'The true Story of Padre Pio', by Bernard Ruffin. Bernard was a Lutheran Minister. It's the best book on Padre Pio I ever read and I've read loads. I see it for sale on Amazon. The 3rd edition but it seems a little pricey,
I also found this audio interview with Bernard Ruffin from 2018, around the time the third edition of his book on Padre Pio was published. https://catholicstand.com/padre-pio-the-true-story-off-the-shelf-105-with-c-bernard-ruffin/
Thank you. Bernard was a lovely, gentle man. I think the fact he was a Protestant gave him a fresh perspective on Padre Pio. He was maybe prepared to face up to uncomfortable truths about the intense and terrible persecution of the saint from the clergy than we Catholics might have been. Strange to see a Protestant who lived, admired and understood Padre Pio so well;Padre Pio, so Catholic a saint. It is hard for a Protestant Pastor to give up his living and convert. It reminds me of Protestant Ministers coming to Catholic priests to conduct exorcisms for them.
Looking forward to reading this book. Purchased on ebay. Padre Pio my spiritual father. He was instrumental in my conversion.
Thanks Padraig. I think you're right about his perspective on Padre Pio and his excellent telling of this extraordinary story. I hadn't listened to the 2018 interview when I posted the link but have done since and enjoyed hearing him speak. He does seem to have been a very gentle soul. I read that he died unexpectedly the following year, 2019. May he rest in peace.
Yes Pagraig, I enjoyed his talks and sermons very much. Fr. Groeschel had a great way of narrating stories, keeping you on the edge of your seat wondering what was coming next, to illustrate his points. He could well be a Saint although he used to say that he was looking forward to his time in Purgatory. The media tried to slander and cancel him towards the end of his life because of his forthright views, and that was a great Cross for him. He had a Doctorate in Psychology himself, I think, but he showed how modern psychology had destroyed and decimated numerous orders of Nuns who jetissoned their traditional ways, habits and dress for civies after being exposed to modern psychological concepts. The only slight question I had against Fr. Groeschel was his slight skepticism about Marian apparitions, or at least about Sr. Lucia of Fatima having changed her story. Another great priest of the Franciscans of the Renewal, CFR was Fr. Andrew Apostoli. He died also somewhere around the time of Fr. Groeschel's death. Fr. Andrew had a detailed knowledge of the Fatima Apparitions. I am very wary of this Synod of Bishops. I do believe that former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, with her "Doctorate in Theology", and her band of apostate followers are having their own Synod in parallel. Of course, they are afraid that the issues being brought to Rome will be watered down and thus not achieve their desired outcome. Unfortunately, this band provide a welcome cover for the modernist Bishops, who can now be seen to be moderates, sandwiched in between the "backwardists" and the outright apostate progressives. It does look like schism is hovering close or as Robert Nugent says, we may be coming to a fork in the road. Where do I stand on this? At the risk of receiving the equivalent of the spiritual treatment recommended by Our Lady to St. Brigid of Sweeden for any Pope who introduces married priests in the Church, of having my eyes gouged out, my blood drained and being fed to the dogs, I am saying that I am still sitting on the fence. Or as someone on the forum said, I'm sitting this one out. I know Sr. Lucia said that we are either for or against God - that we must choose sides. In accordance with the perennial and long established teaching of the Church, I am against any blessing of same sex couples, communion of divorced and remarried etc. I tend to be of the view that even if the Pope or the Bishop of my Diocese is evil incarnate, I have to maintain filial respect and to some extent obedience. This is where I really wish I had emojis working. But I realise this is no joking matter, maybe a matter of eternal salvation or eternal damnation. I think it is harder and more of a Cross to remain at the heart of one's Parish, at the heart of the Church, and to call out these movements towards Protestantism and towards apostacy in the Church, than to head off on one's own - regardless of which party is in schism. To talk to one's Parish priest, to write to one's Bishop or even the Pope. I have considered going to the SSPX or the SSPX Resistance. However, these Churches are miles or hundreds of miles away. Yes, one can survive without the Sacraments but maybe more as in the manner of Quasimodo, as Fr. Brendan Kilcoyne says. But what if one finds oneself on one's deathbed. Who is going to come and administer Extreme Unction if one has defected from the local Parish? Certainly not priests from areas tens and hundreds of miles away. Perhaps the local Parish priest would oblige but it would not be a given.
You have eloquently described the future for us all. I woke up this morning thinking about these things. What to do if one's bishop blesses sodomitic unions? Going to Mass wondering who's for this heresy and who's a silent dissenter. Will the sacraments be valid anymore? If a woman 'priest' turns up at my deathbed? If the Sinod gets its way, all right and wrong, virtue and vice will be decided by a hand-picked few of compliant bishops and activist laymen. The pervert in the Holy Office (dicastery for something or other) says that the pope can manufacture doctrine. God help us.
With regard to these dubia cardinals, I find it hard to disagree with Mundabor here: https://mundabor.wordpress.com/ [Mundabor can be crude and vulgar, but he's impeccably orthodox. Being Italian, he possesses a less star-struck view of popes than most Catholics. He traces the rot in the Church from Vatican II. It's hard, also, to disagree with this, even on the mere basis of cause and effect. He's absolutely against sedevacantism, but has a poor view, to varying degrees, of the popes since Pius XII]. The situation is so critical now, with the Church on the verge of complete inversion into Hell on Earth, that the days of restraint and mincing words on the part of those tasked with defending the Faith are over. St Nicholas resorted to violence for far less. They need to come out and declare Bergoglio as the heretic and demon-worshipper that he is, before it's too late. Otherwise, the answer to Christ's question 'when the Son of Man returns, will there be Faith on earth?', could very likely be the wrong one.
This is what I fear. If our diocesan bishops are on board with this we are in for a rough ride. I am confident though that there will be holy priests who will not comply, and they will be our shepherds through this chastisement. I don't think their agenda will play out quickly, it may be incremental. This Synod may usher in some very dark days for the Faithful.
We have a deacon who spoke in his homily a month ago about the errors from Germany I hope he can recognize this BIG one
The bigger concern/issue here in all of this which almost seems to be lost b/c of the “politics” is we are talking about the potential loss of salvation for souls. If an illicit union whether it be sane sex or not be “blessed” it will give participants an “ok”. They will not then have the opportunity short of their conscience and Holy Spirit guiding them that that they need to repent and convert. This is not said in judgement of them and I pray that I have humility to see my own sins and need for repentance. Burn I don’t trust myself b/c I’m full of pride and allow the devil to sometimes deceive me. So I need the Church… I need priests who will not sugar coat sin and a pathway that could lead me to destruction. To me, thus is the real tragedy that us unfolding.
Here in Ireland, I am not optimistic at how this will play out. I might have to learn Polish, as there are quite a few where I live and they will stick with their own national church, once the sinodality divides us all up.
I was wondering if divorced can receive communion are they going to do away with annulments? And Holy Matrimony is a sacrament. Can they have both? It’s all so confusing.
