"Francis has been totally orthodox..can only be faulted by faulty reading"

Funny how threads work. I was sending the message to our good friend Mac.

As I was trolling Avisos site...he sure gave tongue lashing to Mac. He must feel real lonely on his journey.

 

It was petty severe alright Al,
Im sure I deserve it.
Every now and then it does me good to receive a few lashes.
Saves me from smacking myself.....

 

That was the whole point of showing the immodest and modest images...for comparison!

My objection was that Lifesite, as usual, exaggerated the details....for their own agenda.

 

Can you give an example of exaggeration please Janet.

 

Janet, please respond to my question on how this man can be one of the pope's top advisors. Absolutely disgusting. And please, don't talk around it like you did on global warming.

COFFEE HOUSE

Three things you need to know about Pope Francis and the cardinal disgraced in a sex abuse scandal
Damian Thompson



Damian Thompson

8 October 2015

This picture of Pope Francis apparently talking to retired Belgian cardinal Godfried Danneels at the Synod on the Family, which began this week, is circulating on Twitter and disturbing many Catholics. This is what you need to know:

1. Five years ago, Cardinal Danneels tried to cover up a revolting case of family sex abuse.

As the National Catholic Reporter revealed on August 30, 2010:

Audio recordings leaked to the Belgian media this weekend reveal Belgium’s Cardinal Godfried Danneels urging a sex abuse victim not to make public that his abuser was his uncle Bishop Roger Vangheluwe of Bruges, Belgium. The recordings show Danneels pressuring the young man not to force Vangheluwe to resign.

The transcript quoted by the newspaper is chilling:

Cardinal Danneels asks if the nephew wants Vangheluwe to resign and adds: ‘But that is his decision. I can mention it but that’s all. You expect me to do something that I cannot do. I don’t know what more to do. Or perhaps I have to find some other way to bring this to a satisfactory conclusion.’

When the nephew stresses that the cardinal must speak to pope and that Vangeluwe must be sanctioned by the church, Cardinal Danneels responds ‘Yes but… You can also ask forgiveness and, well, you can also acknowledge your own guilt.’

Nephew: ‘Whose forgiveness do I have to seek? I am not the one to ask for forgiveness.’

Danneels: ‘He can do that. That’s correct.’

Later, Cardinal Danneels asks that the conversation not be made public and suggests to the nephew: ‘You can figure that he will resign next year and that he agrees to make no more appearances on television, that sort of thing, and before you know it a year has gone by.’

Nephew: ‘No! I am putting this in your hands and the two of you have to make a decision.’

[Danneels replies] ‘So you can grab us and try to blackmail us, huh, and say: ‘you have to do something!’

Confronted by the tape-recording, Danneels – who had recently stepped down as archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels – waffled unconvincingly about wanting to resolve a dispute in the bishop’s family. He had been ‘improvising’, he said. Vangheluwe, inevitably, had to resign immediately in disgrace. But Danneels was also disgraced by the revelations, first carried by the Belgian newspaper De Standaard. Not only did he try to arrange a temporary cover-up of the bishop’s molestation of his nephew, but he also suggested that the victim should seek forgiveness – and accused the man of attempted blackmail when he demanded that Danneels should tell Pope Benedict XVI about the abuse.







2. Knowing about the sex abuse scandal, Pope Francis has given Danneels a place of honour at the Synod on the Family

The 279 ‘Synod Fathers’ debating the most sensitive issues of family and sexuality include 45 personally chosen by Francis. They are dominated by senior clergy whose voices he wanted heard at the synod but who did not automatically qualify for membership. Here is a screenshot of the top of the list on the Vatican website:



The placing of Danneels’ name second on the list suggests the strong approval of the Pope, despite the Belgian’s ultra-radical views, which include support for a church-recognised ‘sort of marriage’ for gay couples. This dismays senior cardinals – but they are far more worried by the sex-abuse matter. Francis knew before he made the appointment that Danneels had tried to engage in a cover-up. Yet he went ahead.

3. Cardinal Danneels has been boasting that he helped elect Francis as pope

At the launch of his authorised biography in Brussels last month, Danneels claimed to have been part of a ‘mafia club’ of senior cardinals opposed to Benedict XVI who wanted to ensure that a liberal pope succeeded Benedict XVI. Jorge Bergoglio was their favourite candidate. Perhaps we shouldn’t read too much in to this – the papacy was hardly in the club’s gift. But when I asked a senior Vatican source this week why Francis had invited Danneels to the synod – on the face of it, a grotesquely inappropriate move – he replied: ‘As a thank-you for the votes he helped deliver.’ That is guesswork, and assumes a degree of cynical calculation that we don’t associate with Francis. I mention it because this explanation is taken seriously at such a high level within conservative circles in the Vatican.

I’ve touched on the Danneels scandal briefly in my article on the synod for this week’s magazine. Now the matter needs to be properly investigated. Pope Francis must explain why a man who tried to conceal sex abuse within a family is a leading participant in a synod discussing the pastoral care of families.

So far, the media have shown no interest in this story. That wouldn’t be the case if Benedict XVI were still pope.

 

Hi Mac,

I was questioning their description of the slides, which I thought over the top. I asked in here if there was anything else I was missing. Now, I have just been informed that the film 'love & other Drugs' was included and this ACTUALLY IS quite explicit. If this is the case then I have an apology to make. So Mac..is this the case? Is the film as disgusting as I've been told?

God Bless You.

 

IMBd database of movies has a useful parental review section

Love & Other Drugs (2010)

Sex & Nudity
9/10 There is a lot of nudity in this movie ------

(Goes on to describe all - not needed here read for yourself!!).

Violence & Gore
1/10

Profanity
8/10

About 48 F-words and its derivatives, 1 obscene hand gesture, 38 sexual references, 29 scatological terms, 22 anatomical terms

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking
6/10

Frightening/Intense Scenes
4/10


Rated R (USA) for: Adult Content, Adult Language, Nudity.(HBO advisory)

 

This is a screen capture of the Vatican program website:
View attachment 5368

Focus on the Family describes the sexual content in this way [WARNING–EXPLICIT]: "For a good chunk of the film, Jamie and Maggie seem to be in a constant state of lovemaking. They smash into cabinets, writhe on the floor, pant and moan, engage in oral sex and loudly express their orgasmic responses. Audiences see both of them completely naked. (Only their pubic regions escape the frame.) It's pretty explicit stuff…Later, after Maggie and Jamie tape one of their sexual escapades, Josh finds it and watches it. It's implied that he masturbates while doing so. And he spends the rest of the film making crude comments about his brother's anatomy.”

 

"Janet, please respond to my question on how this man can be one of the pope's top advisors. Absolutely disgusting. And please, don't talk around it like you did on global warming."

I don't think I did "talk around " the environmental issue. I posted plenty of information on it.

Regarding Danneels...First of all why didn't Pope Benedict sack him? Also do we know if he has ever repented of his actions? I sincerely hope he has. If he hasn't there is a saying...."keep your friends close..but your enemies even closer"

 

"Focus on the Family describes the sexual content in this way [WARNING–EXPLICIT]: "For a good chunk of the film, Jamie and Maggie seem to be in a constant state of lovemaking. They smash into cabinets, writhe on the floor, pant and moan, engage in oral sex and loudly express their orgasmic responses. Audiences see both of them completely naked. (Only their pubic regions escape the frame.) It's pretty explicit stuff…Later, after Maggie and Jamie tape one of their sexual escapades, Josh finds it and watches it. It's implied that he masturbates while doing so. And he spends the rest of the film making crude comments about his brother's anatomy.”

Hi Catechist,

Thank you for posting the above information. I don't know why this couldn't have been posted days ago. Obviously this changes everything. I am definitely now of the opinion that they have gone too far. The above content is disgusting!

My apologies also to Lifesite News for accusing them of sensationalism.

 

1. The question was specifically on global warming, not your expanded "environmental issue."

2. Now it's Pope Benedict's fault? Disgusting deflection Janet. The pope is taking "the enemy's advice", isn't he?

 

"The question was specifically on global warming, not your expanded "environmental issue.""

The Pope might believe in global warming but we can disagree with him. What I agree with him on is the truth that the world is facing an ecological crisis. I explained this in my post.

"Now it's Pope Benedict's fault? Disgusting deflection Janet. The pope is taking "the enemy's advice", isn't he?"

It was a question...why was he not sacked? Benedict was Pope at the time, so naturally I would connect him to this situation. Maybe Benedict knew he had confessed his guilt? I don't know...Do you? Therefore I can't judge him.

 

Not a matter of judging Daneels. It is a matter of judgement by the pope and in light of the 3 billion dollar cost and countless victims, I would think there would be a better person to follow.

 

Surely, even if he had confessed his guilt, there was no prudence in making Cardinal Daneels a leading participant in a synod discussing the pastoral care of families.

 

The worry some have with Cardinal Danneels, some have with other bishops too. (Mentioning no names) :-( With good judgement Francis promoted Cardinal Sarah head of the Vatican Liturgy and worship office, from where he led the efforts against any attempts to get the Synod to modify the teachings on Holy Communion and remarriage.

I still think the Pope was heeding the following advice.. "Keep your friends close...but your enemies even closer"

 

Then how come he is following his advice. When he was elected pope, guess who was with him on the balcony, you guessed it. And aren't you judging and putting words in the pope's mouth?

 

"Then how come he is following his advice. When he was elected pope, guess who was with him on the balcony, you guessed it."

A sincere question...Does the newly elected popes get to say who joins them on the balcony?

What advice is he following?

" And aren't you judging and putting words in the pope's mouth?"

Ah yes so I was. I need to confess that one.

 

Thank you to those who have reminded us of the problem of Cardinal Danneels. Surely the Mother of God for Whom this site is named wishes to have ALL Her children return to Her Son for the Triumph of Her Immaculate Heart.

I think Pope Francis, the Vicar of Christ, follows in the Master's footsteps as he is seen with saints and sinners alike. Through our prayers, may this Jubilee Year of Mercy bear great fruit. To that end, since we are in the last quarter of this year of special grace, I will begin walking the prelates of the Church through the Holy Doors. Cardinal Daneels will be the first.

The Call of Matthew
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
(Matthew 9: 9-14)

 

Surely all have sinned and fallen short, that is not the point. We all need mercy, even those priests who betrayed countless children, parents, our lady and lord. Just don't act like you are appalled and not going to tolerate this betrayal. Will this problem ever get put behind. If Daneels is repentent he should get out of the spotlight and pray for those who have been violated, not in the middle of making church policy. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

 

Yes, when I saw the photo that picadillo posted, that was my first thought. The new Pope certainly was not in a position (or state of mind!) to start selecting who would be on the balcony on that dramatic evening. But it does raise the question of why Cardinal Danneels was there. I don't know what post he held to put him on the balcony in that situation.

By the way, Janet, you seem to have 'aged' somewhat overnight judging by the new thumbnail image by your name. This is an image I have never seen before. Whose image is it?