Monday, June 16, 2014

Roberto de Mattei: Catholic Resistance Against Abortion and For the Family



(Rome) in Italy in recent years a radical upheaval in the right to life scene in progress. The situation is different in each country for cultural and historical reasons. Nevertheless, the Italian example offers, with references to the U.S. and France, some interesting elements for the German-speaking world, where the situation in the individual countries also have similarities and differences.

Beginning in 2011 the Italian March for Life, the pro-life movement, has regained its ability to act and has been freed from the suffocating embrace of a mere fig leaf function for (Christian Democratic) policy and the Bishops' Conference. The new pro-life movement is completely independent. Regardless of party, regardless of the Bishops' Conference and it's independent of other organizations.

The March for Life in Italy goes back to the initiative of traditionalist Catholics, including the recently departed legal philosopher Mario Palmaro. Traditional Catholics also gave the initial impetus for the French civil rights movement Manif pour tous. And the founder of the March for Life, the largest March for Life was buried in the Old Rite in Washington in 2012. This is no accident, as Roberto de Mattei says.

It's not only the right to life, but the family was in total released for departure, is now discussed in the context of building a movement to defend the family. The view is primarily beyond the Alps to the west, where in France with the civil rights movement Manif pour tous a movement has risen within a very short time with a mass basis.

Opinions differ about the ways in which the goal could be achieved. Recently, the repetition of was Family Day suggested, as it took place on 12 May 2007. In contrast, now one of the initiators of March for Life, the well-known historian Roberto de Mattei has asked to speak. "It will not be the Bishops’ Conference and the policy makers that nurture the Pro-life movement.“ Fact is that the family is besieged and attacked from all sides. Here are the further remarks of Roberto de Mattei on 11 June published in the daily newspaper Il Foglio and is indirectly a response to Martin Lohmann and his controversial invitation of Donum vitae to represent the March for Life in Berlin.

by Roberto de Mattei

The family is under unprecedented attack, not only in Italy but worldwide. This process, which was initiated by the '68 revolution, had its symbolic beginning in our country with the referendum of 12 May 1974, which confirmed the divorce law Fortuna Baslini of 1970. The way was thus paved for the next stages, which then led to the legalization of the new family law, abortion, artificial insemination and the recent attempt to institutionalize the homosexual partnership and to suppress dissenting voices with the new offense homophobia.“

The Family rooted in human nature, developed antibodies

The adoption of the quick divorce by the Chamber of Deputies, with which the times are reduced for the dissolution of marriage at six months, shows the direction the Renzi government will take. The institution of the family is shattered, but because it is rooted directly in the nature of man, it produces Anti-Bodies.

Over the past 40 years it has spontaneously formed defenses in response to movements in the world. The oldest is the American March for Life, which has gathered in Washington since January 22, 1974, every year with hundreds of thousands of participants and represents the diamond’s point of the anti-abortion movement in the United States.

The most recent is the French Manif pour tous , which was formed in September 2012 in Paris and in less than two years, millions of people took to the streets to protest against the aberrosexual pseudo-marriage.

Both of these movements are the most significant popular demonstrations in defense of life and the family.

What the March for Life and Manif pour tous Does

In Italy, the Catholic Bishops' Conference initiated Family Day on May 12, 2007 with the goal of adopting better social policies for the family by the Parliament. The initiative was a great success, but without consequences.

Since 2011, however, a spontaneous initiative of several small but mighty associations of of the March for Life have developed, where in Rome 50,000 people gathered on May 4 this year, took to the streets to bring to expression their unconditional No to abortion, without exception and without compromise.

What are the similarities and what are the differences between these various initiatives? The great strength of the March for Life and the Manif pour tous is to be powerful mobilizations although completely independent from political power or the Church hierarchy exert a profound influence on the political and religious institutions of their countries.

If the bishops of the United States belong till now the world's most determined defenders of life, to refuse Catholic abortion supporters Communion, then this is due to the fact that they are getting massive backing from the March for Life and they are at the same time also forced to give a positive witness. The Manif pour tous is non-denominational and politically independent, just like the March for Life, but receives the support of many bishops at the individual level. This has helped to create a psychological and cultural climate that led to Hollande’s crushing defeat in the recent elections to the European Parliament.

Regardless of politics and the Bishops' Conference

In Italy, where there is an entrenched Christian Democratic tradition, for the first points of contact are the bishops or the parties, all the initiatives that arose in the course of time, almost always emanate from political or ecclesiastical structures. The Forum of Family Associations, which officially organized Family Day in 2007, was directly dependent on the Bishops' Conference. It is sufficient to remember that the head of the Office for Family Pastoral of the Episcopal Conference or its representatives are involved, according to statutes. Also well known is the connection of the Movimento per la Vita by Carlo Casini to the Bishops' Conference of the MPV, according Nuova Bussola Quotidiana, it receives 600,000 euros a year, and almost half of the total budget.

The Family Day 2007, which was mainly due to the political intelligence of Cardinal Ruini has arisen within a year and died again, just because it was an initiative from above, lacking the roots in the Catholic people and the Catholic Associations.

Standard-bearer non-negotiable values
The success of the March for Life stems from the use from a variety of large and small realities that are present in all living branches of the society, from the parishes to the Internet. Without the support of the political parties, the bishops or the largest Catholic movements from Communion and Liberation to Neocatechumenate who can lead a compact and numerous army into the field for the March for Life. It is a base which needs to be represented by free and independent men and women, the standard-bearers of non-negotiable principles and hence ideas and are not led by power interests. That's the power of the March for Life.

Not from above, by political or ecclesiastical machinations can be something really built solidly for the defense of life and family, but from the bottom with the help of those myriads of groups, associations and circles, which are usually unknown and unnoticed by the media, who, however, are consolidated and form a compact block. Within this movement, and not as an alternative, it exists and can develop a serious opposition, which is not merely a facade, that opposes those who want to destroy the family.

Introduction / Translation: Giuseppe Nardi

image: Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches… AMGD

11 comments:

  1. Would that we could look to our bishops in the same way that we can look to Robert de Mattei and some few others for great moral leadership. Blessed Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle . . .

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  2. I must be reading this incorrectly. It read as though the US bishops were "the world's most determined defenders of life" and that they refuse Catholic abortion supporters Communion. That of course is absolutely untrue and completely opposite of the reality so I must be reading it wrong.

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    Replies
    1. There are bishops who do refuse Communion to aborts which isn't the case in other countries as far as I know.

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  3. Robert de Mattei like Bishop Fellay and other traditionalists have been wrong about Nostra Aetate being an exception to Tradition.

    Catholic religious contradict Bishop Fellay : Nostra Aetate is not an exception to extra ecclesiam nulla salus

    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2014/06/catholic-religious-contradict-bishop.html#links

    Bishop Athanasius Schneider contradicted by Catholic religious
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2014/06/bishop-athanasius-schneider.html#links

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  4. Catholic Mission. N.A. is opposed to Tradition and there is not one document of V2 that can be said to be binding for it chose to operate on a pastoral level; and, as pointed out by Msgr Brunero Gherardhini, it never defined what Pastoral meant.

    There are no canons or decrees of V2 and at least one Prelate has admitted publicly that the documents were political compromises.

    The content of D.H. can not be reconciled with the content of Docytrime prior to V2 as the great Thomist Msgr pointed-out.

    You can post links to yur blog arguing differently but ABS will take the word of men like Mattei and Msgrs like Gherardhini.

    O, and if you think you will get traction claiming that Bishop Schneider is, effectively, a material heretic, you are insane (ABS does not mean that in a bad way)

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  5. Catholic Mission. N.A. is opposed to Tradition

    Lionel:
    Nostra Aetate 2 is opposed to Tradition when it is inferred that ' a ray of the Truth' is VISIBLE and not INVISIBLE for us.
    How can what is not seen on earth be an exception to extra ecclesiam nulla salus?.Similarly with 'subsistit it' (LG 8), invincible ignorance(LG 16) etc.They are all INVISIBLE for us.These cases are possibilities for us only.They are hypothetical only for us. They are known only to God.
    Gherardini and Mattei whom I respect, do not make this distinction.Neither do the Vatican Curia or the Franciscans of the Immaculate ...

    and there is not one document of V2 that can be said to be binding for it chose to operate on a pastoral level; and, as pointed out by Msgr Brunero Gherardhini, it never defined what Pastoral meant.

    Lionel:
    Monsgr. Gherardini interprets NA 2, UR 3 ( imperfect communion with the Church) etc as referring to VISIBLE cases.Then obviously Vatican Council II will be non tradtional and heretical.The Vatican is using the heretical interpretation in its pastoral approach. The fault is not with Vatican Council II per se.

    There are no canons or decrees of V2 and at least one Prelate has admitted publicly that the documents were political compromises.

    Lionel:
    The Jewish Left supports Vatican Council II with the false inference. They interpret all salvation mentioned or alluded to, in the Council (NA 2 etc) as being VISIBLE for us.This was politically accepted AFTER Vatican Council II(1965).This is how the media interpreted it.The same error of a VISIBLE baptism of desire and being saved in invincible ignorance, was made in the Fr.Leonard Feeney case.The baptism of desire is INVISIBLE for us. It has nothing to do with the traditional interpretation of the dogma on exclusive salvation in the Catholic Church.

    The content of D.H. can not be reconciled with the content of Docytrime prior to V2 as the great Thomist Msgr pointed-out.

    Lionel: DH makes the distinction between a Catholic confessional state and a state with a secular Constitution.When we make this distinction when reading Dignitatis Humanae, the Council is traditional.The good Monsignor whom I have heard speak and whom I like, does not make these distinctions. The error is innocent.

    You can post links to yur blog arguing differently but ABS will take the word of men like Mattei and Msgrs like Gherardhini.

    Lionel:
    They are correct when they say that Vatican Council II is a break with Tradition.They are not aware however that the cause for the break was the use of an irrational inference; a false premise.They assumed that the dead-saved are living exceptions to Tradition. Omit this premise and Vatican Council II becomes as traditional as Mattei and Gherardini.

    O, and if you think you will get traction claiming that Bishop Schneider is, effectively, a material heretic, you are insane (ABS does not mean that in a bad way)

    Lionel:
    I appreciate what Bishop Schneider says about praying on the knees and avoiding communion in the hand.
    However the good bishop says Vatican Council II is ' ambigous'. This indicates that there are exceptions in Vatican Council II, for him, to the dogma on salvation. If there are exceptions he infers that there is salvation outside the visible limits of the Church, the dead are visible.
    He is not aware of the INVISIBLE -VISIBLE distinction.The error is innocent and commonplace.

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  6. Lionel. Famously faithful Catholics disagree about the content of the Documents of V2 which alone is evidence of the confusing nature of the Documents and several of those men who think the documents of V2 are confusing have brought their dispute to the Church (as per the New Testament) but the Church refuses to settle the dispute dogmatically but simply refers the disputants back to the very documents which are the source of the confusion.

    Said otherwise, ABS thinks the number of men you will convince with your claim that V2 is Tradition is fewer than the number of female babies being born who will be named after, Totie Fields.



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  7. ABS:
    Lionel. Famously faithful Catholics disagree about the content of the Documents of V2

    Lionel:
    Most of them are unaware of the false premise.
    The false premise is a factual error. It is an objective error. It is not theology or a religious belief. Even a non Catholic can observe it.
    So once the premise is discarded the Council changes 'overnight'.It does not depend on my opinion or that of any one else.Since it is obvious to a school boy that we cannot see the dead on earth.

    ABN:
    which alone is evidence of the confusing nature of the Documents and several of those men who think the documents of V2 are confusing have brought their dispute to the Church (as per the New Testament) but the Church refuses to settle the dispute dogmatically but simply refers the disputants back to the very documents which are the source of the confusion.

    Lionel:
    The 'magisterium' is making the same error.
    The International Theological Commission has made this FACTUAL ERROR in two theological papers of the ITC. In Christianity and the World Religions (1997) and The Hope of Salvation for Infants who die without being baptized, they have assumed that salvation in Heaven is VISIBLE for us.This was approved by Pope Benedict XVI.

    I have documented this on my blog.These errors have also been made in public by Cardinal Gerhard Muller, Archbishop Augustine D Noia, Cardinal Kaspar and others.

    ABS:
    Said otherwise, ABS thinks the number of men you will convince with your claim that V2 is Tradition is fewer than the number of female babies being born who will be named after, Totie Fields.

    Lionel:
    Once you are aware of the premise the Council has changed.One does not have to be a theologian to realize this.

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  8. June 18, 2014
    Cristina Siccardi ,Paolo Pasqualucci use the irrational inference in the interpretation of Vatican Council II
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2014/06/cristina-siccardi-paolo-pasqualucci-use.html#links

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  9. O, ABS gets it now. You are an ideologue whose interpretive key to V2 is whether or not it cleaves to EENS rather than cleaves from EENS.

    Well, just because no other man in the world thinks that doesn't mean your ideology is not normative :)

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  10. O, ABS gets it now. You are an ideologue whose interpretive key to V2 is whether or not it cleaves to EENS rather than cleaves from EENS.

    Lionel:
    What ideology?
    It is common knowledge that we cannot see the dead on earth.
    Is this ideology?
    Is this theology?
    Is this my personal view?
    It is independent of me.
    The moment you say there are exceptions to extra ecclesiam nulla salus you are saying that you can see the dead.
    Only if you could see the dead could there be exceptions.

    If you use an irrational premise you will get an irrational conclusion.
    If you say that ' a ray of the Truth' (NA 2) is visible to you Vatican Council II will emerge non traditional.
    If you say that you can see someone saved with 'seeds of the Word' (AG 11) this would mean there is salvation outside the Church. This would be a break with the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
    Where is the ideology in this ?
    If you use a false premise with any Church document it will emerge as a break with the past.

    ABN:
    Well, just because no other man in the world thinks that doesn't mean your ideology is not normative :)

    Lionel:
    I have no ideology or theology to put forward.
    I am just pointing out to a irrationality used in the interpretation of Vatican Council II.
    Most people including traditionalists are saying that there is VISIBLE to them salvation outside the Church. I' m only pointing it out.

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