Interview of Cardinal Brandmüller on "Amoris laetitia": "Exceptions Are a Dead End"

Vatican City (kath.net/KNA) Many commentators believe that after the Pope's Letter on Marriage and Family "Amoris laetitia," there was a possible admission of remarried divorcees to communion in individual cases. In the interview with the Katholischen Nachrichten-Agentur (KNA), Cardinal Walter Brandmüller (87) explained how he thinks this is a misinterpretation, for example, how the footnote number  351 is read and that  "Amoris laetitia" can be  a "wake-up call" for the Catholic Church in Germany.

KNA: your Eminence, you were described by the newspaper "Bild" as a critic of the post-synodal letter "Amoris laetitia" of Pope Francis. What do you not like about this document on marriage and family?

Brandmüller: On that I must disagree. This is a misrepresentation of the facts. I have not yet publicly expressed myself after the publication of the letter. I have published an aid to interpreting the expected document only before publication. So to talk about a criticism is also incorrect. 

KNA: In your guide to interpretation you speak against any exceptions for the admission of those divorced and remarried in individual cases. But many commentators have understood "Amoris laetitia" exactly as this. Are your fears justified then? 

Brandmüller: Yes, some interpretations in fact go wrong. To allow exceptions in individual cases is a dead end. I made ​​that clear in my aid to interpretation. What is fundamentally impossible for reasons of faith, it is also in the individual case. This was prior to the appearance of "Amoris laetitia" as well as afterwards. It is Catholic doctrine that a validly concluded and consummated marriage can not be dissolved by any power on earth -  certainly not by the Church. Jesus says: "What God has joined together, man must not separate." And: Whoever divorces his wife from the marriage and marries another, commits adultery against her. Even a woman commits adultery when she divorces her husband and marries another." So now the question: Can I really receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ, that is, Himself, being aware what He said and yet disregarding  it?

KNA: Pope Francis himself answered the question in the affirmative, if through his writing, where "specific new possibilities" for the divorced and remarried have been created.  What are these then?

 Brandmüller: There are parts of the letter "Amoris Laetitia" that are very beautiful and leading spiritually  into the depths and has more significant things to offer than answers to the marginal problems of the so-called  remarried divorcees.  Anyone who thinks there is an opportunity to receive absolution and communion  in "Amoris laetitia",  they would have to seek it  in the footnote 351 in Chapter 8. There is talk that such believers in the Church could be provided the means to the Sacraments, in certain cases. This was interpreted in fact in the said sense. 

But: the nature of specific cases which might be, remains unsaid. Also, it must be asked whether a footnote of about three lines is sufficient to overthrow the entire teachings of popes and Councils on this subject. Certainly not! Rather  this footnote should be interpreted even more strictly in accordance with the constant teaching of the Church. The Church can not contradict itself. 

KNA: What does this writing mean for the Catholic Church in Germany?

Brandmüller "Amoris laetitia" should really serve as a wake up call in Germany. It is now at last insists not only upon focusing in the marriage preparation on sociology and psychology, but to convey the profound teaching of the Church on the sanctity and beauty of authentic marriage and helps young people  to  succeed in marriage and a hand at building a family.

The Regensburg Bishop, Rudolf Voderholzer recently made this insightfully important point: especially  the pastorally unilateral acts should cease that negate the Church's credibility and bring about disagreement and confusion.  "Amoris laetitia" could be the new start to an ecclesial pastoral care of marriage, if one choses to align pastoral practice clearly with the doctrine of the faith. Everything else would fail from its own inner untruthfulness. (C) 2016 CBA Catholic News Agency. All rights reserved. Photo: (c) kath.net

Link...

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG

Bicycling in the Sanctuary --- The "Model" of the "Merciful" Bishops

Archbishop Lorefice Travels With His Bike Through the Presbyterium
of his Cathedral

(Rome) The new Archbishop of Palermo, recently appointed by Pope Francis, Msgr. Corrado Lorefice, swung himself in a bicycle and drove through the presbyterium of his Cathedral.

"Sometimes I ask myself whether certain prelates do not invent these surprises from a mere desire to see if they come into the media and land especially on certain blogs, for example, ours ..." according to the traditional website Messa in Latino.

News and pictures were published by the official website of the Archdiocese of Palermo with the following text:

"Palermo. Primatiale Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption, Wednesday, April 27, 2016: Feast of the Athletes. Image: His Excellency Most Reverend Monsignor Corrado Lorefice, Archbishop-Metropolitan, Primate of Sicily, on a bicycle in the chancel of his cathedral..

The Archbishop was given a bike that he didn't want to try outside the church. Instead, he rose immediately and in full regalia as celebrant,  chasuble and miter,  got on the bike  and drove it through the presbytery of his episcopal church. The Cathedral of Palermo is not only where lay the Stauferkaisers Henry VI. and Frederick II. and the Norman King, Roger II. It is above all one of the oldest Christian places of worship in Europe. The area of ​​the Cathedral was secret at the latest  in the second century gathering of Christians in underground tunnels. Here the martyrs of the persecution of Christians were buried. The Christians gathered at their graves. In the early fourth century, the construction of the first cathedral was carried out. Under Pope Gregory the Great, the second cathedral was built around 600. 

"Ultraprogessive slap"

Biking Archbishop

Msgr. Lorefice belongs to the so-called "compassionate" bishops appointed by Pope Francis. Observers speak of "progressive" appointments.

Born in 1962 in Sicily, he was ordained in 1987 a priest in the Diocese of Noto. On October 27, 2015, Pope Francis surprised with his appoinment as the new primate of Sicily. Last 5 December, the inauguration took place. Officially, church-related media cheered him as a "bishop of a Church of the poor and for the poor". Traditional media, however, spoke of an "ultra progressive slap for conservatives" in the Church.

Lorefice followed Cardinal Paolo Romeo, who made the ominous prediction in late 2011 that Pope Benedict XVI. would die within the year 2012. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, of Benedict XVI. taught thereat, in his exposition of the facts of an "assassination plot".

Pop music of Noemi and "School of Bologna"

Lorefice belongs to the progressive "school of Bologna", that historian school, looking at the Second Vatican Council as a "break" with the recent ecclesial tradition and as a "new beginning" in the modern age. Lorefice contributed to this school in a book about Gisueppe Dossetti and Cardinal Lercaro, who were both central figures of the progressive "Rhenish Alliance".

Dossetti was a left Catholic politician, who was consecrated a priest in 1959 consecrated by Cardinal Lercaro priest. Thanks to his political and parliamentary experience, he was the one who steered the Second Vatican Council for the "Rheinische Alliance" from the background. The lever which he used  was the Rules of Procedure. Until an incensed  Pope Paul VI. forced him to leave Rome.

Lorefice had become, before his appointment, less known because of a clerical draft, but especially because of his unusual sermons on the music of Noemi and other pop singers.

Messa in Latina wrote sarcastically about the Archbishop  biking in his church: "Ad perpetuam rei memoriam." The conspicuous drive into the presbyterate seems to proportionally match its desacralization.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

Archbishop Osoro Will Now Participate in Cardinal Müller's Book Presentation After All

Cardinal Müller may not present his book at the Archdiocesan
University.  But will at least participate at the presentation.

(Madrid) Archbishop Carlos Osoro of Madrid is backpedaling. According to the media reports about his ban against Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the Archbishop of Madrid has once again considered it.  He will now take part in the book presentation, which will take place due to Osoro's ban, now at the University Francisco de Vitoria.

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As reported yesterday,  Madrid's Archbishop Carlos Osoro had made ​​an unprecedented affront to Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Prefect of the CDF.

From German Cardinal talking book "appeared recently in Spain Informe sobre la esperanza " (About Hope's Place). The book situates itself on the side of the Church's position, calling a spade a spade. In the course of treatment within the Church discussions, for example, through the sacrament of marriage, divorce and homosexuality, it also contains criticism of Pope Francis' administration. Thus the Cardinal explains  that 500 Years of Reformation is "nothing  for Catholics to celebrate." It's an answer to the common Reformation commemoration that Pope Francis is planning along with the Lutheran World Federation, and will travel on 31 October 2016, to Stockholm.

Osoro accused publisher of asserting a "non-existent" conflict

Next week Cardinal Müller will present his book in several Spanish cities. A German edition, and other translations are in preparation.

The presentation in Madrid was to be held at the Archbishop's University San Dámaso, which is also connected with the seminary of the Archdiocese.

However, Archbishop Osoro  justified his ban of Cardinal Müller on the grounds that his book was "against the Pope."

A week ago things had sounded quite different. At the Spring Plenary Assembly of the Spanish Bishops' Conference of 18-22nd April Osoro criticized the publisher, the prestigious Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos (BAC), on the grounds that the book had asserted a "conflict" between Pope Francis and Cardinal Müller that did not exist in reality.

The "non-existent conflict" must exist since Archbishop Osoro even tried to exercise censorship against the Cardinal Prefect of the CDF.

Osoro, because  of criticism over a "fake resume," will now participate

Osoro, appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Madrid in the fall of 2014, is currently in the spotlight himself. On his appointment, he referred to four Licentiates, which he had acquired during his academic training. According to Infovaticana  his resume had been "faked" and he does not have a single licentiate. Anyway, according to the Spanish news site, they can't find any trace of them in any of the  universities mentioned.

Following the ban by the Archbishop the organizers did not cancel the presentation, but sought for a new venue. The book launch will be taking place at the University Francisco de Vitoria. Also the competent diocesan bishop was also invited, as in all places where Cardinal Müller presents his book. However Osoro declined to participate.

According to recent media reports, however, there was a turnaround. Archbishop Osoro is now to attend the book launch at the University Francisco de Vitoria as Infovaticana announced.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Infovaticana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

LInk to Katholisches...

AMDG

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Archbishop Bans Cardinal Müller From University Because New Book is, "Against the Pope"

(Madrid) Pope's confidant as a censor? Madrid Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra forbade Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Prefect of the faith of the Catholic Church, to present his latest book "Informe sobre la esperanza" (State of  Hope) at the Catholic University of San Dámaso present in Madrid. The reasoning? Because it was "a book against the pope."

The renowned Spanish Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos (BAC), whose director is the priest Carlos Granados, led the interview with Cardinal Müller, on which the book was based, has invited the German cardinal for next week to Spain in order to present the interview book  in Valencia, Madrid and Oviedo.

The book is about the situation of the Church.The title is a reference to the famous book, published 30 years ago this week by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Vittorio Messori "State of the faith". The content promises the same explosiveness. A German edition is already in preparation.

Archbishop of Madrid Prohibits Book Launch

"Informe sobre la esperanza" - The new book by Cardinal Müller

In Madrid, the Spanish capital, the presentation was to take place at the Archdiocesan  University San Dámaso, which doubles as a seminary of the Archdiocese of Madrid. But Archbishop Osoro banned the book launch. He wanted "nothing to do with a book against the pope"  said Infovaticana .

The presentation will now be at the University Francisco de Vitoria instead, a University of the Legionaries of Christ and of course without Archbishop Osoro, who had refused the invitation.

The unfriendly uninviting of the Cardinal Prefect and the repellent treatment by the Madrid Archbishop had been a prelude. In the Spring at the Plenary Assembly of the Spanish Bishops' Conference ​​Osoro and other bishops close to him  made the publication an issue. The group criticized that the  BAC had published this book, "without asking". Osoro justified his criticism by saying that the book highlighted a "conflict" between Cardinal Müller and Pope Francis that it did not exist in reality.

As recent events show,  Archbishop Osoro doesn't even believe his own  thesis. It only served  to exert pressure on the BAC, who did not back down and did not cancel the series of events at the book presentation.  Thereupon the ban the book from the archdiocesan university was imposed as the next step.

Has Archbishop Osoror falsified his resume?

Catholic University of San Damaso in Madrid

Meanwhile, there is provided in Spain with increasing insistence on the question of why Archbishop Osoro "has lied to the Vatican," said Infovaticana .

Archbishop Osoro, born in 1945, was formerlythe  Archbishop of Valencia. When Pope Francis made  Madrid Archbishop Cardinal Antonio Maria Varela Ruoco an emeritus for reasons of age, it was left to him  by the Congregation for Bishops, to propose as is usual, the selection of three candidates. Francis refused all and promoted instead, Osoro, from Valencia to Madrid. However, as the Archbishop of Valencia, he appointed Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, whom he removed from the office of Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.

Prior to his appointment to Madrid, Osoro had to send a resume to the Vatican, which was published in extracts  with the appointment. Therein, Osoro claimed to have achieved four licentiates: in philosophy, theology, science and education.

In Daily Bulletin of the Vatican press office, which announced the appointment in 2014, it states:

Mons. Carlos Osoro Sierra è nato a Castañeda, provincia e diocesi di Santander, il 16 maggio 1945. Dopo aver studiato Magistero presso la Escuela Normal ed aver esercitato la docenza per un anno a Santander, è entrato nel seminario per le vocazioni adult Colegio Mayor El Salvador di Salamanca, ove ha frequentato i corsi di Filosofia e Teologia presso la Pontificia Università di quella città, ottenendo la licenza nelle due discipline . Ha pure conseguito la licenza in Scienze Esatte dell'Università Complutense di Madrid e in Pedagogiadell'Università di Salamanca. (Emphasis added by the editors)

In Spain, voices claiming publicly that Osoro have not acquired in reality one of the four Licentiates. In the Congregation for Bishops  journalistic inquiry was excluded because of the secrecy of the proceedings of a bishop's appointment. Unofficially it was said, in the Congregation, the resume was not checked after Pope Francis rejected all of the tested and nominated candidates and had appointed  Osoro instead.

Spanish observers do not rule out that there is a connection between the affront to Cardinal Müller and the rumors about the fake CV.  "Osoro now needs a friend in Rome. A very high friend," said Francisco Fernandez de la Cigoña.

  Whatever may be the personal reasons for Archbishop Osoro: To deny access of a Cardinal Prefect of the CDF   to a Catholic university to present his book, presents an unprecedented break  in  manners. The justification that the book is allegedly  "against. the pope" is an affront that certainly has  a very sharp point. "The book must be important," said Fernandez de la Cigoña, "if there are censorship attempts."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Infovaticana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Masonleaks -- Leak of Documents from the Grand Lodge of France

(Paris) The news is startling, and yet the mass media hardly takes notice of it. The data leak was concerned this time not with the US State Department (Wikileaks) and not the Vatican (Vatileaks), but Freemasonry. There is talk of a Masonleaks. The analysis of thousands of secret documents of the lodge will likely take months to complete.

The Grand Lodge of France filed a complaint with the prosecution in Paris against  unknown persons. Hackers cracked the server of the Grand Lodge and were able to gain access to membership lists and internal documents. Several thousand confidential documents of the lodges have already been published on the Internet. The  data leak was made public by the weekly magazine L'Express .

The file containing the confidential boxes of papers was published for first time last April 10 on the website Stop Mensonges published. The site wrote:

 "Revelations about the secret government, which determines the new world order."

It is a data volume of six gigabytes of secret documents. It's about decades of secret rituals, directories, projects, programs, statements,  internal publications, membership applications, thousands of detailed CVs of neophytes who applied for initiation or of which they were granted. We have also found hundreds of criminal records, of which it is suspected  not only that they are adepts, but may serve  information gathering or the exertion of pressure. In addition, copies of identity documents, internal correspondence and those with other Grand Lodges around the world. The daily Le Monde was allowed to inspect the data.

Stop Mensonges - to protect the parties there is no information on the origin of the papers

The mechanics that led to the data leakage is currently unknown. The server of the Grand Lodge announced on April 4, a penetration on April 2 of its Lodge-cloud . Some of the hacked documents are dated April 2016. It's a document that the operation is very recent.

The operator of the website Stop Mensonges has lived in a villa in Las Vegas for years. His only explanation was previously that in order "to protect the people involved," he could not explain how he got to the documents. He refused an interview by the magazine Society  for fear of reprisals.

In the Grand Lodge of France there seems be a mole, a lodge brother who stole the documents. Publicly, the Grand Lodge does not want to comment on the incident. It seems that it is the Internet pirates failed to gain possession of the complete list of the 34,000 members of the Grand Lodge. The names of many lodge brothers seem, however,  to  appear in the cracked documents.

OCLCTIC commenced investigations

As soon as the complaint was filed, the OCLCTIC leapt into action. Behind the unpronounceable acronym is concealed the Office central de lutte contre la criminalité liée aux technologies de l'information et de la communication, founded in 2000, a special branch of the police, which specializes in cybercrime.

The Grand Lodge of France is just one of eight Masonic obediences that are currently active in France. However, it is the second largest behind the Grand Orient of France . According to media reports there had been, after the discovery of data leakage,  hectic contacts between the Grand Lodge and the Interior Ministry and between the Grand Lodge and the other obediences. They apparently fear similar attacks and have increased security mechanisms.

Just how sensational of data leaks and  the explosiveness of all the published secret documents can not yet be estimated. These documents must first be reviewed and analyzed. It's a work that, may take years if not months to complete. "There is probably some explosive information that includes previously unknown contacts and connections with far-reaching political, economic and socio-political consequences at national and international levels. We do not yet know where to start the search," said an employee of Médias Press .

Grand Master of the Grand Orient drew from Simone Veil  - "Abortion is a cornerstone of our society"

Despite the attack, the aproned brothers have, however, not been deterred from their current socio-political causes: abortion and gender ideology.

The Grand Orient of France gave, last April 8, just four days after becoming aware of the data leaks by the "brother"-obedience,  the Marianne de Jacques France award to the 88 year old Simone Veil. It stresses the importance that the Grand Orient attaches to the practice of abortion.  Under Simone Veil's administration as the Minister of Health, the French abortion law, the 1975 Loi Veil was decided. Grandmaster Daniel Keller personally bestowed, in the presence of Senate President Gerard Larcher,  an honor to the coveted figure represented by her two sons, Jean and Pierre-François Veil who received this on her behalf. The figure will "bear witness to the solidarity and the recognition of the Grand Orient by Simone Veil, our sister from the heart".

Keller went straight to the point. He praised Veil's "republican activism," her  "struggle for the emancipation of women," which was a "child of secularism". While  secularism is "the linchpin of the Masonic use".

He also praised the abortion law as "a symbol of the improvement of man and society, in the Masonic work".

Keller added: "This law is a pillar of our society."

"That every day in France, hundreds of children are killed in their mothers' wombs, thus is the pillar of society, because it is wanted by the Masonic sect", says the press agency Médias Press Info .

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image. Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Does Cardinal Casper Want Women Cardinals? Women Should Have a Say in the Conclave

(Rome) Cardinal Walter Kasper has adopted gender ideology and is calling for the participation of women at the next conclave.

Whether the German cardinal also calls them Cardinalettes, is not clear coming from his remarks.  Anyway, if it were up to him, women would vote as papal electors in the next conclave.

"It is theoretically possible that women participate in the election of a pope. The composition of the group, which is tasked to choose a pope is not the subject of a divine mandate. This thing can change."

The cardinal expressed those words last Monday in Rome at the launch of the new special edition "Maria's Daughters - The Church and Women" by Herder Korrespondenz,  as katholisch.de the news page of the German Bishops' Conference reported.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: MiL (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.clom

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

WDR Photo of Panda With Inverted Cross

An inverted cross is on the Panda mask of rapper Cro, with the WDR advertising for the music channel "1-live".

Cologne (kath.net) An inverted cross is on the Panda mask of rapper Cro, with the WDR [West Deutscher Rundfunk is a radio broadcaster.] advertisement for its music channel "1-live." The advertising has been seed frequently in the Cologne area in March. A reader wrote kath.net that he had felt the inverted cross to be an aggressive anti-Christian symbol. Also the reader explained  that he had the writen WDR, the GEZ Agency and the Catholic and Protestant churches of Cologne  with a request for comments, but they had not answered him.

The musician has been wearing panda masks for years as a trademark. Then the inverted crosses are partly for at times more subtle, partly more powerful presentation. Mostly he uses masks without inverted cross, the WDR would therefore also have available imagery, that would not have been offensive to Christians.

The musician has already been criticized several times over the years on the inverted cross. The characters look "so cool," he said at one point. To the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" he explained in an interview in 2012: "This is completely pointless and has no meaning at all. Initially, the mask was so empty, then there was a thick black  pen and now the cross is there." Two years later, he explained at the Openair Festival Frauenfeld. "I was at a party and we were all drunk and in the morning I woke up and had a cross on my forehead," as he pointed to the inverted cross on his Panda mask.

In Christian culture the inverted cross is often a sign of negation of Christianity or as a satanic symbol.

See also the article on the WDR site.

http://www1.wdr.de/radio/1live/events/einslive-macht-cro-100.html

Jesuit Manuel Carreia: "Islam, the Worst Plague the Human Race Has EverSeen"

(Madrid) the famous astrophysicist and Jesuit, Father Manuel Carreira, has said "Islam, the worst plague that the human race has ever seen."

In an interview Carreira had indirectly responded  to a discussion on West Germany and said that one could not plausibly claim that "Islam is compatible with the rights of a European nation".

Astrophysicist and Jesuit

The Spaniard Manuel Maria Carreira Verez SJ became famous mainly as an astrophysicist, but also as a philosopher and theologian. Since 1974 he is a member of the Vatican Specula, was an employee at numerous NASA projects in the United States and taught more than 30 years at various universities, including the John Carroll University in the US and the Pontifical University of Comillas in Spain.

In an interview with El Español he addressed some current issues, including the migration crisis, the relationship between the West and Islam, and the relationship between the state and Church.

The State must preserve Christian heritage, he does not want to jeopardize its existence

"The state need not impose any specific religious behavior," but it has to be taken into account, that the Western countries are based on Christian ethics, because this has formed these States and made them what they are and what is necessary to defend.

"The Catholicity is a central key element in the development of the state", which applies to all of Western Europe. Therefore, the European countries could not accept the abolition of Christianity without putting their very existence at risk.

There is growing secularization, and this was "up to a certain point, even desirable, because religion must not be a political element." But the state has the task and duty to protect its Christian heritage as part of the common good.

Islam is "completely unable" to respect human dignity and human rights

Carreira mainly sees a threat to Western countries, and that is above all Islam. "I would say that Islam is the worst plague that  humanity has seen in the past 2000 years.". Islam is "completely unable" to develop, respect for human dignity.

For Muslims it is therefore "impossible to respect human rights and the Western tradition".

A Muslim in Europe "denies either this respect, then is an internal threat to Europe, or he accepts European thought, which means he is an unbeliever and is dead according to Islamic understanding." Either way, "there is no positive contribution by Islam to a modern society that is respectful of the fundamental rights of every human being," said Carreira.

Idea of ​​the multicultural state "an intellectual blunder"

For this reason, the astrophysicist and Jesuit sees in the idea of ​​a multicultural state an "intellectual blunder". It lacks any "reasonable relation to reality". Father Carreira said: "It seems to me that one can not plausibly claim that Islam is compatible with the rights of a European nation."

"Islam," said the Jesuit, "was created as decaffeinated Christianity because they simply have obscured what they did not understand in Christianity: one no longer talked about the Trinity, nor the incarnation of God for the simple reason that they had not understood it. "Therefore, Islam is a 7th - 9th Century developing form of "a minimalist distorted Christianity" with its "own theology," which is of a  "very simple thinking."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: InfoVaticana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG 

Latin Church in Mossul Blown Up by Islamists

(Bagdad) On Sunday,  24. April the Latin Church in the old city of   Mossul was destroyed by explosives.

The church which is entrusted to the Dominican Order under the name of "Church of the Miraculous Mother of God" and because of its bell tower clock, popularly known as the "Clock Church". 

According to an unofficial statement by the Chaldean Patriarchate, the attack was accomplished by the   Islamic State (IS) which has controlled the northern Iraqi city since June 9, 2014. 

Sources which  Fides cite, suggest that the jihadists of the  des Islamic State (IS) had been plundering the area around the church. Shortly after that, the church was blown up. 

The  official statement by the Chaldean Patriarchate described the "pain" over the destruction of the church.  Iraqi politicians were asked to "quickly resolve this" and direct a "real national reconciliation," which, "will cease any further spreading of terrorism." 

The Latin Church with its clock tower church, was  the image of the old city of Mosul. The tower was a gift of the Empress  Eugenie, the wife of Emperor   Napoleon III. of France.. It has not been ruled out that this church's connection to France is what made it a target of the terrorist attack. 

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: NCAu (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Edit: so glad this was ironed out by Nostrae Aetate.

AMDG

After 50 Years of Liberal Church Management: 36 of 110 Churches of Brussels Will be Closed

36 of 110 Churches of Brussels shall soon be closed: The fate of
St. Nicholas (left) and Our Lady of Zavel are not certain.

(Brussels) In Brussels, capital of Belgium, 36 out of 110 Catholic churches will soon be closed and sold. The change in Archbishop also brought a change of direction back to "structural reforms" instead of spiritual renewal. It is the sad result of a homemade, progressive decline.

Brussels is also the headquarters of the European Union. The leftist city government majority in the municipal council consists of one third Muslims. These are two aspects that provide explanations for this unprecedented decline. Another key aspect is the decades-long line of liberal archbishops in the Archdiocese.

Cardinal Danneel's restructuring plans

Yet in 2010 there was a turning point: Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard tried as archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, certainly with recognizable success, to revive by the establishment and promotion of a small but faithful group in some churches that had been devastated for decades by his predecessor, Cardinal Godfried Danneels (Archbishop 1980-2010, Cardinal since 1983) which were already threatened of being put up for sale. Léonard's term of only five years, however, was too short. In addition, this churchman who fought in Europe's front line, received neither the necessary encouragement nor the necessary support.

Although Brussels has traditionally been linked to the dignity of cardinal, he was not granted it by Benedict XVI. not out of a false consideration for Danneels who was not yet 80 years old. Pope Francis did not even think to dream of it, to give a "Ratzingerian" like Léonard, the declared object of hatred of Francis-friend Danneels, the purple dignity. So Léonard's days were numbered.

On November 6, 2015, he was retired by Francis. With Jozef De Kesel, a Danneels man was named as the new archbishop, who quicly moved away from Léonard's restoration efforts and returned to the closure and sale policy of Danneels. Houses of worship would be sold off for little money. According to the plans of Archbishop De Kesel, newly established in his post on December 12, 2015 soon, there would be 36 of 110 churches closed in the "capital" of Europe. There has been no comparable action by the Church in all of its History in a European capital.

Archbishop De Kesel made his plans known in 2005

The daily newspaper La Libre published the plans with two articles. This did not only disturb the peace of Belgian Catholics. The question touches on other places of European catholicity in addition to Belgium, which are in the post-conciliar decline.

The third Christian millennium began with Cardinal Danneel's "restructuring plans". The conveyance and merging of parishes were central keywords that were given concrete shape from 2005 onwards. Jozef De Kesel was then Episcopal Vicar for the Vicariate Brussels, one of the three vicariates of the Archdiocese. It was De Kesel who announced the plans for the "future" of parishes in 2005. They were based on two considerations: as the number of Catholics decline, the number of parishes was greater than the demand, and especially greater than the funds; in addition, the high number of parishes of our Church does not fit the "multireligious and multicultural" dimension "of our modern society." It's a common choice of words to disguise Islamization. In Brussels there are more practicing Muslims than Catholics. The first name Mohammed has lead for several years on the list of newborn boys. Yet the theme of Islamization is politically undesirable among the dominant forces and must therefore must not be addressed. The same applies to the disintegration of the Catholic community through immigration into many small, independent, ethnic communities. Even immigration coming from Catholic sources has brought fragmentation rather than unity.

Current situation

 The Kingdom of Belgium is a historical artifact in a linguistic-cultural space in transition. Since Germany, the Netherlands and France have territorial claims on the region, the great powers created it in 1830 from the former Austrian-Netherlands into a separate state in order not to disturb the balance of power. The inner layer is linguistically therefore, somewhat more complex than in other European countries, and this includes Church organization.

In the area of Brussels, there are 107 parishes which employ 250 priests. 11 pastoral units are Dutch-speaking (Flemish), 25 pastoral units are French (Walloons). Plus, there are 42 different foreign-language communities. All of these parishes, units and communities are summarized in four deaneries. According to information of the weekly magazine Tempi  36 pastoral parish units will be dissolved and at least one church be closed.

This does not mean that all churches are to be profaned immediately. But it is to say that all church activities such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, catecheses are discontinued. The profanation and the sale are the next step. The first article of Le Libre last March 22 was like a shock to the faithful.

Churches as an object of speculation?

Some parishes are hard to keep. There is a lack of faithful and the funds are scarce among Brussels Catholics. The radical deforestation leaves the faithful in fear that even vibrant parishes could fall under the bureaucrat's wheels when their churches located in "interesting" parts of the city are set aside for real estate speculation. Among the seven criteria for the conveyance of parishes is the term "urban projects."

Above all, the faithful do not understand why parishes are to be dissolved, although there are enough priests to look after them.

The pastor of a small parish that is to be abandoned, asked not to close the church, but to leave it to the Polish community which still lacks their own church. The proposal was rejected.

According to La Libre there is no definite decision which parishes are to be closed. In the near future a meeting between a group of concerned Catholics and the reigning Episcopal Vicar for Brussels, Jean Kockerols, is to take place.

New Archbishop De Kesel has Introduced His Closure Plan Again

The big "remodeling" of the Catholic Church in Brussels, which had been put in the drawer by Archbishop Léonard, had once again been put on the table as soon as De Kesel took over the office as Archbishop. De Kesel announced the "reconstruction" in his pastoral letter of 2005. Cardinal Danneels wanted De Kesel to be installed as his successor in 2010. That was rejected by Benedict XVI. who gave the assignment to Léonard, the then Bishop of Namur, with the attempt to at revival. With the election of Pope Francis, however, in which Cardinal Danneels as a member of Team Bergoglio and the secret circle Sankt Gallen is again operational, the chapter of Léonard and Benedict XVI. for the Belgian church came to an end faster than expected.

Soon numerous Brussels churches are being offered on the real estate market for sale. It's a sad highlight in the decline of the self-adulating conciliar Church which says there is "no alternative." .

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 Image: Wikicommons (assembly)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
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Cardinal Ravasi Twitters His Dismay Over Death of Pop Star, Again

I'm The deeply religious musician was at times the member of the "Jehovah Witnesses"  And expressed a great affinity for the Pope. 

Vatican City-Washington (kath.net/ KAP)
After the death of the U.S. musician Prince there was shock overall in the Vatican.  The President of the Pontifical  Council for Culture,Cardinal  Gianfranco Ravasi, twittered on Friday morning a citation from the "artist": "Sometimes, sometimes I wish that life was never ending/All good things, they say, never last." These words come from the song   "Sometimes It Snows in April" of 1986. [Doesnt he have more important things to do?]

On Thursday evening Prince's speaker announced his death at his residence in Paisley Park in the US-State of Minnesota. An official report about the cause of his death is not available yet. In March, Prince announced his desire to write his memoirs.

Besides Ravasi  US-President Barack Obama issued a statement. "Today we have lost a creative icon." He said in a statement from Washington. Niagara Falls was lit with lilac in remembrance of probably his most famous song, "Purple Rain". He was 57.
Prince did not enter into any cliches and formed a complex figure; little was it known that the deceased rebel artist with the image of a sex idol was a deeply religious man.  He was the member of the "Jehovah's Witnesses", but often expressed his appreciation for the pope and  for every racy sing, like  "Darling Nikki", he wrote a religious one like "The Cross.". He created artistic borderlines, in which he mixed prudery with fantasies of sexually starved people. He also viewed the energy between the sexes in a religious context.

Up until his death at the age of 57, Prince remained eccentric, in fathomable, and yet very close to his fans, whom he yet provoked --for example as   "Mister Purple Rain" spoke against "gay marriage." "God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it to whatever and he just cleaned up," explained the star in an interview.  "He said, enough is enough." It was a sensation that recently the star offered a free concert in Baltimore to honor the young black, Freddie Gray, who died in police custody that unleashed unrest in the city in April 2015.

http://kath.net/news/54924

Potato Sack Bishops Form Potato Sack Priests

For the rebellious 68er old progressivists, who have the say in today's
modern Church, the potato sack bishop is no danger. On the contrary he serves
as welcome cover.

(Berlin / Vienna / Bern) It is now nearly twelve years since Don Reto Nay, priest of the diocese of Chur in Switzerland, the spiritual father of Kath.net (1999) and Gloria.tv (2006), wrote the essay "St. Pölten is Lays Between Linz and Vienna ". In it he dealt in a section with priestly vocations, seminarians and bishops. His thoughts were related in a special way to the situation of the Catholic Church in the German language. They have lost none of their relevance. The title for the section  was chosen by the editors.

Potato sack bishops produce potato sack-priest

by Don Reto Nay

A bishop who wants to serve real peace, must take care of  order first. How will  notice whether or not he has put his diocesan house in order? It is in Matthew: if the fruits are fine.

And the first and best fruits of a diocese are their seminarians. Therefore, one needs to see when a bishop is good, not to listen to his sermons - paper is patient. You have to take a look into the seminary and consider the seminarians. A tree is recognized by its fruits, so you recognize the Bishop in the seminarians that he has or has not.

Earlier, this may still have been different: But today a young person will only see the diocesan bishop probably twice before choosing a diocese: Election Day is payday here. Of  the old Catholic parties there was a saying that they have a potato sack they can nominate and that this would have been elected without any problems. It remains to be seen whether this would be different today, not only in the Catholic parties. But one thing is certain. In the church, the potato sack policy no longer works. No sensible young person nowadays promises his life to a potato sack in his hands. If a seminarian does anyway, you will need to ask yourself, are there unhealthy motives.

The tragedy is that the potato sack bishop in the Church today is for a long time not a discontinued model, but is considered by those in charge as really a Godsend. It is popular because he stays put in one  and then is no longer to be stirred. It is breathed  that be brings no "unrest" in his immobility - sin of sins transgressing that which is owed to the times - in the diocese. One reason is that he has the press on his side. These praise the potato sack as the father of peace. The fact that Christ came to earth in order to be a sign of contradiction, to bring the peace of God - not of this world -  remains an exegetical detail. In everyday pastoral, one follows another, slightly different Bible verse:  I came to cast tire extinguishers on  the earth.

Why are potato sacks popular with the press? Because they do not go to war. When the wolf breaks into the herd, they will not sound the alarm to produce any unnecessary anxiety. The main thing, the wolf does depend on  his business not being declared from the rooftops. What I do not know will not hurt me. For the rebellious 68er old progressives who have a say in the Church  today, the potato sack Bishop is no danger. On the contrary, he serves as a welcome cover. For a potato sack suppresses only those who have the misfortune to be under him: the obedient.

Only one thing a potato sack bishop lacks: seminarians.

No one will sell his birthright for a dish of potatos. The price to become a priest is high, much higher than for any other profession. A pious, generous and intelligent young man will gladly pay the price for the pearl of the priesthood. But will he be smart enough to distinguish a sham from the original. Here the problem starts. The potato sack-Bishop is a sham, and he represents a fake packaged priestly formation and fake packaged priesthood.

What is to be thought  of a young man, who is resigned to five years of  priestly formation at kindergarten level, five years without complaint to being occupied with theological chat rooms, for whose examination it is sufficient that spend the night before studying in advance, and then voluntarily into a disappearing and wind addicted pastoral  where every smallest renewal attempt is a serious crime, through which one gets into the deadly reputation of being a "conservative"?

Nobody would have ever known the names of St. Dominic, St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer or Saint Teresa of Avila today, had these saints then embarked on such a puppet show. St. John Vianney  struggled in his priestly formation even with the Latin language. What hurdles await the modern seminarist, except that it is more difficult from year to year, to get up in the morning? Potato sack bishops produce potato sack priests. But that seems to escape everyone's notice: the main thingis that the sacrosanct peace is not disturbed. This has the disadvantage that no young person who has his mind still halfway together, may reasonably bring himself to take something like this up. A generous intelligent young man rightly expects an intelligent and challenging training and a job that is more than a sandbox game. Of reputable deals in the private sector there are enough!  Would the latter nowadays  operate in the style of our dioceses and parishes, we would have long ago become the grass skirt wearing residents of third world countries.

Don Reto Nay: St. Pölten is Between Linz and Wien, Theologisches, Vol 34, No. 8, August 2004, Sp 463f.

Image: Sant'Alessandro (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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