Pope Francis leaks insider information

Pope Francis/Activities

Pope Francis to Schoenstatt movement: Marriage never been attacked so much as now

Vatican Radio : 25/10/2014

Pope Francis said the institution of Christian marriage has never been attacked so much as nowadays where a temporary or throw-away culture has become widespread. He said marriage should not be seen just a social rite and urged priests to stay close to couples and especially children experiencing the trauma of a family break-up.

A true Catholic is he who loves the truth revealed by God, who loves the Church, the Body of Christ, who esteems religion, the Catholic faith, higher than any human authority, talents, eloquence, and philosophy; all this he holds in contempt, and remains firm and unshaken in the faith which, he knows, has always from the beginning been held by the Catholic Church; and if he notices that anyone, no matter who he may be, interprets a dogma in a manner different from that of the Fathers of the Church, he understands that God permits such an interpretation to be made, not for the good of religion, but as a temptation, according to the words of St. Paul: “For there must be also heresies; that they also, who are reproved, may be made manifest among you” (I Cor. xi. 19). And indeed, no sooner are novel opinions proclaimed, than it becomes manifest what kind of a Catholic a man is.

St. Vincent of Lerins, Commonit.

Do you need to convince the other to become Catholic? No, no, no! Go out and meet him, he is your brother. This is enough. Go out and help him and Jesus will do the rest.

Pope Francis the Neo-Evangelist

Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer.... Are our communities capable of .... accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine?

Synod of the Family, First Relatio written by Pope Francis' Hand Picked Clerics

"Gifts and Qualities to Offer"? -

The five-star touch - like turning back the covers and the mints on the pillow!!

Santa Marta (Domus Sanctae Marthae) in the Vatican, the Pope's own residence, itself is run by a prelate guilty of highly deviant sexual behavior, who was also placed by the pope in charge of overlooking the Vatican Bank (IOR), and whose only claim to international renown was getting stuck in an elevator with his Swiss officer "rent boy"?

Rorate Caeli

Pope's bank clean-up man 'found stuck in elevator with rent boy'

As the man charged with cleaning out the stables at the scandal-struck Vatican bank, Monsignor Battista Ricca will need Machiavellian cunning, good fortune and a whiter-than-white record to have even a fighting chance.

By Michael Day – 20 July 2013

But Pope Francis’s new banker appears to possess none of these attributes after it was reported yesterday that he was found stuck in a lift with a rent boy. Msgr Ricca, as Francis’s new primate with responsibility for the troubled financial institution, known officially as the IoR (Institute for Religious Works), is supposed to usher in new transparency and badly needed reforms after years of financial scandal.

Earlier this month, a major report from finance police and magistrates warned that a lack of checks and controls by the IoR and the Italian financial institutions it had dealings with made the Vatican’s bank a money-laundering hot spot.

It is claimed that Msgr. Ricca, 57, impressed Francis with the way he ran three key residences used by cardinals, bishops and priests visiting Rome. But detailed claims have emerged detailing how in 1999, Ricca took a Vatican diplomatic posting in Uruguay and moved his lover, Patrick Haari, a Swiss army captain, in with him, to the outrage of church figures and locals in the conservative South American nation. Captain Haari was forced out by the hardline Polish nuncio Janusz Bolonek in 2001.

But there were more problems for Ricca when he was attacked in a cruising ground that year, and soon after firemen had to rescue him from a broken lift, in which he was trapped with a youth known by local police. The weekly news magazine L’Espresso claims that Msgr Ricca was able to get the position as IoR prelate because the supposedly powerful “gay lobby” in the Vatican airbrushed his colourful CV.

Gay sex scandals at the Vatican have made the headlines before. In 2010 it emerged that one of Pope Benedict’s ceremonial ushers and a member of the Vatican choir were involved in a gay prostitution ring.

Vatican spokesman Padre Federico Lombardi sought to dismiss the claims about Msgr Ricca’s private life. “What has been claimed about Msgr Ricca is not credible,” he said. Msgr Ricca himself has not yet responded to the allegations. But La Repubblica noted that the Vatican had emphasised that his appointment as prelate for the IoR was technically an interim one, thus raising the possibility that the job might not last long. [note: Msgr. Ricca has since been confirmed in his appointment at the IoR.]

Church \ Church in Dialogue

Pope to Ark Community: we must focus on unity not divisions

Pope Francis meets leaders of the Ark Community at the Casa Santa Marta

Vatican Radio : 28/10/2014

In a private meeting with leaders of the inter-denominational Ark Community, Pope Francis said Christians should not wait for theologians to reach agreement, but should walk, pray and work together now. His words came during an October 10th encounter at the Casa Santa Marta with members of the community founded by Evangelical leader Tony Palmer who was killed in a road accident last July. Palmer became friends with Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio when he worked in Buenos Aires as international ecumenical officer of the Communion of Episcopal Evangelical Churches, a growing movement of charismatic and evangelical Christians seeking reconciliation between their divided communities.

In an i-phone recording of the meeting, published on the Ark Community website, Pope Francis thanks Palmer’s widow and the new leader of the community, Archbishop Robert Wise, for carrying forward the dream of walking together in communion. “We are sinning against Christ’s will” the Pope says, “because we continue to focus on our differences,” but “our shared baptism is more important than our differences.”

While the devil, the “father of lies” divides us, the Pope continues, we are called to preach the Gospel in every corner of the earth, with the certainty that He is with us. “We each have in our Churches excellent theologians,” the Pope says, “but we shouldn’t wait for them to reach agreement.”

The Pope goes on to talk about spiritual ecumenism where Christians are being persecuted and killed in the Middle East, Africa or elsewhere, not because they are Pentecostal, Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic or Orthodox but “because they believe in Jesus Christ.” He mentions also a Catholic priest and a Lutheran pastor who were killed on the same day by the Nazis for teaching the Catechism to children.

The Pope concludes his off-the-cuff remarks by recalling the vision of Tony Palmer to achieve his desire of walking together “so we can eat together at the banquet of the Lord.”

Pope's Close Advisor & Member of Council of Nine Cardinals "Excommunicates" Faithful who go to SSPX Masses

- Double standards - Selective "mercy" - Good cop, bad cop

All very Machiavellian. Not Christian at all, though. But it could be "divine", if we are dealing with "the God of Surprises"...

Three notes before the translation:

1) The headquarters of the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX) in Italy are located in the diocese of Albano, right outside Rome, near Castel Gandolfo.

2) Marcello Semeraro is not just any bishop. He is extremely close to Pope Francis, and is the only non-cardinal (with a secretarial and assistant position) in the most influential body in this pontificate, the Council of 8 Cardinals (now 9, with the Secretary of State), in charge of the reform of the Curia and of Church structures at large.

3) Bp. Semeraro is also the "media man" of the Italian Conference of Bishops (CEI) and main bishop with oversight of the Italian daily Avvenire, where this note was also published.

Rorate Caeli

Pope Complains About Hypocrisy! IS this a public confession?

Pope at Santa Marta: Called to be children of light

Vatican Radio : 27/10/2014

At morning Mass on Monday Pope Francis said that a conscientious examination of our words will help us understand whether we are Christians of light, Christians of darkness or Christians of grey areas.

Reflecting on the First Reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, the Pope said men are recognizable by their words. By inviting Christians to behave as children of light, and not as children of darkness, St. Paul gives "a catechesis on the word".

Pope Francis continued that there are four [types of ] words which help us understand if we are children of darkness:

“Are our words hypocrisy? Taking a little from here, a little from there, to fit in with everyone? Then they are vacuous, of no substance, empty. Are they vulgar words, trivial, or worldly? A dirty, obscene word? These four [types] of words are not of the children of light, they are not the Holy Spirit, they are not of Jesus, they are not words of the Gospel ... this way of talking, always talking about dirty things or of worldliness or emptiness or hypocrisy".

Then, what are the words of the Saints, those of the children of light?

"Paul says: 'Be imitators of God, walk in love; walk in goodness; walk in meekness. Those who walk in this way ... 'Be merciful - says Paul - forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be, then, imitators of God and walk in love', that is, walk in mercy, forgiveness, love. And these are the words of a child of light”.

"There are bright Christians, [who are] full of light – noted the Pope - who seek to serve the Lord in this light" and " there are dark Christians" who lead "a life of sin, a life distant from the Lord" and who use those four types of words that "belong to the evil one". "But there is a third group of Christians", who are not "neither light nor dark":

"They are the Christians of gray areas. And these Christians of gray areas are on one side first and then the other. People say of these: 'Is this person with God or the devil?' Huh? Always in the grey area. They are lukewarm. They are neither light nor dark. And God does not love these. In Revelation, the Lord says to these Christians of gray areas: 'No, you are neither hot nor cold. If only you were hot or cold. But because you are lukewarm – always in the gray areas- I will vomit you out of my mouth'. The Lord has strong words for these Christians of gray areas. 'I am a Christian, but without overdoing it!' they say, and in doing so cause so much harm, because their Christian witness is a witness that in the end only sows confusion, it sows a negative witness".

Let us not be deceived by empty words – Pope Francis concluded - "we hear so many, some nice, well-articulated, but empty, without meaning". Instead let us behave as children of light. "It would do us all good to reflect on our words today and ask ourselves: "Am I a Christian of light? Am I a Christian of the dark? Am I a Christian of the gray areas? And thus we can take a step forward to meet the Lord".

Cardinal Kasper is the "Stalking Horse"! So, Who sent him?

Communion for the divorced and remarried is for some -- very few, certainly not the majority of the synod fathers -- it's only the tip of the iceberg, it's a stalking horse. They want wider changes, recognition of civil unions, recognition of homosexual unions. The church cannot go in that direction. It would be a capitulation from the beauties and strengths of the Catholic tradition, where people sacrificed themselves for hundreds, and thousands of years to do this.

Cardinal George Pell

Pope Francis is fond of "creating a mess." Mission accomplished.

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, RI

A Man Is Known By His Friends

Ten years ago one of the biggest obstacles in the fight against AIDS was the Catholic Church. Today we have a pope that speaks out about it. He is a compassionate, loving man who wants everybody to be included in the love of God. It is formidable what he is trying to do against many, many people in the church that opposes. He is courageous and he is fearless, and that's what we need in the world today.

Elton John, homosexual activist and pop singer, who described Jesus Christ as "compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems."

Our Lady of LaSalette

It was 1846 and France was suffering social and political upheaval. Catholic churches had been abandoned and the Sacraments neglected… On the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, eleven-year-old Maxim Giraud and fourteen-year-old Melanie Mathieu beheld a luminous sphere, radiating like the sun, curiously unfolding before their eyes. Gradually they made out a woman seated with her face in her hands, weeping. She slowly arose and crossed her arms on her breast, her head some what inclined.

The children were drawn immediately to the lady's tears that adorned her face like perfectly cut diamonds glimmering the in the sun's rays. Her dynamic features were framed delicately in a white-satin headdress, on which rested a crown of roses, a bouquet in all shades of reds and pinks. A crucifix with pincers on one end and a hammer on the opposite end hung over her satin shawl, which was lined with more roses. The Madonna wore a long ivory dress embroidered in precious pearls and a yellow apron tied neatly to her waist. Wearing pearl slippers that peeked out from underneath her satin robe, she sheltered herself atop a bouquet of roses.

"Come to me, my children," she tenderly addressed the two who stood afar, motionless. "Be not afraid. I am here to tell you something of the greatest importance."

As soon as they were in touching distance of her, she began to speak with the urgency of an ending world:

"If my people will not obey, I shall be compelled to loose my Son's arm. It is so heavy, so pressing that I can no longer restrain it."

She told the children that her Son was especially concerned that people were not keeping holy Sunday, and that religion had lost its place in their country…. "You will make this known to all my people; you will make this known to all my people," she repeated to them.

Our Lady of LaSalette

Salvation by “Implicit” Faith?

But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him. Heb. 1, 6

Of course charity itself is impossible without faith and hope. Could anyone love a man if he did not believe it was possible to be or become his friend? Or if he despaired of ever gaining his friendship? So it is with man in relation to God as He is in Himself. Man must believe it is possible to attain a perfect friendship with God in Heaven and he must hope to attain this friendship through God’s power before he can love God as his supernatural destiny.

Fr. Walter Farrell, O. P. and Fr. Marin Healy, My Way of Life – The Summa Simplified for Everyone

Homosexuality - The End of Pure Narcissism

The ultimate social goal of the homosexual movement is the transformation of key social structures and our entire culture according to the pattern dictated by the homosexual ideology, to satisfy the individual needs of the homosexuals themselves – chiefly their sexual needs, but also the corporate needs of their organizations. Although not publicized widely, and normally unacknowledged, the foundation for a political and juridical system in which homosexuality is accepted as an alternative and legitimate lifestyle, and in which homosexual acts are not merely tolerated but positively accepted, requires the structural transformation of society and a profound alteration in the consciousness of its members…There is no question that one of the top priorities of the homosexual movement is to force a “redefinition” of the American family away from the traditional husband-wife-children model to a more “functional” definition based on the notion of economic unit or any other basis that does not require heterosexuality as its foundation. The notion that a family must involve persons of both sexes is profoundly inimical to the homosexual movement. By their own definition, heterosexual relations are beyond their reach; thus the traditional family as a normative institution for human relations is unacceptable.

Rev. Enrique Rueda, The Homosexual Network; Private Lives and Public Policy, published in 1982

Therefore the sacred partnership of true marriage is constituted both by the will of God and the will of man. From God comes the very institution of marriage, the ends for which it was instituted, the laws that govern it, the blessings that flow from it; while man, through generous surrender of his own person made to another for the whole span of life, becomes, with the help and cooperation of God, the author of each particular marriage, with the duties and blessings annexed thereto from divine institution. Now when We come to explain, Venerable Brethren, what are the blessings that God has attached to true matrimony, and how great they are, there occur to Us the words of that illustrious Doctor of the Church whom We commemorated recently in Our Encyclical Ad salutem on the occasion of the fifteenth centenary of his death: "These," says St. Augustine, "are all the blessings of matrimony on account of which matrimony itself is a blessing; offspring, conjugal faith and the sacrament." And how under these three heads is contained a splendid summary of the whole doctrine of Christian marriage, the holy Doctor himself expressly declares when he said: "By conjugal faith it is provided that there should be no carnal intercourse outside the marriage bond with another man or woman; with regard to offspring, that children should be begotten of love, tenderly cared for and educated in a religious atmosphere; finally, in its sacramental aspect that the marriage bond should not be broken and that a husband or wife, if separated, should not be joined to another even for the sake of offspring. This we regard as the law of marriage by which the fruitfulness of nature is adorned and the evil of incontinence is restrained.

Pope Pius XI, Casti Connubii, On Christian Marriage

Prayer Before Confession

MAY the blessed Angels and Saints of God, who rejoice in the conversion of a sinner; and above all, may thou, O Blessed Virgin, the refuge of the penitent and the Mother of Mercies, intercede for me, that the Confession which I am now going to make may not have the effect of rendering me more criminal than I am, but may procure for me the happiness of a reconciliation with my long-offended God and the grace never more to offend Him mortally.

And do thou, likewise, my good Angel, the faithful guardian of my soul and the witness of my past sins and infidelities---do thou, by thy prayers, assist me to rise again and beg that, in this holy Sacrament, I may obtain those helps which may enable me to lead a new life for the time to come.

Amen.

President Barrack Obama, On Marriage

The Model for Pope Francis?

You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman.

President Obama to homosexual lobby group, Human Rights Campaign

I support ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country. I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples. I've required all agencies in the federal government to extend as many federal benefits as possible to LCBT families as the current law allows. And I've called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act. And we must all stand together against divisive and deceptive efforts to feed people's lingering fears for political and ideological gain.

President Obama asking Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act

"If in some way we have betrayed doctrine, moral teaching or the liturgy...."

Question: It is becoming difficult not to think of this as a time of chastisement.

Answer: I think about this first of all concerning myself. If I am suffering at this time because of the situation in the Church, I think that the Lord is telling me that I have need of purification. And I also think that, if the suffering is so widespread, this means that the whole Church is in need of purification. But this is not because of a God who is waiting only to punish us. This is because of our own sins. If in some way we have betrayed doctrine, moral teaching or the liturgy, it follows inevitably that we will undergo a suffering that purifies us to put us back again on the narrow way.

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, interview by Alessandro Gnocchi, Il Foglio, October 13, 2014

TESTING THE FAITH : The price of papal popularity

Pat Buchanan: October 21, 2014

'When did flexibility in matters of moral principle become a virtue for Catholics?'

Normally, a synod of Catholic bishops does not provide fireworks rivaling the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Mayor Richard Daley’s boys in blue ran up the score on the radicals in Grant Park.

But, on Oct. 13, there emanated from the Synod on the Family in Rome a 12-page report from a committee picked by Pope Francis himself – and the secondary explosions have not ceased.

The report recognized the “positive aspects of civil unions and cohabitation” and said “homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community.” As for Catholics who divorce and remarry without an annulment, we must avoid “any language or behavior that might make them feel discriminated against.”

Hailed by gay-rights groups, the document stunned traditionalists.

“Undignified. Shameful. Completely Wrong,” said Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and guardian of Catholic orthodoxy.

He was echoed by Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. “The document lacks a solid foundation in the Sacred Scriptures and the Magisterium,” said Cardinal Burke. “It gives the impression of inventing … what one Synod Father called ‘revolutionary’ teaching on marriage and the family.”

Cardinal Burke called on the pope for a restatement of Catholic teaching on marriage and morality, saying, “It is long overdue.” The pope has relieved Cardinal Burke of his post.

Voice of the Family, a coalition of international pro-life groups, calls the document a “betrayal.”

Irish representative Patrick Buckley said it “represents an attack on marriage and the family” by “in effect giving tacit approval of adulterous relationships.” The report, he adds, “fails to recognize that homosexual inclination is objectively disordered.”

Cardinal Walter Kasper has been the prime mover of the liberalization of Catholic teaching on sexual morality. When an African bishop objected to the report, Kasper retorted, “You can’t speak about this with Africans. … It’s not possible. … It’s a taboo.”

Hearing this insult, Burke went upside the head of his brother cardinal:

“It is profoundly sad and scandalous that such remarks were made by a cardinal of the church. They are a further indication of the determination … to advance Cardinal Kasper’s false positions, even by means of racist remarks about a significant and highly respected part of the Synod membership.”

In the report voted on by the full synod and released this weekend, the language most offensive to orthodox Catholics was gone. But the synod meets again next year, and the stakes could scarcely be higher for the church and pope.

In his remarks at the synod’s close, Pope Francis mocked “so-called traditionalists” for their “hostile rigidity.”

That is one way of putting it. Another is that traditionalists believe moral truth does not change, nor can Catholic doctrines be altered.

Even a pope cannot do that.

Should such be attempted, the pope would be speaking heresy. And as it is Catholic doctrine that the pope is infallible, that he cannot err when speaking ex cathedra on faith and morals, this would imply that Francis was not a valid pope and the chair of Peter is empty.

We would then be reading about schismatics and sedevacantists.

The Catholic Church is not the Democratic Party of Obama, Hillary and Joe, where principled positions on abortion, homosexuality and same-sex marriage “evolve.” And when did flexibility in matters of moral principle become a virtue for Catholics?

Indeed, it was in defense of the indissolubility of marriage that Pope Clement VII excommunicated Henry VIII who held the title “Defender of the Faith” for refuting the heresies of Luther.

When Henry wished to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn, Pope Clement said this was not possible. His stand for marriage caused the Catholic Church to lose England.

One wonders what this pope thinks of Pope Clement’s “rigidity.”

While Francis I has nether denied not sought to change any doctrine, Cardinal Burke is correct. The pope has “done a lot of harm.” He has created confusion among the faithful and is soon going to have to speak with clarity on the unchanging truths of Catholicism.

In his beatification of Paul VI on Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated change. “God is not afraid of new things,” he said, “we are making every effort to adapt ways and methods … to the changing conditions of society.”

But among the social changes since Vatican II and Paul VI have been the West’s embrace of no-fault divorce, limitless promiscuity, abortion on demand and same-sex marriage.

Should the church “adapt” to these changes in society?

Should the church accommodate itself to a culture as decadent as ours? Or should the church stand against it and speak moral truth to cultural and political power, as the early martyrs did to Rome?

Pope Francis is hugely popular. But his worldly popularity has not come without cost to the church he leads and the truths he is sworn to uphold.

“Who am I to judge?” says the pope. But wasn’t that always part of the job description? And if not thee, Your Holiness, who?

The Damage Has Been Done

The Extra-Ordinary Synod on the Family gave a Novus Ordo beatification Paul VI. This is ironically fitting in a perverse way because the Synod of Extra-Ordinary Pope Francis has followed in the pattern of Catholic moral betrayal established by Paul VI. Paul VI best know encyclical was Humanae Vitae published in 1968 which reaffirmed in a very, very weak way the constant teaching of the Church that artificial contraception was a grave sin.

In 1962 Novus Ordo St. John XXIII established a Papal Commission to study the question of artificial birth control. This Papal Commission was affirmed and expanded by Novus Ordo Blessed Paul VI to over seventy members. The Commission issued both a Majority and Minority Report in 1966 that were made public in 1967. The Majority Report approved of artificial birth control. The Minority Report defended and affirmed the traditional Catholic moral teaching based primarily upon Natural Law and the constant teaching of the Magisterium that artificial birth control is always and everywhere a grave sin. It said, that the "constant and perennial affirmative answer (that artificial contraception is always seriously evil) is found in the documents of the Magisterium and in the whole history of teaching on the question." The Minority Report affirmed that the Magisterium 19 times between 1816 and 1929, always with the same conclusion, taught that "contraception is always seriously sinful." The Minority Report contained extensive quotations from the teachings of previous popes including Casti Connubii of Pius XI and the Allocution to the Italian Midwives by Pius XII.

The conclusion of the Minority Report is that the Catholic teaching of the sinfulness of contraception is infallible and irreformable. It said:

"In dealing with this question, to dispute in a subtle way whether the teaching is technically 'infalllible by a judgment of the magisterium' is empty-headed. For it this doctrine is not substantially true, the magisterium itself will seem to be empty and useless in any moral matter."

The Majority Report rejected the constant teaching of the Church and advised permitting the use of contraception by appealing to the popular personalist philosophy. According to Mr. John Galvin who wrote a brilliant article on this subject in 2002 that he admirably defended against its detractors, Humanae Vitae affirmed the Catholic teaching that artificial birth control was sinful but discarded that traditional Catholic grounds on which that teaching was based that explained why it is always sinful. It then followed the Majority Report's method by using a personalist philosophy to defend the traditional Catholic teaching! This defense was wholly inadequate to the task.

The bottom line is that Paul VI did irreparable damage to the Catholic teaching on the sinfulness of artificial birth control by 1) opening a closed moral question to debate, and by 2) using grossly insufficient and inadequate grounds for defending the true Catholic teaching. In a like manner, Pope Francis has done irreparable damage to the Catholic teaching on Marriage and sexual morality by opening to question infallible and irreformable Catholic moral teachings. Even if he should eventually reaffirm the Catholic truth, the damage has already been done.

At the close of the Synod, in which Francis exercised complete control, Francis presented himself as a neutral arbiter between two factions in search of truth. He counseled moderation and conciliation to both sides of the question. Like the Liberation Theologians he admires, Francis has employed the Hegelian dialectic as used in ideological Marxism to corrupt truth. There can be no compromise whatsoever on these moral questions of adultery and sodomy. Those who step away from truth step away from God.

Sins That Cry to Heaven for Vengeance:

1. Willful murder

2. The sin of Sodom

3. Oppression of the poor

4. Defrauding the laborer of his wages

Nine Ways of Being Accessory to Another's Sin

1. By counsel

2. By command

3. By consent

4. By provocation

5. By praise or flattery

6. By concealment

7. By partaking

8. By silence

9. By defense of the ill done

Pope Francis has exercised complete and dictatorial control of the Extra-ordinary Synod on the Family. He called it into being, he determined its agenda, he appointed its presidents, as well as those who would produce its written findings. But, 'who are we to judge'? We do not have to judge because the judgment has been made and is evident in natural law and divine positive law. Some sins "are manifest" because they do not admit a good or innocent motive.

· For there is nothing hid, which shall not be made manifest: neither was it made secret, but that it may come abroad. (Mark 4:22)

· Some men’s sins are manifest, going before to judgment: and some men they follow after. (1 Timothy 5:24)

· Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, shall possess the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

“Gender Ideology”? - How Queer! Perhaps a case of Theological AIDS! We can at least affirm that the Homosexual Lobby no longer exists as a simple lobby. It has mutated into the Homosexual Bureaucracy!

50. Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community: are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?

51. The question of homosexuality leads to a serious reflection on how to elaborate realistic paths of affective growth and human and evangelical maturity integrating the sexual dimension: it appears therefore as an important educative challenge. The Church furthermore affirms that unions between people of the same sex cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony between man and woman. Nor is it acceptable that pressure be brought to bear on pastors or that international bodies make financial aid dependent on the introduction of regulations inspired by gender ideology.

52. Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners. Furthermore, the Church pays special attention to the children who live with couples of the same sex, emphasizing that the needs and rights of the little ones must always be given priority. [All emphases added.]

Extra-Ordinary Synod on the Family from the Extra-Ordinary Pope Francis

Vatican document challenges Church to change attitude to gays

By Philip Pullella : 10-13-2014

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In a dramatic shift in tone, a Vatican document said on Monday that homosexuals had "gifts and qualities to offer" and asked if Catholicism could accept gays and recognize positive aspects of same-sex couples.

Roman Catholic gay rights groups around the world hailed the paper as a breakthrough, but Church conservatives called it a betrayal of traditional family values.

The document, prepared after a week of discussions at an assembly of 200 bishops on the family, said the Church should challenge itself to find "a fraternal space" for homosexuals without compromising Catholic doctrine on family and matrimony.

While the text did not signal any change in the Church's condemnation of homosexual acts or gay marriage, it used less judgmental and more compassionate language than that seen in Vatican statements prior to the 2013 election of Pope Francis.

"Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer the Christian community: are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a further space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home," said the document, known by its Latin name "relatio".

"Are our communities capable of proving that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?" it asked.

New Ways Ministry, a leading U.S. Catholic gay rights group, called it a "major step forward", praising it for being devoid of the "major gloom and doom and apocalyptic horror" that accompanied past Vatican pronouncements on homosexuals.

Bishops and cardinals attend a synod of bishops lead by Pope Francis in Paul VI's hall at the Vatica …

The London-based Catholic gay rights group QUEST called parts of it "a breakthrough in that they acknowledge that such unions have an intrinsic goodness and constitute a valuable contribution to wider society and the common good."

"BETRAYAL"

But John Smeaton, co-founder of the conservative group Voice of the Family, said: "Those who are controlling the synod have betrayed Catholic parents worldwide." He called it "one of the worst official documents drafted in Church history".

The Vatican document will be the basis for discussion for the second and final week of the bishops' assembly, known as a synod. It will also serve for further reflection among Catholics around the world ahead of another, definitive synod next year.

A number of participants at the closed-door gathering have said the Church should tone down its condemnatory language when referring to gay couples and avoid phrases such as "intrinsically disordered" when speaking of homosexuals.

That was the phrase used by former Pope Benedict in a document written before his election, when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and head of the Vatican's doctrinal department.

The language and tone of Monday's document, read to the assembly in the presence of Pope Francis, appeared to show that the advocates of a more merciful tone toward homosexuals and Catholics in so-called "irregular situations" -- such as unmarried couples living together -- had prevailed.

It said that the 1.2 billion-member Church should see the development of its position on homosexuals as "an important educational challenge" for the global institution.

While the Church continued to affirm that gay unions "cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony between man and woman", it should recognize that there could be positive aspects to relationships in same-sex couples.

"Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners," the document said.

The paper also said there were "constructive elements" to heterosexual couples who were married only in civil services or who were living together, but stressed that Church marriages were "the ideal".

Pope Francis has said the Church must be more compassionate with homosexuals, saying last year: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge."

The Church teaches that while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are.

HIS HOLINESS

OCTOBER 13, 2014

Vatican: Gay people have 'gifts' to offer the Church

In its midterm report from the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, the Vatican declared that gay people have gifts to offer the Christian community and said accepting homosexuality is "an important educative challenge."

While the report encouraged Catholic Church leaders not to teach against Church doctrine, nor to allow "outside organizations [to] threaten the Church or its priests into changing their ideology," the Washington Times reports, the document's language was was hailed by Catholic gay-rights groups for its "less judgmental and more compassionate language than that seen in Vatican statements prior to the 2013 election of Pope Francis."

The synod, which includes more than 200 bishops, cardinals, priests, and lay people, also gave special attention to the children of same-sex couples, saying these "little ones must always be given priority."

The synod will continue to address divorce, annulment, and unmarried couples more in depth as it runs through Oct. 25.

- - Teresa Mull

The Hermeneutics of Continuity/Discontinuity:

Novus Ordites Discover - The "law of gradualness"… applied to “realistic paths of affective growth and human and evangelical maturity integrating the sexual dimension”?

Bishops say gays have gifts to offer church

By NICOLE WINFIELD : 10-13-2014

Vatican Document Challenges Church To Change Attitude To Gays

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Catholic bishops signaled a radical shift in tone Monday about accepting gays into the church, saying they had gifts to offer and that their partnerships, while morally problematic, provided homosexual couples with "precious" support.

In a preliminary report, released half-way through a Vatican meeting on family life called by Pope Francis, the bishops also said the church must welcome divorcees and recognize the "positive" aspects of civil marriages and even Catholics who cohabitate, as well as the children of these less traditional families.

While it does not change church doctrine, the tone of the report on a host of hot-button family issues such as marriage, divorce, homosexuality and birth control was one of almost-revolutionary acceptance and understanding rather than condemnation. It will guide a closed-door debate until a final document is issued Saturday.

Gay rights groups hailed what they called a "seismic shift" in the church's attitude toward gays.

"For the LGBT Catholics in the United States and around the world, this new document is a light in the darkness — a dramatic new tone from a church hierarchy that has long denied the very existence of committed and loving gay and lesbian partnerships," said Chad Griffin, president of Human Rights Campaign, the biggest LGBT rights organization in the U.S.

Some conservative cardinals downplayed the report as insignificant or derided it as unacceptable, while conservative groups denounced it as heresy and a "betrayal" that will only serve to confuse Catholics.

"Confused, contradictory chaos in Rome," headlined the arch-conservative commentator Michael Voris.

Bishops clearly took into account the views of the pope, whose "Who am I to judge?" comment about gays signaled a new tone of welcome for the church. Their report also reflected the views of ordinary Catholics who, in responses to Vatican questionnaires in the run-up to the synod, rejected church teaching on birth control and homosexuality as outdated and irrelevant.

In a sign of the chasm that is apparently underway, Francis decided late Friday to add six progressives from four continents to the synod leadership to help prepare the final document after several conservatives were elected to leadership positions. None of Francis' appointees were Africans, who are traditionally among the most conservative on family issues.

"The drama continues," a wry Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, said of the debate.

The bishops said gays had "gifts and qualities" to offer and asked rhetorically if the church was ready to provide them a welcoming place, "accepting and valuing their sexual orientation without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony."

For a 2,000-year-old institution that teaches that gay sex is "intrinsically disordered," even posing the question was significant.

"This is a stunning change in the way the Catholic Church speaks of gay people," said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit author. "The Synod is clearly listening to the complex, real-life experiences of Catholics around the world, and seeking to address them with mercy, as Jesus did."

The bishops repeated that gay marriage was off the table. But it acknowledged that gay partnerships had merit.

"Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions, it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners," they said.

Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, a Catholic gay rights group said that though the report repeats doctrine about gay marriage, "the move toward accepting and valuing the gifts of gay and lesbian people is a major step forward."

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, downplayed the significance of the report, saying it was merely a draft and did not represent any kind of "earthquake" in church teaching. "It's not the final word and we're going to have a lot to say about it," he said in an interview with the SiriusXM/Catholic Channel.

Indeed, Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Gadecki called the report "unacceptable" and a deviation from church teaching, according to an interview with Vatican Radio.

Conservative groups rejected the report as a "betrayal" and even heresy.

"What will Catholic parents now have to tell their children about contraception, cohabiting with partners or living homosexual lifestyles?" asked Maria Madise, coordinator of the Voice of the Family, which says it represents several pro-life and conservative groups. "Will those parents now have to tell their children that the Vatican teaches that there are positive and constructive aspects to these mortal sins? This approach destroys grace in souls."

The tradition-minded blog Rorate Caeli called the document "heresy, homoheresy."

In the report, bishops said the church must grasp the "positive reality of civil weddings" and even cohabitation, with the aim of helping the couple commit eventually to a church wedding.

They also called for a re-reading of the 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, which outlined the church's opposition to artificial birth control. The bishops said couples should be unconditionally open to having children, but that the message of Humanae Vitae "underlines the need to respect the dignity of the person in the moral evaluation of the methods of birth control."

There has been much talk inside the synod about applying the theological concept of the "law of gradualness" in difficult family situations, including over contraception. The concept encourages the faithful to take one step at a time in the search for holiness.

In matters of birth control, the concept amounts to a tacit acknowledgement that most Catholics already use artificial contraception in violation of church teaching. But applying the concept pastorally would encourage priests to meet these couples where they are, and then help them come to understand the full reasoning behind the ban and then adopt it themselves.

Married Catholics Tell Pope Francis: The Church Should Welcome Gay Couples

Huffington Post | By Carol Kruvilla | October 13, 2014

A devout married couple urged Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops to freely welcome gay couples into the church.

Ron and Mavis Pirola, former members of the Pontifical Council for the Family, delivered the comments during a testimony at Vatican City on Monday.

The Pirolas, Australians who have been married for 57 years, said welcoming gay couples into the fold would serve as a “model of evangelization.”

As an example, they spoke about family friends’ experience with a gay son.

“Friends of ours were planning their Christmas family gathering when their gay son said he wanted to bring his partner home too,” the Pirolas during a statement inside Vatican's Paul VI Hall. “They fully believed in the Church’s teachings and they knew their grandchildren would see them welcome the son and his partner into the family. Their response could be summed up in three words, ‘He's our son’.”

The couple continued: “What a model of evangelization for parishes as they respond to similar situations in their neighborhood! It is a practical example of what the Instrumentum Laboris [the Synod’s working document] says concerning the Church’s teaching role and its main mission to let the world know of God’s love.”

Catholic doctrine encourages adherents to “love the sinner and hate the sin.” The Church holds that gay Catholics should not be discriminated against, but that homosexual acts are immoral and that marriage is reserved for heterosexual couples.

Pope Francis made a splash in 2013 by answering a reporter's question about gays priests in the church with the phrase, “Who am I to judge?”

Although Francis been relatively open about starting conversations on topics that have long been considered taboo, there’s been little indication that the Holy See is willing to upend church doctrine on homosexuality.

The hot topic at this year’s Synod, scheduled between Oct. 5 and Oct. 19, seems to be how the church treats divorced Catholics, the National Catholic Reporter suggests.

On Tuesday, a married pair from the Philippines told the bishops that they were involved in “Couples For Christ,” a lay organization that is recognized by the Vatican. Cynthia and George Campos talked about an outreach program they attempted to start for couples in “irregular situations” – like people who weren’t married in the Church, who are cohabiting without getting married, or who were divorced and remarried without an annulment.

The Campos’ dreams fell flat, according to Crux, partly because Church officials said that “Couples For Christ” was meant just for couples married in the Church.

The Filipino couple told the Synod that they hoped for more “enlightened pastoral charity” that will help spur “inclusive participation in church life.”

A total of 12 married couples from around the world are scheduled to speak before the Synod, Crux reports. Although these couples don’t have voting rights, they are asked to give the Synod’s 190 bishops and cardinals an inside look at the trials of married life.

After one week of meetings, the bishops will spend another week working on a proposal that will be delivered to the pope.

"Married people need to be heard," Vatican analyst Robert Mickens
told NPR. "Gay people and their struggles need to be heard. Single mothers need to be heard. It won't do for a bunch of celibate men, so-called, to be parsimonious with God's mercy."

Pope and prelates get crash course in joys of sex

Couple told gathering sex has kept them married for 55 years

VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Francis, cardinals and bishops from around the world have gotten an unexpected lecture on the joys of sex, from a Catholic couple brought in to talk about what makes a marriage last.

Ron and Mavis Pirola, parents of four from Sydney, Australia, told a Vatican gathering of some 200 prelates that sexual attraction brought them together 57 years ago and that sex has helped keep them married for 55 years.

“The little things we did for each other, the telephone calls and love notes, the way we planned our day around each other and the things we shared were outward expressions of our longing to be intimate with each other,” the couple said in a joint statement to the closed meeting late Monday.

“Gradually we came to see that the only feature that distinguishes our sacramental relationship from that of any other good Christ-centered relationship is sexual intimacy, and that marriage is a sexual sacrament with its fullest expression in sexual intercourse.”

The audience of celibate men was a bit taken aback.

“That’s not what we bishops talk about mostly, quite honestly,” a sheepish British Cardinal Vincent Nichols told reporters Tuesday. “But to hear that as the opening contribution did, I think, open an area … and it was a recognition that that is central to the well-being of marriage often.”

Francis called the two-week meeting of bishops to try to figure out how to make church teaching on a host of Catholic family issues – marriage, divorce, homosexuality and yes, sex – more relevant to today’s Catholics. The debate will continue in October, 2015, and culminate when Francis issues a final document with recommendations offered by the synod.

Several of the bishops complained that the Vatican’s own teachings on sexual matters are often impenetrable to ordinary people. The Vatican’s main document on sex, the 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, lays out the church’s opposition to artificial contraception with complicated moral theological arguments and 41 footnotes.

The Pirolas told the gathering that they occasionally read church documents on family matters, “but they seemed to be from another planet, with difficult language and not terribly relevant to our own experiences.”

The Rev. Tom Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, said several bishops argued that the church had to find a “new language” to both explain its teaching and invite people in.

“Language such as ‘living in sin,’ ‘intrinsically disordered’ or ‘contraceptive mentality’ are not necessarily words that invite people to draw closer to Christ and the church,” he said, citing one intervention.

Many observers have credited Francis with drawing people closer to the church precisely because of the simplicity of his language, compared to the dense theological treatises often laid out by his predecessor, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, who as a cardinal was responsible for penning many of the Vatican’s major documents on hot-button issues, including homosexuality.

The Vatican hand-picked the Pirolas and other model Catholic couples to participate in the synod to give bishops a sense of what real live Catholic families go through and proposals for how the church can help support them. Their intervention showed just how different a synod this is with Francis and his message of welcome running the show.

The Pirolas told the story of how devout Catholic friends reacted when their gay son wanted to bring his partner home to a Christmas gathering.

“They fully believed in the church’s teachings and they knew their grandchildren would see them welcome the son and his partner into the family,” they said. “Their response could be summed up in three words: ‘He’s our son.'”

Nichols said the synod gave them a round of applause.

In an indication, though, that opposition to such a welcoming position remains high, a group of conservative Catholic groups blasted the Pirola’s example as “damaging” to the church.

“The unqualified welcome of homosexual couples into family and parish environments in fact damages everybody, by serving to normalize the disorder of homosexuality,” said Maria Madise, coordinator of Voice of the Family in a statement.

John Smeaton, of the London-based Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said the welcome that the Pirolas’ statement received from the synod was disturbing.

“The homosexual agenda is forcing its way into schools, universities, workplaces and sports clubs,” he said in a statement. “The last thing families and parishes need is for church leaders to tell them to welcome homosexual couples.”

There should be no misunderstanding: The truth is an "ugly thing" for those who reject Jesus Christ and His Church

Cardinal Raymond Burke Takes Break From Vatican Synod To Say Ugly Things About Gay Relationships

The Huffington Post | By Antonia Blumberg : 10/10/2014

Vatican court head Cardinal Raymond Burke took his opposition to gay marriage to a new low in an interview with LifeSite News on Wednesday, calling same-sex relations "intrinsically disordered" and dangerous for children to be exposed to:

"We wouldn’t, if it were another kind of relationship — something that was profoundly disordered and harmful — we wouldn't expose our children to that relationship, to the direct experience of it. And neither should we do it in the context of a family member who not only suffers from same-sex attraction, but who has chosen to live out that attraction, to act upon it, committing acts which are always and everywhere wrong, evil."

The cardinal is currently engaged in the Vatican's Synod on the Family, at which a handful of couples and families were invited to present questions and arguments to the assembled bishops as they assess the Catholic Church's stance on various family-related issues.

Ron and Mavis Pirola, former members of the Pontifical Council for the Family, delivered comments to the synod on Monday encouraging parishes to welcome gay couples. The Pirolas shared the example of a couple in their community, who struggled over whether to invite their son's same-sex partner to a Christmas celebration, which they ultimately decided to do.

"They fully believed in the Church’s teachings and they knew their grandchildren would see them welcome the son and his partner into the family," the Pirolas said, adding, "What a model of evangelization for parishes as they respond to similar situations in their neighborhood!"

Cardinal Burke did not agree, however, and told LifeSite:

"If homosexual relations are intrinsically disordered, which indeed they are — reason teaches us that and also our faith — then, what would it mean to grandchildren to have present at a family gathering a family member who is living in a disordered relationship with another person?"

Burke, along with German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller and three other conservative cardinals, released a book just days before the synod convened entitled "Remaining in the Truth of Christ: Marriage and Communion in the Catholic Church." The book challenged apparent moves by more moderate Catholic voices to reassess church teachings on gay marriage, divorce and other key family-related topics.

In February Burke also warned against the "false praise" of those who read too much into Pope Francis' iconic words, "Who am I to judge?", when it comes to the church's stance on gay relationships.

In response to Burke's declaration that gay relationships are "intrinsically disordered," National Catholic Reporters' Michael Sean Winters called the cardinal "tone deaf" and said such statements "make the Church look foolish and mean-spirited."

"This man's inability to speak with even a whiff of human compassion is intrinsically disordered if you ask me," Winters said.

Rev. Cornelius à Lapide, The Great Commentary, Matt. 27; 24

It is true that “doctrine and pastoral care must not contradict each other.” Therefore, if communion for Catholics living in adultery does not “deny the indissolubility of marriage” then it denies the validity of the Novus Ordo Consecration. Is anyone surprised?

Schockenhoff: To allow communion for the divorced is not to deny the indissolubility of marriage

The theologian from Freiburg says the Eucharist is so rich in meaning, nothing can destroy it. Doctrine and pastoral care must not contradict each other. The term “official Church” is misleading and bishops do not live in a “parallel society”

Iacopo Scaramuzzi : 10/ 7/2014

The indissolubility of marriage is “not seriously called into question” by those who believe remarried divorcees should be allowed to receive communion. Eberhard Schockenhoff, Professor of Moral Theology at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet in Freiburg, is adamant about this. The German theologian underlined that too often, the concept of “natural law” was interpreted statically, reducing the “deep meaning of human sexuality” to a mere act of “procreation”. He disagrees with the term “official Church” (bishops are not “some kind of parallel society within the Church” that is detached from the people). He also stressed that although doctrine and pastoral care are two different things, they cannot contradict each other: “Failure to deal with problems that remain unresolved on a doctrinal level, will simply lead to the Church’s teaching being seen as rigid and lacking in credibility.”

“No one in the Church is seriously calling the indissolubility of marriage into question, not even those who are asking for the Church to remove its ban on communion for divorced Catholics who contract a civil marriage. The ideal of a successful marriage based on mutual faithfulness and trusting love is not called into question when one takes stock of the reality of a failed marriage, which many faithful face. Why should the Church betray Jesus’ teaching on marriage while remaining faithful to its mission of proclaiming God’s mercy to everyone, offering the possibility of reconciliation to remarried divorcees as well?” The Eucharist, the German theologian explained, “has many aspects to it which must not be separated so bluntly or seen in such sharp contrast: it is the enactment of Jesus Christ’s work of salvation, a sign of the Church’s unity, a personal encounter with Jesus and the outstretched hand with which God reaches out to sinners, inviting them to be reconciled with God. The Eucharist, which is so rich in meaning, loses this if it seen as a mere reward for those who respect single moral norms.

If many Catholics do not understand the concept of natural law, Schockenhoff says, explaining the rules better is not enough. “The concept of natural law, which Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI often focused on in the texts he published on the subject, is misunderstood. In the field of sexual ethics, for example, reproduction has often been presented as the natural end point of human sexuality.” But “reducing the deep meaning of human sexuality to an act of procreation, does not take into account some perspectives offered by the humanistic disciplines,” which have revealed the existence of different dimensions of sexuality (the relational dimension, the pleasure dimension and the procreational dimension).The Extraordinary Synod on the Family should therefore “make it clear that the Church offers a positive outlook on issues relating to sexuality, love and marriage, which takes into account all these dimensions and takes the real experiences of faithful seriously. It is not enough therefore to simply offer better explanations of existing rules, as this would confirm suspicions that the Church is static and cut off from reality.” As far as the Humanae Vitae encyclical is concerned, “the Church’s teaching on artificial birth control has prevented people from receiving the positive messages the Gospel has to give about every human being’s vocation to love.”

Is there a risk of the Church splitting into two Churches? A Church of mercy and a Church dominated by rules, an ideological Church and a Church that acts as a “field hospital”, a Church that comforts and a Church that punishes? “It is possible to make a rational distinction between the requirements of Church teaching and those of a pastoral care programme that only takes human needs into account, ‘love the sinner but hate the sin’ as the saying goes.” “But there must be no contradiction between pastoral care and doctrine,” Schockenhoff said. “It is not enough to try to eliminate doubts over single problems linked to the Church’s moral doctrine by adopting a more flexible interpretation in the pastoral ministry. Failure to deal with problems that remain unresolved on a doctrinal level, will simply lead to the Church’s teaching being seen as rigid and lacking in credibility.” In reference to those who speak of a growing gap between the so called institutional Church and the Church of the faithful, the German theologian said that the term “official Church” should be done away with. The term suggests that there is a real Church with official members and that faithful form part of a different circle outside the Church. The idea that in some countries bishops are detached from the faithful and form part of some kind of parallel society within the Church, is not in tune with their mission or with Pope Francis’ calls for the focus to be on questions that really concern faithful.”

What was once "self-evident" now must be painstakingly explained!

God has constituted an eternal and immutable law, which is indispensably obligatory upon all mankind, prior to any human institution whatever. This is what is called the law of nature.

Alexander Hamilton

Who are the “bad pastors (that) burden people with an unbearable weight”? Let’s begin at the top that is characterized by an effeminacy that teaches that there exists an opposition between doctrine and morality. Nominal Catholics today are ignorant of “religious doctrines.” It is this ignorance that is the primary cause of the apostasy from Catholic truth and morals. To “evangelize” means to preach the gospel message which is both doctrinal and moral. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me." Those who are united to Jesus Christ and possess His "life" are united to His "truth" (doctrine) and His "way" (morals). There can be no separation between the “rules and precepts” of faith and the moral obligation of Jesus to mercifully “love one another as I have loved you.”

Francis: The Synod and the young who don’t want to marry

The number of couples living with each other rises

The drop in the number of church marriages is an issue that seems to have faded into the background in the debates that are currently taking place. Francis talks about this in an interview

ANDREA TORNIELLI : vatican city : 10/6/2014

Vatican Insider.jpg Pope Francis looks at the young. At the many many young people who prefer to live together rather than get married. He said this in the context of the Synod, in an interview with Joaquín Morales Solá, published yesterday in Argentinian newspaper La Nación. “The family is such a precious and important part of today’s society and the Church... A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the divorced. Naturally, this issue will be discussed. But for me, the new trends among young people are just as important. Young people are not marrying. This is today’s culture. Many young people prefer to live together without getting married. What should the Church do? Cast them away from its bosom? Or should it approach them, understand them and try to bring the Word of God to them? I prefer the second option.”

What seems to have slipped the minds of those engaged in the recent debates over the indissolubility of marriage, is that the number of people getting marriage in church, is dropping. And yet none of the Synod Fathers want to call the principle of the indissolubility of marriage into question. In Milan, to name but one example, 1,329 marriages were registered in the first half of this year. Only one in three of these was celebrated in a religious ceremony (374), while a just under a thousand couple (955) opted for a civil marriage ceremony. In one out of four cases, one of the spouses had come out of a failed marriage. The average age of first marriage is 37 for men and 33 for women, compared to 32 and 29 in 1991. In Milan, the number of singles is more than double that of married couples.
To deal with this phenomenon by simply blurting out condemnations, wistfully looking back at the “good old days” and driving home religious doctrines, would clearly be counter-productive. The Church cannot just detach itself from the processes that have taken place over the last thirty to forty years, simply accusing today’s culture without asking itself why it has become so difficult for people to testify the beauty of the family.

In yesterday’s homily, Francis recalled that “bad pastors burden people with an unbearable weight,” a weight they do not have to carry themselves. Francis wants this Synod to be careful and compassionate in its examination of the real experiences of families, including wounded and “irregular” families. Evangelising means being capable of embracing, being compassionate and understanding others. This has a priority over lists of rules and precepts. In this sense, Francis does not intend to change the Church’s doctrine on indissolubility, but is asking the entire Church to change its perspective, becoming more sensitive to the reality of people’s lives, proclaiming the Gospel and mercy in a calmer manner.

In his interview with La Nación, the Pope also answered a question on the book which five cardinals published, opposing Cardinal Kasper’s suggestion regarding the administration of the sacraments to remarried divorcees: “It did not worry me. Everyone has an opinion to contribute.”

Fisichella on how to break the deadlock over remarried divorcees

Vatican Insider interviews the President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation: “There are passages in the New Testament which I have not heard anyone quote yet but could orient us” toward new solutions. “Legalism” must be overcome and the Church must embrace people “like a mother, not like a judge”

ANDREA TORNIELLI : vatican city : 10/ 9/2014

Vatican Insider.jpg “I have an idea on how to break the deadlock...” Archbishop Rino Fisichella, a theologian and President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, opens up to the possibility of “different solutions” for wounded families and recalls that what the Church wants is to embrace everyone “like a mother, not like a judge”.

Will the Church modify its doctrine on marriage?

“I haven’t heard one single speech that calls the indissolubility of marriage into question. The dilemma is a pastoral one: how to welcome people without excluding anyone, whilst remaining faithful to Jesus’ teaching, in a world in which there is a great divide between dominant cultural trends and the Christian idea of the family.”

Some have encouraged [the Synod] to recognise the positive aspects of civil marriage.

“The doctrine is examined and developed, without being altered. Regarding the subject of conscience and religious freedom, the Second Vatican Council has made the Church take a leap forward. Civil marriage does not mean living together, these are two different things. What has emerged from the Synod is a method of discussion: none of us claims to possess the truth but as John Paul II taught us, once a truth is discovered, it is just another phase which pushes us further.”

Would you readmit remarried divorcees to the Eucharist in certain cases?

“I don’t want to start judging and theorising based on specific cases. But who in today’s world can say they have not had cases of members of their own families living together or divorcing? Unfortunately, we are immersed in a reality in which the beauty of marriage has been wounded. There has been too much emphasis on the Canonist, or legal, dimension of marriage, which has led us often into the waters of legalism. Recuperating the sacramental dimension would make it easier to find different solutions, in continuity with original doctrine. Here we return to the primacy of conscience. Nothing and no one can intervene in this. Of course, it must be a conscience that is illuminated by the Word of God, that is reflected upon and that accepts the obedience of a path.”

How can doctrine be combined with a focus on certain situations?

“I have an idea on how to break the deadlock. There are examples in the New Testament which I have not heard anyone quote. Jesus says sins against the Son of Man will be forgiven. I think this refers to the sins of ignorance. We need to work out what these sins are, sins which are committed without the person even realising it. Then there is Sat. Paul: he gave orders for a person who was in an incestuous relationship to be cast out of the community as incest is a grave sin. But in the second letter to the Corinthians he speaks again about the case, saying: you must embrace him once again so that he no longer suffers the weight of sadness and so that we are not overcome by Satan. How can we ensure we are not overcome by Satan, the one who divides us? We don’t know how this man went on to live but Paul says that the community must offer “consolation”. This could help guide us in marrying the principles of the Church and the real life of communities.”

Is there a problem regarding the treatment of remarried divorcees?

“Some forms of senseless discrimination do exist. Why should remarried divorcees who are active members of the community not be given the opportunity to teach in a Catholic school?”

At the Synod, one couple spoke about how a family should act toward gay sons and daughters...

“I have had a chance to speak to families who experience these kinds of situations. I try to explain to them that the Church cannot recognise marriage between people of the same sex but it embraces everyone like a mother, not like a judge.”

Pope Francis the Destroyer - The Nominalist destroys the created relationship between Reality, the Concept formed only in a spiritual soul, and the Language to symbolize the concept - He denies that truth exists, that it can be known, and that it can be communicated to spiritual souls - He attacks the created order at its very foundation.

So often [people ask]: 'But do you believe?': 'Yes! Yes! '; 'What do you believe in?'; 'In God!'; 'But what is God for you?'; 'God, God'. But God does not exist: Do not be shocked! So God does not exist! There is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, they are persons, they are not some vague idea in the clouds ... This God spray does not exist! The three persons exist!

Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 10-9-14

If the shoe fits.....

The Saint Prophesies great Schisms and Tribulations in the Church

A short time before the holy Father’s death, he called together his Children and warned them of the coming troubles, saying: ‘Act bravely, my Brethren; take courage, and trust in the Lord. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase. The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death. Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it. There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God. Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect. Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. But the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy. Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Our Lord Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer.

The Works of the Seraphic Father - St. Francis of Assisi

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI:

THE TEN PERFECTIONS OF A TRUE RELIGIOUS AND PERFECT CHRISTIAN

THE first perfection of a good Religious is, that he strives with all his mind and strength to weep for his sins, confesses them willingly and without delay, and takes care as much as possible not to fall again into the same or other disorders.

The second is, that he puts every creature above him, and himself below all. If he acted otherwise he would offend that great Lord, Who made all creatures, and Who has so honoured us as for our love to assume human nature, which, having assumed, He shares with all creatures.* On this account, therefore, a fervent Religious, or perfect Christian, ought, with a good heart and a good will, to Obey all, not only his companion who is above him, or his equal, or inferior, but also every creature, as far as is lawful.

The third is, that he tears always his heart from every earthly and human affection, and neither seeks nor finds any support or stay except in Him Who made his heart for Himself:, but accustoms his mind to cast itself upon God, and frequently to elevate itself above the mire of the earth, so that he can without difficulty and whenever he pleases return to Christ, thinking of Him, and uniting himself to the Creator of the heart, and being intent at all times and in all places on his heavenly Benefactor. In prayer he either bewails the evil he has done, or asks and desires the virtues in which he is wanting, or he gives thanks for the blessings bestowed upon him, or for the evils and misfortunes which befall him, and he believes that the merciful God permits these things to happen to him on account of his sins, or for the chastisement of his body.

The fourth is, that he has such patience as to endeavour to love the most heartily, and to serve the most willingly, without any bitterness of soul, whoever says or does anything against him; for as God in His infinite liberality has granted him all good, so he believes that He secretly permits these evils to assail him, in order that He may make known to him his sins, so that knowing them he may be lightly chastised for them in this world, and not eternally punished for them in the next. Therefore, he loves much the man who does him any wrong or speaks evil of him, because God makes use of this person as a messenger to confer on him great benefits; as an arm or a cord by which He mercifully holds him back lest he should fall into the eternal abyss, and lest the world should defile or the devil deceive him; as a cloth wherewith He cleanses him ; and as an instrument or chisel with which he carves and perfects him.

The fifth is, that he loves all the good, and compassionates all the wicked, that he honours all, and reputes himself the vilest of all, esteeming himself worse than even the most sinful. And this because he does not know whether the good that he does is pleasing to God, or whether he will persevere in it, nor does he know the end which another may reach. For this reason he never judges evil of another in his heart, and never speaks evil of him with his tongue. And when he hears evil said of anyone, he excuses him, or at least he takes no pleasure in the detraction, but shows that he is grieved, or skillfully turns the conversation to another subject.

The sixth perfection is, that he loves much to be reprehended, and also the one who reprehends him : if anyone blames him, he entirely agrees with him; but if he be commended for his virtue, he declines the praise, and says he has done no good, always bearing in mind that God alone does all good, and gives the will to do it.

The seventh is, that he willingly serves all, and accepts service from others with great reluctance, considering himself unworthy of any service, because he remembers that Christ came, not to be served, but to serve. If, then, anyone ministers to him in his wants, he returns thanks in his heart to God, Who gives this person the power and the will to serve him.

The eighth perfection is, that he endeavours to bear in mind all the blessings which he and all other creatures have received, and gives thanks to God for them all; after which he humbles himself, saying: ‘Who am I, that I should give thanks for others, when I cannot sufficiently give thanks for the least of the benefits that God has bestowed on me, especially as I am such a miserable creature?’ And thus he annihilates himself.

The ninth perfection is, that he keeps a strict guard over his tongue, which is the consummation of all virtue, and without which he would lose all grace; and he guards his tongue not only from evil and hurtful, false and unbecoming words, but also from those that are vain and superfluous, and which destroy the devotion of the heart.

The tenth and last perfection is, that he takes care above all things that in all his words there should appear truth, goodness, and humility; for the speech of a man should begin in truth, proceed in goodness, and terminate in humility and brevity of words; because Our Lord while on earth used brevity of speech. Thanks be to God!

The Works of St. Francis of Assisi

The Unpublished Account

At around 4 p.m. on January 3, 1944, in the chapel of the convent, before the Tabernacle, Lucia asked Jesus to make known His will: “I then felt a friendly hand, maternal and affectionate, touch my shoulder.”

And the Mother of God said to her: “be at peace, and write what I have commanded you, but not, however, that which has been given to you to understand its meaning,” intending to allude to the meaning of the vision which the Virgin herself had revealed.

Immediately afterward, said Sister Lucia, “I felt my spirit inundated by a mystery of light that is God and in Him I saw and heard: the point of a lance like a flame that is detached, touches the axis of the earth, and it trembles: mountains, cities, towns and villages with their inhabitants are buried. The sea, the rivers, the clouds, exceed their boundaries, inundating and dragging with them, in a vortex, houses and people in a number that cannot be counted. It is the purification of the world from the sin in which it is immersed. Hatred, ambition, provoke the destructive war. After I felt my racing heart, in my spirit a soft voice said: ‘In time, one faith, one baptism, one Church, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic. In eternity, Heaven!’ This word ‘Heaven’ filled my heart with peace and happiness in such a way that, almost without being aware of it, I kept repeating to myself for a long time: Heaven, Heaven.”

From this came the strength to write the Third Secret.

APOCALYPTIC NEWS FROM FATIMA (THE LATEST MYSTERY: THE
SILENCE OF THE SISTERS, BUT WHO IS SILENCING THEM

by Antonio Socci, August 17, 2014

The 'Slow Cook' is preferred by the Romans

Fellay and Müller discuss a “gradual” move towards full reconciliation

The meeting between the Superior of the Fraternity of St. Pius X and the heads of the Ecclesia Dei Commission lasted two hours. The Secretary of the former Holy office, Luis Ladaria, was also present

ANDREA TORNIELLI : vatican city : 09/23/2014

Their meeting lasted two hours, from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. CET. The Superior of the Fraternity of St. Pius X, Bishop Bernard Fellay and Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and President of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” (the body that handles relations between the Holy See’s and the Lefebvrians), discussed “problems of a doctrinal and canonical nature” which need to be resolved in order for the Fraternity to enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. This was the first time Fellay held a face to face meeting with Müller since the latter was appointed head of the doctrinal Congregation. The Holy See announced the meeting, which took place at the premises of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The Holy See’s press release informs that the talks were “cordial”. Müller was joined by archbishops Luis Ladaria and Augustine Di Noia, respectively secretary and adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faithand Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”. Bishop Fellay was accompanied by two assistants from the Society of St. Pius X, Rev. Niklaus Pfluger and Rev. Alain-Marc Nély.

“During the meeting,” the statement says, “various problems of a doctrinal and canonical nature were examined, and it was decided to proceed gradually and over a reasonable period of time in order to overcome difficulties and with a view to the envisioned full reconciliation.” This phrase is important as it indicates that communication channels between the Holy See and the Lefebvrians remain open. Some in the Vatican and in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith called for a drastic decision to bring about a formal split between the two again. But Francis does not intend to close the door on dialogue with the Fraternity.

Readers will recall that on 13 June 2012, the former Prefect of the Holy Office, Cardinal William Levada, had delivered a doctrinal preamble to Fellay to sign. However, four days later, the Lefebvrian superior wrote a letter to Benedict XVI informing him that he could not agree to the terms laid out in the document. Benedict XVI replied on 30 June 2012 communicating his disappointment and repeating his request to the Lefebvrians to recognize that “the magisterium is the authentic interpreter of the Tradition,” that the Second Vatican Council agrees with Tradition and that the Novus Ordo Missae, the post-conciliar liturgical reform promulgated by Paul VI, was not only valid but also legitimate.

Question: Just when did Bishop Fellay secretly take the 1989 Profession of Faith and the Oath of Fidelity?

Biblical Exegesis for Dummies

We encounter Jesus in our sins. This is not heresy. The privileged place to encounter with Jesus Christ is in our sins. This may seem like "heresy" but St. Paul also said as much when he said he would boast of only two things: his sins and the Risen Christ who saved him (II Corinthians 12: 9).

Pope Francis, Sermon, 9-18-2014

Comment:

St. Paul said, "And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." St. Paul did not "boast of.... his sins." And no authoritative commentator on exactly what St. Paul meant by "infirmity" has interpreted it to means "sins." We encounter Jesus when we repent of sin and do penance. Repentance requires a sorrow for sins and a firm determination not to sin again.

Cardinal Kasper in interview with the Italian paper, Il Mattino, says that Pope Francis is source for the corruption of Catholic doctrine of Marriage!

Il Mattino: How does one consider complex situations? For example, the drama of a divorced family [sic] that has violated the indissoluble sacrament of marriage?
Cardinal Kasper: "They are considered one by one, the complex situations. No one must judge, but discern. The light of the Gospel helps us in the discenment of every concrete situation, at the light of mercy."
Il Mattino: We return to the danger of a doctrinal war in the Synod.
Cardinal Kasper: "I certainly don't want it. They [the Cardinals who criticize him] perhaps want it. I think of a pastoral Synod."
Il Mattino: Is that what the Pope also wants?
Cardinal Kasper: "Certainly. Also the Pope wants a pastoral Synod."
Il Mattino: Did you expect this controversy regarding your address to the Consistory?
Cardinal Kasper: "I'm not naïve. I knew that there are other positions, but I didn't think that the debate would become, and now is shown to be also, without manners. Not one of my fellow Cardinals ever spoke to me. I, instead, [spoke] twice with the Holy Father. I agreed upon everything with him. He was in agreement. What can a cardinal do, if not being with Pope? I am not the target, the target is another one."
Il Mattino: Is it Pope Francis?
Cardinal Kasper: "Probably yes."
Il Mattino: What else do you say, finally, to your opponents?
Cardinal Kasper: "They know that I have not done these things by myself. I agreed with the Pope, I spoke twice with him. He showed himself content [with it]. Now, they create this controversy. A Cardinal must be close to the Pope, by his side. The Cardinals are the Pope's cooperators."

COMMENT: The very fact that this public discussion on the sacrament of Marriage is taking place has caused incalculable damage to Catholic truth. In the case of contraception, by the very act of Paul VI opening a closed moral question to public debate made the subsequent publication of Humane Vitae a futile exercise in the defense of Catholic moral truth. For Cardinal Kasper, who Pope Francis praises as doing "theology on his knees," he denies that Catholic doctrine is a "closed system." It is so because revelation was completed with the death of the last apostle. The understanding of revealed truth may deepen but only according to its own genus that does not admit novelty. Furthermore, he calls the Church a "sacrament." It is a dogma of Catholic faith that there are only seven sacraments and the "Church" is not one of them. The Church can only be considered as a "sacrament" metaphorically while not forgetting the adage that 'all metaphors limp.' Speaking of "metaphors," it is characteristic of all heretical and schismatic systems to attack the sacrament of Marriage for the very reason that God has always referred metaphorically to Marriage to teach the nature of His spiritual union with His Church and with each one of the Faithful. Heresy corrupts the Faith and Schism breaks the bond of Charity. It necessarily follows that Marriage must be broken as well so that the metaphor of Marriage by heretics and schismatics will permit psychological justification for their claim to a continued relationship with God. The attack on Marriage is a late manifestation of doctrinal corruption. When the lines of defense are at the door of the bridal chamber, the walls of the city have long fallen. Lastly, there has always been a necessary "distinction" between "doctrine and discipline." Doctrine refers to what we believe and discipline refers to what we do. Discipline and doctrine are reciprocally related. Corrupt doctrine and you will corrupt discipline. Corrupt discipline and you will corrupt doctrine. For example, standing to receive communion-in-the-hand is a disciplinary corruption that has nearly destroyed the Catholic faith in the True Presence. Does anyone believe that Cardinal Kasper does not understand the implications of admitting divorced and re-married Catholics who are living in an adulterous relationship would do to Catholic doctrine?

Kasper’s response to cardinals’ protests against communion for remarried divorcees

A “preventive war” is being fought ahead of the Synod on the Family: Müller, Burke, Caffarra, Brandmuler and De Paolis have published a book in which they express their opposition to making communion for remarried divorcees possible in certain cases. They called this unacceptable. Cardinals Scola and Pell are of the same opinion. Cardinal Kasper rejects second marriages but believes the Church should show mercy and give divorced couples a helping hand

Andrea tornielli : vatican city : 09/18/2014

Never before had a Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith -- whilst in office -- published two books in the space of a week or so, publicly declaring that it is unacceptable for the Church to change its position regarding a subject that is about to be discussed during the Synod. Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller (who has headed the former Holy Office since 2012) did this very thing. Last July, in an interview with the press, he said he was averse to any leniency with regard to the administration of communion to remarried divorcees. The interview became a book, titled “The Hope of the Family”. Now, his name also appears in the list of authors who have written a new collective essay titled “Remaining in the Truth of Christ.”

The other four co-authors of the book are: the Archbishop of Bologna, Carlo Caffarra; the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, Raymond Leo Burke and presidents emeritus Walter Brandmüller and Velasio De Paolis, plus the Secretary for the Congregation of the Oriental Churches, Archbishop Cyril Vasil and other experts. Both volumes deal with the situation of divorced people who have entered a second union and their participation in the Eucharist. The authors argue that it is unacceptable for such couples to receive communion.

This unprecedented publicity operation is presented as a response to the possible softening of attitudes towards remarried divorcees suggested by German cardinal Walter Kasper last February. Francis had asked Kasper to give the opening speech at the last Consistory. Angelo Scola has also expressed his opposition in an article, while the Vatican “minister of the economy” George Pell has written a book. In his address to the cardinals who attended the Consistory, Kasper spoke about the family and in the final part of his speech he spoke about the possibility of readmitting remarried divorcees to communion in certain cases, on certain conditions and after a period of penance. This triggered many different reactions among the cardinals and the very next day, Pope Francis praised Kasper’s “kneeling theology” which showed “love for the Mother Church.” In the months that followed the publication of that address, the number of related interviews and speeches grew significantly. Opinions were split and the media became the stage for all related debates and clashes, as was the case in the days of the Second Vatican Council.

Francis, who believes that the message of mercy is of vital importance, continuously urges the Church to come out of its shell and go out to meet men and women in the contexts in which they live. He called for two Synods on the Family; one Extraordinary Synod which will run from 5 to 19 October this year. Local Churches will get involved in the work and then in October 2015, an Ordinary Synod will take place, concluding the reflection process. Vatican Insider interviewed Cardinal Walter Kasper about this.

Cardinal Walter Kasper replies: "But Christians can fail too and sadly many marriages today do fail. In his devotion, God does not allow anyone to fall, he shows mercy and gives those who wish to convert, a new chance. After all, the Church is the sacrament, in other words, the sign and instrument of God’s mercy. It must be close to people, help them, advise them and encourage them. In this case, a Christian is especially in need of the grace of the sacraments. Although second marriages are not possible, as the Church fathers said, when a ship sinks you need a raft in order to survive. Not a sacramental marriage but the sacramental instruments needed in a situation like this. This solution does not apply to all cases as these vary a lot. It applies to those who do everything they can given their situation. [.......] Contracting a second marriage is not possible as long as the first partner is still living. But there needs to be a distinction between doctrine and discipline, that is, what pastoral action to take in complex situations. Furthermore, Church doctrine is not a closed system: the Second Vatican Council teaches us that there is a development, meaning that it is possible to look into this further. I wonder if a deeper understanding similar to what we saw in ecclesiology, is possible: although the Catholic Church is Christ’s true Church, there are elements of ecclesiality beyond the institutional boundaries of the Church too. Couldn’t some elements of sacramental marriage also be recognised in civil marriages in certain cases? For example, the concept of lifelong commitment, mutual love and care, Christian life and a public declaration of commitment that does not exist in common-law marriages."

With Pope Francis there are some things you can count on:

It is a decision by the Supreme [Federal Court, the highest Constitutional Court in Brazil]. Of course, for the Church, it [homosexual union] cannot be equated to marriage, that is different. But, regarding respect for the stable union between these people, there is no doubt that the Church has always [sempre] been trying to do it this way.

Raymundo Cardinal Damasceno Assis, Bishop of Aparecida, who is one of the three Presidents appointed by Pope Francis for the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Family

Pittsburgh Bishop Prays with Protestants & Then Forbids Praying with Traditional Catholics

Bishop David Zubic of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, in a remarkable example of clerical hubris or stupidity (take your pick), encouraged the Catholic faithful of Pittsburgh -for the first time ever- to join along with him in the Three Rivers Festival of Hope 'crusade' run by Billy Graham's son, Franklin. The 3-day evangelical hoopla of praise and rock-n-roll ran from August 15 to 17. Bishop Zubic lead the participants in ecumenical pray from the stage.

Then, less than two week later on August 29, Bishop Zubic publically warned the faithful not to pray with the SSPX because “the Society of Saint Pius X is separated from the Catholic Church.... The Roman Catholic faithful are to know that free and willful participation with this group, including reception of the sacraments implies an act of separation from the Roman Catholic Church.”

"Francis welcomes the idea with interest and encouragement"

Peres’ proposal to Francis to set up (and to "lead") a UN of religions

marco tosatti : rome : 09/ 4/2014

The Middle East and the current turmoil there were at the centre of two separate audiences which Francis held this morning. First the Pope received the former president of the Republic of Israel, Shimon Peres and then the Prince of Jordan, Hassan bin Talal. [.....]

The former president of the Republic of Israel had a very specific proposal to make at this meeting. He talked about it in an interview with Famiglia Cristiana before the meeting: his proposal was essentially to create a UN of religions. “The UN has run its course, what we need is an Organisation of United Religions, a UN of religions,” Peres said in his interview with Famiglia Cristiana. This would be the best way to fight against these terrorists who kill in the name of faith, because the majority of people are not like them, they practice their religion without killing anyone, without this thought ever crossing their minds.”

“And I think there should also be a United Religions Charter, just like the UN Charter,” Peres went on to say. “The new Charter would state on behalf of all faiths that slitting people’s throats or carrying out mass slaughters, as we have seen in the past weeks, has nothing to do with religion. This was my proposal to the Pope.”

91-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres underlined that “today we are faced with hundreds, possibly thousands of terrorist movements that aim to kill in the name of God. This is a completely new kind of war compared to those fought in the past. It is different in terms of technique but above all in terms of the reasons for which it is being fought. We have the United Nations to deal with this. It is a political organization but it has neither the armies which nations possess, nor the firm belief which religions foster.”

Due to the power of religions and the Pope’s charisma, Peres would like Pope Francis to lead the proposed UN of religions: “When I look around me I notice one thing: perhaps for the first time in history the Holy Father is a leader who has the respect of many people as well as the most diverse religions and their representatives. Indeed, he may actually be the only leader they really respect. Hence the idea I proposed to Francis.”

Francis welcomed the idea with interest and encouragement; he did not commit to it personally but assured Peres that there are Vatican dicasteries that deal with these kinds of initiatives. “The Pope,” the Holy See’s spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi said, “The Pope spent a long time talking with Mr. Peres whom he sees as a man of peace and even though there no official statements were issued as these were not audiences with heads of state or of government, the long duration of the talks shows that the Pope took an interest in Peres’ proposals and the information the Jordanian prince gave him on his interreligious centre for peace, expressing his encouragement.” The Pope explained that “there are Holy See dicasteries in charge of such initiatives: the dicastery for interreligious dialogue and the dicastery for Justice and Peace. Cardinals Kock and Turkson will consider this proposal carefully,” Lombardi said. [......]

"Religious Liberty" is nothing more than an ideological weapon to attack the Catholic Faith. If it were anything more than this, the Franciscan of the Immaculate would be left alone.

Cloistered Sisters "pray too much" and do "too much penance."

UPDATE on the Visitation on the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
- Apostolic Signatura acted to reduce illegal powers
- Visitators suggest Vatican II Re-education Program

Regarding the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate's visitation by an external agent (Sister Fernanda Barbiero of the Institute of the Teaching Sisters of St. Dorothy, named as Visitator by the Congregation for Religious), Rorate has received the following information from our trustworthy sources:

1) The Visitation lasted just a little under three months between May and July 2014.

2) The Franciscan Sisters made an appeal to the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura against an arbitrary attribution of power and the Signatura admitted they were right by limiting the Apostolic Visitator’s power “ad inquirendum et referendum".

3) Sister Barbiero visited the active Italian Nuns and asked the Congregation to send two other “Visitators” to visit the Contemplative Nuns: Two Abbesses from the Poor Clares: Damiana Tiberio and Cristiana Mondonico, from the Protomonastery in Assisi and the Monastery of the Trinity in Gubbio, respectively.

4) The two Visitators spent about a week in the two monasteries of Alassio and Città di Castello, meticulously questioning all of the sisters; the Visitators were openly disdainful about the Traditional Mass, among other things.

5) The Visitators told the nuns that they prayed too much, that they did too much penance, and that the contemplatives were “too cloistered,” whatever that may mean for contemplative nuns; they told them that they urgently needed a “re-education” program according to the criteria of Vatican II.

Now, will there be a comissioning of the Sisters, as it happened with the Friars? The scandal of the Intervention of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate is so preposterous and has caused so much distress and genuine horror throughout the Catholic world that, as seen above, the first attempt of the Congregation for Religious was to promote an intervention in all but name by granting illegal powers to the Visitator, which were reduced to regular visitation powers by the Segnatura Apostolica on appeal.

With this first attempt blocked, and despite news of religious houses of ancient orders closing down every single day throughout the Catholic world, it is probable that the Duo on top of the Congregation for Religious will try to destroy the Sisters as thoroughly as they destroyed the Friars. However, they can do so only with the consent and full knowledge of the Pope. Will the Pope wish to have obliterated under his name and power what used to be a thriving congregation of exemplary religious women - if so, let us brace ourselves for an even more abusive intervention than the one on the Franciscan Friars.
Let us pray to the Lord and Our Immaculate Lady to touch the heart of Pope Francis so that the Sisters are not met with the same fate as the Friars.

Rorate Caeli

Pope Francis has done irreparable damage to the Catholic morality by calling into question the dogmas on Marriage by treating it as an open question. Still, there are more bishops coming to the defense of revealed truth.

Question: In respect of the questionnaire on the issue of family – people are expecting big changes.

Answer: There is on this issue a deal of propaganda, put about by the Mass media. We need to be very careful. There are the official anti-Christian mass media worldwide. In almost every country it is the same content of news, with the exception perhaps of the African and Asian countries or in the East of Europe.

Only on the Internet can you spread your own ideas. Thanks be to God the Internet exists.

The idea of changes in marriage and moral laws to be done at the upcoming synod of bishops in Rome, comes from mostly the anti-Christian media. And some clergy and Catholics are collaborating with them in spreading the expectations of the anti-Christian world to change the law of God concerning marriage and sexuality.

It is an attack by the anti-Christian world and it is very tragic and sad that some clergy are collaborating with them. To argue for a change the law of God, they use in a kind of sophism the concept of mercy. But in reality this is not mercy, this is cruel.

It is not mercy, for instance, if someone has a disease to leave him in his miserable condition. This is cruel.

I would not give, for instance, a diabetic sugar, this would be cruel of me. I would try to take someone out of this situation and give them another meal. Perhaps they won’t like it to begin with, but it will be better for them.

Those of the clergy who want admit the divorced and remarried to Holy Communion operate with a false concept of mercy. It is comparable with a doctor who gives a patient sugar, although he knows it will kill him. But the soul is more important than the body.

If the bishops admit the divorced and remarried to Holy Communion, then they are confirming them in their errors in the sight of God. They will even close down the voice of their conscience. They will push them more into the irregular situation only for the sake of this temporal life, forgetting that after this life, though, there is the judgment of God.

This topic will be discussed in the synod. This is on the agenda. But I hope the majority of the bishops still have so much Catholic spirit and faith that they will reject the above mentioned proposal and not accept this.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider, O.R.C., auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan and titular bishop of Celerina. He is a member of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross of Coimbra. Interview from May 30, 2014

The Upcoming Synod Plans to Discuss Changing the Very Notion of Natural Law

Editorial: The Synod of Bishops and Divine Law by Roberto de Mattei

The Synod of Bishops in October will discuss on the basis of Instrumentum laboris – “the worksheet” which summarizes the responses to the “preliminary questionnaire” received from the Bishop Conferences, ministries, and more in general - dioceses, parishes, movements, ecclesial associations, [all] consulted on the topic of marriage and the family. Besides the sociological slant which characterizes it, the document contains some disturbing passages. One of these is the implicit and often explicit devaluation of the idea of the natural law. In the Instrumentum laboris, in fact, we find this: “In a vast majority of responses and observations, the concept of natural law today turns out to be, in different cultural contexts, highly problematic, if not completely incomprehensible.” (n.21) The solution suggested would be to abandon the concept and term of the natural law, or “to re-read” it in accessible language, with particular attention to the young being part as a direct interlocutor on these themes.

We seem to understand then, that since the Catholic world no longer comprehends the idea of the natural law, it might as well be shelved and substituted by something more suited to the current mentality.

This position appears even more surprising as all the recent Pontiffs had vigorously proclaimed the importance of the natural law.

Paul VI in his encyclical Humanae Vitae, of July 25, 1968, with regard to the moral doctrine of marriage, taught that this is “a teaching which is based on the natural law as illuminated and enriched by divine Revelation.” (Humane Vitae, no. 4). Pope Montini referred to the natural law in order to reiterate that, according to the Church, “every marital act must of necessity retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life.” (Humane Vitae, no.11).

In the encyclical Evangelium Vitae of March 25, 1995, John Paul II based the sacred value of human life (from its very beginning until its end) on the same law. In this important document, he affirms “every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can, by the light of reason and the hidden action of grace, come to recognize in the natural law written in the heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15) the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end” (no.2). In the encyclical, Veritatis Splendor, of the August 6, 1993,the Pope who has just been canonized, denounced the rejection of the natural law as the fruit of “a more or less obvious influence of currents of thought which end by detaching human freedom from its essential and constitutive relationship with the Truth.” [It is] on the basis of such a law – he affirmed on February 6, 2004 – that a platform of shared values can be built, around which constructive dialogue is developed with all men of good will, and more in general, with secular society.”

Also Benedict XVI frequently referred to the importance of this doctrine “there is an urgent need to reflect upon the question of natural law and to rediscover its truth" which "is common to all mankind.” [...] “All legal systems, both internal and international, ultimately draw their legitimacy from their rooting in natural law, in the ethical message inscribed in human beings themselves. The natural law is, definitively, the only valid bulwark against the abuse of power and the deceits of ideological manipulation.” (Discourse at the Pontifical Lateran University, February 12, 2007).

In a clear little volume dedicated to The Natural Law in The Doctrine of the Church (Consult Editrice, Rome, 2008), Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect for the Congregation of Catholic Education, explained how the ordinary Magisterium, on the primary level of its infallible teaching, includes, alongside the deposit of the faith, whatever is connected to it, ergo, also the natural law. Therefore, the natural law which the Church is guardian of, enjoys infallibility. Not even the Pope, who exercises absolute authority inside the Church, can modify or render relative the Divine and Natural Law, which he has the duty to transmit, diffuse and defend. Those who are asking the Church to update Her morality i.e. putting cohabitating couples on a par with the family, are asking the Church to exercise an authority which She does not have.

Alongside the declarations of Pontiffs, the numerous interventions of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith should be remembered and in particular the document, Considerations Regarding Proposals To Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons, of June 3, 2003, dedicated to restating the truth of marriage. The entire question is treated starting from the concept of natural morality. In this text from the Magisterium it is stated clearly that “there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family. Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law.” (no.4).

The natural law is not a confessional truth, but in primis, a truth that belongs to universal right reason. It is in fact, an objective reality written in nature, not of this or that man, but in human nature itself considered as such, in its permanence and stability. In this sense it is not a law imposed from the outside, but, as Leo XIII in the Encyclical, Libertas, June 20, 1888, informs us, it is indelibly written, rather “engraved in the soul of every man”. The difference between the natural law and any other positive law, is that the positive laws are elaborated by men, that is to say external, whereas the natural law belongs to the spiritual nature of man himself.

The main difficulty in the understanding of the natural law is in the fact that today the notion of nature [itself] has been lost. Pope Benedict XVI noted that the natural law has become “an almost incomprehensible word for many due to a no longer metaphysical concept of nature, but a merely empirical one.” (Address, February 12, 2007). The natural law is not in fact the physical-biological law of human nature, but the moral and metaphysical order of creation, which man can discover through his reason.

All the Fathers and Doctors of the Church spoke about this law, defining it at times as the scintilla animae, the spark which enlightens conscience. St.Thomas Aquinas is the one who studied and summarized the concept best, defining it as “the participation of the eternal law in rational creatures.” (Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 91, a.2).

If the concept of the natural law is lost, we will be compelled to accept the theory of gender based on the denial of the very concept of human nature. Man is thought of as a purely material entity, modifiable at will, according to the needs and interests of the moment.

The natural law which comes down from God, is substituted by positive law imposed by pressures from political and mass-media groups. Instead of reflecting on the natural and Divine Law, laws and human behavior are adapting to the opinion of fluctuating and anti-Christian trends.

It is clear that on this issue, the discussion at the next Synod of Bishops will be very hot.

Cardinal Gerhard Müller to meet with the Bishop Fellay: confirmed
Cardinal Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will receive in the offices of his Congregation in Rome the superior-general of the Society of Saint Pius X, Bp. Bernard Fellay, later this month. On Sunday, August 31, 2014, in the SSPX priory of Fabrègues (in the Languedoc, southern France), Fr. Louis-Marie Carlhian announced to the faithful that such a meeting would take place on September 21. The specific date was later modified to an "uncertain" day.

Nature of DOGMA - "A genuine supernatural message or communication from the living God Himself" -

and its Denial by Modernists

Thus, We have reached one of the principal points in the Modernists' system, namely the origin and the nature of dogma. For they place the origin of dogma in those primitive and simple formulae, which, under a certain aspect, are necessary to faith; for revelation, to be truly such, requires the clear manifestation of God in the consciousness. But dogma itself they apparently hold, is contained in the secondary formulae.
To ascertain the nature of dogma (for the modernist), we must first find the relation which exists between the religious formulas and the religious sentiment. This will be readily perceived by him who realises that these formulas have no other purpose than to furnish the believer with a means of giving an account of his faith to himself. These formulas (for the modernist) therefore stand midway between the believer and his faith; in their relation to the faith, they are the inadequate expression of its object, and are usually called symbols; in their relation to the believer, they are mere instruments.
Hence it is quite impossible (for the modernist) to maintain that they express absolute truth: for, in so far as they are symbols, they are the images of truth, and so must be adapted to the religious sentiment in its relation to man; and as instruments, they are the vehicles of truth, and must therefore in their turn be adapted to man in his relation to the religious sentiment. But the object of the religious sentiment, since it embraces that absolute, possesses an infinite variety of aspects of which now one, now another, may present itself. In like manner, he who believes may pass through different phases. Consequently, the formulae too, which we call dogmas, must be subject to these vicissitudes, and are, therefore, liable to change. Thus the way is open to the intrinsic evolution of dogma. An immense collection of sophisms this, that ruins and destroys all religion. Dogma is not only able, but ought to evolve and to be changed.
St.Pius X, Pascendi

If the teaching proposed by the Church as dogma is not actually and really the doctrine supernaturally revealed by God through Jesus Christ Our Lord, [........] then there could be nothing more pitifully inane than the work of the Catholic Magisterium. [........] This common basis of the false doctrinal Americanism and of the Modernist heresy is, like doctrinal indifferentism itself, ultimately a rejection of Catholic dogma as a genuine supernatural message or communication from the living God Himself. It would seem impossible for anyone to be blasphemous or silly enough to be convinced, on the one hand, that the dogmatic message of the Catholic Church is actually a locutio Dei ad homines, and to imagine, on the other hand, that he, a mere creature, could in some way improve that teaching or make it more respectable. The very fact that a man would be so rash as to attempt to bring the dogma of the Church up to date, or to make it more acceptable to those who are not privileged to be members of the true Church, indicates that this individual is not actually and profoundly convinced that this dogmatic teaching of the Catholic Church is a supernatural communication from the living and Triune God, the Lord and Creator of heaven and earth. It would be the height of blasphemy knowingly to set out to improve or to bring up to date what one would seriously consider a genuine message from the First Cause of the universe.
Fr. Joseph C. Fenton, AER, The Sacrorum Antistitum and the Background of the Oath Against Modernism

International Pressure Brings Vatican Withdrawal of “Diplomatic Immunity” Previously Given to Bishop Wesolowski. - But alas, the Homosexual Network Protects Its Own. The Last Paragraph Explains.

Former nuncio Wesolowski accused of child abuse does not have diplomatic immunity any longer

Father Lombardi: “he might also be subjected to judicial procedures from other courts”

ANDREA TORNIELLI | Vatican City | 08/26/2014

After being dismissed from the clerical state, according to a verdict by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the former nuncio in Santo Domingo Jozef Wesolowski, who is accused of enticing young boys on the beach and paying them for sexual favours, is not granted diplomatic immunity any longer and will thus be prosecutable in other countries. Other than in Santo Domingo, the former prelate is under investigation in Poland, his home country. The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, announced this while answering the questions of the press following an article in the New York Times that brought the issue back into the spotlight, criticising the Vatican for his management of the incident.

Wesolowski, who was recalled to Rome immediately after being accused, was reduced to the lay state in few months, which is the highest possible punishment for a priest in Canon law. Now, says Lombardi, the former archbishop “has recently appealed, within the prescribed limit of two months, the most serious canonical sentence of a return to the lay state”. It appears that the appeal will be judged within October. As soon as the canonical sentence becomes definitive, the punitive procedure of the Vatican’s civil judiciary departments will begin: if he is found guilty by them as well, he might go to prison.

Lombardi explained that “Wesolowski has ceased functioning as a diplomat of the Holy See and has therefore lost his related diplomatic immunity”. The spokesman for the Vatican highlights that the Authorities of the Holy See “moved without delay and correctly in light of the fact that former nuncio Wesolowski held the position of a diplomatic representative of the Holy See.” Lombardi continues “This action relates to his recall to Rome and in the treatment of the case in relation to Authorities of the Dominican Republic. Far from any intention of a cover-up, this action demonstrates the full and direct undertaking of the Holy See’s responsibility even in such a serious and delicate case, about which Pope Francis is duly and carefully informed and one which the Pope wishes to address justly and rigorously”.

In reality, the possibility that the former nuncio is judged in other countries might remain abstract, since it depends on the existence of extradition treaties between countries or the execution of an international arrest warrant.

A Secretary of State Should Know a Little History:

Between 700 AD and 1700 AD Islam was invading and destroying Christian lands and enslaving Christian people even into the heart of France and central Europe.

Parolin: “The events in Iraq are not a clash between Islam and Christianity”

The Secretary of State says that “the majority of Muslims refuse those brutal and inhuman methods. Let us hope that the Islamic world speaks up against them. The international community should be present in the country. The Church has not been silent”

Andrea Tornielli |riese pio x | 08/24/2014
The events in Iraq “are not a clash between Islam and Christianity”, says Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who answered some questions on the international crisis for Vatican Insider last night, after celebrating Mass for the 100th anniversary of the death of Saint Pius X. Less than a week ago, during the press conference on the flight back from Korea, Pope Francis explained that it is legitimate to “stop the unjust aggressor”, specifying, however, that “to stop” does not mean “to bomb”, and that the decision about how to intervene must be taken by the international community through the United Nations, rather than by a single country.

Historical Note: Only Catholics are Christians for only Catholic profess the Christian faith. The Thirty Years’ War was fought between Catholics who accepted and follow the revelation of Jesus Christ and those who rejected it for a religion of their own making.

There are so many divisions among us Christians, if we look at the history of the Church! Even now we are divided. In history, as Christians, we waged wars among ourselves because of theological differences; let us think of the Thirty Years’ War. But this is not Christian. We are divided even now: we must ask for unity among all Christians, the unity that Jesus wants, because he prayed for this.

Pope Francis, General Audience, 8/27/2014

Who does he mean by "We"?

We have divided the one path into many, so the witness we should give has been obscured. I think we should first be thankful that there is so much unity. It's nice that we can pray together today, sing the same hymns together, hear the same word of God together, that we can interpret and try to understand it together.

Pope Benedict XVI addressing Lutheran congregation in Rome, March 14, 2010

"Ugly Slander"? Fact - 90% Plus Sex Abuse Cases Involve Homosexual Pederast Clergy!

Pope Francis: The end of ‘fortress Catholicism’?

By John Gehring, Aug 1, 2013, WASHINGTON POST

Something unexpected and extraordinary is happening in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis is rescuing the faith from those who hunker down in gilded cathedrals and wield doctrine like a sword. The edifice of fortress Catholicism – in which progressive Catholics, gay Catholics, Catholic women and others who love the church but often feel marginalized by the hierarchy – is starting to crumble. [.....]

The latest headline-grabbing news from Pope Francis came this week aboard the papal plane back from Brazil, where the first pontiff from Latin America celebrated Mass at Copacabana Beach in Rio before an estimated 3 million people. Asked by a reporter about the existence of a “gay lobby” inside the Vatican, Pope Francis dove into turbulent waters with little hesitation:

Pope Francis said, "When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being part of a lobby. If they accept the Lord and have good will, who am I to judge them? They should not be marginalized. The tendency (to homosexuality) is not the problem….they’re our brothers."

Some have falsely accused gay priests of causing the clergy sexual abuse crisis. Pope Francis clearly rejects that ugly slander. His words also stand in contrast to a 2005 Vatican document, which said that men with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” should not be ordained or allowed in the seminary. Pope Francis seems to be sending a message that being a good priest has nothing to do with sexual orientation, a point obvious to most of us in the pews but a revelation to some hard-liners.

In addition to his comments about gay clergy, Pope Francis told reporters that the church must do a better job reaching out to women. While he did not open the door to conversations about female clergy, Francis insisted that women play a central role in the Catholic faith. “We don’t yet have a truly deep theology of women in the church,” he admitted.

The pope’s comments this week fit within a consistent theme emerging in his papacy. Instead of fighting culture wars, Pope Francis has called for a "culture of encounter." He urges Catholics to go to the margins of society. He wants a "church for the poor" and decries the "cult of money" that emerges from unfettered global capitalism. Shunning as much as possible the ostentatious trappings of the papacy, this is a guy who carries his own bags and lives in a modest apartment instead of the Apostolic Palace. In these cases, style is substance.

While progressive Catholics are particularly grateful for this new era, Pope Francis can’t be pigeonholed by liberal or conservative labels. By his words and example, Francis is showing us a different path forward. For this, Catholics on the left and right should be grateful.

Cardinal Bertone: Homosexuality is the problem, not celibacy

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said at a news conference in Chile that homosexuality, and not the discipline of clerical celibacy, has been linked to the clerical abuse crisis.

“Many psychologists and psychiatrists have shown that there is no link between celibacy and pedophilia but many others have shown, I have recently been told, that there is a relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia. That is true,” he said. “The behavior of the priests in this case, the negative behavior, is very serious, is scandalous.” April 13, 2010

Cardinal Bertone correct in linking clerical sex abuse and homosexuality, says psychiatrist

West Conshohocken, Pa., Apr 16, 2010 / 04:38 pm (CNA News)

Following Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s comments in Chile about a link existing between homosexuality and pedophilia in cases of clerical sexual abuse, both Church officials and secular figures clarified his statement. But Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, a psychiatrist with experience treating sexually abusive priests, told CNA that the cardinal's statement is accurate.

At a press conference last Monday evening at the Pontifical Seminary of Santiago, Chile, the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said, “Many psychologists and psychiatrists have shown that there is no link between celibacy and pedophilia.” Instead, they have found a “relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia,” he added.

Many gay rights organizations reacted vehemently to Cardinal Bertone’s statement, leading Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican Press office, to assert that “it obviously refers to the problem of abuse by priests and not in the population in general."

A statement from the French Foreign Ministry calling the linkage “unacceptable” was followed by a statement by Fr. Marcus Stock, the General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. “To the best of my knowledge, there is no empirical data which concludes that sexual orientation is connected to child sexual abuse,” he said.

“The consensus among researchers is that the sexual abuse of children is not a question of sexual ‘orientation,’ whether heterosexual or homosexual, but of a disordered attraction or ‘fixation,’” Fr. Stock added.

However, a U.S. psychiatrist with experience in treating priests with pedophilia disagrees that there is no link between homosexuality and sexual abuse of children. “Cardinal Bertone's comments are supported completely by the John Jay study report and by clinical experience,” Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons told CNA. “In fact, every priest whom I treated who was involved with children sexually had previously been involved in adult homosexual relationships.”

Fitzgibbons, who has been the director of Comprehensive Counseling Center in West Conshohocken, Penn. since 1988, has worked extensively with individuals suffering from same sex attraction (SSA) and priests accused of pedophilia. He also presently serves as a consultant to the Congregation for the Clergy at the Holy See.

In his 2002 “Letter to Catholic Bishops,” Fitzgibbons identified priests prone to sexual abuse as having suffered “profound emotional pain” during childhood due to loneliness, problems in their relationships with their fathers, rejection by their peers, lack of male confidence, and poor self image or body image. Fitzgibbons said that these experiences lead priests especially to direct their sadness and anger towards the Church, her teachings on sexual morality, and the Magisterium.

He also noted that priests who have engaged in sexual misconduct with minors suffer from a “denial of sin in their lives.” “They consistently refused to examine their consciences, to accept the Church's teachings on moral issues as a guide for their personal actions, or regularly avail themselves of the sacrament of reconciliation. These priests either refused to seek spiritual direction or choose (sic) a spiritual director or confessor who openly rebelled against Church teachings on sexuality,” the letter said.

When asked what sort of new information has become available since the publication of the letter, Fitzgibbons put an emphasis on narcissism. “This epidemic personality weakness in the west predisposes individuals to excessive anger, the worship of self, rebelliousness against God and His Church particularly in regard to sexual morality and sexual acting-out,” he said.

The psychiatrist also reviewed the findings of the John Jay researchers, who reported that 81 percent of the victims of clerical sexual abuse were male, 51 percent of whom were age 11-14, 27 percent were aged 15-17, 16 percent between 8-10, and 6 percent were under 7 years of age, emphasized Fitzgibbons.

For priests who do suffer from SSA, “I would recommend that they become more knowledgeable about the emotional origins and healing of same-sex attractions, as well as the serious medical and psychiatric illnesses associated with homosexuality,” advised Fitzgibbons. “We have observed many priests grow in holiness and in happiness in their ministry as a result of the healing of their childhood and adolescent male insecurity, loneliness and anger and, subsequently, their same-sex attractions.”

Because of the link between homosexuality and clerical sexual abuse mentioned by Cardinal Bertone, priests and seminarians with same sex attraction have a solemn responsibility to seek help and to protect the Church from further shame and sorrow, said Fitzgibbons.

After all, his protector and advocate was the Novus Ordo Saint JPII -

"Marcial Maciel's initials are also MM, just like Mary Magdalene.” – and just like Marilyn Monroe, Mitch Miller, Marilyn Manson, Mickey Mouse, Mad Max, etc., etc.

On a roll in the Holy Land, Legion compares Maciel to Magdalene

Jason Berry | Aug. 26, 2014

The scandal-battered Legionaries of Christ, still facing the unresolved consequences of a disgraced founder, may be seeing a turn in their fortunes with the development of the Magdala Center at the Sea of Galilee in the Holy Land. The order is conducting a major fundraising drive to cover the projected $100 million cost.

The complex, with newly discovered ruins of a synagogue Jesus may have visited, will contain an archaeological park, women's institute, media center and a luxury hotel the Legion will own. Eduardo Guerra, the center's assistant director, said that the Legion has raised $40 million from benefactors toward the finished work.

Whether the center can overcome its founder's reputation and the fallout from the prolonged scandal is an open question. While the order is still reeling from revelations that its founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, was a sexual predator, abusing young seminarians and living a double life that included fathering three children by two women from Mexico, he still has his loyalists.

A booklet intended to promote the new center, Magdala: God Really Loves Women, contains material demonstrating Maciel's posthumous hold on certain top-rank Legionaries. The booklet compares Maciel to Mary Magdalene and portrays the Legion founder as harshly judged. In the quotation from the text that follows, the speaker is Fr. Juan María Solana, who heads the Magdala project:

The priest speaks his heart: "Marcial Maciel's initials are also MM, just like Mary Magdalene. She had a problematic past before her deliverance, so there's a parallel. Our world has double standards when it comes to morals. Some people have a formal, public display and then the real life they live behind the scenes.

"But when we accuse someone else and we are quick to stone him, we must remember that we all have problems and defects. With modern communications so out of control, it is easy to kill someone's reputation without even investigating about the truth. We should be quieter and less condemning."

"Deep Call" - So "deep" that it comes from Hell.

"Different Ministry" - So "different" that it has nothing to do with Jesus Christ.

Women priests act on a deep call to a different ministry

Former Franciscan sister Nancy Meyer, right, is ordained as bishop of the Midwest region of Roman Catholic Womenpriests in June. (Courtesy of Roman Catholic Womenpriests)

By Dawn Cherie Araujo | Aug. 26, 2014 | NCR

If there's one thing Mary Bergan Blanchard wants to make clear, it's this: She is definitely not a radical.

"I'm too old to be a radical," she said, laughing. "I'm too practical."

The thing is, most people would probably consider the 82-year-old Albuquerque, N.M., retiree to be rather radical. Take, for example, the fact that in the 1970s, when a federal mandate to desegregate the city's public schools set Boston ablaze with racial violence, Blanchard moved there from New York specifically to teach in the public school system. Or consider that in May, the former Sister of Mercy was ordained by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests in direct opposition to Catholic canon law, which forbids the ordination of women.

But if you think any of that is radical, Blanchard says you would be wrong. She moved to Boston because she was deeply disturbed by the country's racial issues; she was a teacher and she wanted to do something about it. Practical. She became a woman priest because women are underrepresented in the world's religions and, because she was recently retired, she was looking for a new calling. Also practical.

Paul VI reaffirmed the infallible Catholic teaching that artificial contraception is intrinsically immoral. But before doing this he open the question to debate. By that fact alone, he critically undermined Catholic morality. What followed after Humanae Vitae was predictable. Francis has done the same with the Catholic dogmas on the sacrament of Marriage. No matter what happens next year, Catholic truth has suffered a terrible corruption simply by declaring it an open question.

Interview with Professor Robert de Mattei

What do the German, Austrian and Swiss bishops propose to the Synod? They propose to “go beyond the morality of interdictions” and to fill up “the distance between the baptized faithful and the official doctrine”, by adapting the pastoral praxis of the Church to the concrete requirements of the Catholics of their dioceses. But most of the German, Austrian and Swiss Catholics, if we consider the answers to the questionnaire, are in fact in a state of schism as far as the moral behavior required of baptized Catholics is concerned. Indeed, whoever lives a stable sexual union outside of marriage, while continuing to receive the sacraments, is not only in a state of sin, but of separation from the traditional praxis of the Church, and therefore in a condition of objective schism, even if it is not declared.

If the German bishops formally denied the validity of the 6th and 9th commandments, they would fall ipso facto into heresy. They do not deny the doctrine, but they propose to modify the pastoral praxis. And they do so in the name of Vatican Council II that confirmed the primacy of the pastoral practice over the doctrine. But if the praxis contradicts the doctrine, if it has an inexorable impact upon it, it will produce an alteration; it will transform it, not dogmatically, from above, but by practice, from below.

That is what Cardinal Kasper proposed in his introductory report for the extraordinary Consistory on the family on February 20. (…) All the cardinals do not share Cardinal Kasper’s ideas. Some criticized him and will continue to do so with apostolic firmness. But these ideas are now a part of the Church’s internal dialectic, that seems to be reduced to a sort of parliament of different opinions.

From this point of view, Kasper has already won his battle. The simple fact that by opening the Consistory of Cardinals, which is the supreme consultant organ of the Church, with his report, and that while speaking in the name of the pope, he was allowed to expose his theory, is an extraordinary victory for his side. Even if his position must remain a minority for the time being, a large mass of Catholics will draw from it a pretext for persisting in a way of living that abandons the Church’s tradition of life, and immerse themselves in the secular world of our times. Opposing this process of secularization implies converting society. Either the Church changes the world or the world changes the Church. Either the Church converts the world or the world secularizes the Church.

Professor Roberto de Mattei, interview June 4

It is already too late for Europe to avoid the certain slaughter that will follow.

Archbishop of Mosul:

"I have lost my Diocese to Islam - You in the West will also become the victims of Muslims"

Our sufferings today are the prelude of those you, Europeans and Western Christians, will also suffer in the near future. I lost my diocese. The physical setting of my apostolate has been occupied by Islamic radicals who want us converted or dead. But my community is still alive.

Please, try to understand us. Your liberal and democratic principles are worth nothing here. You must consider again our reality in the Middle East, because you are welcoming in your countries an ever growing number of Muslims. Also you are in danger. You must take strong and courageous decisions, even at the cost of contradicting your principles. You think all men are equal, but that is not true: Islam does not say that all men are equal. Your values are not their values. If you do not understand this soon enough, you will become the victims of the enemy you have welcomed in your home.
Archbishop Amel Nona

Chaldean Catholic Archeparch of Mosul, now exiled in Erbil

Corriere della Sera

August 9, 2014

From the Beginning, Pope Francis has favored known homosexual pederasts and their ideological supporters in his Vatican bureaus. Was He Elected by the Homosexual Lobby?

Pope Signals Openness to Gay Priests

Pontiff's Comments Suggest Greater Acceptance of Homosexuality Among Clerics

By Stacy Meichtry, Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2013

ROME—When Pope Francis said he wouldn't judge gay priests, he opened the door to a new era of reconciliation within the Roman Catholic Church, which has struggled for decades to confront the presence of homosexuality in its ministry.

Pope Francis opened the door Sunday to greater acceptance of gay priests inside the ranks of Roman Catholicism as he flew home to the Vatican from his maiden trip overseas. Fordham University Professor of Catholic theology Terrence Tilley discusses the implications. Photo: Getty Images.

The pontiff was traveling aboard a turbulent overnight flight to Rome from his first overseas trip—a journey marked by his plain-spoken appeals to Catholics to reground the church in grass-roots ministry—when he broached the delicate issue of how the Catholic hierarchy should respond to clerics who are gay, though not sexually active. In doing so, he departed from the posture that has long shaped papal thinking on gay priests.

Pope Francis, left, and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone step off a plane at Ciampino Airport outside Rome after returning from their trip to Brazil Monday.

"Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord?" the pontiff told a news conference in response to a question. "You can't marginalize these people."

What Message Does This Send About the Novus Ordo 'Requiem' Service?

Protestant Tony Palmer Receives Catholic Requiem Mass (sic)

Report: Pope Francis Insists he be “Buried as a Bishop”
By John Vennari, editor, Catholic Family News

“Father David told us that because Tony [Palmer] was not a Roman Catholic he had to ask his bishop’s permission to celebrate the requiem and though Tony’s wife and children are Roman Catholics, permission still had to be given for the requiem. The bishop agreed but said that Tony could not be buried as a bishop as he was not a Roman Catholic bishop. However, Pope Francis said he should and could be buried as a bishop, and so that put an end to that little bit of ecclesiastical nonsense!”
The above was written on August 6 by Michael Daly, CJ, a member of the “non-denominational Franciscan” group called the Companions of Jesus, based in the UK.
Michael Daly attended the Requiem Mass celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in the city of Bath by Canon David Ryan.
          Tony Palmer was an evangelical, Pentecostal Episcopalian “bishop” who was a close friend and collaborator with Pope Francis. Palmer was killed in a head-on motorcycle accident on July 20 of this year.
          This past February the Catholic world was stunned to see a YouTube video, recorded by Tony Palmer on his iPhone, of Pope Francis in which the Pope calls the protestant Palmer “my brother, a bishop-brother,” and sends a special note of encouragement to a large interfaith Pentecostal gathering sponsored by Kenneth Copeland Ministries.
          Palmer is connected to the “Holy Laughter” Toronto Pentecostals run by John and Carol Arnott. The Toronto “Holy Laughter” Pentecostals believe that Holy Ghost manifests Himself by making the Pentecostal bark like a dog, oink like a pig, and roll around on the ground in a “Holy Laughter”. (I’ve been both to the Toronto Pentecostal gathering and I saw the “Holy Laughter” Pentecostals at Celebrate Jesus 2000 conference in June 2000 in St. Louis, MO, sponsored by Franciscan University at Steubenville. It was a horrifying spectacle).
          “Bishop” Tony Palmer says in his February video that he has worked closely with Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, all who have encouraged his work as a Protestant Pentecostal preacher. He was especially close with Cardinal Bergoglio, and says that he had even greater access to Bergoglio since his election to the Papacy than when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
          Palmer called his work a “convergence movement,” between Protestants and Catholics, but the convergence he envisions is an undefined future unity wherein neither Protestants nor Catholics convert to each other’s denomination. This also appears to be the vision of Pope Francis.
          According to the Boston Globe, then-Cardinal Bergoglio had been a “spiritual father” to the Protestant Palmer. “At one point, when Palmer was tired of living on the frontier and wanted to become Catholic, Bergoglio advised against conversion for the sake of the mission. ‘We need to have bridge-building’ the Cardinal told him.”
          Palmer promotes the modern non-doctrinal unity in diversity, the type of well-meaning sentimentalism one finds at Pentecostal gatherings, and from modern “Catholic” ecumenists.
          In his video, for example, Palmer says, “There is nothing higher than the torn Body of Christ on the Cross, and that’s what makes us one, not our doctrines, not our traditions, the Body of Christ … when we prohibit the unity of Christians, we are rejecting the work of the Cross.”
          Palmer goes on to run his video of Pope Francis, which requires a further explanation that we will provide.
          Part of Francis’ words are, “I am here with my brother, my bishop brother, Tony Palmer. We've been friends for years ... He told me about your conference, about your meeting. And it's my pleasure to greet you. A greeting both joyful and nostalgic (yearning). Joyful because it gives me joy that you have come together to worship Jesus Christ the only Lord, and to pray to the Father and to receive the Holy Spirit. This brings me joy because we can see that God is working all over the world. Nostalgic (yearning) because … we are kind of, permit me to say, separated … Let's give each other a spiritual hug and let God complete the work that he has begun. And this is a miracle; the miracle of unity has begun.”
          The key to Francis’ words is provided by Palmer who says in the same video, “In my last meeting with Pope Francis we made a short video on my iPhone. He wanted to greet all the non-Roman Catholic brothers and sisters and call us all to put an end to the separation of Catholic Christians and all other Christians’. It was his [Pope Francis’] desire to speak to us by video ... and to give us a personal call to unity; a unity which he told me was not uniformity but a meeting of diversity. In fact, he said to me ‘no one is coming home we are journeying, we are pilgrimaging towards each other and we will meet in the middle.’ He was adamant in making it clear to me that ‘no one is coming home, but we are meeting in the middle, we are journeying toward each other.’ And in his video, Pope Francis tells us that the miracle of unity has begun.”
          In a speech also on the video, Palmer further says, “I have come to understand that diversity is Divine. It is division that is diabolic.”
          These words tell us everything we need to know about Pope Francis’ ecumenical mindset.
          “Coming home” is code for the old (and true) Catholic principle that the non-Catholics must convert to the Catholic Church for salvation. Francis insists to Palmer that “no one is coming home;” in other words, no one needs to convert to Catholicism for “unity”. As we will demonstrate at length, this defies the infallible Catholic doctrine of the centuries.
          Palmer, who had been a ‘spiritual son’ of Bergoglio for years, who had many intimate conversations with Bergoglgio, and whom Bergoglio encourages to preach to non-Catholics, gives the same ecumenical message: diversity is Divine, division is diabolic. Catholic and Protestants attain unity not by conversion, but by an undefined convergence.
          Or as Francis says, “no one is coming home,” but we “meet in the middle”.
          Pope Francis’ non-Catholic plan for unity is similar to what we heard from his fellow Jesuit, Father Roberto Tucci, in 1968. It was three years after the close of Vatican II. Father Tucci was the first Catholic to address the General Assembly of the World Council of Churches.
          During this speech, Father Tucci told the delegates at Uppsala that the formerly rigid attitudes of the Catholic Church had been recast by Vatican II and were undergoing even further rethinking.
          Tucci went on to say that the Catholic Church no longer speaks of a “return to Rome” as the aim of ecumenism, but rather of “restoring unity” in dynamic terms, rather than in terms of capitulation of one group to another. (i.e, “no one is coming home"). Father Tucci boasted that the Catholic Church now acknowledges officially its own constant need for purification and renewal. He told the World Council of Churches Assembly that unity “cannot be the victory of one Church over another, but the victory of Christ over our divisions.”
       Tucci received a standing ovation, and was thus elevated to the status of a star Jesuit. This was 1968. In 1969, the young Jesuit Father Jorge Bergoglio was ordained to the priesthood. It is not unreasonable to conclude that the Vatican II/World Council of Churches/Roberto Tucci version of Christian Unity was a component in young Jorge Bergolio’s Jesuit formation.
          Now, 46 years later, we witness unprecedented madness and scandal as the Council’s ecumenism continually plays itself out: a non-Catholic “bishop” (who most-likely never received valid Orders) receiving encouragement by Papa Bergoglio to preach his Protestant-style of Christian unity, and after whose tragic death received Requiem Mass, with Pope Francis insisting (according to Michael Daly CJ) that Palmer be “buried as a bishop”.[.......]

Some shall depart from the Faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their conscience seared.

1 Tim. 4: 1-2

Warning to Indult Catholics:

Priest Silenced and Removed after Affirming That Catholics Can Assert Rights Against the Tyranny of Vatican Commissars

The 'Pope Francis Effect': The war on conservative Catholics in New York

Vatican : Adam Shaw : August 12, 2014

When Cardinal Bergoglio was elected pope in 2013, many traditional Catholics were wary. Recently, their pessimism is being justified as "The Francis Effect" makes itself felt across the world and in America, most notably in the Archdiocese of New York.

So-called "traditional" Catholics prefer to attend the Mass as it was celebrated before and during the Second Vatican Council (1962-5), before the liturgy was radically reformed in 1969.

The Tridentine Mass, which was the ordinary form of the Mass from 1570-1969, is said in Latin, often accompanied by Gregorian Chant and incense, and emphasizes the sacrificial aspect of the Mass.

I hope both Pope Francis and the New York Archdiocese will cease their attack on a community of people that mean no harm and who support the Church through thick and thin.

In contrast, the post-1969 Mass simplifies prayers, places more emphasis on the communal and removes language deemed to be an ecumenical barrier to Protestants. Many celebrations also use the vernacular instead of Latin, and have a more simplistic style and are frequently accompanied by modern music.

Although suppressed immediately after the reform, the older rite was legalized by Pope St. John Paul II in limited circumstances in 1988, and then freed up entirely by Pope Benedict XVI in his groundbreaking 2007 document "Summorum Pontificum," in which he also expressed his desire that the solemn celebration of the traditional rite would consequently rub off on the way the new rite is celebrated.

Yet Pope Francis is having none of it. In his Archdiocese in Buenos Aires, the traditional rite was non-existent, and he was described by an Argentinian journalist as "a sworn enemy of the Traditional Mass." Since he ascended to the papacy this has been shown to be true in a global sense.

Apart from his dive away from the traditional liturgical style of Benedict in papal masses, Pope Francis has dismissed Catholics who attend the older rites in Latin as 'ideologizing' and being guilty of 'exploitation.' He also banned the Franciscans of the Immaculate -- a worldwide traditional Catholic order -- from celebrating the old Mass freely. Apparently, the attitude of "Who am I to judge" does not apply here.

No wonder then that some bishops and cardinals are seeing the winds of change at the Vatican and are acting accordingly.

In New York, under the leadership of the once moderately conservative Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archdiocese was a place that allowed the traditional mass to be said without hassle after Summorum Pontificum.

However, since Pope Francis arrived, Dolan -- commonly referred to as "America's Pope" -- has shifted to the left, so much so that even the New York Times has noticed. Dolan has become a spokesman for Francis' view of capitalism, has softened on gay rights, been an even stauncher advocate of amnesty for illegal immigrants and incredibly -- criticized ObamaCare because it didn't provide free health care to illegals, putting him to the left of Nancy Pelosi.

Now he's turned on the traditionalists.

There are three churches in Manhattan that celebrate the Traditional Mass. One -- Our Savior's near Grand Central, had its pastor removed by Cardinal Dolan and replaced by a priest who could not say the old Mass, so it has been stopped.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the internationally-renowned Church of Holy Innocents, the well-attended hub of traditionalism in the city packed with masses, devotions, and regular confessions, all within one of the most beautiful churches in the archdiocese, has been recommended for closure by an archdiocesan commission.

The news shocked traditional Catholics all over the world and has become an international symbol especially as it is well attended and in good financial state.

Church closures and consolidations should be about getting rid of churches that are losing money or have no one attending. Masses at Holy Innocents are frequently standing room only, and documents I was shown suggest that Holy Innocents has run a surplus for the last seven years, and has no debt. This is in contrast to some parishes with no threat of closure that have 6-figure deficits, while other parishes openly dissent from Church teaching free from any scrutiny from the once-conservative archdiocese.

Holy Innocents, devastated by this news that they are earmarked for closure, have organized petitions and are saying daily rosaries and novenas to pray for the preservation of their beloved church.

Consequently at a recent Mass, Rev. Justin Wylie, a priest from South Africa who worked at the U.N. for the Holy See and who said regular masses both at Holy Innocents and at the third place of traditional worship -- St. Agnes -- compared the situation for traditionalists in the archdiocese to Reformation England and Cromwellian Ireland. Wylie asked traditionalists "why are you scurrying about like ecclesiastical scavengers, hoping for a scrap or two to fall from the table for your very existence?" and called on them to peacefully assert their rights as baptized Catholics.

This was apparently too much in the era of Pope Francis.

Sources told me that a letter was immediately sent to the papal nuncio to the U.N. and, incredibly, to Wylie's archdiocese in Johannesburg, scolding Wylie for his comments and threatening to recommend Wylie's priestly faculties be removed -- an extremely serious move that essentially prevents a priest from acting as one and is usually reserved for very serious accusations like sexual abuse, not upsetting a cardinal.

Sources say that after the letter was received, Rev. Wylie, in a move that sounds more like something from Inquisition-era Spain than from modern day New York, was then silenced, forbidden from celebrating Mass publicly, and told to pack his bags and leave for South Africa as soon as possible.

Msgr. Edward Weber, head of the Priest Personnel office for the Archdiocese, who would normally be responsible for such a letter, denied that the letter existed when I spoke to him by phone, despite previously being reported on a traditional blog as saying the order came from the Cardinal's office. Weber told me he had been misquoted.

Later, the archdiocese admitted in a statement that there had indeed been a letter, but said it did not come from the Cardinal's desk, and it did not threaten to remove Wylie's faculties. When I asked if they had threatened to recommend that he have his faculties removed, the archdiocese did not respond.

Wylie's silencing and banishment is devastating for traditional Catholics. Not only is Wylie a renowned preacher, known for solemn celebration and exceptionally beautiful homilies that are so revered they are frequently uploaded to YouTube, he was an important priest both at Holy Innocents, and also at St. Agnes, where he celebrated three out of four traditional masses a month. His move consequently threatens the regularity of the ancient rites there too, as Rev. Wylie's censuring has had a chilling effect on priests who would consider taking over his role.

This chilling effect has spread to non-clergy too. Many of those, clergy and lay people, with whom I spoke who provided me with information and documents on the situation first demanded anonymity in fear that they and the people with whom they are associated would be retaliated against by Cardinal Dolan's administration.

"There will be retaliation if our names appear in your article," one source told me. "We have already received hints of this [from the archdiocese]."

This it appears, is an all too real example of "The Francis Effect," where dissenters are pandered to and enemies of the Church have their bellies scratched, while those who sacrifice for the Church, battle on the front lines, and just wish to pray at a good liturgy steeped in the traditional beauty of the Church are attacked, insulted, and if they dare so much emit a squeak of annoyance, find themselves cast out of the Church.

I hope both Pope Francis and the New York Archdiocese will cease their attack on a community of people that mean no harm and who support the Church through thick and thin.

Unfortunately however, I fear we may be seeing the latest in a long series of pernicious events.

The fifty million Muslims of Europe will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades, without guns, without conquests.

Moammar Gadhafi

Pope Lots-O' the Destroyer - Sends His Approval to Marxist Liberation Theology

In New Declarations, Priest Pardoned by Pope Francis Says, "The Holy Spirit Sends Us Jesus' Message through Fidel Castro."

MANAGUA - EFE - August 6, 2014

The priest and former Nicaraguan foreign secretary Miguel d´Escoto Brockmann said tday [Tuesday] that Cuban leader Fidel Castro is a chosen man of God to convey the message of the Holy Spirit in Latin America.

"The Vatican may silence everyone, then God will make the stones speak, and may the stones spread his message, but He didn't do this, He chose the greatest Latin-American of all time: Fidel Castro," the religious, 81 years old, declared today to Channel 4 in the local [Nicaraguan] television.

D'Escoto Brockmann, current director for border issues and international relations of the Government of the President of Nicaragua, the Sandinista Daniel Ortega, made these declarations the day following that in which the Vatican made public the papal decision to lift his "suspension a divinis" that Pope John Paul II had imposed on him.

"It is through Fidel Castro that the Holy Spirit sends us the message. This message of Jesus, of the need to struggle to establish, firmly and irreversibly, the kingdom of God on this earth, which is his alternative to the empire," he added.

Moreover, the also former president of the UN General Assembly revealed that the lifting of his punishment took place thanks to the support of the Apostolic Nuncio in Nicaragua, Fortunatus Nwachukwu, who advised him to write a letter to Pope Francis to ask for the end of the suspension.

The priest reiterated that his joy is to be able to preside over his first Eucharist in Spanish, since up to the middle of the past century it was done in Latin, and afterwards he celebrated them in English.

Lapide on Luke 23, 32 – An Important Distinction

“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” “For thee”, because I destine thee to be the head and chief of the Apostles and of My Church, that thy faith fail not in believing Me to be the Christ and the Saviour of the world. Observe that Christ in this prayer asked and obtained for Peter two especial privileges before the other Apostles : the first was personal, that he should never fall from faith in Christ; for Christ looked back to the sifting in the former verse, that is the temptation of His own apprehension when the other Apostles flew off from Him like chaff and lost their faith, and were dispersed, and fled into all parts. But Peter, although he denied Christ with his lips, at the hour foretold, and lost his love for Him, yet retained his faith. So S. Chrysostom (Horn, xxxviii.) on S. Matthew; S. Augustine (de corrept. et Grat. chap, viii.); Theophylact and others. This is possible but not certain, for F. Lucas and others think that Peter then lost both his faith and his love, from excessive perturbation and fear; but only for a short time, and so that his faith afterwards sprang up anew, and was restored with fresh vitality. Hence it is thought not to have wholly failed, or to have been torn up by the roots, but rather to have been shaken and dead for a time.

Another and a certain privilege was common to Peter with all his successors, that he and all the other bishops of Rome (for Peter, as Christ willed, founded and confirmed the Pontifical Church at Rome), should never openly fall from this faith, so as to teach the Church heresy, or any error contrary to the faith. So S. Leo (semi.xxii.), on Natalis of SS. Peter and Paul; S. Cyprian (Lib. i. ep. 3), to Cornelius; Lucius I., Felix I., Agatho, Nicolas I., Leo IX.,Innocent III., Bernard and others, whom Bellarmine cites and follows (Lib. i. de Poniif. Roman).

For it was necessary that Christ, by His most wise providence, should provide for His Church, which is ever being sifted and tempted by the devil, and that not only in the time of Peter, but at all times henceforth, even to the end of the world, an oracle of the true faith which she might consult in every doubt, and by which she might be taught and confirmed in the faith, otherwise the Church might err in faith, quod absit! For she is, as S. Paul said to Timothy, "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. lii. 15). This oracle of the Church then is Peter, and all successive bishops of Rome. This promise made to Peter and his successors, most especially applies to the time when Peter, as the successor of Christ, began to be the head of the Church, that is, after the death of Christ.

And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. "From the sifting of Satan, that is from his temptation and from the sin by which thou wilt deny Me; for by this thou wilt be turned aside from Me, and My grace and love." So Euthymius, Theophylact, Jansen, F. Lucas, and others.

Cornelius a Lapide, The Great Commentary, Luke 22, 32

Pope Francis, (Mr. Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear), - Welcome to Church Sunnyside!

Pope in Caserta asks pardon for persecution of Pentecostals

Philippa Hitchen : 28/07/2014

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis returned to the southern Italian city of Caserta on Monday for a private visit to the Pentecostal community known as the Evangelical Church of Reconciliation. The Pope first met the founder of the community, Pastor Giovanni Traettino, during his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires and over the past year he has met and received groups of Pentecostals at his Santa Marta residence here in the Vatican.

After greeting the pastor and his family, Pope Francis was welcomed by over 200 Evangelicals who had travelled to Caserta from around Italy, as well as from the U.S. and South America.

Calling the Pope, my beloved brother, Rev. Traettino said the Evangelical community was deeply grateful for the visit which would have been unthinkable until very recently. Many Evangelicals, he said, pray daily for the Pope and see his election as the work of the Holy Spirit.

Pardon and reconciliation were the themes at the heart of the Pope’s words as, to loud applause he asked forgiveness for the words and actions of Catholics who have persecuted Pentecostals in the past.

All of us are sinners, the Pope stressed, but all of us must continue to walk boldly in the presence of Our Lord. Quoting from St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Pope Francis spoke of the diversity of the Body of Christ but he stressed that diversity is reconciled to unity through the action of the Holy Spirit.

Following the encounter, Pope Francis then had lunch with members of the Pentecostal community in Caserta and returned by helicopter to the Vatican later on Monday afternoon.

Pope Francis embraces Pastor Giovanni Traettino

Catholics "possessed by the devil"???

Among those who are members of the Pentecostals were prosecuted or convicted, as if they were madmen who would destroy mankind, were also Catholics. [....] I am the shepherd of the Catholics, and therefore ask you for forgiveness for those Catholic brothers and sisters who were possessed by the devil and did not understand anything.

Pope Bergoglio, July 27, 2014

Christians mourn death of bishop Tony Palmer, friend of Pope Francis

Published 22 July 2014 | Ruth Gledhill

Evangelicals and other Christians worldwide are mourning the sudden death of a bishop in a breakaway Anglican church who had become a close personal friend of Pope Francis.

British-born Tony Palmer has died in hospital following hours of surgery after a motorcycle accident in the UK.

He moved with his family to South Africa when he was ten but currenty lived with his wife Emiliana and two children in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. He was a bishop with the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, which embraced the middle ground of Anglican identity.

In January this year Pope Francis sent Bishop Palmer to a charismatic conference hosted by television evangelist Kenneth Copeland, where he unveiled a video message of unity and love that the Pope had suggested he do.

The news of his death was disclosed by Archbishop Charles Hill, patriarch and presiding prelate of Ambassadors for Christ Ministries of America, who wrote on Facebook yesterday (20th): "We are in prayer for the family of Bishop Tony Palmer who was in a motorcycle accident this morning in the UK after hours of surgery he went home to be with the Lord. He was a good friend and brother in the vineyard."

Kathy Schiffer reported on her Seasons of Grace blog: "Tony Palmer, the charismatic young preacher who enjoyed a friendship with Pope Francis, has apparently died in a motorcycle accident. Not a Catholic, Palmer was bishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, a group that broke away from the Anglican Church and considered itself part of the Convergence Movement."

She described how Bishop Palmer had visited the Pope at the Vatican before the conference with Copeland. "During that meeting, Palmer used his iPhone to record an impromptu greeting from the Holy Father to an American Pentecostal conference. In that video, which was released publicly in February, Pope Francis says to the Pentecostals gathered at a meeting of Kenneth Copeland Ministries in the United States, 'Let's give each other a spiritual hug.' Bishop Palmer's respect for the Holy Father and for the Catholic Church is evident in his remarks in introducing the video to Kenneth Copeland's conference. The message is one of brotherhood, unity and love. "Brothers and sisters," Palmer said to the group, "Luther's protest is over. Is yours?"

Vatican sends fraternal message to Muslims for the end of Ramadan

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue called on Muslim faithful to “work together for justice, peace and respect for the rights and dignity of every person”

vatican insider staff : Rome : 07/18/2014

“Towards a genuine fraternity between Christians and Muslims” is the title of the message which the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue addressed to Muslim faithful to mark the end of Ramadan, the Vatican Information Service reports. The message was signed by the dicastery’s president, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and its secretary, Fr. Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ. Cardinal Tauran recalls that in 2013, at the start of his Petrine ministry, Francis sent a personally signed message to wish Muslims for Eid al-Fitr. He also refers to the Angelus prayer pronounced on 11 August 2013, in which the Pope referred to Muslims as “our brothers and sisters”

The message also quotes John Paul II’s message to some Muslim religious leaders in Nigeria, in 1982: “All of us, Christians and Muslims, live under the sun of the one merciful God. We both believe in one God who is the creator of man. We acclaim God's sovereignty and we defend man's dignity as God's servant. We adore God and profess total submission to him. Thus, in a true sense, we can call one another brothers and sisters in faith in the one God.”

“We thank the Almighty,” the document continues, “for what we have in common, while remaining aware of our differences”, the message continues. “We perceive the importance of promoting a fruitful dialogue built upon mutual respect and friendship. Inspired by our shared values and strengthened by our sentiments of genuine fraternity, we are called to work together for justice, peace and respect for the rights and dignity of every person. We feel responsible in a particular way for those most in need: the poor, the sick, orphans, immigrants, victims of human trafficking, and those suffering from any kind of addiction.”

“As we know,” the message goes on to say, “our contemporary world faces grave challenges which call for solidarity on the part of all people of good will. These include threats to the environment, the crisis of the global economy and high levels of unemployment particularly among young people. Such situations give rise to a sense of vulnerability and a lack of hope for the future. Let us also not forget the problems faced by so many families which have been separated, leaving behind loved ones and often small children. Let us work together, then, to build bridges of peace and promote reconciliation especially in areas where Muslims and Christians together suffer the horror of war.”

May our friendship, the message concludes, “inspire us always to cooperate in facing these many challenges with wisdom and prudence. In this way we will help to diminish tension and conflict, and advance the common good. We will also demonstrate that religions can be a source of harmony for the benefit of society as a whole.

“Let us pray that reconciliation, justice, peace and development will remain uppermost among our priorities, for the welfare and good of the whole human family. Together with Pope Francis, we are happy to send you our cordial best wishes for a joyful celebration and a life of prosperity in peace.”

Muslims send fraternal message to Vatican at the end of Ramadan -

Catholic Martyrs of Mosul

"War is Punishment for Sin" - Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima

One-Hundred Years Ago - Start of World War I, the "War to End All Wars" and "Make the World Safe Place for Democracy." By December 1914, already Two-Million Dead with Eight Million More to Go!

There is no limit to the measure of ruin and of slaughter; day by day the earth is drenched with newly-shed blood, and is covered with the bodies of the wounded and of the slain. Who would imagine, as we see them thus filled with hatred of one another, that they are all of one common stock, all of the same nature, all members of the same human society? Who would recognize brothers, whose Father is in Heaven? Pope Benedict XV, November 1914

Homosexual Heresy - Vatican Silence

· “We must clearly, explicitly and reservedly say: yes, there is a strong homosexual underground in the Church ... such circles in the Church strongly oppose the truth, morality and Revelation, cooperate with enemies of the Church [and] incite revolt against Peter of our times.

· “It is for [his] accuracy of opinion that he is so vehemently opposed, or even hated by some in the Church, especially by members of the homolobby which represents the very center of internal opposition against the Pope.”

· “If homolobbyists are allowed to act freely, [in Poland] in a dozen or so years they may destroy entire congregations and dioceses — like in the USA, where priestly vocation is more and more now called a gay profession.”

· “The global network of the homolobbies and homomafias must be counterbalanced by a network of honest people. An excellent tool that can be used here is the Internet, which makes it possible to create a global community of people concerned about the fate of the Church, who have resolved to oppose homoideology and homoheresy. The more we know, the more we can do.”

· “This is about the Church’s to be or not to be. If homolobbyists are allowed to act freely, in a dozen or so years they may destroy entire congregations and dioceses – like in the USA, where the priestly vocation is more and more now called a gay profession (particularly with reference to American Jesuits), or like in Ireland, where men are hesitant about joining the emptying seminaries for fear of being suspected of suffering from some disorders.”

· “The Church does not generate homosexuality, but falls victim to dishonest men with homosexual tendencies, who take advantage of its structures to follow their lowest instincts. Active homosexual priests are masters of camouflage. They are often exposed by accident. ... The real threat to the Church are cynical homosexual priests who take advantage of their functions on their own behalf, sometimes in an extraordinarily devious way. Such situations cause great suffering to the Church, the priestly community, the superiors. The problem is indeed a very difficult one." F. Józef Augustyn

Fr. Dariusz Oko, Ph.D., WITH THE POPE AGAINST THE HOMOHERESIES

Does anyone still doubt that Pope Francis is vicious in his attack against Catholic Tradition?

La Stampa: Police now Used to Intimidate and Censor Critics (and family members) of Persecution of Franciscans of the Immaculate - Freedom of the Press Under Threat by Church Authorities

From the United States, we have been sent the text of a letter in which Francesco Colafemmina, the owner of a blog widely known and followed in the ecclesial camp, "Fides et Forma", tells his story: and that (he) was summoned, with his wife, by the Carabinieri [the Italian Gerdarmerie are the national military armed police corps] following an accusation of defamation by (Vice-Commissar) Father Alfonso Bruno, the right-hand man of the Commissioner of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, (Commissar) Father Fidenzio Volpi. This is Italy! This is the Vatican! The letter was in English, the translation is ours.

by Marco Tosatti, senior religious correspondent for Italian daily, La Stampa : July 29, 2014 : posted in Rorate Caeli

What he should have said, "I do not know (anything)"!

Question: If Jesus is still alive he would be in favor of gay marriage?

Answer: I do not know, I do not make assumptions. Who should answer is the Church as a whole. We must be careful not to address the issues individually, because that ends up making it more difficult to arrive at valid conclusions. I think we should gather, listen to people, get involved, we bishops. And ‘the Church must indicate the path and everyone must have a path.

Cláudio Hummes, OFM, Archbishop Emeritus São Paulo, considered Pope Francis' closest friend and most influential cardinal

Gaza City: Catholics endure night of horror in al-Zeitoun

Bombing has begun in the al-Zeitoun neighbourhood, the Association Pro Terra Sancta reports

vatican insider staff : Turin : 07/29/2014

“The whole area has been ravaged by constant bombing; it was a terrifying night. Enough with all these horrors.” The pastor of Gaza City, Fr. Jorge Hernandez, said this in a telephone conversation with Fr. Mario Cornioli who lives in Jerusalem, the Association Pro Terra Sancta reports.

Yesterday evening, Fr. Jorge was told to vacate the local church and parish, following announcements that the al-Zeitoun neighbourhood was going to be bombed.

But where can the priest and the three Mother Teresa nuns with the 29 disabled children and 9 sick elderly women in tow go?

Yesterday morning Gaza’s Christian community was devastated by the death of two elderly women who were no longer able to endure the harsh conditions they were forced to live in after they moved into the church. To add to their sadness, a missile hit the home of Jalila Farah Aiad Um Jerjis, reducing it to rubble.

Jalila Farah Aiad Um Jerjis was burnt to death, while her husband suffered minor injuries. Their eldest son is in a deep coma. He had both his legs and a hand amputated and suffered serious burns to the face and chest. Anton, the couple’s youngest son, was attending mass in the church when the tragedy occurred.

Fr. Jorge highlighted that missiles show no favouritism, they kill the minute they land and there is no safe haven in any part of the strip. Recalling the Pope’s prayers for a ceasefire and peace, he called for an immediate ceasefire to stop this never-ending massacre. He stressed that none of the individuals who died today were terrorists. Fr. Jorge wrote this in a letter before the night bombings that destroyed the nuns’ home and damaged the local school and some other parish buildings. Fortunately the church - where children, some elderly and some families have taken shelter – was not affected.

The Israeli bombs that were originally meant to eliminate 73 individuals, have so far only succeeded in wiping out ordinary civilians.

The Pope as Psycho-Cybernetics Coach

Pope Francis issues top 10 tips for happiness – including don’t try to convert other people

The Pope also says people should turn off the TV at mealtimes

The Independent UK : Adam Withnall : 31 July 2014

Turn off the TV, calm down and stop trying to convert people to your religion.

These are among the top 10 pieces of advice issued by Pope Francis this week as part of his recipe for a happy, more fulfilled life.

Speaking in a very frank interview published in the Argentine weekly “Viva”, the Pope drew on his personal experiences to come up with his own lifestyle guide with a humble, anti-consumerist twist.

The highlights include a call to families to “turn off the TV when they sit down to eat because, even though television is useful for keeping up with the news, having it on during mealtime doesn't let you communicate with each other”, according to a Catholic News Service translation of the interview.

And Francis said people will also be much happier when they stop trying too hard to bring others round to their way of thinking – including on religion. He said the church grows “by attraction, not proselytising”, and added that the best way to get through to anyone was with “dialogue, starting with his or her own identity”.

The number one piece of advice actually came in the form of a slightly clichéd Italian expression, roughly translated as: “Move forward and let others do the same”. The equivalent in English would be “live and let live”.

For the rest of the top 10 – and how the principles have been applied by some famously happy people – click through the gallery (or read on below).

Pope Francis has come up with 10 tips for a happier life

Pope Francis’ secrets to happiness

1. “Live and let live.” Everyone should be guided by this principle, he said, which has a similar expression in Rome with the saying, “Move forward and let others do the same.”

2. “Be giving of yourself to others.” People need to be open and generous toward others, he said, because “if you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid.”

3. “Proceed calmly” in life. The pope, who used to teach high school literature, used an image from an Argentine novel by Ricardo Guiraldes, in which the protagonist — gaucho Don Segundo Sombra — looks back on how he lived his life.

4. A healthy sense of leisure. The Pope said “consumerism has brought us anxiety”, and told parents to set aside time to play with their children and turn of the TV when they sit down to eat.

5. Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because “Sunday is for family,” he said.

6. Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people. “We need to be creative with young people. If they have no opportunities they will get into drugs” and be more vulnerable to suicide, he said.

7. Respect and take care of nature. Environmental degradation “is one of the biggest challenges we have,” he said. “I think a question that we're not asking ourselves is: 'Isn't humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?'”

8. Stop being negative. “Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self-esteem. That means, 'I feel so low that instead of picking myself up I have to cut others down,'” the Pope said. “Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy.”

9. Don't proselytise; respect others' beliefs. “We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. But the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyses: 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you,' No. Each person dialogues, starting with his and her own identity. The church grows by attraction, not proselytising,” the Pope said.

10. Work for peace. “We are living in a time of many wars,” he said, and “the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive” and dynamic.

Why Can't the Hierarchy Speak Plainly About What Every Faithful Catholic Knows?

Question: Some say that allowing priests to get married would keep them far away from sexual abuse.

Answer: Yes, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has discussed this matter at length. With the disconcerting data we have, it would not be obvious that having married priests would prevent sexual abuse.. Nearly all of the cases of sexual abuse that have been investigated as having been committed by those in consecrated life were not committed on prepubescent children but on adolescents. All of these were male. This means three things: that the problem is not pedophilia but ebophilia; this is the direct result of pederasty; therefore if we are dealing with pederasty I do not see how having a wife would have had an effect. The problem is not celibacy. The problem is that liberal spirit that reigned in the ‘80s among the clergy, and threw wide open the doors of the seminaries to more or less explicit homosexuals. The results were seen in the successive decade: scandals dealing with abuse and pedophilia (sic). All of this has a basis in homoeroticism. It is a datum of fact, not a prejudice.

Question: Scalfari, a fierce atheist, seems to be obsessed with the person of Francis. To be more precise: he seems unable to stop talking about him, writing to him.

Answer: Another such one is Corrado Augias. I look at these people with curiosity, with a smile on my face, but I am not surprised by this phenomenon. Having arrived at the threshold of the ultimate mystery that is death, they either act like Augias, a disciple of the Marxists right up to his old age, who are looking for theologians who deal with “adult issues”, who will give them peace, telling them that either there is nothing or everyone is saved. And then there is Scalfari: thank goodness that he has a Pope who has abolished the very notion of sin. Think about the contradiction: they wax enthusiastically about “mercy”, forgetting that mercy supposes, in fact, sin. If there is no sin, what need is there for mercy? They have this anxiety for reassurance that does not make me angry but elicits my compassion. I do not wish to seem edifying, but it should at least be said: they are to be prayed for.

Vittorio Messori, Italian journalist and author of the Ratzinger Report, interview from Libero Quotidiano, July 15, 2014

So who is the liar - Scalfari or Pope Francis - or both?

It is safe to say, however that the overall theme of the article captures the spirit of the conversation between the Holy Father and Mr. Scalfari while at the same time strongly restating what was said about the previous “interview” that appeared in La Repubblica: the individual expressions that were used and the manner in which they have been reported, cannot be attributed to the Pope.

Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, regarding Pope Francis' third interview with Eugenio Scalfari, the 90-year-old Italian journalist and professed atheist, published in La Repubblica

What Marriage Is and Isn't, and What to Expect from a Redefinition Dennis Bonnette 6-28-13

Even the new definition of marriage will quickly be deemed discriminatory against other sexual perversions

    Today people are fighting about “marriage equality,” but few people understand the original definition of marriage and why it must be so.
    The common definition of traditional marriage given today, even by Justice Anthony Kennedy in his June 26, 2013, Supreme Court decision invalidating DOMA, is that marriage is “a union of a man and a woman.” This definition merely expresses the material content of a marriage, that is, which persons can enter into it. It fails to express the formal content, which entails the purpose of the contract, and thereby, fails to distinguish true marriage from its false imitators. Every contract expresses, not only who enters into its terms, but also the purpose of the contract. For example, two people agree to the sale of a house. The contract does not merely name the two people involved, but its terms must also define the nature of the sale. Since marriage is a contract between two persons, it also has a purpose, which has always been either expressed or assumed by those entering into it.
    The Rev. Heribert Jone in his Moral Theology (Newman: Westminster, 1945, p. 483.) offers the definition of marriage that has been recognized for thousands of years: “The marriage contract is a contract by which two competent persons of the opposite sex give to each other the exclusive and irrevocable right over their bodies (ius in corpus) for the procreation and education of children.” That is, the couple gives to each other the right to those acts which are suitable to the procreation of children. From this, flows the responsibility and right of that couple to provide for the care and education of children conceived by their marital union. That is also why adultery has always been considered such a moral outrage to those who are married: it is a sex act that directly attacks the natural purpose of marriage itself.
A New Definition
    The new definition being sold today in the media, and even the Supreme Court, is a twisted and shortened version, based on a simple substitution of the traditional purpose of the marital union with the mere material naming of those who enter into that union, thereby losing sight of the essential purpose of the marital contract – and allowing people to redefine it as something like a union of mutual love and commitment between any two people, even of the same sex.
    This new definition ignores the vital national interest of true marriage as the only natural way for society to replace its members, or else, to die out. Only males and females can naturally reproduce, and every human being is the natural product of just such a sexual union.
    That is the reason why society has always honored true marriage with special protection in law – not because people have an inalienable right to marry (which they do), not because it serves some selfish interest of the people involved, not because it is a religious sacrament, but primarily because true marriage, by its very nature, alone serves the vital national interest of replacing the population that dies off.
    Matrimony is taken from the Latin, “mater,” meaning “mother,” and “monium,” meaning “a state or condition,” thus defining the purpose of marriage as man taking a wife to have children. In ancient Rome, this was understood as the purpose of marriage, the production of new citizens for the Roman state.
Marriage and the Constitution
    Traditional marriage already has a legitimate foundation in the U.S. Constitution, where the Preamble refers to securing “the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”
    In so saying, the Preamble establishes the “legislative intent” that judges look to in determining the meaning of a law. “Equal protection” clauses are cited in both state and federal claims that homosexuals have the same right to marry as heterosexuals. But equality claims are illicit unless litigants are similarly situated before the law. Since heterosexual marriage as a general institution can, at least potentially, further the purposes of the Constitution by securing “blessings…to…our posterity” insofar as traditional marriage is the only institution that is naturally able to produce society’s posterity – and since homosexual unions cannot produce any “posterity” by themselves, the potential litigants are not similarly situated. Thus the Preamble’s wording establishes a distinct and special basis for traditional marriage, but not for homosexual unions. And this role of traditional marriage in assuring society’s posterity is consistent with the classical meaning of marriage, even as understood by the pagan Romans.
    Moreover, since we are all responsible for the results of our actions, husbands and wives, share the responsibility, and hence the right, to raise and educate their children to adulthood – the time when they, too, become self-sustaining members of society. No other “arrangement” naturally confers this obligation because no other human union is naturally designed for those acts that beget children. True marriage obliges society to respect and defend the natural process of begetting and raising children.
    Although some couples may be sterile, their marriages are still valid because marriage is an agreement to enjoy those sexual acts which may result in children, not a guarantee that children will result. As long as husband and wife can perform the act which normally can result in children, the contract is fulfilled. What is clear is that only heterosexual couples can engage in such acts.
The Future of Marriage
    Even the so-called “new” definition of marriage will quickly be seen as discriminatory, since it forbids three men marrying each other, people marrying animals, adults marrying children, fathers marrying daughters, and so forth. If this sounds absurd, consider that bestiality was legal in Germany from 1969 until only recently, when it was banned – but even then only because it was considered “inhumane” to the animals! And bestiality is today legal in at least eight countries. In 2011 the United States Senate approved a bill legalizing bestiality in the Armed Forces. The North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) has for years been arguing for legalizing sex between men and boys.
    This is the can of worms regarding the redefinition of marriage that American society is being seduced into opening today, and which now has been at least partially decided by the United States Supreme Court. For the reasons stated above, it is vital to the nation that we retain the traditional, and only rational, legal definition of marriage -- as a union solely between one adult male and one adult female, giving to each other the exclusive and irrevocable right over their bodies to engage in sexual acts suited for the procreation and education of children.

'A Fish Rots From the Head'

I'm not interested in converting Evangelicals to Catholicism. I want people (except traditional Catholics) to find Jesus in their own community. There are so many doctrines we will never agree on. Let’s not spend our time on those. Rather, let’s be about showing the love of Jesus.

Pope Francis, Ecumenical Dinner Meeting with garden variety of Protestant ministers, June 23, 2014

Pope Francis - His third "encyclical" published by atheist secular reporter, Scalfari

Francis says 2% of priests are paedophiles
Once again, Pope Francis appears to be out of step with conventional wisdom in the Vatican. In his third conversation with Eugenio Scalfari, La Repubblica’s founder and former editor-in-chief, the pontiff implied that there was room for manoeuvre on the issue of celibacy, that there were paedophiles among the cardinals, and that not enough priests condemned the mafia. But the Vatican immediately issued a statement suggesting he had been misquoted.

The Pontiff recalled that celibacy for priests was not instituted until the 10th century, “900 years after Our Lord’s death”, something which the church usually prefers to overlook. He also recalled that clerics could marry in some Eastern Catholic Churches. There were solutions to the “problem” of celibacy, “and I will find them.”

This unusually open approach to the issue follows on from his comments in May, when he told reporters on the plane returning from Israel that “celibacy is not a dogma”. He added: “It is a rule that I appreciate very much… but since it is not a dogma, the door is always open.”

This is the third time that Scalfari has met Francis since the pontiff first shocked the paper’s newsroom last September with his open letter to the paper’s eminence gris. A few weeks later, he invited the confirmed atheist for an extensive and unprecedented interview.

This time Francis wanted to address two main issues: the problems of paedophilia within the church, and the mafia. These two themes have been much in the news in Italy in recent weeks. The papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic was defrocked in June, the highest Vatican official to have been condemned for sexual abuse. Italy was then shocked when a religious procession in the town of Oppido Mamertina in Calabria took a detour in order to pay its respects at the home of a ndrangheta boss currently under house arrest.

Last week the Pope referred to sexual abuse within the church as a “sacrilegious cult”. This time he said it was like a “leprosy” infecting the Church and, according to Scalfari, added that two per cent of paedophiles are clerics, including bishops and cardinals.

Regarding the mafia, Francis has already excommunicated its members, but some priests have defied him and continued to allow mafia prisoners to attend mass. According to Scalfari, the Pope admitted that some clerics tended to overlook the phenomenon of the mafia, saying that although they condemned individual crimes, those who openly and consistently denounced the mafia were rare.

But a few hours after the account of Scalfari’s conversation with the Pope was published, Father Federico Lombardi, official Vatican spokesman, issued a strongly worded statement calling Scalfari’s account of the conversation into question.

“One cannot and one must not speak in any way of an interview in the usual sense of the word… The conversation was cordial and very interesting and touched principally on the themes of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and the Church’s attitude towards the mafia. However… it is important to note that the words that Mr Scalfari attributes to the Pope, reporting his words in quotation marks, are from the memory of an experienced journalist, but not a precise transcription or recording, nor have they been approved by the person to whom the remarks are attributed.”

Father Lombardi was particularly keen to undermine Scalfari’s recollection of the remarks on paedophilia and those on celibacy, even hinting that the pontiff may have been deliberately misquoted.

“The individual remarks… cannot be confidently attributed to the Pope. For example and in particular… the fact that there are paedophile cardinals, and that “I will find a solution” to the problem of celibacy.

“In the article published in La Repubblica these two affirmations are clearly attributed to the Pope, but – curiously – the quotation marks were opened at the beginning but were not closed at the end… An oversight or explicit recognition that it is an attempt to manipulate some ingenuous readers?”

An oversight by Repubblica’s sub-editors, or a sign that Pope Francis’s willingness to tackle certain controversial issues head on frightens the conservatives within the Vatican?

English Summary, LaRepubblica interview of Pope Francis with Eugenio Scalfari, La Repubblica’s founder and former editor-in-chief and proclaimed atheist

Another MODERNIST variation on the "Great Commission" -

From a post-Vatican II “dogmatic, self-engrossed, authoritative sick institution" headed by Novus Ordo Ss. John XXIII and John Paul II," into a post-Vatican II “gentle, outreaching, and compassionate” community headed by God knows what.

Pope Francis’s papacy ‘biggest challenge’ to PH church—Villegas

MANILA, July 6, 2014–The papacy of Pope Francis is by far the “biggest challenge” faced by the Philippine Church, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archishop Socrates Villegas on Saturday said that the pastoral approach of the Supreme Pontiff in leading Catholics all over the world has transformed the church from being a “self-engrossed” institution into an “outreaching” community.

“(Pope Francis) shakes up our old belief systems about spiritual shepherding. He jolts us from our complacency and status quo attitude. He humbles us with his simplicity. He disturbs us to make us better,” Villegas said in his speech opening the 109th CBCP Plenary Assembly at the Pius XII Catholic Center.

“He has slowly moved the Church from being a dogmatic, self engrossed and authoritative [sic] sick institution to being a gentle, outreaching, compassionate and persuasive Church through the power of love and mercy,” Villegas added.

COMMENT: The statement comes only three months after the Philippine Supreme Court had upheld the "Reproductive Health Law" of their country as "not unconstitutional" after its constitutionality was challenged by various pro-life and Catholic groups. The law had stipulated massive funding for contraception and "reproductive health" promotion and the integration of "sex education" into the Philippine curriculum from primary school onwards. When the Supreme Court decision came out Archbishop Villegas issued a statement that among other things called on Catholics to respect the decision and to "move on from being an Reproductive Health law-reactionary-group to a truly Spirit empowered disciples of the Gospel of life and love." Rorate is told that the irony was not lost on Filipino Catholics who recalled that a little more than a year ago, the same prelate had issued on behalf of the Philippine hierarchy a firm condemnation which included a reference to "divine wrath" versus that same law.

Rorate Caeli

Pope Francis meets US televangelists, and the first-ever ‘papal high-five’ follows

Sarah Pulliam Bailey Follow | July 9, 2014

(RNS) What does it take to produce the first-ever papal high-five? A meeting with American televangelists, James Robison explains a "high five" to Pope Francis at the Vatican on June 24, 2014. During their meeting, they agreed all Catholics and Protestants need to come to know Jesus personally. apparently.

The gesture came during a three-hour meeting of Pope Francis and Texas televangelists Kenneth Copeland and James Robison, just weeks after the pontiff met with televangelist Joel Osteen and other religious leaders. At the June 24 meeting, Robison said he was so moved by Pope Francis’ message of the gospel that he asked the translator to ask Francis for a high-five. The pope obliged, raised his arm and the two men smacked hands.

The televangelists are among some wealthier U.S. evangelicals who have recently met with Francis, who has called for a focus on the poor and a simple lifestyle for clergy. In March, the pope met with members of the Green family, the Oklahoma billionaires whose company, Hobby Lobby, won their challenge to President Obama’s contraception coverage mandate at the Supreme Court last week.

Copeland and Osteen have been criticized by some as teaching “health and wealth” prosperity theology, the belief that faith can increase one’s wealth. But from his humble shoes to his simple Fiat, Francis has set a decidedly un-extravagant example.

James Robison asked if he could “high-five” Pope Francis after his message at the Vatican on June 24, 2014. RNS photo courtesy LIFE Outreach International

“The prosperity gospel seems to be fundamentally opposed to the message that Francis has been spreading. But he has shown that he’s willing to meet with just about anyone,” said Michael Peppard, a professor of theology at Fordham University.

“Joel Osteen seems to have a charismatic authority among a large amount of people. Maybe Francis is channeling Jesus: If you disagree with someone, meet with them.”

Last year, Francis fired the German “Bishop of Bling,” Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, for spending $43 million on a fancy residential complex. Copeland, meanwhile, was one of several televangelists targeted by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, in 2007 for their lavish lifestyles.

Copeland declined to provide full information about his finances, and the investigation wrapped up in 2011 with no penalties for the pastors who did not cooperate and no definitive instances of wrongdoing found.

Copeland was unavailable for comment about his meeting with the pope, but in an address to his congregation, he played a recording from earlier this year where Francis spoke on a smartphone camera and called on Christians to set aside their differences. Copeland led his congregation in prayer where many spoke in tongues, a common Pentecostal practice.

Robison, a Texas televangelist with Baptist roots who is not an advocate of prosperity theology, defended his friend Copeland.

Texas televangelist Kenneth Copeland prays with Pope Francis at the Vatican on June 24, 2014. RNS photo courtesy Kenneth Copeland Ministries

“All the things I’ve seen him criticized for, I have not seen validity,” Robison said. “I don’t appreciate Christians standing back and criticizing each other.”

Robison said he was born into the Episcopal Church but didn’t have a “born-again” conversion until later in life, the kind of story he sees among many Protestants and Catholics. “There are a lot of evangelicals and Catholics who don’t know Christ,” he said.

In fact, Francis’ meeting may reflect a shift in emphasis within the papacy. His predecessor, Benedict XVI, regularly bemoaned the decline of Christianity in his native Germany and across Europe. In contrast, the Argentine Francis comes from a region where competition from Pentecostalism is one of the biggest challenges facing the Catholic Church, Peppard said.

As unusual as it might seem for a pope meet with celebrity Protestant preachers, the potential awkwardness goes both ways. While some praised Robison for going to Rome, others said Protestants and Catholics have too many differences, on issues that include the role of the Bible, saints, the status of the Virgin Mary and the nature of salvation. “Very disappointed in you James and Betty. Never forget the Inquisition — Never forget!” one commenter wrote on Robison’s website.

But Robison said he and Francis found common ground in caring for the poor.

“I don’t see him as presenting himself as infallible,” Robison said of Pope Francis. “He’s been to confession. He asks for prayer. He’s anxious to apologize on (behalf) of Catholic leadership.”

Osteen’s meeting with Francis on June 4 was part of a larger gathering coordinated by the International Foundation, also known as “the Fellowship.” Osteen was joined by Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Mormon; California pastor Tim Timmons; and Gayle D. Beebe, president of evangelical Westmont College.

The June 24 meeting leaned particularly toward charismatic Christianity. Other guests were Anthony Palmer, a bishop and international ecumenical officer with the independent Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Pope Francis met with a group of American televangelists and their spouses at the Vatican on June 24, 2014. Churches; Geoff Tunnicliffe, the outgoing head of the Worldwide Evangelical Alliance; and John and Carol Arnott of Catch the Fire Toronto, which grew out of a Pentecostal revival 20 years ago.

The pope met with more than 50,000 Catholic charismatics in Rome last month, admitting he was not always comfortable with the way they prayed. Still, he knelt on stage as they prayed for him and spoke in tongues. “Where does division come from? The devil!” Francis told them. “Division comes from the devil. Flee from internal struggles, please!”

Pope Francis met with a group of American televangelists and their spouses at the Vatican on June 24, 2014. RNS photo courtesy Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Pentecostal and charismatic Christians – charismatics are often Pentecostals in other churches, including the Catholic Church — share much in common, such as speaking in tongues and healing. Together, they make up at least 584 million people in the world, about 9 percent of the global population and one in four Christians worldwide, according to the Pew Research Center.

And that’s probably partly why Francis extended the invitation to the U.S. pastors. The Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, a veteran of Catholic-Protestant ecumenical groups and the author of “From Times Square to Timbuktu: The Post-Christian West Meets the Non-Western Church,” said Pentecostalism is growing in the Global South at three times the rate of Catholic growth, especially among the poor.

“My guess is that Francis knows this community can’t be ignored,” Granberg-Michaelson said. “Certainly, Francis would want to encourage Catholic charismatics to feel at home, as well as build ecumenical relationships with the Pentecostal community — and those reinforce one another. That’s also why what he is doing is both ecumenically creative, and makes sense.”

Vatican Refuses to Extradite Pederast accused of crimes in Poland and Dominican Republic -

"Diplomatic Immunity" for "Citizen of the Vatican."

Vatican diplomat Jozef Wesolowski convicted of sexual abuse, defrocked from the priesthood

By Josephine Mckenna | Religion News Service June 27

VATICAN CITY — A former Vatican ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, has been defrocked and is likely to face criminal prosecution at the Vatican after a church inquiry convicted him of child sexual abuse.

Wesolowski, who is originally from Poland, was removed from his post in the Dominican Republic and recalled to the Vatican in August amid claims that he had abused boys in Santo Domingo.

The 65-year-old envoy is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be investigated for sex abuse. He was found guilty after an inquiry conducted by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which has jurisdiction over all sex abuse cases in the Roman Catholic Church.

In a brief statement released Friday (June 27), the Vatican said the verdict was issued “in the past few days” and the former diplomat was facing arrest due to the “gravity of the case.”

“Measures will be taken so he is in a precise restricted location, without any freedom of movement, since he has been found guilty of a serious crime and is awaiting further legal action,” said the Vatican’s chief spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

A bishop from the Dominican Republic was recently reported to say that he was shocked to see Wesolowski walking freely on the streets of central Rome. Prosecutors in the Caribbean nation have said they have convincing evidence that the prelate molested young men.

He has also been accused of abuse in his native Poland. The Vatican rejected an extradition request from the Warsaw prosecutor’s office on the grounds he was “a citizen of the Vatican” and holds diplomatic immunity.

SNAP, the Chicago-based support group for victims of clerical sexual abuse, said the former nuncio’s sentence did not go far enough and he should be handed over to secular authorities.

“Wesolowski should face a criminal trial, not a church proceeding,” said SNAP’s national director, David Clohessy. “And he should be in a secular jail. And he might have been in one for months, had Vatican officials cooperated with law enforcement.”

Wesolowski was ordained as a priest and bishop by St. John Paul II. He served as an envoy to the Dominican Republic for five years until he was recalled last year.

The archbishop now has two months to appeal his sentence before facing criminal proceedings at the Vatican. His case appears to be the most tangible demonstration of what Pope Francis called his “zero tolerance” for child sex abuse as he returned from the Middle East at the end of May.

At the time, the pope said three bishops were under investigation. While he did not name names, he was likely referring to Wesolowski; Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who resigned in 2013 amid allegations of improper conduct; and Chilean Bishop Cristian Contreras, who has been accused of abuse by other priests in his diocese.

In September, the Peruvian Bishops Conference defrocked Bishop Gabino Miranda on orders from the Vatican after he was accused of abusing children.

Contraception is directly related to divorce, abortion, homosexual "marriage," and eventually, social acceptance of incest. With homosexual perversion accepted as normative behavior, there will be no argument against any perversion whatsoever.

Australia judge probed for saying incest 'may be accepted'

Australian judge to be investigated after he reportedly said sex between siblings was gaining social acceptance just like homosexuality

By AFP : 5:30PM BST 11 Jul 2014

An Australian judge will be investigated for his "appalling" comments on incest, in which he reportedly said sex between siblings was gaining social acceptance just like homosexuality, authorities said on Friday.

New South Wales state Attorney General Brad Hazzard said he was "extremely concerned" about District Court judge Garry Neilson's alleged comments in a case where a man was accused of repeatedly raping his younger sister, which were reported in the Sydney Morning Herald.

"In my view the community would be rightly appalled at his reported comments," Hazzard said in a statement.

"Incest is completely reprehensible, unacceptable, disgusting and criminal."

Neilson was quoted as saying communities might no longer see sex between siblings as "unnatural" or "taboo", likening a change in mindsets to how homosexuality was now socially accepted despite being criminalised in the past.

"A jury might find nothing untoward in the advance of a brother towards his sister once she had sexually matured, had sexual relationships with other men and was now 'available', not having (a) sexual partner," Neilson reportedly said.

Hazzard said he had referred Neilson to the Judicial Commission of New South Wales, which investigates complaints. He also requested the District Court suspend the judge from criminal trials until the probe was completed.

In his case comments, Neilson reportedly added that the "only reason" incest remained a crime was due to the risk of genetic abnormalities in children born through such a relationship.

"But even that falls away to an extent (because) there is such ease of contraception and ready access to abortion," he said.

[.....] Cathy Kezelman, president of support group Adults Surviving Child Abuse, said Neilson's alleged comments were "beyond belief" and such cases seriously damaged children.

"There are still a lot of myths, still a lot of entrenched, very damaging beliefs and that's why we need to speak out about it ... so we're not hearing these outrageous statements," she told Fairfax radio.

AGREEMENT HERE

   On December 13 of last year, in St Martha’s House in Rome where the Pope is currently living, the Pope met briefly with Bishop Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St Pius X. The Society officially denies that the meeting had any significance, but an Italian commentator having some familiarity with how Rome operates, one Giacomo Devoto (G.D.), argues that the meeting was proof that a Rome-SSPX agreement has been reached. See http://www.unavox.it/ArtDiversi/DIV812_Devoto_Notizia_intrigante.html
In brief:—
     On the morning of the 13th Bishop Fellay and his two Assistants at the head of the SSPX met in the Vatican with the heads of the Ecclesia Dei Commission at the invitation of Monsignor Guido Pozzo, restored to the Commission by Pope Francis to deal with the problematic relations between Rome and the SSPX. An official publication of the SSPX, DICI , claims that this meeting was merely “informal,” but G.D. says that even being informal it cannot have taken place without there having been beforehand a series of discreet contacts to repair the public breach of relations in June of 2012. Also, says G.D., such a meeting is the necessary preliminary to any “formal” meeting.
     In any case after that meeting Msgr. Pozzo, Msgr. di Noia and the three heads of the SSPX repaired to St Martha’s House where the Pope also happened to be lunching. When the Pope stood up after the meal to leave, Bishop Fellay went over to him, they exchanged a few words in public view and the Bishop kissed the Pope’s ring (or knelt down for his blessing, according to Rome’s Vatican Insider ). DICI again minimised the encounter as nothing more than a chance meeting with a spontaneous exchange of courtesies. On the contrary G.D. reasonably m aintains that even such a “chance” encounter cannot have taken place without the Pope’s previous knowledge and approval.
     Moreover, says G.D., in the art of diplomacy such a meeting is a finely calculated ice-breaker, of elastic interpretation, designed to mean as much or as little as one wants. On the one hand the courteous contact was there for all to see in a public place frequented by important Newchurch officials, and it could be seen as papal support of whatever had gone on at the morning’s meeting with the Commission. On the other hand both Rome and the SSPX could plausibly deny that the encounter had any real significance beyond an exchange of courtesies.
     Thus when rumours began to circulate in the new year, for months the SSPX denied that there was any question of a Rome-SSPX agreement. Only on May 10 did DICI admit that there had been any contact at all between the Pope and Bishop Fellay, and then DICI so minimised the event t hat G.D. takes it as a sure sign that an agreement has been reached in private. (In modern politics, as the cynical saying goes, nothing can be taken as true until it is officially denied.)
     In fact the main problem, for Pope Francis as for Bishop Fellay, is not how to come to an agreement which they both want, but how to get their left and right wings respectively to accept an agreement. However, the problem is being solved for them day by day as the Society, once glorious for its defence of the Faith, becomes the inglorious Newsociety. For indeed how many Newchurch bishops can still be fearing the Newsociety as a threat to their Newchurch? And how many SSPX priests are still convinced that any agreement with Rome would be a disaster, especially if they are promised that “they will need to change nothing”? Such an agreement will hardly need to be announced. In many minds and hearts it is already here.
Kyrie eleison - Bishop Richard Williamson

Modernism vs. Neo-Modernism: What is the Difference?

    The overarching principle of post-conciliar theology is not modernism, properly speaking. Let us get our terms straight.
Modernism is the idea that there are no eternal truths, that truth is the correspondence of the mind with one's lifestyle (adaequatio intellectus et vitae), and that, therefore, old dogmas must be abandoned and new beliefs must arise that meet 'the needs of modern man'. This is a radical denial of the traditional and common sense notion of truth: the correspondence of the mind with reality (adaequatio intellectus et rei), which is the basis of the immutability of Catholic dogma.
    No, the post-conciliar theological principle is neo-modernism, and the theology that is based on it is known as the nouvelle theologie. It is the idea that old dogmas or beliefs must be retained, yet not the traditional 'formulas': dogmas must be expressed and interpreted in a new way in every age so as to meet the 'needs of modern man'. This is still a denial of the traditional and common sense notion of truth as adaequatio intellectus et rei (insofar as it is still an attempt to make the terminology that expresses the faith correspond with our modern lifestyle) and consequently of the immutability of Catholic dogma, yet it is not as radical as modernism. It is more subtle and much more deceptive than modernism because it claims that the faith must be retained; it is only the 'formulas' of faith that must be abandoned--they use the term 'formula' to distinguish the supposedly mutable words of our creeds, dogmas, etc. from their admittedly immutable meanings. Therefore, neo-modernism can effectively slip under the radar of most pre-conciliar condemnations (except Humani generis, which condemns it directly) insofar as its practitioners claim that their new and unintelligible theological terminology really expresses the same faith of all times. In other words, neo-modernism is supposed to be 'dynamic orthodoxy': supposedly orthodox in meaning, yet always changing in expression to adapt to modern life (cf. Franciscan University of Steubenville's mission statement).
    Take extra ecclesiam nulla salus as a clear example of a dogma that has received a brutal neo-modernist re-interpretation: they claim that the old 'formula' that "there is no salvation outside the Church" must be abandoned; rather it is more meaningful to modern man to say that salvation is not in, but through, the Church; people who are not in the Church may still be saved through the Church; thus, to them the dogma that "there is no salvation outside the Church" means that there is salvation outside the Church. Hence see Ven. Pope Pius XII condemning those "reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation." (Humani generis 27).

Yet this mentality of reinterpreting everything anew in order to 'meet the needs of the times' is generally tends to be found in different degrees among different post-conciliar sources:

It tends to be (1) rampant in men like De Lubac, Von Balthasar, Congar, etc.: it is the ultimate goal of their writings, teachings, and activities as churchmen. To achieve this end, they employ the technique of 'resourcement', the neo-modernist strategy of fishing for the few dubious, questionable, or idiosyncratic teachings of some Fathers of the Church and other authoritative writers, and gather them into a massive, heterodox theological argument against the traditional understanding of the faith (which they like to relativize by giving it names such as "Counter-Reformation" Theology, "Tridentine" Theology, or "Scholastic" Theology, instead of just admitting that it is Catholic Theology plain and simple). This technique accomplishes three things that go hand-in-hand: (a) offers a refutation of traditional Catholicism, (b) defends an interpretation that meets the needs of modern times, and (c) gives it a semblance of being traditional, because it appears to be based in the Fathers et al. This type of argument is used, for example, by Von Balthasar in his nearly heretical book, Dare We Hope that All Men be Saved? to 'prove', not that Hell does not exist (that is a dogma), but that it is empty. But this technique and its neo-modernistic underpinnings is not only practiced in almost all of these men's writings; it is also defended in theory by many of them, particularly in Von Balthasar's daring little book, Razing the Bastions, where he demonstrates that "Tridentine" theology must be rejected in our times because it is 'boring'.

It also tends to be (2) present in a more moderate way in the non-binding statements by post-conciliar popes, since they themselves were deeply involved in the developing of the nouvelle theologie. Just to give one of a million possible examples, see Pope Benedict's evolutionistis reinterpretation of the Resurrection of Our Lord. Nothing here obviously contradicts the dogma of the Resurrection (it may be interpreted as a simple analogy, even if a bad one, and nothing more), but it is a novelty that can be easily understood as claiming that the Resurrection is part of the natural development of nature (thus giving credence to some of the nouvelle theologie's pet doctrines, such as De Lubac's heterodox notion of the supernatural and De Chardin's pantheistic evolutionism). This happens almost on a daily basis in what comes out of the Vatican, not to mention what comes from local bishops.

And finally, neo-modernism tends to be present (3) mostly implicitly or behind-the-scenes in the Council, the Catechism, etc., even though it seldom comes out more explicitly. Things are done at this level under the pretext of 'aggiornamento', a euphemism for neo-modernism. That is usually all the justification provided since at this authoritative level, there is no need to justify things theologically. Hence, Vatican II and the Catechism are not outright neo-modernistic. Rather, they (like most of post-conciliar doctrine) tend in that direction and/or are inspired by that mentality. In other words, most of the time these documents do not explicitly teach neo-modernist errors (the kind of errors you hear explicitly from neo-modernist theologians and priests). Rather, they are full of dangerous ambiguities: statements that in a technical sense could be interpreted as being in harmony with the traditional faith, but that, in their natural, non-forced, interpretation are heterodox. One clear example of this is Dignitatis humanae, par. 2; entire monographs have been written in order to prove that, despite appearances, this document does not contradict previous teaching. Maybe in fact it ultimately does not, but it is obvious that the prima facie meaning does; otherwise there would be no need to write so many volumes to prove it.
It must be noted that these are general tendencies, and that in some documents (cf. Gaudium et Spes) and every now and then in papal and episcopal statements neo-modernist principles rears come out more explicitly.

For a more detailed philosophical and theological critique of neo-modernism, and how it is nothing but a re-hashing of modernism, see Garrigou-Lagrange's Where is the New Theology Leading Us? and his The Structure of the Encyclical Humani Generis.

Francisco J. Romero Carrasquillo, Ph.D., Professor of Theology and Philosophy

Pope Francis (Mr. Humility?) receives "blessing" from English layman, Justin Welby, attired in clerical costume.

NOTE: The "paradigm change" suggested by Cardinal Kasper involves overturning Catholic doctrinal and moral truths for the end that Catholics living in a state of mortal sin can receive sacramental communion and the Church in Germany will not lose money. Kasper recommends moving of the judgment of the validity of a Catholic marriage to the internal forum (i.e. the confessional). He appeals to Canon 8 of the Council of Nicaea (325) as proof that the early Church practice permitted those living in adultery to be admitted to sacramental communion which is pure fantasy. He says, that since the Ratzinger recommended "spiritual communions" to Catholics living in a state of mortal sin, therefore, then to deny them sacramental communion would undermine all sacramental theology. For this theological tripe "Bergoglio" praises as "doing theology on one's knees. Thank you, thank you." Whatever Kasper was doing on his "knees" it was not theology and it was not praying.

Kasper Changes the Paradigm, Bergoglio Applauds

The no-longer-secret text of the bombshell talk that opened the consistory on the family. With the indication of two paths of readmission to communion for the divorced and remarried. According to the example of the ancient Church : by Sandro Magister

    ROME, March 1, 2014 – Cardinal Kasper's inaugural address at the consistory last week is no longer under lock and key. It has been made public, in a journalistic masterstroke, by the Italian newspaper “Il Foglio" directed by Giuliano Ferrara, which has preempted by far the publication of this same talk in book form by the publisher Queriniana.
    But that this talk should remain secret had already become nonsensical, after the words with which Pope Francis had honored it on February 21, at the end of the two days of the consistory dedicated to the question of the family:
    "Yesterday, before going to sleep - although I did not do this to put myself to sleep - I read or rather re-read the work of Cardinal Kasper, and I would like to thank him because I found profound theology, and even serene thinking in theology. It is pleasant to read serene theology. And I also found what Saint Ignatius told us about, that 'sensus Ecclesiae," love for Mother Church. It did me good and an idea came to me - excuse me, Eminence, if I embarrass you - but the idea is that this is called 'doing theology on one's knees.' Thank you. Thank you."
    In the course of his talk, Kasper said that he wanted "only to pose questions” because “a response will be the task of the synod in harmony with the pope.” But to read what he said to the cardinals, his are much more than questions, they are solidly built proposals for a solution. To which Pope Francis has already demonstrated he means to adhere.
    And they are forceful proposals, a real "paradigm change.” In particular on what Kasper himself maintains to be the problem of problems, communion for the divorced and remarried, to which he dedicated more than half of his two-hour talk.
    As www.chiesa had already anticipated in two articles, the touchstone of Kasper's proposals was the Church of the first centuries, which was also "confronted with concepts and models of marriage and family much different from those preached by Jesus."
    In the face of the present-day challenge, Kasper prefaced that "our position today cannot be a liberal adaptation to the 'status quo', but a radical position that goes to the roots, that goes to the Gospel."
    In order to verify if that is true or not - for various cardinals who took part in the debate, it is not - the following are the crucial passages.

Cardinal Walter Kasper Promotes a "Pastoral" Solution for Practical Catholic "Divorce"

[.....] It is easy to imagine how the annulment of marriages would spread, introducing de facto Catholic divorce, if not by law, incurring devastating damage to the human good. Cardinal Kasper seems to be aware of this, since he adds: “It would be wrong to look for a solution to the problem only in a generous widening of the procedures in the annulment of marriages.” It is necessary “to take into consideration also the most difficult question in the matrimonial situation, ratified and consummated between two baptized, where communion in matrimonial life has been irremediably broken and one or both of the spouses have contracted a second, civil marriage.” At this point Kasper cites a declaration from the [Congregation for the] Doctrine of the Faith in 1994, according to which divorced and remarried people cannot receive Sacramental communion, but can receive the spiritual one. This is a declaration in line with the Tradition of the Church. But the Cardinal leaps ahead, by asking this question: “Whoever receives spiritual communion is one with Jesus Christ, how then can he be in contradiction with the commandment of Christ? So, why can he not then receive Sacramental communion? If we exclude divorced and remarried Christians from the sacraments (…) do we not perhaps put up for discussion the fundamental sacramental structure of the Church?"[.....]

Prof. Roberto de Mattei, What God hat joined together... and The Cultural Revolution of Cardinal Kasper, 3-1-2014

Note: Below is an article from an interview with "Pope Francis' theologian." Unnamed Catholics who defend unnamed immutable moral truths are smeared as "fanatics" by the "pope's theologian" for taking "non-negotiable principles too far." He says, "The problem is that fanatics end up turning certain principles into a never-ending battle and deliberately only ever focus on these issues." And what is more, "Some have even claimed that all Church teachings depend and are based on non-negotiable principles (sic)." He continues, "For example, it is no good opposing same-sex marriage because people tend to see us as a group of resentful, cruel, insensitive, over-the-top even, individuals." The "fanatics" fail to understand that, "The moral issues in question need to be contextualised in order to be understood fully." To this "theologian", St. John the Baptist is a "fanatic." And the Blessed Virgin Mary's message at Fatima who preached the message to stop offending God is "resentful, cruel, insensitive, (and) over-the-top." The truth is that Catholic morality is "based on non-negotiable principles" for which countless saints have given their lives. It is at least good to hear an admission that the Novus Odro moral and doctrinal "truths" are not.

Pope’s theologian discusses the distortion of non-negotiable principles

Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández, Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, speaks about the “Francis project” in a book-length interview with Vatican correspondent Paolo Rodari

Andrea Tornielli : vatican city : 03/3/2014

“The problem is that fanatics end up turning certain principles into a never-ending battle and deliberately only ever focus on these issues,” Mgr. Víctor Manuel Fernández, Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina said, referring to “non negotiable” values as they are called. Fernández, who was nominated archbishop by Pope Francis, was interviewed by Vatican correspondent Paolo Rodari (who writes for Italian daily La Repubblica) and their discussion became a book entitled “Il progetto di Francesco. Dove vuole portare la Chiesa” (“The Francis project. Where he wants to take the Church”, EMI publications, pp.142, €10,90)

Some questions dealt with Francis’ approach to ethical issues, an area that is currently being hotly debated. This is evident from how people have embraced certain appeals the Pope has made, especially ecclesial movements, people who cannot express their Christian identity fully without making enemies and having to put up a fight. “The moral issues in question need to be contextualised in order to be understood fully. This means having a context that is closer to home as well as a broader one,” Fernández said.

This broader context which Francis talks about in the Evangelii Gaudium “is the kerygma, it is an invitation to an encounter with God who loves and saves people and for this reason presents us with the possibility of a better life. This is what it means to “make hearts burn” and this is the most important thing. Presumably, when the Church goes on about philosophical or natural law-related questions, it does so in order to create a dialogue with non believers on moral issues. And yet by using dated philosophical arguments, the Church is not at all convincing and it misses the chance to proclaim the beauty of Jesus Christ’s ability to set people’s hearts on fire. Said philosophical arguments do nothing to change people’s lives. But if we manage to set others’ hearts on fire or at least show them what’s so attractive about the Gospel, then people will be more willing to discuss and reflect on answers regarding morality.”

According to the Argentinean theologian “there also needs to be reference to a context close to home, that is always positive in light of what is being considered or proposed. For example, it is no good opposing same-sex marriage because people tend to see us as a group of resentful, cruel, insensitive, over-the-top even, individuals. It is an entirely different thing to talk about the beauty of marriage and the harmony of differences that form part of an alliance between a man and woman. This positive context speaks for itself when it comes to showing that the use of the same term “marriage” to describe same-sex unions, in unsuitable.”

Fernández believes some have taken non negotiable principles too far, “distorting Benedict XVI’s teaching.” “Some have even claimed that all Church teachings depend and are based on non negotiable principles. This certainly is heresy! To claim that Jesus Christ, his resurrection, fraternal love and all that the Gospel teaches us depends on ethical principles is a distortion of Christianity.”

“For example,” Fernández goes on to say, “the Pope stands firm in his opposition to abortion because if he does not defend the innocence of human life, we aren’t left with many other arguments with which to defend human rights. Of course this is not negotiable, but it doesn’t mean that certain moral principles are the source of all other truths of the Christian faith. The crux of our faith, which sheds light on everything, is not this, but the kerygma. This is the only way to understand the key role played by the “truth hierarchy” which this Pope wants to restore. The problem is that fanatics end up turning certain principles into a never-ending battle and deliberately only ever focus on these issues.”

Francis, the Argentinean theologian said in his interview with Rodari, “is asking us to embrace a certain style, to give things the right balance and focus. The Pope asks us not to “always” focus “exclusively” on certain moral principles for two reasons: so that we don’t put people off by being too over-insistent and above all so that we don’t destroy the harmony of our message. Radical circles within the Church ridicule the Pope when they say: “now the Pope forbids us to talk about these issues.” This is a lie and defaming the Pope is immoral. They are all moral when they discuss issues that interest them but not when it comes to other issues.”

“Up until two years ago some people would never have accepted the Pope’s words being questioned but now all sorts of critical comments are being spread and written about Pope Francis. This is no reflection of faith, it is an ideological battle: I’ll defend the Pope if he defends my own opinions.” The theologian concludes by saying that “if we look at each case individually, there are other aspects that are not negotiable: loving one’s neighbour, seeking justice for the oppressed, being honest in business dealings…”

Remedial Theology 101:

1. There is no "encounter (of sanctifying grace) with God," without repentance of sin.

2. There is no "kerygma" without preaching repentance of sin.

3. The will to do good and avoid evil is the necessary presupposition for cooperating with actual grace and the openness to truth.

4. Doctrine is the primary determinate of morals. Bad morals will, in turn, lead to false doctrine.

5. Doctrines are hierarchical and the morals they determine are hierarchical.

6. Dogma, infallibly defined doctrinal truth, and the Natural Law are the "non-negotiable principles" on which all morality is based.

7. Catholic "morals" are not "values" but objectively known truths governing human acts.

8. Same-sex marriage is a grave disorder that violates natural law and divine law. Its perversion is known to all men and cannot be "contextualized" into a lesser crime or apparent good.

9. Catholics must defend God's moral order when and where that moral order is attacked.

10. Only a member of the homosexual lobby would ever argue that those opposing same-sex "marriage" and defending the Catholic family are seen as "resentful, cruel, insensitive, (and) over-the-top individuals."

11. Vatican II led to secularization of the Catholic state which in turn led to "legal" divorce.

12. "Legal" divorce led to a proliferation of contraception, adultery, abortion, sexual perversion, and now, same-sex "marriage."

13. The homosexual "theologian" undermines Catholic opposition to same-sex "marriage" because he sees that it will ultimately lead to a rejection of Vatican II's pastoral policies, and thus, a rejection of homosexual theology.

14. Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández is a member of the homosexual lobby. His "theology" has an agenda to promote.

Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.[.....] Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.[.....] For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you in the water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.

St. John the Baptist

Note: Do penance (Paenitentiam agite). Which word, according to the use of the scriptures and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exercises.

Motus In Fine Velocior

[......]The events succeed one another more quickly. The Latin motus in fine velocior is commonly used to indicate the faster passing of the time at the end of an historical period. The multiplication of events, in fact, shortens the course of time, which in itself does not exist outside of the things that flow. Time, says Aristotle, is the measure of movement (Physics, IV, 219 b). More precisely we define it as the duration of changeable things. God is eternal precisely because He is immutable: every moment has its cause in Him, but nothing in Him changes. The more one distances himself from God the more chaos, produced by the change, increases.

February 11 (the announcement by Benedict XVI to resign) marked the start of an acceleration of time, which is the consequence of a movement which is becoming vertiginous. We are living through an historical hour which is not necessarily the end of times, but certainly the end of a civilization and the termination of an epoch in the life of the Church. If at the end of this epoch, the clergy and lay Catholics do not take their responsibility very seriously, there will inevitably be realized that fate which the visionary of Fatima saw unveiled before her own eyes:

And we saw in an immense light that is God: “something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it” a Bishop dressed in White “we had the impression that it was the Holy Father.” Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious were going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.

The dramatic vision of May 13 should be more than sufficient to urge us to meditate, pray and act. The city is already in ruins and the enemy soldiers are at the gates. He who loves the Church let him defend Her, to hasten the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Roberto de Mattei, Motus In Fine Velocior, Catholic Historian, February 12, 2014

This Gospel (of St. John) refutes all heresies.

St. Thomas, Prologue of his Commentary on the Gospel of St. John

This Article has been repudiated by the former Bishop of Rome, Joseph Ratzinger. To put an end to the scandal he must give up the title, the white cassock, the coat of arms, the Vatican, etc.....

THE TWO POPES AND US. - WHAT IS TRULY HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH?

On February 11th the anniversary of the “renunciation” of the papacy by Benedict XVI was remembered. On February 28 it will be a year since the end of his pontificate. But in recent days what happened in the Vatican a year ago is ever more mysterious. And what is the true nature of the “retirement” of Benedict XVI?

ALWAYS POPE

In previous cases, in fact, popes who resign have always returned to their status as cardinal or religious: five months after he abdicated, the famous Celestine V, elected in 1294, returned to being the hermit Peter of Morrone.

And the legitimate Pope Gregory XII, who, in order to repair the great Western Schism retired from the papal office on July 4, 1415, was reinstated to the Sacred College with the title of Cardinal Angelo Correr, serving as papal legate in Marche.

Given the precedents, the same spokesman for Benedict, Father Federico Lombardi, during a briefing with reporters on 20 February last year, in answer to the question “and if he decides to call himself Pope Emeritus?”, said: “I would rule it out. ‘Emeritus’ is a bishop who, even after resignation, maintains a link ... in the case of the Petrine ministry it is better to keep things separate.”

Famous last words. Just one week later, on February 26, the same Father Lombardi had to communicate that Benedict XVI would remain precisely “Pope Emeritus” or “Roman Pontiff Emeritus,” retaining the title of “His Holiness.” He would no longer wear the ring of the fisherman and would dress in a simple white cassock.

In these days Benedict XVI also refused to change his papal coat of arms, rejecting both a return to the heraldry of a cardinal and the coat of arms of a Pope Emeritus. He will keep the coat of arms of a Pope, with the keys of Peter.

What does all of this mean? Obviously excluded is any personal vanity for a man who has given proof of total detachment from worldly positions (here it involves matters theological, not worldly goods).

So, there can be only a weighty historico-ecclesial reason, probably related to the motives for his retirement (for which so many pressed unduly). But what is this reason?

POPE FOREVER

The only official explanation lies in his speech of February 27, 2013, the one in which he clarified the limits of his decision:

“Here, allow me to go back once again to 19 April 2005. The real gravity of the decision was also due to the fact that from that moment on I was duty bound always and forever to the Lord.”

Attention: I emphasize that expression “always and forever” because the Pope then explained it thus:

“Always—anyone who accepts the Petrine ministry no longer has any privacy. He belongs always and completely to everyone, to the whole Church (...) he no longer belongs to himself….”

Then he added, and I quote:

“The ‘always’ is also a ‘forever’—there is no longer a return to the private sphere. My decision to resign the active exercise of the ministry does not revoke this.”

It is amazing that a statement of this sort passed unnoticed. If words have meaning, in fact, here Benedict XVI says he renounces “active exercise of the ministry,” but the Petrine ministry, as such, is “forever” and is not revoked. In the sense that his resignation applies only to “active exercise” and not to the Petrine ministry.

What other meaning can these words have? I do not see it. Hence we must ask what kind of “resignation” was that of Benedict XVI.

That speech of February 27 seemed consistently to confirm the distinction between “active exercise” and “passive exercise” of the Petrine ministry.

He said, in fact: “I no longer bear the power of office for the governance of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, in the enclosure of Saint Peter. Saint Benedict, whose name I bear as Pope, will be a great example for me in this. He showed us the way for a life that, whether active or passive, is completely given over to the work of God.”

To the fact of these words, and the words “forever” and “ministry not revoked,” were then added the acts of which we have spoken, that is, the permanence of the name Benedict XVI, the dress, the title “His Holiness,” and the pontifical coat of arms.

IN COMMUNION WITH FRANCIS

Moreover, perfectly recognized by Pope Francis, who on February 11 broadcast this tweet: “Today I invite you to pray for His Holiness Benedict XVI, a man of great courage and humility.”

This is a totally new situation in the history of the Church. In past centuries, in fact there have been, again and again, conflicts between popes and anti-popes, even three at a time.

There had never been, instead, two popes in communion, who recognized each other in the process. I said “two popes,” considering that one of the two is the previous pope, become “Pope Emeritus,” and that involves a completely unheard-of figure.

What in fact is his theological status? And what does “retirement” from only the “active exercise” of the Petrine ministry mean?

Benedict XVI, speaking to the cardinals before the conclave, anticipated his reverence for and obedience to his successor. This in fact is the attitude of Benedict toward Francis. The communion between the two was made visible when they co-wrote the encyclical “Lumen fidei.”

But it is striking that in their filmed encounter at Castel Gandolfo, as well as in the ceremony held in the Vatican gardens to bless the statue of St. Michael, you see the two men of God who embrace each another as brothers, and from neither of the two the gesture of kissing the Ring of the Fisherman. It makes one wonder: who is the Pope?

A SECRET BETWEEN THEM

Is there perhaps a secret, between them, which the world ignores? Or are they to be considered on the same level? We know that cannot be because the Church’s divine constitution can have only one Pope. But then?

There are new and surprising problems in light of which some may also assign unexpected meanings to certain gestures of Francis, such as presenting himself on the balcony of St. Peter only as “Bishop of Rome,” without pontifical vestments, or the lack of the pallium in his Papal coat of arms (the pallium is now the symbol of the pontifical coronation, having replaced the papal tiara).

Of course people who are now trying to pit one against the other are acting arbitrarily. Moreover, some Lefebvrians and the sedevacantists who question the authority of Francis are equally hostile to Benedict.

The constant prayer of Benedict for Francis and the Church is perhaps the great prophetic sign of this historic moment.

However, one cannot pretend that everything is normal, because the situation is almost apocalyptic. And one cannot avoid the questions: about the reasons for the resignation of Benedict, about how many desired it, about the undue pressure they caused. And about his current status.

AN ERA NEVER SEEN BEFORE

In the days following the announcement of the resignation, before he had specified his new situation, even Civiltà Cattolica, like Father Lombardi, had committed a gaffe.

In fact, it published an essay by the canonist Gianfranco Ghirlanda where it was affirmed: “It is clear that a pope who has resigned is no longer pope, and thus no longer has any power in the Church and cannot meddle in any affair of government. It can be asked what title Benedict XVI will retain. We think there should be attributed to him the title of Bishop Emeritus of Rome, like every other diocesan bishop who resigns.”

In any case, not “Pope Emeritus.” But Benedict has chosen to be precisely “Pope Emeritus.” There must be a very serious reason for deciding to “continue” thus. And the consequences are obvious. His are very important signals sent to those who have to understand them, and to the whole Church.

He signals that he continues to defend the treasure of the Church, albeit in a new way. And he seems to repeat what he said during his inaugural Mass: “Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.”

Antonio Socci, Italian Journalist and author, from Il Libero, February 16, 2014

"But it did not last long."

I saw many pastors cherishing dangerous ideas against the Church. . . . They built a large, singular, extravagant church which was to embrace all creeds with equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics, and all denominations, a true communion of the unholy with one shepherd and one flock. There was to be a Pope, a salaried Pope, without possessions. All was made ready, many things finished; but, in place of an altar, were only abomination and desolation. Such was the new church to be, and it was for it that he had set fire to the old one; but God designed otherwise.
Blessed Anna Katherine Emmerich

I saw also the relationship between the two popes.... I saw how baleful would be the consequences of this false church. I saw it increase in size; heretics of every kind came into the city of Rome. The local clergy grew lukewarm, and I saw a great darkness... Then, the vision seemed to extend on every side. Whole Catholic communities were being oppressed, harassed, confined, and deprived of their freedom. I saw many churches close down, great miseries everywhere, wars and bloodshed. A wild and ignorant mob took to violent action. But it did not last long.
Blessed Anna Katherine Emmerich, May 13, 1820

Msgr. Ricca is a notorious homosexual pederast whose history was exposed in detail by Sandro Magister -

The Prelate of the Gay Lobby http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350561?eng=y

Monsignor Ricca Still In Place, Bishop Francis Keeps Giving Scandal

A few days after his return to Rome, Pope Francis was more clear. He had the secretariat of state informed that Monsignor Battista Ricca “will remain in his position.”

And thus with him there will remain intact the glaring contradiction between the work of housecleaning and reorganization of the Roman curia that Pope Francis has repeatedly said he wants and the “prelate” of his appointment in whom he continues to place his trust, a perfect emblem precisely of those scandalous behaviors and of those “lobbies” of power which should be swept away. Mundabor, 2/25/2014

Pope Francis and Msgr. Ricca exchange affections

Why are those responsible for this disaster on the fast-track to canonization?

Certainly the results (of Vatican II) seem cruelly opposed to the expectations of everyone, beginning with those of Pope John XXIII and then of Pope Paul VI: expected was a new Catholic unity and instead we have been exposed to dissension which, to use the words of Pope Paul VI, seems to have gone from self-criticism to self-destruction. Expected was a new enthusiasm and many wound up discouraged and bored. Expected was a great step forward, instead we find ourselves faced with a progressive process of decadence which has developed for the most part under the sign of a calling back to the Council, and has therefore contributed to discrediting it for many. The net result therefore seems negative. I am repeating here what I said ten years after the conclusion of the work: it is incontrovertible that this period has definitely been unfavorable for the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 1984

Vatican II –Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known. Matt 12:23

    Vatican City - The Vatican on Thursday warned Italy's bishops against letting deserted churches be transformed into nightclubs if the decision was taken to sell the places of worship.
    Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's new culture commissar, urged "the greatest caution" after announcing that Roman Catholic churches with few worshippers could be sold off.
  He gave the example of a church in Hungary which was "transformed into a nightclub and where striptease took place on the altar."
    The archbishop, who is president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said dwindling numbers of worshippers at some churches meant it now made sense to sell, or even destroy, the buildings.
"Faced with falling number of worshippers, a phenomenon which we are also unfortunately witnessing in the center of Rome, churches without any artistic value and which need significant work can be sold or destroyed," he told reporters.
    Italian bishops' groups would be responsible for deciding whether the sites should be sold, said Ravasi, adding each case would be separately assessed.

Neo-Catechumenal Way: The "New Ecclesial Reality" Recently Sent by Pope Francis to Convert the Catholic Faithful

Their Novus Ordo: What Bugnini Really had in Mind!

Pope Francis "cannot understand the younger generation wishing to return" to the immemorial Roman rite of Mass. Therefore, he concludes, "it is rather a kind of fashion" that "does not need much attention."

When we were discussing those who are fond of the ancient liturgy and wish to return to it, it was evident that the Pope speaks with great affection, attention, and sensitivity for all in order not to hurt anyone. However, he made a quite strong statement when he said that he understands when the old generation returns to what it experienced, but that he cannot understand the younger generation wishing to return to it. "When I search more thoroughly - the Pope said - I find that it is rather a kind of fashion [in Czech: 'móda', Italian 'moda']. And if it is a fashion, therefore it is a matter that does not need that much attention. It is just necessary to show some patience and kindness to people who are addicted to a certain fashion. But I consider greatly important to go deep into things, because if we do not go deep, no liturgical form, this or that one, can save us."

Archbishop Jan Graubner of Olomouc, relating Pope Francis' reply to a question regarding the Latin Mass during his address to the Bishops of Czech Republic during their ad limina visit to Rome, February 14, 2014, Vatican Radio

Anyone Expect This Bishop to be Excommunicated from the Catholic Church?

Bishop Ackermann Sets Himself Openly Against Rome: Sex Before Marriage is Not a Mortal Sin

The Bishop of Trier would completely change sexual ethics of the Catholic Church: New marriage after divorce is no "permanent mortal sin." Homosexuality for the bishop no longer "unnatural". February 6, 2014

(kath.net) Trier Catholics who hold to the teaching of the Catholic Church, currently have it difficult and can expect no support from their pastors in Germany. Several German-speaking bishops have, it appears, firmly resolved to remake the moral teaching of the Catholic Church again. Compared to the Rhein Main Presse the Bishop of Trier, Stephen Ackermann said, now that it no longer fits the times when "a new marriage after divorce is regarded as permanent state of mortal sin".

When it comes to birth control, the Bishop then pled ignorance and even said: "The distinction of natural and artificial contraception is also somehow artificial. I'm afraid that no one understands it any more.." Ackermann would naturally make large concessions also the subject of "homosexuality". "Based on the Holy Scriptures, which referred to it as a wicked aberration [See Gen 19, 1-29, Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:10;. 1 Tim 1, 10], the Church's tradition has always declared 'that homosexual acts are disordered,'" as it is stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For Ackermann, obviously, this is an outdated idea. To the newspaper, he says, despite this clear finding of the Church, "the Christian image of man is based on the polarity of the sexes, but we cannot just say that homosexuality is unnatural."

Eponymous Flower web posting

"A Dark Cloud of Fog Instead of a Head"

I saw a strange church being built against every rule.... No angels were supervising the building operations. In that church, nothing came from high above... There was only division and chaos. It is probably a church of human creation, following the latest fashion, as well as the new heterodox church of Rome, which seems of the same kind... I saw all sorts of people, things, doctrines, and opinions. There was something proud, presumptuous, and violent about it, and they seemed to be very successful. I did not see a single Angel nor a single saint helping in the work. But far away in the background, I saw a laughing figure which said: 'Do build it as solid as you can; we will pull it to the ground'.... Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities. A few had only a body, with a dark cloud of fog instead of a head. Others had only a head, their bodies and hearts were like thick vapors. Some were lame; others were paralytics; others were asleep or staggering.

Blessed Anna Katherine Emmerich, Yves Dupont, Catholic Prophecy

Purgation Now with Merit, or Purgatory Later Without

When I look to God, I see no gate to Paradise, and yet he who wishes to enter there does so, because God is all mercy. God stands before us with open arms to receive us into His glory. But well I see the divine essence to be of such purity, far greater than can be imagined, that the soul in which there is even the least note of imperfection would rather cast itself into a thousand Hells than find itself thus stained in the presence of the Divine Majesty. Therefore the soul, understanding that Purgatory had been ordained to take away those stains, casts itself therein, and seems to itself to have found great mercy in that it can rid itself there of the impediment that is the stain of sin. No tongue can tell nor explain, no mind understand, the grievousness of Purgatory. But although I see that there is in Purgatory as much pain as in Hell, I yet see the soul that has the least stain of imperfection accepting Purgatory as though it were a mercy, as I have said, and holding its pains of no account as compared with the least stain that hinders a soul in its love. I seem to see that the pain that souls in Purgatory endure because of that in them which displeases God (that is, what they have willfully done against His great goodness) is greater than any other pain they feel in Purgatory. And this is because they see the truth and the grievousness of the hindrance that prevents them from drawing near to God, since they are in grace.

St. Catherine of Genoa, Purgation and Purgatory

When we pray, "Thy Will Be Done"-

And so I wish you to understand with Whom you deal, so to speak. Remember what it is the good Jesus offers to the Father for you and what you give Him when you ask that His will be done in you, for the two are but one thing. Do not be afraid that it is His will to give you riches, pleasures, and honors, or any other worldly advantage. He loves you too much for that. He values your gift to Him so highly and is so eager to repay you generously that He gives you His kingdom, even in this life. Would you like to see how He treats those who sincerely make this petition? Then ask His glorious Son, Who offered this same prayer to Him in the Garden. With firm resolution and with His whole will, He prayed that the Father's will be done. Behold how the Father accomplished it. He delivered Him to labors and sufferings, to maltreatment and persecution until, finally, the Son ended His life on the Cross. You see here, my daughters, what He gave to Him Whom He most loved. From this we learn His will.

St. Teresa, Way of Perfection

Margaret asked: “My Lord, what shall I do that I may live to the end in Thee? For because of the great sweetness I have tasted I am become bold, and do not consider Thy greatness with due fear, nor do I think of mine own lowliness.”

The Lord replied: “My child, keep a pure mind. And because that thy prayer was pleasing to Me when thou didst pray thou mightest be subject to all creatures, I command thee henceforth to subject thyself not only to Me but to all creatures in so far as it will redound to My glory, and for love of Me to hold thyself contemptible in the sight of all mankind, imitating my example; for I made Myself subject to all men and willed that they should hold me in contempt. And this humble lowering of thyself will exalt thee amongst the blessed who are in heaven. And be thou white in thine innocence and ruddy in thy love; for thou art the third light granted to the Order of My beloved Francis. He is the first light, shining in the Order of the Friars Minor; the Blessed Clare is the second light, shining in the order of the Nuns; and thou art the third light, in the order of the Penitents.”

Fr. Cuthbert, O.F.M., The Life and Legend of St. Margaret of Cortona, (https://archive.org/details/cu31924029423500)

My daughter, I see more Pharisees among Christians than there were around Pilate.

St. Margaret of Cortona

“And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?”

“Mutual respect… Freedom to practice one’s religion… Freedom to follow one’s conscience without suffering ostracism or persecution,” is extended to every error, but, has and will never be extended by the Novus Ordo hypocrites toward Catholic tradition and truth.

Ever since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has placed special emphasis on the importance of dialogue and cooperation with the followers of other religions. In order to be fruitful, this requires reciprocity on the part of all partners in dialogue and the followers of other religions. I am thinking in particular of situations in some parts of the world, where cooperation and dialogue between religions calls for mutual respect, the freedom to practise one’s religion and to engage in acts of public worship, and the freedom to follow one’s conscience without suffering ostracism or persecution, even after conversion from one religion to another. Once such a respect and openness has been established, peoples of all religions will work together effectively for peace and mutual understanding, and so give a convincing witness before the world.

Pope Benedict XVI, St. Mary’s University College, London, September 17, 2010

Important Notice: This excerpt taken from an editorial by Italian reporter, Sandro Magister, illustrates the method that will soon be used to corrupt the Catholic teaching on the Sacrament of Matrimony while at the same time meeting the ecumenical imperative to legitimize the schismatic and heretical Orthodox Church's teaching that multiple marriages and divorces are permitted. There is no evidence that the "second marriages" referred to by the Council of Nicaea, Canon 8, means anything other than a second marriage only after the death of a first spouse. Canon 8 specifically refers to the Cathari, which literally means "pure," a general term first applied to Manichæans and later to several other heretical sects. The Cathari were dualists who considered matter evil and therefore all carnal relationships evil. They were opposed to all marriages. The Novatianists, whose teachings are generally known through secondary sources, later joined in common cause with their fellow heretics, the Montanists, who explicitly adopted "prohibitions against remarriage following the death of a spouse." Canon 8 required the Novatinaists (and others) as a condition of being brought back into the Catholic Church, that they not refuse communion with either those who had repented and performed public penance after falling away from the faith during times of persecution, or those who had entered a legitimate second marriage after the death of their first spouse. This approach to corrupting Catholic doctrinal and moral teaching by historical appeals to very selective patristic sources taken entirely out of context is nothing new and has been repeatedly used by Modernists since Vatican II in their war against Dogma. Their lies in promoting the Novus Ordo and other liturgical innovations, such as 'communion in the hand,' as being a return to the purity of earlier Church praxis have been thoroughly exposed time and again. What is always and everywhere characteristic of this method of corruption is that it leads to the adoption of a practice that corrupts established immemorial tradition and damages the faith while, at the same time, it never, ever, recommends the adoption of the rigorous liturgical prayer and penitential practices of the early Church.

When the Church of Rome Forgave Second Marriages (sic)

During the first centuries the divorced and remarried were pardoned of their sins and given communion, but later this practice was abandoned in the West. Today Pope Francis has brought it back onto the field, while the dueling goes on among the cardinals

by Sandro Magister : ROME, January 31, 2014

     ...... Attention to how the Church of the first centuries addressed the question of the divorced and remarried has been called back recently by a priest of Genoa, Giovanni Cereti, a scholar of patristics and ecumenism as well as being for more than thirty years an assistant of the movement of conjugal spirituality of the Equipes Notre-Dame.
  A few months ago Cereti republished a scholarly study he published for the first time in 1977 and then again in 1998, entitled: "Divorce, new marriages, and penance in the primitive Church."
    The centerpiece of this study - replete with references to the Fathers of the Church at grips with the problem of second marriages - is canon 8 of the Council of Nicaea of 325, the first of the great ecumenical councils of the Church, the authority of which has always been recognized by all Christians.

Canon 8 of the Council of Nicaea says:
"As for those who call themselves pure (cathari) if they should wish to enter the catholic Church, this holy and great council establishes [. . .] before all else that they should declare openly, in writing, that they accept and follow the teachings of the catholic Church: and that is that they will enter into communion both with those who have gone on to second marriages and with those who have lapsed in the persecutions, for whom the time and circumstances of penance have been established, so as to follow in everything the decisions of the catholic and apostolic Church."

    The "pure" to whom the canon refers are the Novatianists, the rigorists of the time, intransigent to the point of definitive rupture both with remarried adulterers and with those who had apostatized to save their lives, even if afterward they had repented, been subjected to penance, and been absolved of their sin.
    In demanding of the Novatianists, in order to be readmitted into the Church, that they "enter into communion" with these categories of persons, the Council of Nicaea was therefore reiterating the power of the Church to forgive any sin whatsoever and to receive into full communion again even the "digami," meaning remarried adulterers and apostates. (N.B.: the Latin word "digami" only refers to a second marriage after the death or divorce of a first spouse).
    Since then, two tendencies with regard to the divorced and remarried have coexisted in Christianity, one more rigorist and one more inclined to forgiveness. During the second millennium, the former came to hold sway in the Church of Rome. But before that there was room for the practice of forgiveness in the West as well.
    The newly created cardinal Müller, in his note in "L'Osservatore Romano," writes that "in patristic times, divorced members of the faithful who had civilly remarried could not even be readmitted to the sacraments after a period of penance." But immediately after that he recognizes that "from time to time pastoral solutions were sought for very rare borderline cases."
    Ratzinger adhered more closely to the historical reality, in a text from 1998 republished on November 30, 2011 in multiple languages in "L'Osservatore Romano," which sums up as follows the status of the question according to the most recent studies:
    "It is claimed that the current magisterium relies on only one strand of the patristic tradition, and not on the whole legacy of the ancient Church. Although the Fathers clearly held fast to the doctrinal principle of the indissolubility of marriage, some of them tolerated a certain flexibility on the pastoral level with regard to difficult individual cases. On this basis Eastern Churches separated from Rome later developed alongside the principle of akribia, fidelity to revealed truth, that of oikonomia, benevolent leniency in difficult situations. Without renouncing the doctrine of the indissolubility of marriage, in some cases they permit a second and even a third marriage, which is distinct, however, from the sacramental first marriage and is marked by a penitential character. Some say that this practice has never been explicitly condemned by the Catholic Church. They claim that the 1980 Synod of Bishops proposed to study this tradition thoroughly, in order to allow the mercy of God to be more resplendent."
    Further on, in the same text, Ratzinger points to Saint Leo the Great and other Fathers of the Church as those who "sought pastoral solutions for rare borderline cases" and recognizes that "in the Imperial Church after Constantine a greater flexibility and readiness for compromise in difficult marital situations was sought."
    The ecumenical council of Nicaea was in fact convened by Constantine himself and its canon 8 expressed precisely this orientation.
    It must also be specified that in that period those who went on to a second marriage and were readmitted into communion with the Church remained with their new spouses.......

She wanted to convert. She listened to Cardinal Ratzinger and died a Lutheran.

Sigrid Spath was the most famous German translator in Rome. She worked in the Jesuit General House, and then in the Vatican, since the days of Paul VI and translated around 70,000 pages of documents from Italian, French, English, Spanish or Polish into German, as well as several texts by Joseph Ratzinger, as Cardinal or Pope, as he also wrote original texts in Italian. The granddaughter of a Lutheran pastor, Spath was born in Villach, Carinthia (Austria), on August 1, 1939, and she died this Sunday, February 2, 2014, in Rome.

May she rest in peace.

Now, the information above comes from the Vatican Radio article on Sigrid Spath, from which we have chosen this remarkable excerpt:

Sigrid Spath translated in these cases [documents written by the Pope in Italian] the German Pope into German. One of her favorite books was Ratzinger's "Introduction to Christianity", dozens of copies of which she gave to Protestant students visiting Rome.

As Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger charged her personally with the German version of particularly sensitive documents, such as his response to the objections of Protestant theologians to the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification of 1999. It was also Cardinal Ratzinger who, according to her own testimony, advised Sigrid Spath to remain a Protestant, and not to convert to the Catholic Church, as she had considered in a moment of crisis. She could do more for both churches if she remained a Protestant, said the Cardinal. The Carinthian remained in the Protestant Christuskirche in Rome [the Evangelical-Lutheran community of Rome] throughout her life.

Rorate Caeli, web post

A corruption of praxis, no matter how long of duration, is still a corruption and has no standing.

The reasoning is completely baseless because 50 years is not a sufficient span of time for the Church to derive a liturgical customary law. In addition, the reason for the direction of prayer is not the Eucharist, which is also observed in the traditional form, but turning to God, the sacrificial character instead of the character of a meal, the symbolic meaning of the altar cross, the priest and the people are facing and not facing each other, in order to face the East of the returning Christ, the Sun of Righteousness.

Canon Andrea Gianelli, His reply, published in Messa in Latino, to those who complained that his removal of the table in the sanctuary of his parish church and restoration of the traditional altar facing east was a violation of "tradition."

“As in the days of Noe…….”

The Visionary, John Paul II the "Great" - Was this "fruit" of Vatican II anticipated?

I asked the Pope why it was necessary to hold a new Synod on the family after the one held in 1980 and John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation “Familiaris Consortio”. The Pope replied that these dealt with things as they were 30 years ago but most families today are no longer what they were back then. We have separations, extended families, many people who bring children up on their own, surrogate mothers, childless marriages, not to mention unions between people of the same sex. Back in 1980, none of these things was on the horizon.

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, head of the Council of Eight Cardinals

O God, as I have so often offended Thee to-day, I will not add to my other sins the crowning offence of despairing of Thy mercy. Full well I know, O Lord, that I am unworthy of pardon, but the blood that Thou hast shed for me emboldens me to look for forgiveness.

St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

Love of Good, of the real good, must be the motive of all human activity. Through love man grows, and society grows with him. Love, under the control of right reason, is the force that will make the world fit for man and man fit for God.

Fr. Walter Farrell, O.P., S.T.M., Pocket Edition of St. Thomas

Pope Francis with Commissar Volpi, the man Pope Francis has entrusted to bring about the destruction of the Franciscans of the Immaculate because of their conservative inclinations. The bald injustice of this act has even honest liberal Catholics outraged. No act to date more concretely demonstrates the vicious hypocrisy of the Vatican Modernists nor reveals their true hatred for our holy religion.

Rolling_Stone.tif

Pope Francis: The Times They Are A-Changin'

Inside the Pope's gentle revolution: by Mark Binelli : JANUARY 28, 2014

......While much of this sounds like wishful thinking, they also have a point: The pope's tonal changes don't necessarily signal a wild swing from tradition. Francis has ruled out the ordination of women, for example, and he still considers abortion an evil. But those obsessed with contextualizing Francis would do well to take a look at the impromptu press conference he granted last summer to gathered Vaticanisti (members of the Vatican press corps) during the flight back from a trip to Rio. Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, told me he'd expected the press conference would go about 20 minutes. It lasted for nearly 90, and ended up including the pope's famous "Who am I to judge?" response, which is normally the only part of the exchange that's quoted. But reading the full transcript or, better yet, watching longer excerpts on YouTube helps to convey the true context. A reporter asks Francis, who is standing at the head of the aisle, about the existence of a "gay lobby" within the Vatican. Francis begins by making a joke, saying he hasn't yet run into anyone with a special gay identification card. But then his face becomes serious and, gesturing for emphasis, he says it's important to distinguish between lobbies, which are bad – "A lobby of the greedy, a lobby of politicians, a lobby of Masons, so many lobbies!" he says later in the press conference – and individual gay people who are well-intentioned and seeking God. It's while speaking to the latter point that he makes the "Who am I to judge?" remark, and this part of the video is really worth watching, because, aside from the entirely mind-blowing fact of a supposedly infallible pope asking this question at all, his answer is never really translated properly. What he actually says is, "Mah, who am I to judge?" In Italian, mah is an interjection with no exact English parallel, sort of the verbal equivalent of an emphatic shrug. My dad's use of mah most often precedes his resignedly pouring another splash of grappa into his coffee. The closest translation I can come up with is "Look, who the hell knows?" If you watch the video, Francis even pinches his fingers together for extra Italian emphasis. Then he flashes a knowing smirk.......

“First so that men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner who comes to me with a contrite heart. For I am the Mother of Mercy and in me there is only goodness and love. When tribulations of spirit and sufferings of the body oppress them and they seem to be drowning in this bottomless sea let them gaze at my holy image and I will always be there ready to listen to their cries and soothe their pain. Tell them that they should always run to their Mother with confidence and love...”

Blessed Virgin Mary to Mother Mariana, Quito, Ecuador, February 2, 1610

“…. I make it known to you that from the end of the 19th century and shortly after the middle of the 20th century…. the passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of customs (morals)….

“They will focus principally on the children in order to sustain this general corruption. Woe to the children of these times! It will be difficult to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, and also that of Confirmation…

“As for the Sacrament of Matrimony… it will be attacked and deeply profaned… The Catholic spirit will rapidly decay; the precious light of the Faith will gradually be extinguished… Added to this will be the effects of secular education, which will be one reason for the dearth of priestly and religious vocations.

“The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be ridiculed, oppressed, and despised… The Devil will try to persecute the ministers of the Lord in every possible way; he will labor with cruel and subtle astuteness to deviate them from the spirit of their vocation and will corrupt many of them. These depraved priests, who will scandalize the Christian people, will make the hatred of bad Catholics and the enemies of the Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church fall upon all priests…

“Further, in these unhappy times, there will be unbridled luxury, which will ensnare the rest into sin and conquer innumerable frivolous souls, who will be lost. Innocence will almost no longer be found in children, nor modesty in women. In this supreme moment of need of the Church, the one who should speak will fall silent.”

Blessed Virgin Mary to Mother Mariana

In a symbolic gesture, Pope Francis released "Doves of Peace" only to have one killed by a crow and the other disabled by a seagull. The same thing happened to Pope Benedict XVI when his "Doves of Peace" were attacked by seagulls. The Blessed Virgin Mary has revealed her own plan for peace. She requires only that the Pope, in ecclesiastical unity with the bishops of the world, consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart. For this simple act of obedience she will obtain from God the grace of a "period of peace" for the world. God is the author of and has a poetic sense. Like the flooding at Fatima there is a message here. How many more "doves of peace" will have to be mutilated until the Pope connects the dots?

Remember the Poor Souls

PRAYER TO FREE 1000 SOULS FROM PURGATORY:

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000
Souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well.

ETERNAL FATHER, I OFFER THEE THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THY DIVINE SON,
JESUS, IN UNION WITH THE MASSES SAID THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TODAY, FOR ALL THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY, FOR SINNERS EVERYWHERE, FOR SINNERS IN THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH, THOSE IN MY OWN HOME AND WITHIN MY FAMILY. AMEN

Heroic Act of Charity to Benefit the Poor Souls
O Holy and Adorable Trinity, desiring to co-operate in the deliverance of the Souls in Purgatory, and to testify my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I cede and renounce in behalf of those Holy Souls all the satisfactory part of my works, and all the suffrages which may be given to me after my death, consigning them entirely into the hands of the most Blessed Virgin, that she may apply them according to her good pleasure to those Souls of the faithful departed whom she desires to deliver from their sufferings. Deign, O my God, to accept and bless this offering which I make to Thee at this moment. Amen

"Only one-fifth of the Catholic population now goes to Mass." Is anyone surprised?

Roman Catholics decline in England, Wales Trevor Grundy | Jan 7, 2014

CANTERBURY, England (RNS) The number of Roman Catholic adherents in England and Wales fell by more than 90,000 in 2012, despite a wave of immigrants from Poland and other Eastern European countries with historically Catholic backgrounds. Prominent Catholics say the recent wave of sex abuse scandals involving priests and children is responsible for the decline. According to research by the Pastoral Research Centre Trust, an independent research organization, population increases, baptisms and the reception of newly confirmed and older people into the church should have added 31,873 people to the Catholic rolls in 2012. At the end of 2011, there were 4.1 million Catholics in England and Wales, but in the next 12 months it fell back to 4 million. The number of Catholics attending Mass has fallen to 858,000 in 2012, from 985,000 in 2001, suggesting that only one-fifth of the Catholic population now goes to Mass....

Daily Examination of Conscience

The troubled waters of venial offenses rise daily in the hold of our hearts; whoever, then, wishes not to perish, let him empty out every day, as sailors do the hold of a ship, by a careful and contrite Examination of Conscience.

St Augustine

Virtue, cannot grow in the company of vice. If the one is to flourish, the other must perish. Clear away, then, what is superfluous and vicious, and that which is wholesome and virtuous will at once spring up. Whatever you withhold from your lusts will turn to the profit and advantage of your spiritual life. Therefore, let us take heed to cut down by a diligent self-examination the noxious growth of faults, vices, and defects, if we wish to see the flowers of every virtue bloom forth in the garden of our souls.

St Bernard

St Paul says, "If we judge ourselves we shall not be judged". If we examine and search into our conscience, submitting it to a rigorous trial, and if, when we discover any sins, we wash them away with tears of contrition, we shall not be judged by God; in other words, we shall escape punishment at His awful judgment.

Rev. Cornelius a Lapide

The Neocatechumenal Way, a new "ecclesial reality" is sent to "evangelize." The problem is that they do not profess the Catholic Faith.

Pope to Neocatechumenal Way: build ecclesial communion, evangelize with love

Vatican Radio 2-1-2014

Pope Francis met with about 8,000 members of the Neocatechumenal Way on Saturday in the Paul VI Hall. During the audience, with a solemn prayer and blessing, the Pope sent off members of the community on mission to countries throughout the world. Prior to the blessing, he addressed the members of the Neocatechumenal Way.
Dear brothers and sisters,
     I thank the Lord for the joy of your faith and for the ardor of your Christian witness. Thanks be to God. I greet you all cordially, starting from the International Responsible Team of the Neocatechumenal Way, together with the priests, seminarians and catechists. I send an affectionate greeting to the children, in attendance in great number. My thoughts go out in a special way to the families, who will go out to different parts of the world to proclaim and witness to the Gospel. The Church is grateful for your generosity! I thank you for all that you do in the Church and in the world. And precisely in the name of the Church, our Mother,... I would like to propose to you some simple recommendations.
     The first is to have the utmost care to build and to preserve the communion within the particular Churches in which you will work. The Way has its own charism and dynamic, a gift, which like all of the gifts of the Spirit, has a profound ecclesial dimension; this means paying attention to the life of the Churches to which your leaders send you, to enhance the riches, to suffer for the weaknesses if necessary, and to walk together, like one flock, under the guidance of the pastors of the local Churches. Communion is essential sometimes it can be better to renounce living in all the details that your itinerary demands, in order to ensure the unity among those who form one ecclesial community, of which you must always feel that you are part.
     Another recommendation: wherever you may go, it would do you well to think that the Spirit of God always gets there ahead of us. The Lord always precedes us! ... Even in the most faraway places, even in the most diverse cultures, God scatters everywhere the seeds of his Word. From here, flows the necessity to give special attention to the cultural context in which you, families, will go to work: it consists of an environment often very different from the one from which you come. Many of you will have to work hard to learn the local language, sometimes it will be difficult, and this effort is appreciated. Even more important will be your commitment to “learn” the culture you will encounter, knowing how to recognize the need of the Gospel, which is present wherever, but also that action that the Holy Spirit has accomplished in the life and in the history of every people.
     Finally, I exhort you to care lovingly for each other, in a particular way for the weakest. The Neocatechumenal Way, as an itinerary of discovery of one’s own baptism, is a demanding road, along which a brother or a sister can come upon unforeseen difficulties. In these cases, the exercise of patience and of mercy on the part of the community is a sign of maturity in the faith. The freedom of each person must not be forced, and even the eventual choice of someone who decides to seek, outside of the Way, other forms of Christian life that help him to grow in the response to the call of the Lord must be respected.
     Dear families, brothers and sisters, I encourage you to bring everywhere, even in the most de-Christianized environments, especially in the existential peripheries, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Evangelize with love, bring to everyone the love of God. Tell everyone you will meet on the streets of your mission that God loves man as he is, even with his limits, with his mistakes, with his sins. For this, he sent his Son, so that he could take our sins upon himself. Be messengers and witnesses of the infinite goodness and the inexhaustible mercy of the Father. I entrust you to the Virgin Mary, that she may inspire and always sustain your apostolate. In the school of this tender Mother, be zealous and joyful missionaries.

Red Shoes must be out of style - they represent the blood of the Martyrs.

Pope Francis Is Esquire’s ‘Best Dressed Man of 2013′

By Christina Ng : Jan 1, 2014

Not only is Pope Francis Time’s “Person of the Year,” but he’s also the “Best Dressed Man of 2013,” according to Esquire Magazine. Not bad for a man who has been pope for less than a year.

“An unconventional choice to be sure, but hear us out,” Esquire began in its announcement of their best dressed man.

“While Bradley Cooper, Chris Pine, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have all had banner years, their sartorial choices begin and end on the proverbial red carpet,” Esquire said. “Meanwhile, Pope Francis’ sartorial decisions have subtly signaled a new era (and for many, renewed hope) for the Catholic Church.”

The popular pope has been hailed for rejecting any hints of luxury or opulence.

He has shunned the bubble-like popemobile and limos used by previous popes in favor of a small, used Renault car. He personally called his local Argentine kiosk owner to cancel his newspaper delivery after being elected pope and paid his own hotel bill. He chose not to wear the red leather shoes favored by Pope Benedict XVI when he was elected, instead wearing his black shoes from Buenos Aires.

"Crosses are a symbol that hurts Jewish feelings… They did not have to take them off, just hide them. I’ve never encountered a Christian who has refused including the Pope."

Rabbi Shamble Rabinovitch, his comment after barring fourteen Austrian Catholic bishops from visiting the “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem because they refused to remove the crucifixes they were wearing.

The Most Holy Virgin in these lasts times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary, to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal, or above all, spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families, of the families of the world or of religious communities, or even of the life of peoples and nations that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Rosary! With the Holy Rosary we will save ourselves. We will sanctify ourselves. We will console our Lord and obtain the salvation of many souls.

Sr. Lucy of Fatima on the Rosary

Cardinal O'Malley - member of the Pope Francis' Cardinal Club of Eight Advisors

Cardinal O'Malley's Methodist reaffirmation

O'Malley's Methodist baptism.jpg Less than a year and a half ago, Sean Cardinal O'Malley traveled from Boston to Washington, D.C. to attend a traditional Latin Requiem High Mass for U.S. pro-life leader Nellie Gray, and spoke from the pulpit after the funeral. Also during the pontificate of Benedict XVI, Cardinal O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, administered the sacrament of confirmation using the traditional Latin books at his cathedral.

Fast-forward to the current pontificate, when Cardinal O'Malley is, as one secular publication observed, "the only North American member of the Cabinet that Francis formed to advise him." The charity toward traditional Catholics quickly changed.

Now we have learned Cardinal O'Malley proactively asked a female Methodist minister to "re-affirm" his baptism with an "anointing" at a Protestant church this month in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

Rorate Caeli web page

Patriot_Ledger.tif

“What moved me was not so much that I was anointing him,” she said. “It was him being willing to accept that from my hand – to ask me, as a woman in ministry, to do that.”

A Rhode Island native, the Rev. [Anne] Robertson was the only female clergy member who assisted at a special 50th anniversary worship service at Sudbury United Methodist Church.

As part of Sunday’s anniversary service, the 500 who filled Sudbury United Methodist to overflowing were invited to receive a drop of consecrated water on their forehead and be told, “Remember your baptism and be thankful.” The ritual resembles the ceremonial receiving of ashes on Ash Wednesday, but isn’t a formal United Methodist sacrament.

Cardinal O’Malley and New England United Methodist Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar led the ritual in the sanctuary. The Rev. Robertson and a Catholic priest were on their way with small bowls of water to a side room, for others watching the service on a large-screen TV.

She paused with the priest at the cardinal’s pew, so they could receive the baptism water from Cardinal O’Malley. The next moment, the cardinal quietly asked the Rev. Robertson to administer the water for him.

“My heart immediately went to my throat,” she said. “To be asked that by the man who might be pope someday – I was stunned. I was choking back tears for hours.”

All ceremonies are professions of faith, in which the interior worship of God consists. Now man can make profession of his inward faith, by deeds as well as by words: and in either profession, if he makes a false declaration, he sins mortally.

St. Thomas Aquinas, (ST, I-II, Q. 103, Art. 4)

Just what is this comment intended to mean?

Francis: Same-sex couples pose new educational challenges

The Pope mentioned this in his speech to Superiors-General of religious orders. We must be careful not to “administer a vaccine against faith” to children of same-sex couples : vatican insider staff : rome 01/ 4/2014

From an educational point of view, same-sex unions “provide us with new challenges which sometimes are difficult for us to understand,” (Pope) Francis said in the speech he gave to superiors general last 29 November, published by Italian Jesuit journal, La Civiltà Cattolica. We must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith to the children of same-sax couples.

A fair question - IS Pope Francis a member of the homosexual lobby?

“I remember the case of a very sad little girl who finally confided to her teacher the reason for her state of mind: ‘my mother’s (female) fiancé doesn’t like me.’ The percentage of children studying in schools who have separated parents is very high. The situation in which we live now provides us with new challenges which sometimes are difficult for us to understand. How can we proclaim Christ to these boys and girls? How can we proclaim Christ to a generation that is changing? We must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith to them.”

Pope Francis, address to Superiors-General of Religious Orders, Civiltà Cattolica

N.B.: The English translation says "mother's fiancé" leaving out of the word the gender which is incorrect. The original Italian text quoting the words of the Pope said that the “little girl” is “sad” because her mother’s “fidanzata” did not like her — fidanzata, that is, her “fiancée” (a woman engaged to be married), not “fiancé” (a man engaged to be married), as translated.

Readers Digest Version of an Encyclopedic Discourse

Pope Francis confesses grave doubts about his own "Hypocritical" religious formation. He admits to getting the "Creeps." Directs Religious Superiors to end the “Novice Business” and "Caress Conflicts" with "Tenderness." Confesses that religious orders have been producing "Heartless... Little Monsters" over last fifty years that have been "Forming the People of God" into "Little Monsters" populating an "Unfeeling World" largely overseen by his great predecessors, Benedict XVI-Ratzinger and John Paul II. Identifies "Fundamentalism" with anti-neomodernism. And so on, and so on, and so on, and so on.....

Pope Francis said, “You have to form the heart, or we will make little monsters. And then, these little monsters form the people of God. That gives me the creeps.” Among other topics covered, the Jesuit magazine Civiltà Cattolica writes: “the complexity of life between grace and sin, the Prophetic being in our world; the brotherhood, the indictment of the novice trade; hypocrisy and fundamentalism; praise for Pope Benedict XVI's fight against (sic) child sexual abuse by clergy and the importance of charisms and the pressing challenges; the relationship between the religious and the bishops, the need of tenderness 'to caress conflicts,' and a 'jolt to awaken our unfeeling world.'”

Pope Francis, Address to Superiors-General of Religious Orders, Civiltà Cattolica, November 29, 2013

The Crimes of JP II the "Great"

- if somehow he made it to Purgatory - ask him to turn out the lights and lock the place up when he is the dead last to leave.

John Paul II was a pope under whose reign we had the most horrific scandal in the Church's 2000-year history. Thousands of children were molested by priests and bishops he ordained. By the end of his pontificate, lawsuits were bankrupting Catholic Churches all over the world; and between one third and one half of the clergy (sources available upon request) were admittedly homosexual, with a significant percentage being pederasts whom the pope didn't even admit existed when he was told of their crimes, much less did anything to stop them, even when stark evidence was brought before him, as in the case of Legionnaires leader Marciel Maciel. At the same time he hid other clerics from prosecution, as in the case of Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston.

This was the pope who allowed the Vatican Bank's corruption that started under Paul VI to continue with little or no reform; and who protected its chief perpetrator, Bishop Paul Marcinkus, from prosecution. He did nothing to investigate the suspected murder of John Paul I, the very pope who made it known in the first days of his reign that he was going to clean up the financial misdealings of his curia. This was the pope who took 250 million dollars of the Vatican's money and gave it to Solidarity in Poland, thereby making the Church a political institution instead of a spiritual one. By the same token he condemned Liberation theology because if its tendency to get involved in politics.

This was the pope who went to the hut of an African witch doctor in 1985 and afterward wrote, "the prayer meeting in the sanctuary at Lake Togo was particularly striking. There I prayed for the first time with animists." In December 1984 he sent a Vatican representative to the laying of the foundation of the largest mosque in Europe. In September 1989 he wrote to Muslim leaders and said: "In the name of the same God we adore," without any qualifications whatsoever. In May 1999 he kissed the Koran in a public ceremony; and in 2000 asked John the Baptist "to protect Islam." In February 1986 he received the red dust of the Hindu religion on his forehead in honor of the goddess Shiva. In March 1986 in New Delhi he stated that "collaboration between all religions is necessary for the good of mankind... as Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, and Christians, we unite to proclaim the truth about man."

This was the pope who invited all the world's non-Christian and pagan religions to pray for world peace at Assisi in 1986 and Assisi in 2002 (with five additional Assisi-like gatherings in the 1990s in various countries) and never once in those 16 years did he preach the Gospel to them about conversion to Christ for salvation. Instead he sent them all back to their countries encouraging them to continue to pray to their false gods, the very opposite that St. Paul did in Acts 17. He paid no attention to any of his high-placed clerical advisors who told him these acts were abominations.

This was the pope who, against two millennia of Catholic tradition, told husbands to be mutually submissive to women; dispensed with head coverings for women; and allowed women and girls to be communion ministers, altar girls, and directors of chanceries, thereby increasing the feminization of the Church amidst an already feminized clergy who were by this time at least a third homosexual, while another significant portion were receiving paternity suits.

This was the pope who profusely apologized for the ecclesiastical policies of previous popes; who had his Vatican envoy sign the 1998 Lutheran/Catholic Joint declaration which, in direct contradiction to the Council of Trent, said "man is justified by faith alone." This was the pope who told the Lutherans they had a "profound religiousness and spiritual heritage" and that Martin Luther was driven by a "burning passion of the question of eternal salvation," and who told the Lutheran bishops that Rome's excommunication of Luther had expired, and that "There is a need for a new evaluation of the questions raised by Luther and his teaching." This was the pope who implied or taught universal salvation and that hell may not be applicable to any human being. This was the pope who at the very beginning of his pontificate in the 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis used the word "church" 150 times but never once mentioned the word "Catholic." This was the pope who continually sided with liberals like Karl Rahner, Urs von Balthasar and Raymond Brown but who would hardly give an ear to those, such as Archbishop Lefebvre, who wanted to preserve the tradition and who decried the anti-Catholic innovations being foisted on the Catholic populace. (Fortunately, Pope Benedict XVI saw John Paul II's mistake and reversed the decision against Lefebvre). This was the pope who was criticized by his own admirers for failing to discipline wayward clerics, both in their doctrinal aberrations and moral laxity (Charles Curran, Edward Schillebeeckx, Hans Kung, et al). Ironically, the only cleric that was excommunicated was Lefebvre, yet he was one of the most doctrinally sound and morally upright clerics the Church had ever known.

This was the pope who in 1981, contrary to tradition, implied or taught that the Jewish Old Covenant is not revoked and that Jews have a special relationship with God, as does Paragraph 121 of his papally-signed 1994 Catechism. He continued to propagate confusing and doctrinally fallacious teaching about the Jews and Judaism through his cardinals who taught that the Jews did not need to convert to Christianity to be saved since they have their own covenant with God (Kasper, Keeler, Willebrands, George, Ratzinger, et al). This was the first pope in history to visit Israel and who then placed himself under Judaism by praying at the Jerusalem's Wailing Wall. This was the pope who, for the first time in the history of the papacy, visited and prayed in Jewish synagogues - the religion that denies more than any other that Jesus Christ is God.

Last but not least, this was the pope who changed the Church's criterion for sainthood, which now allows him and all his fellow 20th century popes to be easily canonized in the face of the fact that there have been only three popes canonized since 1294 (Pius X, d. 1914; Pius V, d. 1572; Celestine V, d. 1294). As such, the very popes who lived and reigned during the Church's worst corruptions and scandals are now being exonerated and place in heaven.

Robert Sungenis, Ph.D., excerpt of a Letter to Editor, Culture Wars Magazine

Remedial Catechism 101: Pope Francis identifies a Pagan as a Christian "who doesn't want to serve."

It is an ugly thing when you see a Christian who doesn’t want to humble himself, who doesn’t want to serve, a Christian who struts about everywhere: it’s ugly, eh? That is not a Christian: that’s a pagan!

Pope Francis, General Audience, Vatican Radio, 12-18-13

Antonio Socci is a liberal Italian journalist. He is justly scandalized by the Vatican Jackbooted Apparatchiks SWAT team tactics against the Franciscans of the Immaculate. He likens it to a new "Inquisition" and asks, "Does the 'Pope of Kindness' know anything about it?" - IT was the "Pope of Kindness" who appointed Commissar Volpi, it was the "Pope of Kindness" who met with Commissar Volpi on 12/8/13, and it was the "Pope of Kindness" who told the Franciscans on January 1, 2014 at the Basilica of St. Mary Major to "cooperate [collaborare] with the Commissioner."

IN THE VATICAN THERE IS A NEW INQUISITION BY PROGRESSIVE CATHOLICS. THEY ARE PERSECUTING THE “FRANCISCANS OF THE IMMACULATE” WITH GREAT TENACITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE FAITH AND A LOT OF VOCATIONS. IT IS A DISGRACE!!! …BUT DOES THE POPE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

Antonio Socci : Libero - January 5, 2014

    Does the Pope know what they are doing (in his name) to the “Franciscans of the Immaculate”? Just two days ago Francis rightly stated that “ the Gospel is not proclaimed with beatings, but with love and kindness.”
    Yet, without reason or wrongdoing on their part, the Franciscans of the Immaculate have been stormed, thrashed and trashed. They are razing to the ground one of the few religious orders which is orthodox and full of vocations (and which was esteemed and supported by Benedict XVI).
    The worst thing is that the destruction is being perpetrated in the name of Francis. But is it possible that the Pope of kindness approves of these methods and persecution?
THEY ARE AIMING TO STRIKE THE BEST
    Moreover, the “Franciscans of the Immaculate” in the all-over disaster of religious orders (without vocations, often in doctrinal and disciplinary crisis, with many well-known errors) should be held as an example: in fact they live radically in poverty - living by charity, they have many vocations, lead a tough ascetic life, they do many works of charity for the poor and outcast, proclaim the Good News with missionary zeal and are obedient to the Church (during these past months of repression they have suffered everything in meekness and silence).
    Many of the faithful have been shocked at the great tenacity by which the FFI have been targeted. There are people who are crying because of the forced removal of these good friars from the communities where they had been working up until now.
    I have never had anything to do with them [directly] but, as an impartial observer, I admire them. And I wonder: why is there such harshness against religious who represent a great example of life and are a true spiritual reference for the faithful?
    And yet, never has there been such great tenacity not even in the cases of religious, priests and theologians where there were great doctrinal or disciplinary problems (and others).
    For example, the post-Council era was a catastrophe. Tens of thousands threw away their religious habit: “ideas contrasting the revealed Truth which had always been taught, were scattered around [everywhere]” affirmed John Paul II, “very real heresies were spread, in the fields of dogma and morals, creating doubts, confusion, rebellion and the Liturgy was even tampered with; immersed in “intellectual and moral relativism, and therefore in permissiveness, Christians have been tempted to atheism , agnosticism, vaguely moralistic illuminism, and by a sociological Christianity lacking defined dogmas and objective morality.”
THE JESUIT DISASTER
    Also the Society of Jesus, as Bergoglio knows well, has been in the eye of the storm too and some of its members have fostered theological confusion. Yet there were no measures taken against them like the ones adopted today against the “Franciscans of the Immaculate”
    According to official statistics from 1965 (when the Council ended) to 2005, the Members of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) fell by 45 per cent, the Salesians by 45 percent, the Friars Minor by 41per cent, the Capuchins by 29 per cent, the Benedictines by 35 percent and the Dominicans by 39 per cent.
    By contrast the “Franciscans of the Immaculate” a religious family founded in the Seventies, by Father Stefano Maria Manelli and Father Gabriele Maria Pellettieri, immediately attracted many vocations.
    Recognized by the Church in 1990, with a pontifical decree in 1998, today there are around 400 friars in 55 houses worldwide and the same number of sisters with 47 houses around the globe. Also vocations – which are languishing in every diocese - are growing at an impressionable rate with the FFI. A community indeed blessed by God.
    So, last July 11, the Vatican Congregation for Religious decided to target this flourishing religious family with an external commissioner.
PERSECUTION
    Since then, the founder, Father Stefano Manelli, has been forced into isolation (his friars cannot write to him, nor telephone him, nor go and visit him, not speak with him in any way); all of the friars who had roles of responsibility were exiled to remote places, sometimes abroad; the lay movements linked to the Congregation have been put into hibernation; the seminary has been closed and ordinations for deacons and priests suspended.
    The commissioner was unable to take hold of the magazines published by the Order because they belong to lay people, so he forbade the religious of the Congregation to collaborate with them. In substance, an iron fist was used.
    No-one can believe that the Pontiff of tenderness wanted or authorized such a thing. The contradiction between his teaching (“love and kindness, not beatings) and the concrete practice, which brings to mind the ghosts of the Inquisition, would be too great. It is also true that in the past the Inquisition - whose methods were swept away thanks to Joseph Ratzinger - targeted several saints during the course of its history.
    The last one was Padre Pio. As is well-known the saintly Capuchin, between 1960 and 1961, had to endure very harsh restrictive and punitive measures – under the so-called “Good Pope”. They were totally unjust, as was demonstrated in his complete rehabilitation by Paul VI and in the canonization of the stigmatized friar by John Paul II.
    It is surprising that a saint like him was so persecuted, while at the same time in the Church they were praising theologians like Karl Rahner, who Roncalli nominated among the consultants of Vatican II.
    Rahner had a very evil influence on post-concilar theology (it is enough to know that Hans Kung was his worthy pupil). His theory of “ anonymous Christians” was real poison. Nevertheless Rahner is still untouchable today. There are theologians that dare to put up for discussion the dogmas of the Catholic Faith, Our Lady and the saints. But Rahner cannot be discussed.
    On the contrary, among the courageous initiatives of theological reflection that “the Franciscans of the Immaculate” embarked on in the past years, was in fact a conference of studies significantly entitled “Karl Rahner: a critical analysis”. This, in net contrast to the dominant “progressive theology” of today.
DARK INQUISITORS
    Many suspect that facts of this kind contributed in making the “Franciscans of the Immaculate” a target for the clerical powers, where today sit ecclesiastics who in the past, had a part in “Liberation Theology” such as the Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, who is the actual head of the Congregation which decided on the external commissioning.
    In an interview some time ago, the prelate told of how he experienced that phase of his life, but curiously, there he did not agree with the condemnation of the errors of Liberation Theology which was signed by both John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger. Rather he affirmed: I remain convinced from that experience, that anyway, something great happened for the entire Church.”
    Yes – a great catastrophe.
    And now we have new “progressive” disasters, like the annihilation of the “Franciscans of the Immaculate”. If these Friars had been followers of Rahner, Kung or Liberation Theology, their persecution would have stirred up a scandal in the media. Instead they are faithful to the Church, so nobody defends them.
    There are those who sustain that this is a sort of oblique vendetta against Benedict XVI for the “Motu Proprio” which liberalized the Traditional Mass. It provoked strong reactions and opposition in the Curia and among bishops.
    Whereas the “Franciscans of the Immaculate” faithfully carried out the “Motu proprio” because they wanted to be in communion with the Pope. Is this then their wrongdoing?
    I believe that their destruction will damage the present Pope greatly. As it annihilates a precious charisma for the Church and it will bring grist to the mill of the “Lefebvrians” who have attacked Bergoglio publically. Now the “Lefebvrians” can say: “See, in Francis’ Church there is room for everyone, except for Catholics.”
    Having always defended the Pontiff from these attacks, I hope that by being informed of the facts, he will bring an end to this incredible persecution as soon as possible and reestablish truth and justice.

There are differences in style between Francis and Benedict but not in matters of faith – Archbishop Georg Gänswein

By Deacon Nick Donnelly, on October 11th, 2013

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the Pontifical Household and the personal secretary of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, has said in an interview in the German magazine Bunte that there are differences in style between Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict but not in matters of faith. The Tablet reports: ‘Asked how close the relationship between Pope Francis and his predecessor was, Archbishop Gänswein differences lay in certain matters of style and taste but not in matters of faith. The biggest difference between them was the way they approached people, Archbishop Gänswein said. Pope Francis walked straight up to people and loved to embrace everyone while Pope Benedict was more reticent, loved peace and quiet and tended to withdraw from crowds, he said.’ [.....] Bunte reports: ‘Pope Francis often visits his predecessor and phones him.” This relationship between the two is warm and trusting,” Archbishop Gänswein also talks about his relationship with Pope Francis, ‘We have a very cordial relationship. Francis Pope says clearly what he wants and what he does not. He is decisive and appreciates the direct word. He listens to advice and takes reasonable suggestions like.’ Protect the Pope comment: After the series of interviews that Pope Francis has given to the press which have unsettled at best, or deeply upset and alienated at worse, faithful and loyal Catholics, it is time that the Holy Father and his inner circle reach out to to real Catholics. Archbishop Georg Gänswein’s interview with Bunte may be the first step in such overtures. There is a long way to go and a lot of bridges have to be re-built.

Hermeneutics of Continuity/Discontinuity

Novus Ordo Church Seeks Convergence of Faiths for Fellowship

Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense. We need to get to know each other, listen to each other and improve our knowledge of the world around us. Sometimes after a meeting I want to arrange another one because new ideas are born and I discover new needs. This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas.

Pope Francis

Do you need to convince the other to become Catholic? No, no, no! Go out and meet him, he is your brother. This is enough. Go out and help him and Jesus will do the rest.

Pope Francis, August 7, 2013

The Church does not engage in proselytism. Instead, she grows by "attraction"- just as Christ "draws all to himself" by the power of his love, culminating in the sacrifice of the Cross, so the Church fulfills her mission to the extent that, in union with Christ, she accomplishes every one of her works in spiritual and practical imitation of the love of her Lord.

Benedict XVI, Aparecida in 2007, a gathering of the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAM) which had a great impact on Cardinal Bergoglio. (Note: the Aparecida document from the South American Bishop's Conference is the structural outline for the "new evangelization."

Roman Catholic Church Seeks Conversion to the Revealed Truth of God for Salvation

"Nicolas, the PROSELYTE of Antioch" - If only he had known that "the Church does not engage in proselytism."

And the saying was liked by all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

Acts of Apostles 6:5

"Faith then cometh by hearing."

For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For, with the heart, we believe unto justice; but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith: Whosoever believeth in him, shall not be confounded. For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be sent, as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of them that bring glad tidings of good things! But all do not obey the gospel. For Isaias saith: Lord, who hath believed our report? Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ. St. Paul, Romans 10:9-17

[Footnote: Thou shalt be saved; To "confess the Lord Jesus," and to "call upon the name of the Lord" is not barely the professing a belief in the person of Christ; but moreover, implies a belief of his whole doctrine, and an obedience to his law; without which, the calling him Lord will save no man. St. Matt. 7. 21.]

COMMENT: The Frenetic "New Things...Church of Motion" - Another application of the old dictum, 'Form Follows Function' - "Pope Francis means by reform: making sure that instruments and structures better serve the mission of the Church.” We ask, What "Mission"? The reply, "We are not presented with any specific goals or any specific picture of how tomorrow’s Church will need to be organized to achieve this (unknown) goal.” He might just as well have said - 'If we don't do something people will think we don't know what we are doing. Anyway, at least, if you are moving they won't think you're dead.'

Fr. Lombardi: “For the Pope reform is above all about the Gospel not about new structures”

The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, talks to Vatican Radio about Francis’s work and actions: vatican insider staff - Rome - 12/27/2013

[......] “Pope Francis really has set the Church on its way, with great strength and he has set it on its way with his example, his effort and with various messages and initiatives – think of the new Synod on the family; think of how he has encouraged the renewal of the Church and of our lives,” Lombardi said.

I believe that what distinguishes Pope Francis’ spirituality and leadership in a special way is the fact that we are constantly in motion, trying to find the new things which God asks of us in our daily lives. We are now part of a Church in motion. We are not presented with any specific goals or any specific picture of how tomorrow’s Church will need to be organized to achieve this goal.”

“The purpose or value of the all-important structural changes, the reforms that everyone is talking about, is primarily to ensure that the Church’s structures, instruments and organizations are indeed serving the spirit and announcement of the Gospel. This is what Pope Francis means by reform: making sure that instruments and structures better serve the mission of the Church.”

This isn't merely a Catholic concern. With the decline of the Catholic Church, the West as a whole has lost its moral center of gravity. There is no longer a huge, adamantine conservative institution to exert the restraining influence the Church once did. Before the Council, nobody in American public life dared to advocate abortion, and even in private life people were ashamed of fornication and contraception. Since the Council, madly centrifugal forces have prevailed everywhere. No wonder many people feel that Satan is at the wheel.

Joe Sobran

Liberal enthusiasm for the Council, even more than the, (too few!) conservative qualms, should have been a warning. Looking back, it seems obvious - to me, at least - that the Council was conceived and conducted in the heady optimism of the early Sixties. This mood affected, or infected, even the Church's hierarchy. The reforms came without the caveats and restraints that, as we see now only too well, should have accompanied them if they were to be adopted at all. Does anyone still believe in the ecumenical movement that was one of the Council's great hopes? Like the Great Society (of Johnson), it now seems an old dream from which we have sadly awakened, amid much ruin..... The Council should have warned us most sternly that misapplications of its reforms might produce such evil that it would have been better it the Council had never happened at all : massive defections from the Church, weakened faith, immorality, sacrilege, confusion, and, above all the damnation of countless souls.

Joe Sobran, 2003

On the Infallible Word of God - Perhaps "august body" should be in quotation marks

The premise on which my paper is based is that over the last thirty-five years orthodox Catholic Scripture scholarship has not simply lost a major battle; it has lost an entire war. It has been devastated, and almost completely wiped off the map. Dissident, rationalistic, neo-modernist biblical scholarship has been firmly in control ever since the 1960s in nearly all the major Catholic institutions of higher learning, and is clearly insinuated (although not openly spelt out) even in recent documents of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, that august body of twenty or so top-ranking exegetes [Scripture scholars] from round the world which advises the Church's magisterium on biblical matters.

Fr. Brian Harrison, O.S., On Rewriting the Bible, 2002

We have not heard this kind of naïve prognosticating since the halcyon days of Vatican II

Christ is preparing a new spring time all over the earth. I have seen its first fruits and I know that others will joyfully reap the full harvest.

Pope Francis, CELAM, 7-28-13

If anyone despises or rejects any written or unwritten ecclesiastical tradition, anathema sit.

Second Council of Nicea, 787 A.D.

The Neo-Iconoclasts who have spent their lives destroying the doctrinal and spiritual foundations that formed countless Catholic Saints - now offer, in a Church rife with homosexual pederasts, a....

“Revolution of tenderness.... nearness and encounter” -

Pope Francis, CELAM address, 2013

Who regard traditional Catholics as....

The Pelagian solution. This basically appears as a form of restorationism. In dealing with the Church’s problems, a purely disciplinary solution is sought, through the restoration of outdated manners and forms which, even on the cultural level, are no longer meaningful. In Latin America it is usually to be found in small groups, in some new religious congregations, in tendencies to doctrinal or disciplinary “safety”. Basically it is static, although it is capable of inversion, in a process of regression. It seeks to “recover” the lost past.[....] Every utopian (future-oriented) or restorationist (past-oriented) impulse is spiritually unhealthy. God is real and he shows himself in the “today”.

Pope Francis, CELAM, 2013

If anyone wishes to write against this, I will welcome it. For true and false will in no better way be revealed and uncovered than in resistance to a contradiction, according to the saying: "Iron is sharpened by iron." (Prov. 27: I 7). And between us and them may God judge, who is blessed in eternity. Amen.

St. Thomas, On the Perfection of the Spiritual Life

Very pleasing to Me, dearest daughter, is the willing desire to bear every pain and fatigue, even unto death, for the salvation of souls, for the more the soul endures, the more she shows that she loves Me; loving Me she comes to know more of My truth, and the more she knows, the more pain and intolerable grief she feels at the offenses committed against Me. You asked Me to sustain you, and to punish the faults of others in you, and you did not remark that you were really asking for love, light, and knowledge of the truth, since I have already told you that, by the increase of love, grows grief and pain, wherefore he that grows in love grows in grief. Therefore, I say to you all, that you should ask, and it will be given you, for I deny nothing to him who asks of Me in truth. Consider that the love of divine charity is so closely joined in the soul with perfect patience, that neither can leave the soul without the other. For this reason (if the soul elect to love Me) she should elect to endure pains for Me in whatever mode or circumstance I may send them to her. Patience cannot be proved in any other way than by suffering, and patience is united with love as has been said. Therefore bear yourselves with manly courage, for, unless you do so, you will not prove yourselves to be spouses of My Truth, and faithful children, nor of the company of those who relish the taste of My honor, and the salvation of souls.

Our Lord to St. Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena

"All the gods of the gentiles are devils." Ps. 95:5

Pope Francis denigrates traditional Catholics and regards those who keep the immemorial ecclesiastical customs of our Faith as "neo-Pelegians." Bishop Gerhard Müller calls them "schismatics." If the members of Ss. Peter & Paul were really "schismatics" then we would have their "respect" for us, and "respect (for our) religion, its teachings, its symbols, its values.... (our) religious leaders and places of worship."

    ....Turning to mutual respect in interreligious relations, especially between Christians and Muslims, we are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings, its symbols, its values. Particular respect is due to religious leaders and to places of worship. How painful are attacks on one or other of these!
   It is clear that, when we show respect for the religion of our neighbours or when we offer them our good wishes on the occasion of a religious celebration, we simply seek to share their joy, without making reference to the content of their religious convictions.
    Regarding the education of Muslim and Christian youth, we have to bring up our young people to think and speak respectfully of other religions and their followers, and to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions and practices.
    We all know that mutual respect is fundamental in any human relationship, especially among people who profess religious belief. In this way, sincere and lasting friendship can grow.....

Pope Francis, greeting to Mohammedans at the end of Ramadan

Hermeneutics of Continuity/Discontinuity

Pope Pius XII meant what he said and said what he meant

In his Encyclical Pius XII said: the Roman Catholic Church “is” the one Church of Jesus Christ. This seems to express a complete identity, which is why there was no Church outside the Catholic community. However, this is not the case: according to Catholic teaching, which Pius XII obviously also shared, the local Churches of the Eastern Church separated from Rome are authentic local Churches; the communities that sprang from the Reformation are constituted differently, as I just said. In these the Church exists at the moment when the event takes place.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, interview answering objections to Dominus Jesus, September 22, 2000

What we have thus far said of the Universal Church must be understood also of the individual Christian communities, whether Oriental (i.e.: not Orthodox Churches, as Cardinal Ratzinger says, but Oriental Churches united in faith and jurisdiction with the See of Peter) or Latin, which go to makeup the one Catholic Church. For they, too, are ruled by Jesus Christ through the voice of their respective Bishops. Consequently, Bishops must be considered as the more illustrious members of the Universal Church, for they are united by a very special bond to the divine Head of the whole Body and so are rightly called "principal parts of the members of the Lord;" moreover, as far as his own diocese is concerned, each one as a true Shepherd feeds the flock entrusted to him and rules it in the name of Christ. Yet in exercising this office they are not altogether independent, but are subordinate to the lawful authority of the Roman Pontiff, although enjoying the ordinary power of jurisdiction which they receive directly from the same Supreme Pontiff.

Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis

If we would define this true Church of Jesus Christ - which is the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Roman Church - we shall find nothing more noble, more sublime, or more divine than the expression 'the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ'- an expression which springs from and is, as it were, the fair flowering of the repeated teaching of the Sacred Scriptures and the Holy Fathers.

Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis

Some say they are not bound by the doctrine, explained in Our Encyclical Letter of a few years ago (Mystici Corporis), and based on the sources of revelation, which teaches that the Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing. Some reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation.

Pope Pius XII, Humani Generis

St. Peter Favre: Heresy is grounded in the love of vice

This newly canonized saint by "extra-ordinary process" (i.e.: no miracles), is not a 'model of ecumenical dialogue'.

You have more than once written to ask me to trace out some sort of rules for the guidance of those who may desire to labour among heretics for the salvation of others without prejudice to their own. [....] First of all, it is essential that whoever desires to be useful to heretics in our day should both nourish in himself a great affection for them and show it in action, removing from his own mind those unfavourable imaginations which make us think less well of them. The next thing is, to win their goodwill and inclinations to such an extent that they may reciprocate our kind feelings and think well of us. [....] These Lutherans are, as the Apostle says, children led away to their destruction. The first thing that they lose is their piety and power of doing good works; after this comes the loss of the true faith. Hence the work of their redemption should begin by replanting in the will good principles leading to right actions, and then go on to those which lead to a right belief. This order of proceeding is the reverse of that which was followed in the early times of the infant Church, when Gentiles were being converted by the faith. Then, the first thing was to convince unbelievers of their errors, and afterwards, with great prudence, lead them on to the ways of living and acting according to the rules of the faith.

Therefore, if it falls to our lot to have the care of the soul of a person whose intellect is darkened by errors, and at the same time whose heart is full of vices, we must first employ every effort and art to heal him of his vices, and then to convince him of his errors. [.....] Besides this, we should remember what is the principal prop on which these leaders and teachers of heresy rely in maintaining their errors, in opposition to the precepts of the Church and the rules of the holy Fathers. They say that they have not sufficient strength to obey God, and that the Church’s laws and precepts are intolerable to human nature. They ought, therefore, to be encouraged to trust in God with all the energy of their minds, and so to make themselves capable, by His help and grace, not only of keeping the precepts, but of advancing to greater and more perfect things.

My own belief is, that if it were possible, by force of learning and ardent zeal, to persuade Luther himself to root out his vicious inclinations and observe the pious practices of the Church, and so to resolve readily on obeying the precepts, he would by these means alone, without any religious controversy, cease to be a heretic. It is nevertheless true that it demands great force of virtue, and much grace from God, to acquire this interior submission of mind and readiness of will; and, as it is difficult to conceive the existence of such sentiments in these men, steeped as they are in the mire of vice, and wholly estranged from God, there can be little or no hope of bringing them back to a better way. However this may be, it is my opinion that there is more good to be done to the souls of heretics by conversing with them familiarly on the amendment of life, the beauty of virtue, the diligent practice of prayer, the final judgment, eternal punishment, and every subject relating and tending to a reformation of morals, than by confounding them with many arguments and authorities. To sum up the whole briefly, what I say is, that these persons need to be properly incited and encouraged to correct their vicious habits, and to open their hearts to the fear and love of God and the desire of doing good works. By these remedies they will be healed of their spiritual diseases, especially of that disgust for divine things which is found in them, and of their continual mental distraction; for these are not the least of their spiritual maladies, seeing that they have the effect, not only of blunting the edge of their intellects, but of weakening their whole mental and bodily vigour. May, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of men, Who well knows that it is not in the power of His written Word thoroughly to soften their hearts, deign to touch and move the souls of the heretics by His divine grace!

St. Peter Favre, Letter describing his approach for the conversion of heretics

Woe to you when men shall bless you: for according to these things did their

fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:26

Pope Francis was also nominated as "European Communicator of the Year." This award is apparently given to those who talk a lot and say very little. The accolades keep pouring in for Pope Francis from inveterate enemies of Christ and His Church.

B_logo.tif Gay Rights Mag Names Pope Francis' Person of the Year' Despite Same-Sex Marriage Stance

by Dr. Susan Berry 16 Dec 2013

A leading lifestyle magazine that promotes gay rights and same-sex marriage has named Pope Francis its “Person of the Year.”

The December issue of The Advocate features Pope Francis with a “NO H8” message photoshopped on his right cheek. Next to his photo is a quote from the pope’s interview with reporters in July, while en route from Brazil to Rome.

“If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?” the pontiff told reporters.

Pope Francis, who opposes same-sex marriage and vehemently (N.B.: Bergoglio tried to convince the national conference of bishops in Argentina to support legal recognition of homosexual unions without calling them "marriage.") fought its passage while he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, was chosen as The Advocate’s “Person of the Year” over Edie Windsor, of U.S. v. Windsor, the Supreme Court’s DOMA case, whom the magazine refers to as “a hero to LGBT Americans for taking the final punch in the fight against the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act…”

Regarding its choice of Pope Francis, The Advocate states:

Pope Francis is leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics all over the world. There are three times as many Catholics in the world than there are citizens in the United States. Like it or not, what he says makes a difference. Sure, we all know Catholics who fudge on the religion's rules about morality. There's a lot of disagreement, about the role of women, about contraception, and more. But none of that should lead us to underestimate any pope's capacity for persuading hearts and minds in opening to LGBT people, and not only in the U.S. but globally…

Francis's view on how the Catholic Church should approach LGBT people was best explained in his own words during an in-depth interview with America magazine in September. He recalled, “A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person? We must always consider the person.”

In this statement, however, as some bishops have explained, Pope Francis was simply reinforcing what has always been the teaching of the Church: that all persons are to be treated with dignity and respect.

The Advocate, nevertheless, attempts to contrast Pope Francis sharply with his predecessors, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI—who, the publication says, “commanded the influence of the Vatican – until this year.”

John Paul II, The Advocate says, joined then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in declaring homosexuality as “intrinsically evil.”.......

LGBT magazine picks Pope Francis as its Person of the Year

By Eric J. Lyman | Religion News Service, Published: December 17

Rockstar pope? On Background's Nia-Malika Henderson talks with John Allen, chief correspondent for National Catholic Reporter, about how Pope Francis has transformed public opinion of the Catholic Church in the last nine months. ROME — The accolades keep rolling in: Pope Francis was named Person of the Year by The Advocate, the U.S.-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-interest magazine.

It is the second Person of the Year honor in less than a week for the pontiff, who was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year on Dec. 11.

But The Advocate’s recognition of the pontiff is significant because an LGBT publication is such an unlikely place to find homage to a pope.

In its summary, the 46-year-old publication highlighted Francis’ statement that “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?”

“Pope Francis’ stark change in rhetoric from his two predecessors ... makes what he’s done in 2013 all the more daring,” The Advocate editors wrote, noting that both John Paul II and Benedict XVI had been listed among the magazine’s “Phobie Awards” for anti-gay stances during their papacies.

Reflecting on Francis’ time as a priest, bishop and cardinal, the magazine said his record on LGBT issues has been mixed: He once called marriage equality a “destructive attack on God’s plan,” and he has called adoption by same-sex couples a form of discrimination against children.

But because of the pope’s influence as a world leader and his departure from the tone set by previous popes, the magazine’s editors said Francis should be celebrated.

“Like it or not, what (the pope) says makes a difference,” the editors wrote.

The Vatican press office, which said Time’s honor of the pontiff was “unsurprising,” declined to comment on the newest honor.

Hermeneutics of Continuity/Discontinuity

Pope Francis' Ideological Opinion:

For me, ecumenism is a priority. Today, there's the ecumenism of blood. In some countries they kill Christians because they wear a cross or have a Bible, and before killing them they don't ask if they're Anglicans, Lutherans, Catholic or Orthodox. The blood is mixed. For those who kill, we're Christians. We're united in blood, even if among ourselves we still haven't succeeded in taking the necessary steps towards unity and perhaps the moment hasn't arrived. Unity is a grace that we have to ask for. In Hamburg [Germany], I knew a pastor who was working on the beatification cause of a Catholic priest sent to the guillotine by the Nazis because he was teaching catechism to children. After him in the line-up of the condemned was a Lutheran pastor killed for the same reason. Their blood was mixed. The pastor told me he'd gone to his bishop and said to him: 'I'll continue to pursue the cause, but both of them together, not just the Catholic.' That's the ecumenism of blood. It exists today too, all you have to do is read the papers. Those who kill Christians don't ask for our ID cards to know which church you were baptized in. We have to take this reality into consideration.

Pope Francis, Dec. 14 interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa reporter, Andrea Tornielli

Catholic Dogmatic Truth:

The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.

Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Domino

Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known. (Matt. 12:33)

The “Traditional Evangelization” – Conversion to the True Faith in the Catholic Church

· Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned.

Jesus Christ, Mark 16, 15-16

· “There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved.”

Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council 1215

· “We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.”

Pope Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam, 1302

· “The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.”

Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Dominio, 1441

The “Old-New Evangelization” of Vatican II – Ecumenical Convergence replaced Conversion

[According to Lumen Gentium] the Catholic Church has no right to absorb the other Churches... [A] basic unity — of Churches that remain Churches, yet become one Church — must replace the idea of conversion, even though conversion retains its meaningfulness for those in conscience motivated to seek it.

Fr. Josef Ratzinger, Theological Highlights of Vatican II

The Novus Ordo Jackbooted Apparatchik Version of Religious Liberty

Fr. Fidenzio Volpi, is the Apostolic Commissar of the Franciscans of the Immaculata imposed by Pope Francis to suffocate what is called "traditional drift" among "crypto-Lefevbrians" within the Franciscans. Volpi is a surname of Italian origin, meaning foxes. As in, "Go and tell that fox (Herod), Behold, I cast out devils, and do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am consummated" (Lk 13:32). Fr. Vopi's job is to bring to Pope Francis the 'head on a platter' of any traditional leaning Franciscan.

According to the respected Catholic historian and author, Roberto de Mattei, since his imposition as Commissar in July of 2013, Fr. Volpi has, "forbade the celebration of the Holy Mass and the Divine Office in the manner provided in the Motu proprio for the Extraordinary Form (of the Novus Ordo), he dismissed the whole Order leadership, starting with Father Stefano Maria Manelli, who since then is under house arrest, without then having been given to him the reasons why, he dismissed one by one the most loyal collaborators of Father Manelli and sent them every which way, personalities of intellectual and moral greatness, he transferred their duties to dissident brothers who lack preparation and experience, he threatened and punished the brothers, who petitioned to the Holy See and refused to withdraw them; and finally he closed the Order's own seminary on 8 December 2013, during the Solemnity of the Order, and suspended all priests and deaconal ordinations; he imposed an interdict against all publications of religious publishing house Editrice Casa Mariana and forbade their distribution in the Order churches and chapels supervised by the order; he expanded his personal war to the SFO [Tertiaries] and the laity, who are connected to the Order, by forbidding all the activities of MIM (Mission Immaculate Mediatrix) and TOFI (Third Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception); he threatened the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who adhere to the traditional ERte to also have them put under provisional administration and withdrew the two female religious branches, the missionary branch of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and the contemplative branch of the Poor Clares of the Immaculate Conception from the spiritual care of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate Conception, and now finally, he has demanded of all Franciscans of the Immaculate a "Modernist Oath" (i.e.: the "Oath Against Tradition") to the Novus Ordo Missae and the Second Vatican Council."

Roberto Mattei continues, "Even the Vatican expert Marco Tosatti has noticed it and wrote on 4 December, 'What these poor religious men supposed to have done? Have they speculated money, sexually abused minors or maintained an immoral lifestyle? None of that. Truth is that Father Volpi, of his own accord or on behalf of third parties, wants to 'normalize' the Franciscans of the Immaculate in which he wants to make them equal to other declining Orders. To achieve this, it is necessary to convert their spiritual and moral charism, to destroy their internal discipline, stifling the recovery of the traditional rite, to open the Order of corruption by the world as it is - with disastrous results - which is what he and his Capuchin Order have done.'"

St. Thomas Aquinas was not an “Aristotelian,” and the neo-Modernists are not saints

When, in the 13th century, Aristotelian thought entered into contact with Medieval Christianity, formed by the Platonic tradition, and when faith and reason were at risk of entering into an irreconcilable opposition, it was Saint Thomas Aquinas who played the role of mediator in the new encounter between faith and philosophy, thus placing faith in a positive relation with the form of reason dominant in his epoch. […] With Vatican Council II the moment when a new reflection of this type was necessary arrived. […] Let us read it and welcome it, guided by a just hermeneutic.

Benedict XVI, speech of December 22, 2005

The simple fact is that those who have dubbed Thomas with the epithet "Aristotelian" have not hit the mark. This is the reason why the first modern efforts to open up the world of St. Thomas, which date from about 1890, failed. Yet they established an image of Thomas which prevailed for a long time, an image which has in fact prevailed to the present day..... From a purely historical point of view, it is a misinterpretation of what really happened to imagine that young Thomas turned to Aristotelianism because it had become modish and that he thus became an "Aristotelian." This notion literally obstructed any real understanding of Thomas for decades until in recent years it was energetically pointed out that Plato too, Augustine too, the Neo-Platonists Dionysius Areopagita too, are very much very much present and effective in the work of St. Thomas, and that Thomas himself was not unaware of their presence. Thomas frequently defends Plato against Aristotle; he points out that Aristotle, in his polemics, often did not consider the substance of what Plato said, the veritas occulta, but only the superficial phrasing, the sonus verborum. The doctrine of Ideas, the conception of the Creation as following prototypes living within the divine Logos, this central Platonic concept was something that Thomas never abandoned. And a tally of the works of St. Thomas has turned up almost seventeen hundred quotations from Dionysius Areopagita. This will astonish only those who regard intellectual history as a succession of "isms" that replace one another.... For St. Thomas was anything but a participant in the "excessive cult of Aristotle" which had become a fad in his time.

Josef Pieper, Guide to Thomas Aquinas

His friends just call him "Bergoglio"

We were close for a few days, the three daily meals and have shared other moments both public and private. We talked about everything: about dialogue, but also about the journey that we will do together to Israel [.....] Together we have celebrated the beginning of Shabbat, he was by my side when I recited the Kiddush and has broken challah, which Zion Evrony, the Israeli Ambassador, brought to the Holy See. They were unforgettable days and I think that they have a value that goes beyond the affection and confidence that has always connected us [.....] "Important signal": "I see great value in Bergoglio's comments against proselytism. It is a point on which he insists with a special emphasis and gets even more weight when we think of the evangelizing framework within which these statements were made...... But now, the Pope speaks of it (of evangelization) only to introduce Catholics to the faith.

Rabbi Abraham Skorka from Argentina, interview for the Jewish monthly Pagine Ebraiche, which was reproduced in Osservatore Romano November 25, about his visit to the Community of Sant'Egidio in Rome as a "personal guest of Bergolio in Santa Maria."

The fruit of the ‘old post-Vatican II evangelization’ in the U. S.

No other major faith in the U.S. has experienced greater net losses over the last few decades as a result of changes in religious affiliation than the Catholic Church. Nearly one-third (31.4%) of U.S. adults say they were raised Catholic. Today, however, only 23.9% of adults say they are affiliated with the Catholic Church, a net loss of 7.5 percentage points. Overall, roughly one-third of those who were raised Catholic have left the church, and approximately one-in-ten American adults are former Catholics.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

It is unlikely, it is extremely unlikely, that any new plan of evangelical action could succeed unless there is first a clear understanding why the ‘old new-evangelization’ from the heady springtime of Vatican II failed. And better yet, a clear understanding why the traditional evangelization before Vatican II worked. If Pope Benedict’s recent trip to Germany is an example of the practical application of the “new evangelization”, they may find that what looks like the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ is nothing but the glow from the fires of hell. Are we plunging deeper into the great apostasy?

For care must be taken lest, in the so-called "irenic" spirit of today, through comparative study and the vain desire for a progressively closer mutual approach among the various professions of faith, Catholic doctrine - either in its dogmas or in the truths which are connected with them - be so conformed or in a way adapted to the doctrines of dissident sects, that the purity of Catholic doctrine be impaired, or its genuine and certain meaning be obscured. Also they must restrain that dangerous manner of speaking which generates false opinions and fallacious hopes incapable of realization; for example, to the effect that the teachings of the Encyclicals of the Roman Pontiffs on the return of dissidents to the Church, on the constitution of the Church, on the Mystical Body of Christ, should not be given too much importance seeing that they are not all matters of faith, or, what is worse, that in matters of dogma even the Catholic Church has not yet attained the fullness of Christ, but can still be perfected from outside.

Pius XII, Instruction of the Holy Office on Ecumenism, Dec. 20, 1949

Homosexual Friendly Prelates Now Make Up the U.S. Membership on Congregation for Bishops

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. replaces Cardinal Burke and joins homosexual-friendly Cardinal William Levada, (the former archbishop of Portland and later, San Francisco), as the only U.S. members on the Congregation for Bishops

Then Bishop (John) Wright (later, Cardinal and a notorious homosexual pederast) was made Bishop of Pittsburgh, and this is where Wuerl became his private secretary, protégé, and remained at Wright's side (as he was made a cardinal) until Wright's death in 1979. Is this guilt by association? Who knows? Randy Engel writes (in her book, Rite of Sodomy): "From 1980 to 1985, Fr. Wuerl served as Vice Rector and Rector of St. Paul Seminary. The seminary had a reputation for rampant homosexuality going back to the days of Bishop Wright." Then Wuerl became Bishop of Pittsburgh in February 1988, fulfilling his protégé role.... After Donald Wuerl was posted to the Diocese of Pittsburgh, he permitted Dignity/Pittsburgh Masses to continue for eight more years.... Dignity/Pittsburgh was one of the last chapters to be evicted from Catholic facilities in the United States [on orders from the Vatican]. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff writer Ann Rodgers-Melnick, 'Banning Dignity was a sad moment for Wuerl.'... Under Wuerl, the Pittsburgh Diocese has become a stomping ground for nationally-known doctrinal and moral miscreants including Father (now ex-priest) Matthew Fox, Sister Fran Ferder, Father Robert Nugent, Sister Jeannine Gramick, Father Raymond Brown and howling feminists Rosemary Radford Ruether and Monica Hellwig." (N.B.: Cardinal Wuerl recently made the news by suspending a priest who refused Communion to a woman in a public known lesbian relationship.)

New Oxford Review, Nov. 2006

Pope Francis' Council of Advisors ("G-8") to reform the Curia includes four members (*) who have been publically accused by victims of covering-up the crimes of homosexual clerical pederasts

1.Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello of Italy, President of the Government of the Vatican City State

2.*Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa of Chile, the retired archbishop of Santiago

3.Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India, archbishop of Bombay and President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences

4.Reinhard Marx, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising (Germany)

5.Laurent Monswengo Pasinya, Archbishop of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

6.*Sean Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston (U.S.)

7.*George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney (Australia)

8.*Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras, the archbishop of Tegucigalpa and coordinator of Francis’ advisory council.

Conspiracy Theory

...Modernists have not abandoned their schemes of disturbing the peace of the Church. In fact, they have never stopped looking for new followers, whom they gather together in secret associations.

St. Pius X, Sacrorum Antistitum, 9-1-1910

Obama – who supports partial-birth abortion – was elected by the Catholic vote

The absence of a general backlash on the part of Catholics to Notre Dame's invitation to Obama may not come as a surprise, given that most Catholics voted for Obama in the 2008 election and give him positive marks for his performance in office thus far. Obama won 54% of the overall Catholic vote in the November presidential election. Weekly attending Catholics, who in recent elections have tended to support Republican candidates, were evenly divided between Obama (49%) and McCain (50%).

Similarly, the most recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that fully two-thirds of Catholics, including a majority of white, non-Hispanic Catholics (55%), say they approve of Obama's job performance as president. Overall, Catholics' views of Obama closely match the views of the population as a whole. Catholics are much more supportive of the president than are white evangelical Protestants (33%) and slightly more supportive than are white mainline Protestants (60%), but they are less enthusiastic about Obama's performance than are black Protestants (96%) and the religiously unaffiliated (81%).

Pew Forum, April 2009