Francis refashions Council of Cardinals, removing Pell and Errázuriz Pope Francis has reorganized the group of cardinals advising him on how to reform the Vatican bureaucracy, removing two prelates under scrutiny for allegations of sexual abuse or cover-up and a third who has retired ........The only American among the remaining six members of the council is Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley. ....... Besides O'Malley, the remaining members of the council are: Honduran Óscar Rodríguez, Indian Oswald Gracias, German Reinhard Marx, and Italians Giuseppe Bertello and Pietro Parolin. The oldest member is Bertello, who turned 76 in October. Rodríguez will turn 76 on Dec. 29. O'Malley is 74 and Gracias will turn 74 on Dec. 24. Parolin and Marx are 63 and 65, respectively. https://www.lastampa.it/2018/12/12/...d-errzuriz-9AfYczMvDxrCZLW8ruOzEK/pagina.html
He still has at least two perverts advising him. I'm sorry to be so crude, but it's a fact. Two perverts and one out and out heretic.
Padraig, which 2 are the perverts, I ask in all seriousness, and could you give a small bio on them, and who is the heretic and what is his story? I am not asking in a sceptical way at all, I really want to be informed. I believe, but I could be completely wrong because I'm not any kind of learned person, that Cardinal Pell has been stitched up because he was getting too close to uncovering all the rot and filth in Rome which is seeping out now anyway. If they could they would have charges brought against Archbishop Vigano as well.
I read a blog comment a few years ago about what happens to some/many (?) of the bright young priests who are sent to the Vatican. I have no idea whether the writer base this on fact or surmise but it does seem to fit with the current state of the Church. Apparently, many of those in positions of power in Rome are always seeking allies among future middle and senior Curia officials and future bishops who might be useful to them. A bright young priest who has impressed sufficiently to be sent to Rome and is therefore clearly being 'fast-tracked' will almost certainly be invited to a lunch or dinner by some notable churchman. He will feel flattered and he will attend to find that there are several other notable and important churchmen present to whom he will be introduced. The inviter will have a long chat with him and ask his opinions on various things and treat these opinions with great respect, he will express admiration for the young priest's intelligence and surprise that he has been given such a humble post. Perhaps the young priest would like the inviter to 'have a word' with some people who could get him moved to a position more suitable to his considerable talents? Of course he would, unless he has been warned about the 'process'. He is invited to meet other notables who say that the inviter has told them great things about him and ask if he might consider joining their 'club'. Members, he is told, discuss mutual problems and use their influence to resolve them and, where possible, to recommend the promotion of their members to suitable positions. He is told that only the most promising of young priests are invited to join and, flattered again, he probably agrees. He is informed that, of course a young priest will not have the power to influence but he might be able to assist other members if he has information from his job that is useful to senior members of the 'club'. Perhaps, as a gesture of good faith, he might in fact tell them something about what his boss is working on these days and how he is progressing with his projects, who has he seen recently and what was said. Once the priest has divulged even one small piece of, possibly unimportant but confidential information, he is trapped and this is made clear to him ever so subtly. Now, any information, even the most confidential to which he has access is the property of those who now 'own him' because he can be blackmailed. The 'club' might be a Masonic Lodge, a group of perverts, who believe that he can be sexually seduced too, or just a 'mafia' of people who promote and help each other and arrange 'cover up's' if necessary. Not long after the process begins, the priest feels himself totally trapped but may also be happy to go along with the process because power, influence and access to funds will now inevitably flow in his direction. I recall a young priest who was the friend of a friend and who was sent to Rome within a few months of his ordination to no-one's surprise because he was so intelligent and charismatic. Within another few months, he was back in his bleak home town ministering as the curate in the most working class parish in the city. I was not alone in wondering why, in fact I assumed then that he must have done something terribly wrong, but after reading about the above, I guessed that he was one of the young priests less amenable to persuasion/pressure and suffered for it.
Pope’s Homosexuality Comments Could Encourage Discussion at Abuse Summit The issue has so far been avoided by those preparing for the event, but now is highlighted in the wake of Francis’ recent forceful remarks about the problem. Edward Pentin | Dec. 13, 2018 | http://www.ncregister.com/daily-new...ts-could-encourage-discussion-at-abuse-summit VATICAN CITY — Is Pope Francis, through some recent comments he has made, encouraging a broader discussion of homosexuality in the consecrated and priestly life ahead of the Vatican meeting on clerical sex abuse in February? The Vatican will host the special meeting of bishops Feb. 21-24 to address the clergy sex-abuse crisis, with an official theme of the “protection of minors and vulnerable adults.” The question of homosexuality has so far not been raised by those preparing for the event, which, until now, has appeared to focus on minors. But the issue has now come to the forefront since the Pope made unusually strong remarks about homosexuality in a book interview published earlier this month. In the interview, which appeared in The Strength of Vocation: The Consecrated Life Today by Father Fernando Prado, Francis said there is “no room for that kind of [homosexual] affection” in consecrated and priestly life and recommended those who have such an “ingrained tendency” should not be accepted as priests or religious. Those who are homosexual, he said, should be “impeccably responsible” and never live a “double life”; otherwise, it is “better for them to leave” the ministry or consecrated life. He also said the issue of homosexuality is “very serious” and must be “adequately discerned from the beginning” of a candidate’s formation. “We have to be exacting,” the Holy Father said. “In our societies it even seems that homosexuality is fashionable, and that mentality, in some way, also influences the life of the Church.” Although he did not link homosexuality with the sexual-abuse crisis, recent scandals, such as those involving ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and other clerical sex-abuse cases in the U.S., Germany, Chile and Honduras — many of which have involved seminarians — have led many to see the two as connected. ‘Important Issue’ And although the Pope’s interview was recorded in August, before the idea for the February meeting had been conceived, those who see a link between homosexuality and clerical sex abuse view the issue of homosexuality as crucial to the upcoming discussions. “This is an important issue since it has become apparent that some members of the clergy, including bishops, engage in homosexual activity,” said Capuchin Father Thomas Weinandy, a former executive director of the USCCB’s Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices. “It is known that they prey upon seminarians and young men,” he added, pointing out the “problem of ‘gay networks.’” Such behavior, he told the Register Dec. 11, “cannot be tolerated,” and the February gathering “desperately needs to address these issues if the meeting is to be taken seriously.” In a recent interview with the Register, Father D. Paul Sullins, a senior research associate of the Ruth Institute and a recently retired professor of sociology at The Catholic University of America, highlighted a correlation between a rise in the number of priests of a homosexual orientation from the 1950s to the 1980s and “a very similar increase” in sexual-abuse incidents over the same period. Father Sullins’ findings, contained in a recently published Ruth Institute report on the clerical sex-abuse crisis, found that the share of homosexual men in the priesthood rose from twice that of the general population in the 1950s to eight times the general population in the 1980s, a trend that was very strongly correlated with increasing child sex abuse. At the same time, the report showed that whereas a quarter of priests ordained in the late 1960s reported the existence of a homosexual subculture in their seminaries, that figure rose to more than half of priests ordained in the 1980s. This, the report concluded, was a second trend that was also strongly correlated with increasing child sex abuse. Father Sullins said this meant his conclusion must be the “opposite of that of the John Jay Report,” referencing the 2011 study commissioned by the U.S. bishops in response to the sex-abuse crisis. That report found no causative relationship between either celibacy or homosexuality and the sexual victimization of children in the Church, despite the findings of the initial 2004 John Jay Report: that more than 81% of the victims of clerical sex abuse were male. Msgr. Pope “Even if most priests with same-sex attraction have not abused anyone, the fact remains that 80% of the abuse cases involved homosexual acts perpetrated on the victim,” noted Msgr. Charles Pope, dean and pastor in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., writing in the Register Dec. 8. He, therefore, believes that to forbid any discussion of the link between clergy sexual abuse and homosexuality “amounts to a kind of malpractice,” as it not only “endangers potential future victims as well as the souls of potential abusers,” but also “seriously damages the credibility that will be necessary for any proposed solutions and policies.” Msgr. Pope said he saw the Pope’s recent comments on homosexuality as a “ray of light” that “deserve our support” as the February summit draws near. He also predicted that supporters of the homosexual and transgender cause will try to suppress a link between the clergy sexual-abuse scandal and homosexuality at the meeting, and they must be “conscientiously and charitably” resisted. But for Phil Lawler, CatholicCulture.org commentator and author of The Smoke of Satan: How Corrupt and Cowardly Bishops Betrayed Christ, the Pope’s words give him little solace. “To be honest, I don’t place too much importance on the Pope’s recent comments,” he told the Register Dec. 10. “I read them as another off-the-cuff statement, not necessary tied to any policy decisions.” He added that he sees “no indication that the Pope plans to introduce any discussion of homosexuality at the February meeting.” But like Father Weinandy, he believes if the topic is not discussed, it will be “a terrible missed opportunity, because the problem is not simply the abuse of young people; it also involves the violation of chastity, which is far more widespread, and the near-universal failure of Church leaders to address that problem.” Father Weinandy said he found it “hard to judge” the impact that the Pope’s words will have on the February meeting. “The problem is that the Pope has to act on his own words,” he said. “If he himself does not actively engage the issue, no one else will. Without his actively engaging the issue, no one will take him seriously.” Cardinal Cupich Another point calling into question whether the issue of homosexuality will be discussed at the meeting is the appointment of Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago as head of the summit’s preparatory committee. Cardinal Cupich has expressed strong skepticism that homosexual priests are a key factor of clerical sexual abuse, saying instead the problem stems from clericalism in the Church. Similarly, Pope Francis has placed most of the blame for the crisis on clericalism and, to date, never on homosexuality. The Register asked Cardinal Cupich, in his capacity as head of the meeting’s organizing committee, to share his views on the link between homosexuality and clerical sex abuse and whether it will be discussed at the meeting in light of the Pope’s comments. As of publication time, he had not responded. The Register asked Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India, who is also on the committee, the same questions, but he has similarly not replied. A Vatican official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Register Dec. 10 that it is not at all clear the Pope wants the issue of homosexuality discussed at the meeting, as the book interview comments were given in light of the McCarrick scandal and not with respect to the February meeting. But Lawler does not rule out the possibility that the topic could be broached. “I still hold out some hope that other bishops — notably the American contingent — will demand a broader discussion in February,” he said. “They could cite the Pope’s recent statements toward that end.”
Jonah, I think that Padraig may be referring to the accusations against Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez* and Cardinal Oswald Gracias**, the first has been accused of homosexual activity and the latter has been accused of covering up clerical sexual abuse and I would think that he is possibly referring to Cardinal Reinhard Marx*** as a heretic for endorsing blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples. It is quite a group. *https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/f...-diverted-government-funds-to-reward-homosexu **https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/11...nges-key-indian-prelates-record-on-sex-abuse/ ***http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/cardinal-marx-endorses-blessing-ceremonies-for-same-sex-couples
The following is from Edward Pentin's blog https://edwardpentin.co.uk/father-w...actions-are-often-in-conflict-with-his-words/, please keep praying: Father Weinandy: If Pope Francis Doesn’t Engage the Issue, No One Else Will Capuchin Father Thomas Weinandy offered the following comments for an article I wrote this week in the National Catholic Register on Pope Francis’ recent comments on homosexuality. His complete yet brief remarks could not fit into the piece, so I publish them here in full: Father Weinandy, do you think the Pope would be right to invite a discussion on this issue at the February meeting on protection of minors and vulnerable adults from clerical sex abuse, and why do you think he made these remarks, given Aug. 9 and so not long after the McCarrick scandal broke? I think that it would be right for Pope Francis to invite the members of the February meeting to discuss the issue of homosexual oriented clergy. This is an important issue since it has become apparent that some members of the clergy, including bishops, engage in homosexual activity. It is known that they prey upon seminarians and young men. There is also the problem of “gay networks.” Such behavior cannot be tolerated. The February meeting desperately needs to address these issues, if the meeting is to be taken seriously. How much influence do you expect the Pope’s remarks on this issue will have on the conference? This is hard to judge. The problem is that the Pope has to act on his own words. If he himself does not actively engage the issue, no one else will. Without his actively engaging the issue, no one will take him seriously. This is because the Vatican seems at times to promote “the gay agenda.” We only have to look at the Week on Marriage and Family life that took place in Dublin and the Synod on Youth. What we have learned is that what Pope Francis says has little meaning in and of itself. The real Pope Francis is only seen within his actions, and his actions often are in conflict with his words. So if Francis insists on specific actions and if he himself actually does something, then what he says could have an effect upon the conference. Are you concerned that Cardinal Blase Cupich, whom the Pope appointed head of the preparation committee for the February summit will try to remove this connection, or could the Pope’s comments have made that less likely? My guess would be that Cardinal Cupich would not want to engage this issue. He is one of the promoters of “the gay agenda.” The appointment of Cardinal Cupich is a good example of Pope Francis saying one thing (concern about homosexuality among priests) and then doing something that would undermine that stated concern (the appointment of Cardinal Cupich as the head of the preparation for the meeting). *** The situation in China needs our prayers also, thank you. Mindong: Msgr. Guo Xijin, underground bishop, gives way to formerly excommunicated Msgr. Zhan Silu 12/13/2018 | http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Mind...rly-excommunicated-Msgr.-Zhan-Silu-45738.html The handover in the state hotel in Beijing, in the presence of Msgr. Claudio Maria Celli. Pope Francis reportedly asked for this "sacrifice" from Msgr. Guo to save the unity of the Church and to guarantee the signing of the agreement between China and the Holy See. Msgr. Celli also requested the withdrawal of the elderly Bishop of Shantou, Msgr. Zhuang Jianjian... (Please click the above link for the full story.) Edited to add: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) was on the World Over last night and he hopes, with Pres. Trump's signing of a new bill to help those religiously persecuted throughout the world, that the US will be able to help Catholics in China along with people of other religions who are also being persecuted in China: In addition, there is another bill in the works to help China more specifically which Rep. Smith is involved in: Congressional bill aims for human rights for China’s Uyghurs November 15, 2018 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/...ims-for-human-rights-for-chinas-uyghurs-44706
I don't think it is up on Youtube yet, but the interview with Cardinal Burke by Raymond Arroyo from last night is worth watching. Arroyo specifically asks if the Fraternal Correction is dead or not and Cardinal Burke said in no uncertain terms it is still on the table they are just trying carefully to decide how to proceed since this has never been done before (at least not in such a manner). There have been warnings sent to Popes in the past, but never anything of this magnitude.
This is good to hear. His preaching is effective for what is usually missing from others. But hopefully the Bishops will listen and learn. Itinerant papal preacher: Capuchin will lead U.S. bishops’ retreat For more than 38 years, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa has preached to the pope and top officials of the Roman Curia. In early January, he will lead the weeklong retreat of the U.S. bishops. He is pictured in a 2014 photo. (Credit: Paul Haring/CNS.) ROME - For more than 38 years, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa has preached to the pope and top officials of the Roman Curia. In early January, he will lead the weeklong retreat of the U.S. bishops. As they continue to study and discuss ways to respond to the clerical sexual abuse crisis, the bishops will gather for the retreat Jan. 2-8 at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago. Pope Francis suggested the bishops hold the retreat and offered the services of the 84-year-old Father Cantalamessa, who has served as preacher of the papal household since 1980. In an email Dec. 6, the Capuchin declined to be interviewed about the retreat, saying, “At this delicate moment in the life of the U.S. church, I don’t believe it would be opportune for me to give interviews.” The theme of the U.S. bishops’ retreat will be “the mission of the apostles and of their successors” and will draw from Mark 3:14, which says Jesus “appointed 12 - whom he also named apostles - that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach.” Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office, told Catholic News Service, “You can see why the pope asked the bishops to make the retreat together in what he told the bishops of Chile: Without faith and without prayer, fraternity is impossible.” “At a moment like this, the bishops need to be united in prayer, and Catholics in the U.S. should see them at prayer,” Burke said Dec. 13. “A retreat is always a time for conversion, and perhaps there’s been no time in the U.S. with more need for conversion than now.” The job of “preacher of the papal household” is not a fulltime position; each year it requires the priest to give an average of eight meditations - one each on most Fridays of Advent and Lent - and the homily during the pope’s Good Friday celebration of the Lord’s Passion. The title, and the ministry, has a very long history. Superiors of different religious orders took turns preaching to the pontiff and his aides during Advent and Lent until the mid-1500s, when Pope Paul IV appointed the first preacher of the papal household; his successors followed suit, always choosing a religious-order priest for the job. Pope Benedict XIV decided in 1743 to be more specific, decreeing that the preacher of the papal household always be a Capuchin friar. St. John Paul II asked Cantalamessa to take the job in 1980; since then, the Capuchin has given more than 300 spiritual talks and homilies to the popes and their closest aides in the Roman Curia. When he is not preaching to the pope, Cantalamessa leads retreats around the world, writes books and articles and works with charismatic Catholics; in late October, he was named ecclesial adviser of “Charis,” the new international coordinating body for the Catholic charismatic renewal. In a 2015 interview with CNS, he said the first time he climbed the steps to the lectern in St. Peter’s Basilica to preach to the pope on Good Friday, “It felt like I was climbing Mount Everest.” But, he told TV2000, the Italian bishops’ television station, “this post of preacher of the papal household says more about the pope than the preacher. He has the humility to set aside all his important tasks on the Fridays of Advent and Lent to come listen to the preaching of a simple priest.” The three popes he has preached to have given him the freedom to choose the topics for his meditations, he told CNS in 2015. “I try to understand, including with the help of prayer, what are the problems, needs or even graces the church is living at the moment and to make my little contribution with a spiritual reflection.” “Putting the word of God into practice must characterize all preaching,” he said. “Pope Francis gives us a stupendous example of that with his morning homilies.” While focused on challenging and strengthening the faith of those he is preaching to, Cantalamessa’s homilies have touched on religious persecution, Christian unity, signs of hatred and prejudice in society, violence against women, war and peace, the defense of human life and the abuse crisis. His homily in St. Peter’s Basilica on Good Friday in 2010 caused controversy. At the service, presided over by Pope Benedict XVI, the Capuchin focused on how Jesus broke the cycle of violence and victimizing others by taking on the world’s sins and offering himself as a victim. He had noted that in 2010 the Christian Holy Week and the Jewish Passover coincided, and he told the congregation the Jews “know from experience what it means to be victims of collective violence,” and they recognize when other groups are being attacked simply because of who they are. He then read a portion of a letter he said he received from a Jewish friend, who wrote that he was following “with disgust” attacks against the church and the pope, including because of the abuse scandal. The repetition of stereotypes and using the wrongdoings of some individuals as an excuse to paint a whole group with collective guilt reminded the Jewish author of “the most shameful aspects of anti-Semitism,” the letter said. Cantalamessa later said he was sincerely sorry if he offended any members of the Jewish community or any victims of sexual abuse. The Capuchin also has preached on the need for the Catholic Church to be honest and transparent about the abuse crisis and to repent for it. In December 2009, just a few hours before Pope Benedict XVI met with Irish bishops to discuss the clerical sex abuse crisis, Father Cantalamessa gave one of his Advent meditations. He told the pope and other Vatican officials that, as a matter of justice, the church must publicly admit the weakness of some of its priests. However, he had said, acknowledging weakness is not enough to “launch a renewal of priestly ministry.” For that, he said, the prayers of priests themselves and all the faithful are needed as is a renewed commitment by all priests to devoting themselves totally to serving God and their brothers and sisters. And, in Advent 2006, leading a meditation on the passage from the beatitudes that says, “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted,” Father Cantalamessa said the church’s tears of shame for the abuse crisis must be turned into tears of repentance. Rather than mourning for the damage done to the church’s reputation, he said, the church must weep “for the offense given to the body of Christ and the scandal given to the smallest of its members.” https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-u...acher-capuchin-will-lead-u-s-bishops-retreat/
Cardinal Eijk: The Church must investigate Viganò testimonies to regain credibility Diane Montagna | https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/c...stigate-vigano-testimonies-to-regain-credibil ROME, December 14, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) — A prominent cardinal is joining a chorus of bishops in calling for a full investigation into the Archbishop Viganò testimonies, which implicated several senior prelates and Pope Francis in the cover-up of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual abuse of priests and seminarians. In a Dec. 13 interview with the Italian daily Il Giornale, Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht, Netherlands, says “it is clear” that the allegations contained in the Viganò testimonies “should be thoroughly examined,” adding that “many bishops” have asked for such an investigation. “It has to be fully clarified if the Church wants her credibility back,” he said. In the wide-ranging interview (see full text below), the Dutch Cardinal also discusses the importance of persevering in Catholic doctrine amid pressures to adopt a more Protestant-Anglican model. “The strength of the Catholic Church,” Eijk says, “is that her doctrine is valid for the whole world. Dialogue with the Protestants must not lead the Catholic Church herself to become Protestant.” Eijk, 65, also offers his view on the inclusion of the “LGBT” acronym in the recent Youth Synod’s working document, and his thoughts on the expected move to ordain married men in the Latin Church with next year’s Amazonian Synod. “To allow [married priests] temporarily is not a solution,” he insists. “Once it is decided, it becomes irrevocable,” and “with this, priestly celibacy, a splendid and fruitful centuries-old tradition of the Latin Church, would be lost.” Cardinal Eijk, who issued a forceful commentary after Pope Francis failed to reject a draft proposal by the German Bishops’ Conference allowing Protestants in certain cases access to Holy Communion, also says in the interview that he “would like the bearer of the Petrine ministry, who is the principle of the unity of the Christian faith, to provide clarity” on the issue of divorced and remarried Catholics being granted access to the Blessed Sacrament. Created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, Eijk is also a medical doctor and expert in medical ethics. He wrote one of his doctoral dissertations on euthanasia, and another on the ethical problems of genetic engineering of human beings. In 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed him a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and a member of its governing council in 2005. Under Pope Benedict, Eijk also served on the Vatican’s Congregations for Clergy and Catholic Education. In the Dec. 13 interview Eijk also turns to politics, discussing the influx of migrants into Europe, and the rise of “nationalism” and “populism.” The cardinal argues that while nationalism must never be used as a “shield to keep others out,” governments are “not obliged” to grant residence “to economic migrants.” He also notes that migrants, for their part, “have obligations towards the common good of the country where they are seeking refuge,” and must especially respect “the inviolability of the human person.” Here below is a LifeSite translation of the full interview with Cardinal Eijk. *** Cardinal Eijk, what is the state of health of Catholicism in northern Europe? We know that the Church is experiencing a difficult situation... The Catholic Church is shrinking throughout northern Europe. The Netherlands has the questionable honor of being the leader in this phenomenon: we were the first country where the shrinkage began. In the meantime, there is a decrease in the number of faithful throughout northern Europe. Especially in Germany where decline is rapid … but I know that even in countries like Spain and Italy the shrinkage is a phenomenon that’s being felt. What is the reason for this? The main cause is the individualism that characterizes modern Western society. Because of the increase in prosperity, people have become independent. One can still see the difficulty families have in passing on the faith, in a context where it’s increasingly pushed out the door. In social life, the Christian religion is no longer present and is viewed with scarcely hidden or even manifest hostility. As far as the Netherlands is concerned, we are in a phase in which parishes are merging and many churches are no longer being used for worship. Cardinal, you have spoken about “individualism” but are there also other causes? The cause is the lack of active faithful who participate in Church celebrations and support the church as volunteers and/or with their financial contributions. In Holland there are no church taxes. The Church in Holland survives on the basis of voluntary contributions from the faithful. This makes the Church poor, but also free from the State, which I consider a great advantage, one that surpasses the disadvantage of poverty. There are, however, also clear places of hope, where strength is gathered and faith is lived in an authentic way through good liturgy, catechesis and activities for the various groups. The archdiocese also forms volunteers with this objective in mind. It has given rise to formation for future permanent deacons, catechists and deacons’ assistants. Currently there are lay pastoral workers, who had university-level theological training and earned an academic salary, but their number has been reduced by more than half in the eleven years since I became archbishop of Utrecht, and the number will become very low in the years that still remain to me as archbishop of Utrecht. Cardinal Eijk, how do you think the picture will evolve? The future collaborators of the priests in parishes will mainly be permanent deacons, catechists and volunteer deacons’ assistants. The churches that remain will be centers for large regional parishes. However, although the quantity [of parishes] is decreasing, their quality is increasing. This is the other aspect of the situation: we are becoming more and more a Church of choice, where people truly want to achieve something from the faith. And we mustn’t forget that the Church historically has known other ups and downs, and that ultimately we are in the hands of God. continued...
continued from above... Intercommunion, the blessing of homosexual couples, so-called (but only presumed) “ecumenical celebrations.” Cardinal, is the dialogue with Protestants making the Catholic Church increasingly similar to the Protestant church? It is important that we persevere in the doctrine of the Church, which has been transmitted to us. It would be wrong if we chose a more Protestant-Anglican model. The strength of the Catholic Church is, in fact, that her doctrine is valid for the whole world. Dialogue with the Protestants must not lead the Catholic Church herself to become Protestant. Have you read the Viganò dossier? What do you think about it? I cannot judge well the content of his letters, but it is clear that this matter should be thoroughly examined. In the meantime, many bishops have also asked for [a thorough investigation]. The Holy See has announced that it will examine more thoroughly the case of Theodore McCarrick, and I am of the opinion that this is very welcome. It has to be fully clarified if the Church wants her credibility back. Cardinal, what do you think about the management of the migratory phenomena? Is European identity being threatened by the arrival of too many migrants? The flow of migrants, of course, is divided in an unbalanced way: especially in countries like Italy which, because of their position, have to deal with the influx of migrants. This causes a great burden on society. And the European Union is not showing solidarity with Italy, as we should expect. Yet the government is not obliged to grant a residence permit to all migrants, especially to economic migrants. These are necessary for the common good in the country of origin. But migration has many facets: in the city of Almere, there are plans to build a Catholic Church. Many Catholics from other countries who want to participate in [liturgical] celebrations have settled there. And in the western part of the Netherlands, especially in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Hague, several parishes would have been suppressed had the migrants not arrived. It is important that we, as Europe, are welcoming, but we also have to keep in mind how much a society can do. Many cardinals have now taken a position “against” the return of nationalism. What is your opinion on the matter, Cardinal Eijk? The effect of “nationalism” differs from one country to another. Sometimes people return to the “Christian roots of their culture,” but there is little in their language that is Christian. In such cases, “Christian” is used only as a shield to keep others out. This sort of nationalism is not a good thing. But the form of nationalism that leads one to be proud of one’s country and one’s history can help [a nation] to rediscover its Christian roots, including a respect for the universal value of human life, marriage, the family and the interest of others — one thinks of the works of mercy. Nationalism can never serve only as armor. The Synod on Youth was held recently. There seems to be some controversy over the use of the “LGBT” acronym in the Instrumentum laboris. What is your thought on this? Certainly everyone must be treated with respect, also people with an objectively wrong sexual orientation, but one can give the wrong impression by using this [LGBT] wording. It does not seem right to me to use this wording in Church documents. The fact that, during a synod, using “objectively disordered” (the wording in the Catechism) may suggest something very abstract to young people, is the consequence of the fact that, in the Church — certainly in the Netherlands — catechesis has been very incomplete, and often even completely absent, while children and young people are bombarded in the schools with ideas that come from gender theory, and are vigorously advocated in large areas by national and international organizations. You have taken a position on Amoris Laetitia. Cardinal Eijk, are you a supporter of the “dubia”? During the Synod, I took a clear stand on the matter. I also contributed to the book of the eleven cardinals (Eleven Cardinals Speak on Marriage and the Family), where I made it clear that, in my opinion, n. 84 of the Familiaris Consortiois is valid in its entirety. This means that if a person is divorced and civilly remarried, he cannot receive Communion (unless the two live as brother and sister).There has been no denial of this anywhere, not even by this Pope, not even in Amoris laetitia. Reference is often made to the footnotes of this document, but a long-time doctrine and practice of the Church cannot be changed by footnotes, or by an occasional statement during an inflight interview. I would like that, above all, the bearer of the Petrine ministry, who is the principle of unity for the Christian faith, to provide clarity on this. We now have a situation where, in one ecclesiastical province one thing is proposed and practiced, and in another something else is promulgated. This creates confusion in people. A prolonged lack of clarity can lead to undesirable practices. In the Church the truth always comes to light, but in this case it cannot come too soon. Precisely to avoid deluding people. There is a lot of talk in Europe about “populism.” What is your opinion of this political style? Is it in conflict with Catholicism or can it help it to be revived? Populism is not, by definition, in conflict with Catholicism, but I do not yet know of any examples in which populism has caused a revival of faith, although it must be noted that, in Italy, the Lega Party clearly defends a certain number of values and norms on the family, as proposed by the Church. The Catholic faith, of course, is always attentive to vulnerable people, to the marginalized, to people who have no voice. This is not always the group of people that a populist looks at. The situation in the Netherlands, as far as migrants are concerned, is clearly different from the one in Italy. In Italy it has become an acute problem because of the huge wave of migrants from Libya, the long Italian coastline which can hardly be monitored, and the high unemployment, especially among young people. I can well imagine the concerns of the Italian people. Moreover, it must be said that migrants also have their obligations towards the common good of the country where they are seeking refuge, and they must respect universal values, such as the inviolability of the human person. Is it true that you are being forced to close many local churches? If so, why? Yes, many churches have already been closed, and in the next ten years most of the churches will have to be closed. In the past, there were more than 350 [churches]. Now there are about 200 left. I predict that in 2028, the year when I turn 75 and will have to ask the Holy Father to resign, the Archdiocese of Utrecht will number about 20 parishes, with one or two churches in each. What are the reasons for this? The small number of faithful who still go to church and, consequently, the small number of volunteers, and the very low income to keep the churches open. There are churches with a capacity of 400-500 people and often even more, where only a few dozen faithful go on Sundays. Many parishes are also drawing on their financial reserves. Ultimately, people abandoning the cause leads to the church closing its doors. We are currently experiencing this decline, but we hope to reappear smaller yet more alive. The Synod on the Amazon [will be held next year]. It’s said “viri probati” will be discussed. Are we moving towards a concession for married priests? I understand that priests are needed and that, in certain places in the world, the need is more pressing than in northern Europe. But married priests are not, in my opinion, the solution. If it were allowed only for certain territories, inequality would arise within the Catholic Church across the world, on a very important point. To allow such a thing temporarily is not a solution — once it is decided in this way, it becomes irrevocable. With this, priestly celibacy, a splendid and fruitful centuries-old tradition of the Latin Church, would be lost. Moreover, in the case of the ordination of “viri probati,” they would lack priestly formation in a seminary.
The Cardinal's sensible views on migration were echoed this week by perhaps the finest current head of state in the Islamic world (his performance is impressive even if the bar is not set very high), President Sisi of Egypt. The latter firmly called upon migrants to respect the religion, tradition, customs and culture of their host country and to integrate within these societies. He further called upon migrants to consider deploying their talents to improve their native country, and questioned the inherent value of migration. There is a great need for such alternative voices in this time of great cultural instability.
For those who are interested I saw this interesting no0te of Desmond Birch's Facebook page today: DEAR BROTHERS & SISTERS, I'm now going to address an issue I've not spoken of very much here on my FB page. WHY am I doing this now? Of late, numerous people [even some FB friends here] have asked me if I would do a recap about Catholic Church-approved prophecies from Canonized Saints, Blessed & Venerable about a possible Chastisement - requests occasioned by the rather obvious accelerating evil of our times. Subsequently, I've decided I will do an update of my book 'Trial, Tribulation & Triumph Before, During and After Antichrist' (often simply referenced as TTT). But that is going to take some serious time. Several new books had to go on hold when I began serious tutoring/teaching again in 2014 - when I was already 73 years old. But for now, I'm going to do an abbreviated update for TTT here on FB. What has occasioned this decision is the accelerating developments in 3 areas?; A. Political unrest in both France and Italy, and B. Russia's increasingly aggressive posture in regard to the rest of Europe. C. Ensuing clear statements from both Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to the effect that the whole world HAS NOT YET RECEIVED THAT INITIAL EVANGELIZATION WHICH JESUS SAID MUST PRECEDE THE VERY END TIME EVENTS [e.g., the Advent of the great Antichrist, his Tribulation, and the Final Judgment]. Both developments A&B above appear strikingly similiar to prophecies contained in TTT; 1) Church-approved prophecies of an eventual Civil War breaking out in France and Italy at virtually the same time, & 2) A future Russian invasion of Europe [which in my opinion was probably initiated when Russia invaded Eastern Ukraine a few years ago]. Many, many, people have asked me over the last 10 years to redo/update the prophetic and eschatological portions of TTT. The immediate cause of such requests has always been in regard to the a combination of the decreasing stability of the geopolitical situation, and, the stark quantum increase in Moral Decline in this world - particularly in the West - over the last 20 plus years, [TTT first came out in Oct. of 1996]. Those of you who have known me for the last twenty years or so are aware that I have not spoken all that much about these prophetic elements - except for the TV series on EWTN and a number of other media interviews and programs. Well, it appears that - to use an old American Expression - 'The fats in the fire' in regard to the above matters - resulting in the almost exponential recent increase in the number of requests for an update. So If I'm to get it done before it becomes history - it appears I must start now. I will be trying to finish the short FB version of it over the Christmas break - before school restarts up at the seminary in January. All my love in Christ Desmond
I suppose that,just as Satan is always hanging around when Our Lady comes , he must be very, very present in the Vatican, although it is under the specialprotection of the Arcangel Michael. Fr Paul of Moll siad one time after seeing Jeus he said he saw a group of Demons dressed as Medieval soldiers following behind. Where is great good there will always be great evil following behind.
Steve is describing a situation spelled out by Malachi Martin in his novel "Vatican." The process is very subtle and very dangerous. And many good young priests have lost their faith as a result. The priest who returned to minister in a poor working class neighborhood had a lot of grace to resist. Good for him. I don't think this is is a recent thing for Rome. Probably since before the Renaissance but particularly vile these days.
Mr Birch is not one very prone to hyperbole. His is a very chilling and remarkably clear-sighted interpretation of current global events. I had thought that the fall of the Soviet bloc had averted the Russian threat, but this seems not to be the case. It still gnaws at the back of my mind as to why the US is absent in these prophecies. The present geopolitical framework suggests that the US would immediately and devastatingly intervene in the case of a Russian invasion of Europe. What might be about to happen that could nullify this eventuality? It seems to me that a situation that neutralises the US would be the prime invitation to Russia to make her move.
Yes I too ponder this. Will God allow the destruction of t hy e US or will our new growing nationalism make us isolationist.
I am more than a little surprised that very many more of our Catholic sisters and brothers have not picked up on this. The correlations between current events and Catholic Prophecy are enormous. It is so very,very clear that we are about to come to the end of a very,very long rope indeed. I can understand why our Protestant sisters and brothers have not picked up on this for they do not have what we have. I was praying and thinking for instance about the Holy Father and Pope Francis this morning and I just had this huge inner certainty given that heaven has crossed a Rubicon on internal Church matters and has decided to take a certain course. That the prayers of millions of Faithful Catholics ; so concerned about ungoing events is abut to be answered in a very unmistakable way. As though heaven were saying, 'Don;t concern yourself about this matter anymore ; it is settled, we are about to act!' I wonder if anyone has has been feeling this prayerful assurance? It is most strange ; I feel as if the current goings on in the Vatican/ Church are all ,well almost in the past now heaven has decided what to do. Has anyone else felt this?
