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Tuesday 26 April 2016

It is time to stop clapping!

It is time to stop clapping.  
The world insults the Church, it hates Her and it accuses Her. ...  the members of the Church have joined forces with the world in its revolution against God. ...The world is now applauding our Holy Father. World liberal elites line up for audiences with the Pope with chequebook in hand. From an enemy of the ungodly revolution now the Church has become and instrument of, revolution with the Bishop of Rome leading the procession of radical change in tiara and cope, er, check that; mitre and cope! ...  With his latest document namely, Amoris Laetitia, the joy of married love our pope has largely joined in the sexual revolution ... and the world is applauding ... it is time we stop clapping. ... Amoris Laetitia is offensive. ... 

Can. 211 All Christ's faithful have the obligation and the right to strive so that the divine message of salvation may more and more reach all people of all times and all places.

Can. 212 §1 Christ's faithful, conscious of their own responsibility, are bound to show christian obedience to what the sacred Pastors, who represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith and prescribe as rulers of the Church.

§2 Christ's faithful are at liberty to make known their needs, especially their spiritual needs, and their wishes to the Pastors of the Church.

§3 They have the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church. They have the right also to make their views known to others of Christ's faithful, but in doing so they must always respect the integrity of faith and morals, show due reverence to the Pastors and take into account both the common good and the dignity of individuals.
It is time to stop clapping.

Like that guy did.



11 comments:

Brian said...

Vox

Contrast the din, of this obsequious cheer leading, with the silence (praeter +Schneider) and inaction, of the bishops. Of course, given that our bishops, with few exceptions, have all been marinated in the same toxic conciliar formation, what are the chances that any effective ACTION will ever be taken? Bergoglio is the Modernist alpha dog. Who, among our novelty intoxicated bishops, can even perceive what is happening, let alone have the courage to take a stand? ,

".....and the Catholic world fell silent before the Spirit of Vatican II. And it came to pass, in the year of our Lord, 2013, a deadly Modernist offshoot, of this Spirit, came to power in Rome, an offshoot that cared not for historical Catholicism............"

Once again, "With Truly Lamentable Results".

Mark Thomas said...

"With his latest document namely, Amoris Laetitia, the joy of married love our pope has largely joined in the sexual revolution."

That statement is beyond belief. The priest who said that must not have heard what one orthodox bishop after another has said about Amoris Laetitia. Like it or not, they have declared that Amoris Laetitia is orthodox.

In addition to that, the priest in question must not have read the same Exhortation that Lifesite News' John Jalsevac read:

The following is from Lifesite News:

Pope Francis..."upholds the traditional teaching, including on abortion, euthanasia, gender theory, gay ‘marriage,’ and more...liberals who would claim Pope Francis for their side in the controversial moral battles of our day have to contend with the fact that he is explicitly denouncing their views."

"Hopes in some circles that the Pope would radically alter the Church’s teachings on homosexuality have not been realized."

Pope Francis condemned the world's attempt to force the homosexual agenda upon the Church. Pope Francis said that it is "unacceptable ‘that local Churches should be subjected to pressure in this matter and that international bodies should make financial aid to poor countries dependent on the introduction of laws to establish ‘marriage’ between persons of the same sex’.”

Artificial reproductive technologies

In a succinct treatment in paragraph 56, the pope reiterates Church teaching against artificial reproductive technologies.

“On the other hand,” he writes, “‘the technological revolution in the field of human procreation has introduced the ability to manipulate the reproductive act, making it independent of the sexual relationship between a man and a woman. In this way, human life and parenthood have become modular and separable realities, subject mainly to the wishes of individuals or couples’.”

"Let us not fall into the sin of trying to replace the Creator. We are creatures, and not omnipotent. Creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift."

Abortion and euthanasia

The pope speaks about abortion in paragraph 83. “Here I feel it urgent to state that, if the family is the sanctuary of life, the place where life is conceived and cared for, it is a horrendous contradiction when it becomes a place where life is rejected and destroyed,” he said.

“So great is the value of a human life, and so inalienable the right to life of an innocent child growing in the mother’s womb, that no alleged right to one’s own body can justify a decision to terminate that life, which is an end in itself and which can never be considered the “property” of another human being.”

On euthanasia he writes, “The family protects human life in all its stages, including its last. Consequently, ‘those who work in healthcare facilities are reminded of the moral duty of conscientious objection. Similarly, the Church not only feels the urgency to assert the right to a natural death, without aggressive treatment and euthanasia’.”

In paragraph 42 he addresses aggressive population control, imposed by states. “The upright consciences of spouses who have been generous in transmitting life may lead them, for sufficiently serious reasons, to limit the number of their children,” he writes, “yet precisely ‘for the sake of this dignity of conscience, the Church strongly rejects the forced State intervention in favor of contraception, sterilization and even abortion.’ Such measures are unacceptable even in places with high birth rates, yet also in countries with disturbingly low birth rates we see politicians encouraging them.”

Humanae Vitae

Pope Francis references the famous encyclical Humanae Vitae – which reiterated the Church’s teachings against artificial contraception - several times in the text.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Vox Cantoris said...

Mark,

The Pope is upset because we are concentrating on the admission of adulterers to Holy Communion and ignoring the rest.

The rest is not good!

Mark, there is poison in it and you know, it is being interpreted liberally and for an agenda in various parts of the world. This is the whole problem. It was set up as a subversive document that will be built upon to turn the Church into a loose "communion".

The document is putrid and it was predicted.

Come on Mark, it is indefensible.

It is evil and will be anathematized by a holy Pope soon enough.

Peter Lamb said...

Resisting known truth is a sin against the Holy Ghost and deprives the soul of the grace necessary to adhere to the truth.
Such a person will fall into error - often the very error they think they are opposing. This is especially true of Modernism, which is not only a single error, but the "synthesis of all heresies". Modernism denies the existence of objective truth. We live in the time of the Great Apostasy, of which St. Paul wrote:

"God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying; that all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity." (II Thes. 2:10-11).

Those who obstinately defend Modernists eventually fall into Modernism themselves. They reject the Catholic definition of the Papacy and invent a Papacy of their own liking. One where they recognize someone as true Pope and yet believe that they must resist him in Faith, Morals, Governance and Discipline, to save their souls. Is it possible that Christ would institute such a Papacy which we must resist in order to save our souls? This is not only insanity, it is blasphemy.

Sandpiper said...

Yes, Vox, those drops of poison befoul the entire exhortation because situational ethics is enshrined. Because of it, in all situations mentioned by your own personal troll above, poorly formed consciences will profane the Eucharist. Sodomy, incest, surrogacy, fornication, donor gametes, contraception, and
adultery are just the welcome smell of the sheep.

Mark Thomas said...

Vox, I don't know that the rest of the Exhortation contains poison. I have read and heard one fierce critic after another of Pope Francis state that beyond the controversy about Communion for divorced and "remarried" Catholics, that Amoris Latitia is overwhelmingly beautiful and orthodox.

Vox, if you permit me, I'll offer a few such examples please.

Cardinal Burke rejected and even scolded Catholic and secular news media forces who portrayed the Exhortation as radical and revolutionary. He said that such a view of Amoris Laetitia "is both a source of wonder and confusion to the faithful and potentially a source of scandal...it is also a disservice to the nature of the document as the fruit of the Synod of Bishops..."

The holy priests of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy in England and Wales said said that they welcomed the statements in the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia concerning “the unchanging teaching of Christ and His Church regarding marriage, the family, and human sexuality”.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/04/11/british-priests-group-heartened-by-amoris-laetitia/

The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy added: “Our members are heartened that the exhortation calls for a return to the wisdom of Humanae Vitae, defence of the ‘inalienable rights’ of the unborn child, re-affirmation of the role of parents as the primary educators of their children, and warning of an encroaching ‘gender ideology’.”

Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth, England, a bishop praised repeatedly by Traditional Catholics for his orthodoxy and very friendly attitude toward the TLM, said that the Exhortation was orthodox and beautiful.

Vox, there are many additional examples that I could offer. Even fierce critics of Pope Francis have said that beyond the controversy about Communion for divorced and "remarried" Catholics, the remainder of the Exhortation is beautiful and orthodox. I will let Holy Mother Church handle the controversy in question.

Vox, all that I know is that beyond the unfortunate controversy in question, the overwhelming...and I mean...overwhelming amount of comments that I've encountered from those who have read the Exhortation, be they friendly to or critical of Pope Francis to this point in his Pontificate, have stated that the majority of the document is beautiful and orthodox.

Even the SSPX acknowledged that the "exhortation certainly contains many high points, as well as indisputable encouragement for families: “With inner joy and deep comfort, the Church looks to the families who remain faithful to the teachings of the Gospel, encouraging them and thanking them for the testimony they offer. For they bear witness, in a credible way, to the beauty of marriage as indissoluble and perpetually faithful”(¶ 86).

Vox, I know that you and I at least agree with the following: Pope Francis must respond now with a concrete declaration in regard to the controversy in question.

In fairness to him, he responded as he had seen fit during his recent press conference. But that has not settled the question.

Anyway, should he speak to that issue, and if he is a "loyal son of the Church," as he has labeled himself, then he will reiterate his February 17, 2016 A.D. statement that upheld the Church's teaching about Communion for divorced and "remarried" Catholics.

Too many commentators who have read and praised the Exhortation to allow the document to remain mired in controversy.

Vox, I believe that Cardinal Burke is correct in that the Synod Fathers worked hard and were eager to aid Catholic families. We have to settle the controversy in question then proceed to mine the Exhortation to the benefit of families.

Vox, as always, thank you for having permitted me to participate on your blog. I am simply attempting to arrive at an understanding in regard to the Exhortation. Thank you.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas said...

Vox, I know that you have great respect for Michael Voris and his apostolate. Vox, here is what Michael Voris' Church Militant has said of Amoris Laetitia:

Reaffirms Church teaching on marriage

ROME (ChurchMilitant.com) - Pope Francis' long awaited apostolic exhortation on the 2015 Synod on the Family has arrived. His Holiness entitled the work "Amoris Laetitia" or "the Joy of Love."

The 256-page document affirms Church teaching on homosexuality, marriage and divorce, the Eucharist and discusses many pastoral issues at length, such as the education of children and marriage preparation for young people.

Pope Francis affirms that Church teaching must be clearly stated [79]. He also reiterated that marriage is between one man and one woman [292].

Pope Francis encourages women to remember their unique role as mothers and the responsibility they have to their children, saying "I certainly value feminism, but one that does not demand uniformity or negate motherhood." [173]

The pope affirmed multiple times that the elderly must be looked after, adding that a society which ignores the wisdom of the elders is "immature" and "already in decline." [193]

Pope Francis says that while divorced and civilly remarried Catholics must be welcomed, this welcoming is "not to be considered a weakening of its faith and testimony to the indissolubility of marriage." [243] He adds that their participation in the Church must be expressed in ecclesiastic services which avoid any occasion of scandal. [299]

Pope Francis echoed the current norms for the reception of Holy Communion by non-Catholics as laid out by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. [247]

The Holy Father reiterated 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." [251]

His Holiness reaffirmed the Church's teaching that virtue is not merely judging what seems best, but that desiring good must become second nature to us and good habits must be instilled [256].

Paragraphs 280-286 discuss the need for sex education that accords with Church teaching.

The Holy Father declared that anyone who "flaunts an objective sin" must heed the Gospel and convert to the Faith. [297]

The pope also clarified that while the faithful must show mercy to all, mercy "does not exclude justice and truth." [311]

Pope Francis fittingly concluded his Apostolic Exhortation with a prayer to the Holy Family:

Prayer to the Holy Family

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor of true love; to you we turn with trust. Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic churches.

"Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing. Holy Family of Nazareth, make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Graciously hear our prayer. Amen."

Vox, Michael Voris' Church Militant has not conjectured upon Amoris Laetitia. Instead, they have presented the Exhortation's very teachings. Vox, the Exhortation is filled truly with beautiful teaching.

Let us hope that Pope Francis settles the controversy about the Communion issue. There is too much good in the Exhortation to allow the document to fade into oblivion.

The Exhortation can benefit the Catholic family greatly.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Anonymous said...

Mark Thomas, the stuff you write is Orwell 1984 Ministry of Truth grade BS. It used to annoy me but now I can't help but laugh when I read it.

God bless you. You make my day.

Pax et bonum.

Matthias Thaddeus

Vox Cantoris said...

Mark, I know Michael Voris and consider him a friend. I also know Father Paul Nicholson and was his Cantor for 4 years and he presided at the nuptials of Frankie and I. (I am personally very upset about the situation at hand)

Yet, I disagree with them both on:

SSPX schism

SSPX Mass being worse than a "Black Mass"

What is your point?






Mark Thomas said...

Vox, if I may respond again to your reply to me...thank you.

Vox, everybody who reads your great blog knows that you are a holy Catholic man. Therefore, it is 100 percent certain that you recognize the orthodoxy and beauty in teachings that follow.

Vox, we have to ask ourselves, in light of what Pope Francis said about the news media, why has the Exhortation been reduce to Communion for divorced and "remarried" Catholics? How is that possible when, as Church Militant demonstrated, the Exhortation is filled with beautiful Catholic teachings?

As Church Militant reported...

-- The Exhortation features a beautiful prayer to the Holy Family that each of us must make our own.

-- The Exhortation teaches that we must care for and respect the elderly.

-- The Exhortation has defended and promoted the Traditional Catholic understanding of the family unit?

-- The Exhortation declared that anybody who "flaunts an objective sin" must heed the Gospel and convert to the Faith.

-- The Exhortation teaches that mercy "does not exclude justice and truth".

-- The Exhortation encourages women to remember their unique role as mothers and the responsibility they have to their children, saying "I certainly value feminism, but one that does not demand uniformity or negate motherhood."

Vox, that is just the tip of the iceberg. How is it possible that none of the above has been the focus of the news media in regard to the Exhortation? Why do we not hear about the undeniable good that is found within the Exhortation.

Again, all that I's saying about the Exhortation is that is it possible that Church Militant, Cardinal Burke, Bishop Egan, Bishop J Michael Miller, and on and on, are wrong that the document is orthodox? Would one Cardinal after another remain silent (Sarah, Muller)...the Church in Africa, in Poland...if they believed that Pope Francis had espoused heresy?

Why did Pope Francis declare as late as February 17, 2016 A.D., that divorced and "remarried" Catholics were not permitted to receive Holy Communion? Why would he shatter his credibility...render his word meaningless...by teaching the opposite via his Exhortation?

Please, we need to exhibit calm. The Holy See will settle the controversy in question. Rome cannot possibly permit the controversy to continue. Let us read the Exhortation in the light of Holy Tradition. Let us benefit from the Exhortation's beautiful teachings and exhortations. We need to repair the overall broken situation of the Catholic family.

Let us work in peace with His Holiness Pope Francis. He has worked overtime to overcome the crisis within the Catholic family.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

-- "Let us pray also for our most holy Pope Francis, that our God and Lord, who chose him to the order of the episcopacy, may preserve him in health and safety, for the good of His holy Church, to govern the holy people of God."

Anonymous said...

Mark,

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think you really understand what Vox is saying. It doesn't matter how many good things are in AL - the fact remains that it still allows Communion for those who are living in an adulterous relationship.

Archbishop Lefebvre put it this way (I'm going by memory here so please forgive me if I don't quote him exactly):

If a cake has a drop of gasoline in it, it doesn't matter how nice it looks, it is still unfit to eat! Why? Because gasoline is fuel for your car, not you. For you, gasoline is poisonous and you don't eat poison! You can die from it!

Or as St. James wrote in his Epistle (again, I'm going by memory here) that if a man keeps the whole law but offends in one point, he is guilty of breaking the whole law.

The same applies to the Catholic Faith. The Arians said that Christ was thisclose to being God, but they still believed that he was not God. Well, that destroys the foundation of the Catholic Faith. If Christ was not God, then he did not rise from the dead by His own power. As St. Paul said if Christ is not risen, then you are still in your sins and we are the most pitiable of men. However, Christ DID rise from the dead by his own power because He IS the Eternal Son of God, of the same substance as the Father (Homoousios to Patri).

That's what the Apostles preached. That's why the Martyrs died rather than compromise one iota of the Catholic Faith. (BTW, the difference between the Catholic Faith and the Arian heresy was literally one iota - Homoousios versus homoiousios respectively.)

That's why St. Athanasius went into exile 5 times.

That's why we have to defend the Catholic Faith "whole and entire" (the Athanasian Creed - yes, I know it's only named for him).

That's all for now.

In Christ the King,

Margaret