“I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

I wonder if Brian asks his bank manager or garage mechanic whether they are pro abortion? Of course he doesn't. The individuals he is telling us about are being chosen for their knowledge of matters associated with climate matters, not for their personal beliefs or holiness.

Quite a lot of Catholics may feel that Pope Francis shouldn't be bothering with things like climate change (I might be one of them) but the fact is that, rightly or wrongly, the overwhelming number of scientists in this area believe it is a serious matter and so Francis believes that he has a responsibility to advise the Catholic faithful on the matter. Of course he could say that since we cannot be certain of the truth of the advice, then he should ignore the whole problem.

Pope Francis feels differently, do we have to have this continual stream of attacks on his integrity because of that?

 

Pope Francis, whether one likes it or not, is the Vicar of Christ's Church in this era. Yes, God is in control of His Church in the light of his Holy Spirit. We need to pray for those on this forum that are stuggling with fear. Their fear comes from lack of trust in God, as if he is asleep at the wheel. As Padre Pio said, "pray, trust and don't worry".

 

Spot on, Fatima!

I have no doubt that the Pope's future encyclical will be roundly condemned by both the Liberal and Conservative sides of the Church, for the simple reason that they will be unwilling (or unable) to deal with nuance. People will be so concerned with interpreting it in a political light that they will totally miss the spiritual elements.

 

Yes, Jesus ate with the sinners and tax collectors. But as others have said, where was Pope Francis when those fighting for traditional marriage in Ireland needed his moral support and leadership.?!?

Pope Francis Will Hold His First Public Meeting with a Gay Activist
The activist is counting on Pope Francis to “address the issue” of violence toward LGBT people at the meeting in July

http://www.people.com/article/pope-francis-hold-first-public-meeting-gay-activist-paraguay

 

A very interesting take on not just the Encyclical but the link between Francis and Benedict. Again, let's see what the Holy Father actually says, but if this analysis (John Allen is usually spot on) is accurate, the link to moral relativism may in fact be the Pope's "response" to Ireland and other countries where they are attempting to codify change of natural law. Let's see....


http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/...sto-may-confirm-pope-francis-as-benedict-2-0/

 

One other thought on this..I find it amazing that it seems like the entire eyes of the world will be upon the Vatican on Thursday awaiting these words of the Pope. Isn't it somewhat ironic, that as the MSM pushes out stories that the Catholic Church is dying or irrelevant, that much of the conversation is on what the Pope will say. Of course, the different groups to some extent already have lost the message and are already attempting to use the Pope to prop up their particular position. I am confident that the Vicar of Christ will have a deeper message than just one of global warming

 

Brian, have you ever heard of picking your battles? Do you think Jesus was an arbiter of all the battles going on during his 33 years? Do you think he was always isolated from the swearing, adulterous neighbors, corrupt governments etc..? He seen it all, but took it all to prayer. Sometimes Brian, the best thing to do is pray, do penance, and set the good example yourself. This is what Jesus did and when an opportunity arose where he felt compassion in truth was essential, he spoke. I think this is what Francis is doing. If you think he is not guided, as Vicar of Christ's Church, by the power of Holy Spirit then I feel sorry for you. Do you not trust in your God to work through his voice on earth?

 

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...te-thinks-there-are-6-billion-too-many-of-us/
VATICAN SPEAKER ON CLIMATE THINKS THERE ARE 6 BILLION TOO MANY OF US

One of the speakers slated for the Vatican rollout of the long-awaited Papal document on climate change once said the earth is overpopulated by at least 6 billion people.
The teaching document, called an encyclical, is scheduled for release on June 18 at Vatican City. Perhaps with the exception of the 1968 encyclical on contraception, no Vatican document has been greeted with such anticipation.

The political left is hoping for a document that ties belief in global warming to a religious obligation. Climate skeptics have already started criticizing the document.

The choice of Professor John Schnellnhuber, founding director of the Postdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, as one of three presenters may be giving the left added hope and giving giving skeptics severe heartburn. He has been described as one of the more aggressive scientists on the question of man-made global warming.

In a talk given to what’s described as the “failed” 2009 Copenhagen climate conference, reported in the New York Times, Schnellnhuber, who has advised German President Angela Merkel and is a visiting professor at Oxford, said of global warming: “In a very cynical way, it’s a triumph for science because at last we have stabilized something –- namely the estimates for the carrying capacity of the planet, namely below 1 billion people.”

Schnellnhuber is also author of what’s called the “two-degree target” that says governments must not allow the temperature to rise more than 2 degrees higher than at the start of the industrial revolution. Any higher, the theory holds, and much life on earth would either perish or be gravely harmed.

To deal with climate issues, he has also called for an “Earth Constitution that would transcend the UN Charter” along with the creation of a “Global Council…elected by all the people on Earth” and a “Planetary Court..a transnational legal body open to appeals from everybody, especially with respect to violations of the Earth Constitution.”

Follow Austin Ruse on Twitter @austinruse

 

Synod appointments promise October fireworks


Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp will serve as a delegate to October’s Synod on the Family. (AFP via Getty Images)

By Michael O'Loughlin

National reporter June 16, 2015

ROME — A Belgian bishop who has called on the Church to welcome same-sex couples will get to bring his case straight to Pope Francis.

The Vatican announced Tuesday that Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp will serve as a delegate to October’s Synod on the Family. His appointment adds intellectual heft and star power to the liberal flank of bishops pushing for the Church to change how it approaches Catholics living in “irregular situations.”

 

Mark Mallett always brings an interesting insight on the signs of the times.

http://www.markmallett.com/blog/the-testing/#more-16803

 

Thank you, garabandal, for posting this latest essay from Mark. His gentle advice is just so relevant and helpful.

 

You are welcome, David. He has a charism for explaining spiritual realities. I believe this must be based on an intense prayer life but also is a grace from God.

 

Another Anti-Catholic Appointed to a Vatican Position


Stop the ride. I want to get off:
A pontifical act published on the Holy See Press Office website today announced the appointment of Hans Joachim Schellnhuber to an academy under the direction of the Holy See:

The Holy Father has appointed Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, professor of theoretical physics at the University of Potsdam and director of the Institute for Climate Impact in Potsdam, Federal Republic of Germany, as ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences [sic].

Schellnhuber was chosen to be one among four speakers to talk at the roll-out of the Pope’s global warming encyclical Thursday, and is said to have helped draft the encyclical.

He’s a controversial appointee because, in addition to being a radical promoter of the theory of man-made climate change, he is an atheist and an advocate of population control. He once said the carrying capacity of the earth is less than one billion; considering the earth currently holds more than seven billion people, this would mean he favors the reduction of the vast majority of mankind.

He has made calls for an “Earth Constitution that would transcend the UN Charter” and a “Global Council” comprised of members elected by everyone on earth. He has also suggested creation of a “Planetary Court … a transnational legal body open to appeals from everybody, especially with respect to violations of the Earth Constitution.”​

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

At the same time, Carolyn Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, has also been added to the list of presenters of the eco-encyclical.



Sound legit? Not if you consider the deeply troubling CRS track record. Woo was in the news just last month for something more than a little controversial:

Breaking a month of silence on the scandal created by one of its high-level executives living in a homosexual “marriage,” the head of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) said the organization has yet to decide whether it should employ someone who violates Church teaching in this manner.

The US Bishops’ international relief agency is working on it, CRS President and CEO Carolyn Woo told Aleteia’s John Burger in an interview published May 18.

“CRS has a senior person who is in a civil gay marriage,” Woo said, “and the question is, ‘Is that a violation of Church teaching?’ I just want to say we are working through this.”

“Gay marriage,” she stated, “of course, is a very complex issue.”

News broke April 20 of CRS Vice President of Overseas Finance Rick Estridge entering into a homosexual “marriage” in the same month of 2013 that he was promoted to vice president by CRS.

[…]

Woo did acknowledge Church teaching on marriage in her deferred remarks to Aleteia.

“The Church is very clear that marriage as a sacrament is between a man and a woman open to procreation. There’s also the Church teaching on natural law. Those are the teachings,” she said.

But she questioned whether the Church had a defined expectation to uphold Church principles in hiring its people, specifically in situations like that of CRS and Estridge.

“Does it mean that the Church should not employ anyone who is in a gay marriage? Are we giving a blanket ‘No’?” she asked. “If it’s not a blanket ‘No,’ are there particular positions, such as positions that are ministerial in nature, positions which relate to the formation of the faith of young children at school?”

“While the teaching is clear, as it translates into practice there has not been defined a common approach for dealing with employment, particularly when the position is non-ministerial, when the person is not a Catholic, when the agency is not a school,” she said. “So we’re in that area when there have been various steps forward, but not a clear path.”
​

Are credentialed Catholics who follow Church teaching really so hard to find?

 

Let me guess, the spinmeisters will say we are being "challenged", we are trying to convert the heathen. Where does spin stop and reality start?

 

It seems everyone is an expert now days

View attachment 3073

 

Part of me looks at this as how when a group is trying to get a miracle approved for sainthood, they will frequently get Protestant and/or anti-Catholic scientists and doctors to be on the review committees to ensure a strict and thorough review of the science. I hope that is the reasoning being employed now.

 

I LOVE THIS!!!

 

The Pope does NOT have a "Master's in Chemistry." The college he attended did not offer one. Why does this matter? People are already claiming that Pope Francis is more qualified to 'pontificate' on global warming because of his advanced chemistry degree. But it looks like it was a high school vo-tech type degree, or at best an associates level degree. It most certainly was not a master's degree in chemistry. That makes him nothing less of a priest or a pope. But he is not a chemist.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2013/03/12/pope-francis-scientist-2/

More on that chemistry degree, this time from NCR: Nope, no Master's in Chemistry, just a high school level technical degree:

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/does-pope-francis-have-masters-degree-chemistry

And not to put too fine a point on it but a truly humble man, upon learning the MSM was misrepresenting his level of education, would publicly correct that misunderstanding post haste.

 

Unholy Alliance: Who is Advising Pope Francis on Global Warming?

 

Good Stewardship Or Global Governance?