POPE SUFFERS SERIES OF "BLACK EYES" AS A RESULT OF RECENT GAFFES AND EMBARRASSMENTS

In September last year, Pope Francis  was met by hundreds of well-wishers in Cartagena, Colombia, on the last day of his visit to the South American country.  

He lost his balance when his motorcade came to an abrupt halt, bruising his left eye and cutting his left eyebrow which dripped blood onto his white cassock. 

The cut was swiftly treated with ice and bandaged up.

Recently, it seems that the Holy Father has suffered a series of metaphorical "black eyes" which appear to have bruised his spirit with wounds which will require more than bandages to treat and heal.

There is no question that Pope Francis has suffered a number of embarrassments and setbacks which have damaged his Papacy.

Clearly, the Pontiff is still reeling from his trip to Chile in January of this year.  He provoked outrage when, in remarks to a reporter, he dismissed as slander accusations that a Chilean bishop had covered up sex abuse by another priest. 

Even Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the Pope’s top adviser on child protection, found it necessary to instruct the Holy Father and admonish the Supreme Pontiff for having caused  “great pain” to abuse victims.

Amid the furor, the Pope Francis reopened the investigation.

Within weeks, the Pope was admitting that he had made “grave mistakes” in handling the case and inviting victims to the Vatican to receive his apology in person. A meeting of a likely different sort with Chilean bishops will take place next month.

Simultaneously, there has been the growing prospect of Pope Francis agreeing to let China’s Communist government control his selection of the country’s Catholic bishops, an initiative which has stirred one of the biggest controversies of his reign, with critics denouncing the plan as a betrayal and a capitulation.

“I would make a cartoon showing the Pope kneeling and offering the keys of the kingdom of Heaven and saying, ‘Now, please recognize me as pope,’” Cardinal Joseph Zen, retired Archbishop of Hong Kong, the most prominent critic of the prospective deal, told a reporter recently. “The advisers of the Pope are giving him advice to renounce his authority.”

Pope Francis continues to face a challenge to his authority from some doctrinal conservatives. Under Popes John Paul and Benedict they considered a strong papacy to be a guarantor of orthodoxy, but under a more liberal Pope have emphasized arguments for the limits to Papal authority.

Earlier this month in Rome, a conference heard several talks on the topic,warning that the Pope could be subject to a “formal correction” from Cardinals if he doesn’t make clear how his statements on divorce are faithful to orthodox teaching.

And perhaps, what I personally believe the most critical and important challenge to Pope Francis has been his backing down and removing of a Nigerian Bishop whose 2012 appointment sparked years of protest from the diocese’s Priests.  

In the face of that resistance to Pontifical authority, Pope Francis stepped back from a confrontation of eight months during which he had threatened to suspend the Priests should they continue to refuse to accept the Bishop’s appointment.

In a short note on February 19 of this year, the Holy See stated that the Pope had accepted the resignation of Bishop Peter Okpaleke, head of the southern Nigerian diocese of Ahiara, and put neighboring Umuahia Bishop Lucius Ugorji in charge as apostolic administrator.

Okpaleke was appointed to his post by Pope Benedict XVI but was never able to take possession of the diocese because of the widespread nature of the protests. 

Pope Francis wrote to the Priests of the diocese last June, giving them 30 days to accept their Bishop or be suspended from ministry.

The Priests had complained that Okpaleke was not from Mbaise, the region surrounding their diocese. They said it has been unfair that there has been no Catholic bishop in Nigeria originally from their region, long known as one of the country’s most Catholic areas.

Little wonder that the Holy Father seems to be remarkably silent these days.

Whether or not Pope Francis has been ill-served by his advisors or purposely subverted to impede needed reforms, one fact is clear:  the Holy Father has really taken it on the chin and it seems as though the “wind has been knocked out of him”.

Perhaps Pope Francis has the energy and will to come out his corner again to continue to battle the forces opposing his message of reform and mercy.

That will determine the ultimate impact which his Pontificate will have upon the future of the Church.

ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON SEEKS RELIEF IN U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

The Archdiocese of Washington was in  the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in March, arguing that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) ban on any religious-themed advertisements is unconstitutional.

In October of last year, the WMATA rejected a series of ads from the Archdiocese which featured a biblical scene and a message about attending Mass and donating to charity. The ads were intended to run during the Christmas season. 

The Archdiocese filed suit in late November, alleging discrimination.

In 2015, WMATA had banned all advertisements that concerned religion, including those both promoting or condemning a particular faith. This ban came after a group attempted to place anti-Muslim advertisements on busses and subway cars.

Despite the supposed ban on religious-themed advertisements, WMATA displayed an advertisement for the Salvation Army after it rejected the Archdiocese of Washington’s advertisements. The Salvation Army is an ecclesial community which has a large charity drive during the Christmas season.

Previously, a district court sided with WMATA and denied the Archdiocese's request for an injunction, saying the case would not likely succeed on religious freedom or free speech grounds.

The Department of Justice has filed an amicus brief in support of the Archdiocese of Washington in January.

“WMATA’s policy constitutes unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. The policy directly contravenes Supreme Court precedents that preclude the government from disfavoring speech from a religious perspective,” wrote the Department of Justice.  “The result is that messages encouraging religious exercise—a right also protected by the First Amendment—are singled out as unacceptable.”

The decision of the Appeals Court may either end this dispute or require the Archdiocese to seek relief by appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.  

We await the the court’s decision with much anticipation for the importance and impact upon religious expression in this country.

PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA: A GENERAL SYNOD NEEDS TO BE CONVENED TO DETERMINE WOMEN'S ROLE IN THE CHURCH

The Vatican’s Commission of Latin American Church leaders is demanding greater decision-making opportunities for women in the church and proposing that Pope Francis call a special meeting of the world’s Bishops to discuss women.

The Pontifical Commission for Latin America has stated that there should be greater decision-making opportunities for women in the Church.  The Commission has requested that a special meeting (General Synod) be convened by Pope Francis to discuss the role of women in the Church, stating that the Church needs a radical “change of mentality” in the way it views and treats half of humanity. 

The statement was published in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

Commission members — 22 Latin American Cardinals and Bishops, plus 15 women who joined the panel for the meeting — said it was both possible and “urgent” to increase opportunities for women at the parish, diocesan and Vatican level.

“This opening isn’t a concession to cultural or media pressure, but the result of a realization that the lack of women in decision-making roles is a defect, an ecclesiological gap and the negative effect of a clerical and macho conception,” the communique said.

They warned that unless the Bishops address the issue universally, women will simply leave.

The fact that the Commission statement was published in the official organ of the Holy See is seen to be evidence that Pope Francis is increasingly aware that centuries of institutionalized discrimination against women is indefensible today and is hurting the Catholic Church.

Francis personally proposed that the Commission make as its theme for its plenary meeting,  “Women: building block of the church and society in Latin America.” 

The Holy Father has repeatedly called for greater roles for women in the church, though he has upheld Church teaching that the Priesthood is reserved for men.

The issue of women’s roles in the Church is already on the agenda for the next two upcoming Synods of Bishops — the regular meetings of church leaders at the Vatican. Later this year, Bishops will take up issues about young Catholics — male and female — and next year they will discuss ministering in the Amazon, where women are the primary carriers of the Faith.

The Latin American Commission, however, is proposing that an entire Synod be dedicated to “women in the life and mission of the Church.”

The question of women’s role in the ministry of the Church can no longer be avoided as it was in past decades.  

The Bishops and the Holy See can no longer pretend that the issue will simply die a quiet death if it is ignored long enough.

The Pope’s response to the Commission’s request will be interesting indeed!

Frankly, it's about time!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONDOLENCES AND PRAYERS AT THE DEATH OF MY SISTER

Just returned from St. Louis, Missouri to celebrate the Funeral Liturgy for my beloved sister, Ann M. Bono, who passed from this earthly life to eternity.

I and my family, with whom I have shared a number of condolences from readers of this blogsite, are grateful for the kind expressions of sympathy and promises of prayers.

May the Lord bless all those who have been so compassionate and expressed their solidarity with us.

Let us remember those who have gone before us in Faith and offer for them the ancient prayer of the Church for the repose of their souls.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

May their souls and the souls of all the Faithful Departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

PLEASE COMMEND THE SOUL OF MY DEPARTED SISTER TO THE MERCY OF GOD

With sadness for our loss but joyful memories of her presence in our lives, I announce the death of my dear sister, Ann M. Bono, on Sunday April 22, 2018.

Braving various chemical-therapies, she finally succumbed to the ravages of the lung cancer from which she suffered for the past several years.

She is survived immediately by her daughter, Donna M. Bono, and her son, Fred J. Bono along with his wife, Charlene, and their son, Christopher, as well as family members and friends of many years. 

It will be my honor and privilege to offer the Wake Service and the Funeral Liturgy for my beloved sister.  For that purpose, I shall be returning to Saint Louis this week.

In my absence, I shall not be posting articles to this blogsite but will recommence upon my return  home to Mesa, Arizona.

I ask that you kindly commend my sister to the merciful judgment of the Lord Jesus and that Almighty God give peace and consolation to the family members who mourn her passing.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.
Let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
May her soul and the souls of all the Faithful Departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

God bless you, each and every one.

SEX ED SIT OUT APRIL 23RD -- A MATTER OF CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN

A grassroots movement of public school parents who want to end the sexualization of their children during class time has turned their frustration to action with a “Sex Ed Sit Out” protest which will take place on April 23.

The protest, launched by concerned parents on social media who are troubled by the graphic nature of current sex education resources in schools, has grown into a global movement with protests being held in multiple U.S. cities and also Australia and the UK.

Parents are demanding to know why their children are being taught dangerous and promiscuous behaviors which most parents find morally abhorrent and the Center for Disease Control has stated are a health risk.

Elizabeth Johnston, activist blogger and a concerned mother questions “why administrators are not being transparent with parents about the content of sexuality resources? It’s as if they have something to hide. That should frighten parents everywhere.”

“Funding is dangled in front of the schools by special interest groups to push this propaganda, contingent upon the schools using their curriculum,” Johnston explained. “There is no transparency with parents and downright deception being employed on the part of school administrators. Parents can’t opt their kids out of the sex ed and anti-bullying programs when they don’t even know they exist and when they are being rolled out across the curriculum in multiple subject areas.”

“We want school administrators to promise to cease all programs which push graphic and radical LGBT gender-bending propaganda,” said Johnston. “We send our kids to school to learn reading, writing, science and history, not how to have sex without getting caught or inconvenienced. Stick to the biology of reproduction or we will pull our children out of schools permanently.”

Education Chairman of the Indiana Liberty Coalition and one of the protest organizers, Rhonda Miller, stated, “Comprehensive sex ed is being rolled out across America, often sponsored by special interest LGBT groups like Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and disguised as anti-bullying programs. If it’s not okay for special interest groups like the National Rifle Association to be buying classroom time to push their agenda, then how is it okay for HRC monies to be buying schools off to teach gender-bending ideology and anal sex tutorials?”

On April 23, parents around the nation will be pulling their children out of school for the day in protest of dangerous and graphic sex education and uniting at various locations to hold press events and field media questions.

We can expect the liberal press and news media to ignore the protest and collude with public school officials and lobbyists advancing such programs.

As more and more Catholic schools close and Catholic children find themselves in public schools, such radical sexual education programs should be of serious concern to Bishops, parents and the Catholic Church in many American cities and towns.

I would hope Bishops and Priests will support the Sit-Out and voice their solidarity with parents (Lord bless them) seeking to protect their sons and daughters from such moral corruption.

ANONYMOUS SOURCED NEWS ABOUT REJECTION OF GERMAN BISHOPS' PROPOSAL FOR COMMUNION TO NON-CATHOLIC SPOUSES "FALSE"

In my preceding article, I indicated that reports about the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith rejecting the German Bishops’ Conference proposal to publish guidelines for permitting non-Catholic spouses to receive Holy Communion were based upon anonymous sources.

Within hours, German Bishops’ Conference spokesman, Matthias Kopp, stated unequivocally:
“Reports that the Vatican, whether the Holy Father or dicasteries, has rejected the handout are false.” 

In February, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising announced that the German Bishops' Conference would publish a pastoral handout for married couples that allows Protestant spouses of Catholics "in individual cases" and "under certain conditions" to receive Holy Communion, provided they "affirm the Catholic faith in the Eucharist”.

The announcement concerned a draft version of the guidelines, which were adopted “after intensive debate” during a February 19-22 General Assembly of the German Bishops' Conference under the leadership of Cardinal Marx, who is the Conference Chairman.

In his statement on Thursday, Kopp said that Cardinal Marx will inform his fellow Bishops on the matter of the guidelines at a meeting on April 23.  He has been invited to Rome by Pope Francis to discuss the issue.  Cardinal Rainier Woelki of Cologne, who asked for clarification on the draft guidelines from the Vatican, may have been invited as well.

And so, it appears that it remains unclear whether the Vatican has asked the Bishops' Conference to modify the contents of the draft guidelines, whether they have suspended the development of a draft while the matter is considered further, or whether it has been entirely rejected.

I shall continue to follow this story and offer reports and commentary regarding the German Bishops proposal and the Holy See’s response to it.

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH REPORTEDLY REJECTS GERMAN BISHOPS' PROPOSAL FOR INTERCOMMUNION FOR PROTESTANT SPOUSES

Various Catholic websites have begun quoting anonymous sources which have stated that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has sent a letter (with the approval of Pope Francis) to German bishops rejecting the proposal offered by the overwhelming majority of the German Conference of Bishops to allow some Protestant spouses to receive Holy Communion.

The Vatican response came after seven German bishops, led by Cardinal Rainer Woelki of Cologne, wrote to the CDF last month to say they believed the proposal to allow some Protestant spouses to receive communion contradicted Catholic doctrine, undermined Church unity and exceeded the competence of the bishops' conference.  They wanted the Vatican to clarify Church teaching and practice regarding such a proposal.

After intense debate, the Conference of Bishops concluded that permission could be granted if, having made a 'serious examination' of conscience with a priest or another person with pastoral responsibilities, the spouse 'affirms the faith of the Catholic Church', wishes to end 'serious spiritual distress' and has a 'longing to satisfy a hunger for the Eucharist'.

Canon 844 (4) of the 1983 Code of Canon Lawstates:  If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same Sacraments (Penance, Eucharist and the Anointing of the Sick) licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

The German Bishops’ Conference questioned whether a Protestant spouse’s distress at not being able to receive Communion could amount to  “some other grave necessity” under the meaning of Canon 844 (4).   

Some argued that “manifesting Catholic faith in respect to these Sacraments” is not obvious in the case of Protestant spouses who have not become Catholic and do not wish to do so.

Canon 844 (4) does soften the language of the 1917 Code, which stated bluntly that it was “forbidden to minister the Sacraments of the Church to heretics and schismatics, even though they are in good faith and ask for them, unless they have first renounced their errors and been reconciled to the Church”.   With little concern for any ecumenical consequences, the Canon did make clear that participating in the Sacraments is a sign of unity within the Church.

Though limited in practice, intercommunion is possible with the Orthodox Churches who share the faith that Holy Communion is the reception of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ Himself.  Most Protestant denominations do not hold to this Catholic teaching.

We shall see whether or not the reporting regarding this letter from the CDF is true and accurate.

During my active ministry as Pastor, I was confronted with a situation involving a Protestant spouse who attended Mass every Sunday with her Catholic husband and who, respecting the reservations of the Church, did not approach to receive Holy Communion.  However, when I began the practice of offering the Anointing of the Sick publicly to the ill or infirm who requested it after Mass, the Protestant spouse asked to receive the Sacrament.  My familiarity with Cannon 844(4) as a Canon lawyer gave me confidence and assurance that in administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick I was following both the letter and the spirit of Catholic teaching in this particular case.

I was hopeful that Pope Francis would have approved the proposal of the German Bishops’ Conference for the reception of Holy Communion to Protestant spouses who, admitting Catholic Faith regarding the Eucharist, respectively requested the Sacrament.

As of this writing, it is not clear whether Pope Francis rejected the proposal or may have asked the German Bishops’ Conference for greater clarification.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to inspire all Bishops everywhere to encourage legitimate and thoughtful consideration of proposal which would help fulfill the Divine Wish of the Lord that there truly be “one flock and One Shepherd” some day.

ANOTHER EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA

In yet another embarrassment involving the Knights of Malta, the chivalric organization which dates back to the Crusades,  a British member has been suspended after writing a highly critical book about Pope Francis that was condemned as a “vile attack”.

Henry Sire, an Oxford-educated historian and a Knight in the ancient order for nearly two decades, has been castigated for his inflammatory book The Dictator Pope, which describes the Holy Father as “authoritarian and manipulative”.

The book claims to be “the inside story of the most tyrannical and unprincipled Papacy of modern times.”

The book further claims that Pope Francis was elected thanks to the help of a “mafia” of progressive cardinals.

The Knight Sire described the Pope as “the monster occupying the Papal throne”.

Sire was contracted to write a history of the order and lived from 2013 until 2017 in its palatial headquarters in Rome.  The book was duly published in 2016, but he then wrote a second book, without the knowledge of the Knights, on Francis and his controversial Papacy.

It was initially published under a pen name, Marcantonio Colonna, an Italian nobleman who fought at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, in which a European naval force inflicted a major defeat on the Ottoman Empire off the coast of Greece.

After being unmasked, the Order took the decision to suspend him and said it “strongly condemns the vile attack against the Pope.  The Order of Malta dissociates itself from the positions conveyed and considers the content of the book a grave offence to His Holiness, Pope Francis.”

In his book, Sire also wrote about a damaging crisis within the order in 2016 which led to the downfall of its British head, Matthew Festing.

Founded in the 11th century to protect pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta has around 25,000 paid employees and more than 80,000 volunteers around the world.

It is a sovereign entity which has observer status at the United Nations and maintains diplomatic links with more than 100 countries.

Sadly, the embarrassments to the Knights in recent days have been unceasing!

Henry Sire should be ashamed of himself for the embarrassment he has brought to the Knights and his villainous attack of Pope Francis.

TO CONFESSORS: BE MINISTERS OF MERCY NOT INQUISITORS IN THE CONFESSIONAL

Again and beautifully so, Pope Francis addressed the “forgotten Sacrament”:  Confession of Sin and Reconciliation.

His remarks were delivered to the “missionaries of mercy”, that is, Religious-order and Diocesan Priests from around the world, who were among more than 1,000 who received a special Papal mandate to preach and teach about God's mercy during the 2015-16 Holy Year of Mercy.

After listening to "many testimonies of conversion," Pope Francis said he felt the need to prolong their mission.

The Holy Father pleaded with those present to be merciful in the Confessional and help penitents return to the Lord without fear even if they repeatedly stumble and slip on a path that “is filled with stones and banana peels”.

"In short, mercy restores dignity," the Pope told the April 10th gathering,  "The penitent does not indulge in self-pity for the sin committed, and the Priest does not blame him for the evil from which he repented. Rather, he encourages him to look to the future with new eyes, leading him to 'springs of water.'"

Pope Francis reminded the Confessors that God's mercy “has no limits and with your ministry, you are a concrete sign that the Church cannot, should not and does not want to create any barrier or difficulty that impedes access to the Father's forgiveness."

The Pope also admonished Priests to avoid acting in a way that instead of bringing penitent sinners closer, "pushes them away." That can happen, he said, when, "by defending the integrity of the Gospel, they overlook the steps that a person is taking day by day" to move closer to God's way.

"God's grace isn't nourished in this way," he said. "To recognize the sinner's repentance is the same as welcoming him with arms wide open, to imitate the father in the parable who welcomes his son when he returns home."

Like the father of the Prodigal Son, who did not even let his son finish his apology when he returned, priests must not be inquisitors, concerning themselves with the gritty details which causes "shame to one who has already recognized his sin and knows he has made a mistake," he said.

As missionaries of mercy, the Pope said, Priests are called to be "interpreters and witnesses" of God's mercy which "welcomes everyone and always without any distinction."

All during my active ministry, I heard horror stories from the faithful and their experiences in the Confessional when the Priest acted more like a grand inquisitor rather than a pastor of souls, a minister of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Fear over the reaction of the Priest to the sins they confessed established a barrier in their lives which kept them from experiencing the refreshment and re-birth which the Sacrament of Reconciliation offers and promises.

I remember admonishing a Confessor who was less than "priestly" as I confessed my sins and asked the Lord for forgiveness...that experience has left an indelible impression for sure!

I remember the words of my Dominican Spiritual Director who cautioned me never to ask questions about anything a penitent confesses to spare them a sense of fear or embarrassment.  He counseled me to simply ask if he or she had any questions and commend them for their faith in coming forward to receive God's forgiveness, after which I should offer Sacramental Absolution.

And, indeed, this was my regimen in the hearing Confessions all during my 41 years of active ministry.

Certainly, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is in a state of utter abandonment when it comes to the practice of the Catholic Faith among most Catholics these days.

The few who regularly avail themselves of the Sacrament are often scrupulous individuals who have lost of sense not only of what is sinful but the degree to which they are personally responsible for their mistaken sense of sinfulness.

Most Catholics have adopted a practical belief that they need only express their sorrow for sin in private penitential prayer and the Lord will forgive them without the intermediary need to confess to a Priest.

While the Church professes there are 7 Sacraments, the faithful have dropped one from the list.  Why Bishops and Priests don't address this more I can't quite understand.

I commend the Pope for reminding us of the role of the Priest in the Sacrament and for constantly urging the faithful to experience the mercy and love of God administered in this wonderful instrument of His Saving Grace.

CULTURE OF DEATH INVADES CHURCH LEADERSHIP: SHOCKING AND SHAMEFUL SILENCE OF THE BISHOPS

In England, the parents of two year old Alfie Evans battle to save their son’s life in the face of hospital and state rulings to turn off his life support.  

In France, a hospital has ordered the removal of food and water from a 42 year old patient who has been severely disabled for 10 years.  The Sebastopol Hospital in Reims ruled on Monday that ordinary means of life support be removed from patient Vincent Lambert on April 19.

Vincent suffered severe head injuries in an automobile accident in 2008 that left him a quadriplegic, but other doctors and his parents insist he is not sick, nor in a coma, breathes unassisted, and his internal organs function normally.

Despite this, the hospital ruled that continuing to feed and hydrate him constituted “unreasonable obstinacy” towards the disabled patient.

Church teaching allows for the removal of “aggressive medical treatment” but only when it is considered futile or overly burdensome, and for terminally ill patients. Nutrition and hydration are considered “ordinary” and not “extraordinary” means and so are part of normal care; withholding them is therefore considered passive euthanasia, leaving the person to die of starvation.

Significant in both the Vincent Lambert and Alfie Evans cases is the unusual silence of Church leaders.

Although the Pope has shown consistent support of Alfie, there has been no comment from either English and French bishops, nor any recent statements from the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The general silence persists despite representations made by Alfie’s father, Tom Evans, to both the Apostolic Nuncio in Britain, and Evans' local Bishop, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon.

French bishops have also said nothing publicly, despite making comments in defense of Vincent Lambert in the past. 

The Pontifical Academy has been approached for comment, but has so far not done so.

Writing in the Italian Catholic daily La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana, its director Riccardo Cascioli noted “with sorrow and anxiety that the culture of death has also penetrated deeply into the Church.”

He said the silence shows “the depth of the crisis” currently passing through the ecclesial world which is “turned towards the prevailing mentality, to the ideology of quality of life.” The Church, he added, “is going through a betrayal; a betrayal of God and therefore of man.”

Sadly, I totally agree.

Where are our Bishops? 

They are AWOL when it comes to resisting the ever-increasing assaults upon human life and the overwhelming culture of death that has overtaken modern society.

This past Sunday, during his Regina Caeli address, Pope Francis said:

“I entrust to your prayer people such as Vincent Lambert, in France, the little Alfie Evans, in England, and others in different countries, who live, sometimes for a long time, in a state of serious infirmity, assisted medically for basic needs. These are delicate, very painful and complex situations. We pray that every patient is always respected in his dignity and treated in a way that is appropriate to his condition, and with the agreement of family members, doctors and other health professionals, with great respect for life.”

We commend Pope Francis for his consistent and very public stance in defense of life.

How the Bishops can put their heads on their pillows at night and sleep when they so openly disavow their Apostolic ministry is shocking and shameful.  

But I must remind myself that the Apostles themselves were the first among those who abandoned Christ.

It seems things haven't changed very much among their successors these past two millenia!

Please, God, give us Bishops who are men of prayer and faith as well as courage to proclaim Your Truth without fear or embarrassment.

THE LIKELY FACE OF THE FUTURE CHURCH?

I just finished reading a fascinating article whose theme centered on the question of whether the American Christian Church (Protestant as well as Catholic) will split into traditional and progressive branches, a schism of sorts. 

It appears that that among Protestant churches, the division has already taken place and become institutionalized.  

For example, there are the tradition Protestant assemblies — such as the Southern Baptist Convention and Evangelical churches — versus the extremely liberal denominations such as the United Church of Christ which embraces practices such as ordaining openly gay and lesbian clergy. 

The American Catholic Church, however, remains a unified institution (externally at least), with members whose spiritual values run the gamut from traditionalists who seek a return to the Latin Mass to progressives who argue for women's ordination and greater openness to homosexual and transgender lifestyles. 

In June 2011, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron (a classmate of the Pontifical North American College in Rome) urged his flock to avoid a gathering of the American Catholic Council, which he said would feature discussions of issues contrary to Church teaching, such as the Ordination of women and Ordination of non-celibate men as Priests.  

Little could Archbishop Vigneron imagine that a scant seven years later, a Pope would signal the acceptance of married Priests in areas of the world deprived of an adequate number of Priests to provide the Sacraments to the faithful.

Nonetheless, it is clear that traditionalist Catholics seem to have more in common with conservative Protestants than with progressive Catholics. 

The reason?

Traditional Protestantism as well as traditional Catholicism are both based upon Christian beliefs that evangelical Protestants and conservative Catholics share.

For some time, there have been growing murmurs of a schism about to take place, especially aided by the spirited Pontificate of Pope Francis.

Some conservative commentators warn that this imminent schism will be much larger than anyone expects because so many U.S. bishops have been lax in their approach to liturgy, catechesis and discipline.

As a result, progressive modernists within the Church now claim a sense of entitlement,  convinced their agenda is the product of Vatican II, and it is the old structure of the Catholic hierarchy that continues to stand in the way.  It is a message likely to resonate with many Catholics across the United States.

As I have stated a number of times prior to this article, it is my belief that it is very likely that conservatives will eventually dominate a much smaller Catholic Church in America, without an outright schism taking place.

Rather, the American Catholic Church of the future will consist of a drastically smaller gathering of faithful.  The Clergy will most likely be dominated by more conservative-spirited Priests than older generations of Pastors.

My speculations about the future notwithstanding, I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit will guide the Church into being the community of faith which the Lord Himself desires is best fit and able to communicate the Gospel of salvation to a weak and sinful humanity. 

I pray that His Will be done.

ARCHBISHOP OF GUAM FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS BY CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has announced the conclusion of a year-long trial against an Archbishop in Guam, stating that he has been found guilty of some charges stemming from allegations of sexual abuse of minors and has been removed from office.

A source close to the case has confirmed that the Archbishop has already appealed the decision.

According to a March 16th statement from the Apostolic Tribunal of the CDF, Archbishop Anthony Apuron, 72, was found guilty of “certain” accusations and penalized with removal from the office and prohibition from residing within the Archdiocese of Guam.

The CDF did not state the charges for which the Archbishop was found guilty. Sources close to the case told CNA that the Archbishop was found guilty of a minority of the allegations leveled against him.

If the Archbishop has been found guilty of sexual abuse of minors, the penalty leveled against him is unusual - often a Cleric found guilty of such crimes would be "laicized," that is, removed from the clerical state.

The Archbishop seems to have maintained his ecclesiastical faculties, and though restricted from residence in Guam, is apparently able to exercise ministry as a Priest.

Cardinal Raymond Burke, former Prefect of the Vatican's Apostolic Signatura, is the only judge to be publicly identified.

Archbishop Apuron was relieved of his pastoral and administrative authority by Pope Francis in 2016, in the wake of the allegations, and was effectively replaced by Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes, formerly of Detroit.

The canonical trial against him began in October 2016, with Cardinal Burke appointed by Pope Francis as the trial’s presiding judge.   The CDF reached its decision on the case in October 2017, though no information regarding its outcome was released until such a time that a sentence was imposed.

Archbishop Apuron is reported to have been notified of the court's decision just prior to its being made known publicly.

Archbishop Apuron released a statement through his attorney:  "I have been informed of the conclusion of the first instance canonical trial against me. While I am relieved that the tribunal dismissed the majority of the accusations against me, I have appealed the verdict. God is my witness; I am innocent and I look forward to proving my innocence in the appeals process," the statement read. Today, my prayers are with the Church in Guam, which has been suffering greatly. I pray that Santa Marian Kamalen may intercede for the healing of our island." 

Until appeals are resolved, “the imposed penalties are suspended until the final resolution” of the trial, according to the CDF.  The Prefect of the CDF, Archbishop Luis Ladaria, will determine whether or not to accept the appeal, and then be responsible for appointing judges to consider it.

POPE FRANCIS' REMARKABLE LETTER TO THE BISHOPS AND THE CHURCH IN CHILE

In a letter addressed to the Bishops of Chile, Pope Francis admits to making “serious mistakes in the assessment and perception of the situation” of clerical sexual abuse.

The Pope wrote the letter after reading a report from the two envoys he dispatched to Chile to examine the allegations against Bishop Juan Barros more thoroughly.

In his letter, Pope Francis affirms that “the collected testimonies speak in a stark way, without additives or sweeteners, of many crucified lives, and I confess to you that that causes me sorrow and shame,” he writes.

The Pope also acknowledges his own responsibility, saying “I have made serious mistakes in the assessment and perception of the situation, especially due to the lack of truthful and balanced information.” 

He requests forgiveness “from all those I have offended,” and says he will be meeting with representatives of the people interviewed, in order to apologize personally.

Pope Francis closes by requesting the “collaboration and assistance” of the Bishops “in the discernment of the short, medium, and long-term measures to be adopted in order to re-establish ecclesial communion in Chile, with the goal of repairing the scandal as much as possible, and re-establishing justice.”

To that end, the Pope says he intends to call all the Bishops of Chile to Rome for discussions, leaving the timing of the visit to the Bishops’ Conference.

Such a letter had to be written in view of the scandal and embarrassment which his personal comments added to the injury of those who suffered physical, emotional and spiritual abuse.

The unveiling of the Pope’s letter took place in Chile at a press conference, headed by Bishops Santiago Silva and Fernando Ramos, President and Secretary General of the Chilean Bishops’ Conference. 

The Pope visited Chile in early January, and began by issuing an apology for the “irreparable damage” caused by clerical sexual abuse.  During the visit, the Holy Father met with the victims of abuse.

On his last day in Chile and before heading to Peru, Francis told a journalist that “there’s not a single proof against Bishop Barros, it’s all a calumny.” 

Days later, during his traditional in-flight press conference, the Pope said that he regretted using the word “proof” when he should have said “evidence,” but stood by his words, insisting that he was personally “convinced” that the Bishop is innocent.

In late January, however, the Vatican announced that Francis was sending envoys to investigate the claims of the accusers further.

Bishop Barros, together with three other Bishops, have been accused by survivors of the country’s most notorious pedophile Priest of having witnessed and ignored the abuses committed by Father Karadima.

Karadima was found guilty of abuse by the Vatican in 2011 and sentenced to a life of penitence and prayer. Since the statute of limitations on the priest’s abuses had expired, he was never tried by Chilean courts, though the judge handling the case in 2011 deemed the accusations to be “truthful and reliable.”

Bishop Barros and the three other Bishops, who were Priests when the abuses took place, consistently denied knowing what was happening.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Francis' letter to the Chilean hierarchy was an acknowledgment that he had made mistakes about abuse victims and that his request that the country's Bishops come to Rome to discuss reforms amounts to a "spiritual state of emergency" declaration for the Chilean Catholic church.

A remarkable statement indeed, and very disconcerting to the Universal Church as well.

Perhaps what I find most disturbing is Pope Francis’ blaming his missteps in judging the case on a lack of "truthful and balanced information" .

Really?

Or did the Pope simply not take into account the factual information which was at his disposal?

Hadn’t the Executive Committee of Chile’s Bishops Conference recommended that Bishop resign and be placed on forced sabbatical?

Hadn’t Bishop Barros himself offered to resign his assignment?

Hadn’t the Pope’s own sex abuse advisory commission questioned Barros' suitability to run a diocese?

Hadn’t the Pope himself stated that received a personal letter from a victim in 2015 detailing Barros' wrongdoing?

In response to these facts, Burke stated that Pope Francis receives a lot of information from a variety of sources and now he has read a 2,300-page dossier prepared by two Vatican-mandated envoys.  "Let's just say it's very clear now the Pope has a complete picture of the situation," he said.

One of two possibilities exists which would explain this public debacle and humiliation.

Either, the Pope, for whatever reason, simply ignored the facts.  Or, he was never provided that information directly and was ill-served by those entrusted with such responsibility.

In either case, Pope Francis needs to focus his attention on the crisis within the Church caused by the sexual abuse of minors and begin to take serious action both against the perpetrators of such horrific actions and against those who have sheltered and protected them from justice.

To date, the Pope sadly has failed on both fronts.

Apologies and letters such as the one written to the Chilean Bishops will be empty and meaningless gestures unless the Holy Father takes a firmer and more direct hand in such matters.

WHERE THE CHURCH FINDS ITSELF DECADES AFTER VATICAN COUNCIL II

Current debates between so-called traditional and progressive Catholics date back mainly to the Second Vatican Council, worldwide bishops' conference convened by Pope Saint John XXIII that ran from 1962 to 1965. 

Pope John, who died in 1963, had sought ways for the Church, as he said, “to contribute more effectively to the solutions of the problems of the modern age.”

Among problems he proposed needing solving was the contemporary world's secularization, which proceeded without any “corresponding advance in the moral sphere,” moral questions raised by technology progress, and the “successive bloody wars of our times.”

Some 2,800 bishops from 116 countries produced 16 documents laying out the views of the Council majority about transforming a Church which many believed had grown isolated and rigid into one better suited to transforming modern life according to Christ's principles. 

Many Bishops suggested changes aimed at engaging Catholic lay people more actively in this work, such as by adapting the Mass to fit local cultural traditions and languages and opening more church roles to lay Catholics.

Notably, Vatican II turned aside from the “Papal absolutism” declared by Pope Pius IX at the First Vatican Council in 1868–1870, which established the principle that in certain statements of doctrine a Pope is infallible. So centered was he on the primacy of Church hierarchy that Pius IX said of himself, “I am the church."

Vatican II, by contrast, offered a contemporary redefinition of the church as “the people of God."

After Vatican Council II came the work of turning the Bishops' statements into concrete action. 

The liturgy was translated from Latin into local languages so Catholics could participate in the Mass more directly. Other changes ranged from new songs and a shift in how Priests stand while saying Mass — from facing the altar to facing parishioners — to removal of some traditional feast days from the church calendar and a clothing change for many nuns from habits to street clothes.

In effect, Vatican II offered Catholics a more direct and involved access to their faith, suitable to the modern world.

Early on, dissenters quickly emerged. 

They argued that the Council went too far in urging its accommodations to modernity and, especially, that many implementations of the Council documents misread not only Catholic theology but the intent of the Council documents themselves.

Critics also argued that other implementations of Vatican II were misguided.  They contended that Vatican II-inspired “democratic” ideas have transformed Priests from being strong spiritual leaders to becoming psychologists, pandering to human frailty, leading lay Catholics to ignore such vital concepts as penance and sin.

While the Council actually called for educating the laity to participate more fully in the traditional liturgy, perhaps even to learn Gregorian chant, that conclusion was largely ignored in favor of adopting a more simplified celebration of the Mass in local languages.

Both laity and some members of the Clergy held to the exaggerated idea that the Council supported the position that any Catholic's opinion of how to practice the faith “was as valid as anyone else's, even if it contradicted nearly two millennia of tradition.

Debates over traditional and liberal views have only grown louder over the decades that have ensued. The Vatican's slow and inconsistent response to the sex-abuse and financial scandals has largely overshadowed them in the public consciousness, however.

Between 1978 and 2013, only two Popes (mindful still of the sadly brief Pontificate of Pope John Paul I) headed the church. 

Pope Saint John Paul II — formerly Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla — held office from 1978 until his death in 2005. Succeeding him was Pope Benedict XVI — German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger — who served from 2005 to 2013.

Both Pope Saint John Paul II and Pope Benedict were worried about losing the centralized control over the Church that the Vatican had long held, and both were largely conservative traditionalists, contending that Vatican II called for a “reform with continuity”.

Clearly, under the administration of these two staunchly conservative Popes,  the Sacred Liturgy became the battleground.

Vatican II had designated the Bishops as the arbiters of whether common-language translations of the Mass from Latin were fitting and acceptable.

In time, however, Rome started dialing that back eventually declaring the Vatican could impose a text on any country.

Some in the Vatican who engaged in the English translations of the Mass “weren't even native English speakers,” says Nicholas Cafardi, my former classmate from our Roman days and a Canon Lawyer who is a Professor of Law at Duquesne University, in Pittsburgh. “They decided that all 11 English-speaking congregations” — Canada, Australia, Ireland and so on — “would use the same translation.” But “their languages are not the same. Where's the respect for the pastoral role of the local Bishops?”

In April 2012, the Vatican cracked down on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), which represents most orders of American nuns. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced that LCWR's activities, rules and practices would be placed under direct supervision of a Vatican delegate. An investigation had concluded that the group focused too much attention to a “radical feminism” agenda and too much involvement in poverty and social-justice issues.

Then came the most significant and devastating blow to the moral authority of the Church in centuries.

In 1985, a Louisiana priest, Gilbert Gauthe, pleaded guilty to 11 counts related to sexually abusing about three dozen young boys.  In an instant, it became apparent not only that Priests elsewhere had committed similar crimes but also that bishops had covered up for them.

Subsequently, hundreds of allegations emerged in multiple countries. 

The Irish government conducted a nationwide inquiry, and the U.S. bishops developed strict rules for discovering and stopping the abuse. 

Still, critics attacked the Vatican for its lack of decisive action, such as its failure to require Bishops to make public complete lists of abusing Priests.  Moreover, it became evident that the Holy See was not prepared to hold Bishops accountable and impose consequences on those who engaged in a conspiracy of silence regarding the abuse of minors by Priests.

Repeated questions also have arisen about the Church's management of money.

For more than 40 years the Vatican's bank — the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), established in 1942 to manage funds donated for charitable use has been regularly embroiled in scandals, including bribery money for political parties, money-laundering and, repeatedly, anonymous accounts,despite sacred and solemn promise to clean house.

Then, following the shocking abdication from his Papal Office by Pope Benedict XVI, a new Pontiff was elected who has drawn praise and skepticism from traditionalist and progressive Catholics alike. 

But a common thread runs through the commentaries of both the “right” and the “left”.

And that common thread appears to be a sense that the direction in which Pope Francis,  the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years — will ultimately steer the Church remains a mystery.

And so, the Church finds itself in a state of flux almost six decades after Vatican II convened to reform the Church and make it more relevant and significant in responding to the needs of humanity in the modern world.

Whether this state of affairs is the will of the Holy Spirit or the result of the interference of that Divine Will by human agents will be recorded in the annals of a Church history that remains to be written.

We pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church which the Lord Jesus entrusted to His care.

CARDINAL BURKE'S BABBLES ON....UGH!

An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally, like “bought the farm” has nothing to do with purchasing real estate, but refers to dying. 

Idiom also refers to a  jargon of a group of people, either in a certain region or a group with a common interest, like in science, music, or in the case of this article, the Catholic Faith.

Examples of some of the more common idioms include:

A chip on your shoulder - means you are holding a grudge.

High as a kite - means you are drunk or on drugs.

Sick as a dog - means you are very ill.

Examples of idioms referring to actions would be:

Rub someone the wrong way - meaning to annoy or bother;

Jump the gun - would mean to be doing something early;

Pay the piper - means you need to face the consequences of your actions.

Finally, there is the very familiar idiom:  put up or shut up, meaning either act on what you are saying or stop talking about it and go away!

Yet again (ugh), Cardinal Raymond Burke said that the Pope is the highest authority in the Church, but because his power is derived from the divine law, the faithful are obligated to reject his teaching if it falls outside that Divine Law.  

Cardinal Burke spoke at length (ugh!) outlining both what Papal power is and what its limits are. He also discussed what he believes to be the role of the Bishops and the faithful when the Pope is thought to have stepped outside these bounds.

Asking how we should correct the Pope if he does overstep the limits of his power, Burke pointed to two steps, which he called “a brief and preliminary answer, based on natural law, on the Gospels and on the canonical tradition.”

First, he said, “the correction of the presumed error or abandonment of his duty should be addressed directly to the Roman Pontiff; and then, if he continued to err or not answer, a public declaration should be made.”

And so, yet again, the Church has to endure these threats of a formal act of correction which Cardinal Burke urges but hasn’t had the courage to initiate.

It seems that His Eminence is more concerned with the publicity his threats of correction afford him personally than he is with following through with what he says he believes (and attempts to convince the vulnerable) are serious Papal violations against the Deposit of Faith.

In the end, His Eminence himself is the one who is causing confusion and division  -- dare I say it -- and basking in the light of the attention it brings him.

To His Eminence I say (respectfully):  Put up or shut up!  

INSIGHTFUL OBSERVATIONS OF A DEAR FRIEND

Just the other day, a dear friend from Saint Louis sent me the following article which appears on the cruxnow website and is entitled “Mass attendance in U.S. down in recent years, Gallup poll finds”.

The article reports the following.

Catholic pews in the U.S. are emptying, according to data from a recent Gallup survey, which showed that Mass attendance is down to a 39 percent weekly average over the past 10 years.

From 2005-2008, Catholics reported attending Mass on a 45 percent average within seven days, but it has since dropped 6 percent from 2014-2017.

The average Mass attendance in 1955 was at 75 percent, which roughly consisted of all age groups. During this time period, around three in four Catholics had attended Mass within the past week.

But, that number is slowly changing, pointing to a historic shift in the Church, with some interesting percentages within the younger age groups.

“In particular, older Catholics have become less likely to report attending church in the past seven days,” noted the Gallup study.

“For the first time, a majority of Catholics in no generational group attend weekly.”

The age group with the highest number of weekly attendance was the 60 and above demographic, with 49 percent. That number dropped from 59 percent over the past decade.

The younger demographic - aged 21 to 29 - saw a slight rise in weekly Mass attendance from 2005-2008 at 29 percent. This then dropped in 2014-2017 to 25 percent.

This rise and drop among the younger demographic is mainly due to the fact that younger adults are more likely in recent years to identify with non-Christian religions across the board. 

In 2016, Gallup reported that one in five Americans are associated with no religious identity at all.

“All of this comes amid a broader trend of more Americans opting out of formal religion or being raised without it altogether,” the survey said.

Interestingly, the next oldest demographic - aged 30-39 - saw a slight rise in attendance from 40 to 43 percent in the past ten years. This was the only age group with a boost in attendance.

The Gallup study did note that the decline in weekly Mass attendance has shown that the overall proportion of Americans identifying as Catholic is “holding fairly steady,” which they attributed to the growth of the U.S. Hispanic population.

The study also highlighted that weekly church attendance among Protestants has remained fairly steady at around 45 percent for the last ten years, although fewer Americans now identify as Protestant, dropping from 71 percent to 47 percent over the past 60 years.

The article affirms other statistics that I have reported on this blogsite in previous articles.

But what I found most insightful was not the article itself, but my friends insightful observation regarding it.

Here is what he had to say:

I am a fan of Pope Francis. I do, however, find it mystifying that those of us that are such fans of this Pope fail miserably when it comes to admitting he has had no effect in bringing people back, or in, to the Church in the United States. In fact, by recent polls, we see the opposite. 

The US polls cast a very favorable light on the Pope, but less and less Catholics during his papacy are going to Church!!  Yet, the conservative Catholic parishes in St Louis, ( St Francis de Sales Oratory et al) are flourishing with young and old while deriding this Pope as a heretic. 

Mystifying. 

So, His Holiness has his followers.....they just aren't following him into Church. 

With all due respect to this Pope whom I like, talking is one thing, getting people to follow you is another. 

 Leadership.

I totally agree and have little that I can add other than the fact that my friend is an astute observer of what is taking place in the Church these days.

I suggested to him (as I remind myself almost every moment of every day) that we need to ask the Holy Spirit to shower abundant Grace upon the Church, particularly at this moment when our Catholic Faith is struggling to respond to the exigencies of the secular culture in which we find ourselves in society these days.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle within us the fire of Your Love!

INSPIRING NEWS FROM LUND, SWEDEN

Here’s some wonderful and heart-warming news!

The Lutherean cathedral in the Swedish city of Lund will be the setting for a Catholic celebration of the Eucharist for the first time since the days of the Reformation.

The Chaplain of the cathedral and the Pastor of the Catholic parish of St Thomas announced on Tuesday that the initiative follows on from the historic visit of Pope Francis to the city in October 2016 for a joint commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Since the Pope and leaders of the Lutheran World Federation stood together in the ancient cathedral, praying for forgiveness and pledging themselves to closer spiritual and practical cooperation, Catholics and Lutherans in Lund have been meeting regularly in each other’s churches for ecumenical Vespers.

One of the main promoters of this monthly initiative is the chaplain of the cathedral, Reverend Lena Sjöstrand, who says the Papal visit to Lund and the nearby city of Malmö “touched so many people”.  She says that through these continuing celebrations, people are happy to see that the visit was not merely “a one-off event”, but rather a concrete way of strengthening relations between the two Christian communities.

This autumn, the Catholic parish of St Thomas will close for major restoration work and the cathedral has offered to host the community on Sundays. 

Promoters of the initiative note that the development also reflects the spirit of the 2013 joint document ‘From Conflict to Communion’, which focused on the fruits of fifty years of dialogue since the Second Vatican Council.

The cathedral, dating back to the 11th century, was originally dedicated to St Lawrence and became the religious heart of the region during the Middle Ages. It is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Beneath its austere stone arches, Pope Francis and the Lutheran leaders spoke of their “common journey of reconciliation”. They also signed a joint statement committing Catholics and Lutherans to witness more closely together, “to remove the remaining obstacles” that stand in the way of full Christian unity.

Let us commend the Holy Father and leaders of the Lutheran and Catholic Churches in Lund and elsewhere who are devoting themselves in their efforts to achieve as much as possible the Will of Christ that there be “one flock and One Shepherd”.

God bless the good and noble Christian community in Lund, Sweden!

CATHOLICISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY

As the desert temperatures begin to rise here in the American Southwest, I find that my siestas are becoming a bit longer and the time I have to muse about things religious more available.

And so I wonder:  what role will the Church play in the history of the 21st Century?

Cardinal Raymond Burke and many conservative reactionaries believe that the Church will be “smaller" but “purer" and will be the sole fortress against the moral relativism they believe has infected modern life.  

His Eminence and his allies are particularly concerned that Pope Francis has articulated an inclusive view of the Church which is diluting its essential nature as the continuing salvific mission of Christ Himself.

They believe that Pope Francis may be a cultural conservative but is a theological liberal, a fact that could have political as well as religious consequences in his efforts to rekindle enthusiasm for the Church’s mission to the poor, especially among the peoples of the so-called Third World.

Such a development, they contend, would harm the Church by making it vulnerable to the hostilities of governments neither open nor receptive to such movements.

Other, more liberal believers, contend that the Church must expand the opportunities for the faithful to serve and share authority especially in the ministries which women and non-celibate men could fulfill.  

While not having made a commitment one way or another, Pope Francis has signaled a willingness to explore whether or not women might be considered eligible for Ordination as Deacons. 

A 2004 survey of Priests conducted in 52 U.S. dioceses found that 67% of respondents favored the Church at least seriously consider abandonment of mandatory celibacy for Priesthood as well as expanded ministerial and administrative roles for women.

Such developments would mean a very different Catholicism and would radically disrupt the traditions from which the Church has drawn her identity in ages past.

All this against a backdrop of a growing proportion of people worldwide who identify their religious affiliation as “none" -- a potential but specific threat to all organized religions.

Certainly, this does not necessarily mean that people will stop believing in God, but it may mean that paths they choose to explore their belief may differ substantially than the paths of preceding generations of Christian faithful.

One thing I can say with certainty:  the Church I experience today is so fundamentally different than the Church in which and by which I was ordained a Priest.  

I only wish I might live long enough to see at least the first stirrings of what the Church of tomorrow will look and sound like before I take my permanent leave of this world.

In this, as in all things, may His Will be done!

VIENNA ARCHBISHOP CARDINAL SCHONBORN AND THE POSSIBLITY OF THE PRIESTLY ORDINATION OF WOMEN

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn – whom Pope Francis has called a “great theologian” and to whom the Pope has entrusted the public interpretation of Amoris Laetitia – has given an interview in which he appears to express the belief that a future ecumenical council could approve of the ordination of women to the priesthood.

In an interview given to a group of Austrian journalists – prominently to some from the Austrian newspaper Die Presse, but also from the Salzburger Nachrichten – Cardinal Schönborn makes several statements that show his own openness to the idea of married priests, as well as ordained women – from Deaconesses, to female Priests, and even to female Bishops.

When asked about an Austrian bishop’s proposal to ordain married men and whether he would agree with him, Cardinal  Schönborn responded: “Organizational questions are important, and I believe that there is some room for movement, also some necessary potential for change.” 

It would seem then that His Eminence welcomes such proposals for change. 

Cardinal Schönborn wishes for “a higher percentage of women in leading positions”.  

Regarding the subject of female Ordination, the Cardinal stated:  “The question of Ordination  of women is a question which clearly can only be clarified by a Council. That cannot be decided upon by a Pope alone. That is a question too big that it could be decided from the desk of a Pope.”

But Pope Saint John Paul II, in his 1994 Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, offered what he insisted was the Church’s final word on the impossibility of ordaining women to the priesthood when he wrote:  

Although the teaching that Priestly Ordination is to be reserved to men alone has been preserved by the constant and universal Tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the Magisterium in its more recent documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless considered still open to debate, or the Church’s judgment that women are not to be admitted to Ordination is considered to have a merely disciplinary force.

Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer Priestly Ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.

It appears that Cardinal Schönborn was referring directly to this Apostolic Letter when he said the issue of women’s Ordination “cannot be decided upon by a pope alone” and that it “is a question too big” to be decided from “the desk of a Pope”

Since he is close to Pope Francis, Cardinal Schönborn’s interview raises the question of whether his comments indicate here some future plans of the Pope with regard to female Ordinations, or even with regard to a future Ecumenical Council.  

I have often predicted that Vatican III will be convened to define the essence of Priesthood and whether acting“in persona Christi" eliminates the possibility female Ordination.  I further believe Vatican III would determine whether or not the ancient tradition of a married Priesthood will be restored in the Latin Rite.

When asked whether he speaks here about the ordination of female Priests, Cardinal Schönborn responded: “as Deaconesses, female Priests, and female Bishops.” 

Discussing the fact that Pope Francis has not excluded the idea of ordaining Deaconesses, His Eminence reiterated that it would not be “good” if the Pope were to decide upon this matter by himself alone. “The Church is a community, big decisions should me made together.”

It is in this context the Cardinal believes that we continue to walk the path of synodality of the Church which Pope Francis very much promotes. 

The Cardinal has stated on a number of occasions his belief that there will be a next Council – whenever it comes, in the right moment when nobody expects it.

Such are the ways of the Holy Spirit! I trust in the Holy Ghost.

Cardinal Schönborn also predicted that the question of married Priests “certainly will be brought up” at the upcoming Amazon Synod.

Cardinal Schönborn, addressing the larger matter of changes within the Church’s teaching, insisted that there exists “a traditional principle, that is the development of doctrine. Right now, we are experiencing a very exciting step in the development of doctrine,” he explained.  It shows a change of consciousness.”

Christ entrusted the Church to the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit.  

May the Paraclete come to the assistance of the Church as the Body of Christ strives to be the sacrament of the Lord Jesus’ generous and salvific Love.