Cardinal Gerhard Müller, “No one has the right to indict the Pope”

I find it fascinating at just how selective certain "Catholic" websites are in reporting and/or responding to stories regarding those they either support or hate.

As I wrote HERE, almost no Catholic blog or website reported on the article by Father James Martin in which he unequivocally stated the teachings of the Catholic Church in regard to homosexuality.  Father Martin made it very clear that the Church condemns homosexual activity and same sex marriage.  As far as I know, only John Zuhlsdorf responded to Father Martin's article, and he did so with his usual response:  propaganda, aspersions and lies.

Another news story completely ignored by the "faithful catholic" internet was the fact that a court found Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, hero of "faithful catholics", guilty of defrauding his brother, also a priest, of family inheritance.  Vigano was ordered to pay $2 million to his brother.  Vigano also defrauded his sister and settled out of court to pay her.  You can read this story HERE. 

You won't find the Vigano story on Church Militant, Lifesitenews, Father Z, or any other "faithful catholic" blog or website.

I wonder why.

Why Do So Many Converts Reject Pope Francis?

In the same way I don't visit porn sites, racist sites, etc., I now stay away from almost all "Catholic" web sites.  These sites do nothing to build my spirituality and bring me closer to God.  They literally poison my mind and destroy the presence of the Holy Spirit by driving out the Spirit of love, mercy and compassion and replacing it with a spirit of accusation, condemnation and hate. 

An amazing aspect of these sites is that they are basically clones of one another, writing about the same subjects from the same point of view with no original thought.  As I have stated previously, it is almost like they were all written by the same person.  There is certainly no doubt that they are all driven by the same spirit.

I don't think these "catholic" bloggers actually consult each other, and yet they all manage to come to the same conclusion:  the Catholic Church is dying and Pope Francis and his "henchman" bishops are actively participating in that destruction.

These bloggers and those who follow them believe they are the only true Catholics left on earth, and it is they who will save the Church and, by extension, the world.  We have not seen this much rebellion and rejection of authority in the Church since the Reformation.

Just how did these bloggers end up with their decidedly non-Catholic world view?  How have they become so confident in their own sanctity and their right to label all others, including the Vicar of Christ, as evil?  Why is it happening now?

Archbishop Vigano Third Testimony: Vigano No Longer Seeks Pope's Resignation and Admits No Formal McCarrick Sanctions

Source

I am not surprised that in calling attention to these plagues I am charged with disloyalty to the Holy Father and with fomenting an open and scandalous rebellion.  Yet rebellion would entail urging others to topple the papacy.  I am urging no such thing.  I pray every day for Pope Francis -- more than I have ever done for the other popes.   Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano 10/19/18

Archbishop Vigano has responded to Cardinal Ouellet's October 7 open letter [HERE] with a third testimony [HERE].

Vigano is still standing by his basic accusations against Pope Francis in regard to McCarrick, namely:

• McCarrick was part of a network of bishops promoting homosexuality who, exploiting their favor with Pope Francis, manipulated episcopal appointments so as to protect themselves from justice and to strengthen the homosexual network in the hierarchy and in the Church at large. 
• Pope Francis himself has either colluded in this corruption, or, knowing what he does, is gravely negligent in failing to oppose it and uproot it. 

As with his first two testimonies, Vigano gives no corroborating documentary evidence to support these allegations.

However, there are two very notable departures made by Vigano from his first testimony.

First, Vigano makes a major concession by admitting that there were no formal sanctions against McCarrick as he claimed in his first testimony.

Secondly, and of greatest importance, Vigano has ceased to call for the resignation of Pope Francis.

Enemies of Pope Francis Continue to Lie and Attack Ruthlessly

I should be use to it by now, but I am still just completely blown away by the blatant lies and false, malicious accusations made against by Pope Francis by those intent on destroying the Holy Father.

Father John Zuhlsdorf is once again at the forefront of those trying desperately to instill suspicion and hatred among his readers towards Pope Francis.

I am going to say it right here, loud and clear, because there is no other explanation.

John Zuhlsdorf, with his constant lies and false accusations, is an agent of the father of lies, Satan himself.

Why Do So Many American Catholics Hate Pope Francis?

Source

In the past several posts, I have been discussing the jihad declared against Pope Francis by some conservative/traditional mostly American Catholics whom I have labeled Those More Catholic Than the Pope ("TMCTP"). I give them this title because they believe that Pope Francis is barely Catholic, if at all.

TMCTP, as shown by their blogs and websites which I call Catholicspeak, believe Pope Francis is actually trying to destroy the Catholic Church, changing it into a liberal wasteland where anything goes.

TMCTP was afraid of Pope Francis from the moment he stepped onto the papal balcony because he did not look like a traditional pope.

Here is Pope Benedict when he was elected alongside Pope Francis at his election. As you can see, Francis is definitely not into all of the pomp and circumstance that often comes with the papacy. This completely horrified TMCTP.

American Catholic Church Being Hijacked by Mob Rule

As I have written before, the vast majority of American Catholic blogs and websites appear to be written by the same person because there is so little difference in their views and opinions.  If you have read one, you've read them all.   This also includes a fair amount of British Catholic blogs and websites as well.  They seem to feel a real kinship with their American counterparts.

I will hereafter refer to these blogs and websites as "Catholicspeak."

Catholicspeak operates under mob rule.  Mob rule is defined as "the fact or state of large groups of people acting without the consent of the government, authorities, etc."

The only authority Catholicspeak recognizes is its own.  It has rejected the Magesterium of the Catholic church as evil.

Catholicspeak listens only to itself and those who agree with it.  It rejects any facts that do not fit in with its beliefs.

Most Disgusting Post Ever By John Zuhlsdorf

Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Donald Wuerl's resignation today.  Those More Catholic Than the Pope ("TMCTP"), a/k/a those who hate Pope Francis, consider this a mighty victory.  They feel they are personally responsible for bringing the "downfall" of Cardinal Wuerl, and are hopeful that this will eventually lead to the grand prize - the downfall of Pope Francis himself.

One of the leaders in the war against Pope Francis is Father John Zuhlsdorf, and he took this "golden moment" to gloat and sneer at Pope Francis.

Remember, Zuhlsdorf is the same guy who said it is perfectly fine to pray for the death of Pope Francis.

Did Cardinal Ouellet Confirm Sanctions Against McCarrick?

The reaction on the Internet to Cardinal Ouellet's letter denouncing Archbishop Vigano has been a true study in human psychology.

The members of group I call Those More Catholic Than the Pope ("TMCTP") are celebrating because they see Ouellet's letter, despite its condemnatory tone, as vindication of Vigano's claim that Pope Francis lifted canonical sanctions placed upon Theodore McCarrick by Pope Benedict XVI.

It needs to be noted the core creed of TMCTP is that Pope Francis is a heretic bent on destroying the Church.  TMCTP's believe their responsibility as faithful Catholics is to take out Pope Francis in any way they can.

Cardinal Ouellet to Archbishop Vigano: "Such a thing cannot come from God’s Spirit"

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, has come out with a scathing response to Archbishop Vigano's attack against Pope Francis.   He published an open letter to Vigano on October 7 [HERE].

Ouellet makes many profound and serious statements and charges in his letter, but there is one statement in particular which should shake Vigano to his core, as well as anyone else who supports the Archbishop in his attack against Pope Francis:

Reading how you concluded your last message, apparently very spiritual, mocking and casting doubt on his faith, seemed to me to be really too sarcastic, even blasphemous! Such a thing cannot come from God’s Spirit.

This is the statement referred to by Ouellet in Vigano's last letter:

Has Christ perhaps become invisible to his vicar? Perhaps is he being tempted to try to act as a substitute of our only Master and Lord? 

Vigano's attack is not against Pope Francis.  It is light years more serious than that.

The Office of the Papacy is guarded and protected by none other than the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  Although the man occupying the Chair of Peter may be a great sinner, he can never, in his official capacity as Vicar of Christ and spiritual leader of the Church, act against the Holy Spirit and mislead the Church.  This is the definition of papal infallibility, a doctrine of the Catholic Church.

As Cardinal Ouellet writes in his letter:

Is not communion with the Successor of Peter an expression of our obedience to Christ who chose him and sustains him with his grace?

It is no exaggeration to say that to attack the Pope is, in reality, an attack against the Holy Spirit, the true leader of the Church.

Cardinal Ouellet is saying that Vigano's actions are of demonic origin and a direct and blasphemous assault upon the Holy Spirit.  This is a sin of unimaginable proportions, directly inspired by Satan himself.

Taylor Marshall, Father Z and Other Catholic Bloggers Blatantly Lie About Pope Francis

The jihad being waged against Pope Francis by Those More Catholic Than the Pope ("TMCTP") is escalating to new highs, or lows, as the case may be.   In their effort to portray the Holy Father as evil and corrupt, TMCTP is now slinging anything they can against him, with no regard to the veracity of the charges whatsoever.  All they care about is if their mudslinging will stick.

TMCTP is resurrecting old scandals that were resolved before Francis ever became Pope and trying to pin them on him.  They are parsing every word he says in an attempt to prove he is teaching heresy.  They put a spotlight on all those around him and manipulate the facts to prove that Francis surrounds himself with evil.  And even when it is pointed out that none of this is true, they still refuse to accept it and instead, continue to cling to their lies.

This past week has seen constant, unrelenting attacks against Pope Francis. trying to pin scandal after scandal on the Holy Father, and even creating scandals where there are none.

But it doesn't take much to expose the truth.  Even just a cursory investigation uncovers the lies behind all of these vicious attacks.

Red Hat Report: Wealthy American Catholics Attempt to Control The Papacy

The scariest people in the world are those who believe they know what is best for everyone else.  These are the people Our Lord warned about when he said, "They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God."  (John 16:2).

With the Internet, we now have daily cyber lynchings of Catholic priests, bishops, cardinals and even Pope Francis.  And the most amazing part of this is that it is Catholics who are the most vicious in their attacks against the Church.  Those doing the cyber lynchings literally believe they are more Catholic than the Pope and the majority of Church hierarchy.  They have convinced themselves, without the tiniest bit of self doubt, that they know what is best for the Church and that it is their God-given duty to destroy anyone and everyone who does not agree with them. 

And now we have a group of extremely wealthy and, might I add, arrogant group of American Catholics who seem to believe they have been given a directive from God Himself to choose our next Holy Father.  They call themselves "The Better Church Governance Group."

These people make the Pharisees plotting against Jesus look like bumbling amateurs.

St Therese of Lisieux, My Candidate for Patron Saint of Bloggers

Credit:  www.pinterest.com

The only way to advance rapidly in the path of love is to remain always very little. That is what I did, and now I can sing with our holy Father, St. John of the Cross: 'Then I abased myself so low, so very low, That I ascended to such heights, such heights indeed, That I did overtake the prey I chased!'

St. Therese of Lisieux

Today, the Feast Day of The Little Flower, I am re-publishing a post that I originally did four years ago in October 2014.  I think it is even more appropriate now than it was then.  Catholic blogging has become just like all other blogging.  It is people throwing their opinions around and tearing down anyone and everyone with whom they disagree or just don't like.

But it is much more serious with Catholic bloggers.  Now they even dare to tear down the Papacy with no thought as to the consequences.  There is no humility, no love shown on Catholic blogs, and I think it is a disgrace.  These bloggers are too proud to even realize that they are nothing more than pawns in the hands of the devil, his tools to destroy the Church.

In re-reading this post, I believe it also shows how wise Pope Francis is in not answering his critics.  Engaging in debates with our enemies is always a losing battle.

Father Paul Kalchik and the Spirit of Disobedience and Rebellion

The current crisis du jour in the Catholic blogosphere is the saga of Fr. Paul Kalchik of Chicago. Father Kalchik was pastor at Resurrection Catholic Church in the Chicago archdiocese.  On September 21, Fr. Kalchik was removed by his bishop, Cardinal Cupich, as pastor of the church for disobeying a direct order.

The Catholic blogosphere led by Michael Voris (who else?) is, not surprisingly, rushing to the defense of Fr. Kalchik and demonizing Cardinal Cupich.

So who is right?

Father George Rutler Mocks Pope Francis

I once held Father George Rutler in very high regard. When I came back to the Church after 38 years, I made a deliberate decision to make my confession to him. He also convalidated my marriage. I use to attend Our Savior's Church in Manhattan from time to time just to hear him talk.

I attended Rutler's Good Friday services for several years. Each year he speaks from 12:00 to 3:00 on the seven last words, and it is always standing room only.

When I attended, his talks often contained discussions of politics, and he did not hesitate to take jabs at liberal politicians, However, although it was always done in a very subtle way, Rutler also mocked Church hierarchy with whom he disagreed.

This was back in my days as a radical traditionalist, and I never had a problem with any of Rutler's positions until one year when his sarcasm just did not sit right with me. I felt he was way too political and right wing and far too dismissive of his ecclesiastical superiors. I have not returned to Rutler's parish since then.

Rutler has never tried to hide his allegiance to the right wing traditionalists or his disdain for Pope Francis.

Fr Z: But This Kind Does Not Go Out Except by P̶r̶a̶y̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶F̶a̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ Money

Father John Zuhlsdorf

From the blog of John Zuhlsdorf, Catholic priest [emphasis Zuhlsdorf]:

As I have commented before, a great deal of the clean up of The Present Crisis will be (must be) driven by lay people, who have, above all, numbers, and who have, ultimately, the money.

This will be a two-edged sword.

The sword, I think, has been drawn.

Yes, believe it or not, Father John Zuhlsdorf thinks the answer to the crisis in the Church is numbers, i,e., power, and money. Specifically, Zuhlsdorf is suggesting that the laity use their power to withhold money from the Church until the hierarchy does what they, the laity, want, and of course, Zuhlsdorf's readership wants only what he, Zuhlsdorf, tells them they want.

There is another name for this: blackmail.

Daily Adoration and Weekly Confession: The Key to Holy Priests and Bishops

We are in the midst of one of the most horrific crises in Catholic Church history.  The sexual abuse crisis is tearing the Church apart internally and destroying her credibility in the eyes of the world.  Sexual abuse and sexual immorality is like an epidemic tearing through the Church's clergy.  Every day we hear of it somewhere in the world.

As I write this today, September 17, Crux has two more reports of sexual abuse and cover up in the Church.  One report is from the Netherlands: "Over half of Dutch bishops shielded priest-abusers, according to report:

A sensational new report on sexual abuse in the Netherlands claims over half of the bishops in the country from 1945-2010 were involved in either covering up abuse or abusing children themselves.

. . .

The NRC Handelsblad report claims 20 of 39 bishops during the period are implicated in at least covering up abuse, with four auxiliary bishops suspected of abusing minors themselves.

Crux also reports "Chilean hero expelled from priesthood over sex abuse charges."  This is on top of the abuse scandal among the Chilean bishops.

A priest [Father Cristián Precht Bañado] who was once a national hero in Chile, and who now finds himself another casualty of that country’s massive clerical sexual abuse crisis, has been expelled from the priesthood by Pope Francis after being found guilty of abusing minors and vulnerable adults.

Precht is an extremely high profile priest with an impressive resume.  It turns out he has been an abuser for years, even abusing teenagers in confession.

Something has gone seriously wrong with the priesthood in the Catholic Church. We cannot go on with business as usual.  We need to take a long hard look at priests and bishops to try to understand why they have so flagrantly violated the vows and promises they made before man and God.  Why did/do they feel so empowered to sin against the laity and ultimately, against the Holy Spirit?

It is Time To Close All the Seminaries - Part 2

Jesus Christ spent over three years with his apostles teaching them what it means to truly love and serve God and His people.  He taught them how to be evangelizers in the fullest sense of the word, not being afraid to get down in the dirt with people in order to lift them up.

Our Lord did this by walking and living among the people, going into their homes, going out among the outcasts, the lepers, the rejects of society.  He laughed with the people and He cried with them. He healed them and even brought them back from the dead.  Finally, He died for them.

But since the time of the Reformation, the Church has decided that the best way to prepare men for the priesthood, for a life of serving God and His Church, is by shutting them away in buildings, regimenting their lives, and teaching them history and philosophy.  Seminarians may occasionally venture out among the people, but it is only on the rare occasion.

To use the words of Pope Francis, our seminarians never get the smell of the sheep on them.

It Is Time To Close All the Seminaries

We are at a crisis point in the Church that rivals anything in our 2000 year history.  Yet another sex abuse report came out today, this one from Germany.

A study commissioned by the German Bishops Conference examined 3,677 cases of abuse allegedly perpetrated by clergy nationwide, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Wednesday. The universities of Giessen, Heidelberg and Mannheim were involved in the research, which implicated 1,670 priests in sexual abuse spanning from 1946 to 2014.

This is a worldwide scandal in the Church.  It seems to be happening everywhere and has been for decades.  Most likely it has been happening much longer than that, but was much more easily covered up in the days before mass communication.

The question is, why is this happening?  What is the common denominator in these scandals?  What do all priests in the Catholic Church have in common?

They all went to seminary.

Can the Laity Save The Church? Or Will The Laity Destroy The Church?

Everything would have been so much easier if Jesus Christ had not given the Church to sinful human beings. I mean, c'mon Jesus! Peter was one of your weakest followers, always acting big and important, but betraying you and slinking away like the coward he was when you needed him most.

And yet Peter is the one upon whom you built your Church!

Jesus, what were you thinking?!

Why didn't you pick your sinless Mother to lead the Church? She would never steer us wrong. Or you could have even chose John, who unlike the others, at least stayed with you and your Mother through your crucifixion.

But no, you have to choose the very weakest to be our earthly leader. And then you actually command us to submit to his authority. In fact, you said that unless we submit to Peter's authority, we cannot belong to your Church.

But now things are really messed up, Jesus. The bishops, the ones we trusted the most, have completely betrayed us. They allowed wicked priests to literally prey upon the weakest and most innocent among us. These priests and bishops used the authority you gave them as a weapon against us.

Instead of looking out and protecting their flocks as a good shepherd does, they protected each other and threw the flock to the wolves. We can't trust these bishops anymore.  How can you possibly expect us to submit to their authority?

Where Peter Is, There Is The Church

Thoughtful men, with hearts craving the truth, have come to seek in the Catholic Church the road which leads with surety to eternal life. They have understood that they could not cleave to Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church if they did not belong to the Body of Jesus Christ which is the Church. Nor could they ever hope to possess in all its purity the faith of Jesus Christ if they were to reject its legitimate teaching authority entrusted to Peter and his successors.

Pope Leo XIII

The Catholic Church in the midst of a terrific spiritual war. This is a war started by those who believe that it is their duty to wrest the Church away from Pope Francis, the Vicar of Christ, whom they believe is trying to destroy the Church.

Those who are engaging in this war against Pope Francis will be the first to tell you that they are actually the most loyal of Catholics. In fact, they believe that they are probably the only true Catholics on earth. They are certainly more Catholic than Pope Francis, whom many of these "most loyal of Catholics" label as a heretic.

But what these saviors of the Church don't seem to realize is that if they succeed, they will actually destroy the papacy and the Church which they claim to love.

Joseph Ratzinger: The Church Will Become Poor, Meek, More Spiritualized and Simplified

Father Joseph Ratzinger 

From the crisis of today the Church of tomorrow will emerge—a Church that has lost much. She will become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning.

. . .

The Church will be a more spiritualized Church, not presuming upon a political mantle, flirting as little with the Left as with the Right. It will be hard going for the Church, for the process of crystallization and clarification will cost her much valuable energy. It will make her poor and cause her to become the Church of the meek. The process will be all the more arduous, for sectarian narrow-mindedness as well as pompous self-will will have to be shed. … But when the trial of this sifting is past, a great power will flow from a more spiritualized and simplified Church.

And so it seems certain to me that the Church is facing very hard times. The real crisis has scarcely begun. We will have to count on terrific upheavals. But I am equally certain about what will remain at the end: not the Church of the political cult, which is dead already, but the Church of faith. She may well no longer be the dominant social power to the extent that she was until recently; but she will enjoy a fresh blossoming and be seen as man’s home, where he will find life and hope beyond death.
Joseph Ratzinger, Faith and the Future (Ignatius Press, San Francisco: 2009).

Archbishop Vigano Defies The Holy Spirit

Most of the coverage concerning Archbishop Vigano's allegations against Pope Francis and his call for the Pope's resignation have centered around the veracity of the allegations themselves.  I have written several posts in which I seriously question Vigano's credibility.

But there is another issue that we, as Christians, need to consider that is actually far more serious with much graver consequences than the truth or lack thereof of Vigano's accusations.

Did Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano have the right and authority to publicly accuse Pope Francis of corruption and insist that he resign as Pope?

Honduran Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga said calling for the resignation of the Pope is a sin against the Holy Spirit. 

Is the Cardinal correct?

Ed Pentin Changes His Story AGAIN and Then Proves Vigano's Allegations are False

A few days ago I did a post about the ever-changing reporting of The National Catholic Register's Ed Pentin regarding the Vigano allegations against Pope Francis.  I showed how Pentin keeps changing and revising his story as Vigano's allegations are slowly debunked.

When Pentin first broke the story about the Vigano testimony, he stated that the Register had confirmed that Pope Benedict knew about McCarrick and that the Pope Emeritus had taken "measures" against McCarrick, but he couldn't remember what those measures were.  Pentin gave us no details at that time as to how he got this information or when.

When Pope Benedict's personal secretary flatly stated that Pope Benedict had never at any time confirmed Vigano's allegations and that this was "Fake News!"  Pentin responded by saying that he had never reported that Benedict had said this.

Pentin tried to get around his initial reporting by stating for the first time that he got this information from an inside source.

Of course, that made no sense because the inside source would have had to talk to Pope Benedict, contradicting Pope Benedict's statement that he never talked to anyone about Vigano's allegations. Either the "inside source" was lying or Benedict was lying.

I know who I believe.

Since then, Vigano's allegation of strict sanctions imposed by Benedict against McCarrick has been basically debunked through overwhelming evidence that McCarrick never curtailed his public life in any way whatsoever.

Why Pope Francis Does Not Answer His Enemies

With people lacking good will, with people who only seek scandal, who seek only division, who seek only destruction, even within the family: [the answer is] silence, prayer.  
Pope Francis, Homily, September 3, 2018

Father Dwight Longenecker, a bomb throwing traditionalist, wrote a column in which he said that Pope Francis' refusal to answer Vigano's accusations will most likely lead to a "lame duck papacy":

Pope Francis’ response to Archbishop Vigano’s testimony has, so far, been a sad silence which echoes his silence over the questions about marriage formally presented by some of his cardinals.

If this lack of leadership continues we may see the development of a lame duck papacy.

A "lame duck papacy " would, of course, mean that Pope Francis would be a completely powerless pope with no authority.  In effect, even though he would still physically occupy the office, Pope Francis would no longer, for all intents and purposes, be pope.

To believe this is even possible, Fr. Longenecker must believe the office of the papacy is comparable to that of an elected official. The huge problem with this is that an elected official, at least in a democracy, gets his power from the people who elected him.

But the Vicar of Christ is not elected by the people, nor does he derive his power from the people and how much they like or support him. The Vicar of Christ receives all of his power and authority from the Holy Spirit. The only One who can "depose" a Pope, or make him a "lame duck pope" (as if that is possible) is the One who made him Pope in the first place:  the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Longenecker has either forgotten this or never knew it.

And then there is this problem.  If you believe that the Pope has no power, that is the same as believing that no one occupies the Chair of Peter.  And what do we call those people? 

Sedevacantists. 

Oops.   

UPDATED: Why I Don't Believe Archbishop Vigano

I admit that I have been skeptical of Archbishop Vigano's accusations against Pope Francis from the first time I read them.  The list of reasons for my skepticism has grown with each day.  

Archbishop Vigano's main accusation is that Pope Francis knew that former Cardinal McCarrick was a sexual predator, and turned a blind eye, lifting the secret sanctions that were imposed upon McCarrick by Pope Benedict. Vigano goes even further in accusing Pope Francis of forming an alliance with McCarrick to push the "homosexual agenda" in the Church.

There are several problems with these allegations.  

My Unabashed Support for Pope Francis

Pope Francis is under siege now in a way we have never seen any papacy attacked in modern times. The enemies of Pope Francis want him out of the papacy and they will go to almost any lengths to do it. They use every kind of invective possible against him. They accuse him of being the devil himself.

One of John Zuhlsdorf's readers asked Zuhlsdorf if it was okay to pray for the pope's death. You would think a good priest would say that we need to pray that the pope be guided by the Holy Spirit and protected from all evil forces, given the courage and ability to fulfill the duties of his office.

Nope. Zuhlsdorf did not have the least problem with praying for the death of the pope. 

Pope Benedict XVI's Secretary: Pope Benedict Never Confirmed Vigano Report

The Deacon's Bench, a blog written by fellow Brooklynite Deacon Greg Kendra, gave us some very interesting articles today regarding the Vigano report.

The first is from a German newspaper in which Pope Benedict's secretary says that the claim that Pope Benedict confirmed the statements in the Vigano report are "fake news".  You can read the original article HERE.

Is Pope Francis Evil?

On the plane from Ireland to Rome on Sunday night, Pope Francis was asked about the accusations made against him by Archbishop Vigano.  He refused to answer, simply saying:

“I read that statement this morning. I read it and I will say sincerely that I must say this, to you (the reporter) and all of you who are interested: read the document carefully and judge it for yourselves. I will not say one word on this. I think the statement speaks for itself and you have sufficient journalistic capacity to reach your own conclusions,” 

For all those looking to find Francis guilty, that is as good as an outright admission of guilt.  Surely if he was innocent, he would have said so.  Why would anyone allow themselves to be falsely accused?

As Steve Skojec wrote, "It’s an act of hubris so stunning, I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like it."  Or as Matt Walsh wrote, as quoted by John Zuhlsdorf: "There are no flattering ways to interpret Pope Francis’ non-denial. Either he is guilty as sin or he has so much disdain and hubris in his heart that he does not think he owes anyone an explanation. "

Archbishop Vigano's Credibility Under Severe Scrutiny

The anti-Pope Francis brigade in the Catholic Church has been foaming at the mouth almost from the time the Holy Father first stepped onto the papal balcony in 2013, looking for ways to discredit him and push him out.  They are now ecstatic because they believe they have finally found that silver bullet to take down Pope Francis.  That silver bullet is Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano.  Vigano has charged Pope Francis with being complicit with the now disgraced former Cardinal McCarrick and has demanded his resignation.  Michael Voris called it a "day of victory."  Truly, that is how many felt when the Vigano memo was released on Saturday night.

The foes of Pope Francis feel they gained a further victory Sunday when the Pope refused to answer any questions in regard to the allegations made against him.  I guess these same people would have felt that the Pharisees gained a victory when Jesus Christ refused to answer their accusations against Him.

It should be noted that Vigano is also refusing to comment, but somehow that doesn't seem to be a problem with the anti Francis forces.

Cardinal Vigano Memo: Something Is Definitely Off

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, former apostolic nuncio to the United States, just released an 11-page memo accusing Pope Francis of deliberately covering up for Cardinal McCarrick and demanding the Holy Father's immediate resignation. You can read the memo HERE.

As the New York Times reports:

In a detailed, 7,000-word letter published Sunday morning by several conservative Catholic outlets antagonistic to Francis, including The National Catholic Register and Lifesite News, Archbishop Viganò alleges that much of the Vatican hierarchy was complicit in covering up accusations that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick had sexually abused seminarians.

Alarm bells start going off right here. Why did Vigano give his story to "conservative Catholic outlets antagonistic to Francis"? Hmmm.

Jesus Condemns Clericalism

The conservative Catholic Internet has engaged in yet another battle with Pope Francis.  This time it is about clericalism.  Pope Francis has spoken out against clericalism for his entire papacy, considering it one of the greatest evils in the Church.  Once more this past week, Pope Francis again condemned clericalism, naming it as the root cause of the sexual abuse crisis in the Church.

Many conservatives howled, declaring that Pope Francis was only trying to cover for homosexuals.  No one sums up the anti-Pope Francis tirades better than John Zuhlsdorf:

During The Present Crisis partisans of the loony and often homosexual catholic Left have attempted misdirection of attention away from the root cause – homosexuality – and toward clericalism. Watch: they will also try to connect the Crisis to traditional liturgy.

Some on the sane side of the non=”gay”, sound doctrine Catholic spectrum have been seduced into a least some of the clericalism argument.

Let’s face it: the real problem is homosexuality.

Homosexuality is what cause the vast amount of the abuse of power and victims of all ages.

You will notice that Pope Francis is no where mentioned here, but there can be no doubt that Zuhlsdorf is aiming this at the Holy Father as Pope Francis made it very clear in his letter that he blames clericalism for this evil in the church.

Pope Francis Says Root Cause of the Abuse Crisis is Clericalism

On August 20, Pope Francis sent out a letter in regard to the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report which reviewed 70 years of sexual abuse in Pennsylvania dioceses involving 301 priests and over 1000 victims.  You can read the entire papal letter HERE.  Pope Francis makes no excuses for the abuse. He wrote:

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them. I make my own the words of the then Cardinal Ratzinger when, during the Way of the Cross composed for Good Friday 2005, he identified with the cry of pain of so many victims and exclaimed: “How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to [Christ]! How much pride, how much self-complacency! Christ’s betrayal by his disciples, their unworthy reception of his body and blood, is certainly the greatest suffering endured by the Redeemer; it pierces his heart. We can only call to him from the depths of our hearts: Kyrie eleison – Lord, save us! (cf. Mt 8:25)” (Ninth Station).

Many have cried foul at this letter. Some complain that this is just more words and no action.  Other are upset because nowhere did Pope Francis so much as mention the word "homosexuality."  After all, isn't homosexuality at the core of this crisis?

Advice from Father Benedict Groeschel on the Sexual Abuse Crisis

Father Benedict Groeschel

The Internet is overflowing with suggestions on how to handle this latest phase of the sexual abuse crisis.  We are told that we need to throw out all the bishops, whether they are directly involved or not.  We are told that all named clergy predators need to go to jail.  Certainly people need to be held accountable and face the consequences of what they have done.

But what can we, as laity, do to help this situation.  The late, great Father Benedict Groeschel tells us in a beautiful article written in 2002.  The article, entitled, "Healing the Body of Christ" starts out:

The Catholic Church in America has been deeply hurt by the scandal involving the abuse of youngsters by some of the clergy. Loyal and devout Catholics have been particularly distressed by it.

 If there ever was a time for Divine Mercy, it is now. Our hurting Church is "the crucified Body of Christ" -- as I point out in my new book From Scandal to Hope. Click here for online catalogue. Only Divine Mercy can bring us the healing and reconciliation we so need. And that includes the victims and their families, our priests, our bishops, priests falsely accused of abuse, the abusers themselves, and the whole body of Christ.

Catholics Revel In Latest Church Scandal

The media will tell you that no story sells better than a fall from grace.  Exposing other people's sins is a lucrative business, especially when the one exposed had been up on a pedestal.

The murder trial of O.J. Simpson back in the 90's became an industry in itself.  Why?  Simpson had always been a good guy, someone we looked up to who had risen from a broken home and poverty and made it in society through talent and hard work.  Everybody loved O.J.  Then he had a spectacular fall from grace, accused of brutally killing two people, one being his wife and the mother of his children.

This was in the days before Internet, so people were glued to their TV's soaking in every aspect of the trial.  It was the main topic of conversation in America and around the world.  I remember when the verdict was announced.  It was in the middle of a work day, and we were actually allowed to stop working and watch it on TV, as if this was some momentous historical event.

We have seen this scenario played over and over again with celebrities.  Although the stories are important to the people involved, for most of us these incidents have no effect on our lives whatsoever.  Yet we still watch them and try to learn every sordid detail.

Hurrah for Msgr. Charles Pope!

I have disagreed with Msgr. Charles Pope more than once.  He is a traditionalist with traditionalist points of view.  Father John Zuhlsdorf has praised him on many occasions and called him "friend", which is always a bad sign.

However, there are no words of praise from Zuhlsdorf for his "friend" this time.  Msgr. Pope has shown tremendous courage and integrity with a post regarding Pope Francis' change to the Church's teaching on capital punishment.  The post, entitled "Let’s Be Careful in Our Charges Regarding the New Wording of the Catechism on the Death Penalty", is a logical, cogent argument against all the charges made by conservatives and traditionalists proclaiming Pope Francis to be a heretic for changing the catechism regarding capital punishment.  Please read his entire post.

Trads/Conservatives Become The Ultimate Cafeteria Catholics

Just as I wrote a couple of days ago, the Catholic(?) Internet and blogosphere has lit up with indignation and outrage at Pope Francis for changing Church teaching to say that capital punishment is always inadmissible.  All of this self righteous indignation really blows my mind.  These are people who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ - the Creator who came to earth to save each and every human being, no matter how sinful, from eternal damnation and who did so by paying the highest price possible in the entirety of the universe, which price was His Precious Blood.  These so-called followers of Jesus Christ are overcome with outrage against Pope Francis because he doesn't want to kill people, but instead wants to give them every chance at repentance and salvation.

I honestly don't understand how a person can call him or herself a Christian and at the same time, want to kill people. Ah, you say, we are talking about wicked violent people who pose a threat to society. They are a threat to each and every one of us and don't deserve to live! And yet, these would be the very people that Our Lord would most want to reach. As Our Lord told us, He did not come to save the righteous but sinners. Undeterred by this clear statement from Jesus Christ, the trad/conservative blogosphere wants the right to put people to death.

Pope Francis Officially Changes Teaching on Death Penalty

Today Pope Francis officially changed the Catholic Church's teaching on the death penalty.  To this time, the Church taught that it did not support the death penalty, but allowed for it in certain circumstances.  However, our recent popes have taught that it should be used only very rarely, if at all.  Pope Francis has consistently said capital punishment should never be used, as can be seen in the above quote from 2015.

The Inmates Are In Charge of the Asylum

Jesus Christ did some very strange things after his crucifixion and resurrection.  Good Friday and Easter Sunday meant that Jesus had defeated Satan, sin and death (I Cor 15:55-57).  The gates of heaven were flung open to sinning and condemned human beings.  The war was over and life had won over death.

However, unlike victors in earthly wars, Jesus left the enemy in place.  He had put a leash on the Adversary, on Satan, but Satan is still allowed to tempt us, to try to lure us away from life to death.  On top of that, Jesus left our sinful nature intact.  We are just as prone to sin as we were before His Victory on the Cross.  We are still born with original sin.  In fact, we are born into a world that is in complete enmity against God (James 4:4).  Jesus defeated the world, but then left it completely intact and His followers in it living side by side with the enemy.

Then, to top it off, Jesus went to heaven and left us in this mess!  Of course, He did not leave us alone.  He sent the Holy Spirit to live within us and guide us.  But unlike our enemy, Satan, who forces himself upon us whether we want it or not, we have to make a conscious effort, every moment of our lives, to walk with the Holy Spirit while at the same time struggling with our still very intact sinful nature and living in a sinful world.  Our every step is a constant, conscious struggle, and if we turn away from the Holy Spirit, Satan is right there to lure us to sin and death.

Thoughts on Irish Legalization of Abortion: The Church has blood on her hands

It is now official.  Ireland, once the most Catholic of all countries, has legalized the killing of their unborn children.

Abortion goes against nature itself.  Nature is all about survival and propagating the species.  Birds and animals will give their lives to protect their young.  Yet we humans will destroy our young merely because they are "inconvenient."  Yes, we hear stories about rape and incest and medically deformed fetuses.  But that is all a smokescreen.  The vast, vast majority of abortions are performed because the babies are not wanted by one or both of the parents.  Below is a chart showing reasons for abortion:

Part IV: The Papal Posse/Papal Hanging Mob Attacks Pope Francis

This is the fourth in a series of posts in which I am doing an in depth analysis of the April 12, 2018 broadcast of EWTN's World Over broadcast, specifically the "Papal Posse" discussion of Gaudete Et Exsultate , the Apostolic Exhortation released on March 19, 2018. I have renamed the "Papal Posse", which consists of Raymond Arroyo, Robert Royal and Fr. Gerald Murray, as the "Papal Hanging Mob" because the whole purpose of their "discussion" is to attack and tear down Pope Francis. You can read my first three posts HERE, HERE  and HERE. 

As I have shown in my previous posts, the Papal Hanging Mob has attacked Pope Francis with partial and inaccurate quotes from the Apostolic Exhortation and made completely false accusations against him. Although they say they love and support Pope Francis, the Papal Hanging Mob has shown nothing but disdain, coming just short of accusing the Holy Father of trying to destroy the Church. Their "discussion" is truly shameful.

Part III: The Papal Posse/Papal Hanging Mob Attacks Pope Francis

This is the third in a series of posts I am doing in an analysis of an EWTN "Papal Posse" attack on Pope Francis and the Apostolic Exhortation, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE.  I have renamed the "Papal Posse" as the Papal Hanging Mob, because that is a much more apt description of their actions.  As I have shown in my previous two posts (HERE and HERE), Raymond Arroyo and his two buddies, Robert Royal and Fr. Gerald Murray, have completely missed the meaning of this papal document, and are doing a grave disservice to all who listen to them.  They are spreading dissent and division in the Church, and they will have much for which they will have to answer.

Here, once again, is the video of the "discussion" by the Papal Hanging Mob.  We begin at the 19:49 mark.

At this point in the "discussion", Arroyo complains that the Aposotolic Exhortation equates the pro life cause with caring for migrants. Arroyo tells us that Pope Francis "puts them on the same plane". Arroyo and the Papal Hanging Mob obviously do not feel that the oppression and slaughter of those outside of the womb is as great an evil as the death of the unborn. Arroyo, as his custom, gives us a manipulated, partial quote, spliced together from different paragraphs of the Exhortation, obscuring the true meaning of the statements:

Some Catholics affirm that it is a secondary issue with respect to the 'serious' issue of bioethics . . . Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute the abandoned.

Part II: The Papal Posse/Papal Hanging Mob Attacks Pope Francis

In my last post, HERE, I began to review the EWTN World Over broadcast regarding the Apostolic Exhortation, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE.  I showed how the self-labeled Papal Posse, consisting of Raymond Arroyo, Robert Royal and Fr. Gerald Murray, clearly have no clue as to what they are talking about.  I renamed this group the Papal Hanging Mob because it seems that is what they would like to do with Pope Francis.  They criticize and condemn Pope Francis on almost everything he says and does.  The "Papal Posse" seem intent on turning Catholics against the Holy Father.  They don't seem realize that their comments only prove everything the Pope has written.  Pray for their souls.

I was only able to get into the first few minutes of the broadcast in my first post.  I am picking up here where I left off.  Here is the video.  I am starting at about 15:30 in the video.

Papal Posse a/k/a Papal Hanging Mob Once Again Slanders Pope Francis

We are told there are very few things that are sure in this life.  The old joke is that we can only be certain of death and taxes.

But now we can add something else to the list of certainties in life.  It is 100% guaranteed that every time Pope Francis speaks and most especially, every time he gives us a papal document, the Catholic trads/conservatives will be there to condemn the Holy Father.

The latest round of virtual papal lynching has been triggered by the release of the Apostolic Exhortation, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE, "A Call To Holiness." One so-called Catholic website/blog after another has agreed that while there may be good parts in it, it is really just another attempt on the part of Pope Francis to condemn his critics. Gaudete Et Excultate is like a nice, juicy steak laced with arsenic, and should be treated as such.

Raymond Arroyo