On May 28, 2011, in the small island nation of Malta — nestled in a Mediterranean archipelago between Italy’s boot and Africa’s northern coast — a referendum was held on the topic of divorce. The official religion of the Maltese Republic is Catholicism, and the country traces its Christian origins back all the way to St. Paul, who is believed to have been shipwrecked there. This connection to the most prolific apostle confers with it a special status; the Archdiocese of Malta is designated as an Apostolic see.
You might imagine, therefore, that divorce is a controversial topic in Malta. And in fact, at the time of the 2011 referendum, Malta was one of only three countries in the world where divorce was still illegal.
On May 17, 2011, the Times of Malta ran a story entitled, “Beware Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing – Gozo Bishop.” In it, the writer related a warning from the suffragan Bishop of the Gozo region of the Malta Archdiocese, Mario Grech:
In a veiled reference to the choice Catholics will have to make in the divorce referendum, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has warned that those who do not follow Christ’s teachings should not receive the Eucharist.
In a homily on Sunday at the St George’s parish church in Victoria where teenagers received the sacrament of confirmation, Mgr Grech spoke about the sacraments and directly referred to marriage on more than one occasion.
In what was possibly the closest reference to the impending divorce referendum, Mgr Grech said: “If we want to find the right door, shortly [sic]… and adults, understand what I am trying to say… do not make a mistake, there is only one door.”
[…]
In his homily, Mgr Grech warned the faithful of “brigands”, who, he said, were trying to lead Christ’s flock astray. “They are going after marriage and then other things will follow,” he cautioned the congregation.
In an obvious reference to the recently set up Catholic pro-divorce group, the Bishop urged people to “beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing”.
“And the wolf is now saying he is Catholic. This is a falsity, this is deceit. I am ready to dialogue with everyone but do not be false, do not lie. You cannot not be loyal to Christ and say you are a Christian or a Catholic.”
It was at this point that Mgr Grech made it clear to those present that people who did not follow Christ’s teachings could not expect to receive the Eucharist.
The voters of Malta ultimately chose, by a narrow margin, to allow divorce. Nevertheless, the bishop’s statements were a witness to the truth of Christ, and would certainly be welcomed now, in these days of confusion over Amoris Laetitia.
But Bishop Grech appears to have changed his tune rather drastically. First came a 2015 interview on the Family Synod in which Bishop Grech had already begun to toe the new party line:
But how can a Catholic opt for divorce, if such a thing goes against the core values of its teachings? Is this not a typical case of someone treating religion as an a la carte menu?
Life is not black or white – there are also a lot of shades in between. What makes a good Christian? Perfection? If this were the case it would probably be beyond everybody’s reach. We are not a Church for perfect people, even though we have been brought up with the idea that there is only room for saints within the Church.
[…]
So where does this leave the Church on this particular issue?
The Church cannot refuse to administer communion to somebody who genuinely wishes to receive it and is trying to live in forgiveness, regardless of whether they are divorced or not. This could be the first step of a longer journey towards God, and the Church must not hinder such a process.
Next came the shocking guidelines issued by the Maltese bishops on the implementation of Amoris Laetitia — guidelines that, according to our report by Fr. Brian Harrison, indicated that “in Malta there will now be no objective and enforceable limits whatsoever on the right of (non-continent) divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive the Holy Eucharist.”
Now, another bombshell has dropped. The Italian liturgical-renewal website, Messainlatina.it, has reported:
We have been told by trustworthy and reliable persons – whose identity we know but, for obvious reasons, we must not now disclose – that in these recent days Msgr. Mario Grech (Bishop of Gozo) upon his return from Rome THREATENED [sic, capitalized in the original] priests of his own Diocese of Malta with ‘prohibiting their public celebration of the Mass if they do not support his implementing directives concerning Amoris Laetitia which were written together with Bishop Sciucluna.’*
Katholisches journalist Giuseppi Nardi has echoed this revelation in his own report:
Undisturbed [by criticism of his new Malta directives], Bishop Grech recently returned from his visit to Rome and has also made public the “directives” in his Diocese of Gozo. Thereby he went even further now – obviously fortified by Rome. He threatened the priests of his Diocese that he would “prohibit their public celebration of Mass if they do not support the directives concerning Amoris Laetitia which he has written together with Bishop Scicluna. Thus, if priests do not follow these new “criteria” in the Diocese of Gozo, their suspension a divinis would follow.*
During my research on this story, I was contacted by a concerned and well-informed Catholic living in Malta. “The funny thing is, before Francis was elected Bishop Grech was very orthodox,” the person told me, “Then he changed in the most spectacular fashion. These directives [the Maltese bishops’ guidelines on Amoris Laetitia] are his brainchild, and he wrote them. They are the latest in a long list of dubious teaching.” Asked how it was that Grech — who is under the authority of Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who was until recently considered reliably orthodox, and who worked with the CDF on the sex abuse crisis — could push through such guidelines, co-opting his “formidable” superior in the process, it was suggested that Grech had found favor among the powerful in Rome.
This person then put me in contact with a Maltese priest, who related the following story on condition of anonymity:
A friend of mine was [recently] travelling to Rome from Malta and upon his arrival phoned me up to tell me what he had learned.
On the plane he saw Mons. Mario Grech, who was sitting just in the seats in front of him. At one point he was on the phone shouting at the person on the other end. My friend heard the words clearly: “If you do not read it, I am ready to keep you from celebrating Mass.” My friend knew full well he was talking about the instruction letter given by the bishops to the parishes to be read before Mass during the weekend.
I asked the Gozo Diocese to comment on this story. The response I received was that the allegations — now being circulated widely in the Catholic media — are “absolutely false”. Similarly, the Diocese of Gozo issued this statement today on their Facebook page:
What the bishops of Malta cannot deny is that they have issued guidelines on Amoris Laetitia that are so damaging, they imperil souls — and that these guidelines have been published in the official Vatican newspaper, giving them the appearance of papal recognition. What has been done is already as scandalous and damaging as the allegations regarding the suspension of priests over a failure to share or implement these guidelines.
It is likely that the incident witnessed on the plane, if true, was the source of the allegation, rather than some official policy. I have been unable to speak directly to the witness, but the priest who shared this story to me insists that his source is personally known to him, and that he continues to affirm that it happened as he recounted it.
It is not without irony that we note the ramifications of this alleged implementation of Amoris Laetitia. Persons guilty of objective grave sin must be given communion if their conscience commends them to, but priests who believe in conscience that this is wrong are to be suspended for it? It appears that there are some choices that do incur prohibition of the sacraments among the bishops who support the new approach to “mercy” — or at least, the faculties to offer them.
One hopes that the scrutiny over this incident will at the very least act as a deterrent to Bishop Grech, keeping him from any use of such retribution against priests of his diocese who would act according to their well-formed conscience on this matter. If not, they needn’t suffer in silence. Any priest who stands for Christ and His Church will always find a voice here.
*Translation provided by Maike Hickson.
You are spot on OnePeterFive!
As you know, he found great favor with Francis during the Synod in 2014 while a Mgrs. in 2014.
He was lured in by this diabolical seduction of mercy, compassion, forgoing God’s Laws He changed.
Very, very sad. THIS is why holy priests, bishops must pray very hard for protection.
Keep your Mother close, and do not worry that you will be called harsh, rigid or somehow less compassionate for keeping to God’s Divine Laws. Mankind is thirsty for the Truth, especially the faithful Catholic.
Bring them to the Truth and let Christ take it from there!
Im thinking that this could have been his true attitude all along. Its just that under Pope Benedict he appeared to have a different attitude. Thus, he could have been a pretender for quite some time until an “opportunity” arose to show his true belief. Essentially, they, the heretics, are playing a dangerous and futile game as it is never beneficial to wage war against God’s Church.
I don’t think so. I think he simply feel into heresy, which happens from time to time.
“The danger is that in times of crisis we look for a savior”@elpaís.com. (English version).
He seems all over the place, contradicting himself especially on immigration & people who disagree with him. A very muddled mind that doesn’t feel the weight attached to the Papacy nor the responsibility I would say. I hope he takes PB’s example & steps down quickly.
I was referring to the bishop not Pope Francis…I think it’s pretty clear that Francis believed his heretical nonsense prior to becoming Pope
Who knows if this was his attitude all along? Perhaps it was not though. Ego and pride can corrupt anyone, even a bishop who at one time may have said ” Not me Lord.”
Very, very sad.
He’s a double agent!
Runs with the hare & hunts with the hound.
If it’s happening in Malta, what’s to stop it from happening anywhere else? Nothing screams “mercy” more than threats and intimidation, after all. The cynic in me suspects that the only reason we’re hearing “this is absolutely false” is because the media got wind of it and began publicizing it. Had the bishop managed to keep this under wraps, these poor priests most likely WOULD be facing these threats.
The sad part is, all of this was entirely predictable back when AL came out last April. The regular commenters in this forum have been talking about this very thing—that the reception of the Holy Eucharist could be illicit in one diocese, yet perfectly permissible in the neighboring diocese, thus undermining the universality of the Catholic faith—for almost a year. I remember we were mocked on other forums for being “reactionaries” and “unfaithful to the Pope” or “only looking to insult the Pope”, all while being told that what we were predicting could never possibly happen.
The impossible, it turns out, is possible after all.
Saw this coming from 2013! But never could have imagined in a million years outright heresy at this level of the Church.
It seems to be about who can dominate the media most/better has the advantage in this battle in high places.
I agree with you, the denial is on account of exposure. We need to keep up the pressure on them, through prayers and orthodox media presence – sensus fidelium.
Start reading what Our Lady of Fatima said, and all will be clear.
Sad to say a Schism Is obviously upon the church and not just in Malta. Shame on Francis , Amoris Latita and communion for Lutherans and violation of Canon law 915. Apostate like actions out of Bishops and the Vatican as well.
I have seen this for quite some time. In fear and trembling we move forward. Most of the faithful do not know their religion.
I have the impression of His Excellency as something of a weathervane.
…a reed shaking in the wind
My question is this: If a priest’s says “Your excellency, I am not going to follow your pastoral directive regarding_______ (fill in the blank with anything)” The Bishop will say “That’s fine, I understand.” Really? How do you run a Diocese that way?
How can Bishop Grech foster unity in His Diocese if he issues Pastoral Directives and then permits his priests to reject them without consequence? Is this not in itself a source of confusion and division for the laity and the clergy alike in the Gozo Diocese? Answer: Yes, absolutely.
What happens if parishioners complain to Bishop Grech that their pastor isn’t following the Bishop’s Pastoral Directive? The Bishop will side with the Priest who is openly disobeying him? REALLY? I have never heard of a Bishop doing any such thing…
Maybe he won’t suspend non-cooperative clergy ‘a divinis’ but he will do something negative against them, that is a guarantee.
Of course he will, that’s why we have very complicit priests here in Malaga.
Ana, have you checked out the Ukrainians yet?
I have looked them up online but haven’t got around to visiting yet. May do when I go to Malaga for health tests in about six weeks time. I have a letter written to Cardinal Sarah to post asking him to request our Bishop to comply with Summorum Pontificum & ad orientum.
I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic. If you have any questions re the Divine Liturgy, please let me know. Email Vox Cantoris and ask him to forward it to me. (He has my email.) Then I can get in touch with you outside of posts. Is that OK?
Deadr Fr. RP:
I agree, so what the Catholic faithful should do is leave. The Church is falling, and will continue until only a remmant remains.
Just as long as no disenchanted Catholic heads back towards Jericho (our secular also-falling world) but goes into that upper room to wait and pray.
Leave what?
It’s time for martyrs for the Truth. And all faithful Catholics should try to help faithful priests who are in this situation.
Not the only ‘faithful’ Bishop who changed his tune when his ecclesiastical career needs it.
SHOUT OUT TO CARDINAL BURKE….WHAT, PRAY TELL, ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
I am quickly losing all confidence in our ecclesiastical leadership.
Probably the unknown who allegedly support the four Cardinals are suffering from cramp. This is not to say that the Fab Four shouldn’t go it alone. As Cardinal Burke said at the outset – it’s about Truth not numbers.
“As Cardinal Burke said at the outset – it’s about Truth not numbers.”
True. All the same, it would be great to have the numbers.
Yes it would, but from what I’ve read they could still call for an Imperfect Council for the sole purpose of telling us not to follow PF. I have no idea how that would work out but we must keep the True Faith. All will be righted in the end – even if some of us bite the dust in the meantime. LOL.
Just a thought, but it is possible that they have already given the correction in private and are now awaiting the response…I don’t think they have as of yet done so, but then again they may have.
Father, I might be confused about all the “steps” required in this process the Four Cardinals are following. To me, it seems that between the going public with the Dubia, and Francis’ refusal to respond seems to indicate that the next step should be the first public, formal warning. Maybe I am wrong. If so, can you educate me? Thanks!
I’m sure Father can give a more comprehensive rundown, but Cardinal Brandmuller said that the formal correction would come first in camera caritatis, indicating a private correction first. We’ll see what happens. The Church has always moved very slow. Don’t get discouraged by the lack of things seen or heard… the whole spiritual realm is in upheaval, centered around Rome. Keep offering the Rosary for both the Holy Father, and the Faithful Cardinals and Bishops.
Both Cardinal’s Burke and Brandmüller have said that the first instance of the Formal Correction will take place in private, which is proper considering the Dignity of the Papal Office and the criterion established by Our Blessed Lord for Fraternal Correction:
Matthew 18:15-20, Douay-Rheims:
15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.
16 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
17 And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.
18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.
19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.
20 For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
This is the course they took with the five dubia and this is the course they are taking with the Formal Correction. They have the assurance of Our Blesse Lord that He is with them if they follow His teaching, which they are to the Letter and to the Intention behind the Word. So, first private, then to the WHOLE CHURCH and then Anathema sit and Sede Vacante and all that shall come from that.
Which, most unfortunately, is the clear direction we are heading in, for as of today, Pope Francis has shown himself to be deaf to cries of the Faithful and all to willing to hear the voices of those who oppose Christ.
May Pope Francis be Formally Corrected as soon as is possible and may he humbly heed the faithful correction of His blessed brethren and if he will not, may he soon cease from office and face the Justice of Almighty God. Amen.
The Cardinals must make it public soon very soon because a Colombian Priest has just been excommunicated by his Bishop for going against the new teachings on marriage and the Eucharist. So Malta is having its effect.
That’s the problem with all this. We will NEVER know when they present the ‘private’ correction. Cdl. Burke and Co. will NOT publicize this and no one here is a mind reader.
As much as we might like to know about the private communication, it’s not going to happen.
Since this step is necessary, then we shouldn’t make it a problem in our mind.
The cardinals will allot time for private correspondence – that is why we will not hear anything definitive for a couple months at least. Let’s let them do what they need to do
I’m betting that the correction has already been provided in private. The Cardinals have no desire to embarrass the Pope, therefore, they will give the Pope time that might be required for him to adjust his statements. If there is no adjustment, I bet that they will release the document to the public that they provided to the Pope. My bet is that the Pope will remain intransigent and we will see the public correction within the next month or two. The it will hit the fan. There will be no logical arguments against the correction, but there will be ad-hominem attacks from the modernists against the good Cardinals. God help us all.
Shows you who is the chief architect of this unjust policy. None other than Satan himself.
77reid.i agree with you.Let us fight for Holy Mother Church!
Definitely! Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Mother intercede for your Son’s Church from the onslaught of evil.
Gosh, it’s certainly a good thing that Christ didn’t ask us to try to be perfect like Our Lord in Heaven.
Oh, wait. . .
Oh, wait….indeed….Deny one of the Lord’s words and you deny (consciously or unconsciously) all of His words.
“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29) is seamlessly woven together with, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), together with everything that Jesus spoke.
The Words spoken by Jesus Christ settle the issue definitively. Mark10:6-12. These words separate His Followers from His enemies. God is allowing us to choose which side we are on, before the return of His Son.
So the bishop goes to Rome, undoubtedly meets with the Holy Father and all of a sudden starts dropping a draconian hammer in order to crush dissent among his presbyterate? I think it is reasonable to conclude that these actions were at least suggested by the Holy Father and that Malta is a “test case” for implementing the latitudinist interpretation of Amoris Laetitia on wider scale.
And…………..he’s moving quickly in order to implement this heresy world wide before Cdl. Burke and Co. bring the hammer down.
So the bishop returns from Rome, where he likely meet with the Holy Father, and suddenly starts dropping hammer in order to crush dissent? I think it is reasonable to conclude that was at the least encouraged in doing so by the Holy Father, and Malta is a “test case” for dealing with dissent from the preferred interpretation of Amoris Laetitia.
I have to say it again, Amores Laetitia suggests that the truths of the Gospel ought to be subordinated to the judgement of conscience, or temporarily suspended by the judgement of conscience, or completely abandoned in favour of the judgement of conscience (paragraph 303). For 2,000 years the Church has taught that, on the contrary, conscience ought to be informed by the light of truth, conscience ought to judge according to the standards of the Gospel, and conscience ought to be educated by the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
It was impressive to me to learn that divorce was not allowed in Malta up until they voted on the referendum a few years ago. Yet, when I mentioned this to one Maltese priest who lived in a NY diocese, he said it didn’t matter that they had no divorce. The Church grants many annulments that make up for it.
Should we try to bring the Gospel down to the level of human fault and weakness and inconstancy or ought we instead to raise our humanity up to the beauty and integrity and holiness of the Gospel?
Let’s raise it up. That’s what we should do. God will provide our serenity and holiness.
Amen
From the back cover of The Story of The Unshakable Ultramontanist…
Hmmmm, so the instruction letter from the Maltese bishops was supposed to be read before Mass in the parishes. Perhaps if I were a priest in Malta, I would indeed read the letter… 2 hours before Mass. Oh, and I might also read it silently rather than out loud.
Malta. Malta. Malta. Beginning to wonder if Malta was intended to be Cardinal Burke’s Waterloo. Exile him there, stir up trouble via the Boeslager incident, unveil the bishops’ directives on AL. Bombs away. Next: removal of Cardinal Burke for whatever made up reason? Rome would like to destroy him. The orthodox Maltese bishop? Either Rome has something on him or he was bought. Sad either way.
Keep up the good work 1P5.
That’s it the world is finally upside down: the Gospel does not form the believer’s conscience now, it is the conscience that forms the Gospel. Now, do you remember who does exactly the opposite of what Jesus does? Could it be the devil? Do we have to believe in his existence any more?
I would guess that this story of the incident on the plane is true. No doubt Bishop Grech now regrets his intemperate remarks to the priest as he at present has no plans to suspend anyone. But let us wait and see what he does when some priest refuses communion to the divorced and remarried.
Incidentally you only have to remember the English Reformation and its aftermath to see how people managed to swing with the prevailing wind as matters developed – John Donne was one – one moment Catholic the next Protestant.
The LGBT community are behind this, I’m sure. Many active sodomites in the CC at the highest level so blackmail & threats will abound. Look at what they did to confectioners who refused to ice wedding cakes etc. with ‘gay’ messages & lost their businesses as a result. Also B&B’s who refused double-bedded rooms to ‘gay couples’. The civil law supports LGBT activists. We, in the CC, cannot permit our priests to be similarly treated by PF et al. It has to stop. Protocol won’t work with these demons – they need to hit the ground.
Edward Pentin in his latest article on the Malta saga says that the LGBTIQ community there were among those who welcomed the statement. Not sure what the IQ stands for and prefer Eccles’s acronym LGBTSJ 🙂
He´s one of the very best Catholic journalists along with Sandro Magister. Always seems to get the story right first time round. The only thing I can think of that IQ could (but doesn’t) stand for would be Italian Queer. Your suggestion is much better. Sts. Ignatius Loyola & Francis Xavier must be frothing at the mouth.
Sts. Ignatius Loyola & Francis Xavier would disown most of the modern Jesuits.
It’s all very sad. I have known very good men in that Order but now you’d avoid sending a child to any of their colleges of education. Will they ever recover, I wonder?
All right. Get your helmets on.
Sure that the “I” referred to “Intergenerational” (you can imagine what that means — and it is in the works) I googled LGBTIQ. Here it is. (Drum roll)…
Intersex — which is defined as “…in humans and other animals, is a variation in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, or genitals that do not allow an individual to be distinctly identified as male or female. Such variation may involve genital ambiguity, and combinations of chromosomal genotype and sexual phenotype other than XY-male and XX-female.”
“Q” does mean “queer.” When used by the “LGBTIQ” “community” realize they have “rescued” it from its pejorative nature and adopted it and “redeemed” it as a kind of “in your face” mockery of the “homophobic.”
Pretty soon these people are going to own the entire alphabet.
All of this proves that “orientation” can and often does mean disorientation.
I have long felt that the secret push behind this is the homo heresy instead of marriage. They could never have gotten this as far as they have by revealing their true purpose. There is really a “gay” mafia in the Vatican and in the Church heirachy.
How do we figure out whose who? It seems that the majority of the heirachy blow with the wind. Those who will oppose the heretics must let us know who they are. I fear we are a small minority.
I’m sure there are plenty out there both clerical & lay that could name names but might be in trouble with the law if they did. Our only hope is that the formal correction will have been made & will be successful. We cannot afford to sit around forever. I’m sure the four Cardinals realise this as well. The schism has started. They must protect & then restore the True Faith from total disunity & losing our direct link back to the Christ Himself & the First Apostles. They have left things very late as it is – any more delay will be catastrophic.
It looks like the persecution is beginning in earnest for priests voicing their doubts over AL in S. America. This is from rorate caeli:
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2017/01/urgent-bergoglian-doctrine-persecution.html?m=1
Dear Lord strengthen our clergy!
I have been trying to make the same arguments in my blog posts to ‘ Times of Malta’ the leading newspaper in English on the Island: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170121/local/gozo-bishop-denies-german-media-report-that-he-threatened-to-suspend.637079
Please pray for the Maltese Church, especially for its loyal orthodox priests: something very sinister is happening. Bishop Grech once made a staunch stand against the introduction of divorce in Malta, while Archbishop Scicluna , said to have been a former student of Cardinal Burke, later became a trusted tribunal prosecutor of Benedict investigating the paedophile scandals. Both have made a total volte face, becoming useful ventriloquists of Bergoglio. Ask yourselves, why were their guidelines so tempestuously and strategically published in the Osservatorio Romano?
The pope’s letter to the Argentine bishops confirming that there was ‘no other interpretation’ of Amoris Laetitia than that of now allowing communion for the divorced and remarried in certain cases was first published by the Spanish Catholic News Site, InfoCatolica on September 8th 2016. Eleven days later, the dubia letter was submitted to the pope by the four cardinals.
This latest Lutheran directive in Malta similarly ups the ante still more in the battle being waged against the sanctity of marriage. May it likewise precipitate a further, swift and SIGNIFICANT response from the four cardinals (or the announcement of developments that have already taken place).
“The funny thing is, before Francis was elected Bishop Grech was very orthodox…”
The crude description common among sophomores in high school for such individuals appears entirely appropriate here. Each of these men — and a legion of others in the episcopate — are nothing more than a bunch of “brown noses.” We are dealing with a clerical establishment drowning in narcissism, fraudulent obedience, bad academics and atheism. They are frauds. It is becoming unbearable. The scandal it provides to the conscientious makes our notorious “sex” scandal pale in comparison — although they are not unrelated. Cowardliness.
Cowards.
This week I had the extraordinary privilege of having comments related to this scandal removed from the “Times of Malta.” One of them contained merely quotes from “Pastor Aeternus” of Vatican I as well as a quote of Pope Benedict’s address on the papacy offered at St. John Lateran in June 2006. My first comment to be censored was quite directly critical of the
“local ordinaries.”
Apparently the Maltese are quite sensitive about criticism targeting the long leash for adultery graciously offered by their Shepherds, jealously reverent before Bergoglian over reach, and insensitive to the right to free speech.
From my perspective the German conquest of Europe in the 20th century is beginning to look not as barbarous as I thought it to be, greeted as it was by more than a little cooperation. What a complexity. Mad narcissism and unbearable guilt, both assuaged with blind self-indulgence.
If the Maltese natives are as devout Catholics as has been claimed then maybe they should take to the streets with candlelight vigils demanding a recall on divorce and invalidation of all divorces contracted since the referendum( I don’t know if that is possible, but actually a divorce is a revocation of a contract).Then if they convince a majority of their fellow citizens by civic action to eliminate divorce altogether, it might make the correct impression on the Bishop of Gozo to relent or change course.
Day 3 of my fast and novena for families went well enough. By God’s good graces I was able to fast and eat a whole clove of garlic and pray the novena prayers.
Holy Spirit’s Magisterium
Bottom line.
Be like Jesus.
Be merciful and loving.
Then, “Go and sin no more.”
Pretty clear to me.
“Brother and sister,” for the sake of the kids [John 8:11b; FC 84; CDF 1994 nn 2-4].
Then, “Go and sin no more.”
For my eternal salvation.
Do I understand it correctly?**
** this comes from a blogger whom I cannot locate at present….but which makes for a great comparison:
Malta magisterium?[or mag-hysteria??…are they really saying this or is this mis-reported]
Don’t Be like Jesus.
Don’t Be merciful and loving.
So then, “Go and sin some more so other sins not be.”
Pretty clear to me.
“Brother and sister,” for the sake of the kids, no longer.
“Go and remain in the sin”, for the sake of adulterous faithfulness and fruitfulness [AL 298-footnote 329].
For my eternal salvation.
Do I understand it correctly?
Come into the Merciful Light, leave behind the darkness! Blessed be the Living God, the Eternal Merciful Light come into the world!
On Rorate Caeli there is a report of a priest, Fr. Luis Alberto Uribe Medina of the diocese of Pereira, Columbia being suspended a divinis by his bishop for the crime of criticizing Amoris Laetitiia. He is being accused of being either a heretic, schismatic or apostate. The following is from Rorate:
DECREES
ARTICLE THE FIRST:
Father Luis Carlos Uribe Medina is suspended from the exercise of the priestly ministry.
ARTICLE THE SECOND:
Father Luis Carlos Uribe Medina is prohibited from diffusing his ideas contrary to the Catholic faith and the ecclesiastical discipline.
ARTICLE THE THIRD:
The faithful of the Catholic Church are asked not to follow the teachings of the aforementioned priest as long as he does not accept the doctrine and teachings of the Vicar of Christ.
ARTICLE THE FOURTH:
The faithful are exhorted to pray for Father Luis Carlos Uribe Medina so that he may return to the Unity of the Church.
Be it thus notified and ordered.
Given in Pereira, Risaralda, on the sixteenth day of January of the year two thousand and seventeen.
+ RIGOBERTO CORREDOR BERMÚDEZ
Bishop of Pereira
Father Alirio Raigosa Castaño
Chancellor
[Note: as soon as we have more information on the situation, we will inform you – Source: Rorate’s partners at Adelante la Fe. | Just to be clear: the “doctrine” the suspended priest criticized was the “new doctrine” for Communion for adulterers “allowed” by Amoris Laetitia, as represented in the audio of one of his sermons embedded in Adelante la Fe.]
– See more at: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2017/01/urgent-bergoglian-doctrine-persecution.html#sthash.vAZvAzVz.dpuf
Priest is Suspended in Colombia for criticizing the new papal doctrine on Marriage and the Eucharist
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2017/01/urgent-bergoglian-doctrine-persecution.html
Oh! That’s how a priest is suspended. Abusing children is not enough but defending Holy Tradition sure does the trick!
Daily and constant returning to the Living Light Jesus imprinted within us through His Baptism will guide us in Love towards God, our neighbor, and our enemies. Hold fast to that Cross! Hold fast to our Holy Mother! Hold fast to the Gospel! At this point in time, we have to realize PF is not backing away from his anti-Gospel stance – where will he go from here?
Francis’ fingerprints are all over this. It’s a perfect set-up for him; an entire country with only two bishops whose arms can be twisted to endorse sacrilegious Communion, thereby setting precedent for the wider Church. It also just happens to be the home of the Knights of Malta whose spiritual advisor is Cardinal Burke, one of the authors of the dubia, so it’s a perfect opportunity to flip the bird to the despised American cardinal.
A two-fer for the potty-mouthed Pope.
Someone in another posting which I cannot locate presently, proffered.
Bottom line.
Be like Jesus.
Be merciful and loving.
Then, “Go and sin no more.”
Pretty clear to me.
“Brother and sister,” for the sake of the kids [John 8:11b; FC 84; CDF 1994 nn 2-4].
Then, “Go and sin no more.”
For my eternal salvation.
Do I understand it correctly?
Holy Spirit’s Magisterium.
Malta magisterium[-or malta-hysteria??]
Don’t Be like Jesus.
Don’t Be merciful and loving.
So then, “Go and sin some more so other sins not be.”
Pretty clear to me.
“Brother and sister,” for the sake of the kids, no longer.
“Go and remain in the sin”, for the sake of adulterous faithfulness and fruitfulness [AL 298-footnote 329].
For my eternal salvation.
Do I understand it correctly?
Let us come into the Light, leave behind the darkness! Blessed be the Living God, the Eternal Saving Light come into the world!
From Lifesite News: A full page ad from the Catholics of Malta rebuking their Bishop’s stance on AL with a place to sign and support.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/maltese-catholics-rebuke-abominable-communion-guidelines-in-stinging-full-p