(Rome) Blindness has a central feature: it prevents you from seeing. In the politicized Church of Pope Francis, in which secularizations such as "political correctness" and factions are spreading, there is an increasing cultural struggle, although Pope Francis allegedly detests and fights it. Here, too, it is evident what can be seen in the political and cultural arena that a radical left-wing minority wants to introduce exactly what it claims to fight - only with the opposite sign. The most recent case concerns Cardinal Burke and occurred in the Valle D'Itria.
This name is known to travelers interested in Apulia. It is the valley in the heart of the Apulian olive groves and vineyards, in which the enchanting trulli stand, those small round houses, which somehow recall Tolkien's hobbit dwellings in the floodplains of Middle-earth, and here form entire cities such as Alberobello and Locorotondo.
On the 15th / 16th February Cardinal Raymond Burke was invited to the Valle D'Itria, the President of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature deposed by Pope Francis, formerly the highest judge of the Church after the Pope. The celebration of the Holy Mass in the traditional Roman Rite in the cathedral of Ostuni was planned for Saturday evening, on Sunday in the Christ the King Church in the neighboring town of Martina Franca.
Just in time for this occasion, a broadside against the cardinal's presence appeared in the local newspaper Quotidiano di Puglia on Saturday. In one article, it was widely reported that "the priests" of the city of Ostuni are "quite skeptical and perplexed that Burke will be a guest in the 'White City', known for his theories that often conflict with those from Pope Francis, and related to some social areas such as homosexuality. The [his] issues are often controversial in the Catholic Church, and Cardinal Burke who was ordained cardinal in 2010, who almost never agrees with Pope Francis.”
Aside from bumpy language and a hoax, cardinals are not ordained, the article's intent was to raise sentiment against Cardinal Burke. For this purpose, the "Christian communities and pastors" of the city were invoked.
For decades, the celebration of the Mass "in Church latin" had been "no longer planned" in the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni. According to the article writer, there are no “organized protests” against the presence of Cardinal Burke, but Archbishop Domenico Caliandro's disagreement has been communicated “by those who work every day in Ostuni to follow religious, Christian teaching and themselves for this, without protest, to take advantage of the papal experience of Bergoglio."
The hostilities were successful. The Quotidiano di Puglia headlined that Cardinal Burke was turned away and the two celebrations were canceled.
"Conservative Cardinal not wanted by priests: Mass stopped."
Andrea Zambrano (Nuova Bussola Quotidiana) speaks of "a humiliation of Cardinal Burke by the Dialogue Church."
However, the cardinal was not turned away, as the local press reported, but had canceled the celebration himself:
“Such is the Church of Bridges and Mercy, the open Church that reaches out. Cardinal Burke has been forced to cancel a Mass in Ostuni: the cathedral priest asked for the celebration behind closed doors because the cardinal's presence on the upper floors of the Archdiocese of Brindisi is not welcome.”
Against the presence of the cardinal, who had been invited by faithful in the city, "at most two or three" priests of the city would have agitated against this, "but they are always able, although in the minority, to set fire and spread the fire."
The cardinal did not want to accept a celebration behind closed doors, as if it were a forbidden, disreputable act.
Waldenses welcome on migrant issue
The agitating priests and the archbishop, however, have no problem with the fact that the Waldensian pastor Bruno Gabrielli will appear in the parish church of St. Alois von Gonzaga in Ostuni this evening. The Waldenses go back to a heresy of the High Middle Ages, but have been the Italian Calvinists since the Protestant Revolt. Archbishop Caliandro will also be present with Gabrielli. The event is organized by the community of Sant'Egidio, among other things, the controversial Assisi meetings and the bad habit of turning churches into dining rooms.
The theme of the event is: "Migrants: Admission and Humanitarian Corridors."
The theme of the event is: "Migrants: Admission and Humanitarian Corridors."
“The episode throws a dim light on the increasingly political way of doing things in the Church. The idea that a priest, supported by his bishop, a cardinal, denies the church is an indication of how serious the situation in the Church has become and what restrictions on freedom those churchmen who are not committed to the mainstream, are exposed to because they are seen as enemies. Is this the community that you want to force-open dialogue? Are these the desired shepherds with the smell of the sheep, yet with a knife between their teeth?” askes Zambrano.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: MiL / NBQ
Image: MiL / NBQ
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
