing things…. But these are all false… not from Heaven..
But can you imagine the secular multitudes throwing themselves at these two entities and getting bread and wine that changes something into GOLD****
Fake all fake and not from heaven..
The remnant catholic church and others will see this and identify him as the antichrist and fight him… there is more but no time to go on further
God isn’t making it easy,,,, maybe francis will admit his errors…. The 4 Cardinal dubia will force francis to answer several questions in a yes or no manner.. If he gives wrong answers then he is corrected in his interpretations and teachings from the Chair of Peter. If he answers correctly than he is a catholic pope… But Francis’ inner circle is saying “he wont answer the dubia.” Then the 4 Cardinals summon a council and after confirmation the Chair of Peter is forfeited, in this case because of heresy.
In the past there was only one dubia against a pope in the 12th or 13th century… This pope started teaching that those who die don’t get to see the beatific vision.. so to speak..
A dubia then by cardinals caused this pope to realize he was in error and if he continued it would be heresy…. but the pope changed….
I think we are at the end times for Jesus to return… I would say that the United States is in a better and the best posture to confront the Antichrist and false prophet.
Much better than if Hillary was in the presidency.
I hope all this is misinterpreted,, but I think all the Saints in Heaven are jealous that they are not here with us for the return.
And many in the church will begin kicking and screaming since they got used to the Protestant/Catholic church but now is the time to “stand firm” or lose temporary lose since we know that we are going to go through very rough times in our church. Same concept of what’s been happening in our country……
“Most Mercifulest Pope Evah!™”
Hahaha! Good Stuff, Maynard.
PF and his NWO now are in big trouble that is just a matter of times to be finished. In US ordinary people have stood up and fought hard with leader Donald Trump and the Catholic Church has risen many brave, faithful clergies and lay people against the “destroyer.” God has answered our prays and intervened by helping US and Catholic Church defeats Satanic NWO. Deo gratias.
You are crazy. Trump is a fraud and a liar and will betray you and all the gullible people who voted for that brainless ignorant bigot.
Trump has done more for the pro-life movement in two weeks than any other president since Roe v. Wade has during their entire respective tenures in office. So far, he has upheld his campaign promises to do what he can to minimize the damage caused by abortion and, more importantly, outwitted the Democrats at their own game by nominating a pro-life, textualist justice for the Supreme Court whose credentials are so impeccable that the Democrats (who voted for him when he was nominated for the circuit court) have nothing of substance to use to block his nomination. Even if Trump does nothing else, that alone makes voting for him worth it.
But by all means, John, continue to join your fellows at the National “Catholic” Reporter (yes, I’ve read your posting history) and remind us of just how wonderful Hillary would have been. I’m sure that echo chamber of leftist lunacy is lovely to visit these days (and here I thought progressives were supposed to be “compassionate” and “tolerant” of other viewpoints; apparently the students at Berkeley didn’t get the memo).
take a pill. he will betray all of you having played you all for suckers with his baloney line of nonsense. I believe in the right to abortion so Trump’s nomination of an anti-abortion judge hardly impresses me. I predicted a month or so ago that in four we would be in another recession and another war–see Iran, see the deregulation of Wall Street which Trump denounced during the campaign and is now serving while he throws smoke in the eyes of religious right. Have a good year and a half until this criminal is impeached
Perhaps you need to “take a pill”, John. You seem to be off your meds today. And if you are seriously pro-abortion and have no problem with the slaughter of innocent life that cannot protect itself (by the way, John, ever think about the fact that you wouldn’t be here if your own mother had agreed with you and acted upon it? Just saying.), then at least be intellectually honest and don’t post on Catholic forums that actually adhere to the magisterium.
If you predicted that in four months we will be in a recession, by the way, then I’m certain you will blame it on the previous president, just as Mr. Obama did for eight years. But you won’t do that, now, will you?
take two pills and don’t presume to tell what I can or cannot read or comment on or believe. Leave my mother out it your poor excuse for a human being..Your comments are worthy of Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steven Bannon.
Why, what an intelligent, logical comment, John. Clearly, you would never resort to ad hominem attacks in defense of your position.
(sarcasm off)
I apparently touched a nerve with you; hopefully, it is due to the fact that, at some level, you recognize the incongruity of your position on abortion with your own existence and how, with just one choice, you very well could not be here to argue in favor of abortion. Hopefully, you are not too blinded by leftism to see the irony.
You are an idiot. Should an nine year old who has been raped and irmpregnated by her step father be forced to carry that foetus/baby/child to term, or does her mother have the right to have an abortion to save the daughter’s life? Does a non-Catholic woman who goes into a hosptial with a septic embryo have the right to an abortion to save her life, or should the hospital turn her away because it is in Catholic country (she died because of this) Should a nun who is the administrator of a hospital be excommunicated because she signed off on an abortion to save a woman’s life who had a septic embryo? There are circumstances that justify actions. You blanket elimninate abortion and you are killing some people who have as much right or to life as a preseumed person. That is the my position. Think about it. There is not a word in the Bible about abortion, prro or con. Acquinas did not when a soul entered a human , neither did Augustan. Maybe Trump does
John, every time you throw in an insult (“You are an idiot”), all it does is undermine you and make you appear to be appealing to emotion, rather than facts and logic. Now, having said that:
“Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)
Ver. 13. Kill. These precepts are to be taken in their full extent, as prohibiting not only the ultimate act, but every thing which leads to it. Magistrates are authorized to inflict capital punishments. We are allowed also to defend ourselves against an unjust aggressor. But we must never intend to kill him. (Calmet) — The laws will not condemn us, perhaps, if we do; but God sees the heart, and judges. A night thief may be slain, because we know not how far our own lives may be endangered, chap. xxii. 2. (Haydock) [from the Haydock Bible]
So the ends justify the means, John? That is situation ethics at its worst.
(P.S.: Spellcheck is your friend [e.g., “Aquinas”, not “Acquinas”; “Augustine”, not “Augustan”]. If you cannot even spell the names of the men you are trying to cite, it gives the impression you really don’t know what they teach.)
Read The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Richard B. Hays . professor of NT at Duke Univ Divinity School. p 314, also 446. “”Is abortion murder or not? There is nothng in the context of the Decalogiue. or indeed anywhere in the Torah, that offers an answer to this question. See the detailed discussion in the pages that follow. , esp 450 There might be situatiions in which we deem the termination of such life warranted .” Discussing abortions in the context of rape or incest Prof Hayes said p 456 “where there is no direct NT teachings on the subject…such excepts are certainly justifiable options for Christians.”
And he thinks abortion violates Christan tradition. But he is able to use that horrible word reason and its offshot discernment to come to an informed intelligent decision. On Aquinas and Augustin I refer to “Mario Cuomo’s Trouble with Aborion” by Garry Wills in New Yor Review of Books June 28, 1990 pages 11ff.
On the question of personhood i refer you to “Beyond the Abortion Wars by a Fordham professor of theological and social ethics who recognizes that the Catholic allows “indirect abortion” when a pregnant woman has a cancerous uterus that must be cut out leading einvevitably to the death of the child/baby/foetus–call it what you will.
Try to think about things before you talk about them. Even Kellyanne is learning that not everyone buys alternative facts
The personhood of the human fetus is not in question by any serious scientist or doctor. It is a human being, full stop.
You’re arguing, therefore, that there are times when it can be morally acceptable to murder a child. You can make all the references you want to other pieces of casuistry, but this is the upshot of your entire thesis.
As the world-renowned geneticist, Dr. Jerome LeJeune, famously told a Tennessee jury in a 1989 court case over frozen embryo custody:
It’s on you, John, to prove the reasons why YOU make that difference. But don’t spit on us and tell us it’s raining. That’s a child you’re advocating the death of.
so wjhat.. we kill people all the time, as donald trump famously said….
the mother has rights that supercede the zygote, child baby bambino wo whatever you want to call it. it is a matter of discernment, iusing your reason to understand all the issues involved. not so drummed law about personhood….especially
It’s good to have you on record as an advocate for killing. Obviates any further discussion.
What do you want me to call it? It is a reality. all of this takes place within the context of a shared Christian belief system. Someoine who does not share might have a different reaction. See Professor’s Hays’ discussion of the whole issue.
Is it Richard Hays you are referring to?
Its too bad your mother didn’t abort you….
Your are a morally sick person. Go see a psychiatrist or a drug dealer or an ISIS axe man
You are a very angry, full of hate leftist and I believe you are on this site because you want to spew your hatred. So sad but, that’s what your American Communist party is all about.
He he ho ho
You obviously are an atheist, a cafeteria Catholic or don’t know your faith at all. But most likely I believe that you are an angry leftist radical, and an Anarchist. So sad because in the end, you will stand before the “Almighty Judge Himself.” Repent..!
Ha Ha
Trump’s election is most definitely a great boon for the country. God did answer a lot of prayers, mine included. I don’t think it will defeat the NWO however. What part PF plays will eventually become more apparent. This battle has been going on for centuries and I think God has a plan and no matter what this country does Divine Providence will sustain the faithful.
When and where did he say about the ten commandments…. do you have a link
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/watch-pope-accuses-his-critics-of-cowardliness-for-overfocus-on-following-1
Thank you
Excellent summary of the current condition of the Church. You have pegged His Mercifulness to a T. The Church has turned a corner with the message of these holy priests.
I am delighted that you appear to be correct that Bergoglio (there I have done it. Only ever called him Pope Francis before) may well be losing the Catholic “Media Battle”.
But I really think he doesn’t care about the “Catholic Media Battle”.
Yes. It would be nice to win that too I am sure he is thinking. But I believe that he is far more concerned about the general media.
The New York Times. The BBC.
If he wants to be the founder of the NWO Church then he needs support there. And as far as I can tell. They love him.
Christ said; “if you follow me you will be hated and will be persecuted.” Funny, francis is loved by the media, even hollywood is forever going to the Vatican to meet him
This will greatly enhance the chances of the Dubia having to be formally answered. The fact that the named episcopates are going ahead on their own volition to allow non-repentant sinners to take Holy Communion is a scandalous & sacrilegious act that must be brought to a close. If PF still declines to do so then the four Cardinals will have no choice but to call for the Imperfect Council to tell us not to follow him. it is to be hoped they will inform us as to whether they have, in fact, made the formal correction & how soon can we expect real progress to either rescind AL altogether or to formally request PF to resign.
PF and his cohorts: modernist cardinals, bishops, priests and lay people are now attacking directly at Jesus Christ. What blasphemous and sacrilegious are they. They’re so arrogant, ignorant and delusional ganged up opposing God and His holy, apostolic Church and the outcome, losers…
Ana (or anybody else), please clue me in. What is this “Imperfect Council” thing I keep reading about in the comboxes here? Thanks
See above.
What are the chances that some of the 200+ red hats would stand up and give support to the request for PF’s resignation if we should ever come to that? Or if their support or the lack of would even make a difference? Would there have to be a vote involved? And what if PF simply refuses to stop down, what would happen then?? Pray that we would never have to come so far.
I understand an Imperfect Council could be called once the formal correction has been made & ignored. This would not necessarily have to comprise of all the members of the Hierarchy & would only convene for the sole purpose of drawing our attention to PF’s heresy & instructing us not to follow him. Then a new conclave would at some time have to be called (as PF would be deemed to have removed himself from the CC) & a new pope elected. It will be necessary for the four Cardinals to inform us of the way forward & how we should react.
Far from comprising all or nearly all members of the hierarchy, most likely it would be attended by maybe a dozen cardinals and a smattering of bishops – maybe about 2% of the hierarchy. Why should the pope or anybody listen to them? (aside from the few people who have an understanding of what’s been going on in Rome, I mean). What if 2% of liberal bishops and cardinals had held an “Imperfect Council” against Pope Benedict (or St. Pius X, or any pope for that matter) and his perceived “ultra-conservative” pontificate? What percentage of cardinals have to deem PF as to “have removed himself from the CC” for it to be valid? Certainly half, I would think, and probably much more. Is it realistic to think that would happen? I mean, these are the same cardinals who elected him minus the retirement of older ones who were possibly made cardinals long ago and with the addition of those given the red hat by PF. Do some cardinals regret electing him? Sure, ‘some’ do, but, relatively speaking, how many? I’m sure many more do not and even the ones who do, by and large, would never consider attending a council to declare the pope a heretic and elect a new one. How does 2% of the hierarchy declaring the pope no longer be pope by reason of heresy and “electing” a new pope not result in an antipope? What if ‘five times’! the number of the hierarchy participate in it? Well, that’s still only 10%. Am I too cynical? Maybe, but I don’t think so. I think some kind of extra-ordinary divine intervention is necessary at this point, which I would not at all be surprised to see this year sometime.
Please remember to pray for Pope Francis. That is our duty as faithful sons and daughters of the Church and, yes, of the Holy Father. Pray for 1. his conversion and 2. if he will not, then his replacement in whatever manner God wills for that to happen.
Ana, very well written and explained,,,,, how do you know this so well?
A very good and smart initiative.
This statue is called “Religion Overthrowing Heresy and Hatred” by Pierre Le Gros the Younger at the Church of the Gesu in Rome.
Somehow it seems apt for these times.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d79c545a50003a4c7b1dacdf786143adf2bd470f721dacb26d1b20a7743bfcde.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6064cc33177160f4b586dad313a8192d584c5858a641ee14d8e5252bba315cd4.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/00f8c3c2d4b5d5b7dbee0a2f092e1ddcb53d91406a17687e75fe6ba690da3fc8.jpg
That’s beautiful. Isn’t the Church of the Gesu the mother church of the Jesuits?
Yes, it is.
A heretic priest / bishop who is not in union with the teachings of Jesus and His Church, sadly ohhhh so sadly shepherds the flock to an invalid eucharist which remains bread and wine.
You will know and you will feel it….. our souls will tremble..
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. – 1 John 1:5-6
I am almost sure that this kind of statements are coming too late. And I dare to say this because now is clear that the heresies promoted (at least implicitly) by “Amoris Laetitia” are destroying the faith of many weak and disoriented Catholics. In my own country, different bishops are organizing with great enthusiasm different conferences and workshops for laymen just to spread the dangerous teachings from “Amoria Laetitia”. This is happening EVERYWHERE. In such a situation, to accept and to wait any kind of “clarification” – after many tacit refusals in this direction from the side of the Pope Francis – seems to be useless. In such a situation this is what to be done:
1.) A Cardinal or a Bishop (or many Cardinals and many Bishops) ought to publicly denounce the heresies in clear terms (the document signed by the 45 theologians is a good starting point);
2.) The heresies ought to be named and anyone (even the Pope) who promote and spread them in any way, explicitly or implicitly, ought to be denounced;
3.) The main heretics (i.e. “heresiarchs”) has to be EXPLICITLY named and asked to repent and to denounce the heresies; if not, they have to be excommunicated through a public act;
4.) All those who are faithful to the gospel of Our Lord, Jesus Christ ought to be warned to avoid any contact with the heretics and schismatics and their teachings/writings. This process is unavoidable. We are in the middle of a situation fully comparable with the Arian crisis. We ought to pray continually that Our King and Lord, Jesus Christ, will raise pastors and faithful people ready to fight for our Christian, Catholic Faith.
In my opinion, all the previous attempts to get some clarifications have failed. This is the truth. We have to accept it. Right now it is time to defend our Catholic Faith. AMDG.
Well written
This statement was timely. Let the momentum build up and perhaps even Pope Francis will back down. I know many individuals pray for this intention but somehow an organized crusade of prayer and penance worldwide would be wonderful. Could not the Dubia authors and others who support them call for prayer to prevent schism and uphold the Faith? If Americans, Poles, Zulus, Kazakhs, Italians, Germans, Nigerians, etc. can inform their fellow Catholic countrymen of the danger and unite in prayer. I pray for the consecration but while we wait an organized prayer effort would be effective.
Google Cardinal Burke storm heaven
I did and I signed up. Thank you. I saw that donations also help to let others know about the campaign.
Matthew 24:22 And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
Pray hard but get ready to fight for and with Jesus. I think our Mass and personal prayers have delayed this but get ready.. Isnt it great,,, we are going to be saints..
Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. That’s putting on your armor…
The Holy Spirit on the job.
I find very little to rejoice in regarding this Confraternity story. To me, it’s like congratulating the endangered species of a bishop who is fiercely pro-life. That should be an expectation, not a cause for marvel. These men daily above uphold the post-conciliar structure. If the Pope were to withdraw Amoris Latitia tomorrow, the great majority of this group would default into a self-congratulatory mode and reassure each other just how effective they are and that everything is sunny again.Then they will return to supporting by their presence and/or silence the theological positions (with their structural and disciplinary fabric) at odds with 2000 years of Catholic teaching and practice which created the swamp where AL took root. AL did not occur in a vacuum. It is the logical consequence of 50 years of the piece by piece dismantling and destruction of the ancient Faith. There are 50 years of toxic ecclesial catalysts which have directly contributed to creating the environment where AL has been made possible (and even probable).
One of those catalysts have been the treatment of the priesthood. That destruction is ongoing. One of the detrimental developments to a manly celibate priesthood even makes an appearance in the picture above. Permanent deacons — there are several of them in the picture above — have been made “ordinary ministers” of the Eucharist (traditional deacons are not) and they are the first Order within the Sacrament of Holy Orders to be permitted marriage and marital intimacy since celibacy has been obligated upon Latin Rite priests. Hundreds of them over the years have been widowed and have been permitted to remarry — smashing another sacred tradition of the Church.
I know I will upset some by advocating the notion that this particular development (as related in this story) is less of a reason for jocularity than what first appears to the eye. I am glad they have done what they’ve done. But, in the larger sweep of the contemporary Church crisis, they are part of the problem; not part of the solution. For most of these men above, they either tolerate or embrace the accelerants of the present chaos. They are enablers of the ongoing revolution.
I fully agree with you.
When starving one is grateful for a crumb.
Well that’s what the good priests, bishops and cardinals want, that the ‘Dogma of holy mother church be preserved and should be. Its not for this pope or any pope to change anything since its the church of Jesus Christ and must be preserved. We too, the sheep want this pope to adhere to the ‘fullness of the TRUTH.’ That’s one of the reasons why so many Catholic’s left the church in the past fifty year’s and I am one of them but the Holy Ghost led me back home to the ‘True’ Catholic church and I do not like what this pope is doing…