Robert Mickens writing for LeCroix, but normally for the UK’s equivalent to the NCR, The Tablet, is clearly disillusioned by the Vatican and its dysfunction.
He fails to identify the dysfunction as the self-referential Church and its completely self-referential synod of the synod— which could be a title of a Saturday Night Live skit.
He fails to identify this pope’s obsession with psychology and labeling as backwards a small but very faithful group in the Church that truly feel the way forward for the Church is based upon the last two papacies and Pope Benedict’s vision for the Church enunciated at a joyful Christmas meeting with his cardinals, renewal in continuity, a stronger Church not a different, ineffective Church. The Church’s effectiveness is the focus on the salvation of souls from the fires of hell and making this life more Christ-like.
As for going backwards in a kind of time warp, Pope Francis desires that we erase Popes JPII and BXIV and return to the 70’s. His Holiness even used a worn out cliche of that period at his Christmas dress down of his Curia, an annual occurrence, that he likes afflicting the comfortable but comforting the afflicted. That’s 1970’s talk to say the least. Should we afflict anyone?
He fails to identify that many of the things this pope excoriates, he himself exhibits, such as talking too much, being rigid, inconsistent and gaslighting those who prefer Benedict’s vision for the Church.
I don’t know if you can access the entire La Croix Interview HERE. There may be a paywall.
But his last few paragraphs says it well during this time of unnecessary crisis in the papacy and Church::
The refusal of the DDF and Holy See Press Office to issue any statement or comment on the Rupnik case is more than disheartening. It is scandalous. This case is just the latest in a long series of instances where Church officials at the highest level have been caught trying to keep abuse allegations against high-profile priests and bishops (including cardinals!) quiet. Nothing joyful or edifying about any of this.The men in positions of ecclesial governance are making it a challenge for some Catholics to remain in their Church. But once again, we must encourage these fellow believers whose faith is being tried by such clericalist ineptitude and malfeasance, to remember the words of the Psalmist: "Put not your trust in princes."That's especially true at the time of the year when we Christians, no matter what our denomination or community, recall that we place our faith and trust in only one prince -- the Prince of Peace. Best wishes for a truly joyful and peaceful Christmas!
10 comments:
"A less than joyful Christmas at the Vatican."
If we are to believe Robert Mickens...then it has been a long time since the Vatican has experienced a joyful Christmas. We would have to return at least to the days of Pope Saint John Paul II.
The reason is that Mickens has insisted that day after day during Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate, the Vatican...the Church...was mired in a state of horrific, scandal-filled collapse.
February 25, 2014 A.D: Robert Mickens declared:
"When he resigned, Benedict XVI left a church that was almost run into the ground...he was killing the church. People were moving away from the church; people were leaving the church in droves."
"What he did in his seven years as pope or so, is he brought back into the mainstream many fringe groups on the extreme right...This was driving away a lot of people, even inside the Vatican."
Mickens insisted as well that Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate was mired in child abuse scandals...wikileaks scandal.
Again, should we accept Robert Mickens' horrific assessment of Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate, as well as the supposed current "less than joyful" situation in Rome...
...then, it is safe to conclude that since at least 2005 A.D., the Vatican has been devoid of joy, not just on Christmas, but year-round.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald said..."Robert Mickens...is clearly disillusioned by the Vatican and its dysfunction."
Father McDonald, I am surprised that you had granted credence to Robert Mickens as he blamed Pope Benedict XVI for having handed Pope Francis a broken, dysfunctional Vatican.
I had noted that in 2014 A.D., Robert Mickens declared:
"When he resigned, Benedict XVI left a church that was almost run into the ground...he was killing the church. People were moving away from the church; people were leaving the church in droves...he brought back into the mainstream many fringe groups on the extreme right...This was driving away a lot of people, even inside the Vatican."
Robert Mickens added that as Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate had progressed, the situation had become "broken inside the Vatican, what they call the Roman Curia, the central bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church."
"Joseph Ratzinger should never, ever have been a bishop. He just didn’t have the gifts, the charism. He didn’t have the administrative skills..."
Father McDonald, should we give credence to Robert Mickens, then Pope Francis inherited a Church/Vatican that Pope Benedict XVI had "run into the ground."
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"DISILLUSIONED PRGRESSIVE ROBERT MIKENS...REMINDS US THAT JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE CHURCH, NOT THE POPE…"
That applies perhaps far more to Pope Benedict XVI, than Pope Francis, should we believe Robert Mickens' analysis in question.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
"That applies perhaps far more to Pope Benedict XVI, than Pope Francis, should we believe Robert Mickens' analysis in question."
I wish to note that I reject Robert Mickens' horrific analysis in question. I reject his horrific assessment of Pope Benedict XVI...just as I reject the similar assessment that others have offered in regard to Pope Francis' Pontificate.
But Father McDonald, as you referenced Robert Mickens' comments in question...and should he be taken seriously...
...then it is Pope Benedict XVI who saddled his successor — Pope Francis — with a shattered Church, as well as dysfunctional Vatican.
It is all Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's fault, according to Robert Mickens' nonsense in question.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Mark, Pope Francis is clearly a progressive pope and radically so. He surrounds himself with progressive prelates, such as Cardinal Marx and other cardinals who want to bless LGBTQ+++ relationships and celebrate those who are LBGTQ++ as a virtue even when they dissent from the Church’s teaching on chastity. Pope Francis has appointed an atheist Italian who is pro-abortion to the Council for Life and the head of that Council, who has his naked butt on a fresco in his cathedral, wants to undo Humanae Vitae.
Have you ever heard Pope Francis in any way speak of sins of the Flesh? Let me know where he as and how he framed it. Has he ever spoken up about the prophetic teaching of Humanae Vitae as Pope St. Paul VI set forth the traditional teaching of the Church on sex, its place exclusively in marriage and that artificial birth control goes against natural law. Has this pope ever spoken about natural law/
Just wondering. But when you have progressives in the Church now growing annoyed with a pope who is one of them, Rome we have a problem.
Father McDonald,
Nicely stated but just expect a slew of non sequiturs. Mark can’t handle the truth.
Father McDonald, Pope Francis is "progressive" in the same manner that his predecessors, dating, at least, to Pope Venerable Pius XII's Pontificate, were progressive.
Via an interview, Pope Emeritus identified himself as "progressive." He insisted that he was a "modern" thinker.
I could list one way after another that, to the outrage of the right-wing, Popes Francis, and Benedict, promoted the same supposed "radical" agenda.
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Pope Francis has spoken about the sins of the Flesh. Father McDonald, I could provide many examples.
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Pope Francis has spoken about the prophetic teaching in regard to Humanae Vitae.
In the Philippines, 2015 A.D:
“I think of Blessed Paul VI. At a time when the problem of population growth was being raised, he had the courage to defend openness to life in families.
"He knew the difficulties that are there in every family, and so in his Encyclical he was very merciful towards particular cases, and he asked confessors to be very merciful and understanding in dealing with particular cases.
"But he also had a broader vision: he looked at the peoples of the earth and he saw this threat of families being destroyed for lack of children.
"Paul VI was courageous; he was a good pastor and he warned his flock of the wolves who were coming. From his place in heaven, may he bless this evening!”
Pope Francis, 2014 A.D:
Pope Saint Paul VI, in regard to Humanae Vitae, "was prophetic, he had the courage to place himself against the majority, defending the moral discipline, exercising a culture brake, opposing present and future neo-Malthusianism."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
MT,
LOL - how are things in Wonderland?
Father McDonald said..."But when you have progressives in the Church now growing annoyed with a pope who is one of them, Rome we have a problem."
Father McDonald, progressives who wish to overthrow orthodoxy within the Church have spun the false narrative that Pope Francis is their ally. However, time and again, to their frustration, Pope Francis has defended, and promoted, the Faith.
But Pope Francis is progressive in ways that Popes Benedict XVI, Saint John Paul II, Saint Paul VI, Saint John XXIII, and Venerable Pius XII, were progressive.
Said Popes accepted new, even radical ways, in which to present the Faith...but retained the necessary truths.
Progressives frustrated with Pope Francis pretended that he was their ally. However, as he is orthodox, some have grown frustrated with His Holiness as he has refused to establish the "New Church" that said folks had desired.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald, thank you for your responses to some of my comments.
Someday, we will agree on something. :-)
Actually, we agree on the "essentials." But disagreements, even feisty disagreements, within the Church, have existed from Her beginning.
But Father McDonald, you are God's holy priest. I appreciate that. That what is important to me...even when we disagree about something. We disagree in respectful fashion.
Frank, honest, but respectful dialogue. Pope Francis would be proud of us.
:-)
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Pope Francis comes across as a hater - especially when it comes to faithful, traditional Catholics!
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