Poor confused man. Padre Pio had such a deep affection for and respect for his religious habit as a real sign from God to the world.....of humility.....and courage....and union with Him.
What a wise insightful post!! I must confess I do struggle with anger issues regarding the Holy Father. I struggle very much with this. You remind me to keep my peace and remain calm, loving and forgiving.. Trusting in the Lord to take care of things. I admit all that is happening in the Church has been a huge, huge personal trial. There have been times, I admit, I have been tempted to ask the Dear Lord to let me die to take me away from it all. It is like a knife through the heart. My own anger does not help; it only makes things worse. Mother Mary, teach me patience. Let me cry with you, but in Imitation of you let me never get angry or impatient. Our Holy Church is our own dear Mother. What son or daughter, seeing their Mother laid on the Cross before them and wounded by evil men would not weep? Oh Father of Light send your Holy Archangel Michael to defend the Holy Church in this our hour of need!
There are a lot of articles on LifeSiteNews about the following, here is just one of them. US bishops giving Fr. James Martin a huge victory with deafening silence on his LGBT advocacy Doug Mainwaring | https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/us-bishops-just-handed-pro-lgbt-fr-james-martin-a-huge-victory September 26, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — At a pivotal moment — as the future direction of the Church regarding the aggressive infiltration of LGBT ideology hangs in the balance — the bishops of the United States have squandered an enormous opportunity to shut down pro-gay Fr. James Martin, S.J. More than that, they have handed Martin a huge victory. Last week, Philadelphia archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap, issued an important public correction challenging Fr. Martin’s work to normalize homosexuality and transgenderism within the Catholic Church. In his polite but firmly worded statement, Chaput warned his diocese — and by extension the entire Catholic Church — “regarding the ambiguity about same-sex related issues found throughout the statements and activities of Father James Martin.” A golden opportunity squandered Archbishop Chaput created a golden opportunity for the bishops of the United States to stand shoulder to shoulder against Martin’s relentless promotion of gay liberation theology. It was a chance for our American bishops who have been pummeled by the priest and prelate homosexual abuse scandal and cover-up for over a year now to show a united front to stop Martin in his tracks. Shockingly, just two of Archbishop Chaput’s brother bishops rushed to back him up with public statements of their own condemning the grave moral error of Martin’s pro-LGBT program. Just two. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois issued a statement supporting Chaput, saying aspects of Martin’s teachings are “deeply scandalous” and that his “messages create confusion among the faithful and disrupt the unity of the Church.” Bishop Richard Stika of the Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee, likewise took to Twitter, thanking Chaput for calling attention to Fr. Martin’s theological and moral errors. “I would add the pain it causes by setting people [up] for pain as morally it can never be accepted by the Church,” said Stika. In the days following Archbishop Chaput’s public correction of the Jesuit priest, LifeSiteNews reached out to twenty bishops, asking for comments in support of Archbishop Chaput’s correction of Fr. Martin. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was the only bishop to respond to our invitation: I learned of the exchange of responses between Archbishop Chaput and Father Martin in the very sensitive matter of those who feel alienated from the Church because of sexual identity issues right before I went to celebrate Mass and preach on the Korean martyrs. I applaud Archbishop Chaput and Father Martin for the respectful tone with which they issued their responses to each other. The martyrs remind us in a most powerful way of the cost of discipleship. While few receive the high calling of red martyrdom, all disciples are called to die to whatever in them keeps them from living the demands of the Gospel with complete integrity. I therefore thank Archbishop Chaput for affirming Father Martin in his intention to reach out to our fellow Catholics who feel this way, while at the same time reminding us all of the sacrifices required to be faithful to an understanding of the nature of the human person consistent with the created order, revealed in Sacred Scripture, and articulated in the constant teaching of the Catholic Church. As he says, for one whose identity is with Jesus Christ, it can be no other way. Every other U.S. bishop has remained silent. Every single one. All the others chose to either decline or to ignore the invitation. It should also be noted that at last year’s United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) fall assembly, Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland made a veiled reference to Fr. Martin when he corrected fellow bishops for allowing a prominent priest to oppose Church teaching on homosexuality in their dioceses. “There’s a priest that travels around now basically saying that he doesn’t [believe the doctrine of the Church],” he said, “and he seems to be very well promoted in various places.” LifeSiteNews also reached out to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for a statement supporting Archbishop Chaput. The USCCB, too, declined. Through their silence, the American bishops have done incalculable damage. Fr. Martin and organizations such as New Ways Ministries will be emboldened by the bishops’ inaction. The bishops’ silence gives LGBT activists permission to ramp up their assault on the wise teachings and pastoral practices of the Church. By choosing not to support Chaput, they give the Catholic faithful the impression that, unlike Chaput, Paprocki, and Stika, they agree with Fr. Martin. In a sense, their passivity is an act of collusion with Martin’s efforts. Tragically, their silence is also an act of abandonment, leaving chaste same-sex attracted Catholics to wonder why we strive to be faithful to Church teaching. Most importantly, they undermine their roles as teachers and protectors of Church doctrine. They show themselves to be compromised, unable to distinguish between the teachings of the world — which lead to death — and those that lead to new life in Jesus Christ. Stark contrast Their silence and passivity contrast with the young men and women who gathered in Orlando, Florida to participate in the ex-gay and ex-transgender Freedom March, just a few days before Chaput published his correction of Martin. The boldness of these folks who came together from around the country to fearlessly proclaim the freedom they’ve found through Jesus Christ from homosexual and transgender lives presents a stark contrast to the sheepishness, cowardliness, and disunity of our bishops. Martin’s greatest victory Archibishop Chaput’s statement is crystal-clear: “Due to the confusion caused by his statements and activities regarding same-sex related (LGBT) issues, I find it necessary to emphasize that Father Martin does not speak with authority on behalf of the Church.” [emphasis added] Whether intended or not, over 400 U.S. bishops just gave the impression that Fr. Martin does speak with authority on behalf of the Church. They have greenlighted Martin’s efforts, granting him what is perhaps his greatest victory ever. Less than two weeks after the Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross, the bishops have waved a white flag and surrendered to the politicalization of sodomy and the undermining of complementarity, paving the way for a monumental LGBT triumph. *** Pope Francis meets with Father James Martin in private audience Gerard O’Connell September 30, 2019 | https://www.americamagazine.org/fai...is-meets-father-james-martin-private-audience Jesuit Father James Martin, author and editor at large of America magazine, meets in a private audience with Pope Francis on Sept. 30, 2019 (Foto ©Vatican Media) Pope Francis received James Martin, S.J., in a 30-minute private audience in the papal library of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace this morning, Sept. 30, in what is seen here as a highly significant public statement of support and encouragement for this U.S. Jesuit. Father Martin is well known as a public speaker, author and for his pastoral ministry to L.G.B.T. people. “I was very moved by my encounter with a real pastor,” a joy-filled Father Martin told America after the meeting. “I am most grateful to the Holy Father for his generosity in granting me an audience in the midst of his busy schedule,” he said. Father Martin would not reveal what the pope said to him in the course of their conversation, except that “we both laughed several times.” He did say, however, that “among other things, I shared with Pope Francis the experiences of L.G.B.T. Catholics around the world, their joys and their hopes, their griefs and concerns. I also spoke about my own ministry to them and how they feel excluded.” He concluded, “I saw this audience as a sign of the Holy Father’s care for L.G.B.T. people.” “I was very moved by my encounter with a real pastor,” a joy-filled Father Martin told America after the meeting. It was their third meeting but their first substantial conversation. Significantly, it took place not as a private encounter in Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where he lives, but in the pope’s private library where he meets heads of states and international organizations, cardinals and bishops conferences, leaders of the other Christian denominations and of the world’s major religions, as well as distinguished persons. By choosing to meet him in this place, Pope Francis was making a public statement. In some ways, the meeting was the message. They spoke to each other, seated at the table where the pope meets his high-level visitors. The encounter lasted 30 minutes and was conducted in English and Spanish with the assistance of a translator, who was the only other person present. ...
I apologize for the flippant comment. I often do feel marginalized by this pope. I feel marginalized by the society at large because I am traditional in my leanings. I feel this way because the larger "agenda", which comes straight from hell, is shaming me into compliance. They have been using immigration for decades to change the face of the US and Europe. I live in AZ and let me tell you, my state is being over run by not nice people. I see it everyday. I didn't used to. The people coming here are not good people. They are criminals and terrorists. Thank goodness ICE is catching a lot of these people and returning them or sending them for prosecution. This pope has muddied the waters just like the politicians. "You don't want to seem harsh or mean or racist or hateful do you? Then by allowing this it proves you are not any of these things." Rubbish!!! As Padraig stated above, I struggle with all of this. A lot of the things that are happening make me doubt my beliefs, and I can't have that at this point. We are at a bad point all around. I pray for the grace to stand firm and to be strong. I have to pray everyday and sometimes hourly for this grace as if I didn't, I would be a hateful and angry person. I don't have any of the answers. I live such a small life. But I do pray and offer sacrifices. It's all I can do. But it hurts to see what is going on. I have often said, I don't recognize my country anymore. Unfortunately now I can say, I hardly recognize my Church anymore. Pray, pray pray.
Let me be quite frank and honest and direct. Pope Francis is not of God but of his Father, the Devil. Lucifer. The Father of Lies and Master of Deceit, Murderer of Men from the beginning. All that Pope Francis is, is of Satan and all that he says is of Satan, all that he plans is of Satan, all his accomplices are of Satan and the only place he will lead the Faithful to is Hell; the House of Satan. The Vatican has indeed fallen. Satan and his children are now at the steering wheel, sitting gleefully in the driving seat in the Vatican. The Vatican has Fallen.
Pope Francis made a phone call to a leading gay theologian and priest who was suspended from active ministry in part over his LGBTQ-affirming work, and gave the theologian “the power of the keys,” a phrase indicating his restoration to active priesthood. Francis placed the call two years ago to Fr. James Alison who only yesterday shared in The Tablet his account of the experience, which was first reported about anonymously in Frédéric Martel’s In the Closet of the Vatican published earlier this year. https://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/2/16788/-this-is-pope-francis-calling-
God must be allowing all this to give all those hiding in the church the freedom to speak and act and show their cards. It had to start from the top with a very left leaning pope or those inside the church would continue to hide, plot and plan in secret. The further left the pope keeps going(which is almost unbelievable!) the more the supporters of changing church doctrine appear. I wonder if there is even another way God could have went in separating his true followers from those attempting to destroy His church? It's amazing how many Cardinals, Bishops and priests are coming out in support of sin now being OK, even so far as to suggest that those not embracing unrepentant mortal sinners are somehow the evil ones. You never hear the pope call out Jesus as the source and summit of salvation for all and absolute requirement of repentance of sin. As JP2 said this confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. As disturbing as it is, I must keep remembering that Jesus wanted His image worded "Jesus, I Trust In You!" venerated for a reason especially now. Those words are so simple yet so hard to fully embrace. Trust is a must. Jesus Christ was loving but rigid in what is required for salvation.
Very true. The Archdiocese of Washington has a new Archbishop, Wilton Gregory. He presided over a funeral Mass recently for Ms Cokie Roberts, a pro-abort Catholic journalist. !!!! (How can there be such an entity?) A pro-abort Catholic Congresswoman, Nancy Pelosi, delivered the eulogy. Of course, it was full of praise for the late Ms. Roberts’ outspokenness and support for the pro-abort “Cause”. I would say that this is support of sin in a Catholic Mass in the Cathedral, for sure. Ugh. I’m still sad about it. But it is an example of what you just posted.
I haven't had time to watch the video yet but MY point is that the deliberate destruction of Christian nation states is PART of the strategy to destroy Catholicism/Christianity and to install the global antichrist.
I'm not disputing your point. I'm merely saying that letting them put words in your mouth is counterproductive because eventually they will push enough of your buttons for the words to actually come out of your mouth. Christian nation states have been in self-destruct mode for decades, and in some countries the decline began centuries ago. Fr. Martin's point at the end of the video is that nobody will be more angry than God to see His Church being attacked from within. "Vengeance is mine" sayeth the Lord. I can't recall whereabout it was discussed in the video, but Fr. Martin gave the distinct impression that Pope John Paul didn't believe that the consecration of the world fulfilled Our Lady's request at Fatima. While he didn't say it in so many words, Fr. Martin was of the opinion that Pope John Paul expected some terrible disaster to befall the earth and that there was nothing mankind could do to prevent it. Why would the Pope expect the annihilation of entire nations if he truly believed that the consecration was done and dusted? Wouldn't he have been sitting back waiting to see the conversion of Russia and a period of peace granted to the world?
Tanker, I agree wholeheartedly with you. Our ancestors in certain countries gave their lives to hand on the faith despite terrible persecution and fought themselves free of tyranny so that they could form their own society with their own Catholic values. Now the elites have given away the country (Ireland) and the Church elite have given away the children's religious inheritance. I think it is right to be angry on both accounts. Righteous anger is the impetus to standing against that which is wrong. Keeping quiet and being indifferent is the OPPOSITE of love. I don't think it is right to keep quiet about ANY injustice, be it abortion or the destruction of cohesive societies just because we want to be seen as 'naice' and because one is a very immediate destruction and the other is a slower death by poisoning. London is now downtown Mogadishu and group postal vote electoral fraud deprives us of proper representation. Wrong is wrong. We do not have to shut up about an orchestrated destruction of nation states. We stood by and said nothing for 60 years while our altars were ripped out and our catechism was denied to the young. So we are guilty. Now we are told to stand by and say nothing while our societies are undermined and deny our grandchildren any inheritance of Christian civility or 'dacency .' If we do so, we will once again be guilty on a second count.
