I can't get over how charitable these people are. Scott Hahn is a living saint and his every word is instructed by a perfect love. Yet at the same time when I think of the bottom line of what he is saying here it is... ..spine chilling. (327) Dr. Scott Hahn on Pope Francis - YouTube
There has never been in 2,000 years an occupant of the See of Peter who has acted more like he was not guided by the promises of Christ and the assistance of the Holy Spirit as this one. I think that’s fair to say. He even rejected the title “Vicar of Christ.” Who has ever done that in the past? Why would anybody have done such a thing? Why would a pope reject the title “Vicar of Christ?” That’s precisely who the pope is. We’ve had 42 antipopes in the past, which averages one every 47 years. What makes our present age so special that makes it impossible to even consider that we could have another one in the future? A thought experiment: what would an antipope look like? What kind of things might he say? What kind of things might he write? Who would be his friends and who would he make his enemies? Would he respond lovingly, thoughtfully, and respectfully to people, be they large numbers of the faithful or groups of cardinals, who are concerned with some of the things he his saying or just ignore them? What thought would he give to what past popes taught? Would his teachings be in line with theirs? What about his attitude to Sacred Tradition? Might he go against it? What might his attitudes and words be like concerning those who love and hold to the teachings of Holy Mother Church? Would he call them “faithful Catholics” or something like - oh, I don’t know - “rigid”? Would he be more concerned with the Faith, and upholding and defending it, or the world? What kind of words might come out from his mouth? Crude ones, ever? “Copraphagia”? How might he feel towards traditional religious orders who have upheld the Church for centuries by their asceticism, penance, and prayers? How about the liturgical patrimony of the western Church? Would he allow idolatry to take place before his eyes? Would he fail to condemn sins which cry to heaven for vengeance or instead support those who uphold such sins? Would he be transparent in what he says, letting his “yes be yes and his no be no” or use ways to separate himself from comments he knows are against the Faith? Would he act like a person who is holy and filled with the Holy Spirit or the opposite? How would he offer mass? As a side note, I happened to recently see a picture of Padre Pio holding up the Sacred Host at mass and you could see from his eyes and facial expression that he was lost in love, awe, and adoration of the One he held in his hands. It looked as if he would have liked to have stopped mass at that point and said, “let us be still and adore the Lord for 15 minutes and then continue on.” I need not describe the photos of this one offering mass. We've all seen them. I could go on and on. Seriously, think about it. I’m no Church historian but I don’t think any antipope of the past ever had the temerity, gall, lack of charity, and lack of faith to do any of the above things. In other words, they at least acted like popes during their ”pontificates”. One even had a saint and mystic convinced he was the true pope, namely St. Vincent Ferrer. I'm not saying Pope Francis is an antipope. I don't know that for sure because the Church has not told me that it is so, and I can't know for sure unless and until she does. What I am saying is what I started out with - "There has never been in 2,000 years an occupant of the See of Peter who has acted more like he was not guided by the promises of Christ and the assistance of the Holy Spirit as this one." Serious conversations need to happen. Actions need to be taken, like St. Paul with St. Peter. Imagine St. Paul alive in 2022! What do you think he would say? Nine years is long enough. These things should've started after the publication of Amoris Laetitia. With each passing year, things get worse and worse. How many people now think the Church has changed its teachings on homosexual acts? Millions, I'd say. By his words, actions, and lack of actions, millions. How many souls are now committing one of the sins that cries to heaven for vengeance thinking that it is now ok to do so, happily continuing on the road to hell instead of repenting and getting to confession? God knows. "...but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastenbut whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.ed round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." How long will nothing be done? Cowardice is not a virtue. I write not because I don't like Pope Francis (which, it may come as no surprise to anyone, I do not), but because I love and care for Holy Mother Church, the people of God, from the greatest (PF) to the least (me), the Sacred Tradition of the Church, and the Papacy - in sum, God and the things of God. Usquequo, Domine? Our Lady Undoer of Knots, pray for us.
I felt the same as you Padraig. I think many in the Church, like Scott Hahn, want to believe everything is ok. How did that prophesy go...even the elect...?
I think a lot of the , 'Greats', in the Church like Scott Hahn and Ralph Martin (amongst many others) have undergone a profound sea change as regards the Holy Father. They are very, very polite , respectful and circumspect on what they say (publically) but you can tell reading between the lines that there has set in a very deep chill factor. I am relieved about this as I was beginning to wonder if it might ever happen. Some of these people are not only very learned but saintly and very influential indeed. So this makes me doubly relieved. I suppose we have to take what we can get. But I am very happy as I was starting to expect nothing at all.
I suppose its a lot easier when you don't have a job or income which derives from the Church. Or if you have not hundreds of thousands of people as fans. For myself I have nothing to loose and so have nothing to fear from speaking out. Also these people are holy and very, very charitable whereas I am a bad tempered old grump, as my dogs will confirm. But as a general rule I have resigned from complaining as I think to myself, what good does it all do?
I’m laughing at your “bad tempered old grump” description. You are right, Hahn and Martin are saintly. It’s sad how things have changed since Mother Angelica’s death. There is so much uncertainty. We have to pray for those who work in the Church and are trying to make a difference.
Maybe the problem too is that we maybe put Popes on a Pedestal too much. For the last couple of centuries they have all been saintly wise. But it was not always so. Then when a problematical (to put it mildly one) happened along we don't know quite what to do with him. The letters of St Catherine of Siena are instructive on how to handle such things. Popes actually listened to her and paid heed.
Byron, the bottom line is that apart from prayer we are powerless to change anything but nothing is more powerful than prayer. We mustn't lose hope even if all seems to be lost - even if we don't live to see the positive effect of our prayers. Our prayers now could make the difference to future generations. The danger for us is getting bogged down in focusing on the negatives to the detriment of our own spiritual wellbeing. I'm reminded of the Pope's (I can't remember whether it was John Paul or Benedict) warning when asked about the Fatima secret: something to do with knowing what's in it bringing greater responsibility. Maybe those of us who aren't bowled over by the ambiguity have a greater responsibility to complain less and pray more. I don't believe that we are required to pretend something is good when it clearly isn't (as happened with Amoris Laetitia) but we will have to learn how to hold fast to the Faith without being dragged down into uncharitable responses or assuming for ourselves a role proper to lawful authority. These times were made for that prayer for the wisdom to know the difference between the things we can change and the things we can't. You asked in a previous post about La Salette. I came across this in an internet search: https://catholicismpure.wordpress.c...der-on-the-message-of-our-lady-of-la-salette/ That website is new to me. They cite their source as Rorate Caeli but they provide a link to a .pdf file of an interview Bishop Schneider gave to a theologian in July 2018. I haven't read the full interview but I will do so later today. Here's a link to the interview which covers a range of topics including Communion on the tongue, Poor Francis being a valid Pope and the change in the prayer of Pope Leo X111 http://mek.oszk.hu/18600/18638/18638.pdf Bishop Schneider is a gem.
I think one of the great, grim ironies in our present situation is that the very Churchmen who talk most about lay involvement and the Synodal Path are the very ones who would be inclined to listen to me first. On the other hand they would be very, very eager to lay people who simply echo their own opinions. For the rest of us, hostile shutters are up. The best we can hope for is hostile shutters or to be ignored is the very best we can hope for. I would have far, far more hope of being listened to from more Traditional Clergy. It is I think because in more Traditional Circles great emphasis is placed on the life of the Spirit, on the path of personal sanctification. So the Holy Spirit can choose, for instance the least child as a channel for His Actions. As indeed He often has in the case of Marian Apparitions. So there is an awareness that the Holy Spirit can speak from the littlest of people, in fact Scripturally that is what He has always chosen to do. In more Modernist circles it is the one who is most Socially Aware, Woke, Educated in Current Culture Wars and so who will be most listened too for their, 'Knowledge' and awareness. In other words their worth will be judged in Human rather than Spiritual Terms. Psalm 8:2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
You know I think the great lesson from all this we learn from Padre Pio is that of people are ill disposed to you and not prepared to listen there is not a lot of point in speaking out. If Padre Pio had thought that folks in Authority would listen then, yes , he would have spoken. Of course he would. It is the common sensed thing to do. But like Jesus He was dumb before his accusers. That is the Christian response. To Carry the Cross.
A few suggestions as to how your voice might be heard and very welcomed in the Vatican...there will be a welcome on the Hillside. 1. Dress up as an Islamic Iman or Scholar and suggest you would like to bring all the World's Religions to a mutual understanding. 2. Claim you are a Militant Gay Activist and are appalled by the way the Church is treating you and would like to suggest ways forward. 3. Present your credentials as an Enviromentalist and suggest you are seeking ways the Church might save the World from Global Warming. I promise you a welcome on the Hillside.
Gobbi’s locutions were amazing. How clearly it’s explained. Today it’s the Freemasons from the West whom back atheist communist China.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HQPqQNloO2ZCXdAgcnUeT?si=OsDfjIIpTEqy_5uSzmQIwA This was very refreshing to listen to. I highly recommend it. Saint Jude pray for us.
Pope Francis POPE Pope to LGBT Catholics: 'God is Father who does not disown any of his children' Pope Francis answers three questions put to him by Jesuit Father James Martin whose pastoral ministry involves the LGBT community. By Linda Bordoni “God’s style is closeness, mercy and tenderness” Pope Francis said answering three questions put to him by Jesuit Father James Martin who ministers to LGBT Catholics. On 5 May Father Martin had written to the Pope in Spanish asking him to answer some questions that he is most commonly asked by LGBT Catholics and their families. He received a hand-written response a couple of days afterward, that was published in the form of a short interview on Father Martin’s website “Outreach”. “With respect to your questions,” the Pope wrote, “a very simple response occurs to me.” Outreach: What would you say is the most important thing for LGBT people to know about God? Pope Francis: God is Father and he does not disown any of his children. And “the style” of God is “closeness, mercy and tenderness.” Along this path you will find God. Outreach: What would you like LGBT people to know about the Church? Pope Francis: I would like for them to read the book of the Acts of the Apostles. There they will find the image of the living Church. Outreach: What do you say to an LGBT Catholic who has experienced rejection from the Church? Pope Francis: I would have them recognize it not as “the rejection of the church,” but instead of “people in the church.” The church is a mother and calls together all her children. Take for example the parable of those invited to the feast: “the just, the sinners, the rich and the poor, etc.” [Matthew 22:1-15; Luke 14:15-24]. A “selective” church, one of “pure blood,” is not Holy Mother Church, but rather a sect. Pope's words in July 2021 Last year in July Pope Francis had sent Father Martin a letter on the occasion of the webinar “Outreach 2021” in which he said that “God is close to and loves each and every one of his children. His heart is open to all. He is the Father.” "Thinking about your pastoral work," the Pope wrote, "I see that you continually try to imitate this style of God. You are a priest for everyone, as God is Father of everyone. I pray for you that you may continue in this way, being close, compassionate and full tenderness." "I pray for your faithful, your 'parishioners,'" the Pope had concluded, "for all those whom the Lord has placed beside you so that you may care for them, protect them and make them grow in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-05/pope-letter-fr-martin-lgtb-outreach-questions.html
Oh no! Cardinal Zen has been arrested! https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/...71TRnO-E0fHhCfyd15K5UNMWfWxh2IwYsiTfPK-TRwWP8 Former Hong Kong bishop Cardinal Zen arrested Cardinal Joseph Zen has been arrested by the authorities in Hong Kong, according to local media reports. The 90-year-old former Catholic bishop of Hong Kong was reportedly detained on May 11 in his role as a trustee of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which helped pro-democracy protesters to pay their legal fees.
I'm praying that the Vatican intervenes on C. Zen's behalf but I have little hope. Their time seems to be directed more to promoting the likes of Fr. Martin and not the true heroes in the clergy.
