Cardinal Re and Cardinal Sodano (right) -- Today Deacon and Subdeacon of the Cardinal Collegium -- Immediately After Pope Benedict's Resignation
(Rome) Had Pope Paul VI. already prepared for resignation? This is what Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re claimed in a long interview with the magazine Araberara, which was released yesterday.
The former prefect of the Congregation for the Bishops and the present Subdeacon of the Cardinal Collegium tells of "his" six popes, revealing a hitherto unknown detail.
Pope Paul VI, who ruled from 1963, died on 6 August 1978 of a heart attack. According to his closest collaborators, the abduction of his personal friend, the Italian Prime Minister and Christian Democrat politician Aldo Moro by the Communist Red Brigades (BR) had crushed him. The Pope had publicly offered himself to the terrorists as a hostage in exchange for Moro, but he was found murdered in a car on 9 May 1978.
Cardinal Re now revealed that Paul VI. had written two letters of resignation. The Cardinal does not make any connections. It is, however, to be assumed that they are directly related to the abduction of Moro and his readiness to be held hostage. Cardinal Re seems to be less concerned with the historical context, but with the current reference to a resignation of the Pope, which has been a subject of controversy since the unexpected resignation of Benedict XVI.
"At that time," said the Cardinal, church law did not foresee an apostate in the office of the Church, with the exception of the fact that the Cardinal's collegium assented to this. For this reason, Paul VI. wrote a letter of resignation, and sent a second letter to the Cardinal Dean, asking him to convince the Cardinal's collegium of the necessity releasing him from the Office.
Cardinal Re knew of these letters "because Pope John Paul II showed them to me."
The cardinal subdeacon confirmed in the interview also a grueling stalemate, which was given in the two conclaves of the year 1978. Cardinal Secretary of State Giovanni Benelli and Cardinal Giuseppe Siri of Genoa were opposed to each other as opponents. Since neither Benelli nor Siri received sufficient votes to create the breakthrough, Patriarch Albino Luciani (John Paul I) and then the Archbishop of Krakow Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II) were elected as pope.
John Paul I said Cardinal Re: "He wanted to meet me and told me that he thought the papacy was too great a burden."
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Photo: Vatican.va (screenshot)
(Santiago de Chile) There are things which must be intelligible by reason, or, as the saying goes, by a healthy understanding of the house. This includes the fact that a prohibition of homosexuals' adoption of children is the result of the fact that they have opted for a life change that excludes reproduction. The difference to heterosexual but unintentionally childless couples, who can adopt children, is obvious. Yet the evident is not obvious to everyone, especially if it contradicts the Zeitgeist.
Among the obtuse is the Chilean Jesuit Felipe Berrios, who was recently a guest of the TV program Mucho Gusto on the Chilean TV channel Mega.
In the television interview Father Berrios SJ states that he agrees that children may also be adopted by couples of the same sex.
Moreover, the Jesuit declared that for him homosexuality, "is neither a bad thing nor a disease or a sin. The homosexuals are created by God and God wants them just as they are."
That the Holy Scriptures, the entire tradition of the Church, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, say something else, does not seem to touch the Jesuits. He did not go into his position at all, but agreed to the more pleasant and simple song of the Zeitgeist.
Text: Andreas Becker
Image: Mucho Gusto / Mega (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
What will the priest of tomorrow be like? France shows a clear indication.
(Paris) The trend of the figures about French seminarians shows some notable trends. Riposte Catholique compares the figures of the seminarians of May 2017 with those of May 2010. What changes can be seen during these seven years, the duration which consists of an entire period of priestly formation?
At the end of the 2009/2010 academic year (shortly before priestly ordinations) there were 918 seminarians in France. At the end of the 2016/2017 academic year, the figure was 853. This represents a drop of seven percent.
The numbers include the diocesan seminaries and all seminarians, whether French or foreigners, who study for a French diocese. Also included are the secular priestly communities of tradition (including the Society of St. Pius Xth ) and the Communauté St. Martin, which is playing an increasing role in France. The picture is therefore not entirely complete, since the Catholic orders are missing. The statistics, however, deliberately includes the world clergy.
Growth of communities of tradition and community of St. Martin
Seminarists in France: comparison between the academic years 2009/2010 and 2016/2017
The 94 French dioceses experienced a drop in French seminarians of almost a fifth (-18.2 percent). In the case of foreign seminarians preparing for a priesthood for a French diocese, the decline was even more pronounced and almost one quarter (23.1 per cent).
On the other hand, the priestly societies of tradition show an annual increase. The number of their seminarians rose from 140 in the academic year 2009/2010 to 160 in the academic year 2016/2017. This represents an increase of 14.3 percent.
During the same period, the Priestly Society of St. Martin (Communauté St. Martin), which was founded in 1976 by Jean-François Guérin, priest of the Archbishopric of Tours, was canonically erected with the help of the Archbishop of Genoa, Giuseppe Cardinal Siri. Guérin died in 2005, who was the Superior General until 2004, and was a member of the old-rite Benedictine Abbey of Fontgombault. The mother house and the community priest's seminary are now in the former Benedictine Abbey of Evron.
The Priestly Society of St. Martin, who had 43 seminarians in France in 2010, had 98 in the past year. It was able to more than double its numbers. The increase is 128 percent.
The figures do not include the members of the Propaedeutic (Preseminary).
Clear shifts in the overall picture
The changes also mean shifts in the overall picture. In 2010, French diocesan seminarians accounted for two-thirds (66%) of all seminarians preparing for the priesthood in France. With the foreign seminarians who studied for French dioceses, their share amounted to 80 per cent. The seminarians of the priestly communities of tradition accounted for 15.3 per cent of the total number. The Communauté St. Martin had a share of 4.7 percent.
In 2017, the picture is clearly different: the French diocesan seminarists now account for only 58 percent of all seminarians who are covered. Together with the foreign seminarians for French dioceses, their share is 69.7 percent. The proportion of the priestly communities of tradition has increased to 18.8 per cent, and that of the Communauté St. Martin even to 11.5 per cent.
The proportion of diocesan seminarians are also distributed quite differently in the diocese. Eleven of the 94 dioceses had only one seminarian in the past year, five had no one. 13 dioceses had only two seminarians, 17 more only three, and another 18 dioceses between four and five seminarians. In other words, two-thirds of the French bishops do not even have a new priest every year.
Half of the diocesan seminarians are from 13 of 94 diocese - except Frejus-Toulon
More than half of all diocesan seminarians are from 13 of the 94 dioceses. Two diocese stand out: the Archdiocese of Paris and the Diocese of Frejus-Toulon. The largest number, with 70 seminarians, is the Archdiocese of Paris. At the lower end of the list, the seminarians of 42 diocese are to be counted in order to reach the number of seminarians in Paris. The archdiocese includes 3.3 per cent of the inhabitants of France, but accounts for 11.8 per cent of diocesan seminarians and 8.2 per cent of all seminarians.
The Diocese of Frejus-Toulon in Provence is a real exception. It has been headed since 2000 by the Bishop Dominique Rey. Although the Diocese is only 1.6 per cent of the population of France, the small diocese, with 42 seminarians, represents seven per cent of all diocesan seminarians and almost five per cent of all seminarians. On the whole, the seminary of Frejus-Toulon attracts most priestly vocations in proportion. At the seminary, 66 seminary participants were trained in the last academic year. In the past, Bishop Rey has promoted the establishment or founding of new orders and communities, including those with a missionary and traditional charism. The education at the diocesan seminary of Frejus-Toulon is also appreciated by priests of tradition.
27 dioceses had more seminarians in 2017 than in 2010. Not all of them signify a trend reversal, but some already. Worth mentioning was the increase, especially in the diocese of Lyon, Bayonne, Rennes, Montpellier, Meaux, Saint-Brieuc and Digne. The diocese of Bayonne is also headed by Monsignor Marc Aillet, a traditional bishop, who belongs to the Priestly Society of St. Martin.
Overall, a general shift can be observed. It leads away from the post-conciliar spirit and in a graded way towards the tradition.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Photo: Riposte Catholique
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
(Abuja) On 15 August, the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary a first Mass was celebrated in Nigeria in the Immemorial Roman Rite.
Plan of the Church of Our Lady of the Perpetual Help of Umuaka
Monsignor Gregory Ochiaga, the emeritus bishop of Orlu ordained Deacon Charles Ike from the Priestly Society of St. Peter to the priesthood. The priestly ordination took place in the parish of Enneemaka of Umuaka, which is supervised by the Society of St. Peter. Umuaka is located in the state of Imo.
Nne Enyemaka is Igbo, the language of the people of the same name who live in southeast of Nigeria, and stands for Our Lady of Perpetual Help. A copy of the Roman image is revered in the parish church built by the Society of Peter. The construction work is still ongoing.
The parish was established by the incumbent Bishop of Orlu, Augustine Uwuoma as a personal parish for the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
It is the first priestly ordination in the Immemorial Roman Rite, which has been offered in Nigeria since the liturgical reform of 1969/1970.
If you are interested in the church building project, you can find information on fsspnigeria.org.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: fsspnigeria.org
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
Investigators: Behind the terrorist attack in Barcelona and the assassination attempt in Cambrils, stood a terror cell, which might have actually had Barcelona's famous basilica "Sagrada Familia" in its sights.
Bacelona (kath.net) Behind the terrorist attack in Barcelona and the assassination attempt in Cambrils stood a terror cell, which might have actually the famous church "Sagrada Familia" in its sights. This was reported by N-TV and other media. According to Spanish media reports, the investigators found images of the Gaudí cathedral when they had analyzed the computer data of the suspects.
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The investigators further suspect that the terrorists originally planned a major attack with hundreds of dead, but could not realize it by an accident.
N-TV also reported that, according to the investigators, the Moroccan Imam Abdelbaki Es Satty, who lives in Spain, could be responsible for the radicalization of the group. The young men, who became perpetrators, were between 17 and 18 years old and have apparently radicalized themselves only in contact with the Imam. Earlier, they apparently did not have any links with Islamic terrorism.
It was begun in the last century by Antoni Gaudí and consecrated in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.On Sunday the funeral service for the victims of the terrorist attack took place. The church is visited annually by about two million tourists and is considered one of Barcelona's great landmarks.
The Church 'Sagrada familia' in Barcelona (architect: Gaudí)
Pope Benedict XVII consecrated the church "Sagrada Familia" and the altar in 2010
Moscow Metropolitan Hilarion in newspaper interview: A lot has happened in the past ten years - progress also in the political relationship between Russia and the Holy See
Rome (kath.net/KAP) Russia's Orthodox Church sees a "significant step" in dialogue with the Catholic Church. In the last ten years, much has been done in relation to each other. As well as between Russia and the Holy See, said the Foreign Minister of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolit Hilarion, the Italian daily "Il sole 24 ore" (Thursday). There is consensus on current problems such as the loss of spiritual values and Christian persecution. "This is a problem which disturb both the Orthodox Church and the Holy See in all of our soul, and drives us to unite our forces to find a common solution," the Metropolitan said.
Hilarion spoke on the occasion of the upcoming Moscow visit by Cardinal Secretary Pietro Parolin from Sunday to Thursday. His main themes he identified as the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine; Also a peace solution for Syria would surely be an issue. Parolin's visit could help to approach different perspectives and find common solutions to different problems, says Hilarion, who will also meet with Parolin himself. "I will discuss with him the full range of bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Church, and hope that we can set new perspectives for further development."
With regard to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, he said that this was still "the most delicate issue in the relations of the two churches." At the same time, the foreign official of the Moscow Patriarchate in the interview appreciates the admission of full diplomatic relations between Russia and the Vatican in 2009 as well as the historic first meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kiril I in Havana, Cuba in 2016, resulting in strengthening the collaboration of both churches.
10,000 Faithful are expected at the Fatima Pilgrimage of the Society of St. Pius X this weekend, which has already generated media attention in the run-up. It is the fourth Fatima Pilgrimage of the FSSPX. The first took place in 1987 with Archbishop Lefebvre
(Lisbon) This is not the first pilgrimage of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X to Fatima. What is new, however, is that this year's pilgrimage, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Mary, is given special attention by the Portuguese media. The international Fatima pilgrimage of the Society of Pius X will take place next weekend. Since the 11th of August a novena has been held.
Eucharistic Worship at Night - Militia Immaculatae
On Saturday, 19 August, Father Franz Schmidberger, Rector of the Priestly Seminary of Zaitzkofen, celebrates Holy Mass at 3 pm in the Shrine. Afterwards a procession with rosary to the place of the apparition Os Valinhos takes place. At 20:30 the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a Benediction follows.
Light procession in Fatima
On Sunday, August 20, at noon, worshiping the Eucharistic blessing will end at 6:30. At 9:30 am a pontifical High Mass, will be celebrated by the General Superior of the Society of Pius X, Bishop Bernard Fellay. At 3 pm, a common rosary closes the pilgrimage.
After the rosary, the consecration of the Militia Immaculatae and its members to the Immaculate Heart of Mary takes place in the same locale. The Militia was founded in Rome on 17 October, 1917 by St. Maximilian Kolbe. That was four days after the last Marian apparition in Fatima, which Kolbe at that time still knew nothing. And it was three weeks before the Bolshevik October Revolution broke out in Russia. As if he had known it, Kolbe had with the Militia already created as an antidote to the rearing of totalitarianism and enemies of the Church. In 2000, P. Karl Stehlin (FSSPX), along with the Novus Ordo Militia, also revived Militia Immaculatae in the spirit of tradition.
"Largest pilgrimage to the 100-year celebration comes from conservative community"
The Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias reports in its edition today that 10,000 pilgrims will come to the pilgrimage of the Society of Pius X to Fatima next weekend. The title of the article, however, is obviously formulated with bad intentions:
"10,000 pilgrims protest in Fatima against the present Church"
No Catholic undertook a pilgrimage to "protest" against something. The article itself contains more applicable information.
Even more generous space was given to the FSSPX pilgrimage by the daily newspaper Diario de Noticias. It's headed:
"Greatest pilgrimage on the 100th anniversary comes from conservative community".
The article describes the reasons for the pilgrimage and briefly describes the current situation of the relations between the Society of St. Pius X and the Holy See. A big picture in the article shows Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the Society. The Society has already carried out three pilgrimages to Fatima in the past. The first took place in 1987. 30 years ago, Monsignor Lefebvre also participated. The other two pilgrimages followed in 1997 and 2005.
Are discussions with Rome again at the "starting point"?
The media interest could be related to expectations that Bishop Fellay made statements on the current situation that resulted from Cardinal Müller's letter to the FSSPX's Superior General. Four days later, on 30th June, the Cardinal was dismissed by Pope Francis as Prefect of the Congregation for Doctrine of and the Faith.
Cardinal Müller, on 26 June, informed Fellay that the Congregation for the Congregation at its General Assembly of May had decided that the Society of Pius X and every Society member would have to sign the Doctrinal Preamble as a condition for canonical recognition. Such was offered to Monsignor Fellay in September 2011 by Cardinal Levada, the Prefect of the Congregation of Doctrine and the Faith at that time. The exact wording thereof was never published. Little changes could be made, as Cardinal Levada explained to the Society (see the chronology of the conversations between the Holy See and the Pius Brotherhood ).
At the end of June, Cardinal Müller also announced that this conditio sine qua non was endorsed by Pope Francis. The sitution in August 2017 is again or still, what Monsignor Fellay already said in June 2012: one was again at the "point of departure"?
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Photo: Diario de Noticias (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
