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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

POPE FRANCIS SPEAKS OR WRITES THROUGH FATHER ANTONIO SPADARO, SJ, AND HE CLEARS IT ALL UP OR DOES HE?



Father Antonio Spadaro has written for CNN and released yesterday something that seems to answer or does it, the meaning of the pope's exhortation to clear up any confusion caused by the four cardinals..

In the meantime, a high Vatican official, Dean of the Roman Rota, declares that the four dissenting Cardinals could have their cardinal status stripped by Pope Francis, who has the authority to do so, as Supreme Pontiff.  It would seem odd that the Holy Father would do this just having concluded the year of Mercy. But who knows. He has the authority!

You can read Fr. Z's take on it:

Dean of Rota: Pope could strip Four Cardinals of Cardinalate because of Five Dubia

 And here is Fr. Antonio Spadaro's clear and concise answer to the Pope's critics or is it?
 

Fr. Antonio Spadaro: An open and interesting debate

I think that Amoris Laetitia has created an open and interesting debate within the Catholic Church thanks to Francis, a Pope who never blocks dialogue, if it is loyal and motivated by the good of the Church. 
The case, however, of those who use criticism for other purposes or ask questions in order to create difficulty and division, would be different, of course.
The interesting questions of the four cardinals, in reality, were already raised during the Synod, where the dialogue was deep, extensive and most of all, frank. Amoris Laetitia is only the mature fruit of Francis' reflection after listening to everyone and reading the Synod's final document.
It is the result of a Synod and not just a personal idea of the Pontiff, as some might think.

During the Synod, all of the necessary responses were given and more than once. Since then, many other pastors, among them many bishops and cardinals, carried on and deepened the discussion, including recently. 
The Pope even indicated Cardinal Schönborn as a faithful interpreter of the document.
Thus I believe that a doubtful conscience can easily find all of the answers it seeks, if it seeks them with sincerity.
In this case, however, as in others, everything which touches the lives of people should not be resolved in the abstract, but must be dealt with -- as the four cardinals themselves affirmed -- continuing, "the reflection and the discussion, calmly and with respect."

17 comments:

Jusadbellum said...

OOOOOkay...

So if "dialogue" is so important, and if the answers are "out there" what's the harm and what's the trouble responding in a connect the dot for dummies sort of way?

Even if we suppose ill will from the 4 cardinals (reading minds? reading hearts?) since it's out in the public, what would be a harm for the Pope or his people to parse through all of the public statements they favor and address each of the questions in full so there's no wiggle room left?

Victor said...

There is so much arrogant judgementalism from the Vatican these days, lacking mercy and openness. Schism is getting closer and closer.

Anonymous said...

Why does the pope refuse to answer the questions of the cardinals? It doesn't matter what his answers are because nothing will happen. Nobody will call him a heretic and even if they do NOBODY CARES ANYMORE! Doesn't anyone understand that the Faith has completely collapsed and here we are. Nobody cares anymore.

And this whole divorced receiving communion is pointless anyway! Does anybody think for one moment that the Church's teaching that adulterers can't receive communion matters to the ordinary Catholic. Has anyone attended a Catholic Mass lately. EVERYONE goes to communion all the time and would never for one moment let a thing like sin stop them. They don't know and don't care about sins or the commandments or the teaching of the Church. Nobody cares and nobody really believes in what the Church teaches. Wake up. We have an entire Church of people that don't know what the Church teaches and they don't care. We have a heretic pope and nobody cares.

Mark Thomas said...

I am hopeful that we're not on the brink of schism. I am hopeful that Our Lady of Fatima, particularly in light of Fatima's important, upcoming 100th Anniversary, will intercede for us to stave off schism.

I am hopeful that His Holiness Pope Francis and the "Four Cardinals", as they are holy men of peace, will work diligently to avoid schism.

I believe that the following is of major importance: Cardinal Burke, who is the face and voice of the dubia, would do well to withdraw his provocative statement (even if he didn't mean to be provocative) about "correcting" Pope Francis.

The left and right wings of the Church have jumped all over that statement. The left-wing has employed said statement to "prove" that Cardinal Burke (as well as the Four Cardinals) are unmerciful as well as enemies of Pope Francis.

The left-wing has employed the statement to "prove" with glee that the Four Cardinals have stuck it Pope Francis. They claim that the Cardinals are poised to declare Pope Francis a "heretic."

On top of that, right-wingers have insisted that the dubia has launched us irreversibly toward schism, which, incredibly, they support. The notion is that a schism will, once and for all, force us to take sides. Each Catholic will align either with right-wing Churchmen or left-wing Churchmen.

Not surprisingly, according to right-wingers, their side is, of course, the only side upon which we will find "pure" Catholicism. (Yeah. Sure.)

Cardinal Burke (not to mention the additional Cardinals connected to the dubia) must walk back his provocative comment about "correcting" Pope Francis. Cardinal Burke must denounce the right-wing's destructive chatter about "heretical" Pope Francis and the supposed pending schism.

Following that, there is a very simple, non-controversial approach that the Four Cardinals could take in regard to the issue related to Holy Communion for (unrepentant) Catholics who have divorced and entered into new unions.

I return to my note from yesterday. Why don't the Four Cardinals quote simply Pope Francis' publication that said Catholics are not permitted to receive Holy Communion.

It is that simple. Pope Francis has taught publicly that (unrepentant) Catholics who have divorced and entered into new unions are not permitted to receive Holy Communion. Then, should anybody attack the Cardinals in question, they could respond simply that they held fast to Pope Francis' teaching in question.

That is what the Cardinals should have done from the beginning. Forget the dubia. Instead, just quote and enact Pope Francis' teaching in question.

Anyway, I am hopeful that despite the controversy related to Pope Francis and the "Four Cardinals" will subside, rather than lead to schism.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

rcg said...

Schism? We are like parents of adult children living at home: they won't move out on their own because they would starve to death in three months.

And what's with the over-under on a grudge match up between the four bishops and Pope Luche Libre'? Where did that come from? If it's fair I'll take Burke in the third round. Schneider can't get down to this weight.

DJR said...

Mark Thomas said... I am hopeful that His Holiness Pope Francis and the "Four Cardinals", as they are holy men of peace, will work diligently to avoid schism.

Pope Francis can put a stop to this whole episode in less than 90 seconds by merely calling a secretary in, dictating to him five words that answer the questions, telling the secretary to publish the answers, and then going to lunch.

The pope, by reason of his office, has the higher duty here, as he alone is the Vicar of Christ at this stage of history.

Jan said...

I am less than hopeful that Francis will answer the dubia of the four Cardinals. Francis said he wanted to create "a mess" and who can disagree that he has achieved that aim? Francis has sent a letter to the Argentinian bishops stating their interpretation of AL is correct. Their interpretation is to, in some cases, allow people living in irregular circumstances to receive communion, which goes against the Church's teaching. Nothing can turn AL from being the sow's ear that it is into a silk purse.

AS Bishop Schneider states:

“because of their courageous voice, their names will shine brightly at the Last Judgment. For they obeyed the voice of their conscience remembering the words of Saint Paul: ‘We cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth’ (2 Cor 13: 8).”

But he added: “Surely, at the Last Judgment the above-mentioned mostly clerical critics of the Four Cardinals will not have an easy answer for their violent attack on such a just, worthy, and meritorious act of these Four Members of the Sacred College of Cardinals.”

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/11/24/attacks-on-four-cardinals-aim-to-silence-the-truth-says-bishop-schneider/

Mark Thomas might take heed of what Bishop Schneider says in the last paragraph quoted above ...

Anonymous said...

Look at the photo of the Vatican Marriage Rota at the top of this post. Does it remind anyone of what was said about a prominent politician: "What a scoundrel he is, is written all over his face."

Or as the elegant Fr. Hunwicke says today:

"Go and look at him. You can see him at EWTN News (English). Captured in the act of doing it.

"I looked at the picture and asked myself:
~ is this the face of someone through whom the Holy Spirit is speaking?
~ is this the Face of Mercy?

"Dead scary."

Mark Thomas said...

DJR, why should His Holiness Pope Francis answer questions that various Catholics have denounced as a Pharisee-like trap? Example: Father McDonald today posted a story from Crux, which, in turn, reported the following:

Father Francis G. Morrisey, a canon law expert, told Crux that Pope Francis should not answer the questions as they’re all “trick questions like the Pharisees asked Jesus.”

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas said...

DJR, the Four Cardinals can put a stop to this whole episode in less than 90 seconds if they would heed Cardinal Sarah, Cardinal Muller, Cardinal DiNardo, the bishops of Poland, bishops of Alberta (Canada), bishops of Costa Rica, Archbishop Cordelione, as well as one Cardinal and bishop after another who declared that Amoris Laetitia is orthodox.

The "Four Cardinals" can put a stop to this whole episode in less than 90 seconds if they would read Cardinal Burke's analysis of Amoris Laetitia that the Catholic Register published.

Cardinal Burke insisted that Amoris Laetitia was orthodox. He denounced people who claimed otherwise.

Cardinal Burke:

"The secular media and even some Catholic media are describing the recently issued post-synodal apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, “Love in the Family,” as a revolution in the Church, as a radical departure from the teaching and practice of the Church, up to now, regarding marriage and the family.

"Such a view of the document is both a source of wonder and confusion to the faithful and potentially a source of scandal, not only for the faithful but for others of goodwill who look to Christ and his Church to teach and reflect in practice the truth regarding marriage and its fruit, family life, the first cell of the life of the Church and of every society.

"It is also a disservice to the nature of the document as the fruit of the Synod of Bishops, a meeting of bishops representing the universal Church “to assist the Roman pontiff with their counsel in the preservation and growth of faith and morals and in the observance and strengthening of ecclesiastical discipline and to consider questions pertaining to the activity of the Church in the world” (Canon 342).

"In other words, it would be a contradiction of the work of the Synod of Bishops to set in motion confusion regarding what the Church teaches, safeguards and fosters by her discipline."

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Jan said...

I would agree with Henry that the photo is dead scary ...

DJR said...

Mark Thomas said...DJR, the Four Cardinals can put a stop to this whole episode in less than 90 seconds if they would heed Cardinal Sarah, Cardinal Muller, Cardinal DiNardo, the bishops of Poland, bishops of Alberta (Canada), bishops of Costa Rica, Archbishop Cordelione, as well as one Cardinal and bishop after another who declared that Amoris Laetitia is orthodox.

Who has the superior duty to safeguard the unity of the Church and stop division?

The pope? Or someone under him?

What are the answers to the dubia raised by the cardinals?



DJR said...

Mark Thomas said...DJR, why should His Holiness Pope Francis answer questions that various Catholics have denounced as a Pharisee-like trap?

Are you suggesting that the questions don't have a correct answer?

If I ask you what the correct answers are, can you give the correct answers?

Do you feel "trapped" by that question? How?

How can it be "a Pharisee-like trap" to answer a question correctly?

The only reason a person would consider it to be "a Pharisee-like trap" is if that person does not want to hear, or give, the correct answer because that person does not believe in the correct answer.

The cardinals need to stay the course, and the pope needs to answer the dubia. Justice demands it, as several bishops have publicly stated.

DJR said...

Mark Thomas said... Cardinal Burke insisted that Amoris Laetitia was orthodox. He denounced people who claimed otherwise.

Obviously, Cardinal Burke has changed his mind on the issue. Are you opposed to a person changing his mind?

Remember the pope's statement that the majority of marriages are invalid?

Jan said...

DJR - everything you say is absolutely correct.

Mark Thomas said "Father Francis G. Morrisey, a canon law expert, told Crux that Pope Francis should not answer the questions as they’re all “trick questions like the Pharisees asked Jesus.”

Could it be that Father Francis G. Morrisey, a canon law expert, might be afraid that, if he answers the questions, Francis might unwittingly provide the answer to the question: Is the Pope Catholic?

TJM said...

Jan,

Excellent point. I read on Father Z's website a comment that Pope Francis is a 1970s Jesuit, hardly what you would want in a Pope.

Jan said...

TJM, yes, and I read that as a Jesuit Francis is unlikely to answer any questions that might put his papacy on the line ...