

Before the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family in Rome began Oct. 5, I wrote that my first hope for the fortnight would be that “it does no harm to those efforts in parishes around the world to propose the blessed and demanding vocation of Christian marriage.”
The danger of even low expectations is that they can be dashed.
The synod was not primarily concerned with offering encouragement to young couples eager to embrace the great adventure of Catholic marriage. The couples who are living with quiet heroism the blessings and burdens of that adventure appeared in the background of the synod’s focus.
On the contrary, the synod stirred up giddy excitement among those — both within and without the family of faith — desirous that the Church would finally make its peace with the “sexual revolution.” The beatification of Pope Paul VI at the conclusion of the synod should have signified that rank capitulation on moral teaching was never in the cards, but it was destabilizing to hear some prelates speak rather loosely about the Christian tradition on marriage, chastity and family life.
Yet what left me astonished was that, after 18 months of Pope Francis dominating world headlines, the synod seemed strangely out of sorts with his priorities. This synod badly failed Pope Francis’ bold vision for the Church in 11 distinct ways.
First, the methodology of the synod did not allow sufficient space for the heart of the Church’s missionary proclamation, namely the joy of the Gospel.
While several fathers spoke of the moving testimonies of married couples that began each day’s proceedings, they were an exception to the synod’s work. From the initial worldwide survey to the daily press conferences, the topics that were consistently placed at the forefront were the problems and difficulties of marriage and family life. The supposed topic of the synod was the care of the family in the context of evangelization, and evangelization begins with a conviction that there is a Gospel — the Good News — to share. The synod focused on the problems and not the proclamation. There was too much hand-wringing and not enough joy.
Second, the agenda for the synod was decidedly worldly.
On his return flight from the Holy Land, the Holy Father said that his agenda was to address the “global” situation of the family, and he “did not like” the dominance of the issue of civilly remarried divorcees. The Church’s principal worry is not that too many people are getting divorced and remarried, but that too few are getting married in the first place. The world’s agenda is divorce, cohabitation and same-sex “marriage.” The synod succumbed to the worldliness Francis inveighs against constantly. The practical agenda for this synod was too much New York Times and not enough New Testament.
Third, the manipulation of the synod’s proceedings and messages was unworthy of a Roman Curia that the Holy Father has almost daily urged to avoid gossip, intrigues and ambition.
Senior bishops from all five continents publicly denounced the behind-the-scenes decisions that only selectively reported on the content of synod interventions, culminating with the midterm report that captured world headlines but did not capture honestly what had actually been said by the participants. Francis famously denounced the power games of the royal court as the “leprosy” of the papacy, yet the synod was infected by just that. If it is not corrected soon, we have to look forward to an entire year of not listening to the Holy Spirit, but, instead, continued backroom machinations, mendacity and maneuvering.
Fourth, the synod turned inside out the Holy Father’s preference for the peripheries rather than the center.
The world’s most bureaucratic, wealthy, institutionally heavy and intellectually credentialed national Church — Germany — was granted an influence completely disproportionate to the diminishing vitality of its life of worship and witness. Meanwhile, the young local Churches on the periphery were sidelined and even disrespected. It must have been gravely insulting, though he bore it in patient silence, for the first pope from the global south to listen to lectures from the privileged, professorial, clerical caste of the European episcopate as if it was 1869 again, when at the First Vatican Council fully half of all the bishops were either Italian or French. The witness of ordinary Catholics in the young Churches of Africa and Asia took a backseat to the preoccupations of the clerical establishment in Europe. In Francis’ Church, the rich should not get a bigger say than the poor. At the synod they did.
Fifth, the synod was not about the Church going out of herself, but looking inward.
When which cardinal gets appointed to which drafting commission is a dominant story, the Church is in danger of becoming exactly what Francis does not want — self-referential and closed in on itself.
Sixth, the synod did not highlight the encouraging accompaniment of Pope Francis.
At his Valentine’s Day encounter with engaged couples, Francis spoke to them simply and directly about what makes for a happy marriage — spouses who say “thank you,” “excuse me” and “I am sorry.” This wholesome and homey engagement with married life was missing at the synod, replaced instead by more controversial questions.
Seventh, the synod was not a collegial exercise in its major pronouncements.
An elite group of managers did not pay heed to what the majority of the synod participants said. It is not always the case that they have to do so, but Francis speaks of the synod as “journeying together.” On this journey, there were certainly some fathers who seized the direction and expected the others to follow.
Eighth, as was noted after the midterm report was released, the synod seemed to forget about sin.
It was hardly mentioned. Very strange for a synod convened by Pope Francis, who, when asked to describe himself last year, said simply, “I am a sinner.” It is key to Francis’ thinking that the “privileged” place of encounter with the Lord is experiencing Divine Mercy upon our sins. Francis talks about sin and mercy together; the synod seemed to forget the former, which makes the latter less urgent.
Ninth, at the canonization of Pope St. John Paul II in April, the Holy Father proposed him to the Church as the “Pope of the Family.”
At the synod, he was almost entirely forgotten. A pope who wrote the very rich Familiaris Consortio after the 1980 synod on the family and devoted four years to the theology of the body should have been the starting point for the synod. As for mercy, St. John Paul II devoted an entire encyclical to Divine Mercy. Yet his teaching and the scholars from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family were overlooked in the synod’s work.
Tenth, the synod ignored Francis’ repeated exhortation that all generations need each other — the young need the elderly, and the elderly need the young.
Even in his affectionate references to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as a “grandfather,” Francis has a deep sense of the extended family as a bridge between generations. In the focus on the divorced, cohabiting and same-sex couples, the younger and older generations were neglected, even though they are a critical part of the family.
Eleventh, if the Church is to be the “field hospital” for a modern world full of wounded people, it is necessary to know the nature of the diseases and wounds that the modern world suffers from.
The hearts of contemporary men and women have been hurt grievously by the “throwaway” culture bequeathed by the sexual revolution. Doctors who do not diagnose properly are of little help in offering effective treatment. In his closing address, Francis identified this as a lack in the synod, which was tempted to bind up wounds without curing their causes.
The Church now waits for another synod next October. Will it be more recognizably what Pope Francis proposes to a Church of missionary disciples? Or will it remain a worldly exercise?
The experience of synod 2014 is not promising.
Father Raymond J. de Souza is editor in chief of Convivium magazine.
He was the Register’s Rome correspondent from 1998-2003.
Today’s reading from Titus 3:1-7 struck me: “Remind people to be loyally subject to the government and its officials, to obey the laws, to be ready to take on any honest employment. Tell them not to speak evil of anyone or be quarrelsome.” When I heard that, I heard “government of the Church”.
How quarrelsome we have become! How slow to ascribe good motives to those we disagree with! How quick to misinterpret, particularly those who are our Church officials! I happen to think (based on what I have read in the media, which is NOT to be trusted!!!) that Cardinal Kasper’s suggestions to by-pass the Church practice of Annulment (which is nearly impossible to get in Germany, I HEAR) border on heresy. But he is a Cardinal of the Church. He has other things to say, and I am judging him if I do not leave open the possibility that I have misunderstood what the poor man is saying!
Dear Michael, please do not follow my bad example!! That is what the devil wants. But the devil is NOT our Lord, Jesus is, and we want to please HIM by loving all, especially our leaders in the Church!
This Pope will split the Catholic Church. He wants bridges alright,,bridges OVER and around the truth of what Jesus said.
While the pope wants the church in the US to stop focusing on same-sex marriage & other LGBTQ issues, abortion, and birth control; all they want is to do what they(USCCB, that is) want to accomplish for themselves. They will obey the pope so long as it is in tune to what the bishops & cardinals want the laity to blindly follow and to not be THAT educated in catechesis, so that the laity will be more like slaves-don’t understand only do what you are told. Like Republicans in all levels of the government-they want to take money out of public schools & have colleges be more expensive to attend (see Keynote Progress comics on 11/9), and have the student-especially & only female students, is to not question the rules only comply. This is becoming a steady trend of making slavery come alive again, this time all races and nationalities will be made one unless in 2016 we make the US a fully Democrat nation.
Father De Souza is a good man, a smart man and a good priest, which is why it surprises me that he gives Francis so much credit. As though some beautiful vision that he had was somehow missed at the synod. Even lay people who have meetings know how to get the straying topics and chatterers back onto the agenda. If one had a clear vision, they would speak up loud and clear to make sure that the agenda didn’t go off the rails. As others have said, it was Francis who CHOSE Kasper, Forte and the others. Kasper was never reigned in from his focus to take the synod into their progressive agenda. Was Francis’clear vision the same as Kasper’s? I think so and so does Kasper, as he keeps telling the media.If it were not true, would Francis not tell him to stop speaking for him?
Dear marie, Please read what Cardinal Burke has said more recently about himself being misunderstood—that he did NOT say the Pope had damaged the Church, but that the confusion around what the pope said had damaged the Church. There was confusion around what Cardinal Burke said. This is not the Cardinal’s fault. The confusion around the Pope is not the Pope’s fault, either.
If you read Pope Francis’s speech at the end of the Extraordinary Synod, you will see that the Pope is not promoting any changes, AT ALL, to the consistent Doctrine of the Holy Catholic Church. He had told us before the synod. He said so at the end of the synod. Then he named Pope Paul VI a blessed, reminding everyone of the continued centrality of the teaching of “Humanae vitae”. Then he gave a very rousing endorsement of traditional marriage, exactly in the line of Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI.
You are right—we baptized Catholics reject Satan and all his blandishments! And we accept the Great Commission to baptize all nations in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!!
The Pope and the Synod: Our Pope usually is called “the Blessed Father” I no longer hear this pronunciation.
Peter’s order was “feed my sheep” but Francis ? “puts Christ aside”. The Pope has to work with his Cardinals not against them. The Duty is to be the rock not the sponge. Uphold every word of Christ. What does he do ” go against Cardinal Burke” and SSPX the worshipers of God instead.
When Christ was on the Cross he did not promise ” today you shall be with me in Paradise” to both Criminals. He said it to only to one. The one who “knew” Christ deserved better. The Pope should know Christ deserves better . Cardinal Burke knows Christ deserves better. The Church knows it deserves better . Why is the Synod obsessed
on having Gays and Divorced better cared for than the Church ? We are deceiving Christ every time we toy with the Doctrines. We who follow will not give up our faith after 2000 years. For what? to please Lucifer’s lies.
Those who love Christ on that cross know what Christ wants from them. Repent and sin no more. The line on sand is clear for all. We are human beings that change but God does not change nor should his commands.
Thank you Father for this article.
It pointed out a refreshing point. Or rather reminds me that Pope Francis did set many tones over the preceding year about his expectations for the Synod. Quite frankly, the coverage lead into a Shell shocked mindset. The worldly battle of differences, political intrigue, manipulation, distortion, illicit agenda covered every front page and most blogs.
I take some much needed comfort from you to pay attention to Francis own words. I believe in words.
Questions that concern me is what to expect from the next meeting. It terrified me to hear about the possibility of there being a change to doctrine. I get that discipline that can be legibility altered but I am suspicious that left agenda curia are trying to even manipulate the meaning of that.
During that last week, before the final document, I honestly wondered what I should do if same sex marriage were recognized. Should I leave the church, move to FSSP/SSPX, stop doing anything. It was paralyzing. Scandal might be the ordered word. I have not swallowed the ideas of the Traditionalist movements but….that have been correct on several fronts with regard to modernism and relativism lately.
I think most practicing Catholics get that Rome is not a corporation and that the Pope can swing anvils on every department at will but…something has to change…quickly for many to not begin believing that the integrity of the papacy has been corrupted. Guess that comes from Burke’s comments about schism inside the church.
Please keep reminding us of the higher order. We laity need clear voices. The movement of Cardinal Burke appears to be high stakes politics. People want to know why a voice like this is being treated so in such a public manner.
May God bless your ministry.
In Chirst
Dear Todd Michaels, this is at least the third time an article has appeared saying that the pope said there was no God, or something similar. The first 2 were shown to be misunderstandings. Why do you think this one is any different?
As for your analogy, it is poor in the sense that these accusations of “heresy” are not happening in a dark alley, but in public speeches. IF what you are saying WERE TRUE, where are the other voices taking up the cry? Surely there would be ambitious cardinals eager to destroy Francis!
Yes, this is war. Wake up. Your enemy is lying and deceiving you, trying to separate you from the head of the army of God. God placed Pope Francis in position to call us all to defend the faith and to fight the devil. This is what he is doing. The twisting and misconstruing is the devil’s doing. Please, wake up!
@susan d
I would first give you charity. There is no hope without truth.
If you were the person left bleeding in that alley, would you want me to deny your condition and sing “Annie”?
As someone near and dear siad, “It’s so neat how you feel feelings.”
Another wonderful woman said “I see that the world is rotten from silence.”
So joyless.
Reach deep into history, and tradition, for truth, pain, and suffering.
Joy without the cross is a lie.
Or we kumbayah, ecuminate, and equivocate all the way to Hell.
It isn’t a valley of candy. It’s a war.
There’s a reason why we used to be slapped by real Bishops.
Out. This is insane.
WAkE UP.
Dear Todd Michaels, the devil has no joy. If you want to bring healing to the Church, as I know you do, reach deep, stretch high, whatever you need to do to touch the Face of God and feel His true joy in your heart. Then you will have hope to give to the rest of us, your family.
Peace be with you.
Dear Albert Cooper, time and again, the pope assured us there would be no change in doctrine. And there wasn’t.
This pope is full of joy of the Gospel. He tells us to be happy, to enjoy the wonderful surprises of grace that God gives us! To rejoice in the Gift of the Holy Spirit, with joy beyond our imaginations! Of course this is confusing to us….we are not used to such talk.
And then the media, pretending to love him, twists what he says, because it makes for more hype, more confusion, more “clicks”, more money for them. Yes?
Dear Sean, please remember the purpose of this Extraordinary Synod was to voice opinions. Our pope let opinions be voiced. The Holy Family was referred to in the prayer for the Synod and in the posters for the Synod. The Synod was a process, and at the end of that process the foolishness of the Kasper position was exposed. Pope Francis beatified Paul VI, bringing “Humanae vitae” back into the center of Catholic conversation. Pope Francis spoke strongly in defense of the family less than a week after the end of the Synod.
Do you ever wonder where the devil, against whom Pope Francis has been urging us to fight, IS during all this time? Could it be the devil influences mis-translations and misunderstandings of what the pope says?
@susan d
The Church does not judge internal things. The basic fact is that this is just another instance and evidence of manifest heresy, and you are doing exactly what you’ve been trained to do…make excuses, and spin. It’s example of exactly the type of reaction as given in my post.
Objectively speaking, over and over, he’s an apostate and heretic at best, presuming that he was ever Catholic to begin with. There is a MOUNTAIN of evidence in one has the guts to look.
Your response is akin to seeing someone come out of the shadows, stab someone repeatedly, and then asking “I wonder what the rest of the story is?”
“I believe in GOD, the Father almighty….” The Creed.
“But God does not exist.” Mr. Bergoglio.
Objectively, externally, and ‘in union with’ the rest of the cumulative evidence, never mind the peripheral but circumstantial evidence is conclusive and Little Big Horn decisive.
Your synagogue attending, masonic thinking, “Pope”, is false.
Yes, I know about “...every idle word…”, final judgement and my many sins.
Hopefully at least one of them won’t be cowardice. In Revelations there is a list given naming the species of sinners that go to Hell. At the top of that list, is cowards.
Spare , at least me, the spin as previously said and ‘predicted.
The Pope speaks in riddles confusing the faithful,and one has to think the Devil relishes this confusion.I for one will not countenance any attempted wish to change the Doctrine and Magisterium of the Roman Cathloc Church!! It seems the “spirit” of The Second Vatican Council has beed resurrected and pushed along the road of Modernism
The pope was in the room. He observed what was going on. He could have halted, delayed, changed anything or anyone at anytime. He did not do so. Silence is consent.
He failed to stand up for those Catholic families, intact, struggling, enduring. He showed us nothing. He showed nothing to the young man and woman who are engaged or considering marriage in the Faith.
Why not, Holy Father? Why was the Holy Family not mentioned? Why were the names of St Joseph and the Mother of Jesus not mentioned in the public documents? We’re they spoken at all?
Standby for more.
“I can’t make heads or tails of this piece. The title indicates that Pope Francis had a vision. What was his vision? I guess I’m not too bright.”
## “Vision” is meant, not to refer to mystical phenomena, but to ideas.
Dear Chinedu, I am very sorry I have not made myself clear. I believe in God, and His Holy Catholic Church, with the Bible and the Magisterium.
I do not believe in reporters. I do not believe in articles on the Internet that present only part of the picture and cause endless confusion. I do not believe in negativity, defeatism, lack of faith in God’s goodness.
I believe that Pope Francis is not the/an anti-Christ, although sometimes I think I do not understand his language, and ALWAYS I know that he is smarter than I am. I believe that the Church has been through worse times, and God will see us through these times. And I believe I personally should listen to the pope’s advice when he tells me how to fight the devil. (And I see the devil very VERY active in destroying the pope’s reputation!)
Dear Todd Michaels, I wonder what was left out of the article you referred us to? (Again, thank you for telling us what is so troubling to you, as DeCarlo was not the only one to not be able to follow your comments. Very likely because you are so passionate. Which is good. Just, please, recognize that it is hard for others to understand us when we get too excited.)
The topic of Pope Francis’s talk at Santa Marta was prayer. He was waxing eloquent about the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit, the close companion we have in Jesus, in the love of the Father. He says that our prayer must be Trinitarian. He states that he does believe in God. And then, speaking again of the experience of prayer, he seems to make a statement that, without a context of contemplative prayer, would contradict his entire life’s history, which few words you quote and find deeply offensive. But Francis continues to tell us to love God in this homily and subsequent ones.
I think I need to read “The Cloud of Unknowing” again. It has been a long time since I read it, but I think Francis may be referring to it?
@DeCarlo
None? None whatsoever? I haven’t the slightest idea how this could be so. If you refer to my prior post then, this is a very long comm box, much of it in response to others.
However, the big, ugly, smelly elephant in the room, and the basic point few want to even consider, understandably, is that Mr. Bergoglio is not, and cannot be, Catholic, let alone pope because he isn’t even Catholic, nor is he a priest, at least not a Catholic one.
Yes that is a fearful thing to posit, but cowards AND liars end up in hell, we are BOUND to call a heretic a heretic, no matter who they are, how much the world loves them, which should be a clue right there.
“Rambling…” usually soon followed up by the lazy, cowardly, and deceitful “conspiracy theorist.”
“Contra factum non est argumentum.” Bp. S. Augustine of Hippo.
God help us all, and forgive our sins and errors.
Todd Michael, I haven’t the slightest idea what you are talking about. You are just rambling.
[comment edited]
Larry, what do you have to say about the cafeteria Catholics? Don’t they have to accept church teachings too?
@susan d
We should be ‘upset’ by heresy, blasphemy etc….esp if we do it ourselves.
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/10/09/pope_at_santa_marta_what_we_dare_not_hope_forp/1108212
“God does not exist.”
Go ahead and spin that. “Well he did say the father…” “What he meant…” “Bad translation…” “Misunderstood…”
Not a day goes by when it was a ‘mistranslation/misunderstanding/out of context’ etc. etc. ad nauseum.
“But God does not exist” Mr. Bergoglio
“I believe in God…” if you don’t know that one, then it’s even worse than I thought. What excuse does any Catholic, let alone a bishop, let alone the “Bishop of Rome” have.
To deny the nature of the Persons, is to deny the Persons themselves. If God does not exist, then we don’t either, as all creation is contingent upon the non i.e. God.
And yet, somehow, he’s the pope. Nonsense.
It’s the creed. Any that’re tempted to, spin it to someone else.
And yes. I am a sedevacantist. Least amount of crazy pills w/ a Nyquil chaser there.
You can’t be a heretic, and be a pope. You can have stolen property, and a stolen office, but it is just that…stolen. It isn’t yours.
@susan d, I don’t just know where you stand. “You should either be hot or cold, not lukewarm”. So says Christ Jesus . And my advice to you is that whatever you believe or not believe, check your Bible & Catechism. If that believed, taught or said, contradicts the commandment of God, then IT IS ANTICHRIST project.
@Larry Northon, God bless you. I’m glad that you’re among the Catholics whose joy is doing the will of Christ. You know, during the time of Noah, he exhorted, begged people to repent and come back to God, to escape the wrath of God. They refused & laughed him to scorn until the dreadful day that consumed them all arrived. They preferred the worldly pleasure. Such time has come again. Instead of following sound doctrine, they’ve gotten teachers that will give them the heresy they want to hear; and they are happy. When the mercy of God expires for them on the last day! Hm! I don’t pray to be in their shoes (Sorry, I must borrow that word from you.) However, let’s keep praying for the conversion of sinners, Cardinal Kasper & co. And may the Holy Spirit convict pope Francis’ conscience to know that he must obey God and not lead His flock astray; and that he must not flag satanic agenda in His Church. Amen.
I watched a movie that showed how antiChrist will employ subtle tactics and lead children of God astray. It’s similar to what is happening in Churches these days. We all must “be as wise as a serpent & gentle as a dove”. So says the Word of God. Just wondering whether pope Francis remembers the consequence of the demonic project he’s bringing into the Church. The other time, he told the world that belief in God is not necessary for people to make heaven. Heresy! Well, well, today is All Souls (faithful departed) Sunday. May their souls rest in peace. Amen. And may we the living follow Christ till the end. Amen
It’s no use for Father de Souza to complain aboit the bishops - they were put in place by the very Popes he says were forgotten. Which, if he is right, does not say much for the quality of the judgements made by those Popes. Maybe JP2 in particular was not such a big hero after all, & should not have been canonised…
Dear Chinedu, there is no “Kasper/Francis alliance against Christ.”
Far more than 7 Catholic bishops discomfited Kasper’s push to regularize bigamy. Did you read Pope Francis’s Oct. 25 defense of the family?
Burke is not at war with Francis (another false rumor?)
Did you see anyone on this thread fighting against God’s Ten Commandments?
I look forward to the Supper of the Lamb in Heaven. I have been in love with Jesus since I was 5. God wants us all to get there. Let’s not disappoint Him, okay?
Oh, Dear Todd Michaels, PLEASE don’t be upset! Pope Francis did not say there is no God. I googled “Francis no God” and found an article dated Oct. 2013, that Pope Francis stated he believes in God, but that God is not a “Catholic” God. He said that God is the Creator of all the peoples of the world, and that he, Pope Francis, disagreed with churchmen who kept the Gospel exclusive. Look it up for yourself. It is very confusing reportage, and I THINK is part of the same Scalfari interview where so many crazy rumors got started.
And, thank you for saying what was bothering you. Did you read about this in some blog? Someone else mentioned something like this on a different thread yesterday, and I did not pick up on it.
I see them all, Mike.
“LARRY The SSPX believes in 95% of Vatican II. They are more Catholic than the cafeteria Catholics.” No—they themselves ARE cafeteria Catholics—of a different flavor than the liberals, that’s all. Plus the fact that they are in schism. REAL Catholics accept 100% of Vatican II along with all other authoritative Church teachings.
What happened to all the comments?
I set my lunch table 2day & imagined lunch with all Saints,with Christ as the Host.This what our goal should be: to dine with Christ and His holy beings in heaven; not following pope Francis & kasper to have deal with Satan, and lead souls away from Christ and His precious kingdom. Therefore, choose you today whom to follow: pope Francis/Kasper alliance against Christ, or Bible/Catechism alliance for Christ. As for me, my family, and all the faithfuls, we, in unions with bishop Burke & other Catholic 7 good bishops, will follow Christ because we must occupy those mansions Christ told us He’s gone to prepare for us. For those of you that are fighting Against Christ and the Ten Commandments, I still pray that you to repent before it becomes late for you. It would be your own loss when you gnash teeth in hell crying, “Lord have mercy, give us second chance to go back to the world and repent; it was pope Francis’ and Kasper’s New World Order doctrines that landed us here. Only if we knew, we’d have listened even to evangelism on National Catholic Register, urging us to reject the New World Order commandments that opposed You & Your Church.” Then, Christ Whose mercy has expired for the inhabitants of hell fire will reply, “I AM a Consuming fire!!! The hour of My mercy has expired for you. Remain in hell, suffer for your disobedience and rebellion: you, your wicked worldly clergies whose teachings you preferred to Mine, your agents, cohorts and your father of all lies, the Devil. You’ve been rewarded according to your wicked work. Nothing defiled shall enter My kingdom.” Brothers & sisters, God loves you. You still have opportunity now to renounce your sins today & accept Christ. He has given you the ten commandments; it’s through them you can make heaven. Any other teaching contradicting it is handed down by the Beast, the devil. Whoever teaches you contrary to God’s precepts is the one that hates you and wants you to roast in hell. Such new worldly teaching is Satanic and can only destroy your body & soul. God cannot contradict Himself. Be wise! We can only be saints by Christ-like mode of life, based on good moral. I wish all of us here, a happy All Saints Feast Day.
LARRY The SSPX believes in 95% of Vatican II. They are more Catholic than the cafeteria Catholics.
Dear John Musolo, specifics, please…how did the final report of the Synod contradict the catechism? What actual “heresy” did we actually witness? Remember that it is very difficult to assess theological statements and the Church generally takes several years questioning a person before declaring that person’s statements to be heretical.(But if you want to throw the word around carelessly without really meaning it seriously, that’s okay with me. Just let me know that’s what you are doing. Don’t Biblical scholars call that “Oriental hyperbole”, as when explaining Jesus did not really seriously want people to cut off their arm if it offended them.)
@Larry “Secretly” are you serious? What do they have to do? Wear “I’m a heretic” tee shirts with pentagrams and have a tv special summoning loa?
More conflation between ‘wicked’, a genera, and ‘heretic’ or ‘apostate’, and of the very public kind. ‘Pope’ Francis said there is no God, and God can’t do all things for crying out loud. Enough with the spin. Leaving which ‘church’? Pope S. Pius X among others spelled this out, if not prophetically then I have a hard time telling the difference.
I’m trying to STAY Catholic, not be duped or worse into being some sort of Teilhardian / mason / pagan / naturalist whatever kinda critter it is, if it isn’t Catolic, then I don’t want it.
The Church CAN"T defect, nor err, nor poison Her children. That’s the point wake up. Where do you get your criteria anyway. A manifest heretic (again, what do they have to do?) or apostate IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH.
Head = member. What is the point of a sensus fidelium, studying the faith, being taught about heretics, being BOUND to condemn them, even in our own household, if we’re always BSed to deal and kept in a tizzy?
Crazy pills. We have a ‘pope’ who denies something in the CREED, then says that He isn’t omnipotent… the list goes on and on.
and on.
Yes susan d, God can’t win, or lose, speaking of omnipotence, but we can. Scripture and Tradition tell us of times that if they aren’t these, may as well call it a day because I for one am too dumb to live, let alone be Catholic, and if it is a matter of ‘dumb’, or ‘smart’ then that isn’t Catholic anyway, that sounds more like Gnosticism.
Weird thing is Larry, I’m pickin’ up what you’re putting down up to this point.
Wake up.
I agree that the Church is infallible because Christ is, not because of man made declarations.
You say “we become the God we honor”. When does that happen ? Man is not God !
Remember ” dust you are and into dust you shall return” .
Let us leave God in his Thrown and adore Him you, me, and every knee for now and eternity !!
As far the Synod, they are there to “defend the faith” not to tweak and turn backward and forward each time they are tested. The truth is the Church must stand as Cardinal Burke states. Thank God for a few “Archangels” left.
The church is wishy washy by Synod as in Vatican 2 and thus may become more divided for the sake of sinners. There is only one Authority for believers, that is CHRIST ! ” He who is not with me is against me” ! I love the Pope and God forgive us all but I pray and hope he will not look back and turn into a pillar of salt.
To Susan D: I think Todd Michaels is, based on his insinuations, either a sedevacantist (the belief that there is no valid pope in the Church—that Francis is an antipope) or a member of a schismatic church which claims its own pope. Just a guess, but it’s probably a good one. He sounds a bit radical for SSPX—possibly a member of SSPV, the more extreme offshoot of the former organization.
“Larry, Spare us the vision of the Jesus you find in the Catechism…” NO sir or madam, I will NOT do that. If you don’t want the Jesus of the Catechism, then you don’t want the Jesus of the Gospels, who is the actual Jesus. “...do provide readers with the Jesus who resides in your heart and soul.” I have. There is no dichotomy, nor should there be. “And then tell us how he speaks to you about hell, eternal punishment, and sin.” I just did. This is a Catholic web site. If you want heresy (and you clearly do), then go for it—but I do NOT, and I don’t think most of the readers here do, either. If you want an imaginary Jesus, then imagine away—but I and others here want the REAL Jesus—the same Jesus whom you and I and all of us will get at our particular judgment. I want to know what Jesus really did and said and taught, not the crap that The Linn Family has dreamed up and wants to push on the rest of us. I’m not drinking your Kool-Aid. Drink it yourself if you want to, but don’t demand that I do. Enjoy it now while you can. Your imaginary Jesus will cease to exist the moment your body ceases to live, and you will suddenly be confronted with the real one who will demand an accounting according to what he really did and taught. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes at that moment. It’s hard enough living up to what Jesus actually demanded, without having to face the charge of falsifying his words.
Larry Northon, thank you, I needed that!
The 12th mess is that the Synod report makes very little reference to scripture and contradicts the catechism! Once the agenda is set as “Church following the footsteps of the world,” you cant expect better than the heresy we just witnessed. The Church must always be a sign of contradiction in the world, challenging worldly values, not cohabiting with them. The removal of Cardinal Burke, whether by design of not, sent a message of intolerance
to voices of orthodoxy at the Synod.
Larry,
Spare us the vision of the Jesus you find in the Catechism and among various Church documents but do provide readers with the Jesus who resides in your heart and soul. And then tell us how he speaks to you about hell, eternal punishment, and sin.
Remember we become the God we honor.
Dear Todd Michaels, huh? I DO NOT understand your post. I said the Holy Spirit triumphed (again! like He always does!) and I read a dismissive response from you: “‘Sounds good’. If it helps you sleep at night.” Doesn’t the joy of the Gospel help you sleep at night? Why shouldn’t it?
Look, I am not as smart as you think I am. I need you to fill in the dots to get from what I see so very clearly, to what you evidently see.
To Todd Michaels: Whether the pope and the bishops are secretly apostates can be known only to God at this point. Whether they are in sanctifying grace or mortal sin can be known only to God. What IS certain is that neither Francis nor bishops operating with his EXPLICIT and PUBLIC approval have issued declarations binding the faithful to believe error or commit sin. Thus, the Church remains indefectable. You may believe the pope and bishops to be unholy men. You may even be right. But you cannot use that as an excuse to opt out of the Church which stands in union with the pope. We are guaranteed that the Church will never err in its official and authoritative teachings. We are NOT guaranteed that we will always have the best, brightest and holiest men leading her. We are NOT guaranteed that our bishops and popes will always give good example. We are NOT guaranteed that we will always like them or approve of their methods. The Church’s actual guarantee of infallibility is narrow, but it remains intact.
“Good Goats…” is a book filled with utter nonsense which in no way conforms to the Gospels, or Catholic teaching. I understand that although it carries an “imprimi potest” from the Jesuits, it does NOT bear an Imprimatur from any bishop, which is rather unusual. Here is what the Catholic Church actually teaches, “To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called ‘hell’...Jesus solemnly proclaims that he ‘will send his angels, and they will gather . . . all evil doers, and throw them into the furnace of fire,‘and that he will pronounce the condemnation: ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire!’...Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.‘The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs…Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left…. and they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’” These are from points 1033-35 and 1038 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church Second Edition, and they carry abundant citations from the Gospels. The word “eternal,” which is used repeatedly in these paragraphs, means unending, without cease, without end, forever and ever—in other words, an infinite period of time. You (or perhaps I should say the Linns) have created an imaginary Jesus who bears no resemblance to the real one as we see in the Gospels, and you call upon us to worship your fantasy instead of the actual Savior.
@susan d
“Sounds good”. If it helps you sleep at night. Hope that thinking can somehow keep those who hold to it out of Hell. Not seeing it.
What really new thing is known about ‘Cdl’ Kaspar now that wasn’t known before? Evil is implacable. Never sleeps. You can see this in the secular, which more and more is what this ‘church’ seems to be.
Liberals and other perverts for example. They keep whining, lobbying, pushing, lying, and maneuvering till they get what they want.
And no, libs, including lib ‘Catholics’, don’t corner the market on sin. Just a glaring example.
Gay ‘marriage’ for example. Where was that ten years ago?
There is one patently obvious doctrine by praxis if one accepts that Francis’ church is the Church, which it can’t be, and that is the new doctrine that manifest heretics, pagans, apostates, and protestants can at the same time not only be Catholic, but Bps, even of Rome.
Mark words. This is not a dead issue. The one good seen from that is the mercy and justice of clear choice, that of an impossiby defected Church, or the acknowledgement that it isn’t the Church.
It’s always confusing and mushy to play with lies, such as modernist, heretical, apostate, non-Catholic ‘exegetes’ and ‘theologians.’
The mockery and personal attacks… unwarranted by either Catholic or Teilhardian / Novus Ordo (standards?)
Pope S. Pius X said (paraphrase) to kill the error, not the errant. Then again he also said some should be beaten with fists.
On Hell: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm
To obstinagely deny either it’s existence, eternity, or that it is the eternal abode of damned persons, angelic or human, makes one a heretic and bound to find out first hand.
Genral thoughts though. 1. In reading scripture, the primary/default sense is the literal. 2. We do not study scripture, or take any meaning from it divorced from that already given by the Church, the real one, from the beginning.
I’d highly advise playing word games, esp. with the INSPIRED, INERRENANT, INFALLIBLE word of God.
Millstones. Guess someone was just kidding there too.
Dear Chinedu, I have just been reading about some very divisive “prophecies” that preceded the election of Pope Francis, and poisoned the thoughts of many by claiming that the pope after Benedict would be a false prophet. So every move, every gesture was analyzed to see how he was introducing new doctrines. The fact that he has consistently said NO doctrines could or would (or is that “would or could”?) be changed has not convinced the suspicious that somehow, some “new doctrine” has been introduced. WHAT new doctrine? That Truth without Mercy is cruel, and Mercy without Truth is sham?I think that is what Jesus said.
Division has been in the Church since long before Pope Francis. He is NOT “championing & allowing darkness into the Church.” The synod exposed ideas that were sham-merciful and allowed the underlying agendas behind their promotion to be revealed—the darkness that was already in the Church, as Pope Paul mentioned. Do you think Cardinal Kasper will ever be able to launch such an attack again? Do you know judo? Let your enemies’ very strength defeat them. HOW would Kasper and his cronies be exposed without giving him a microphone and letting him firmly lodge both feet in his mouth?
And with all this exposure, wonderful lay people like yourself have been energized to spread the Church’s teachings in places that never before heard a word the popes have been saying. Catechism is happening. The synod pointed out that this is precisely what needs to happen, and it is happening. The synod was not hijacked. It accomplished exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted it to do.
Or so it seems to me. We both love the Church. Let us unite our prayers for her, okay?
@Larry
“Often it is not until we face a life threatening situation that will cause us to turn to God. It has been said ‘there are no atheist in foxholes’. And perhaps that is only then that we begin to experience and taste the love of God.
Until we experience that love we will have difficulty understanding the upside down values taught be Jesus. Your reference to the story of Lazarus and Dives illustrates that point beautifully. Here’s what Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn and Fr. Matthew Linn had to say about that Parable in the book ‘Good Goats – Healing Our Image of God’.
Question: You claim Jesus never said that anyone is in hell. What about Jesus’ story of Lazarus and Dives, in Luke 16:19-31?
Jesus’ story of the rich man (Dives) and Lazarus (a poor beggar) is sometimes cited to prove that there are people in hell, or that once a person gets to hell he or she cannot leave. Lazarus, a poor beggar, dies and goes to heaven where he is in the bosom of Abraham. Dives, who had not reached out to help Lazarus, dies and goes to hell. Dives asks if he can go back and warn his five brothers so that they will not end up in hell too. Abraham refuses.
A clue that this story is not to be taken literally as proof that some people are in an eternal state of hell is Dives’ desire to help others and Abraham’s refusal to permit it. If we define heaven as a state of giving and receiving love, and hell as a state of total alienation in which no love is given or received and repentance is impossible, then the compassionate, unselfish, repentant Dives is at this point behaving more like a resident of heaven than is Abraham. What the story does seem to be saying is two things. First, social standing in this world can be turned upside down in the next. Secondly, if you ignore your brothers and sisters in need (as Dives did previously), you will feel like hell.
Dalton discusses this and the other New Testament passages that are most commonly cited to prove that there are people in hell. However, as he points out, it is not ultimately helpful to argue one passage against another. Fundamental theological issues, such as human salvation, must be understood, not on the basis of individual texts, but in light of the core message of the gospel.”
I hope that this is not to confusing and mushy for you.
“For example, the celebration of the Eucharist is completely dependent on the response of the recipient.” NOT true! The celebration of the Eucharist is completely IN-dependent from “the response of the recipient.” Jesus is present in the Eucharist—and his offering on the cross is re-presented to the Father regardless of the “response of the recipient.” “A God who does not punish, reward or hand out favors…” is definitely NOT the God of the Old or New Testaments. Christ’s own words throughout the Gospels contradict you repeatedly. He warns over and over of a condition of endless misery following death for those who do not obey the Father in this life. “This is a God who gives us freewill to accept his gifts or to turn them down in which case we will suffer the consequences (hell) here on earth.” Not in all cases. Many sinners are quite comfortable in this life and feel no need to repent. The parable of the rich man and the poor beggar—both of whom have died and gone to their judgment—shows the inaccuracy of your statement. The rich man enjoyed his life immensely until he died and was eternally banished from the presence of God. You are a veritable font of misinformation, which I assume comes from our notoriously faulty catechesis of the last half-century. Instead of “bmerciful,” you should be calling yourself “be mushy and confused.”
@Larry
As I said earlier faith is a gift from God - not the church. And what faith means in that context will depend on each person. For example, the celebration of the Eucharist is completely dependent on the response of the recipient. Some people experience the immense loving presence of God, others less so and some not at all. Now that doesn’t mean that some were worthy and others were less so, or not at all! God loves us all (saints & sinners) equally.
As for the matter of change - Jesus came to bring us a life to be lived to the full. (Jn. 10:10) But what does it mean to live a life to the full? In a practical sense it means to live according to Jesus teachings. A majority of those teachings can be found in Jesus’ parables. The parables invite us to become kingdom people here on earth. You will note that some are very difficult to accept and follow such as the Workers in the Vineyard (Mat.20:1–16). Why are they so challenging? Kingdom values turn world values upside down. Yet, this is what it means to become a Kingdom person here on earth which will require for most of us a dramatic and necessary change in how we relate to our self, others and to God.
Such a change can only come about when we have first accepted and experienced God’s unconditional love. (so many have not received this love from others) God’s love isn’t based on worthiness values but accepts us as we are – not where others would have us be. This is a God who gives us freewill to accept his gifts or to turn them down in which case we will suffer the consequences (hell) here on earth. This is the God who isn’t interested in our sins as much as he is interested in our potential (Isaiah 43:25) A God who does not punish, reward or hand out favors, but a God who heals, comforts, forgives and lives in each human being. Remember the life you live is not about you, but about God experiencing himself through you. The Church calls this the Divine Indwelling.
Whenever ‘we miss the mark’ thank God for pointing it out and use it as a stepping stone toward his kingdom on earth and remember to forgive yourself as he forgives others. But do not judge anyone – leave that up to the Creator.
@ susan d, thanks. But I’m not afraid for myself; rather, for billions of souls that’ll throng the wide gate of hell due to wrong worldly doctrines. Whether pope Francis is duly elected or not (as you pointed out), the issue at hand is that heresy has entered the Church & must be waged. Gospel must be proclaimed as Christ commanded. Whether pope Francis loves our Lady or not; goes to confession or not (as you pointed out), the matter at stake is that he is championing & allowing darkness into the Church. A lover of Mary will oppose any worldly agenda militating against Church. He sat and chaired a synod whose agenda is to destroy the Catholic Church. (Compare him to Pope John Paul II who refused to give up the flock even when it seemed his health failed. He held on and wouldn’t allow wolves(the world) devour sheep entrusted in his care. He questioned when asked to retire, “Whom will I live the flock of Christ to?)” (Touchy!) He was faithful shepherd; servant of God and friend of our Lady to the end). Pope Francis instead kept mum and allowed Pro-Gay & homosexual priests take over the synod and propagated against the Church? Silence is consent! A lover of Mary wouldn’t allow demonic issues in place of Gospel of morality & family bond. Jesus kicked against sin. Peter did; other apostles except Judas Iscariot did. All martyrs did. Why can’t pope Francis do same if he’s for Christ?? Why would he want satanic doctrines to replace God’s 10 commandments? God bless the 8 bishops; they’re the real friends of Jesus & our Lady. Two days ago, this tweet came from “Catholic News Svc”. It said, “Christ looks at the heart, not the sin, to heal it”. I replied, “Christ looks at repentant heart, heals and tells it, ‘go and sin no more’, like He told Zacheus & Mary Magdalene”. Time has come when we, children of God must rise and defend the Gospel. (Thanks be to God for internet). I’ll use even the last money I have to connect to the net; except if I run out. The time for evangelism has never been necessary than recently when children of God are being fed with contradicting New World Order gospel.
Susan, any soul that embraces world doctrine & dies has automatic ticket to hell fire. Counterfeit doctrine leads to hell, but Christ’ real teaching is sure ticket to crown of glory coupled with eternal banquet on His table. Which of the two is preferable to you? While we pray for pope Francis, we’ll be careful with his “new doctrine” in order not to miss heaven. God bless you.
Dear bmerciful, thank you for your reminder that we need to convert—at first I misunderstood what you meant by Vatican II being a change in the Church. As an instrument of metanoia, you are absolutely right! Without constant conversion, we do not have the same faith that Jesus gave us through the Church. Only living things change. Thank you for the reminder!
But they also remain the same. As a priest, Fr. de Souza is bringing new life to the Church every time he says Mass. He is certainly not against metanoia!!
But his language is different than yours, as it is from mine, so it is easy for us to misunderstand one another. When we speak of the “Doctrines of Faith”, we mean that part of life which does not change. You used the term to speak of that which must change to maintain life.
Let us love one another! Again, thanks for the reminder!!
@bmerciful: No, but there is 2500 years of philosophical ethics all agreed that homosexuality is at best useless, that it is good to beget offspring, and that male and female are complementary opposites. You want us to thump a big black Bible at you? Why? We can reason like civilized people, here, we have no need to rely on mere “authority” to come to conclusions.
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I’m sure you can find some backwoods snake-handling revival tent that’ll argue the way you prefer.
If you love me you will keep My Commandments - Jesus Jn 14:15.
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“Thou shall not commit Adultery” – GOD’s Commandment
Ex 20:14 ; Deut 5:18.
“Thou shall not covet thy Neighbor’s wife” – GOD’s Commandment
Ex 20:17 ; Deut 5.20.
Teachings of JESUS about divorce and remarriage –
Mk 10:6-12; Mt 5:32.
Teaching of JESUS about adultery, mercy, and required Repentance –
“Go and SIN NO MORE” Jn 8:11.
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Teaching about homosexual acts:
Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10; Jude 1:7
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St Paul – 1 Cor 11:27-30 about condemnation for receiving Holy Communion unworthily.
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CCC: ” 81 Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its ENTIRETY the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth,
they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. “
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CCC: 2336 Jesus came to restore creation to the purity of its origins.
In the Sermon on the Mount, he interprets God’s plan strictly: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.
The tradition of the Church has understood the sixth commandment as encompassing the whole of human sexuality. “
Mt 5:27-28; Mt 19:6.
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Read about Chastity in the CCC starting with 2337, which includes married people.
Contraception: CCC 2370; 2399.
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@bmerciful ,at the very least…
You:
“The Doctrine of Faith is a gift from the Church and has changed many times throughout history - the last significant change being Vatican II.”
(Close to correct on the last point. s.a. ‘defection’)
Pope Leo XIII, e.g., in “Satis Cognitum 9, 29JUN1896: (emph. mine)
“The practice of the Church has always been the same, as is shown by the UNANIMOUS (i.e. infallible) teaching of the Fathers, who were wont to hold as OUTSIDE Catholic COMMUNION, and ALIEN to the CHURCH, WHOEVER (God can’t contradict, neither can a magisterial act) would RECEDE in the LEAST DEGREE from ANY POINT of >>>DOCTRINE <<< proposed by her authoritative Magisterium.”
Magisterium equals someone. Binding is binding on all.
You: “There is not a single reference in the Bible where Jesus taught/hinted at anything to do with contraception or more importantly the whole question of sexuality.”
Wrong again. Think it through. Does that even stand to reason? Not even a hint?
“The Doctrine of Faith is a gift from the Church and has changed many times throughout history - the last significant change being Vatican II.” I don’t know what you mean. Are you referring to the definition of what faith is? It is a total assent to God and to everything he has revealed. As far as I know, it’s always been that. “Change is the very essence of Jesus’ message.” Again, your so-called reasoning is very blurry. The type of change that he demanded was that we change from lives of sin to those of virtue. But he also said that the definitions of sin and virtue would NEVER change, i.e.: “Do not think that I am come to abolish the law or prophets…(etc.)” This “change” that you speak of can NEVER include contradiction of previous understandings of sin and virtue. “This life is not about sin, heaven and hell…but more about accepting responsibility for God’s gift of faith.” But if this life is NOT about heaven or hell, then of what consequence is it whether I accept “responsibility for God’s gift of faith” or not? What difference does it make? You suggest an imperative that such “responsibility” be accepted, while at the same time you deny any lasting repercussions from such acceptance or rejection. If I refuse such “responsibility,” will nothing bad happen to me in and for eternity? Then why bother? If there IS an eternal price to pay, is that not what we call hell? “Heaven will wait.” Yes, and hell awaits also. “Our life on earth may not.” May not wait for what?
Dear Fr. Tom, Thank you for your considerate response. I am struggling to understand “Humanae vitae”. Pope Paul says there are two “ends” for the marital act, unitive and procreative, which cannot be separated. He points out that not every act will result in a child being born, but this is in the very nature of humanity as created by God, and does not of itself make illicit a marital act even when it is unlikely a child will be conceived.
Likewise, we use our reason to govern our sexual appetite during marriage. (I’m thinking he means like waiting until private, for example, or when one or the other is ill, or studying for a test, or at work. Or delaying a child for a very good reason, determined in prayer.) The Church expects us to be reasonable.
The problem with the use of artificial contraception is that it frustrates BOTH the unitive AND the procreative purposes of the marital act. In the language of the body, the unitive meaning of intercourse says, “I am all yours and only yours.” Using artificial contraception adds a coda to that statement, and the coda says, “except, not all of me.”
In Natural Family Planning, there is no “holding back” during the marital act. Thus it is open to life (even if a pregnancy is unlikely), and does not frustrate the unitive purpose of intercourse. In paragraph 13 of Humanae vitae, Pope Paul says, “But to experience the gift of married love while respecting the laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life but rather the minister of the design established by the Creator.”
@Susan
There is not a single reference in the Bible where Jesus taught/hinted at anything to do with contraception or more importantly the whole question of sexuality. Faith is a gift from God. God’s unconditional love for all of Creation, including you and me, is indeed unchanging. The Doctrine of Faith is a gift from the Church and has changed many times throughout history - the last significant change being Vatican II.
Change is the very essence of Jesus’ message. It is called conversion, a change of heart, or metanoia. And since the Church consists of both clergy and laity they are both called to change. I believe Pope Francis is trying to bring about some of those necessary changes. A few opponents such as the author of this article want to maintain status quo; unfortunately at the very expense of those they are called to serve.
This life is not about sin, heaven and hell, who is right or who is wrong but more about accepting responsibility for God’s gift of faith. Heaven will wait. Our life on earth may not.
There is a very great ‘way’ for the illiterate to learn, as they have in the past.
Via dolarosa, Via misse
What (mass?)
What (faith?)
What are the fruits?
Where are the saints?
s.a. http://biblehub.com/drb/proverbs/16.htm
particularly verse 25
http://biblehub.com/drb/1_timothy/2.htm
s.a. Catena and Church fathers, as to what that actually means, and how we MUST understand it, as the Church, the real one, and not the Teilharidians, has, by all, always and everywhere, understood that scripture is and always will be inspired, inerrant, and infallible.
Or, if it rankles too much, and doesn’t tickle the ears well, listen to the modernists, the textual critics, the liberals… maybe Catholic Answers have a good anesthetic.
Alt, just come out the closet, simplify things, and admit you’re protestant, that the Novus Ordo is protestant and worse, or please if you are, for the sake of all souls intend to be and be Cathoilc, no matter the cost here, how much the hurt.
We are told, and some admit via prayer that this is a “...Valley of tears…”
Susan, To your point “a deliberate choice to prevent an unwanted child” defines the sin of contraception as you explain it.
We need to remember that God is the Creator and we are his creatures, creatures whom he loves because we are in his image as nothing else in creation. The “man” God created in His image beautifully recorded in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, is as much in his image with intelligence and free will as is another human child born in God’s and his or her parents’ image. But more importantly, as rational human beings we know from God and his laws of nature that the purpose of sex is procreative. Every natural appetite has its end, its purpose. We primarily ingest food to live not for the taste of food or the pleasure of food. The purpose in sexual relations has its end and purpose which we may prevent and thereby deny its natural purpose. God wants us to live, bear children as well as feed our bodies. They are his laws inscribed in nature and in our rational understanding. We may choose not to marry for good reasons as I have as Catholic priest “for the sake of the kingdom” as Jesus prescribed. He too did not marry but blessed marriage and considers us as do I as his children brought to life as God instructed Adam and Eve, our first parents, “increase and multiply.” Procreation is as serious in nature as is nutrition. Contraception denies nature and God’s generosity, born in his image and life with him forever. He fathered you and I. He is the Creator who trusted humanity with the power of procreation as cooperators in his love so wonderously witnessed in the birth and sacrificial life of Jesus who became man for our salvation. Sexual abstinence in marriage may be contraceptive as you noted if its sole purpose is to deny nature and the life of God in another human child. The sexual act naturally fulfills its purpose as it does in all of nature in the conception of one of its kind. In our case we are God’s children through his expressed will. “Unwanted children” may be compared to fasting and abstinence, but we are not meant to die for the sake of abstinence or not bring another child into the world. As our own births testify new birth is not ours to decide as men and women in marital bonds. New life is integral to the meaning of marriage and the continuance of humanity. “Increase and multiply” remains the law of life and love.
Father Tom Bartolomeo
“Natural Law does not take precedence over the informed conscience of the individual couples.” WRONG! An “informed conscience” would know that natural law takes precedence over all in all times at all places over all people. An “informed conscience” does not assert autonomy over right and wrong. It does not consider itself independent from God.
bmerciful, acknowledging numbers of people of whom may be doing this or that DOES NOT MATTER at all when it comes to Doctrine of the Faith. period.
This is something many non-Catholics do not understand.
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We do not accept mortal sins, just because others are committing them.
If a bunch of lemmings were committing suicide, that does not mean the rest of us would do so.
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That being said, the leaders in the Catholic Church, must do a better job teaching. Teaching all the literate within their Diocese to read the Bible and the CCC.
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The Church should never change it’s Doctrine of the Faith.
Jesus did not change His teaching, method of teaching, or vocabulary to suit His disciples or sinners. He let them leave, and did not beg them to stay. Jn 6:66.
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Basic axiom. It is unlawful to exercise an act and to frustrate the end to which that act is ordered/designed.
Keep thinking that NFP isn’t contraception or intention against children, who are the primary end of the marital act, and that manifest heretics are even Catholic, let alone ones who hold any dignity, authority, or jurisdiction though. Numb/dead conscience, clear conscience. Same diff, right?
@Susan
When I posted my initial response to your recent posting I was well aware of the method you prescribed, My point is and remains that regardless of the means or method used by a couple it is a still a deliberate choice to prevent an unwanted child.
The use of condoms as a means of preventing conception has a very long history probably stretching back more than thousands of years. Most importantly, we must never assume that when a couple chooses another method (one different from than the one you have presented) was not done in unity with our Creator. That’s a matter between God and the couple. Nor must it be assumed that their choice or anything else will put people at odds with God. At the same time Natural Law does not take precedence over the informed conscience of the individual couples. Fear is never from God.
Statistics show that only about 2% of Catholics currently rely on natural family planning, which is the only method of regulating conception currently approved by the Church. This should indicate to everyone that today’s Roman Catholics need to come to terms with this reality.
Dear bmerciful, when I am speaking of “Natural Family Planning”, I am referring to a specific methodology in (ahem) planning the spacing of children. It is based on the natural cycles of fertility, and helps a couple know one another intimately, thus promoting a deeper sense of unity in the married couple. It can be used to delay a pregnancy or to ensure one. But because it is using Natural Law, it is practiced in unity with our Creator. Thus, it is NOT comparable to artificial birth control, which interferes with the natural functions of the body. It is not natural to take huge amounts of hormones to fool the female body into acting as though already pregnant, and the body can develop blood clots and breast cancer in reaction. Some female bodies develop allergies to spermicides. Some experience depression by the interruption of natural, normal functions.
But most of all, God gave us NFP in the very way He made us.
Artificial contraception puts us at odds with our Creator, as we declare with Adam and Eve, “I shall be like God, I shall be in control of MY body, I shall do what I WILL, not what You will.” No Christian before the 1930’s thought artificial contraception was acceptable to God. And no Catholic should ever practice it.
Luis Ramos, If you want the church that you grew up in, as I do, attend the Traditional Latin mass. It is like pre-Vatican II days. I did about 10 years ago, and I love it.
bmerciful, If you were Catholic, you would understand -
CCC: ” 2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom.
In contrast, “every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible” is intrinsically evil:
Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love,
which is called upon to give itself in personal totality. . . .
The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle . . . involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.”
.
Married couples are called to chastity as well.
LUST is a Mortal sin.
______________________________________
@susan
Every growing family already follows a (their very own) natural family planning method. Why would you want to introduce something that already works for them?
Remember, the process that you are speaking of is in itself a form of birth control. If ‘Humanae Vitae’ works for you than there is nothing to prevent you from using it.
Dear bmerciful, I checked out your link, and my response is ‘thanks, but no thanks.’
I’m thinking every diocese should have Natural Family Planning courses, to help promote ‘Humanae vitae’.
Fr. de Souza and a few others really need to read this: http://whenreligionfails.blogspot.ca/2014/10/synod-on-family-fail-ii.html
Pope Francis wanted transparency - and he got it. It did not, however, work to his advantage.
Fr. Raymond, your commentary is quite negative and peculiar. If you would like to set the agenda for the next synod, then you should begin doing so.
Faithful bishops clearly beat back the unfaithful ones who have been agitating for decades, leading many lay persons astray. The next synod will hopefully not entertain an agenda for communion for remarrieds nor a normalization of sodomy. I am looking forward to a fruitful synod next year.
Dear Chinedu, please do not be afraid of our duly elected pope. Remember that he loves Our Lady, he has said again and again that no doctrines will be changed. His leadership style is to let us all have our opinions, and he trusts the Holy Spirit will lead the Church into all Truth. He hates the actions of the churchmen who abuse their position out of greed and forced the German Bishop of Bling” to resign last March. He goes to confession and urges us to do so also.
Fear is not of the Lord. “Perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18)
@John:What an honour! Especially for one of his age and energy who should be serving in an active capacity. Not with all the hullabaloo that trailed the hubris of this Synod. Contrary to what you said, that will be a very bad decision and an administrative error. Unless you are a Kasperian.
Don’t wonder if pope Francis knows what he is doing. Absolutely, he knows. But he has an agenda to propagate and will stop at nothing until he brings it to pass. Mind you, he’s not working for Christ. My fear is that Catholic Church is now in the hands of those who believe in another thing other than the Almighty Father. Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My commandment”.
Invariably,it means, “If you are against Me kick against my commandment”. Equate this to what is happening in the Church. I’m afraid,pope Francis is against Christ Jesus.
I’m afraid pope Francis will lead billions, who are not seasoned in catechism and Christ’s teachings, to hell destruction. I hope he remembers the implication of what he’s doing, selling the Church of Christ to the enemies of Christ (the world). As for me, from his disposition on God’s commandment, I’ve known him.“By their fruit you shall know them”, so says the Bible. My confidence is that the gate of hell shall NEVER prevail against His Church. But then, if the End is around the corner, prophecy must be fulfilled. All we need to do is defend our faith, even with our last blood. The enemy will not stop, but device another means and time to force God’s children to accept and embrace heresies against God and His Christ. We shall not bow to any other way but the Ancient of day’s way. However, I’d be glad if this pope is changed. He has made the highest Holy and respectable Seat of Authority of Christ that the whole world respects look like ..... I lack words.God come and save Your Church. Amen. Mother Mary, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.
Please pray for us in Canada.
The ideas of the 80’s are still very much with us.
In Ontario it is almost impossible to find a simple, ordinary retreat house which is in line with the church,
Please pray for our dear Archbishop Collins, find to watch the wonderful ” Faith in the Marketplace” series he was part of setting up with Professor Josephine Lombardi. I hear of great work in Hamilton and pray for any others places here unknown to me. Please join me in this.Things appear much more defined in America, and faithful groups larger and better known, with more support all round.
Lastly please pray for Father de Souza, who wrote this artical, and for all here who use their writing to state truth which does help set us free.
All I know is when PJPII became pope I ... was ... excited !!! I realize it takes a few miles to turn a ship around ... it would take awhile to change back to pre Vatican II standards or what Vatican II standards were INTENDED for the church ( by their rotten fruits we see how Vat II was high jacked ). Fast forward, post PJPII what he started back to CONFUSION !!
Cardinal Burke demoted !!! Cardinal Kasper to give the opening talk to the Synod ... with his history !!!
More confusion ... Pope Francis.
Maybe there is a bigger plan here, I’m just not seeing it yet. The Synod didn’t help ... or did it?
I don’t feel a bit sorry for the people who ignored church doctrine and got remarried again, knowing it was wrong.
They “made their bed, now let them lie in it” something my mother taught me long ago and a saying that is also ignored today.
The problem now is not teaching catholics the right thing in the beginning-when young- and not preparing them for a good marriage before they take that vow. That’s where the synod should have gone, not how to straighten up the mess that was made beforehand!
I think there are too many “burrs” (communists) left in the priesthood that should be identified and ousted. They are not true priests because as people can make a non committment in marriage - so can what is called a priest !!!The heirachy knows this - that is why there was a vatican II and why we were allowed to go out of our diocese to find a parish - where we knowledgable catholics could find a true priest and true communion!
Maybe they seem to forget about sin because Pope Francis’ famous words, “who am I to judge?” As DeCarlo suggested it’s hard to know what vision the Pope has.
Dear Father. I agree with your comments about the synod for the most part, however I disagree with your worries about The synod focusing on the “problems and not the proclamation”. In your article you also recall Pope francis` invitation for the church to become the “field hospital for a modern world full of wounded people..”. If our church is to become this field hospital, then the synod focusing on the “problems” made the correct decision, because these problems are the visible signs of a world full of wounded people. The synod therefore took the perfect opportunity to begin creating that “field hospital” that the church must become.
Inadvertently, the Synod has accomplished this much: The rejection of the more “liberal” tendencies of some of our Bishops. Even so, the clumsy airing of the Church’s more weak-kneed “feelings” gives testimony to a wish to reach out to people who have felt excluded. The “bottom line” comes next year when re-affirmation of some of the “hard truths” about life itself will confirm Mother Church in true mercy, which always is rooted in Truth Himself.
Reading the comments, I can see one aspect that is comforting from the discussion of this Synod. And that is this Synod dealt with matters that, in fact, the faithful Catholic laity know best and are truly the living experts on. Marriage and family. In this matter,the Catholic lay faithful could judge very clearly if the Fathers of the Synod were in line with the true teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage. What was needed was for the Fathers to confirm and encourage the faithful in what we already know: that in order for strong marriages and families to exist, we must take up our individual, marital and familial crosses and follow Jesus. Jesus didn’t say it would be easy, in fact without His grace, it would be impossible, but He did say that when we lovingly strive to do His will, He will give us the supernatural strength that we need, and that He would always be with us. Now why couldn’t the Synod just have said that? A suggestion for Synod 2015, more on the graces given in the Sacrament of Matrimony please, and how to apply them to our lives.
Greg, The best analysis. Enough said!
@DonL: The pro-wrestling comparison is apt—because however much a heel might bluster and boast (as Kasper did), the face is always going to win.
If Pope Francis is to blame, it means that the rest of the cardinals who elected him last year should share the blame. Consequently, God himself is to blame in all this mess. God must have made a big mistake by choosing Francis as the vicar of his Son on this earth. This is God’s fault. Enough said!
If you want to get truth about the Catholic church since Vatican II, log onto the Remnantnewspaper.com or Remnant Tv. or The newspaper “The Catholic Family News” These are real Catholic newspapers.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
The Holy Spirit will guide HIS Church for His Bride despite anything you see or fear.
Why are we so afraid? TRUST in Jesus.
We all sound like Sister Faustina; not trusting in Jesus even though He keeps pleading with her, APPEARING to her, to trust in Him!
To Barbara Stall: This “evil council…beginning with Pope John XXIII” nonsense is spread by looney extremist groups—it is not contained in any legitimate public record concerning Our Lady’s revelations to the Fatima children. I would remind you that an ecumenical council of bishops called and approved by the pope constitutes a Magisterial exercise whose work product cannot bind the faithful to doctrinal or dogmatic error. It would be at least schismatic, if not heretical, to hold otherwise.
This site is becoming more and more a secular review of the business, democratic, or the theocratic way that Pope Francis handled a specific situation. The reality is that the Church, established by Jesus Christ, will not yield to the evil of the world, as it hasn’t for 2000 years. The real question is will the faithful remember that this battle with principalities and demons has already been won, by the death and resurrection of our Lord.
Let us always keep in mind…Jesus’ teachings would always be the same…yesterday, today and for eternity! Everyone in that Synod… strongly needs the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit to be all one in mind and heart to do the will of our Father God. If there is too much noise in the Synod and less respect…they may have totally missed the precious whisper of God and indeed the whole exercise may just be futile as in without the real presence of God!
A point of clarification regarding Cardinal Burke’s rumored new role with the Order of Malta. First it is still a rumor until it happens. However if it is true the appointment is as the Cardinal Patronus to the Order. He is not being exiled to the island of Malta which having been there would not be a bad place to be exiled. Still his position would be as the Popes representative to the Order. A nice honorary position and nothing more.
How I miss Mother Angelica’s response to events that happen in the church. I hope EWTN and now The Catholic Register, stay true to her vision of a no nonsense approach to the world, seeing it only through the eyes of God. It seems you are steering off the path, I pray you get back on it.
the only way, which will take us back to our roots is the admittance of our sins and thereafter, ask our Lord to forgive us. the current Pope can lead the Church and its laity very well; but we need to support him through prayers and others
The desire to reorder man as an object of sexual desire/orientation is consistent with atheistic materialism, not Catholicism.
http://www.amazon.com/Godless-Communists-Atheism-Society-1917-1932/dp/0875805957
“...God invites us to wrestle, to be an active partner in our relationship with God. Bravo for Francis’ bravery in being open to the wrestling. The RCC needs more wrestling!”
The problem Lisa is that the synod appeared too much like our professional wrestling matches—rigged as to the outcome before the opening bell.
My conscience is wrestling with the question of whether or not this is due to intent or ineptness. Either is not beneficial to a battered and withering flock.
Fr.de Souza, while I agree with many of the points in your diagnosis of the Synod’s failures, I cannot share your apportioning of blame for them. Now I can understand and sympatise with your intentions as a faithful Catolic priest to abstain from giving even a hint of any papal resposibility for the mess, in order not to add to the widespread confusion and scandal that have emenated from this synod’s failure. That is both prudent and charitable. But ‘caritas’is always ‘in veritate’. Too many circumstances point to the truth that the Holy Father does have at least a finger in this messy pie. I don’t have to rehearse the many instances where the Pope’s direct interventions both before and during the synod contributed to the failure of what we may call his own good intentions. And do you blame many catholics if they ask whether good intentions are enough? I see the disturbing outcome of this synod as the symptomatic culmination of the genuine unease and anxiety that loyal practising Catolics have been experiencing at some of the Pope’s words and gestures since his election. Just a little example, it is well and good for the Pope to dignify St John Paul with the title of ‘pope of the family’, but how much has he in practise utilized this immensely rich and profound teaching both before and during a synod allegedly about the family? Is he really for the hermenuetic ofcontinuity wisely indicated by Pope Benedict or just for proclaiming him endearly the granfather of the Church? We simply are not sure, and that, Fr de Souza is THE problem.
“The world’s most bureaucratic, wealthy, institutionally heavy and intellectually credentialed national Church — Germany — was granted an influence completely disproportionate to the diminishing vitality of its life of worship and witness.”
And who granted that influence?
That was a good article Father. It is important to remember that the Holy Father can take or leave whatever the synod comes up with. It seems to me that perhaps he trusted men in leadership positions(and in the Catholic Church that should mean greater service) to act like leaders and not a gaggle of peacocks. There is a lot that I like about Pope Francis, just as I liked Pope Benedict XVI and JP II, but so much of what is coming out of this is confusing the faithful, especially when filtered through the media. Some clarity from Pope Francis couldn’t hurt.
the Jesuits will force a schism if this
pope is not converted to Catholicism.
We must entrust the Church to our Holy Mother Mary. Pray much for the pope and all clergy through the rosary, The Weapon. I do not understand this pope and his thoughts/actions. As an older woman who experienced the traditional Latin Mass when young, the Novus Ordo Mass, a result of Vatican II, changed the landscape of Catholicism into Protestantism. Our Lady of Fatima spoke to the three children of an “evil council” (in 1917) set in the future (beginning with Pope John XXIII). Eucharistic ministers (unconsecrated laity), communion in the hand, tabernacles nowhere to be seen in some churches, kneelers removed, and other abuses, offend Our Lord mightily. He revealed this to Theresa Neumann (a seer and stigmatist from Bavaria). Our bishops, archbishops and cardinals who oversee seminaries are leading the way to perdition. May Our Lord Jesus Christ, supreme head of the Church, have mercy on us!
Read another way, the author could be exhorting the pope to be consistent with the pope’s own stated synod objectives. My heart’s been heavy during this synod. It’s hard to talk about this in an free, open, objective manner without saying things that are critical of the pope. This episode is causing tensions between faithful Catholics, dividing them between loyalty to and respect for il papa and love of the truth, leading to furtive discussions where one can only say what one thinks to a trusted friend. At the end of the day though please ewtn, keep speaking the truth no matter where it goes. I don’t want to get my Catholics news from some unbalanced fringe site. Hoping the truth emerges to be better than what it seems, and praying for our church.
I see that all of the same Chicken Little’s have come to proclaim their gloomy gospel, ad nauseam. The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
How sad…and irritating.
^
How was the synod a failure? The “progressives and liberals” lost. The paragraphs on divorced & remarried Catholics and counterfeit marriage were voted out, despite what was in the relatio. No doctrine was changed, in spite of all the hand-wringing by many, leading up to the synod. Liberals/dissenters around the world are not happy, at all. Traditionalists should by cheering.
But, alas, they are perpetual Doug & Wendy Whiners.
Be Not Afraid!
Instead of listening to Christ, as Saint Pope John Paul II always reminded us, they’re ALWAYS afraid! They don’t even see the glass as half empty, it’s always empty. Worry, despair, discord, and fear are not signs of Christ’s Church. They do not bear good fruit. Keep praying for them.
God bless Fr. De Souza & Fr. Bartolomeo, and their thoughtful words.
It looks like this last Synod is simply a continuation of the Vatican II situation. The Church will continue to go downhill, thanks to worldly minded bishops who are not one bit interested in the needs of the family.
It sounds to me as if there were too many bishops planted there just to destroy the Catholic Church further. I wonder what Jesus thinks of all this. I wonder if they even prayed to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and knowledge. It sounds like not. God help us, and our children’s children and their children, and so on.
From the Catechism:
675 Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the “mystery of iniquity” in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.
The synod did not fail. It has shed a light on all of the hate which contaminates our Church.
Thank you father! This is the best analysis I have read on the recent synod. You have made very compelling points. Thank you for explaining the Pope’s role and expectations which have gotten so lost in the “Left” vs “Right” caricatures we have ingested from the media.
It is so sad to see the spectacle offered by the Catholic Church in the last few weeks. Why didn’t the Synod concentrate on matters of the faithful families that so urgently need pastoring? Do they care about those of us who are constantly struggling not to fall to the culture of sin? Sin does not matter any more, it seems. Was there any mention of the Gospels during the Synod? To whom should we go from here?
I believe Father De Souza has written a very eloquent and clear text. He certainly described many of my feelings during and after the Synod. But is it really the vision of Pope Francis? I do not know this? And my most deep concern is that as somebody else has said, the Bishops may cave in. The Church remained me so much of the political arena, where eventually the so called good guys fall down to the lobbyist culture. I never expected to see what has happened.
I believe we need to continue to pray with much intensity. Pope Francis has said to make a mess in your Parishes, maybe we should try this approach and let our local Pastors know how we feel. Eventually, our sentiments may reach Pope Francis.
I am afraid that this is NOT just about press or media spin. I really wish it was. But the truth of the matter is that the Pope is a South American Jesuit and that in itself made me very uneasy. Than I saw the way the Church’s dissident’s reaction. Remember the Tweets of Roger Mahoney and Hans Kung. No its just wishful thinking. Than came the comments on the Plane after Rio? Then came those three awful interviews. Than came the Gang of Eight including Kasper and what he said about Africans. I think that that Francis is simply trying to see the vision of the late Cardinal Martini another Jesuit. Good for Cardinal Burke and Mueller the real heroes. Ditto for Cardinal Pell and those who spoke up.
Dear Fr. de Souza, thank you for a very informative piece. Pope Francis is speaking nearly every day, and we—no, I—get only snippets of what he says. Thank you for putting together his thoughts so that we can move forward, guided by the Holy Spirit.
(About the Extraordinary Synod, I think, on the positive side, that the issues that wrought the most anxiety are, in fact, talked to death. They no longer have any life to them. People like ANNE are perfectly right, and as Pope Francis said long ago, no doctrines were/are going to change. Sure, we will all probably keep beating the dead horses, but those issues are clearly going nowhere.)
I am still on Pope Francis’s side. I still believe that he honestly thought that since he dominated the world stage for such a long time that his princes would realize that a lot of the problems we face were caused by the hypocrisy of the priests and cardinals of the second Vatican Counsel and the Catholic education leaders of the second Vatican Counsel. I think he thought that his leadership people would demand that the Church face God’s divine proclamations and demand that we accept them as the truth and act accordingly. I for one will keep praying.
The Church must remain true to the message of the Gospel! She cannot afford to bend to our whims. We must be made to aspire to be more, rather than the church bend to fit our new us. Yes, we are sinners, the threshold of what makes sin does not change. We must recognize sin for what’s it is, sin! Penance allows us to return, indeed we are invited to return to the fold always.
The family remains the basic unit and must be safeguarded always.
Maybe our shephards need to place more emphasis on premarital counselling to ensure that all get into marriage understanding clearly what it is about. This continues to be so important, yet neglected in the heat of ‘love’
The holy scriptures repeatedly tell us that we shall know those by the fruits of their labors. Pope Francis? Your labor has produced a disheartened church. Personally, I have seen enough, I don’t have a good feeling in my heart about this Pope. I am sorry to say that I think he is deceitful.
@lisakaiser: “Stick to your own faith-tradition”, remember?
[comment edited]
I don’t understand how the Pope can be absolved of responsibility for what would have become, but for the brave action of some cardinals, a complete debacle. Is it plausible to deny that the Pope either knew, or should have known, where the Synod was being steered? In most organizations when something like this happens, the man at the top is held responsible.
AMEN!!! Well written and thought out. I can see every one of Father’s points - he’s exactly on target. My question is: why did Pope Francis not write this? Or at least say it?!
Perhaps they could NOT change Church doctrine to accommodate Pope Francis and the homosexuals ? I am mostly glad it went the way it did.
I want the Catholic church that i grew up with,traditional and never changing.
@ANNE
Wow, Anne, seems you have done quite a bit of homework. You researched the bible, the catechism etc. So I turn to you now and ask (challenge) you to do some more homework and find as many stories, passages, definitions as possible that reveal the compassion, mercy and forgiveness of God as you can find. After having done that please share your most personal experiences of that God in your life thus far. You might also include some of the responses you have received from this incredible unconditionally loving Creator in answer to some of your prayers. Please note that this request comes from my heart.
Pope Benedict asked, “pray that I am not ravaged by the wolves”. Unfortunately the wolves are hungry at the Vatican.
Sure, he’s just misunderstood, and mistranslated, yet again, like when he was ‘mistranslated’ in saying “God does not exist…” which would be ‘bothersome’, and against the creed, but maybe the ‘mistranslator’ didn’t know any better.
You’d think that after 2k+ years, all that education, and TRADITION, and all that education, this sort of thing would’ve had the bugs worked out.
Wasn’t this by invite? Good thing such solid, traditional, validly consecrated, non-apostate, non-heretical, heterosexual ‘bishops’, were hand picked to participate, and that they were, as usual, concerned with defending the faith, passing on that which they had recieved, pastoring the faithful instead of caving to power, human respect, and pandering to the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
Of course there were, hopefully, a few entrenched ‘bad seeds’, ‘weeds’ and ‘uncharitables’ left to ‘make a mess’ of things.
Not seeing that much though, or holding my breath.
To this dumb, pastorless sheep it certainly seems like either the Church defected, which again to this dummy seems to be impossible according to what he thought the Church was or…
I’m sorry Father but Pope Francis got exactly the Synod he wanted, and proved hiumself a very weak leader in the process. There is no point trying to spin it to make the Holy Father out to be a victim.
And what exactly IS the pope’s agenda? As far as I can tell, he sits back silently and allows people all over the spectrum to form completely contradictory conclusions about where he stands, without a word of correction from him. His leadership style is total non-leadership.
Amen! Couldn’t agree more. If the Church is no longer capable of presenting and staying behind the Evangelical message on family and sexuality in its integrity, it means that a worldly mentality has already entered the ranks of the Church and taken over the minds of its leaders. Just as Pope Paul VI had foreseen a long, long time ago. :(
God’s truths and laws are unquestionable. His gifts without measure. Our command is to love as He loves, to do good in His name, to obey His laws, basically, the same ones He gave to Adam and Eve.
He provided clarity with the Ten Commandments and further with the all encompassing commandments. His mercy is without measure whereas mankind puts limits on mercy every day as well as forgiveness and false values on everything. We are constantly testing the water, which is God(Luke:4:12).
Here is what I thought the Synod was about.
1) Church leaders will look to the Holy Spirit for knowledge to understand and the strength to proclaim the Word of God, his laws, His promises.
2) Providing to His people clarity of His words by showing their timelessness in meeting the needs of today’s people.
3) Learning what it is that today’s Catholic hungers to have from the Church: forgiveness, understanding, individuality (as God sees us) and a sense of communion
4) Nurturing the truth that God is forgiving and welcoming when we abide by His laws.
5) Clarifying the path he wishes us to follow and providing helps at all levels of the Church from lay persons, other religious, and parish priest to Pope.
6) See each person as God sees them, as individuals, not a group, or class but potentially all members of His church. Acknowledging by listening that some person’s paths are more difficult, more distractions, with more untruths to dispel.
7) How to provide a haven for the person who wishes to break the pattern of sin which has become familiar and even comfortable to them.
8) Let everyone know that there is a path open to God but each person must chose for them to choose God’s way.
These and so much more are issues that involve both the individual and family issues of today. I believe there are more than a few young people today that yearn to make new memories like the families of yesterday that gathered together (without modern electronics) and simply enjoyed conversing and simple amusements, laughter, sharing of food and recipes, observing children at play, all tied together with a bow of prayer.
God expects us to act as He, spreading love and all the sweet fruits of the Holy Spirit wherever we go, to whomever we speak. A tall order but doable because I know our God will not ask of us what we are not able to accomplish.
Pope Francis convened this synod, which in my mind was
totally unnecessary and fraught with danger. Look at the
destructive press generated over the synod. Pope Francis
appointed Cardinal Kasper to lead the synod, obviously
knowing his opinions. The Pope also allowed the controversial
paragraphs that did not receive a two-thirds majority
to stay in the document, and worse, published the vote
tallies indicating that a significant majority of bishops
voted for these destructive paragraphs albeit short of the
two-thirds. Church leaders for a long time have had this pathological
focus on trying to make public sinners feel “at home” and
“welcomed,” and at the same time grossly failing to uphold the
traditional, immutable teachings of the Church. Faithful
Catholics are left with confusion, uncertainty, and in some
cases despair. And it goes on…
The family is under extreme stress the world over. The synod on the family, could have served as Catholicism’s chance to propose something new - a way to build solid, happy families that don’t fall apart and don’t get divorced and are built on solid foundations.
This is what the world needs so urgently.
Instead, virtually nothing of the Catholic idea of the family was presented to the world. Catholicism has a better way to build families, and it keeps shooting itself in the foot and keeping this information to itself.
A huge opportunity was lost because a few bishops and their media friends presented an interim report that had bizarre language about gays and divorced and remarried. The entire Catholic message was drowned out, much to the media’s satisfaction
The Pope did not help, he bears some responsibility in this failure although perhaps we are being too hard on him.
The church needs to START with Familiaris Consortio - a brilliant document that they completely ignored during this synod, and build on that to produce strong, stable, Catholic families. The Catholic church becomes a powerhouse if it can present a model for authentic Christian family life.
But instead we diddling around with minor issues around gays and divorced people getting communion. The media is running the show, not the vatican.
Father Ray sounds like a broken record ... repeat concerns of the last Family Synod ... we have had thirty years to evaluate.
I chalk this up to Pope Francis’ Jesuit spirituality. He knows well that God can only be present to us through the mysterious and sometimes confusing gift of our humanity. The only way anyone can come to know God is through his or her experience. Theologizing starts from our experience. It follows that church teaching necessarily emerges from believers sharing their experiences of faith and of doubt about concrete situations in their lives.
To have prelates such as Cardinal Reinhard Marx publicly argue that church teaching can change is something we have not seen in a very long time—except from those dratted church reform types, of course. Marx’s actual words are worth repeating: “Saying that the doctrine will never change is a restrictive view of things. ... The core of the Catholic church remains the Gospel, but have we discovered everything? This is what I doubt.”
It was extraordinary that the final vote tally of all 62 items in the synod’s new working document were made public, especially the two about welcoming gay and divorced Catholics that failed to reach consensus. Traditionalist Catholics criticized this decision, perhaps because both items attracted a healthy majority of positive votes, though it failed to reach the two-thirds required for consensus. Yet this is a work in process. Commitment to transparency, something traditionalists earlier complained was lacking, means the whole body of bishops (and everyone else) deserve to know where things stand for future deliberations.
I’m sorry Father, but I believe the sin-nod fulfilled Pope Francis’ vision quite well. A vision which is messy and all over the place. When will people hold him responsible for the heretics he has let loose. Kasper, Daneels, Marx, Maradiaga, Forte, Baldiserri, etc… He personally surrounds himself with these people, lets them supposedly talk in his name, and puts them in charge of the synod and he’s somehow innocent and deceived. Don’t tell me he doesn’t know what they believe. I think it is the faithful who are being deceived. The damage has been done. No matter how he “upholds” the church’s doctrine in the end, it will fall on deaf ears. Everything was so calculated that it would be laughable to see people still defending it if it wasn’t so sad and put so many souls in peril. It is false to say that one can believe in the MERCY of God while at the same time believe His GRACE has no power to transform and convert from sin. Pretty soon we will have a right to MERCY too, I suppose. May God forgive and help us all!
All I know and have experienced is that at the onset of the Second Vatican Council any objections to the almost over night reforms were subject to derision by the clergy of the day ! Here in Norwich England and my parish church of St John the Baptist and today the Cathedral of the diocese of East Anglia,The new “reforms were thrust on the faithful,and my Mum and Dad and our family were told to stay away and let the new truth enter the church,Since my parents have passed away but my family my children and my wife are lapsed.I attend the Norvo Ordo Mass and can hardly bare the lack of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.People like me have benn trampled on for 50 years now,the spirit of Vaticn two still rife with many treacherous clergy still sticking to the experiment!
While the Synod reveals significant differences in their understanding of the issues of marriage, family, and human sexuality, and how in deal with them. I can only speak from my experience in my parish in the United States. Every Sunday morning, almost everyone goes up to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. As a Eucharist Minister, handing out the precious Body I got a clear discernment from the Lord, “Each one of these is precious to me.” I do not know what any of their sins might be, only my own, and my priest does not know either. He consecrates the bread and wine with a reverence that conveys the profound holiness of the moment, the miracle of transubstantiation. It truly awe inspiring. At that moment many of us are filled with a sense of the Goodness and Holiness of God, of an aching love for God and for neighbor, that transports us into the realm of the divine. The last thing I think about are the sins of those who are receiving. I do not think of the 234 doctrines of the Church and the CCC which I know well. I do not judge anyone, not even myself. And I think to myself, thank God we are all here!! We are being saved and healed, and whatever our sins, we will by the Grace of God and the love of Our Holy Blessed Mother of God, learn to give them up.
Venerable Fulton Sheen once said, “False compassion, which is gradually growing in this country, is a pity that is shown not to the mugged, but to the mugger; not to the family of the murdered, but to the murderer; not to the woman who was raped, but to the rapist; not to the poor girl who’s given a shot of dope, but to the rich boy who happens to come from a fine family.” Pope Francis is a sower of dissension and a teacher of false compassion. It was he who hand-picked the creators of the problematic relatio, he who appointed the racist and errant Cardinal Kasper to lecture the orthodox and holy African bishops, he who de-prioritized pro-life activities within the church, and he who wrote an economically illiterate encyclical on capitalism. And just today, he called for the abolition of life imprisonment for pedophiles; in fact, for all violent criminals. It’s on the Catholic News Service. At best, he has no idea what he’s doing. At worst, he knows exactly what he’s doing.
one commentator:
The situation is too bad to be optimistic. We have a Church which is at the brink of apostasy, led by a heretical and revolutionary Pope who personally backed the first edition of the Relatio-Report. While the conservative Bishops can claim victory because of the two-third majority rule, things look very different if one considers the absolute numbers and one gets an idea of the horrors that happened and which don’t predict any good thing. Admission of the civilly divorced and remarried to the Sacraments got 104 votes pro, 74 contra. Admission of those living in gay unions got 118 votes pro, 62 contra. These are devastating numbers, indicating that a majority of the Bishops simply have left the faith. Nobody knows what they believe in, but one thing is sure: it is not Catholicism. Faithful leaders are a minority in today’s Church, and the Magisterium is working against them.
I’m quite certain that this was meant to be posted under opinion and not analysis. This is a barely veiled attack on the pope himself, whom we should show proper and due respect to absent in the ponderings of this priest. We should show filial respect to the Supreme Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ on earth.
Father, you are in deep denial. It is obvious that the Gang of Six, hand picked by the Pope, were acting at his bidding. As the Jesuit Father General said, “Two steps forward, one step back.” It is unsettling, but not surprising that a Jesuit should quote Chairman Mao. And why did not the Pope have anyone from the international John Paul II Institute on the Family at the Synod. Sorry, Father. This papacy is an automobile accident, and now we must see how serious it is. As Steve Wood of Dads.org has said, this Synod has not irreparable damage. The Church is now in the hands of Beta-males and we need Alpha-males. The draft Relation could only have been the work of Metrosexuals unleashed, with the approval of the Pope.
Bravo for the “messy” synod! Perhaps the Pope should change his name to Israel. When Jacob wrestled in angel (God) and suffered a broken hip, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel (God -wrestler). God invites us to wrestle, to be an active partner in our relationship with God. Bravo for Francis’ bravery in being open to the wrestling. The RCC needs more wrestling!
Thanks for a well written synopsis. Saint Pope John Paul 11 continues to guide us more so now from the Father’s House.
[comment edited]
This article should be entitled: Eleven Ways the Synod Failed Fr. Raymond J. De Souza’s Vision.
The heretical modernist played their cards & thank God the Orthodox prelates reared up to strike them down. They will be back with a more sinister plan of attack next year as we have no one to cut the head off of this satanic snake. Just who assigned the ‘elite group of managers’ ? The American group of prelates that vocally backed & associated with the German heretics should be noted & watched closely. Demoting the Orthodox Faithful & promoting the modernist types adds fuel to the mistrust building the last 18 months. Jesus, We Trust ONLY in YOU !
On the contrary, the Synod was a success. Francis wanted to encourage discussion among the bishops and I guess he succeeded. We are so used to a pope-down hierarchical church that when a pope comes along and says “I want to hear from you” they quake, tremble, and complain that “he lacks vision,” “he is relaxing doctrine,” “why, he is almost heretical”, and “it reminds me of the worst of Vatican II.” Grow up people, grow up.
When we stop seeing our lives as a ‘VOCATION’ and live out our ‘CAREERS’ we fail to see the gigantic role The Lord and His Holy Spirit have on us…Marriages are seen as easily dissolvable and even religious vocations become changeable much as we can make career changes…LET THE SPIRIT LEAD AND WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING…!!! We must decrease as He must increase…!!!
Father Raymond…Thank you very much Father…well thought out and well said in Charity. I especially wondered about three of your eleven points…(1) No real focus or exhortation on Sin & Divine Mercy…(2) Why the Prelate(s) of Church of Germany were given the position of proposing “a solution”...my uncharitable thought was that they could have better served as a “bad example”...not to follow and (3) Saint John Paul II’s Exhortations re Family…Dignity of Women…Theology of Body were not the “cornerstone” or “footprint” to evaluate the numerous speeches and comments (banter). The Beatification of Blessed Paul VI…at the conclusion…seemed to me a Holy Spirit inspired event…a “conviction” of all that was so sadly wrong with the Synod process and substance when juxtaposed with this heroic and faithful Successor to Peter. Good news for me…(1)this Synod was simply a great test of Faith and Fidelity to Christ and his Church…(2) this Synod was for suffering with Christ and all our brothers and sisters who really are in difficult family and relationship and sexuality situations…(3) this Synod was for “all of the silent but prayerful majority” of the faithful Catholics who followed the Synod’s proceedings and process and were to be humbled by what they heard and read…from the Prelates of our beloved Catholic Church. Praying for the Pope is not just a gratuitous exercise…it is a vital and loving necessity.
Can’t understand what vision Fr De Souza is talking about. Pope Francis’ role in the entire episode is a sorry one and we should have the courage to say so. I’m reminded of the story of the emperor who had no clothes but whose sycophants pretended he had.
They should not even have had some of the issues on the bishops’ agenda as previous popes had spoken in very exemplary terms on those matters.
Please don’t mess around with God’s word.
Eventually they will not be able to change doctrine but attempts to do so will severely drive people into confusion and weaken the church.
We just need good, holy leadership among our leaders - uncompromising in honouring God’s word.
This newspaper is fast becoming a secular news source with all the spinning.
I know this comments are not going to be shared, but let me tell you folks that I’m a longtime contributor to ewtn and if this spinning dose not stop, my
contributions will.I remember when Mother Angelica once said;” when the liberals take over this network, I will blow it up”. I think that time is fast
approaching.
Pope Francis framed this synod message, choose carefully all placed in charge of getting his message across to the detriment of the Catholic family, and Catholic church. It was a terrible thrust of heresy from within, at a time when Holy Mother Church battles numerous enemies all over the world.
Viva Christos Rey. Thanks be to God for the Spirit of Discernment for all the faithful.
This was designed by Pope Francis himself. He set the stage and invited the actors. Confusion abounded. Cardinal Burke, who has sacrificed himself an the altar of truth, has been demoted and will be exiled to Malta. Archbishop Chaput,“I think confusion is of the devil, and I think the public image that came across was one of confusion.”—“People who uphold a traditional moral architecture for sexuality, marriage and family have gone in the space of just 20 years from mainstream conviction to the media equivalent of racists and bigots.”—“This is impressive. It’s also profoundly dishonest and evil, but we need to acknowledge the professional excellence of the marketing that made it happen.” Move over Cardinal Burke! You may soon have company!
f the synod “failed” the Pope’s vision then he is the sole person to blame for the failure. It was the pope who appointed the predominant progressive voices to the positions of power. It was the pope who allowed them to speak and “manipulate” the agenda without any evidence that he was going to reign them in if the orthodox voices didn’t stand up in protest. In fact when the final document of the synod was released it included three problematic paragraphs that procedurally should have been left out because they didn’t not have the majority approval needed to be included. It was the Pope who gave the nod to including them. In his final remarks rather than clarifications he muddied the waters further with his criticism of the “traditionalists.” An unwarranted rebuke as there is no evidence that they were opposed to “change” at least legitimate change. It is true he also criticized progressive voices but we shall see who gets punished and who gets rewarded in the next curial shakeup. If as rumoured Cardinal Burke is dismissed and nothing happens to Cardinal Kaspar, especially if he continues to push the progressive agenda without the Pope saying anything, we will understand those were hollow words.
As another Catholic priest I found nothing off-keel in Father De Souza analysis. His observations were insightful and clearly written as a loving son of Holy Mother Church as am I. I came to the priesthood late in life at 69 and remain active although I was retired at 75 which for me is inconsequential. From the beginning it was clear that the weakness within the body of the Church is the disconnect between bishops and parish priests and families where they live. Much of this is unintentional and many priests I know do care but are by circumstance drawn into the temporal management of church affairs. Before my ordination I worked most of my life in business and can see the parallels clearly. Perhaps, we should return to the early Church’s organization where deacons exercised the temporalities of the Church which leave Bishops and priests free to spread the Gospel, one on one, family by family. I suspect as one writer here commented that the “mess” Pope Francis encourages may lead to a real renewal of Catholic vocations for the marriage and the priesthood. Recognize the rubble for what it is and then clear the ground and rebuild.
The doctor has to lance the pustule before he can dig out the pus.
The events of the 2014 Synod suggest either:
a) Pope Francis is a weak administrator and lost control of the synod, allowing for the Kasper agenda to dominate.
or
b) Pope Francis didn’t want any of the things Fr. de Souza listed and instead wanted the Kasper agenda to dominate and win.
Based on everything else I’ve seen during his pontificate, I don’t think he is a weak administrator. I think b is correct, but he didn’t win this round after the large revolt of faithful bishops.
Gita - Chennai - INDIA
I don’t think the problem is Jesus, His Church, the Bible, the CCC, the Pope, Cards Kasper, Mueller, Dolan, Burke, Tagle or anyone.
A reading of the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St Paul to all of his Churches, and 20 centuries of Councils and gatherings give me so much of a peep into the Church life where so much was not uniform either.
Jesus is Emmanuel; The Holy Spirit is with us.
Let us not be nervous and lose our faith, reading every report that appears daily.
Paul, that is incorrect. The draft committee didn’t distribute the report to Bishops and the Pope for approval.
In Fr Souza’s condemnation of the “leprosy” he seems to miss a similar affliction of Francis’: the release for discussion in the wider church of the three rejected paragraphs.
Does this article reflect irony or inconsistency? Is it praise of the Pope and his vision or the opposite? I am not sure.
The vision of Pope Francis is to change what the bible has taught for 2000 years. He has already blessed marriages for same-sex couples in Argentina, so why should anyone be surprised? Hats off to those who held true to church teaching & did not give in to the gay agenda. But most church leaders will eventually cave-in, since they will be demonized & marginalized over this next year until they ‘mature’ in their thinking.
It has already been happening to the brave souls who stand in opposition to his agenda of ‘social justice’ & liberation theology.
A very insightful analysis reminiscent of the Anglican convulsions of recent memory. How did that work out for them?
If the Synod was a failure, then whoever was in charge of the Synod failed.
Here is the 12th way that the Jesuits are failing the church
LOYOLA STUDENT PAGAN CLUB CHRISTENED BY U. OF CHICAGO.
The group, with its student organizer saying the group aims to help pupils at the private college find God they seek, not just the one found in the Bible.
Another so called Catholic College with more heretical Jesuits at the helm.
Unlike Pope John Paul II, and our Holy Father, Benedict, pope Francis has full reign in The Vatican, and thus his vision that one can debate Christ’s teaching regarding lust and the sin of adultery was brought to fruition. While it is true that The Catholic Church has the authority to determine whether a marriage is valid, the fact is, a same-sex sexual relationship can never be transformed into a Holy and healthy relationship as long as it remains a same-sex sexual relationship.
Sadly, I think Pope Francis almost did get his agenda, but thanks to the courage of a few bishops here and there, this was thwarted. You can tell exactly what the Holy Father’s agenda was by the men he put in place, gave the floor to, and appointed to write the reports after the bishops elected conservatives. Cardinals Kasper, Maridiaga, Forte, etc. are all known quantities that had been pretty much sent to the hinterlands by his predecessors. Yet, he put them in place, let Kasper run around for a year proclaiming his heresy and that the Pope agreed with him and did nothing about it. The Pope has also removed Cardinal Burke from the Congregation of Bishops, and shortly from his position in the Signatura.
No Father, I am afraid the Holy Father’s agenda is abundantly clear, and it does not match up with the revisionist history you describe above.
Wonderful, concise article!
According to a letter written on Rorate Caeli, it said that half the bishops have switched religions. That is a good way to put it. Don’t forget this clerics were made bishops and cardinals by the past two popes, including Pope Francis.
No doctrines should be relaxed. the heretical clerics should be released.
Bishop Chaput Said that that synod on gay marriage led to confusion and error. He said,“confusion is of the devil.” ...speaking about marriage “You don’t rec. communion unless you’re in communion with the teachings of Christ. he said and ” any gay marriage is not a possibility in God’s plan’.
Too much New York Times and not enough New Testament, at a time when clear, insightful messages are needed to reinforce the family all we get is gobblygoop!My prayer is for all families to read Pope St. John Paul’s Familiaris Consortio.
What Doctrine should be relaxed/changed to help people get to HEAVEN?
“Thou shall not commit Adultery” – GOD’s Commandment
Ex 20:14 ; Deut 5:18.
“Thou shall not covet thy Neighbor’s wife” – GOD’s Commandment
Ex 20:17 ; Deut 5.20.
Teachings of JESUS about divorce and remarriage – Mk 10:6-12; Mt 5:32.
Teaching of JESUS about adultery, mercy, and required repentance – “Go and Sin NO more”
Jn 8:11.
(also CCC: 1649, 1650, 1651)
.
Teaching about homosexual acts:
Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10; Jude 1:7
(also CCC: 2357, 2358, 2359, 2396)
.
St Paul – 1 Cor 11:27-30 about condemnation for receiving Holy Communion unworthily.
(also CCC: 2120, 2285)
.
CCC: ” 81 Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its ENTIRETY the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. “
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I can’t make heads or tails of this piece. The title indicates that Pope Francis had a vision. What was his vision? I guess I’m not too bright.
Pope Francis approved the Synod agenda, which was posted in advance on the Vatican web site for all to see.
Pope Francis personally invited heretical Cardinals Kasper and Danneel as featured guest speakers. This gave them worldwide press coverage months in advance to promote their heresies and desire to change Doctrine.
Pope Francis personally appointed Baldisseri and Forte who wrote the false interim report.
Pope Francis set the stage, the topics and the tone, no matter what he may have said outside the Synod.
.
Let us be clear any relaxing of Doctrine - is a change in Doctrine.
.
It is not merciful, charitable, or pastoral to affirm, confirm or condone anyone in mortal sin.
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Well, Father, Bishop Tobin recently noted that Pope Francis has told people to “make a mess.” Well, they did now, did they not? I don’t think it proper to make the Pope into a victim here. Alas, I have the sinking feeling PF didn’t get what he wanted because the more traditionally minded made their opinions known.
See creativeminorityreport.com for article on Bishop Tobin’s thoughts.
And yet…the Holy Father let it transpire the way it did, and put those “elite group of managers” that “did not pay heed to what the majority of the synod participants said” in the positions he did.
At what point does the buck finally stop with the Holy Father?
As the Vatican spokesman admitted, anyone could have seen the secular reaction to the relatio, and yet Pope Francis viewed it and approved its dissemination to the press. For a Pope who was supposed to clean up a bad P.R. problem, he’s simply erased one and traded it for another. The lack of clarity and his wavering between making statements and then keeping silent is unsettling to many, and yet after 18 months or so, nothing has changed to address this P.R. issue.
The Synod was regrettable, but if the Holy Father didn’t like what he saw and heard, he could have said something, no? Even his final speech to the bishops and cardinals only vaguely addressed in platitudes the “temptations” of both conservatives and liberals, but didn’t decisively say anything…allowing this debacle to continue for another 12 months of anxiety for the faithful.
I pray for the Holy Father constantly and for his success, but after the past couple of weeks, I do admit it is very frustrating and disconcerting. My faith is weak, I’m the first to admit it, but the Church and the Holy Father should be an anchor in the storm, not a contributing factor.