I don't know how to embed this short video here, but click on the link to see what Cardinal Cupich has been up to at the thanksgiving mass for @CCP_Rome Diploma in Safeguarding graduation More of sinning against the 1st Commandment. https://twitter.com/SrKarolin/status/1228332248417652736?s=20 +
Finally, Cardinal Zen has strong words against PF. Cardinal Zen offers Mass, and a war cry for the Church A LifeSite videographer’s reflections on meeting Cardinal Joseph Zen By Jim Hale https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/cardinal-zen-offers-mass-and-a-war-cry-for-the-church Cardinal Joseph Zen offers a Solemn High Pontifical Mass in New York City Jim Hale / LifeSiteNews February 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – It would be easy to understand if 88-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen had been weary and less than eager for an interview. He had traveled to New York after a grinding schedule of long flights, interviews, and meetings. But he was joyful and relaxed when he showed up for his interview with LifeSite’s Claire Chretien in Manhattan. Cardinal Zen, the Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, was 15 minutes early. The only hint of his age is when he cups his ear and leans forward, but it doesn’t take long to see that Cardinal Zen has no interest in taking it easy for the rest of his life. He sits up straight and answers all of Claire’s questions with lengthy, impressive, and passionate responses. His volume and intensity increase as Claire hones in on the severe oppression of the Church in China and Hong Kong, and the betrayal by the Vatican ceding power to the Communist regime. Until recently, Cardinal Zen held back from making critical comments about Pope Francis, but that has changed, and now for the first time, Cardinal Zen had strong words of criticism for the Pope. (Video here) “Unfortunately in all these years he never had any critical word about what’s happening in China, always praising the Chinese government,” he shared. And there is no doubt that Cardinal Zen thinks Pope Francis has hurt the people of Hong Kong who have been fighting the Chinese government’s brutal crackdown on freedom. “He [the Pope] said, ‘oh yes, there are difficulties in Hong Kong, in France, South America, and I’m not possessing all the elements, so I just pray for peace.’ So, he said nothing again.” Cardinal Zen bluntly stated that Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the architect of the Holy See-China deal, is “not a man of faith.” During the 20-minute interview, the Cardinal seemed to forget about how tired he was, becoming more and more animated throughout. When Claire asked him what Catholics around the world can do to help, he highlighted the thing that communists hate the most: the truth. “To be well-informed, not to be cheated, because there are too many voices not about the truth, about illusions, or lies. Be well-informed to distinguish between the truth and the lies.” The following day, I covered the Solemn High Pontifical Mass Cardinal Zen offered at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer. Again, I was humbled by the Cardinal’s stamina. The discipline and mechanics required to preside over a High Mass are demanding for any man. All those in attendance knew this was not just any Mass. There was a solemnity and seriousness I have never experienced. I wanted to get up close to see this saintly man in action, but security was all over the place. Let’s face it: the communists would prefer Cardinal Zen dead. Just as I was thinking about how I could finesse my way to the front, a plainclothes officer approached and asked if I would like to be escorted to the side chapel for a better view. Watching Cardinal Zen carefully and expertly offer the Mass was a marvel. His Latin grew in volume and strength. Afterward, he proceeded to the Lepanto Conference, where he gave the keynote address to a standing room only crowd. He was unscripted and animated. He reminded the faithful to safeguard the faith and the truth, in honor of those who suffer at the hands of the communists and their apologists at the Vatican, including the Holy Father: “Pope Francis has not one word of comfort, not one word of consolation.” (emphases in red are mine - SgC) +
Sg, Do you realize what part of Holy Mass this addendum is added? The Minor Elevation! To associate these pagan elements with the exaltation of the Holy Trinity is truly despicable! Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
Some day, I hope we all are privileged to witness with our earthly eyes heaven pouring down from above to bring us our Eucharistic Jesus during the Holy Mass! All This Happens at Holy Mass Fr Joseph Esper A wise, elderly priest once celebrated an early morning Mass. Later that day someone asked him, “How many attended Mass this morning?,” and he answered, “There were thousands there—but I only saw three of them.” In other words, in addition to the three early-birds in attendance, the priest was including the thousands of souls from purgatory allowed by God to be present at this Mass, along with a multitude of invisible but very real angels and saints, especially Our Lady, St. Joseph, and St. Michael the Archangel. We don’t see everything that’s going on at Mass, and we would be overwhelmed and amazed if we could. Many deceased persons being cleansed and healed in purgatory are allowed to be present, especially if the Mass is being offered for them, and especially if they had a great devotion to the Eucharist during their lives. Quite often there are priests suffering in purgatory who, through the mercy of God, are allowed to stand behind the altar and concelebrate. They’re often filled with regret that during their lives they were rushed or distracted while saying Mass, and now are very grateful that the Lord is allowing them to see and share in the Holy Sacrifice from a new and richer perspective. Far more often than we realize, persons in Heaven—especially the loved ones of those present in the congregation—are here with us in church, filling the pews and worshipping the Lord. At the Offertory, when the gifts of bread and wine are brought forward, an invisible offertory procession is also taking place. The guardian angels of every person present in church are bringing forth gifts of love and trust and self-surrender—except some of these angels are empty-handed, because the human beings entrusted to their care are only physically present in church, with their hearts and attention elsewhere. How sad these empty-handed angels appear. All these things are happening, unseen by us, because of the Divine Presence of Jesus Himself. He is robed in glory and seated on a heavenly throne above and behind the altar, and then—at the moment of consecration, when the bread and wine are changed into His Body and Blood—He comes down and stands in place of the priest, with holy light and fire radiating outward and filling the church. At the Lamb of God He appears as the perfect Lamb Who was slain for our salvation—and then, at the moment of Holy Communion, He appears as the Christ Child, held by the Virgin Mary. As each person comes forth to receive, He either reaches out to embrace those who approach Him in a state of grace, or shudders in horror at having to let Himself by consumed by someone in a state of serious sin. During the silent time of prayer following Communion—a moment when Jesus wants us to be intimately aware of our union with Him—He is either pleased when we take the time to thank Him, or saddened when we devote all our prayer to asking favors of Him, without first expressing our gratitude to Him for coming to us in this great Sacrament. According to many visionaries and prophets, all these things happen at every Mass— something impossible if Holy Communion were merely bread and wine. Our active participation in the Mass is the closest we can come to Heaven while still on earth, for the Eucharist truly is Christ’s Body and Blood, and a foretaste of the new life awaiting us. Only the Catholic Church, and also the Orthodox Church, truly have the Eucharist, for only they have the line of apostolic succession stretching all the way back to the apostles, who were ordained by Jesus Himself. This means the communion services of other Christian denominations, regardless of what their ministers and people think, merely involve bread and wine; even worse, Catholics who leave the Church for another religion are depriving themselves of the True Bread from Heaven, and are—despite what they may feel—making it harder for themselves to accept the gift of salvation and fulfill their mission in life. St. Paul speaks of how, through the Eucharist, we are to proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes—and only the Catholic Church is able to do this in the fullest way possible. The bread and wine brought forth by Melchizedek, and the bread and fish multiplied by Jesus, were forerunners or signs of what the Lord miraculously accomplishes at every Catholic Mass. He shares Himself with us in a holy, wondrous, and infinite way—and it’s our responsibility never to take this gift for granted. Our First Communion Mass was held a few weeks ago, and afterwards I asked some of the children to describe what it was like for them. Here are a few of their comments. A girl wrote, “It was special to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus . . . [and] I want to do it again. . . .” Another girl, after saying how happy she was, added, “It was a very special day for everybody in church.” A boy mentioned he was happy not only because his family was present, but especially because he was able to receive Jesus for the first time, and a girl said, “I felt really happy . . . and I felt like Jesus was in me.” According to one very perceptive boy, “When I received the Body and Blood of Christ it reminded me of Jesus dying on the Cross.” Another boy wrote he was nervous at first, but that after receiving Communion, “I felt so awesome!” (He also remarked that during the photographs outside church after Mass, “they took so many my face started to hurt.”) A girl said that she was nervous about singing with her class up front by the altar after Communion, but that “receiving Jesus was not scary.” Another very insightful young lady wrote that after Communion “I was in a holy, calm, and quiet place like Heaven.” A girl wrote that receiving her First Communion “made me feel closer to Jesus, and it makes me want to go to church every weekend!” Lastly, her twin brother exclaimed, “The Eucharist is one of my favorite sacraments, and I’m glad to be Catholic!” These are all very simple, holy, and inspired comments about a Sacrament we can so easily take for granted—and so the Church is prudent and wise to observe this Solemnity of Corpus Christi every year, for we can all benefit from being reminded of the wondrous Mystery and tremendous Gift that has been entrusted to us. The Eucharist is not imaginary or symbolic, but actually is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ, and It’s not supposed to be received in a routine or half-hearted way—and certainly never while in a state of serious sin. Instead, we must approach the altar with as much love, gratitude, and awareness as possible—for this is how we open our hearts to Jesus our Savior, and prepare ourselves for that day when He will welcome us into His Kingdom.
Someone on the forum asked awhile ago where the saints are in our time. Look no further. Courage and grace under fire and a staunch muscular faith. A man of huge spiritual stature. Thanks be to God for him. Here is a saint for our time and for all time. A Man for all Seasona.
Cardinal Zen was obviously hoping to appeal to the compassionate side of Pope Francis over the heads of the other Vaticanistos. Now that he has discovered that no such side exists, he has directed his fathomless moral authority against Bergoglio. This will play a major part in ensuring that this papacy will live on only in infamy.
McCarrick was a 'devourer of souls,' former priest secretary tells parish Washington D.C., Feb 15, 2020 / 04:08 pm (CNA).- A priest who was the personal secretary of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick said he is sickened by manipulative fundraising tactics employed while McCarrick was Archbishop of Washington. The priest called McCarrick a “manipulator” and a “devourer of souls.” “For a portion of my priesthood, I worked directly for the foremost fund-raiser in the Church – in the whole Church, the universal Church.” “He was a master of the art, and knew every technique and tactic to its finest point. He paired with that an extraordinary, even preternatural sense of people, what they wanted and what they needed,” Monsignor K. Bartholomew Smith wrote Feb. 15 on a blog he maintains for parishioners of St. Bernadette’s parish in Silver Spring, Maryland. “My stomach churns at the recollection, and not only because of how successful he was at this; but also because of what he obtained by this. He received the gratitude, the affection, and the emotional dependence of untold numbers of people high and low, rich and poor, because he made himself the bestower of the approval that they craved, told them that they were good and God Himself was grateful to them, and delivered them from the authentic demands of Jesus and His Gospel.” “This is what their giving purchased, and what his fundraising obtained. But he took more from them than just their donations, for he was a ravening manipulator of human affections, and a devourer of souls,” Bartholomew added. The priest, who was ordained in 1998, was McCarrick’s private secretary in the early 2000s, before being appointed to serve in a similar role for Cardinal William Baum, who was then living in Rome. Smith told his parishioners that “you would be hard pressed to find a person in our Archdiocese, Catholic or not, who did not fall for [McCarrick’s] seduction to some degree, or at some time. We all want approval; we all enjoy gratitude. He offered Divine approval and God’s own gratitude, and many were the ones who did his bidding to obtain it.” McCarrick, Smith wrote, “was a master of convincing folks of the pernicious delusion that God Himself needed, approved, and in fact was grateful to them for the difference that they were making in the world. This, in one line, is the snake-oil song of the ecclesiastical fundraiser, and he was the all-time virtuoso chanter and enchanter.” “Many good works were accomplished in this manner, and benefits from them still accrue to this day. But the cost, the cost in human lives and dignity, the cost to the integrity of the Faith, the cost to the fabric of the Church, is only recently become apparent to all,” Smith added. Smith’s remarks came in the context of the annual archdiocesan appeal. He told his parishioners that because of his experience with McCarrick, “I beg your indulgence if I eschew fundraising techniques, and avoid tactics with proven records of success.” “Instead of a fund raiser, I am charged by God to be a faith-raiser,” the priest added. McCarrick served as Archbishop of Washington from 2000-2006, capping an ecclesiastical career in which he had also been the Archbishop of Newark, the Bishop of Metuchen, and an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of New York. In June 2018, a report emerged that McCarrick had been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor. That report was followed by a torrent of sexual abuse, coercion, and harassment allegations against McCarrick made by priests, former seminarians, and laypeople. McCarrick was dismissed from the clerical state in Feb. 2019. Catholics in the U.S. are awaiting a Vatican report on McCarrick that is the result of an internal investigation into the former cardinal’s ecclesiastical career. While the report was initially expected to be released in the early weeks of 2020, Cardinal Blase Cupich told EWTN News this week that it might be released in March, but the exact date of release is still under consideration by Pope Francis. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/...ls-former-priest-secretary-tells-parish-49337
This is a true story. When Archbishop McCarrick first came to the Archdiocese of Washington, he came to our parish and greeted people afterward. We were thrilled to meet him. Very charming. Some people, ourselves included, have stopped giving mega bucks to the Archbishop’s Appeal. We just don’t know where our money will be used.
Pope Francis Brakes on Theology, Accelerates on Politics Julio Loredo |17 Febbraio, 2020| https://www.altaredei.com/2020/02/1...ous-pitfalls-most-media-are-not-highlighting/ Conservative Catholics from around the world were relieved, even elated, with the publication of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Querida Amazonia”, issued by Pope Francis on February 12th as the conclusive document of the Special Synod of the Pan-Amazon region that took place in Rome last October. The Exhortation seemed indeed to meet the requests of conservatives, who had been asking the pope not to change the Church’s discipline on some crucial matters, like priestly celibacy and women’s ordination. Cardinal Gerhard Müller called it a “compromise document,” as if Francis had backed down and was eager to stretch out his hand. Some commentators even interpreted the document as a personal victory for Joseph Ratzinger, who would have thus reclaimed his role as effective Pontiff. It’s true that Francis didn’t open the doors progressives were requesting. Quite the contrary, he reaffirmed the traditional doctrine of the Church on such issues. In this sense, “Querida Amazonia” is very obviously a set-back for them. A closer look at the document, however, evinces some serious pitfalls most media are not highlighting. Francis put the brakes on theology but accelerated on politics and environmentalism, confirming the impression Latin Americans have always had: his is a political rather than a theological Pontificate. The promoters of the Pan-Amazon Synod – followers of the Liberation Theology movement – spoke of it as a “Vatican Council III” that would “reinvent the Church,” giving it a wholly new physiognomy: an “Amazonian face.” Bishop Franz-Joseph Overbeck, a Synod organiser, went as far as to declare: “After the Synod, the Church will not be the same.” Obviously, they were expecting a revolution. European progressives – in particular the Germans who, by the way, financed the Synod hoping to get the most out of it – were pressing hard especially on two points: the end of ecclesiastical celibacy (or at least its attenuation), and the diaconal ordination of women. These two issues were part of a broader agenda for Church reform, aiming at the gradual destruction of hierarchy and authority, and the gradual erasing of the difference between clergy and laity. This is the “new Church” dreamed of by Karl Rahner and Yves Congar and, before them, by the Modernists. For reasons that need to be better explained, most of the world media, especially European, concentrated exclusively on these two points, as if the Pan-Amazon Synod were all about priestly celibacy and female ordination. Understandably, when the Post-Synodal Exhortation was issued, with no concession whatsoever on these two points, many conservatives celebrated, as if the peril had been definitely defeated. Unfortunately, this is not the case. [Emphasis added.] While closing some doors, “Querida Amazonia” leaves others wide open. Endorsement of the Final Document. Just like every synod, the Pan-Amazon Synod went through successive texts: from the initial Lineamenta (proposals) to the Instrumentum Laboris, and then to the Final Document. The Instrumentum Laboris was so radical in its craving for a revolutionary Church reform, Cardinal Walter Brandmüller accused it of “apostasy” and “schism.” Widespread reaction to it led to a toned-down Final Document, which, albeit with a softer language, nonetheless contained many of the same errors. Pope Francis fully endorses it: “[The Synod] concluded by issuing its Final Document, The Amazon: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology. (…) I would like to officially present the Final Document [and] encourage everyone to read it in full. May God grant that the entire Church be enriched and challenged by the work of the synodal assembly. May the pastors, consecrated men and women and lay faithful of the Amazon region strive to apply it, and may it inspire in some way every person of good will” (N° 2-3). Knowing how the Liberation Theology movement operates, I’m sure many will simply “forget” the Exhortation, and use the Final Document as being Pope-approved. Even more so because, in the course of the Synod, Pope Francis declared: “This will not be a Synod of documents but of the Spirit.” It’s as if he said: “don’t worry about the texts, just do what you want” – something perfectly in line with his policy of “opening processes.” continued...
continued from above... Radical environmentalism and anti-industrialism. The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation adopts some tenets of radical environmentalism, closely intertwined with a social agenda that tends towards socialism. This type of environmentalism eschews industrial society, accused of destroying the Earth. It opposes the industrial exploitation of the Amazon jungle, be it farming or extraction. It presents the Indians’ lifestyle, based on hunting and fishing, as a panacea for today’s evils, the only one compatible with a “sustainable development.” Affirming that “[in the Amazon] daily existence is always cosmic,” Pope Francis states: “The wisdom of the original peoples of the Amazon region inspires care and respect for creation, with a clear consciousness of its limits, and prohibits its abuse. To abuse nature is to abuse our ancestors, our brothers and sisters, creation and the Creator”(N° 42-43). The concept of “sustainable development” is crucial. It implies that modern civilisation was built by over-using the Earth’s resources. We now have to drastically diminish our lifestyle in order to save the planet: “The conquest and exploitation of resources… has today reached the point of threatening the environment’s hospitable aspect: the environment as ‘resource’ risks threatening the environment as ‘home’” (N°48). The Indians would be models for the post-modern society: “The indigenous peoples of the Amazon Region express the authentic quality of life as “good living”. This involves personal, familial, communal and cosmic harmony and finds expression in a communitarian approach to existence, the ability to find joy and fulfilment in an austere and simple life, and a responsible care of nature that preserves resources for future generations” (N° 71). This “good living” mentioned by Pope Francis (bom viver, in Portuguese; sumac kawsak, in Quechua) is one of the pillars of the Indian Theology of Liberation. In a nutshell, it affirms that the Amazonian Indians’ lifestyle is the only one compatible with justice: since there is no private property there is also no oppression of some over the others. The indigenous people live in a communitarian (i.e. egalitarian) society, in cosmic harmony with nature. This is exactly the final goal of Communism, as explained by Friedrich Engels in «The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State». Support for the Pachamama. Perhaps what provoked the strongest reaction among the faithful during the synod was the pagan cult to the “Pachamama” (Mother Earth), first in the Vatican and then in the church of Santa Maria in Traspontina. This pagan cult was in line with the Instrumentum Laboris, which exalted the Amazonian indigenous spirituality, to the point of proposing some sort of official recognition (i.e. priesthood) for the witch doctors. It also inferred that the Church should develop an Amazonian rite, inspired by tribal rituals. While braking on anindiscriminate inculturation, the Post-Synodal Exhortation does not fail to mention favourably the cult to Mother Earth (N° 42), and asserts: “We can take up into the liturgy many elements proper to the experience of indigenous peoples in their contact with nature, and respect native forms of expression in song, dance, rituals, gestures and symbols” (N° 82). Again, it’s highly probable that liberation theologians will disregard the restrictive nuances while making full use of phrases like this. Indigenous Liberation Theology. While not overtly embracing indigenous liberation theology (as, instead, Synod promoters would have wanted) the Exhortation does propose its basic tenet: “We believers encounter in the Amazon region a theological locus, a space where God himself reveals himself and summons his sons and daughters” (N° 57). In other words, the Amazon, meaning tribal life, would be a source of revelation for the modern world, a place where God is breaking into history. Thus, in addition to the revelation contained in Sacred Scripture, we have to add this new “Amazon” revelation and conform the Church to it: “I dream of Christian communities capable of generous commitment, incarnate in the Amazon region, and giving the Church new faces with Amazonian features. (…)The Church also needs to grow in the Amazon region. In doing so, she constantly reshapes her identity through listening and dialogue with the people,” (N° 7, 66). Particularly, the Church should heed the wisdom of the elders: “For the Church to achieve a renewed inculturation of the Gospel in the Amazon region, she needs to listen to its ancestral wisdom, listen once more to the voice of its elders, recognize the values present in the way of life of the original communities, and recover the rich stories of its peoples”(N° 70). This inculturation has to incrorporate even tribal beliefs hitherto considered superstitions: “Let us not be quick to describe as superstition or paganism certain religious practices that arise spontaneously from the life of peoples. (…) It is possible to take up an indigenous symbol in some way, without necessarily considering it as idolatry. A myth charged with spiritual meaning can be used to advantage and not always considered a pagan error” (N° 78-79). This can lead to an Amazonian rite: “It means that we can take up into the liturgy many elements proper to the experience of indigenous peoples in their contact with nature, and respect native forms of expression in song, dance, rituals, gestures and symbols. (…) During the Synod, there was a proposal to develop an “Amazonian rite” (N° 82, footnote 120). Women’s ordination. While denying the opportunity of women’s ordination to priesthood, the Exhortation does leave a door open when it affirms: “We must keep encouraging those simple and straightforward gifts that enabled women in the Amazon region to play so active a role in society, even though communities now face many new and unprecedented threats. The present situation requires us to encourage the emergence of other forms of service and charisms that are proper to women and responsive to the specific needs of the peoples of the Amazon region at this moment in history” (N° 102). Support for the Liberation Theology movement. We could go on and on, quoting passages and paragraphs that will not fail to serve as open doors. We need to take into account one essential point. We are not dealing with abstract theology, of the type developed in cloisters and classrooms. We are dealing with an extremely dynamic movement: Latin American Theology of Liberation. While in the case of abstract theology documents are valued for what they say, in a movement what really matters is not printed material but the praxis. Pope Francis’ pontificate has been remarkable in promoting the primacy of praxis over doctrine. The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Querida Amazonia”contains explicit encouragement for the Latin American Liberation Theology movement. We read, for example, in N° 97: “I encourage the growth of the collaborative efforts being made through the Pan Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM) and other associations.” REPAM is a continental network that gathers the extreme factions of Liberation Theology, with close contacts with the political radical Left. All summed up, Pope Francis applied the brake on theological and moral issues, and we have to be grateful to him for this. But, on the other hand, he accelerated on politics and environmentalism. And this is worrisome. Tags: Amazonian Synod Julio Loredo Pope Francis Querida Amazonia Julio Loredo Julio Loredo de Izcue, Spanish of Peruvian origin. President of the Associazione Tradizione Famiglia Proprietà, of Italy. Journalist. Director of “Tradizione Famiglia Proprietà” magazine. He has written andlectured extensively on Liberation Theology. His latest book “Liberation Theology: A Lead-filled ‘Life Vest’ for the Poor” has been published in four languages.
