The New Cardinals of Pope Francis -- Essay on a Topography

(Vatican) On 22 February is Pope Francis will create the first cardinals of his pontificate. The announcement of the new cardinals is expected for the end of January. Their number will be about fifteen new members for the Church Senate. The number is derived from the total number set by  Pope Paul VI. of 120 papal electors. The appointments will provide information about the sympathies and direction of the pontificate.

The appointment of cardinals belongs solely to the pope. It is bound by unwritten laws, which are still obligatory.  The first appointments will show whether Pope Francis holds to  the ecclesiastical practices like Pope Benedict XVI. and the other popes did before him. The appointment of cardinals will have a significant influence on the election of his successor to pope.

The Conclave and the Surprises

Pope Names Matteo Ricci and Pedro Arrupe as His Models

Workshopping the Destruction of the Church?

(Rome) The 15 page summary between Pope Francis and the Superiors of a Catholic male religious was developed by Father Antonio Spadaro on November 29th,  the editor  of the Jesuit magazine Civilta Cattolica   published in the new issue of the magazine on Friday.Pope Francis offers two Jesuits  as role models: the Jesuit Matteo Ricci of the first generation and the controversial Father General Pedro Arrupe (1965-1983).

Hardly anything has been leaked so far about the content of the conversation so far. The Union of Superiors General had announced  soon  that a summary by Father Spadaro will follow soon after.  Pope Francis seems to have asked the Superiors for restraint to prevent uncontrolled reproduction of his statements by indiscretions.

Presented to the Pope Before printing

Each issue of Civilta Cattolica is checked prior to publication by the Vatican and provided with a printing license. Father Spadaro, who is not a Superior General, however, had been expressly  called by the Pope to the conversation. In a pontifical mandate, he created the summary, it was sent before printing to the Pope personally for examination and received permission to publish this.

"When the Pope speaks freely and enters into dialogue, his remarks have a wave-like rhythm, which one must follow with care, because it feeds on the living interaction with his interlocutors," as Father Spadaro outlines. Unfortunately, the extensive summary of the Pope's words are not yet available in the German [Or English] version.

Religious Life is Prophetic Discipleship

In addition to the Pope lamenting the "novice trade" in the young churches with many vocations,  in forming of "little monsters", which gave the Pope  "the creeps", the pontiff spoke of the priority of religious life: "It is the prophecy the kingdom, which is not negotiable. The emphasis must be on to prophesy, and do not care to do only going through the motions Of course, the devil shows us his temptations and this is one of them: to act as if you prophets to be without it. But such things can not play. I myself have seen many sad things in this regard. "

The Pope exhorted the Superior Generals: "The Church must be attractive. Wake up the world. Be witness of a different kind of action, of action and of life."  He continued: "It is possible to live differently in this world. We speak of an eschatological view, which has become the meat of values ​​of the Kingdom here on this earth. It's about giving up everything to follow the Lord. No, I do not say radical '. The radical nature of the Gospel concerns not only the religious: it is demanded of all. The religious only follow the Lord in a special way, a prophetic way. I expect this testimony from you. "

Sin Yes, No Corrupt

The pope repeated a formulation that he already mentioned several times, the content is still difficult to understand. The Pope urged the superiors to take the sinner in the seminaries, but not "corrupt": "I'm not talking about the people who recognize themselves as sinners: we are all sinners, but we are not all corrupt. Accept the sinner, but not the corrupt ".

Charism is Always Fit to the Circumstances of Time, Place and People

Regarding the charism of the Founder of each Order, the Pope said: "The charism is always one thing, but as Saint Ignatius said, it must be lived according to place, time and people. The charism is not a bottle of distilled water. One must live powerfully, by reading it culturally anew. "In this context, the Pope called religious to action. It would be better to "make mistakes" than to do  nothing. "We always have to ask for forgiveness and are ashamed of the apostolic failures caused by discouragement. Consider, for example, of the pioneering intuitions of Matteo Ricci which were dropped in his time. " The Pope was referring to the previous failed attempts at the Christianization of China. The Jesuit Matteo Ricci model was distinguished by special adaptability to the Chinese culture and mentality. For this reason it was controversial and was eventually discarded.

Two Jesuits as role models: Matteo Ricci and Superior General Pedro Arrupe

Pope Francis also came to speak about the "periphery", the "edges", a cipher priority of his pontificate: "I am convinced of one thing: the big change in history occurred when the reality came to be considered not from the center but from the edges. "In this context, the Pope mentioned yet another Jesuit, whose activity he cited as an example, the earlier, controversial Superior General, Father Pedro Arrupe, whom John Paul II urged to a premature resignation. Father Arrupe is considered one of the most colorful figures in recent history. Some worship him as a shining example, in the other he is regarded as one of the gravediggers of the Jesuit Order.

Two new documents: about the brothers and the relationship between bishops and religious

In his address the Pope announced that he had two documents in preparation: one on the appeal of the "brothers", that is the religious who are not priests, and the other on the relations between the bishops and religious, with which the document Mutuae relationis  is to be replaced by the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes and Congregation for Bishops of 1978, which Pope Francis describes as "out of date".

2015 Year of Consecrated Life

The Pope also announced that he will proclaim 2015 the Year of Consecrated Life.  An announcement that was greeted with "a long applause," said Father Spadaro. The Pope had then looked and said toJoão Cardinal Bráz de Aviz and Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo with a smile to the Prefect and the Secretary of the Congregation of Religious: "It's their fault, the proposal comes from them, when the two meet, they are dangerous" which brought the General Assembly of the Superiors General to general hilarity, said Father Spadaro. The Brazilian Cardinal Braz de Aviz is a member of the Focolare Movement, Archbishop Carballo is Franciscan.

If the Vatican medicine is worse than the dreaded disease

The Vatican expert Sandro Magister recalls that both recently got into the headlines along with Pope Francis because of the severity with which they placed the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, one of the most flourishing orders of the Catholic Church under provisional administration and banned the Order from celebrating in the Old Rite.

"This matter was not discussed in the talk of 29 November, except perhaps implicitly where Pope Francis said that conflicts in the community are unavoidable: in some ways it must happen if the community is really honest and loyal to relationships. But if the destructive approach of the provisional administration of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is seen - as it transpired from both parties to the conflict - one gets the distinct impression that the Vatican medicine is worse than the dreaded disease," said Master.

Sad State of Attire Among the Superiors General

The Catholic religious tradition is characterized by the diversity of religious charisms, which finds its visible expression in each particular religious robes. The dress code of the Assembly of Superiors General of Catholic Male Religious before Pope Francis, however, offers the dreary sight of utter monotony. Several superiors general seem to regard the habit only as an occasional option.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Don Orione

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Will revise as needed.

AMGD

Jesuit Justifies Abortion -- "Neither the Order Nor Rome Intervenes"

(Madrid), the Spanish Jesuit  and Bioethicist Juan  Masiá Clavel has again defended the killing of unborn children. For years, Father Masiá distinguishes between "abortion and abortion" (see separate report Jesuit Justifies Abortion - And What do the Bishops and Rome do  ) "There are situations where it is irresponsible not to perform abortion," the Jesuit wrote on New Year's Day on his blog, which is connected with the Spanish daily El Pais. Critics accuse the Jesuits of being abortion apologists. All knew it, but no one has taken action.

Although Father Masiá is talking about extreme cases,  the context of his Speeches on abortion serve at the same time  for the justification of prenatal infanticide. Thus the criticism of Info Catolica and the Spanish church historian and Catholic blogger Francisco de la Cigoña on the most recent blog entry by Father Masiá. The most recent opinion has taken place at a moment in which the abortion debate has been rekindled in Spain by a government bill. The Jesuit wrote that in the abortion debate two "extreme opposite positions" are in existence in Spain, one can look at neither as the "only valid" view. Thus, the Jesuit is relativizing the Catholic right to life position and places the culture of death with a culture of life as  equivalent and "neutral" on the same level.

"Juan Masiá is still a Catholic Priest and a Member of the Society of Jesus"

"The worst thing is that these statements are not new. They are repeated by the Jesuits for years without anyone contradicting. Quite a few  therefore think that this is the teaching of the Church," said de la Cigoña.

Info Catolica wrote: "As we write on the 2nd of January 2014, and Father Juan Masiá Clavel is still a Catholic priest and member of the Jesuit order."  In the Order and in Rome "it is  known exactly" what Father Masiá does and yet neither the Superior General Father Adolfo Nicolas, or a Roman Pontifical Council [Or even a pontifical commissioner] gets involved. It is time to clarify, so info Catolica whether Masia's position is the Catholic position. If not, then "clear countermeasures" would have to be taken.  "I support the criticism of Luis Fernando Perez Bustamante (Info Catolica) completely. I too have had it with Masiá. And Father Adolfo Nicolas and his inaction, " said de la Cigoña.

Father Juan Masiá is Professor of Ethics at the University of Sophia in Tokyo and a research associate of the Center for Peace of the Japanese section of the interfaith World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) in Tokyo, also known as Religions for Peace (RfP).

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: La cigüeña de la torre

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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Pope Francis to Order: "No to Novice Trade, Otherwise We Will Form Little Monsters"

Edit: Also reported by Vatican Insider for a contrast.  It's unclear what he means by "novice trade", but it could refer to some orders which are growing, one in particular.  It's somewhat difficult to come to other conclusions looking at the topics for discussion.

(Rome) The Jesuit journal   La Civiltà Cattolica published an address by Pope Francis in its latest issue with the participants of the General Meeting of the Union of Superiors General (USG) of the last 29 November. "You have to form the heart, otherwise we will make little monsters", the Pope said.

At the curial headquarters of the Salesians at the General Meeting in Rome conducted the 82nd Assembly of the Union of Superiors General on 27 - 29 November 2013, 82nd.  Pope Francis personally took part, in contrast to previous general meetings on 29 November.

Pope Francis called on the religious superiors to put an end to the "novice business".  Civiltà Cattolica had published this with a notice to the new edition, which was published on the internet already yesterday.

The Pope on 29 November with 120 representatives of the Catholic Women's Orders. "You have to form the heart, or we will make little monsters. And then, these little monsters form the people of God. That gives me the creeps,"  is how Civiltà Cattolica cited the exhortation of Pope Francis to the Superiors. The quote is part of a detailed conversation between the Pope and the superiors about the challenges of religious life in today's world and the challenges in the Church.

Among the topics covered the Jesuit magazine writes:  "the complexity of life between grace and sin, the Prophetic being in our world; the brotherhood, the indictment of the" novice trade"; hypocrisy and fundamentalism; praise for Pope Benedict XVI. for his fight against child sexual abuse by clergy and the importance of charisms and the pressing challenges; the relationship between the religious and the bishops, the need of tenderness "to caress conflicts," and a jolt to awaken our unfeeling world. "

This edition of the Civilizations of Cattolica with the conversation appeared yesterday. On the Internet, they will be available from 15 clock in Italian, Spanish and English. Father Antonio Spadaro, the editor of the Jesuit magazine was one of the 120 religious superiors, the 29 November were received by Pope Francis. At 15 pages it summarizes the free and spontaneous approach proposed by Pope's address together.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: USG
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

Asia Bibi's Letter to the Pope: "Only God can Free Me" -- The Silence of Amnesty International

(Lahore) Asia Bibi, Pakistan's most famous prisoner has sent   a letter to Pope Francis. The now 43 year old Pakistani Catholic has been in prison since n June 2009 for allegedly insulting Islam. Accused by two Islamic religious leaders of having engaging a  Muslim women in a dispute where she maintained that it was not Mohammed who was the "true prophet" of God, but Jesus Christ, she is the first woman to be sentenced to death in the country on  8 November 2010. Since then, she is held under particularly tight security in prison during her  appeal process. The mother of five children was sentenced under Article 295 (C) of 1986 anti-blasphemy law introduced in the Pakistan Penal Code.

Diplomatic Efforts by the Vatican For Release

In November 2011,  Pope Benedict XVI. appealed publicly to  the Pakistani government to bring an end of discrimination and violence against Christians. For a Christian, the Head of the Church explained: "Today I bring to expression my spiritual closeness especially to Mrs. Asia Bibi and her family members, while I note that she has her full freedom restored  as soon as possible ."  At the same time, the Pope sent Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Pakistan, with a diplomatic mission to Islamabad to secure the release and departure of Asia Bibi. The mission failed because   the Pakistani government feared to release Asia Bibi because of  an Islamist insurgency. The diplomatic efforts of the Catholic side have  not been cancelled since.  Chilly silence prevails, however, from the "Heralds" in the defense of human rights. The abortion lobbyist Amnesty International has barely spent a word for Asia Bibi, while the release of  the extreme left, anti-Church,  action group Pussy Riot, or the oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky will be celebrated as "successes".

Christmas with the family in prison

In her letter to Pope Francis, Asia Bibi offers a personal testimony of faith. She thanked him for the divine grace that she could hold out so long. She also thanked the Holy See for the efforts toward her release. "I hope that every Christian could celebrate Christmas with joy. Like many other prisoners, I have celebrated the birth of our Lord in prison in Multan here in Pakistan. In a special way, she thanked the Catholic school and charity Renaissance Education Foundation, through which it was possible that her husband and her children were allowed to come to Multan for Christmas in the prison, to  celebrate the Solemnity together. "It would have been for me a great pleasure to have celebrated Christmas in the Vatican Basilica to pray together with you. I have confidence in the plans that God has  for me and maybe it will be possible next year."

"Only God Can Free Me"

Asia Bibi thanked all Christians who pray for her and work for her release. She wrote to the Pope about their already four and a half years in prison and  her concerns: "I do not know how long I can hold out. If I'm still alive, it is thanks to the power which was given to me through your prayers. I have met many people who support me and fight for me. So far, unfortunately without success. In this moment I want to entrust myself solely to the mercy of God who can do anything. He alone can free me."

"I Know that You Pray for Me"

In the letter to the Pope, the Pakistani mother speaks  of some of her  daily worries to prison: "This winter is especially hard: my cell is unheated, the door does not protect against the biting cold." "The security measures are inappropriate," since Asia Bibi was moved for security to the prison of Multan, her family has to travel from Lahore, which is a long way. The authorities speak of "necessities", because otherwise they could not protect the lives of prisoners.  Several calls for her death  and a bounty have been offered by Islamist organizations  for the Moslem who murders Asia Bibi.

The thanks and pleading letter to the Pope ends with the best Christmas and New Year wishes. "I know that you pray with all your heart for me. This gives me confidence that my freedom will one day be possible.  I greet you with affection in this hopeful prayer. Asia Bibi, your daughter in the faith. "

Text: Paix Liturgique / Giuseppe Nardi
image: Una Fides
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches....

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Pope Francis Like a "Steam Roller and Decides Everything Himself" --- Curious Request for "Forgiveness"

(Rome) Pope Francis appointed a new Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference on the day before Christmas Eve. Even in the first month of his pontificate, the pope had asked the Italian bishops to draw up new statutes for the Episcopal Conference. While the bishops' conferences choose their own president and even determine their term of office (an exception is Belgium), in Italy the Pope as Bishop of Rome is also automatically chairman of the Bishops' Conference. However, this office, since its introduction by Pius XII, was never exercised by the reigning pope. He appoints a delegate that represents him as chairman. The right of appointment for the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference is to also exercised by the Pope. The Italian bishops called on the new Pope to inform him whether the Chair and the Secretary General should continue to be appointed by the Pope, or whether they want to occupy these offices by election itself. Despite this request, the Pope goes "forward like a steam roller and decides everything himself," said Vaticanist Sandro Magister.

"Steamroller" Francis - Surprise Dismissal of General Secretary

Pope Francis unceremoniously dismissed the previous Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Mariano Crociata and has appointed him as the bishop of the small Diocese of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priveno, which is th equivalent to the pushing him off to an insignificant place off the tracks. Bishop Crociata was appointed in 2008 by Benedict XVI. as Secretary General after he had previously been appointed as the Bishop of Nota.

On 28 December the announcement of the new Secretary-General was accomplished in an "entirely uncharacteristic way," said Magister. To appoint him instead of being in accordance with current regulations, that is, on the Bureau's proposal and after consulting the Permanent Council of the Bishops' Conference, Pope Francis appointed him arbitrarily and without consultation. But he did so with an unusual accessory, as if he were "asking permission" of the priests and faithful of the Diocese of the new Secretary General, the Pope literally said he would "took away" the bishop. This "request for permission" was of course rhetorical, formulated by the Pope in a "daring rhetorical construct" (Sandro Magister) in an open letter to the diocese. Clearly part of the current leadership of the Italian Bishops' Conference, consisting of Archbishop Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa and the Archbishops of Perugia, Potenza and Turin (the General Secretary, also a member of the Presidium, already being discharged), are not among of the most important interlocutors of the Pope.

Pope Asked the Diocese for "Permission" to be able to Appoint the Bishop to General Secretary

The newly appointed Secretary General is Bishop Nunzio Galatino Cassano all'Jonio. The 65-year-old bishop comes from Puglia. His diocese is located in Calabria and, with nearly 100,000 faithful to the smallest of the Apennine Peninsula. It's also unusual in the appointment is that it takes place only after an interim. It seems unclear whether it served as the removal of Bishop Crociata, or whether the did not anticipate Pope making a possible amendment of statutes of the Episcopal Conference, if he wants the bishops to appoint the Secretary-General themselves in the future. In this case, the question remains, why a change was made ​​at this time. Secretary Galatino will remain at his own request a bishop of his diocese.

In his published letter to the diocese, the Pope asked the priests and faithful to permit their bishop "at least for a certain time for an important mission for the Italian Church" to go to Rome. He will, however, continue to be their bishop as the Pope declared that he would spend "a few days on a regular basis" in the diocese.

Pope Francis: "I Ask You to Understand Me ... and to Forgive Me"

"I ask you to understand me ... and to forgive me," the Pope wrote this at the end of the letter, dated 28 December, but it came into force immediately without waiting for a response from them even though the matter was raised in a rhetorical effort to priests and faithful.

The Bishops' Conference noted the unilateral action of the pope with two tight, cool press releases.

Msgr, Galatino was consecrated a bishop on 25 February and took over the management of his diocese. He is Professor of Anthropology at the Faculty of Theology for Southern Italy. In the Episcopal Conference, he was previously responsible for higher theological studies.

Upon his appointment ad interim, Bishop Galatino will undertake the rights, duties and responsibilities of the office of General Secretary, of the Italian Episcopal Conference, yet it is unknown how long the term of office will be, however. Pope Benedict XVI. had appointed Archbishop Bagnasco of Genoa as as his delegate and President of the Bishops Conference in 2007. He chose Bishop Crociata as Secretary General.

With the appointment of the new Secretary-General, a similar pattern can be determined in the Pope's approach in personnel decisions, that were repeatedly employed already in the Roman Curia. Also, the unexpected dismissal of Cardinal Bagnasco's General Secretary appears to be an indicator that the President of the Bishops' Conference may also be dismissed.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 image: Settimo Cielo
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
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Gänswein: Pope Wants to Reform the Faithful, not the Faith

"Absolute Continuity" Between Pope Benedict XVI. to Pope Francis.Munich (kath.net / KNA) Archbishop George Gänswein expected no revolutions in the Vatican under the new Pope. "Pope Francis does not want to reform the faith, but the faithful," the Prefect of the Papal Household said in an interview broadcast on New Year's for Bavarian television. "The special thing is surely that he is a man who can not be put before any carts." He also does not expect that the Vatican "from tomorrow will have a new face," said Gänswein in conversation with journalist Susanne Hornberger.

Francis is a man of great gestures, gradually, however, the substantive elements would come to the fore. Gänswein who is still the private secretary of Benedict XVI. is seeing an "absolute continuity" between the two popes. As evidence, he described the encyclical "Lumen Fidei" (The Light of Faith) by Pope Francis on which Benedict XVI already worked. I've done a lot of preparatory work. Differences were stressed by the Archbishop on the issues of faith and reason and relativism. The results achieved by St. Francis in contrast to Benedict XVI. were in "second line."

In the exclusive interview under the title "On the Way to the Vatican" Gänswein describes the new pope as a "very open, very honest man." In meetings with people he does not make differences between politicians, Church dignitaries and ordinary people. In addition, Francis possesses the great gift that he immediately produces a warm connection in meetings, "the ice breaks away," said the Archbishop. "That takes immediately puts to rest any uncertainty or stage fright."

Link to Kath.net...Link to Kath.net...Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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Abortion Fanatics Attack Midnight Mass in Spain

(Madrid) Leftist abortionists and feminists disrupted a Midnight Mass in Spain on Christmas night to demand "full and free abortion". The incident took place in the parish church of San Felix in Sabadell near Barcelona.

The abortion fanatics wanted to act as Herodians and chose therefore targeted the Creche, in which the birth of Jesus is celebrated. As the antithesis of the happy birth of a child, and specifically of the Redeemer, they demanded "full and free abortion". They interrupted the Sacred Liturgy with a banner and chant. The church vandals and anti-Catholic "action" was videotaped and posted on the Internet. The sacrilege was conducted by  the "Anti-Sexist collective of Sabadell."  The video was published  on the website "Justa Revolta". About 50 pro-abortion invaded the church during the Mass, shouting slogans for abortion and against the Church. The "action" was described by the attackers as a "reaction" to the "capitalist, patriarchal and Catholic offensive."

The Mass was interrupted by the  disruption for fifteen minutes. Even before the arrival of the police the Mass attendees urged the vandals with their placards out of the church. Outside the church, abortion advocates continued with their chants.

Link to Katholisches...

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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Vatican Speaker Denounces Scalfari and Effects Indirect Critique on Pope Francis

(Vatican) This time   the Press Office of the Holy See immediately answers Eugenio Scalfari's assertion that the Pope had abolished sin. Vatican spokesman Lombardi expressed here a critique of Scalfari that is actually more valid for the Pope.

Last Sunday, the atheist Eugenio Scalfari asserted in his weekly editorial, Pope Francis had sin abolished (see separate report "Pope Francis has Virtually Abolished Sin" - Scalfaris new Christianity, Which God Replaced by I  ). Up until now the Holy See  has held back from addressing  Scalfari.s comments about the unusual "dialogue" between him and the Pope, but this time there was a quick response. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi denounced Scalfari and his "obvious inaccuracies". "Pope Francis has not abolished sin," said Father Lombardi.

The Vatican stirred this time promptly while they were done last fall after the publication of a letter from the Pope to Scalfari and an interview of the Pope late and very restrained official statements about Scalfari. Vatican spokesman Lombardi told the press: "Scalfari is not so familiar with the biblical-theological."

"Certainly Scalfari's finding  in a long editorial, that the Pope had abolished the sin is not applicable. On the contrary, who really follows the Pope every day, knows how often he speaks of  sin, of our condition as sinners, and especially the message of mercy,"  it is only understood in connection with sin.

Sin and Mercy

Last Sunday, Scalfari wrote that the abolition of sin by Pope Francis was contained in the Apostolic Letter Gaudium Gospel. A finding which was noticed in various media and has been criticized by several Vaticanists. "The fundamental spiritual dynamic, in which also the Pope asserts, is the consciousness of sins and asking for forgiveness for them,"  said Father Lombardi. But Scalfari is not quite familiar with the "biblical-theological field." The general aim was "to see the infinite greatness of God's mercy, and so engage us in this by the mercy and love of God through the experience of renewed Christian life. If someone eliminates the sin, one does not understand the message of mercy any more," says Vatican spokesman Lombardi.

Confused (er) Scalfari? - Father Lombardi Calls for "Dialogue without Misunderstandings"

The Press Office of the Holy See addressed  another glaring error in the  Scalfari's editorial statement: "Another obvious inaccuracy in this article is when Scalfari says that the Pope had canonized Saint Ignatius of Loyola a few days ago, Instead of, as we all know, Peter Faber, the first companion of St. Ignatius of Loyola, while Ignatius of Loyola has been a saint of the Church for several centuries. So I think that one must be careful to continue the dialogue, but   deepened so  that there is no confusion and it is really understood"

Scalfari  is not hurt by the denial.He is basking much more in his success,  that he had enterted into the ring with the previously unthinkable:  the option that a Pope allegedly said the conscience was the highest authority, without any restriction, and abolished sin. 

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Tempi

Trans Tancred Vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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"Pope Francis Just Abolished Sin" --- Scalfari's New Christendom, Where God is Replaced by I

(Rome) In his usual Sunday sermon, the atheist Eugenio Scalfari returned in his personal "wire" to Pope Francis, who last summer wrote the well-known left-wing journalist of old Masonic family a letter and granted an interview (see separate reports There is no Absolute Truth? - Pope's Letter Misunderstood by Atheist Eugenio Scalfari and Truth and Belief - The Case of Misunderstanding in Dialogue with Non-believers and Christ is Not an Option Among Many, and Certainly Not for his Deputy on Earth - Why We do Not Like this Pope ). Scalfari claimed yesterday in his commentary once again that Pope Francis had 'de facto abolished sin'.

Scalfari: "Pope has De Facto Abolished Sin With Evangelii Gaudium"

The founder of the daily newspaper La Repubblica refers back not to the direct contact with the Pope, but to his recently published Apostolic Letter. The "abolition of sin," says Scalfari, was included in Evangelii Gaudium. An "abolition", which was done by means of two instruments: on the one hand by equating the revealed Christ,  the Christian God, with love, mercy and forgiveness. And then by granting people complete freedom of conscience.

Pope Francis had raised conscience as the last instance of human action already in his letter to Scalfari and this statement was confirmed in his interview with Scalfari later. The Pope's answers were indeed formulated by Scalfari himself, but the writing was just the Pope's words again. The interview, was initially published on the website of the Vatican, as if it were part of the papal Magisterium, though it has since been removed, but a distancing from the highly controversial, non-Catholic statement has not occurred to date.

Strained Mercy

The renewed insistence by the well-known journalist outrageously appear in the polemics about the authenticity of the papal statements. Scalfari does not give up on the issue of freedom of conscience, he was actually jubilant about the basic message of the papal interviews. In fact, it would have been a historical sensation, if the papal statement had been done. This means that the Pope would make of the past 300 years of his own Church, which with good reason rejected and fought against basic tenets of Freemasonry.

"What can I say except that it's a real mess?" Today writes the daily Il Giornale . "It is pure chaos, if you want to discuss about Christianity, by placing Jesus Christ in parentheses. Scalfari recognizes that the central argument of the Magisterium of Francis is mercy and divine forgiveness. Good: but what need there should be for this mercy, when sin would be abolished? What would God forgive if there is no more sin?"

Scalfari lets the Pope Live, but Christ Abolishes Christ

Scalfari's interpretation, which is regarded to be relevant and most especially raises many questions to the most influential of those distant from the Church who interpret the pontificate of Pope Francis. Most Vaticanists, including Andrea Tornielli, only dare to ask some of the questions in criticizing Scalfari. So says Tornielli that Scalfari, in order to abolish sin would equally abolish the entire teaching of the new pope: "The Pope has referred to himself many times as 'sinner' and very often speaks of the mercy and forgiveness of sins. To know the mercy of God, a merciful God, who is never tired of forgiving, one must be aware of his own limitations, our sin, our weakness, our evil and our need for salvation, forgiveness, love and mercy. Therefore, it requires the awareness that we are sinners, and therefore the exact contrary of that 'abolition' of sin that Scalfari effects to ascribe to the Pope. "

Scalfari's Appeals to Pope Francis - Consent by Silence of the Vatican?

But that only addresses one side. Implicitly, the questions remain to Pope Francis, which Scalfari - by reason of the criteria - had chosen, to write him a letter. In this letter is already the controversial redefinition of freedom of conscience included as a kind of absolute standard. Scalfari reinforced the message in the Pope's interview, which was indeed formulated by him, but previously submitted by him to the Pope for approval. A permission that has been expressly granted by the Pope. Also after criticism of the statement, which is very heavily weighted against a pope in the Church context, to date, no correction was made. Can Scalfari properly invoke to Pope Francis? He does it and as long as the Vatican does not oppose this, it must be assumed that this invocation is done with the consent of the Pope. But this would raise questions of principle of enormous dimension. Because then the question would be standing in space, what Pope Francis ever meant by sin. Similarly, the question of how the apparent contradiction between the statement on conscience with the Pope's actual assertions to reconcile is to proclaim what is laid down in the Catechism of the Church.

Replace God by I

But above all is the frightening abyss taking place in the ambivalent relationship between the Pope and Francis Eugenio Scalfari. To accuse a Pope of heresy is no less abysmal as Scalfari speaks with real and fictional appeal to the Pope about religion and there nothing left but exclude Christ. Both areas are "dangerous", as well as Il Giornale noticed. The atheist Scalfari seems here, "to house a tailor-made, fluid and relativistic Christianity," said Il Giornale. But why does Pope Francis let him act freely. After all, the Pope again declared recently to be looking forward to the next meeting with the Doyen of Left journalism in Italy. Yet in Scalfaris' way God will ultimately be replaced by the ego. Since there is not a God of the atheists, then the I will be deified and the word and the connected idea of God and divinity will be redefined. And what does the Pope say to that?

Text: Giuseppe Nardi image: Tempi Trans: vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

Edit: a world where journalists attempt to authoritatively interpret and rule on the Magisterium.  Listen closely to them, they are more anxious about what Catholic doctrine means than most clergy, and are deeply upset that people are still believing Catholics.  Didn't Vatican II do away with people like you?

AMGD

Ariel Levi di Gualdo About the "German" Problem and a Current Schism

(Munich), the militant Jewish convert and Catholic priest Ariel Levi Stefano di Gualdo has expressed his opinion on  the "German" problem in the Catholic Church and speaks of a current, complete schism. Specifically, he recalls his experiences some years ago in Munich with Archbishop Reinhard Cardinal Marx.

"The real problem of Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, is that things are always the same, which plagues German representatives of the church: first they are German, then perhaps they are Catholics, but always on their  own terms with an ineradicable Teutonic arrogance. The reason for this is not  that they have remained the old pagan German people in their innermost being, but that they are  always hostile minded to Rome, or because they reject  Romanitas as a center and engine of Catholic universality. The reason for this is the thinking of Martin Luther with his, "I stand here and will not be moved,'" says Levi di Gualdo.

Of Cardinal Marx the Roman priest describes him presently: "by the result of an obvious error made in good faith, errors by two different popes: Benedict XVI, promoted the young and aspiring bishop to the Bavarian Archbishop's chair and created a cardinal, and Francis, who wanted him for his commission of the eight wise men."

Mind Bending Psycho-Confessionals: Jesuits Introduce Lay Psychologists to Confessionals in Linz

In Hitler's "hometown"  the modernist faction introductes an un-Catholic approach to Confession.

Waiting for the first victims: Pastoral shrinks in the confessional of the old Cathedral in Linz - whether they both play the role of the priest is not apparent [screen capture Kirchenzeitung Linz]

Ingratiation

Despite  the desperation for  novelty,  Linz  remains the same: one just wants to suck up to the large heap of the consumers of Church contributions who have  little faith and make the Catholic faith unstable. Nevertheless, the reasons for the countless innovations (to innovations, etc.) are proven futile.

In a report  by "Linzer Church Newspaper" the designated secular newspaper of the Diocese of Linz says:

"In the new confessional in the old Cathedral   there aren't only priests are there to talk to  ... for consultation. There is also a psychologist inside offering advice."

The Psycho-Confessional

In the future, a person can not only chat with the priest in the so-called "confessional" of the old cathedral in Linz, but shrinks dig into the depths of souls there as well, if one  becomes consumed by earthly fears and desires. The existence of the soul in eternity would not be in the foreground of this modernist caricature.

The Jesuits Once Carried the Faith 

Under Emperor Ferdinand II, the Jesuits were still mainly a guarantee of the strengthening of the Catholic Faith, model vehicles of the beneficent Counter-Reformation in the inner-Austrian lands.

This has changed fundamentally: Large parts of the Jesuit Order have now the prescribed the neo-Protestant Zeitgeist "church"  and are the bearers of the Modernist movement within the Church.

The Modernist-Jesuits Mock the Sacrament of Confession

"If the sacrament of reconciliation is  to have a future, it needs new spaces and new forms," ​​said the European plain clothes Jesuit of the Old Cathedral in Linz, Fr. P. Michael Messner, whose psycho-confessional doesn't even include a minibar stocked with alcohol.

Also the obligatory couch, on which a patient can make himself comfortable  has been omitted. Despite or  really because of these innovations  the penitent can be hastened down the path to damnation more freely.

Uselessness of Plain Clothes Jesuits

These new forms of the "sacrament of reconciliation" apparently mean that  the priest is forced out of the confessional and a sunshine psychologist gives his two cents where he does not belong.

The priest's role, who for good reasons is subject to the Sacrament of Penance for the forgiveness of (repented) sins, will be laicized and  a signal for the uselessness of the clergy is established.

That God is degraded in psychology to the creation of the mortal soul, is probably the main reason why the shrink may give their two cents in the confessional in Linz.

"Psychologists are the Disease, 
 Whose Cure They Conceal"

These changes are  the expression of boundless hubris, which exactly causes  apostasy, which one then tries to cure with  still more innovations and waste.

This innovation always has  one thing in common: the believers (in this case, the confessional clients) would be removed from the influence of the heavenly.

Despite desperate attempts at innovation in the Tax Church in the land of Austria, everything remains the same: Faith "in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" is not renewed, but is significantly flattened.

Link to kreuz.net...

Archaeologists Discover 1,000 Year Old Pilgrimage Route in Ireland

On the small island of Ireland Caher, a traditional pilgrimage is held every 15 August,  but there are more finds.

 Dublin (kath.net / CBA) on the Irish Atlantic island of Caher archeologists have discovered a 1000-year-old pilgrimage route. According to a report in the "Irish Times" (Tuesday), the curved line is marked on the southern and western edge of the island by a series of stone altars. This was identified by archival material, aerial photography and excavations, says archaeologist Michael Gibbons.

The small island (about 600 x 1200 meters) is located eight kilometers off the west coast of Ireland, is uninhabited and is called in Irish "City of Saints" (Cathair na Naomh). Each year numerous people traditionally flock on 15 August for the Feast of the Assumption on the sea route to Caher. The newly discovered route includes an additional tour on the island.

Caher has an early monastery with the ruins of a chapel and a hermitage from the seventh century and a sacred fountain in the north of the island. The island belongs, according to Gibbons, to the "most valuable" places of Ireland. It has remained largely "unaffected" by conservators.

(C) 2013 Catholic News Agency KNA GmbH. All rights reserved. Photo: (c) homepage.eircom.net / ~ kilgeever / caher.htm

Prefect Gerhard Ludwig Müller Rejects More Power for Bishops' Conferences

The President of a Bishops' Conference is no Vice Pope.

Vatican (Catholic news / CF / kathweb.at). The prefect of the Vatican congregation, Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, has turned strongly against decentralizing the Church on the level of the national bishop conferences. "The Catholic Church is made up of local churches, but it is one," said the Prefect for the Italian daily newspaper "Corriere della sera": "There are no 'national' churches." - The Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences are "coordinators, not vice-popes" stressed the Vatican defender of the Faith. While the papacy and the office of bishop have "divine right", the Patriarchs and Bishops' Conferences to facilities work according to "human rights". Of course, these conferences also have doctrinal authority in certain areas, for instance when preparing local catechisms, liturgical books or the management of universities and Catholic schools: "The Pope can not know everything that happens in the individual countries," said Archbishop Müller. One must "find a practical balance." Pope Francis had recently announced in his letter "Evangelii Gaudium" considering more powers for national Bishops' Conferences. '

Photo: Archbishop Müller - image source: M. citizens kathnews.de,

  Link to Kath.news....

Baroque Pilgrimage Church on the Santiago de la Compostela Struck by Lightning and Burnt to the Ground

Edit: here's a paraphrase of the burning of a pilgrimage church in the town of Muxía in the provnice of A Coruña, called "Nosa Senora de Barca". The town was earlier destroyed by the rampaging of Napoleon.

A fire reported Wednesday has left  the shrine to the Virgin of da Barca, Muxia, La Coruna almost completely destroyed, which has burned the roof and the interior and  damaged stones with which it was built. The flames began, according to early indications, due to a lightning strike on a transformer next to the church, which caught fire and the fire passed through the wires to the sacristy.

The 112 (911) received notice at 8:30 am this Christmas day. The fire brigade said there was fire in the sanctuary, an emblematic place of worship and pilgrimage in the Costa da Morte.

VIDEO: CADENA SER

The area firefighters and effective voluntary groups in the area,  worked until 1pm to extinguish the flames, which were fanned by strong winds blowing in Muxia, and to the recover some figures and religious objects inside the church, which were damaged. "There would have been no human way to stop the fire. It was physically impossible," said the mayor of Muxia, Felix Porto to Cadena SER. Councilman making a statement about the "unrecoverable" the shrine.

Firefighters explained that the shrine has been "almost completely" burned and now the main risk is the collapse of part of the structure. They  stone walls and dome remains standing, but its structure is badly damaged and in danger of collapse.

The church's interior is completely burned and the central altarpiece has disappeared from the effect of fire. The side altars have been burned, though not in their entirety, and the only things saved from the flames were the pews or confessional areas of lesser cultural value.

The wind blowing in the area caused the fire would spread quickly and left the church almost completely engulfed in flames. The site has been handed to Heritage Technicians to assess the damage and the Judicial Police, in order to investigate the origin of the fire.

The shrine to the Virgin of da Barca is influenced by Baroque classicism.  The first surviving written document from it is dated from the year 1544. The chapel was rebuilt several times, until the early eighteenth century, in 1719 to  the present. Its austerity and simplicity is broken by the rich ornamentation of its altarpieces. The altarpiece, 1717, is the work of artist Miguel de Compostela Romay, Baroque and is dedicated to the Virgen de la Barca.

Link to El Pais....

Sad Christmas for Franciscans of the Immaculate -- Three More Mass Locations Closed Down Just Before Christmas

(Rome) The joy of Christmas 2013 has brought another sad note for the Franciscans of the Immaculate. Shortly before the Solemnity, the Apostolic Commissioner, Father Fidenzio Volpi OFM Cap  has closed up three more branches of the Order. Many Traditional Mass locations in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite were connected to the closings. The  faithful were faced with this fact just before the holidays, that they would be without priests and  Mass locations for Christmas.

Of the convents that were closed, one held two Marian shrines, that of Our Lady della Rovere in San Bartolomeo al Mare on the Italian Riviera and that of Our Lady of Pontelungo in Albenga and at the Church of Saint Leonard of Porto Maurizio in Imperia. The reason used by  the Apostolic Commissioner was that the Franciscans of the Immaculate have a missionary charism, which is why they should also be active in the mission and is displacing the brothers to the Third World countries. The papal commissioner has already directed the closure of other convents and the exile of leading religious representatives (see separate reports After Rebuilding the Desolation Follows - Commissioner Disbands Convents of the Franciscans of the Immaculate on and The Road to Exile - Purge of Franciscans of the Immaculata ).

All three branches and Mass sites were located in the diocese of Albenga-Imperia in Liguria. The diocese is led by Bishop Mario Oliveri, a traditional diocesan bishop, like Bishop Dominique Rey in the nearby French Diocese of Frejus-Toulon on the Cote d'Azur, who promotes the establishment of old and biritual communities and gives them the task of the care of souls.

The closure of the three religious houses by the papal commissioner came after Bishop Oliveri gave permission for the brothers to live in his diocese, also supporting them in continuing to be able to celebrate in the traditional Rite. The Bishop drew particular attention to the pastoral care of the faithful at the three  Mass sites. "Messa in Latino" refers to a "retaliatory action" against the bishop, if he "had dared to defend the Franciscans of the Immaculate."

Bishop Oliveri in 2008 was the world's first diocesan bishop, after the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, of Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate a Pontifical Mass from the throne. Seven Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate took their solemn profession in the Co-Cathedral of Imperia  before the bishop.

"The Commissioner and some brothers collaborating with him, have imposed a climate of intimidation and fear  in the Order," says a Catholic from Albenga in a letter to Libertà e Persona . "In dealing with the Franciscans of the Immaculate itself, there is little sense of 'mercy' and 'justice' and  even less 'brotherly love'. And what can we  ordinary believers do? We pray. But we should also write Pope Francis write personal, because only he can put an end to this destruction of this thriving Order ".

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Santuario della Rovere NS / Santuario NS di Pontelungo

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMGD

Mass for Fourth Week of Advent Replaced by "Feast of Values" in Stuttgart

[Politically Correct] The abolition of best and most beautiful traditions  in Germany sometimes brings forth wondrous flowers. A high school [Gymnasium] in Stuttgart's Bad Cannstatt is celebrating  graduation on 20 December, a "Multicultural Celebration of the Feast of Values" rather than as a conventional Advent Mass. Ironically, the Catholic Church of Our Lady has even  made their church available for this ethical balderdash. Instead of the Mass of the  4th week of  Advent they committed to a celebration under the motto: "The 4th Thread, What Makes us Free?"  The organizer is the Ecumenical Student Council of Religion and Ethics.

According to the invitation letter from the Gottlieb-Daimler school to the parents, which was forwarded to PI, it reads (to enlarge click on the picture, with a brief summary below) :

So it is logically quite enthusiastically against racism and boasted that the almighty Cem Özdemir himself has awarded them the anti-racism plaque: "School without Racism--School with Courage". In general, the school represents itself as very liberal, whether they were to make  a silly short film, a Ju-Jutsu course or a learning tour of Stuttgart against racism. Such invaluable curriculum enrichments, without which the future intellectual elites of our country would not be socially acceptable and certainly not politically correct, are safely inculcated.

We ask ourselves, where is the much sought courage to keep one's own Christian traditions. Why does   no one have the courage to openly confess to rather than replacing Christian tradition by any favored ethical system? Why must everything be mixed in an ideal world mess, instead of showing some integrity?

Contact:

Gottlieb-Daimler-school
headmistress Verena King
Katowice Straße 8
70374 Stuttgart
Tel: 0711-952830-0
Fax:. 0711-952830-123
Email: gdg@stuttgart.de

»Parish: info@pf-liebfrauen.de

There was also a report taken up by Junge Freiheit with some more back ground on this event:

It was an ecumenical festival celebrated to the assembled students on the last school day before Christmas under the motto: "The Four Thread -- What Makes us Free?".

For this event students of Evangelical and Catholic religious instruction groups as well as the ethics class were called upon the make contributions, explained a letter of explanation by the school, which is published above by Politically Incorrect.   The result of these considerations was that the students were desired to present a multicultural religious service in the Catholic church.

The event was organized by members of the Ecumenical Department of Religion and Ethics at the school "where people from 20 different nations come to learn",  it says on the school's internet site.  "We accept no form of racism, antagonism to women or other discrimination.  We are attentive to appropriate speech."  It is unclear why the school had replaced a Christmas Mass with a "Multi-cultural Feast".  The administration has not made a statement available. (FA)

Translation: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Politically Correct in German....  

Link to Junge Freiheit...

AMGD

Researcher: The Influence of Pederasts on the Greens More Significant Than Expected

The so-called City Indians at a Party Meeting of the Green's in
Saarbrucken (1980): The Greens have to come to terms
with their past.  Photo: picture-alliance/Sven Simon

GÖTTINGEN. The Goettingen Institute for the Study of Democracy has submitted an interim report about  the entanglement of the Greens with pedophile circles. The Institute was commissioned to do so by the party. For the Greens it was  "entirely unavoidable  to recall, even though it may be painful and, 'electorally detrimental '"  is the conclusion the 118 page study drew. "The participants were to know exactly what they had actually debated and decided upon and which boundary lines have been left vague or had been consciously exceeded."

Indeed, the Greens were "neither the first nor have they been the only point of contact for pedophile activists", but due to their cultural claims and their organizational structure that the party offered "a special sounding board for the concerns of minorities and marginalized groups".  "Pro-Pedophile forces" had  been thus been capable for several years, "to feed their views and demands in the decision-making process of the country".

Paedophilia was never made it "ever in any way to  the core of the party or party identity development", but "it turned up  at least until the mid-1990s in the debate here and there once more in the party." The Greens can not, therefore, rely "on a particular zeitgeist, to only a few strays and marginal sectarians in their own ranks." The authors cautioned the participants against an "apologetic trivialization of their contributions."  Such are guild before the "victims of sexual abuse". (FA)

Junge Freiheit....

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com..

AMGD