Pleading For Sandro Magister and Against the Poison of the New Courtiers of the Pope

Sandro Magister

(Rome) The expulsion of Sandro Magister after 41 years as an accredited journalist of the Holy See has  led to diverse reactions, between unbridled glee and states of shock. The withdrawal of accreditation "is the worst thing for a Vaticanist" gleefully wrote wrote Magister's  opponent Francesca Chaouqui who is one of the "new courtiers" of this pontificate. The statement hits the point and explains the state of shock of those who afford themselves an independent view outside the jubilee choir for the Argentine pontiff. It's an attitude that is increasingly becoming a dangerous luxury when even when one as veterate and renowned as Sandro Magister Vaticanist must be put to the sword without mercy. While the courtiers have erupted in loud jubilation over the slaying of their "enemy", the voices among Vaticanists  can be counted on one hand, who dare to take sides for their previously highly respected colleagues, to move some things into perspective.

One who has done so publicly is Riccardo Cascioli, the chief editor of the Catholic  Internet newspaper La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana (NBQ). Here is plea for Sandro Magister and against the "new courtiers" in the Catholic Church.

No mercy for Magister

by Riccardo Cascioli

The premature announcement of documents is never a pleasant thing, but it is difficult to understand why the pre-publication of the Pope's encyclical Laudato si  two full days has brought the Holy See to the brink of a nervous breakdown and some Vaticanists laughably losing even their sense, are claiming the incident as a conspiracy to damage from Pope Francis.

What kind of a conspiracy could depend on the contents of the encyclical being unveiled two days early? On the contrary, the initiative of the Espresso appears to have heightened the attention of the official press conference to present the Encyclical  on 18 June at 11 O'clock. And it was only in order to determine any differences between the already known version and the final version.

The Public Pillory and Toxic Malice for Magister

Yet the advance publication has been treated like a conspiracy, so that the Vatican press office even took the drastic measure and indefinitely suspended the accreditation of longtime Vaticanist Sandro Magister, who is believed to be the culprit of the incident. Not only that: The letter by which Magister's sanction was announced  was publicly posted in the press service of the Vatican and published with great luridness on the semi-official news blog Il sismografo.That's not all: as if it were not already enough punishment to publicly pillory Magister without any process, there appeared tons of poisonous comments on the internet  by colleagues and Vatican representatives against Magister.

Magister is a very famous Vatican expert. His official website chiesa.espresso and his blog Settimo Cielo are much read and at the international level. For many Catholics, but also journalists, Magister is an important reference point in order to be informed about developments in the Catholic Church and the Vatican, which go beyond the official statements. It is obvious that he has made some enemies ​​over time. The way he is now treated, in any case, raises a number of questions.

Nothing like that at Vatileaks - did not violate any embargo period

Eugenio Scalfari took the place of the Pope and formulated its own answers  of the same - impunity

Mainly because there were no comparable penalties in connection with the Vatileaks scandal, as numerous personal and confidential documents from the desk of Benedict XVI. were stolen and published and caused a scandal. By comparison, the preliminary publication of a public encyclical is ridiculous. In addition, Magister can at best be only indirectly responsible for the publication, then the copy of the encyclical-draft - as has been said from the very beginning - was landed on the table of the Espresso  -Chief Editors who decided the publishing and asked Magister to write a short introduction.

Ultimately, you can not even speak of a violation of the embargo period, as the American Vatican expert John Allen remarked. An embargo period is there when a document shall be made in available in advance to  journalists to give them time to read it and to prepare for the publication. In practice, this means: I give you a document in advance  and you commit yourself to not speaking about it before a specified time. In this specific case, the Holy See, however, had decided, which is unusual and not very pleasant, to present the Encyclical only a few hours before the press conference. No journalist had thus officially received it and was therefore bound to a fixed vesting period. A moral obligation of the Espresso chief editor would only be given if the invisible hand that has leaked him the text  would require experts to comply with the embargo period on June 18., but that seems highly unlikely.

Nevertheless, the wrath of the Vatican erupted over Magister: no extenuating circumstances, no mercy, only public disgrace and expulsion from the Olympus the Vaticanists.

No Mercy for Magister - a Reward for Eugenio Scalfari

One behaved quite differently  with the old fox Eugenio Scalfari, as in the two interviews published with Pope Francis. One in October, 2013, the other in July 2014. Both caused no small stir in the Church. Then it became known that the first interview statements were put in the mouth of the Pope by  Scalfari, which he had never said. And that the second interview was supposed to never be released because Scalfari had committed, not to speak publicly about this private conversation with the Pope. The only measure against Scalfari was a public statement by the Holy See. But on the contrary. Scalfari was even rewarded for the two interviews. Both were printed a few months ago in an official book by  the Lev Vatican Publishing house.

Reckoning With one Who did not Join in the Chorus of Adulation

The gloating of the papal Commissioner Chaouqui about Magisters expulsion

One can reasonably assume, therefore, that Magister, is rather than paying for the advance publication of the encyclical, but instead for his constant informational activities with which he strives to brighten backgrounds and illuminate decisions and statements in a way that does not correspond to the chorus of adulation which surrounds and damages this pontificate. The incident with the encyclical is just a pretext to settle accounts with a leading journalist, but is considered as a reference point for the opposition. A precise signal that is being emitted by the new courtiers and to all who dare to question, and according to an old strategy: to teach one hundred strike one.

It is therefore no coincidence that those who spread the poison against Magister, are among the enthusiastic supporters of the new charity. This includes those who should of their own volition and on the basis of their institutional position, employ a certain lack of self control. There is the s PR expert hired for a Pontifical Commission, Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui who has never forgiven Magister that he publicized her  tendency to too great loquacity, wrote immediately after becoming aware of  Magisters punishment on Facebook:

The entry ends with the words: "Happy Sandro, Ex-Vatican expert". Any further comment is superfluous. Law has Chaouqui was only correct in stating that the withdrawal of accreditation is "the worst thing for a Vaticanist."

Betting that L'Espresso already published the final version

The entry gives testimony that the spurting of venom from the Vatican is far from past. This is evidenced by a further signal: Il Fatto Quotidiano has named  the Secretariat of State Security as a source of the copy that the Espresso leaked. The daily newspaper also claimed, it involves  an alleged act of sabotage by "conservatives" against Pope Francis.  Information that has been properly spread not by chance. Rather, it appears to be a notice that we will soon be informed of things quite differently.

NB: The Vatican spokesman Father Lombardi explained that it told Espresso  that it was  only a draft of the encyclical and not to publish the final version version. He made ​​it clear that the text has undergone further changes. But we are willing to take a bet that the published text already represents the final version. On Thursday we will know it.

Text: Riccardo Cascioli / NBQ
translation: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: RAI1 / Dagospia / Facebook (screenshots)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Influential Critic of Pope Francis Shown the Door by the Holy See

(Rome) Sandro Magister has been Vatican expert  of the weekly magazine L'Espresso  since 1974. For 41 years, he has reported on the Holy See and the Catholic Church firsthand. An activity that he has exercised under five popes since Paul VI. He reported with remarkable prudence and background information, including disclosures. Under no Pope he was reprimanded. Under Pope Francis, things have changed, however.

A draft of the eco-Encyclical Laudato Si which was printed a few days ago by the Vatican printing house, but would have been scrapped for revisions, was published by L'Espresso. The Italian newspapers immediately suspected "conservative Pope critics" behind the leak. It's an assertion which was also heard from voices close to  the Pope in the Vatican.  From the Holy See Press Office, the publication of Magister charged and brought against him the most serious of possible sanctions. His accreditation to the Holy See has been suspended "indefinitely". For 41 years  Magister, a veteran Vaticanist, has worked for the Holy See Press Office on and off.  He is still among the long-serving and  the most experienced Vaticanists.

The written notice of the Vatican Press Office:

"I regret very much, your Federico Lombardi"

The letter from the Vatican Press Office, Vatican expert Sandro Magister of the is excluded

"Dear Dr. Magister,
the draft you caused to be released of the encyclical of the Pope, despite a publication ban being declared, is a manifestly incorrect initiative, and the source of great disturbance  for many fellow journalists and is a serious breakdown of the sound functioning of this Press Office.

I therefore wish to inform you that your accreditation is suspended from our press office from tomorrow, indefinitely.

I regret very much, your

Federico Lombadi SJ

NB: Of course, these sanctions must be made known to colleagues of the Press Office.

CC:
Dr. Luigi Vicinanza
Chief Editor L'Espresso "

Magister, who studied philosophy, theology and history at the Catholic University of Milan,  was the chief editor and consultant of the television station of the Italian Episcopal Conference TV2000.

Revealing to the Pope unveiling fall from grace of the past of Francis-confidant Battista Ricca

It is known that Magister was among the most well-known  Vaticanists representing a particularly critical position towards the pontificate of Pope Francis. Magister had already fallen out of favor with the Argentine Pope  in June 2013   when he criticized the appointment of Msgr. Battista Ricca, the director of the guesthouse Santa Marta to the house prelates of the Vatican Bank IOR. Magister revealed his homosexual past of the former Vatican diplomat. But Pope Francis did not took his decision back, but on the contrary.

Magister's revelations prompted journalists on the flight back from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro to ask the Pope about the Ricca case. Pope Francis responded to the infamous question with: "Who am I to judge?" It's a sentence that has since been completely detached from the case Ricca and generally recognized as widespread recognition of homosexuals and other offending behaviors against the Church's moral teaching. Although politicians believe he is saying the legalization of "gay marriage" is justified,  Pope Francis has seen no need to correct the statement in almost two years. 

"To Those Within," a red flag

For Magister it meant that he was cut from certain prelates of the Vatican, particularly the closest familiar circle of Pope Francis since June 2013. Sandro Magister was "to those within," meaning the guest house Santa Marta with the Papal entourage, as a red rag. Many contradictions of the current pontificate were visible through his excellent information and his keen analysis on a broad scale. He revealed the role of a director, whom the pope himself employed in the disputed machinations around the Synod of Bishops in 2014.

He criticized the controversial Pope interviews with atheists Eugenio Scalfari, while other Vaticanists offered them blind applause or "explained" with various contortions. It was a criticism that Magister employed, although Scalfari himself was  from 1963-1968, the editor of Espresso. That was before Magister began to work for the magazine, but Scalfari is to this day the gray eminence in the publishing group. The weekly magazine L'Espresso and the daily newspaper La Repubblica belong to the same media group. Even internally, the professional journalist made ​​no friends with his criticism. 

Conversely, Magister was because of his sober attitude, which absented him from a false apologetic, the addressee for a wealth of information that has been leaked to him by prelates critical of the Pope.

How the sanctions will affect his work must be seen. First will to be seen will be how his employer reacts. In the editorial board or on the publisher and owner level, the opinion could prevail that a Vatican expert without accreditation is a contradiction. In L'Espresso , the Italian equivalent of the German Spiegel such a view is not mandatory.

A Blemish as a Welcome Occasion?

The wrath of the other Vaticanists about Magister alone is remarkable. Nevertheless, some believe that Magister's involvement is inconvenient to someone in the Vatican. Vatican spokesman Lombardi explained the sanction with the objective certainty that  Magister had broken the publication embargo. This is exactly what  Magister denied to Associated Press. The editor of Espresso had decided to publish. He, Master, had only written a short introduction, which seemed necessary to him. It had no effect on the decision to publish it.

Magister is not the first journalist to whom  accreditation has been withdrawn. Nevertheless, sanctions are extremely rare.  All the more intensified is the impression that the incident had offered someone a welcome opportunity to punish the most influential critics of Pope Francis among Vaticanists in front of everyone. That Pope Francis is resentful, is sufficiently well known. The withdrawal of accreditation at the Holy See Press Office removes the ground from under  Vaticanist's work.  A step, that's for sure, which came as a surprise even for Magister.

"The new despotism in Vatican claims another victim" said Chiesa e postconcilio on Magister's ouster, who is described as "incorruptible and really a Catholic." "The new compassion in action in this case,  would be laughable to ridicule, if it wwere not so worrying," said the traditional website.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: InfoVaticana

Trans: Tancred verkon99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Cardinal Burke Received by Pope Francis in Audience

Raymond Cardinal Burke

(Rome) According to the Daily Bulletin of the Vatican Press Office, Cardinal Raymond Burke has  been received today in private audience by Pope Francis in Santa Marta guesthouse.

The American Burke was Cardinal Prefect Head of a dicastery of the Roman Curia until 2014. After the Synod of Bishops in 2014, where he became the spokesman for the defense of the marriage sacrament, the pope dissmissed him for   his a  as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and removed him from the Roman Curia.

The Pope pushed him off to the post of cardinal protector of the Sovereign Order of Malta, which, however  prestigious, does not affect the management of the universal Church.

Just recently, the excellent canon lawyer defended against the accusation he was opposed to Pope Francis in an interview from Infovaticana. It's an allegation which was especially widespread clamoring of Kasperians.

Now there was a private audience, although recently there were rumors that the Pope had no interest in such a meeting. Was it a routine reception? Or did both sides try mutually to explore positions with regard to the forthcoming final part of the Synod of Bishops?

As Cardinal Prefect Burke  2014 was  automatically included in the Synod Synod of Bishops. By his dismissal he could only take part in the Synod of Bishops in 2015 if Pope Francis personally appoints him  to the Synod. But that seems pretty unlikely.

The content of the discussions at the meeting today has been unknown.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Mil

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

The Pope in Sarajevo -- Strengthen Brotherhood --- Inter-religious Dialogue

(Rome) "I come to Sarajevo to strengthen Catholics in their faith and to support inter-religious dialogue and peaceful coexistence." Pope Francis said this in a video message ahead of his pastoral visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will take place this coming June 6 .. As Vatican spokesman Father Lombardi said, the visit has no connection with the alleged Marian apparitions in Herzegovinian Medjugorje. The Pope will not take a position on the Medjugorje phenomenon in Sarajevo  so Lombardi.

Catholics ought to "be witnesses of faith and love of God". For this, the Catholic Church leader wants to support  inter-religious dialogue between Christians and Muslims and to "encourage"  peaceful coexistence.These are the goals that     Pope Francis has named for his Sarajevo visit. The video message was published in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The motto of the Pope's visit is "Peace be With You". The Pope called on Catholics to unite with him in prayer, so that the visit "will bring the expected fruits for the Church and society as a whole."

"For my part, I prepare to come to you as a brother, as a messenger of peace to all of you - all! - To express my appreciation and my friendship. I want every person, every family, every community to preach the mercy, the tenderness and the love of God."

Pope Francis is to visit the Bosnian city of Sarajevo on Saturday, June 6. It is the seat of government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country which is divided into two sub-states since 1995. The division is a result of ethnic-religious war between 1991 and 1995, which broke out with the collapse of communist Yugoslavia. Another consequence is that the Croat-Muslim Federation, founded in 1994 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Orthodox Serb Republic (Republika Srpska) were forced by the international community against their will into a common state. The Catholic-Croat and the Muslim-Bosniak population were forced into an unloved federation.

Pope Francis is to visit this Catholic-Muslim defacto EU protectorate. The highest political authority and therefore the actual decision-makers is the "High Representative" of the UN. It was established and carried out by the EU, USA and Russia. Since 2009  an Austrian diplomat, a   Carinthian Slovene Valentin Inzko, has held this office.

The Catholic Croats have repeatedly initiated complaints that they have been treated less favorably than the Bosniaks (see The ignoring discrimination against Catholic Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina German). The ethnic-religious divide in the Federation is about 70 percent Bosniaks and 30 percent Croats with a tendential shift in favor of Bosniaks. Among these it is found, according to observers since the Civil War, a considerable re-Islamization instead. Both Turkey and Saudi Arabia are trying through the construction of mosques, to win the establishment of madrassas and assistance toward influence among these European Muslims (see Islamization of Bosnia - Turkey Tries to Establish pro-Turkish Lobbyists  German).

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: RotW
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG

El Papa Solitario: Only 20 Percent of the Bishops are For Franciscus? -- The Shadow Cabinet of Santa Marta

(Rome) Pope Francis (almost) place for all merciful words, but when he talks about the bishops of the Catholic Church, "he seems to pick up the stick," the Corriere della Sera. Italy's bishops had to be told some of the pontiff at the opening of its spring conference on May 18. They had strives startled in the days before, to take cover and Francis to appease (see "Cicero's" Stab in the Hornet's Nest - Italy's Bishops to Take Cover and Rehabilitate even the Ghostwriter of the Pope ).

For months the bishops registered pain not only in Italy, and to their surprise, a rigor of Argentine Pope, with whom she had not expected. A rigor that is directed against them.

Behind expressions of loyalty and fidelity to the Holy Father, there is palpable  discomfort in the episcopate. As much as  the Italian bishops also endeavor to recognize the Pope's cultural coordinates, to understand and to follow these, they seem increasingly convinced that the Argentine Church leader - despite Italian roots - cherishes an anti-Italian prejudice  whose edges are difficult to dull.

Pope of "epochal turning point" has trouble finding followers in the episcopate

The discomfort affects not only the Italian Episcopal Conference and the Vatican. Staff at the Roman Curia have been left pretty hang dog since being  papally diagnosed with 15 diseases diagnostics before Christmas 2014. The mood disorder has been detected also in other countries and their church hierarchies. Francis, the Pope of the "epochal turning point" (Corriere della Sera), seems to be, thanks to media support, easy to do, acting as a popular triumph. Much more difficult, i is for the head of the church to find a convinced followers in the church hierarchy. Moreover, the consensus of Francis seems to sink among the bishops.

According to the Corriere della Sera from last May 20th the numbers 20, 70, 10 apparently reflect the mood of the Roman Curia.  Among all the employees of the pope  there are only 20 percent who would support him with conviction in his government. 70 percent said they would form a "silent majority", which would remain "neutral" to fulfill their cause and wait for the next pope. Ten percent are strongly, however, among the group (though not always stated) who are opponents of Argentina's pontificate.

These figures would tossed around in the papal residence of Santa Marta, in the Argentine community in Rome and in Argentina. The Corriere della Sera talks about a "potential geographic and strategic break".

Bishops Take Pontificate as Truly "Anti-Italian, Anti-European, Anti-Western" 

Catholic bishops

How accurate these figures are, can not be said on the basis of the newspaper's vague source. The fact is that not only in Italy is  the pontificate of Pope Francis perceived as "anti-Italian, anti-European and anti-Western." But  was he not exactly what the Cardinals in conclave wanted? Apparently not quite.

The Fifth General Conference of Latin American Bishops' Council in 2007 in Aparecida, whose final document was then still largely dominated by Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires,  was in the forefront  of Latin American church leaders. Pope Francis register "exactly" that there are cardinals and bishops who never mention Aparecida. In turn, can be heard by high church officials that they did not understand the "reforms of Francis". And ever is the "model Buenos Aires" simply not applicable to the whole Church. It would involve "a" experience, but not "the" experience of the Church.

From the Latin American, especially Argentinean environment of the Pope, however, the   claim is fast at hand among European bishops, and  above all the Western bishops, have the habit to  still to see thsemselves "almost like princes."

Pope Francis seems to do nothing to prevent this divergence between a culturally diverse understanding of the Church at the episcopal level or wanting even merge the two ways of thinking.

Francis "el jesuita" always looking for new ways to reach the goal

However, Francis is quite Jesuit, which is why he seeks the targets in the most viable way. If the opposition to a way is too big, he does not care to insist   and looks for another way to target the same goal. This process repeats itself tirelessly until the set goal is achieved. The probability that a goal was to be closed, is quite low, because it presupposes that the target is recognized as wrong.

A concrete example: When Pope Francis came to Rome, he wanted to change the Roman Curia radically and largely dissolve it. He now had to recognize that this goal is not attainable. The existing Curia but still not to be trusted,  but he has created within the Roman Curia his own "Curia in reduced form".

The remaining Curia he described in turn in his Christmas message of 2014, as the "Levites". Clearly his disapproval of an entire institution could not be missed. Some Vaticanistas felt that the Pope had thus undermined his own pontificate. But Francis sees it differently. In this part of the curia he does not rely in any case. His mansion is a small part of a real existing parallel Curia.

Pope's own parallel Curia - cursus honorum : assets cancelled  with resignation of Benedict XVI. 

In previous preparations of the repeatedly announced eco-encyclical, Francis has not availed himself of the Curia. Rather, the entire preparatory work bypassed the curia. He consulted with it personally, but principally with his team of advisors, selected personalities and experts. For the transcript, he let his ghostwriter from Buenos Aires work. Titular Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, had largely written the instruction of Bergoglios  final document of Aparecida. The text shoul be subjected to in recent weeks to a further revision. The trusted people who crafted it on behalf of the Pope hand, have but remained the same.

And as for the Bishops, Francis does not rely on structural changes, but to a radical change of the cursus honorum ."So, it's as if all balances after the resignation of Benedict XVI. have been canceled," says the Corriere della Sera .

"Insulated" Pope or self-isolation?

More voices of an "isolated" Pope do not refer to a lack of support of the Pope by diocessan bishops or curia representatives, but in a form of self-isolation. It is the Pope, who merges the traditional hierarchies of the Church, ignoring the usual decision-making processes at the Vatican. "I do not know how long the Pope will succeed in  steering the process and to master that which he has set in motion,"  cited the Corriere della Sera  an unnamed "concerned European cardinal". You've seen it in the Synod of Bishops last October. The pope "was in danger, that it slips from his hand," said the same Cardinal.

More significant  is another concern. As the Pope points his finger again and again at all in the Church, Francis' strength, indeed himself, but weakens the Church. Francis has changed the image of the Church. Conflicts such as Vatileaks, the Vatican bank, pedophilia would now felt far less traumatic than under his predecessor. At the international level, the Church is more active than ever in political issues of Ukraine on the Middle East to Cuba. In an indication that there are many in the Church, also in a leading position, who do not understand the reform plans of the Pope, is countered by the   of the circle of the Pope with a standardized statement: Only those who would say that are those who don't want to change anything.

Francesco Cardinal Montenegro

Lightning careers: From unknown province bishop to cardinal

The Pope tried fractures and fissures that open up because his actions -despite his best efforts- are not understood by a part of the Church, to engage   his charisma.  How long this will be possible is also indicated by the Corriere della Sera on the outstanding issues. Above all there has been no match in language between the Pope and many bishops.

Who agile, as the Archbishop of Agrigento, Francesco Montenegro, whose diocese is in  the headline-grabbing  Lampedusa, has experienced a meteoric rise from unknown provincial bishop to be made a cardinal and this overnight possibly the future Pope, theoretically he may even be a contender for the successor of Peter.

The shadow cabinet of Santa Marta

These capricious personnel decisions reinforce the gap between the "People's Pope" (Corriere della Sera) and the bishops. They feel outclassed by the all overshadowing figure of Francis. Yet they do not say it. However, they complain about the Pope's  attempts to govern the universal Church on  demand by means of a shadow cabinet in Santa Marta. Not all seems to be aware that this criticism also means that the procession of the Pope from the Apostolic Palace to Santa Marta more than just a gesture of humility was that gave him much sympathy in the media and among the people. Santa Marta would then not only form a virtual, but  an actual break between the Pope and the Roman Curia.

Pope Francis always makes for new construction, but the resulting internal church problems and fractures do not seem to concern him in any way. It seems as if the constant unrest, unease and a latent discontent is a means of government for him. Above all the last  , two years, two months and two weeks after taking office have been uncomfortable, especially for the critics of Argentine Pope. Francis himself still seems to literally enjoy his pontificate.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Corriere della Sera / Angelo Gelo
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches....
AMDG

How Has Jorge Mario Bergoglio Changed Since His Election?

(Rome) two years and two months ago  Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope. Has he changed since then? If so, how? This question was recently raised by the daily El Pais in an interview with the new vicar general of Opus Dei.

Msgr. Mariano Fazio is Argentineans as Pope Francis. The former Top of Opus Dei in Argentina since February its vicar general based in Rome (see The Argentine move of Opus Dei ).

El Pais: How Bergoglio has changed?

Monsignor Mariano Fazio:  Now he smiles constantly,  he  didn't do that  before. The  current Cardinal of Buenos Aires: Bergoglio had the mien of gravedigger.

The Vicar General quoted the acting archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina, Cardinal Mario Aurelio Poli.  Two weeks after his election, Pope Francis named the then Bishop of Santa Rosa as his successor as the head of the Church in Argentina. In February 2014 he raised  him  to the state of Cardinal.

Monsignor Fazio also provided a rationale for why the transformation of the  "permanent smile"  from the "gravedigger face": "I think this is a grace of the Holy Spirit, but essentially it is the same, very spiritual, very close."

The testimony of Msgr. Mariano Fazio for El Pais became   a "softball interview for Francis," said the well-known Spanish blogger Francisco de la Cigoña.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: El Pais (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Pope's Argentine Successor Urges State to Recognize Catholicity of SSPX

Edit: this will make some people at Vatican Insider very unhappy.

Note from CFN: Bishop Fellay and SSPX Leadership have to yet to publicly comment on this development, but will probably do so soon.

Argentina formally recognizes SSPX as part of the Catholic Church - at the request of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires (and Pope Francis?)
Our partners at Adelante de la Fe have broken the news that the Argentinian government has recognized the SSPX as part of the Roman Catholic Church: La FSSPX reconocida en Argentina como parte de la Iglesia Católica Romana.In the words of the official state Resolution granting this recognition:

http://www.cfnews.org/page88/files/0829beea0af2b1811ba5fb8777ba136f-366.html

Live Streaming Easter Vigil With Pope Francis

Edit: see for yourself how he's doing, live streaming.

Nuns Rush the Papal Throne: "They Are Going to Eat Him!"

Edit: just for your amusement.  Perhaps they were admonishing him with love?

Opus Dei's Argentine Chess Move

(Rome) For the first time in its history a Spaniard  will not take a top position in Opus Dei. The election of the new Vicar General of the personal prelature fell to the Argentine Msgr. Mariano Fazio, whom Jorge Mario Bergoglio knows personally. "It's a decision that seems carefully considered in order to strengthen and improve the relationship between the Prelature and Pope Francis," said the Vatican expert Sandro Magister.

In these first two years of the pontificate, the relation between the Pope and Opus Dei has been formally excellent.   This was contributed to by the hearings which were granted Msgr. Carlos Maria Nannei, the predecessor Fazio as vicar of Argentina. In reality, the signals indicated in the exact opposite direction.

No dispensation for beatification - No Opus Dei representative to Synod

The Opus Dei would have liked   the beatification of their second superior,  Msgr. Alvaro del Portillo, in Rome. Portillo was the successor of the founder, St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer. However, Pope Francis did not grant a dispensation. Thus, the ceremony was held last September 27  in Madrid, although the new Blessed had spent the last decades of his life in Rome and died there.

It has  also not escaped observers that Pope Francis not summoned on a single  representative of Opus Dei to the synod as experts or auditors for the 2014 Synod of Bishops, although the personal prelature counts many renowned theologians and canonists in its ranks. Since there is no President of a Bishops' Conference and no head of a dicastry  in the Roman Curia which belongs to Opus Dei, the work of God has had no part in the Synod work.

In 2015, the Synod of Bishops things will be different. Among the Synod Fathers elected by the episcopal conferences there are already three representatives of Opus Dei: Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles (USA), Archbishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Guayaquil in Ecuador and Bishop Jaime Fuentes Martín of Minas, Uruguay.

Dismissal of Opus Dei Bishop Livieres of Ciudad del Este

A few days before the start of the Synod of Bishops in 2014  Pope Francis decreed the dismissal of an Opus Dei bishop.  On September 25, it was announced in Rome and Paraguay that Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano, a most outstanding figure, was relieved of the episcopate of the Latin American country, without giving a reason of why his  office was taken.  Bishop Livieres was summoned to Rome  a few days earlier (in his environment, it means you've lured him from his diocese), where he had learned from the media of his dismissal. The statement by the Vatican Press Office, still had given to understand that the faithful bishop disturbed his brother Bishops in  Paraguay.  Since Liviere promoted priestly vocations in contrast to other dioceses  and built  a private seminary for that reason, free of the influence of liberation theology,  he had three times the number of seminarians in a diocese which includes ten percent of Catholics in the country, which is almost three times as many seminarians as all  of the other dioceses. The bishop also promoted the traditional rite. The seminarians were trained in both forms of the Roman Rite. In almost all of the parishes of his diocese the Immemorial Mass of All Ages was celebrated. It's a situation that was unbearable in other parts of the church.  Despite repeated requests to see Pope Francis, he was refused an audience. Since Bishop Livieres did not let his dismissal by the Vatican without comment, he was immediately dropped from Opus Dei.

Weakening of Opus Dei in Peru

In Peru, Opus Dei had suffered bitter defeats. In recent months, two of its prelates were emeritus of age. Neither Archbishop Juan Antonio Ugarte Pérez of Cuzco nor Bishop Jesús Moliné Labarte of Chiclayo were replaced by brothers of the Opus Dei. Although Cardinal Juan Cipriani Thorne  an Opus Dei member is Archbishop of Lima in 1999, he was in contrast to his predecessor never elected President of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference. John Paul II. tried to renew the Peruvian episcopate on Cipriani Thorne and Opus Dei. It was a renewal that got stuck half way and now runs in reverse. With the recent appointment of bishops, the anti-Opus Dei majority was strengthened in the Peruvian episcopate.

Mariano Fazio: El Papa Francisco

Attempts to find favor with Francis

Msgr. Mariano Fazio was appointed to be the new vicar general of the only personal prelature of the Catholic Church, after having been received  last September 30th by Pope Francis. The name of the Argentine prelate was then curiously misspelled  in both the daily bulletin of the Press Office and  in the Osservatore Romano as "Fassio".

Fazio is a Professor of the History of Political Theory at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross of Opus Dei in Rome. He is a long time proven expert in the modern history of ideas. In Argentina it is said that Fazio knows the enemies of the Church and their thinking.

The former Vicar (Upper) of Opus Dei in Argentina wrote right after the choice of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires to be pope, a Francis-book: "El Papa Francisco: Claves de su pensamiento." (Pope Francis The key of his thought). That may have been taken into account in the calculation, that Pope Francis will hopefully be benevolent to the Argentine Fazio. He has not explained, however, the "key" to Bergoglio's thinking  in his book.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Rialp / Diario Argentino

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Pope Francis Going on Penitential Retreat?

VATICAN CITY — according to AP international, Pope Francis is fleeing the Vatican for a retreat along with trusted members of his household to work "correcting the many defects we all have." We assume this means he's going to deal with some of the public relations disasters accompanied by many of his problematic statements.

They insist that Francis addressed tens of thousands of Romans, tourists and pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for his Angelus address that later he and top aides were starting a spiritual renewal retreat that Sunday. They will be gone until Friday morning spending time till the. To meditate, and listen to reflections in Ariccia, a Rome suburb. What about fasting?

He didn't list the "defects." But in the nearly two years since becoming pontiff, Francis has put Vatican prelates on guard against careerism, arrogance, hypocrisy, corruption and being too judgmental instead of merciful.

http://www.wxxv25.com/news/world/story/Pope-gets-away-from-Vatican-to-work-on-correcting/_csdAQWUe0WXjnUNjqV2JQ.cspx

In cauda venenum -- Cardinal Pell and the Czar's Favor

Cardinal Pell and the Czar

(Rome) On 14-15th  February there appeared a full wave of interviews  of the  increasingly important Australian Cardinal George Pell, Prefect of the new Economy Secretariat in the Vatican. From the Boston Globe to the Corriere della Sera up to La Croix, everything was represented, as the Vatican expert Sandro Magister represents. The cardinal announced that had prevailed on his proposal at Cardinal Consistory a "general consensus" all directions "from the left, right and center", control and management of the moveable and immovable property of all Vatican agencies to submit to the new Pontifical Council.

Roman Coordinates

The consistory was informed by the C9 Council of Cardinal Advisors on the plans for reform of the Curia and discussed this. George Pell belongs in the C9 Council as a representative of Oceania. He is considered the "most conservative" and traditional friendly member. When Pope Francis formed the Council of Cardinal Advisers for the reform of the Curia and to assist him in the management of the universal Church and from every continent appointed a representative, Cardinal Pell was the sole representative for Oceania. He was "slid" in, as it was said then in Rome. A few days ago Francis was concerned about assistance. He appointed Archbishop John Dew of Wellington, who is, so to speak, Pell's progressive counterpart. Moreover, even an unknown Bishop of Tonga. The axis on the top of the hierarchy of Oceania is moved with it. In addition, Cardinal Pell could now be replaced any time in the C9 Council, especially since he was called to Rome by  Francis and thus no longer acts on his continent.

The Cardinal did not deny to the press that he had experienced   "resistance" in some parts of the Secretariat of State and of the Governorate of Vatican City against his reform proposal, however, he was convinced that they were overcome.

At his side, the South African Cardinal Wilfrid Napier appeared before the press, a member of the Economic Council.The South African had   been appointed following Cardinal Kasper's racist belch during the current Synod of 2014 by Francis for the third Co-President. It was a gesture to calm the excited African minds who defended  Catholic teaching on marriage and family in Rome. Cardinal Napier is described by the press conference with Cardinal Pell as being among the "resisters" along with the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and especially the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, headed by Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio. The Pontifical Council had rejected the draft of the Articles of Incorporation of the new Economy Secretariat  precisely in those parts which provided for a centralization of the administration of goods.

Nevertheless, Cardinal Pell was confident of achieving his goal, as the Economic Council denied the objections of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.

Pell's Account Without his Landlord? From Tsar and boyars

"But maybe Pell makes the reckoning without the landlord, which in this case, is the Pope," said Sandro Magister. On Monday the House and Palace Vaticanista of Francis, Andrea Tornielli, published  an article point by point seeming to reflect the thoughts of the Pope in Vatican Insider.

Tornielli recalled that the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts acted in the express order of the Pope. He remembered also that the Pope is entitled to make "the final decision to the statutes." In other words: "About Cardinal Pell there is one, Tsar  named Francis who is more powerful than he, and does not want to withdraw the power claimed by the  'boyars',  to use  the terminology of the Russian Empire, which has become common in English-language media," said Magister.

"The poison is in the tail"

But that is not enough, because "in cauda venenum," said Master, the poison follows to some extent at the end of Tornielli's article, which is the plea against Cardinal Pell.

"In light of what has happened in these days, it is worthwhile to read the words of Francis in his speech to the Roman Curia last December. The fifteenth and last illness  the Pope described was "worldly profit, display, when the apostle turns his ministry into power and his power was turned into merchandise to gain worldly benefits or more influence. It is the disease of people striving insatiably then to multiply powers, and which are capable of slander for this purpose, the other to defame and discredit,  even in newspapers and magazines. Of course, in order to excel and to prove himself better than the other.   Also, this disease damages the body a lot, because it leads people to justify the use of any means, just to achieve this goal - often in the name of justice and transparency."

Thus, the last paragraph in Tornielli's article is about Cardinal George Pell. Two hours after Sandro Magister expressed the belief that Tornielli directly reflects the thoughts of Pope Francis, thus confirming that Cardinal Pell is not in the Pope's favor, the last paragraph had been deleted (see also Slinky maneuver against Cardinal George Pell in progress  & Here.) The last paragraph "was published verbatim as it's here to read  and bore the title: The disease of worldly profit, " said Sandro Magister in a supplement to his article.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Settimo Cielo

Muslims Demonstrate With Pope Citation: “Whoever Insults My Mother, He Will Get My Fist."

Muslim Demonstration in London With
Pope Citation

(London) While on the German mainland freedom  of expression and  of assembly by Pegida is restricted by the State in Dresden, Leipzig, Vienna and Linz, under false pretexts and the peoples' resentment of politics and the media is attacked, Muslims may  in Britain unhindered and even appeal to Pope Francis.

Thousands of Muslims did this last Sunday in London is the front of the residence of Prime Minister David Cameron in Downing Street. They were protesting against the left-wing satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo which published cartoons about Islam. The rally participants condemned the abuse of freedom of expression by the satirical magazine. The right to freedom of expression of Charlie Hebdo , so say the Muslims, is  used as an excuse to insult Mohammed, who is "holy" to Muslims.  Above all, the cartoons against the “prophet”   was called an "assault on the norms of civil society". Their publication in the satirical newspaper was "a violation of Islamic law." As an added attraction point it was noted among the protesters that the weekly newspaper was owned by the Jewish Rothschild family since 2014.

Pope's quote: “If He Insults My Mother, He Will Get My Fist"

Among the slogan boards of Muslims many had a quote from Pope Francis,  that said after the  Paris terror attack: "Insult my mum and I will   punch you (Pope Francis) "(" insult my mother and I will punch you" ). This is what the  Pope is quoted as saying on the flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines. When Doctor Gasbarri [the papal trip's marshal], who is my friend, insulted my mother, he gets one with my fist,”  is what Pope Francis said jokingly to the show the limits of free speech, is literally being claimed  ​​by the Muslim protesters.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Il Foglio

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches…

AMDG

Pope Backs Efforts to Defend Family in Slovakia

Edit: why is this even an issue?
[Huffington Post] As Slovakia gears up for a referendum on same-sex unions this coming weekend, Pope Francis gave his blessing to the country's efforts to block marriage and adoption rights for gay couples.

Speaking at his weekly general audience on Wednesday, the pope said: "I greet the pilgrims from Slovakia and, through them, I wish to express my appreciation to the entire Slovak church, encouraging everyone to continue their efforts in defense of the family, the vital cell of society."

Alliance for the Family, a Slovak conservative group, has gathered more than 400,000 votes -- representing nearly 10 percent of the country’s electorate, according to Reuters -- on a petition calling for a national vote that could block any future efforts to overturn Slovakia's existing ban on same-sex marriage.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/06/pope-slovakia-referendum_n_6630876.html
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Is the Pope Going to Dismiss the Swiss Guard?

(Rome) For months, there have been rumors that the Argentine Pope could abolish the Pontifical Swiss Guard. In recent days, the speculation has intensified. This is due to the dismissal of Colonel Daniel Rudolf Anrig, commander of the Swiss Guard. On December 1, 2014 Pope Francis had fired Anrig a native of the canton of St. Gallen. Reasons were not disclosed. The media claimed that it could have been due to the "severity" of the colonel who commanded the papal guard unit since 2008. Daniel Rudolf Anrig will be  officially dismissed as part of a military ceremony tomorrow.

The fact that Pope Francis has appointed no successor has fueled speculation about the dismissal of the Papal Guard. In an interview with the Argentine newspaper La Nacion, the Pope spoke highly of the dismissed Colonel Anrig. He was a "great person, a good Catholic, with a beautiful family." His dismissal was merely concerned with a "healthy and normal renewal," said the head of the Church. Since then there has been puzzling over what Pope Francis mean by a "healthy and normal renewal".

Quirky gestures, telegenic looseness or ...

Pope salutes Guards

In Rome, it is an open secret that the Argentine Pope knows little what to do with the tradition of the Swiss Guards Corps. Because of quirky gestures it has been speculated that the Pope has little respect for order and work of other show. Once he saluted one guard, as US Presidents are wont to do. So it seems inappropriate when a civilian performs a military salute, as well as  the doubt creating the suggestion around the  papal scene whether the Pope maybe just made a joke.  Another time he went in passing a Guard and shook his hand. The young man laughed sheepishly on the out-of protocol gesture in camera flashes. The protocol was not the focus. The Pope had sufficient opportunity to go off the TV cameras to his guards.

Some observers see in Jorge Mario Bergoglio's phenomenal sense of pleasing and being prone to the media as  the surest guarantee of the continued existence of the 500-year-old guard. They are telegenic and strikingly colorful because of the old uniforms, so they will not be dismissed by the Pope. That the announcement of Colonel Anrig's dismissal was carried out during the ad limina-visit of  the Swiss Bishops speaks for others against this assumption. A mere courtesy toward   the Swiss bishops does not fit.

Protecting the Pope Since 1506

Swearing-in of recruits

The Swiss Guard was established in 1506. Since then it has monitored the Pope and the Apostolic residences for their protection.  It is the only guard  from the Papal States, which has been preserved. Most military corps went down with the Papal States in 1870. The enduring guards, such as the Noble Guard and the Palatine Guard were simultaneously disbanded by Pope Paul VI. with the liturgical reform in 1970.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard is not a  guard of Vatican City or the Church, but a bodyguard of the Pope. They agree to defend the integrity of the Pope with their lives. While the See is vacant, the guards have to ensure the safe conduct of the conclave as a new pope is enthroned.  It is exclusively of Catholic Swiss nationals who have already done their military service in Switzerland and must not be older than 30 on entering and must be single.

In some Catholic Swiss Families the establishment has always been a  tradition that a family member serves the Pope. The swearing in of new recruits will take place in a ceremony every year. Each recruit takes the oath in his native language (see  Defending the Pope With Their Lives - the Swiss Guard recruits sworn in ).

Once there were numerous Swiss Guards of the militarily efficient germanic mountain people. Thus  the King of France had a bodyguard of Swiss and also the Roman-German Emperor in Vienna, which is recalled in the Schweizertor the Hofburg. The Papal Swiss Guard is the only one that still exists today and is one of the most traditional military organizations in the world.

A year ago when Anrig's predecessor, Colonel Elmar Mader, retired, he caused a stir when he spoke of the existence of a homosexual "secret society" at the Vatican, which constitutes a "security risk".

To date, there is only speculation and the familiar shooting in the weeds. Remarkable it is that it could ever come to such speculation. This has to do with certain known signals and especially with a perceived climate.

Link to Katholisches...

See the slideshow...

Trans: vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG