Sermon for the 11th Sunday After Pentecost, 2016: Tradition is not Magic, the power of the Pope is very limited
by Fr. Richard G. Cipolla
Parish of Saint Mary
Norwalk, Connecticut
Brethren, I make known unto you the Gospel
which I preached to you, which also you have received and wherein you stand, by
which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto
you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all,
which I also received. (I Cor. 15: 1-2)
To receive and to pass on. That is the
essence of what the Catholic Church means by Tradition with a capital T. We are
not a people of the Book, like Islam, the basis of which faith is entirely the
Koran. And there are Protestant Christians who are also people of the Book, but
their book is the Bible. And for them the whole faith is contained in the Bible
and the purpose of study is to constantly read and examine and analyze the text
of the Bible. That this foundation is shaky should be obvious: for the original
languages of the Bible are Hebrew and Greek, and therefore every translation is
subject to that fundamental dictum that translation always involves in a sense
a betrayal, for every translation bears the marks and prejudices of particular
people and of a particular culture. There is no total objectivity in
translation and in a faith like Christianity that insists that the ultimate
truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ whose words are recorded in the
gospels this problem is acute. But we Catholics have always believed from the
very beginning that what has been handed down, the Tradition, is not merely
what is recorded faithfully in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, but
also includes the oral tradition handed down from Jesus to the Apostles and to
the Church.
8 comments:
So what can anyone do about a Pope who takes powers to :
1. Attempts to change Catholic Doctrine by means of changing pastoral teaching & ministering.
2. Meddles with the authority of the Ten Commandments & Sacraments (divorced & remarried & cohabiting heterosexual/homosexual couples, sodomite priests).
3. Doesn't agree with evangelisation of infidels & schismatics.
4. Doesn't like Tradition & calls Traditional Catholics (laity & priests) by names unbecoming to a Pontiff.
5. Surrounds himself with devious non-Catholic advisers & friends.
6. Wants to empower Bishops' Conferences to make their own decisions (apart from Rome) as to what is acceptable in their area for a 'Catholic' to be admitted to the sacraments. Divestment of Papal Infallibility.
7. Who refuses to wear the papal garments as befitting his Office.
8. Who tells young people that God would rather they sin.
9. Who publishes a sex education booklet which doesn't mention sin or the right of parents & contains images unfitting to a Catholic publication.
Canon Lawyers, Theologians etc. tell us the Pope is a law unto himself & only answers to God. There is no way a Council can be called to stop his wrongdoing as only the Pope can call such a Council. Yet Our Lady said those who should speak won't. Satan has us where he wants us & no-one is prepared to move an inch for fear of disobedience to what now has become an intolerable Papacy. Such 'tolerance & obedience' is surely an anathema to Jesus Christ, St. Peter & the First Apostles. Those who hold to it are being submissive to Satan, not to God & His Holy Church.
Ana Milan....you are a gem!
In the seminary, I was taught that the Pope has full, immediate and universal jurisdiction.
The Pope has no authority to change doctrine. Do you remember what our friend Tom Rosica has said, originating with Richard Gaillardetz?
"Will this Pope re-write controversial Church doctrines? No. But that isn't how doctrine changes. Doctrine changes when pastoral contexts shift and new insights emerge such that particularly doctrinal formulations no longer mediate the saving message of God's transforming love. Doctrine changes when the Church has leaders and teachers who are not afraid to take note of new contexts and emerging insights. It changes when the Church has pastors who do what Francis has been insisting: leave the securities of your chanceries, of your rectories, of your safe places, of your episcopal residences go set aside the small minded rules that often keep you locked up and shielded from the world."
My dear friend, I am also certain that at Seminary you were taught that the Pope is limited in his power. All of his decisions outside of "legal" framework in Canon Law are prudential. He is only "infallible" on faith and morals.
When he gives his opinion that "all religions want peace," that is his opinion and his alone. It is his opinion as Jorge Bergoglio, he cannot bind me to agree with him.
Tell me friend, if he said the moon was made of creamed cheese, would you have a taste?
You are completely powerless and have absolutely no authority - is that why you like to condemn everyone else?
My dear, dear friend,
If you are correct, that I am, "completely powerless and have absolutely no authority," then why are you here?
I recall vividly when non-Catholics would denounce the massive power and authority that Popes possessed. In turn, traditionalists would reply with thunderous declarations in support of the monumental power that Popes possessed.
Traditionalists would quote from early Church documents and Tradition to prove that Popes enjoyed incredible power and authority. Traditionalists would quote Vatican I's thunderous teachings on Papal power and authority.
I thought that traditionalists gloried in such symbols of Papal power as the Triple Tiara, and Sedia Gestatoria?
I thought that traditionalists despised the sight of Pope Francis traveling in a compact car as that image, supposedly, symbolized the downplaying of the Pope's awesome power and authority.
I recall traditionalists posting photos of Pope Benedict XVI "dressed as a true Pope" while sitting on a throne, versus Pope Francis sitting in an "ordinary" white chair.
I thought that traditionalists desire the restoration of the following symbols of the Papacy's majestic power and authority?
Pope Pius XII coronation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll9zoPFDyCs
What happened to traditionalists? I thought that they desired a Pope who would wield his awesome power and authority to overthrow Vatican II and restore the TLM and Tradition to the Church?
Liberals accused traditionalists of being ultramontanists. Now, traditionalists sound like liberals and non-Catholics in reminding His Holiness Pope Francis that he possess very, very limited power and authority.
I didn't think that traditional priests favored the casting of the Papacy into that of an office of very, very limited power and authority.
What an amazing flip-flop by traditionalists. They were the staunchest defenders and promoters of the enormous power and authority that God bestowed upon His Popes.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
The Pope possesses very, very limited power and authority. Huh.
I thought that traditionalists demand the restoration of the following majestic practices and symbols that portray the God-given, monumental, awesome power and authority that Popes possess?
https://www.google.com/search?q=pope+john+xxiii+throne&biw=1024&bih=753&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizgY_176HOAhVJLyYKHbKLARgQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=pope+pius+xii+throne&imgrc=J58YSJ0jk48weM%3A
Pax.
Mark Thomas
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