Yes, a "liberal" pastor can be a real cross. I had one ten years ago, and it was a real trial. Been blessed with awesome priests since. Pope Francis has addressed our times quite directly, mentioning the book on the Antichrist two times now. He paralled it to our times. He has also spoken about those who would force us all into the "sole thought" and chastised those who are turning classrooms into re-education camps. This is all to say that he does speak out against the damage the globalists are doing... but then, I know, I know, he turns around and supports "climate change", which is nothing but a means to introduce an economic model based on Communism. Does he realize this? From my writing today: (Only Jesus Walks On Water) Massimo Franco is one of the leading “Vaticanists” and a correspondent for the Italian daily Corriere della Sera. He suggests that the Pope’s desire to move out of the papal apartments into community living at Santa Marta has done more harm than good. I must say, the Santa Marta system hasn’t worked, because an informal court, de facto, has been created and the Pope is realizing more and more that the people who have his ear don’t give him accurate information and sometimes, even not true information. Franco adds: Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the former Guardian of the Faith, a German cardinal, fired some months ago by the Pope—some say in a very abrupt way—said in a recent interview that the Pope is surrounded by spies, who tend not to tell him the truth, but what the Pope wants to hear. —Inside the Vatican, March 2018, p. 15 I have always sensed that the Pope, who admits to not watching television or reading much news or surfing the web, was getting bad advice. Is that a lot of what's going on here?
I tend to disagree that he is only rigid to the ultra-Trad's. Pope Francis has been very disrespectful, to say the least, to Cardinals and Bishops who are considered to be "conservative" and these are some of the most faithful pastors in the Church! He sees them as a threat, just as he sees those loyal to them a threat to what he wants to promote. I don't think anyone could argue this point. Why? What is he afraid of with those who uphold the traditions of the faith? Big red flag to me.
Mark, I believe all of us here sincerely love our faith. I know for sure, having read your work for years that you certainly do. My prayer is that we all remain committed to the our church and faith...keeping that formost in our intentions. Folks on this forum have debated issues , sometimes in a heated fashioned....myself one of them. But in the end, our love of God unites us here even after the fallout. Families do that...but still love one another. I agree too, that we need to remain charitable...but just as important....faithful. I know you are. I know that you’ve made personal sacrifices to evangelize....no easy thing! By the way, I’ve heard that you’ve suffered personal losses recently. I’m not sure of the details....but I’m deeply sorry for that. I pray that God will find a way for you to recover. You are a faithful servant Mark. Thank you for the time you take to share the faith...it is appreciated! Beth
Nope. That’s just wishful spin. Catholics need to understand the idea of broad mental reservation in regards to this papacy. Broad mental reservation appears to have been employed at the highest levels of the Church, literally for decades, regarding the release of the Third Secret of Fatima: ...one needn’t assume that the popes who have potentially concealed additional information relating to the Third Secret have lied to us; if they fear that the information it contains will cause severe damage to the Church in some way, they may be using broad mental reservation in their concealment of the portion of the text in question. There is also the issue, raised by Marco Tosatti, of internal questioning within the Vatican apparatus about which portions of an additional explanatory text, if it exists, can be attributed to Our Lady, and which to Sister Lucia. If there were sufficient doubt, one could conceivably conceal such a text while remaining technically correct stating that the full secret (ie., the portion that they were confident came from Our Lady) had been revealed. The legalistic sense, therefore, is noteworthy in this regard. https://onepeterfive.com/on-fatima-story-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-breaks-silence/ (The same could also be said about their prevarications regarding the consecration of Russia as requested at Fatima.) Since the post Vatican II era is, according to Vatican II, the “era of the laity,” it may be time for well catechized Catholics that, if the hierarchy can make recourse to broad mental reservations in the government of the universal Church, they too individually may need to make recourse to broad mental reservations. In this case, if it helps them maintain their sanity and stay in the barque of Peter during a papacy that on its face seems to disprove Christ’s assurances of Petrine doctrines - by for instance this papacy’s embracing heresy, the advancement of known homosexuals and denial of Extra Ecclesia Nulla Salus in the recent document- it is justified. Well catechized Catholics, scandalized by the words and actions of this papacy, are leaving the Church, because they cannot square their understanding of Christ’s promises regarding the papacy with the scandalous behavior of its current occupant. They are NOT weak in the Faith or poorly catechized. However, they have NOT been catechized in the hierarchy’s use of broad mental reservations and the legitimacy of having recourse to same to defend and protect their own personal faith in this time of crisis. All good faithful Catholics MUST believe Pope Francis is our validly elected pope. However, if it weren’t for broad mental reservations, many of us would be in a crisis of faith right now. While I accept this papacy, I realize that because of very valid concerns about 1) BXVI’s resignation and it’s validity, 2) irregularities regarding Pope Francis’ conclave (like the St. Gallen mafia) and/or 3) this current pope’s demonstrable heresies, when the histories are written by the Church, this pope may be considered an antipope. Yes, I hold broad mental reservations about this papacy. I know the Church still has a way going forward to square the circle. The current situation does NOT disprove Christ’s promises regarding the papacy, not because of papering over its errors and heresies with rose colored glasses, but because the current situation simply has not played out yet. Only the Church can tell me who is and is not pope. At present, the Church has not said this is not a valid papacy. But it could in the near or mid future, thus preserving the promises of Christ regarding this papacy. At this point, that’s the ONLY alternative I see for the Church going forward. That’s my broad mental reservation. That’s what helps me stay sane and at peace in the midst of this crisis. That’s part of how I keep the faith despite the daily nonsense from this Vatican. That’s how I sleep at night. Well catechized Catholics need to be catechized that this mental reservation IS a valid option, to help them keep their faith and their sanity amidst the current crisis. And you WILL NOT help keep them in the barque of Peter by patronizing them, insulting or belittling their personal faith or knowledge of the Faith, denying this papacy is a grave crisis, or denying them recourse to this mental reservation.
This is perhaps one of the biggest indicators to me that something is wrong with the man or he has an agenda. I have never seen a person switch gears going far to the left and then somewhat to the right and all over the place on his thinking and actions. I am no where close to a psychologist, but something is not right here. All I can do is pray and fast for our pope and those whom he seems to align himself with in high church positions that he put them in.
No, it's not wishful spin.... Fr. Z. among other priests have explained why, as well as theologians I'm in dialogue with. However, I think the Declaration is a big mistake and from my point of view barely defensive, if at all.
I am someone who might be regarded as an ultra-Traditionalist. Hmmm... I find these "anti-rigidity sermons" particularly offensive. Traditionalists make up a tiny portion of the Church. Many of them, indeed most, are very nice and warm people. People who have been mistreated by their Church and treated as second class citizens for decades mind you. Locked out of their churches, had their right to attend Mass restricted, mocked, etc. So a small few of them might be more than a little bitter. Maybe even rigid in their stance. In any case their numbers are so small as to merit few if any sermons, yet we get them all the time. Where are the sermons condemning Fr. James Martin and his ilk?
From Brian... ...one needn’t assume that the popes who have potentially concealed additional information relating to the Third Secret have lied to us; if they fear that the information it contains will cause severe damage to the Church in some way, they may be using broad mental reservation in their concealment of the portion of the text in question. There is also the issue, raised by Marco Tosatti, of internal questioning within the Vatican apparatus about which portions of an additional explanatory text, if it exists, can be attributed to Our Lady, and which to Sister Lucia. If there were sufficient doubt, one could conceivably conceal such a text while remaining technically correct stating that the full secret (ie., the portion that they were confident came from Our Lady) had been revealed. The legalistic sense, therefore, is noteworthy in this regard. Yes, this is a prime example...for me anyhow.
Yes...us trads are vilified....and Fr.Martin is a Church celebrity! There is just so much of this......
Fr. Martin should be reigned in. But he's not. We are living in the great apostasy, I think that's quite clear. So, now what? Our Lady has been giving the antidote for decades in apparitions all around the world: convert yourself, become an apostle of love, defend the truth, and witness the Faith. That's the antidote.
As my mother always says "Show me don't tell me." Action speak louder than words. Most communication they say is through action and not words. I think we are all reading between the lines, while the Vatican wants us to look the other way. Like the Great and Mighty Oz, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...
...and when I say I am a traditionalist, I mean that I believe and accept everything the Church offers us from her bosom. All her rites, all her spiritualities, all her charisms, etc. That's what it means to be a "traditional" Catholic.
When you accuse those leaving the Church of being weak in their faith or poorly catechized. Some of the people I know walking away from the Church are the exact opposite of poorly catechized. They just see no way of the Church credibly squaring the circle, maintaining the claim that Christ protects the papacy while seeing daily the words and actions of this papacy.
The Church is in a state of coginitive dissonance. We must obey Rome, but we cannot obey Rome. So what now indeed...
You just proved my point. Case in point: 'And when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. And the rest of the Jews [also] acted hypocritically along with him, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”' (Gal 2:11-14) Paul did not leave the Church nor did the others. Instead, when Peter was not "squaring the circle," they corrected him. You don't leave the Church when the pope is confusing. We've had popes who sold the papacy, moved the papacy, fathered children, and bedded women. None of it is grounds to leave the Church. So, if people leave the Church, then something is wrong in their formation, that's all I'm saying.
Just saw this a few minutes ago...everyday it’s something.... Pope Francis appointee as archbishop in Peru favors liberation theology, ‘ecological’ agenda https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/p...bishop-in-peru-favors-liberation-theology-eco Excerpt: According to the Spanish-speaking website infovaticana.com, quoting unnamed sources, Castillo had links many years back with the Communist Revolutionary Party and with the terrorist group “Shining Path” in Peru. Infovaticana columnist La Cigüeña De La Torre called his nomination “a summit of disgrace.” Pope Francis “has chosen the worst for Lima,” he wrote.
This pope isn’t “confusing.” He’s a proven material heretic. Only the Church may judge if and when has has or does cross the line into formal heresy.
