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Wednesday 25 November 2015

Cantalamessa Makes a Mess

I awoke this morning aghast at a promotion by Vatican English Radio of a most scandalous and heretical speech to Anglicans by Raniero Cantalmessa, the Preacher to the Papal Household. I was not able to write it up. Our good friend Barona was justifiably apoplectic after reading it and devoted a good amount of time to develop a solid post on this scandalous speech. 

Therefore, I highly recommend a visit to Toronto Catholic Witness for Barona's argument against this preacher of heresies who has the temerity to say that "we must never allow a moral issue like that of sexuality to divide us."


Raniero Cantalamessa; are you a sodomite or just a homosexualist?

If that is not bad enough, this heretic then has the temerity to state the "Christian world is preparing to celebrate the fifth centenary of the Protestant reformation." Is this man insane? Celebrate the loss of complete countries such as Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and most of Germany along with Switzerland and England to heresy and the loss of millions upon millions of souls? I ask again, is Cantalamessa insane? This is religious indifferentism which is heretical.

Yes, 2017 is the 500th anniversary of that heretical devil Luther's tearing of the fabric of Christ. It is also the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima. Perhaps the Bishop of Rome might point out to him which is Catholic.

To show more about the danger of this betrayer of Christ and His Church, below are my comments and his homily from Good Friday 2013 which I wrote that day; the first as Jorge Bergoglio in the Chair of Peter.

He revealed then similar thoughts as to his comments before the Anglicans referred to above.

The preacher of the papal household.


A disgraceful Capuchin if every there were one.


The following is from a blog post which I wrote on Good Friday 2013 in response to this heretic's outrageous homily in St. Peter's Basilica.

Cantalamessa's Mess 1

As outlined in the post below, on the holiest day of the Church year, when Christians commemorate the brutal torture and death of Christ our Saviour; our God who came to earth to sacrifice himself for our salvation and by whose blood we are redeemed; the Preacher to the Papal Household, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM, gave the Homily on Good Friday in St. Peter's Basilica in the presence of Holy Father Francis. Father Cantalamessa, whose name ironically means "to sing the Mass,” wore again his Franciscan habit without surplice or preaching stole. Rather than devote his homily to the blood atonement of Christ and our salvation he chose instead an esoteric essay of the existentialist Franz Kafka. It's Good Friday in St. Peter's Baslica; in the presence of the Pope and with the Catholic world watching and he chooses to quote a Jewish existential writer? Someone who shares the same philosophy of Nietzsche and his death of God philosophy! He uses this obscure essay to justify his agenda -- to tear down the Church. Yes, that is what he wants. While St. Francis undertook God's direction to "rebuild my Church" this Franciscan in the presence of a Pope who took the name of the Seraphic Father wants to tear it down!
  

"There is a short story by Franz Kafka that is a powerful religious symbol and takes on a new meaning, almost prophetic, when heard on Good Friday. It's titled "An Imperial Message". It speaks of a king who, on his deathbed, calls to his side a subject and whispers a message into his ear. So important is that message that he makes the subject repeat it, in turn, into his hear. Then, with a nod, he sends off the messenger, who sets out on his way. But let us hear directly from the author the continuation of this story, characterized by the dreamlike and almost nightmarish tone typical of this writer: "Now pushing with his right arm, now with his left, he cleaves a way for himself through the throng; if he encounters resistance he points to his breast, where the symbol of the sun glitters. But the multitudes are so vast; their numbers have no end.  If he could reach the open fields how fast he would fly, and soon doubtless you would hear the welcome hammering of his fists on your door.  But instead how vainly does he wear out his strength; still he is only making his way through the chambers of the innermost palace; never will he get to the end of them; and if he succeeded in that nothing would be gained; he must next fight his way down the stair; and if he succeeded in that nothing would be gained; the courts would still have to be crossed; and after the courts the second outer palace; and so on for thousands of years; and if at last he should burst through the outermost gate—but never, never can that happen—the imperial capital would lie before him, the center of the world, crammed to bursting with its own sediment.  Nobody could fight his way through here even with a message from a dead man.  But you sit at your window when evening falls and dream it to yourself”We must do everything possible so that the Church may never look like that complicated and cluttered castle described by Kafka, and the message may come out of it as free and joyous as when the messenger began his run. We know what the impediments are that can restrain the messenger: dividing walls, starting with those that separate the various Christian churches from one another, the excess of bureaucracy, the residue of past ceremonials, laws and disputes, now only debris. In Revelation, Jesus says that He stands at the door and knocks (Rev 3:20). Sometimes, as noted by our Pope Francis, he does not knock to enter, but knocks from within to go out. To reach out to the "existential suburbs of sin, suffering, injustice, religious ignorance and indifference, and of all forms of misery."As happens with certain old buildings. Over the centuries, to adapt to the needs of the moment, they become filled with partitions, staircases, rooms and closets. The time comes when we realize that all these adjustments no longer meet the current needs, but rather are an obstacle, so we must have the courage to knock them down and return the building to the simplicity and linearity of its origins. This was the mission that was received one day by a man who prayed before the Crucifix of San Damiano: "Go, Francis, and repair my Church". "Who could ever be up to this task?" wondered aghast the Apostle before the superhuman task of being in the world "the fragrance of Christ"; and here is his reply, that still applies today: "We're not ourselves able to think something as if it came from us; our ability comes from God. He has made us to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life"(2 Cor 2:16; 3:5-6). May the Holy Spirit, in this moment in which a new time is opening for the Church, full of hope, reawaken in men who are at the window the expectancy of the message, and in the messengers the will to make it reach them, even at the cost of their life."

Is Father Cantalamessa trying to influence the Pope or is he trying to tell us of decisions already made? 

What part of the building does he wish to “knock down” and return to what “simplicity?” Do we need more "antiquarianism" in the liturgy so condemned by Pope Pius XII in Mediator Dei?

Did we not go through this already with a hermeneutic of rupture due to a false interpretation of the Second Vatican Council or have we already forgotten? 

When he says that we need to discard the “residue of past ceremonials” to what is he referring?

Did the Church not rid those of the Papal Court after Vatican II or is he referring to something else? 

Will the Church further debase Her liturgy after eight years of attempted restoration? Is the Preacher to the Papal Household calling for an end to Summorum Pontificum?

Do they think that we are going to stand-by while the Church of Christ enters another period of “auto-demolition?”

10 comments:

Mark Thomas said...

"Is the Preacher to the Papal Household calling for an end to Summorum Pontificum?"

I hope that we someday end SP...as it, SP becomes obsolete as the TLM is restored as the centerpiece Mass of the Latin Church.

But as far as anybody calling for the end of SP...forget it.

The Traditional Roman Mass is here to stay. His Holiness Pope Francis has expressed his support for Summorum Pontificum. He has praised the TLM and recognized the Faithful's right to worship via the TLM.

Pope Francis has praised the FSSP and exhorted them to remain true to their charism.

Pope Francis has spoken well of the SSPX and desires peace between Rome and the SSPX. Beginning in fewer than two weeks, the validity of the Sacrament of Penance administered by priests of the SSPX will be beyond question as per Pope Francis' declaration.

Pope Francis has spoken of Catholics attached to SSPX chapels as "faithful" Catholics. Via his recognition of the Sacrament of Penance administered at SSPX priests, Pope Francis will have increased the amount of Catholics who attend SSPX chapels.

Everywhere we turn, interest in the TLM is on the rise. It is unimaginable that Rome would pull the plug on Summorum Pontificum.

Not gonna happen.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Anil Wang said...

There's actually a simpler explanation.

They see which way the wind is blowing. We're increasingly living in a world where affirming Catholic morality makes you an enemy of the state. Affirming Catholic morality will increasingly get you sued out of existence, required to take "re-education training", barred from entering some provinces (e.g. more than a few foreign speakers were barred from entering Canada), even barred from some professions (e.g. some areas of medicine), and even being forced by the State to have an abortion (e.g. China and some U.S. court cases).

We each have a choice to make, and martyrdom is increasingly a requirement of being a Catholic. Pope Francis has stated that he is extremely squeamish about being martyred. It's no wonder that he surrounds himself with people that affirm his "let's not make waves or we'll have to suffer" attitude.

Ana Milan said...

How far will God let this demonisation of His Church continue before He enters the fray? It cannot be long now! The past popes have all tried to destroy the structure of the Church from being One, Holy, Catholic & Apostolic to being a Church divided into different sections in order to appease the populace of the areas they minister to. We have the Ordinariates sprung from Anglicanism, Eastern-Rite Catholics to counter Orthodoxy, Latin-Rite to assuage Traditionalists. There are great celebrations afoot to proclaim the Protestant Reformation in 2017 while none for the 100th Anniversary of Fatima as the Vatican doesn't "do" Fatima in case of offending its new heretical friends from all regions of the world. The Church Jesus came to found is now on the same level as non-catholics and the unbaptised. Does our Hierarchy even believe in God? Even though some might they don't appear to want to fight the good fight for Him and try to restore His Commandments, Sacraments & the Liturgy of old which provided a solid foundation for His whole Church to grow in holiness.

This last Synod on the Family hadn't anything to do with the family but plenty to do with welcoming sodomites, adulterers, the homosexual community etc. Our schools/seminaries/universities are in a dreadful state and are reported as even referring students to abortion clinics. The terrible desecration of the Sacred Host in Spain recently where a man collected approximately 24 consecrated Hosts by being given Holy Communion in the hand has been glossed over by the Bishop. This couldn't have occurred if Holy Communion was only given on the tongue. It would seem now that transubstantiation has been given the knock by Vatican II and these adjustments are in accordance with that Council's conclusions. We can now only find solace in the Rosary and await the terrible chastisement Our Lady spoke of. God help us all!

Vox Cantoris said...

Ana, do not confuse "rites" with a lack of unity. They are expressions of it. The oldest is not the Roman but the Syriac and the Ordinariate Anglican represents the Sarum.

Mark Thomas said...

People may dispute the following from Father Klaus Gamber, but he declared that "there is no question that the Roman Liturgy is the oldest Christian Rite."

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Osusanna said...

I pray to soon be able to attend the local SSPX church.

Ana Milan said...

The CC is, just like Humpty Dumpty, in smithereens but unlike him it that can (by God's Will & Hand) be put back together again. This fracturing didn't come about overnight. It has been happening over centuries with each division claiming true Apostolic succession as followers of the other apostles. Mostly it was the result of fallen man not wanting to be subjugated to any higher authority than himself, certainly not one situated a long distance away in a country with different traditions (as if that had anything to do with Faith and the adherence to Christ's Commandments & Sacraments). There was a reason why Jesus chose Peter to be the one on which he would build His Church. He could have chosen any of the rest but didn't. When Peter settled on Rome to lay the foundations of Christ's Church that should have been accepted as the Mother House of Christianity. The saying "All roads lead to Rome" is correct but authority & obedience was always a problem with many great minds falling prey to Satanic tricks - after all, he tried to get Jesus to go against His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Liturgical rites should not be up for grabs. All matters of Doctrine, Liturgy etc. should come from the one source - Rome. Only in this way can Apostolic Tradition be kept intact. Once leeway is given to one set of human traditions then another & yet another will want the same accord leading to political rather than religious institutions often backed up by secular governments & monarchies to suit their aspirations.

Is it not strange that Our Blessed Lady only ever appeared to Catholics? If those who ceded from from Rome were favourably looked upon by Her Son then surely she would have made similar appearances to them. Eastern Catholics holding tentative unity with Rome should submit wholly to the decrees of Mother Church and not continue in upholding separate ancient traditions which can only be viewed as contradicting the authority placed in Peter by Christ Himself.

Jesus never said we would always be blessed with good popes (we have a shocker at the moment) but that He would always be with His Church until the end of time and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. It is beyond time that the other successors of the Apostles - Cardinals & Bishops who make-up the Hierarchy - came to their senses and required PF to stand down. They should remember that both Sts. Peter & Paul were martyred for the trust He placed in them, their successors will have to accept that martyrdom may have to be faced again so as to purge Satan from the Vatican & its Bishoprics. After all, that is precisely the depth of faith priestly ordination requires of one.

Vox Cantoris said...

Ana,

You are incorrect or you are confused. There are at least 27 ancient and valid Rites in the Catholic Church. Latin is only one of them. There are Mozarabic in parts of Spain, Braga in Portugal, Milanese in northern Italy. Dominican and Carmelite. There are Maronites (me), Melkites, Persians, Chaldean, Copts (Catholic), Rutherian, Byzantine, Syro-Malabar and on and on. These have minor liturgical variations on the same Holy Qurbono or "OFFERING/SACRIFICE," in fact, they are moral loyal to traditional morally and liturgically than Latin Rite Catholics.

Do not confuse rites with faith.

The ancient Syriac is the closest to apostolic accuracy especially the chants because they even use the Aramaic language of Our Lord.

All these liturgies in the East and Africa sprang from the same Apostolic source, Latin rite is simply that used in the West.


Anonymous said...

..."we must never allow a moral issue like that of sexuality to divide us"...

Vox, maybe there is a silver lining? After all, at least Fr. Cantalamessa does refer to sexuality as a "moral" issue?! Maybe we can still inch back from the teetering edge of the precipice we seem to be on?

I suppose the only next step if we keep going with the current momentum in Church and society is declaring abnormal sexual proclivities and degraded relationships to be actually superior to the sacred matrimonial union of a fully devoted husband and wife?

Vox, THANKS for your spirited columns!

raphaelheals said...

I always thought Christ knocked on our hearts and waited for us to open them to him.