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BENEDICT XVI: NEWS, PAPAL TEXTS, PHOTOS AND COMMENTARY

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13/03/2015 01:10
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The Great Divide

Thursday, March 12, 2015

I think I really am beginning to understand what Pope Francis is trying to do: he recognises the Church is already deeply divided and there are two ways of healing it. The first, is what Cardinal Burke spoke about to the CCC on Tuesday, he recognises the Church is divided but insists he is 'calling the Church to unity' around what has been revealed and what has been the Tradition.

The second way of healing division, is what I believe Pope Francis is doing by recognising what has been happening in the Church for the past century, maybe since before the Reformation: Rather than being doctrinally united we doctrinally divided or diverse. He is recognising that we are disunited, the difference is that he is the first Pope (ever?) to seem to accept the status quo as a given, rather than call the faithful to obedience and into communion.

At the heart of everything is the question "Who is Catholic?" For Cardinal Burke, it is those who believe the entire Catholic faith; for the Pope, it seems to be anyone of goodwill who identifies himself as Catholic. [I don't see where and how he makes the distinction 'of goodwill'. This is an open-arms-anything-goes Pope, for everyone, that is, who does not happen to be a Catholic guilty of the wide variety of peccadilloes he inveighs against in his homilettes (even as he would give Communion to Catholics living in a chronic state of sin). He does not seem to think his targets are men of 'good will', nor does he even bother to ask them to 'convert' - he uses them as convenient (if often largely imagined) illustrations to preach against, and if that is not instrumentalization, what is?]

One could caricature the Cardinal's position as one which excommunicates those who neither believe or act according to the Church's teaching, whereas the Pope's position could be caricatured by the stance of the German bishops: "We accept any and everybody, the only people who are beyond the pale are those who don't pay Church Tax." [Except 1) the Church does accept anyone and everybody, but it only asks that they accept what the Church asks of all the faithful and not expect to get any concessions that all the others do not get. And 2) I don't think, even in caricature, it would be fair to say that JMB/PF is with them on the church tax issue!]

Cardinal Burke might be an idealist and Francis might indeed might be a realist, but the role of a Pope, as that of any cleric, is to set before us the ideal of faith. Sociology is not a substitute for Jesus. The Successor of Peter, is "the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity" (Lumen Gentium, 23) - not unity for unity's sake but for Christ's sake.

The Petrine Ministry, exercised primarily by the Pope assisted by all those who have a role of service in the Church, including all bishops, priests and deacons, is not something low down on that fragile integrated structure, the 'hierarchy of doctrines', but a safeguard of the most fundamental doctrines. Essentially it is about announcing the Incarnation, Resurrection and Redemption.

What is at the heart of next October's Synod is not merely divorce, marriage and the Eucharist, but something touching the very nature of Christianity: Can the Church be trusted to teach? What I find deeply worrying is that if the Church cannot be trusted, can [the faithful trust] Christ? Can [they trust] Revelation? [Since the Church is the mystical Body of Christ, and is the institution that prolongs Christ's presence in the world throughout time, then the two questions about trusting Christ and Revelation come with the question about trusting the Church.]

The gloomy Remnant [US Catholic newspaper considered 'traditionalist') isn't one of my favourite reads but I was sent a link to this, an email it published. I think I could easily find a dozen similar ones from concerned clergy.

All over the world we’re seeing cardinals, archbishops and bishops affirming behaviors which are unequivocally condemned by Popes and Councils in previous centuries.

As I listen and watch these events, in my mind, over and over, I hear the phrase, “the smoke of Satan has entered the sanctuary.” Could it be that all that is happening is truly the work of Satan? I’m not ready to affirm that it is, but in my heart I fear that it may be true.

If it is then it may also be true that many members of our hierarchy do not belong to Christ. I’ve had conversations with priest friends about all of this. We are all fearful for what is to come. None of us feels as if we’re standing on doctrinally solid grounds any longer.

We all cringe every time Pope Francis steps in front of a group of journalists. What will he say next? How will he berate those who are faithfully serving Christ? How will he beat up on us this time?

One of my priest friends asked me during a conversation what I would do if the Church does formally approve what it previously formally condemned. I had to confess in all honesty that I’d probably have to leave priestly ministry. He admitted that he’d probably have no choice but to do the same.

My deepest fear is that if Pope Francis continues to push the Church toward heresy that we may experience a war among the faithful that would make Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s opposition after Vatican II appear like a simple objection!

I know you’ll understand why I’m not signing my name to this email. May God preserve His Holy Church from the forces, visible and invisible, within and without, who seek to destroy it. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners!

Father Anonymous


I have enormous sympathy for the anonymous priestly author. He is not alone in his anxieties, though 'to leave priestly ministry' is not something most priests would consider, but there is a problem, a very serious problem. [I certainly hope Fr. Anonymous has had time to reconsider what he wrote quite recklessly about leaving the priesthood. If he feels so strongly about the faith as it has been handed down through two millennia, even to this Pope, he should stay and fight for it, and be there for all the orthodox Catholics who will not want to take part in an 'official church' that has betrayed the deposit of faith and Christ himself, by choosing to 'interpret' words he said quite clearly and unequivocally without need for interpretation!]

The Church approving what it previously formally condemned is a serious problem - no one with integrity can go along with that, without a crisis of faith. In the past this was not an issue, now suddenly it is very real.

Rather than healing divisions, I fear that the [second] family synod this year will introduce deeper rifts in the Church, to the point where true Communion becomes a real fiction, and we end up in the same doctrinal mess as the Church of England, or any other Protestant sect, and our Bishops will be left with more and more difficulty to paper over the cracks, with less and less success.

I normally don't bother to post comments to the blogs I post, except singly if the comment is exceptionally outstanding. But the first 16 responses to Fr. Ray's post above yielded quite a few excellent ones, which I am posting as a snapshot in time - on the second anniversary of the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope - of what is felt these days by orthodox Catholics who wish to express themselves publicly.

Pétrus:
Is it better to have unity with everyone going to hell?
Or is it better to have disunity with as many as possible going to Heaven?

Nicolas Bellord:
Mgr Ronald Knox wrote: "If, per impossibile, the Church should pronounce authoritatively on a question of faith or morals, and her pronouncement was demonstrably wrong, then, per impossibile, I would leave the Church."

But as he says it is impossible that such should happen. Unless that happens he tells us to stick with it and fight on.

The Church is not some club which is for everyone but a means of salvation by loving God and following his commandments.

Pelerin:
The quote from Knox tells us that we must retain our Faith even though many of us feel we are passing through very uncertain times. I do feel for that Priest quoted and all those who fear a schism may be inevitable.

The 'Divide' does seem to be getting wider. Today's 'Riposte Catholique' [a French website] has pointed out that although Cardinal Robert Sarah has been in France for the last two weeks and given many conferences, no mention has been made at all on the website of the French Bishops - it is as if he does not exist.

One commenter has added that the daily Catholic newspaper 'La Croix'
has also not mentioned the visit. Another writes that they are frightened that he will take them out of their comfort zone.

Cardinal Sarah said he personally welcomed Summorum Pontificum with 'confiance, joie et action de grace' (confidence, joy and thanksgiving). Sadly many of the French Bishops did not. The divisions are already there and only time will tell whether they are healed or whether they grow ever wider.

Long-Skirts:
Pelerin said: "No mention has been made at all on the website of the French Bishops - it is as if he does not exist."

THE LILY
(“The martyrs were bound, imprisoned, scourged, racked, burnt, rent, butchered – and they multiplied.” St. Augustine)

No burning tearing
Scourging skin
It’s psychological
All within.

No rotting flesh
Or putrid blood
It’s sterile clean
No rancid crud.

For butchered
Tortured bound up skins
Reveals the Truths
Of Bishops' sins.

They want it nice
They want it hushed
With veins of ice
Good souls are crushed.

The silent cold
Is better yet
Frozen solid
Can’t beget.

For martyred blood
Reveals the Church
Blind souls see Truth
And end their search.

“We can’t have that!”
The Bishops say,
“So let’s ignore…
They’ll go away.

Enlightened men
Don’t scourge the skin
Enlightened men
Keep blood within.”

But they forgot –
The woman bleeds
And monthly makes
A bed for seeds

Where nice and hushed
They’ll grow to men
And seize the oars
From wrists that bend…
On Peter’s Barque
Where blood still flows
From woman’s womb…
The Lily grows!


Susan Conner:
The Bible speaks of the "abomination of desolation" in Matthew and Revelation. Some interpret a change in praxis of admitting adulterers and sodomites (often public acts) to the Eucharist as the abomination of desolation because that will strike at the heart of the priesthood.

Seminaries of the official Church will require young men prepared to do that, while the True, remnant Church goes underground. Society will embrace the official Church because it will be inclusive, blessing the unions of adulterers and homosexuals. Priests and faithful who cannot abide by the new practice will be driven into the latter-day catacombs.

I'm sticking with Pope emeritus Benedict on this one. Should he die, I'm following Cardinal Burke.

Liam Ronan:
"As they led him off, they caught hold of a man called Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and loaded him with the cross, so that he should carry it after Jesus.

"Jesus was followed by a great multitude of the people, and also of women, who beat their breasts and mourned over him; but he turned to them, and said, 'It is not for me that you should weep, daughters of Jerusalem; you should weep for yourselves and your children. Behold, a time is coming when men will say, It is well for the barren, for the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never suckled them. It is then that they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, Cover us. If it goes so hard with the tree that is still green, what will become of the tree that is already dried up?'" Luke 23:26-31 (The Knox Bible)

Anil Wang:
This is why studying history is so important. What Pope Francis is doing isn't all that unique. Practically every single one of the Christological heresies that threatened schism had a "realistic" Pope that sometimes even supported the persecution of "idealistic" priests and bishops.

History has shown time and time again that "realistic" Popes are despised by future generations, and today's "idealists" are tomorrow's saints...but they must pass through their own personal Calvary before that happens, and like Moses may never enter the promised land this side of the veil. So holding fast to the Cross all the more important.

While I sympathize with the anonymous priest, he need not despair. We're just in one of the several Church crises that appear to happen every 500 years or so. What we must not do is to abandon Jesus when Peter is possessed by "The Spirit of Judas II". We must be like St John and our Blessed Mother, bravely stay by Jesus at Calvary even though Peter and the others abandoned Christ and even at the risk of being caught by the Roman and secular powers of this world.

Ferrara:
Father, as one of The Remnant's principal contributors, I would like to thank you for this post. The witness of clergy outside "traditionalist" circles will be vitally important in confronting the reality of the threat posed by a "Synod on the Family" whose purpose, at least so far as its controllers are concerned, is to find a way to abandon the teaching of John Paul II and all his predecessors respecting discipline inextricably connected to the Church's infallible teaching on sexual morality.

As Cardinal Burke has rightly warned: such a change of discipline would mean a change of doctrine. And that would be a catastrophe.

Please do not mistake The Remnant's realism with "gloom," however. It is the situation, not the Remnant, that is gloomy. We know that in the end the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church. But we also know that God deigns to use human instruments to achieve His ends and that Catholics have a duty to defend truth and oppose error.

That "the Holy Ghost is in charge of the Church", as some commentators intone reflexively, does not mean that the Church is on autopilot, immune from human error and in no need of defense by her human members. If the Faith were mere a zero sum game whose outcome is always appropriately adjusted by the Holy Ghost regardless of what we do or fail to do, there would be no risk to souls from the negligence or deliberate misdeeds of pastors. In which case, there would be no need to condemn heresy and insist upon orthodoxy, and thus no need for the truths of the Faith as opposed to what we are seeing now: "accompanying," "welcoming," "inclusion" and a "mercy" without reference to justice, with condemnations reserved only to Catholics who are zealous for orthodoxy and orthopraxis. This is a development we have not quite seen before, even in the midst of all the confusion of the past fifty years.

Deacon Augustine:
"He is recognising that we are disunited, the difference is that he is the first Pope (ever?) to seem to accept the status quo as a given rather than call to obedience and call into communion."

As his campaign managers included a prelate whose favourite mantra was the vacuous: "Unity is more important than truth.", it is quite likely that the Pope drinks the same Kool-Aid.

The reality is that there can never be unity without truth, and hence there can never be unity between those who follow Christ and those who follow Belial.

It is a natural process of growth in any organism's life cycle that it should intermittently slough off dead flesh, or drop off dead wood. It has to happen to keep the rest of the organism healthy.

It seems that in the life of the Church, such events happen in roughly 500 year cycles and we are heading towards another tipping point now. Schism from the cancerous polyps and ecclesiastical parasites which risk overwhelming the rest of the body seems to be the only logical course for survival. [Fine. But who secedes from what? Are we orthodox Catholics to surrender the one true Church to the new 'official church' into which she is being transformed? And why should we presume that a future Pope will uphold the 'church of Bergoglio' rather than the Church of Christ?

If and when, God forbid!, Bergoglio decides to impose 'communion for everyone' on the universal Church - with or without the blessings of the family synod next October - then I know I will seek out a parish or a priest who will, per impossibile, not accept such a directive, and go on practising his ministry as Christ taught. And if no diocesan priest will do that in New York City, I shall simply seek out the nearest church where the SSPX or FSSP or even an Anglican Ordinariate practises its ministry, while praying that the next Pope will reverse any heterodox and heretical 'disciplines' that this Pope may impose.][dim]


The answer is not to "leave priestly ministry" as the correspondent suggested, but rather to stand firm and "not be blown about by every wind of doctrine" that emanates from the tempter's orifice. That would give Satan everything he wants to achieve without him even having to break a sweat. No, fight it by teaching the truth, fight it by doing what is right and fight it by refusing to co-operate with evil. Fight it on our knees with our Rosaries in our hands.

The price of remaining faithful in the face of rampant apostasy will be long, painful suffering, constantly bearing the contempt and ridicule of the backsliders, and perhaps loss of office and ministry because of persecution by corrupt bishops. But if Our Lord could endure His Passion and Cross for us, so what? This is the chance for our own salvation. Let the enemy bring it on.


[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 13/03/2015 01:20]
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