Yesterday, February 20, Pope Francis received Cardinal Roche in audience. This morning the Vatican issued the minutes of the meeting translated below by Edward Pentin:
"Brazen self-confidence."
This is the man that wants to persecute faithful Catholics who desire to worship God as their ancestors.
Will Pope Francis allow this manipulation of him? After all, it is making him look bad.
Of course, the most likely answer is the most obvious.
They are in cahoots!
https://wdtprs.com/2023/02/an-article-at-cwr-and-a-twitter-thread-seek-to-uncover-a-serious-concern/
https://twitter.com/holysmoke/status/1625767871744774144
On Candlemas, 2015, I wrote a blog post that is the second most-read blog post with nearly 40,000 direct hits, even more than Rosicagate. It was about a priest in Seattle defaming the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the worship of the Seattle Seahawks.
Vox Cantoris: Behold, the Tabernacle of Seattle Seahawks 12
It's hard to believe, but it has happened once again.
 |
| The Pastor |
From: Vox
Cantoris [mailto:voxcantoris@rogers.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 8:00 AM
To: 'fr.michael@holyspiritweb.org'; 'fr.joseph@holyspiritweb.org'
Subject: Help me, I'm desperate
Importance: High
To know what kind of diabolical narcissism and idiocy you possess that would cause you to do such a blatantly blasphemous and abusive thing?
Enjoy the publicity.
Repent, lest Jesus cast you into the outer darkness!
Vox Cantoris
Tell me again how the Latin Mass is a problem?
Oh, what is this? They made their YouTube private?
Can we dare hope that Pope Francis will realize the manipulation and soften his heart and be a shepherd and father to all the flock, including those smelly sheep on the peripheries?
Francis manipulated into promulgating Traditionis custodes, says Cardinal Müller
Members of the St. Anselm Athenaeum and others convinced the Holy Father that the Traditional Mass is "divisive" and encouraged him to restrict it until its virtual demise, Cardinal Gerhard Müller argues in his recently published book "In Good Faith."
The decision to promulgate Traditionis custodes, the motu proprio with which Francis abrogates the liberation of his predecessor's Traditional Mass reached in Summorum Pontificum, was "unexpected and for traditionalists it has been like receiving a slap in the face," says Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former prefect for the Doctrine of the Faith, in his recent book "In Good Faith." "The prohibition to attend this form of liturgy has created chasms, has caused suffering. It would have been more useful to distinguish between the substance of the sacraments which derive from Christ through the Apostles, and are essential, and the liturgical form which exists in various rites in the Church", where there are up to 23.
Müller blames this decision on the pressure of "some professors of the San Anselmo Athenaeum, who approached the Pope and conditioned him for their own interest. Of them I know some according to whom the only legitimate liturgical form is the conciliar, all other forms should disappear, although the Council has broadened the horizons in a harmonious unity on the essential".
What Benedict wanted with Summorum Pontificum was "to facilitate the unity and progressive inclusion of traditionalists. Years later, under the current pontificate, a group of advisers of Francis went to lament maintaining that Benedict XVI with that measure had taken a false step, causing further divisions and that, to rebalance the situation, it was better to return everything to how it was before. In short, they manipulated Francis," says the Cardinal.
Pope Francis has today appointed a new Archbishop of Toronto, Bishop Frank Leo [Catholic-Hierarchy]. Archbishop Designate Leo will replace Thomas Cardinal Collins whose resignation was accepted. Archbishop Leo, 51, was only consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal in September 2022. Yes, Montreal! Given the history of the Maple Leafs and Habs, there is much one could say about this.
Bishop Frank Leo was on someone's radar but was not one for the obvious ones. Rumours have been MacGratten from Calgary, Smith from Edmonton, or Bolen from Regina and he is one of the youngest Archbishops appointed to Toronto since Michael Power. Rejoice, my fellow that it was not one of these nor our former or current Auxiliaries!
Archbishop Leo has an enormous task ahead of him. Many Toronto priests are demoralized, and many have been "canceled" by the Collins regime. Others have been "thrown under the bus" of political correctness and media mobs. The decision by Thomas "No Mass for You" Collins to throw our lot in with the government and the "virtuous public health officials" has devasted Mass attendance and parish sustainability. The hollowing out of the faith in many old neighbourhoods of Toronto will leave Bishop Leo with the dirty work of closing dozens of churches. Bishop Leo comes into a cesspool within the Chancery. He will need every grace from the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Blessed Mother to deal with it.
The Marian logo on his miter and his crozier is a good sign rather than the wooden stick carried by Collins. His letter below is beautiful and may it indicate for us a renaissance for the Church in Toronto.
Greetings Message to the People of God in the Archdiocese of Toronto from Archbishop-designate Most Rev. Francis Leo
11 February 2023, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Praised be Jesus Christ.
I am reaching out to you all to convey my heartfelt greetings on the occasion of my appointment by the Holy Father to serve this beloved archdiocese as its archbishop and servant leader. I am deeply humbled by Pope Francis’ confidence and am profoundly grateful to him. I am very eager to get to know you all personally. Relying on the Lord’s unwavering assistance to fulfill the mission with which I am being entrusted, I place my hope in our Heavenly Father’s bountiful mercies as He journeys with all of us along the path of the Kingdom. I am also following in the footsteps of Thomas Cardinal Collins and in continuity with the committed, strong and selfless episcopal ministry he has provided for many years and for which we owe a huge debt of gratitude.
Strikingly, it was the Annunciation scene that came to my mind and heart when the Apostolic Nuncio notified me of the appointment. I thought of the Blessed Mother, her amazement and questioning, her trust and her availability to join forces with the Holy Spirit in bringing about the Incarnation; in accepting to play her unique role in the Lord’s loving and saving plan; to be a humble instrument in the hands of our loving and saving God. Upon learning of the Holy Father’s decision to appoint me, I too was asked to utter my own personal and ecclesial Fiat – and I have done so with all my heart.
My ministry among you as a Shepherd in Christ will no doubt provide copious occasions to share our faith, to walk together in holiness, to foster ecclesial communion, and to bring Christ to others in new ways. Together with Mary, each is invited to bring the presence of Jesus to life within our manifold communities. Our profound attachment to the Lord, remaining firmly rooted in His teachings and those of His Bride the Church, will enable us to sow seeds of enduring hope and be builders of bridges for that unity the Lord desires of us.
I will open my heart and mind to listen to you, to hear from you, and I will do my best to be for you an example of Christ the Good Shepherd. I trust that the Lord Jesus will open up new horizons before us, will accompany us with his grace, and allow us to experience abundant life. To my brother bishops, to the priests and deacons, seminarians, women and men in consecrated life and lay faithful engaged in ministry in the archdiocese, I look forward to engaging in close collaboration with you as we build up the Body of Christ, working out of our diverse vocations and charisms. As we abide in His love and walk with hope and authenticity, let us be reminded that it is Christ who is our Chief Shepherd and guides us all to the fullness of truth and life.
In embracing this new “calling within the calling” and so taking up the senior leadership role in the Archdiocese of Toronto, I truly believe that I stand to learn much from you: the very People I will strive to love and to serve, to empower and to inspire, to guide and to lead. As you know, I hail from the great city of Montreal and am the son of immigrant parents. My varied experiences in parish ministry and school chaplaincy, as a seminary formator and university lecturer, my years in the Holy See’s diplomatic service, my service at the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and most recently as auxiliary bishop, vicar general and moderator of Montreal’s curia – these have been for me incredible graces beyond all telling and helped prepare me, through Divine Providence, for this new office of leadership and service in the midst of the ecclesial community. I will bring to this ministry all that I am and all that I have.
To those who are near and actively engaged in the life of our Church, as well as to those who are more distant or struggle to choose her as their “spiritual home” - know that you are in my prayers daily and I will endeavour to be a loving pastor, a devoted father, a dedicated brother and an encouraging witness for you. In the immense and beautiful diversity of this archdiocesan family made up of parish communities and religious houses, educational institutions, health care and social services, ecclesial movements and associations, women, men and children, the elderly and the young, persons living on the margins, those with means and the needy, families of all walks of life, cultures, languages and traditions, and those persons in search for meaning, hope, healing and love, whatever your situation may be – know this: the door of my heart and that of our archdiocese are open to you.
As a committed community of faith in the Risen Lord Jesus, we know, nonetheless, that we will inevitably face difficulties and trials. The key, however, is to remember that we are never alone. If we accept to come together in order to encourage and support, challenge and lift each other up, not only will we know the joy of belonging to the Lord and be pleasing to Him, we will likewise be blessed with new dynamism, heartfelt fellowship, and a sense of family in the Eucharistic faith community. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is our most treasured gift; the Kingdom we seek is one of justice and peace; the path is that of holiness and fidelity. I delight in the Spirit with you, as with one heart and one soul we will endeavour to share this gift, to seek this Kingdom and its righteousness, and to walk humbly along this path.
Please remember me in your prayers so that I may faithfully serve the Lord in and through serving you. We are God’s beloved children and with Him all things are indeed possible.
May Saint Michael the Archangel, our patron saint, defend us always and protect us everywhere.
Yours sincerely in Jesus with Mary,
+Francis Leo
Archbishop-designate of Toronto
I have refrained from any comment because Michael Voris once came to my aid. It was when Thomas J. Rosica, CSB, attempted to sue me and my family into poverty. Voris gave advice, sound advice I should add, and a vehicle to create pressure against the derelict Rosica.
However, the continuous attacks on the Society of St. Pius X have come to the point of being pathological. Whatever issues of sexual perverts or incorrect procedures are not the issue. They had no more and very many fewer than other orders. One is too many. We know that. But the continuing attack at this time, in particular, is repugnant without merit and justice.
He needs to stop.
There is a lot going on. I should have something to say. I do and I don't. I am, in prudence, restraining. It is not easy but I need to keep my own peace at this time. You know that to which I refer.
Father Zuhlsdorf has something good to say today for all of us, particularly about you seminarians out there. I know you read this blog so urge you to read his comments and take them seriously.
To the others who read this blog in the Chancery, and I know you do, will you allow the little flock, even if some of them be nasty, crabby to be put out of the house? Do these smelly sheep not deserve your attention?
To you over in Rome, yes, you read this blog too, you who blame bloggers for all the ills and profess that we know nothing about liturgy do you really think you are going to win this? You have the power, but you won't have it forever. Maybe not even for one more year. Your end is coming, it won't be pretty. Your eternity will be severe. You will have deserved it all.
Some people think that the problem is this blog and other blogs and Taylor Marshall. No, the problem is that people came awake and sensed something was wrong. They began to look and if this blog was part of that awakening, then I am humbled. It is not about lace and incense, it is about doctrine and devotion and truth and stopping what is coming, but they can't and they know it. In fact, their attack will only cause the "disease" to grow. They can't have that and they are too ideological to accept it.
Here is the reality. The community where I chant the Mass and conduct the choir has grown by 204% since June 2020 when the China Virus lockdowns ended for the first time. Yes, you read that correctly:
204%
Do you think these people are going back to what they left and just forgetting what they found?
To the Pastors that read this blog. How has your parish fared since June 2020?
"Being homosexual is not a crime, it's not a crime. yes, but it's a sin. Fine, but first let's distinguish between a sin and a crime." Those words come from a Jorge Bergoglio interview published today with the Associated Press.
The manipulative deceiver in the Chair of Peter is playing games here with man's law and God's law. Just as James Martin, S.J., has done in the last few days declaring that an American cabinet secretary is "married" to another man. Caesar's Law versus God's Law.
He also calls for "patience" with the Chinese Communist Party and refers to Joseph Cardinal Zen as a "charming old man."
The AP Interview takeaways: Pope decries expanding gun use | AP News
We don't need to point out here where Bergoglio is wrong, but we do need to think about what he is doing as well as Martin and the rest of their water carriers on social and other media. As with the rumoured threats to the Latin Mass and potential watering down the Missal of Paul VI, these wicked men are trying to provoke a response. They want us to lose our minds, to demoralize us. They want us to despair and believe that God has abandoned us.
God has not abandoned us. They have abandoned God. Do not lose your peace over this. More will come. All of this is in God's providence. How sweet it is to see it, how wonderful to live it. We are about to see the cleansing of the Church from all of this. What a rejoicing!
Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen
A book by Pope Benedict XVI has been published posthumously, in Italian. A few translations have emerged. What is surprising is not so much some of the statements, we all suspected much of it, but that a Pope has written them.
"There were individual bishops -- and not only in the United States - who rejected the Catholic tradition as a whole aiming in their dioceses to develop a kind of new, modern "catholicism."
"A bishop, who had previously been rector, had allowed them to show the seminarians pornographic films, presumably with the intention of making them able to resist against anti-faith conduct."
"The visit that followed (U.S. bishops to discuss the sexual crimes - Vox) did not bring new information, because evidently several had joined forces in order to hide the real situation."
Update:
These are just some of the quotes, more will no doubt follow. The book is only in Italian and can be downloaded with the right Italian account credentials.
One can only wish that he had acted on all of this whilst an active Pope.
Just another day in the Ape of the Catholic Church.
Is this why the Bishop of Hexham suddenly resigned a month ago? What did he know? Did he fail to act? Was he blackmailed? Maybe just getting out of the storm. What a coward.
After a visit from the police in April 2022 over historic accusations of sexual abuse, the priest in the article below hanged himself. Innocent people don't commit suicide. They fight to proclaim their innocence or they suffer false accusations as did Christ.
But worry not. The Vatican is investigating. Just like it is investigating the sodomite orgy that took place above the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. How did that one go?
According to Francis, the Usus Antiquior of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the problem.
Move along, nothing to see here.
A giant and a lion fighting for Jesus Christ. Eternal rest grant unto George your Servant, O LORD, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Devasting news.
"Malaria."
Sure.
Who will pick up the torch?
Father John Melnick, an Augustinian Friar known to his large family on Facebook as John "Stone: Melnick has died. He was admitted to the hospital on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. His post on Facebook was, "I might die tonight." That was him. He was always ready and accepting of God's will. Father had a severe lung condition and was awaiting a decision on a possible transplant.
Eternal rest and blessed memory.
The official announcement from Brother Martin:
In the summer of 2015, Fr. John was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
In late 2021, he began to experience a sharper decline in his health, needing to sit even while offering Mass.
This continued to the point that in late 2022, his oxygen saturation levels would drop to the 60s and 50s after walking just a few steps.
On December 8th, 2022, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. John was rushed to the hospital at 3:30am because he was unable to achieve oxygen saturation levels above the 40s.
He was diagnosed with Covid and admitted to the ICU.
On December 20th, his breathing became extremely labored, risking the failure of other vital organs, whose health he needed to qualify for a lung transplant which he had decided to pursue around Easter 2022. The best hope for maintaining his health for a lung transplant was to be put him on a ventilator, which took place on Dec. 20th.
Fr. John tested negative for Covid on January 3rd, 2023. However, the lung transplant program required a PCR test which detects Covid deep in the lungs, whether the virus is dead or alive. Testing positive for having the virus (dead or alive) in his lungs, he was not yet permitted to transfer to Omaha for a lung transplant.
Shortly after, his kidneys began to fail and his blood pressure began to be extremely low. He was placed on dialysis. This became another obstacle to a lung transplant.
Having been on dialysis for over a week, Fr John’s blood pressure remained very low and he was still unable to produce a satisfactory level of urine.
On Sunday, January 15th at 6:05pm CST, I received a phone call from his attending nurse that his blood pressure had dropped extremely low to 50/20. I had adamantly refused to change his code status from full code to DNR, so I informed the nurse I was on my way and hung up.
Shortly thereafter, Fr. John Melnick passed from this life prepared by Extreme Unction and the Apostolic Benediction, both given to him prior to intubation and sedation.
Please join me in praying for the repose of the soul Fr. John Melnick.
-Br Martin
PS I regret the dissemination of this news on social media prior to the notification of his entire family. I only informed the contact person I had for his family, his doctors, very few close/immediate friends, and those whose participation he requested in his funeral.
While you think you may enjoy a peaceful Epiphantide glowing in the light of Christmas the Bishop of Rome has other ideas. If my sources are correct, this is imminent, and be prepared for a Lent of suffering and sorrow. Gloria TV is reporting "rumours" from the German blog, Summorum Pontificum (summorum-pontificum.de) that Pope Francis is preparing to unleash a frontal attack on the traditional Latin Mass through the use of an Apostolic Constitution.
Whether or not he has waited for Benedict XVI to be out of the picture is moot. Nothing stopped him for nearly a decade. No, this is his outrage that most of the bishops, priests, and laity around the world have ignored Traditionis Custodes and the abusive follow-up from Roche in the Congregation responsible. At this stage, it is rumour.
Let us pray to God for a quick end to this poison that has inflicted His Church and that we will see a restoration. What I do know is this; fixing this is beyond any ability of any one of us. Only God can destroy this wickedness and restore the faith and when He chooses to act, and I have no doubt He will, it won't be pretty.
I will not go quietly into the night. None of us can.
Drumbeat or rumors?
Drumbeat or rumors? (summorum-pontificum.de)
January 13, 2023
The Roman jungle telegraph, to which we are connected via several stations, does not always work reliably – which is why we usually hold back a bit with the public reproduction of the messages received. Not everything is worth communicating: the fact that Arthur Roche, the head of the authority responsible for the liturgy, reacted to the news of Benedict's death with the words: "Now we can finally sign the document!" seemed to us at best of anecdotal interest.
Now we receive news about the form and content of this document – and they set off all the alarm bells. Then it is about a new Apostolic Constitution, with which Francis, who is highly dissatisfied with the slow implementation of Traditionis Custodes, now finally wants to put an end to the old Mass. Francis, therefore, chose the form of an Apostolic Constitution in order to adhere to the corresponding Constitution Missale Romanum of Paul VI and to emphasize the equality of his current regulations with the 1969 Act of Law.
According to our information, the expected constitution contains 4 main provisions:
In no parish/diocesan church, may the old mass be celebrated.
In diocesan churches it may not be celebrated every Sunday according to the old rite.
The use of the 1962 books (with the modifications ordered by Francis) is only permitted for the celebration of Mass, but not for the administration of sacraments and sacramentals.
Every priest is obliged to celebrate (publicly?) according to Paul VI's missal.
This is the status of our information on 13 January. We keep an eye on the matter and our ears to the telegraph.
THE VATICAN TODAY
Commentators at every school, though for different reasons, with the possible exception of Father Spadaro SJ, agree that this pontificate is a disaster in many or more respects, a catastrophe.
1. The Successor of St Peter is the rock on which the Church is built, a great source and cause of world unity. Historically, beginning with Saint Irenaeus, the Pope and the Church of Rome have a unique role in preserving the apostolic tradition, the rule of faith, in ensuring that the Churches continue to teach what Christ and the apostles taught. Previously the motto was: "Roma locuta. Causa finita est" [Rome has spoken, the cause is over]. Today it is: "Roma loquitur. Confusio augetur" [Rome speaks, confusion grows].
(A) The German synod speaks of homosexuality, of women priests, of communion for the divorced. And the papacy is silent.
(B) Cardinal Hollerich rejects Christian teaching on sexuality. And the papacy is silent. This is doubly significant because the cardinal is explicitly heretical; It does not use code words or innuendo. If the cardinal continued without Roman correction, it would represent another, deeper break in discipline, with few (or none?) precedents in history. The congregation for the doctrine of the faith must act and speak.
(C) Silence is even more evident when it clashes with the active persecution of traditionalists and contemplative monasteries.
2. The centrality of Christ in teaching is weakened; Christ is removed from the center. At times Rome even seems confused about the importance of a rigorous monotheism, alluding to a certain broader concept of divinity; Not really pantheism, but as a variant of Hindu pantheism.
(A) Pachamama is idolatrous, although perhaps it was not intended as such initially.
(B) Contemplative nuns are persecuted and attempts are made to change the teachings of charismatics.
(C) The Christocentric heritage of St. John Paul II in faith and morals is the object of systematic attacks. Many teachers of the Roman Institute for the Family have been dismissed; Most of the students have left. The Academy for Life is badly broken, for example some of its members have recently supported assisted suicide. Pontifical academies have members and invited speakers who support abortion.
3. Failure to respect the law in the Vatican risks becoming an international scandal. These problems have been concretized in the ongoing trial at the Vatican of ten accused of financial negligence, but the problem is older and wider.
(A) The pope changed the law four times during the trial to help the prosecution.
(B) Cardinal Becciu was not treated with justice because he was removed from office and stripped of his cardinal dignity without any evidence. He has not received due process. Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
(C) As head of the Vatican state and source of all legal authority, the pope has used this power to interfere in judicial proceedings.
(D) The pope sometimes, if not often, governs with pontifical decrees, motu proprio, which eliminate the right of appeal of those affected.
(E) Many staff members, often priests, have been hastily kicked out of the Vatican curia, often for no valid reason.
(F) Telephone tapping is regularly practised. I'm not sure how often this is allowed.
(G) In the English trial against Torzi, the judge sharply criticized the Vatican prosecutors. Who are either incompetent and/or have been conditioned, prevented from providing the full picture.
(H) L’irruzione della gendarmeria vaticana al comando del dottor Giani, nel 2017, nell’ufficio del revisore dei conti Libero Milone, in territorio italiano, era probabilmente illegale ed è stata in ogni caso intimidatoria e violenta. È possibile che le prove contro Milone siano state fabbricate.
4. (A) La situazione finanziaria del Vaticano è grave. Negli ultimi dieci anni (almeno) ci sono stati quasi sempre deficit finanziari. Prima del COVID, questi deficit erano di circa 20 milioni di euro all’anno. Negli ultimi tre anni sono stati circa 30-35 milioni di euro all’anno. I problemi datano a prima sia di papa Francesco che di papa Benedetto.
(B) Il Vaticano ha di fronte un pesante deficit del fondo pensioni. Intorno al 2014 gli esperti della COSEA stimavano che nel 2030 il deficit sarebbe stato di circa 800 milioni di euro. Questo prima del COVID.
(C) Si stima che il Vaticano abbia perso 217 milioni di euro sul palazzo di Sloane Avenue a Londra. Negli anni ‘80 il Vaticano fu costretto a sborsare 230 milioni di dollari dopo lo scandalo del Banco Ambrosiano. A causa dell’inefficienza e della corruzione, negli ultimi 25-30 anni il Vaticano ha perso almeno altri 100 milioni di euro, e probabilmente parecchi di più, forse 150-200 milioni..
(D) Nonostante la recente decisione del Santo Padre, i processi di investimento non sono stati centralizzati (come raccomandato dalla COSEA nel 2014 e tentato dalla segreteria per l’economia nel 2015-16) e restano privi del consiglio di esperti. Per decenni, il Vaticano ha avuto a che fare con finanzieri di cattiva reputazione, evitati da tutti i banchieri che godono di stima in Italia.
(E) Il rendimento delle 5261 proprietà immobiliari vaticane resta scandalosamente basso. Nel 2019 il ricavo medio (prima del COVID) era di quasi 4.500 dollari all’anno. Nel 2020 era di 2.900 euro per proprietà.
(F) Il ruolo mutevole di papa Francesco nelle riforme finanziarie (progressi incompleti ma sostanziali nella riduzione della criminalità, molto meno riusciti, tranne che allo IOR, in termini di redditività) è un mistero e un enigma.
Inizialmente il Santo Padre ha sostenuto con forza le riforme. Poi ha impedito la centralizzazione degli investimenti, si è opposto alle riforme e alla maggior parte dei tentativi di smascherare la corruzione e ha sostenuto (allora) l’arcivescovo Becciu, al centro dell’establishment finanziario vaticano. Poi, nel 2020, il papa si è rivoltato contro Becciu e alla fine dieci persone sono state messe a processo e accusate. Nel corso degli anni, sono state avviate poche azioni penali a partire dalle segnalazioni di infrazioni dell’AIF.
Price Waterhouse and Cooper's auditors were dismissed, and Auditor General Libero Milone was forced to resign in 2017 on trumped-up charges. They were getting too close to corruption in the secretariat of state.
5. The political influence of Pope Francis and the Vatican is negligible. Intellectually, the papal writings show a decline from the levels of St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict. Decisions and policies are often "politically correct", but there have been serious failures to uphold human rights in Venezuela, Hong Kong, mainland China and now in the Russian invasion.
There has been no public support for faithful Catholics in China who have been persecuted intermittently for their allegiance to the papacy for more than 70 years. No public Vatican support for the Catholic community in Ukraine, especially Greek Catholics.
These themes should be revisited by the next pope. The Vatican's political prestige is now at a low level.
6. At a different, lesser level, the situation of the Tridentine (Catholic) traditionalists should be regularized.
On an even more modest level, the celebration of "individual" Masses with small groups in the morning in St. Peter's Basilica should again be allowed. At the moment, this large basilica in the early morning is like a desert.
The COVID crisis has covered the sharp decline in the number of pilgrims present at papal audiences and masses.
The Holy Father has little support among seminarians and young priests and there is widespread discontent in the Vatican curia.
The next conclave
1. The College of Cardinals was weakened by eccentric appointments and was not reconvened after the rejection of Cardinal Kasper's positions in the 2014 consistory. Many cardinals are unknown to each other, adding a new dimension of unpredictability to the upcoming conclave.
2. Since Vatican II, Catholic authorities have often underestimated the hostile power of secularization, the world, the flesh and the devil, especially in the Western world, and overestimated the influence and strength of the Catholic Church.
We are weaker than 50 years ago and many factors are beyond our control, at least in the short term, for example the decline in the number of believers, the frequency of attendance at Mass, the disappearance or extinction of many religious orders.
3. The pope does not need to be the best evangelizer in the world, nor a political force. The successor of Peter, as head of the college of bishops, who are also the successors of the apostles, has a fundamental role for unity and doctrine. The new pope must understand that the secret of Christian and Catholic vitality comes from fidelity to Christ's teachings and Catholic practices. It doesn't come from adapting to the world or money.
4. The first tasks of the new pope will be the restoration of normality, the restoration of doctrinal clarity in faith and morals, the restoration of just respect for the law, and the guarantee that the first criterion for the appointment of bishops is acceptance of apostolic tradition. Theological competence and culture are an advantage, not an obstacle for all bishops and especially for archbishops.
These are necessary foundations for living and preaching the gospel.
5. If synodal gatherings continue throughout the world, they will consume much time and money, probably diverting energy from evangelization and service rather than deepening these essential activities.
If national or continental synods are given doctrinal authority, we will have a new danger for the unity of the world Church, so that, for example, the German Church already has doctrinal positions not shared by other Churches and not compatible with the apostolic tradition.
Se non ci sarà una correzione romana di simili eresie, la Chiesa si ridurrebbe a una vaga federazione di Chiese locali, con visioni diverse, probabilmente più vicina a un modello anglicano o protestante, rispetto a un modello ortodosso.
An immediate priority for the next pope must be to eliminate and prevent such a dangerous development, requiring unity in the essentials and not allowing unacceptable doctrinal differences. The morality of homosexual activity will be one of these critical points.
6. While the young clergy and seminarians are almost completely Orthodox, sometimes quite conservative, the new pope will need to be aware of the substantial changes made to Church leadership since 2013, perhaps especially in South and Central America. There is a new leap in the advance of "liberal" Protestants in the Catholic Church.
A schism is unlikely to occur on the left, where they do not routinely make dramas on doctrinal issues. A schism is more likely to come from the right and is always possible when liturgical tensions are inflamed and unabated.
Unity in the essentials. Diversity in non-essential ones. Charity in everything.
7. Despite their dangerous decline in the West and the inherent fragility and instability in many places, serious consideration should be given to the feasibility of an apostolic visit to the Jesuit order. They are in a situation of catastrophic numerical decline, from 36,000 members during the Council to less than 16,000 in 2017 (with probably 20-25 percent of them over 75 years of age). In some places, there is also a catastrophic moral decline.
The order is highly centralized, susceptible to reform or ruin from above. The charism and contribution of the Jesuits have been and are so important to the Church that they should not be allowed to disappear undisturbed from history or to be reduced simply to an Afro-Asian community.
8. The disastrous decline in the number of Catholics and the expansion of Protestants in South America must be addressed. This was very little mentioned in the Amazon synod.
9. Obviously a lot of work needs to be done on financial reforms in the Vatican, but this should not be the most important criterion in the selection of the next pope.
The Vatican has no substantial debts, but continued annual deficits will eventually lead to bankruptcy. Obviously, steps will be taken to remedy this, to separate the Vatican from criminal accomplices and balance income and expenditure. The Vatican will need to demonstrate competence and integrity to attract substantial donations to help solve this problem.
Despite improved procedures and greater transparency, ongoing financial difficulties pose a major challenge, but they are far less important than the spiritual and doctrinal dangers facing the Church, especially in the First World.
Demos
Lent 2022
Cardinal Pell is dead of complications from hip surgery. He got close to the flame. He knew it, he found out all and they tried to destroy him
God rest his noble soul.
Where is the smell of the sheep?
Where is accompaniment?
This has just been made public following up on the action of a priest at the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI.
This is spiritual abuse.
https://twitter.com/matthew__theo/status/1611389775881146369
In an interview released yesterday, Archbishop Gänswein, Secretary to Pope Benedict XVI makes a comment on the late retired Pontiff's reaction to Bergoglio's vicious Traditionis Custodes:
Interviewer: So, Pope Benedict’s lifting of restrictions on celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite according to the 1962 Missal did not last as long as he intended. As Pope Emeritus, he was around to see the promulgation of Pope Francis’ MOTU PROPRIO Traditionis Custodes. Was he disappointed?
Archbishop Gänswein: It hit him pretty hard. I believe it broke Pope Benedict’s heart to read the new MOTU PROPRIO, because his intention had been to help those who simply found a home in the Missale Vetustum—to find inner peace, to find liturgical peace—in order to draw them away from Marcel Lefebvre. And if you think about how many centuries the old Mass was the source of spiritual life and nourishment for many people including many saints, it’s impossible to imagine that it no longer has anything to offer. And let’s not forget that many young people—who were born long after the Second Vatican Council, and who don’t really grasp all the drama surrounding that council—that these young people, knowing the new Mass, have nevertheless found a spiritual home, a spiritual treasure in the old Mass as well. To take this treasure away from people … well, I can’t say that I’m comfortable with that.
“Traditionis Custodes” Motu Proprio “Broke Pope Benedict's Heart” acc. to Archbishop Gänswein from Freddie Wasserstien on Vimeo.
Full video here:
An exclusive interview with Archbishop Georg Gänswein (benedictusxvi.com)
May God grant eternal rest, peace, and light to Josef Ratzinger. I loved him and still do. He was my Pope.
Yet, as with many, I am conflicted. I've said many times. all he had to do was to go to the window at the Angelus on a Sunday and tell the City and the World of those wolves who were persecuting him and out to take over the papacy and destroy the Church. Romans loved Josef Ratzinger. We did. There would have been a bloodletting and we would have risen up in an open war with the enemies. He had the power, but he failed to use it. He was forced out? How, what could they have threatened him with? Martyrdom? Instant heaven. His brother's murder? Same thing. What could he have possibly been threatened with to leave? Yesterday, I used the word "coward" in the combox to the post below. It has offended some. Correct, I should not speak ill of the dead but it doesn't change the truth. When that helicopter carried him away that day, I thought he would be dead in months, that he has some kind of terminal disease and he was going off to die. Instead, he lived three months short of ten years. He was there watching his successor attempt to destroy and did nothing. He let it happen. He was my "Papa" and he walked out on his "Bride" my mother. He let the family house be taken over by an abusive bully who has beaten my mother and continues the spiritual abuse of his children. How do we square this with those who say that he retained the "munus" and only renounced the "ministerium?" No, he left, he abandoned his post, if the election of Pope Francis was defective and he was not a true Pope, he is now. This is the bottom line. The priests of the Diocese of Rome accept Jorge Bergoglio as their bishop and the Bishop of Rome is the Vicar of Christ on Earth and Pope. So, let's get off of this "interregnum" merry-go-round. Sometimes Occam's Razor is simply true. The simplest option is what it is. What I keep my eye on is that God wins in the end and so do those of us who remain steadfast with Him. We keep on going. We don't abandon the job as I see so many past "experts" doing on social media. "Look at what they have done to us." No, look at what you have done to yourself! Stop whining (you know who you are); you who were so prominent and "in the know." Your responses now are pathetic. You've abandoned the job too. On my part, I have not stopped doing what I have done from 2005 and before. I will continue as long as God gives me the will to do it.
God wins. Get back to work.
Courtesy of Rorate Caeli blog.
When, at this late hour of my life, I look back on the decades I have wandered through, I see first of all how much reason I have to give thanks. Above all, I thank God Himself, the giver of all good gifts, who has given me life and guided me through all kinds of confusion; who has always picked me up when I began to slip, who has always given me anew the light of his countenance. In retrospect, I see and understand that even the dark and arduous stretches of this path were for my salvation and that He guided me well in those very stretches.
I thank my parents, who gave me life in difficult times and prepared a wonderful home for me with their love, which shines through all my days as a bright light until today. My father's clear-sighted faith taught us brothers and sisters to believe and stood firm as a guide in the midst of all my scientific knowledge; my mother's heartfelt piety and great kindness remain a legacy for which I cannot thank her enough. My sister has served me selflessly and full of kind concern for decades; my brother has always paved the way for me with the clear-sightedness of his judgements, with his powerful determination, and with the cheerfulness of his heart; without this ever-new going ahead and going along, I would not have been able to find the right path.
I thank God from the bottom of my heart for the many friends, men and women, whom He has always placed at my side; for the co-workers at all stages of my path; for the teachers and students He has given me. I gratefully entrust them all to His goodness. And I would like to thank the Lord for my beautiful home in the Bavarian foothills of the Alps, in which I was able to see the splendour of the Creator Himself shining through time and again. I thank the people of my homeland for allowing me to experience the beauty of faith time and again. I pray that our country will remain a country of faith and I ask you, dear compatriots, not to let your faith be distracted. Finally, I thank God for all the beauty I was able to experience during the various stages of my journey, but especially in Rome and in Italy, which has become my second home.
I ask for forgiveness from the bottom of my heart from all those whom I have wronged in some way.
What I said earlier of my compatriots, I now say to all who were entrusted to my service in the Church: Stand firm in the faith! Do not be confused! Often it seems as if science - on the one hand, the natural sciences; on the other, historical research (especially the exegesis of the Holy Scriptures) - has irrefutable insights to offer that are contrary to the Catholic faith. I have witnessed from times long past the changes in natural science and have seen how apparent certainties against the faith vanished, proving themselves not to be science but philosophical interpretations only apparently belonging to science - just as, moreover, it is in dialogue with the natural sciences that faith has learned to understand the limits of the scope of its affirmations and thus its own specificity.For 60 years now, I have accompanied the path of theology, especially biblical studies, and have seen seemingly unshakeable theses collapse with the changing generations, which turned out to be mere hypotheses: the liberal generation (Harnack, Jülicher, etc.), the existentialist generation (Bultmann, etc.), the Marxist generation. I have seen, and see, how, out of the tangle of hypotheses, the reasonableness of faith has emerged and is emerging anew. Jesus Christ is truly the Way, the Truth, and the Life - and the Church, in all her shortcomings, is truly His Body.
Finally, I humbly ask: pray for me, so that the Lord may admit me to the eternal dwellings, despite all my sins and shortcomings. For all those entrusted to me, my heartfelt prayer goes out day after day.
Benedictus PP XVI
