There is a lot, and I mean, a lot of poisonous ideologies out there both in the Church and the world.
I think social media platforms, 24 hour news stations and the like have contributed to the toxicity out there which is disrespectful to persons, institutions and life in general.
We may not like a particular president, pope or other religious or political figure. We can certainly disagree about policy, pastoral directions and the like. But we should always respect the institutions of the presidency, papacy and the priesthood.
We must respect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Some of the comments I allow to be posted are “anti-respect for life” although those making the comments protest up and down that they are pro-respect life. They attack people with the most vile language not just their positions. Mortal sins against the virtue of charity are committed publicly and exacerbated by the mortal sin of pride by making mortal sins against charity somehow as something good.
Thus said, what good has Pope Francis accomplished in his long papacy?
Demos II highlighted that in the preamble of his recommendations to the next Conclave.
But in addition to that, Pope Francis has recovered orthodoxy in the following areas, all of which are a great challenge to the heterodox in the Church:
1. He has emphasized the devil and demonic temptations all within traditional pre-Vatican II orthodoxy on this subject.
2. He has recovered encouragement for popular devotions
3. He has recovered the femininity of the Church as Mother. For the heterodox this was anathama in the 1970’s as it challenged the heterodox agenda to blur the distinctions between male and female and their complementarity. On Thursday, the pope reiterated that the Church “is herself a woman, a daughter, a bride and a mother.”
4. Pope Francis has constantly call Catholics to repentance in the face of God’s infinite love and to make use of the Sacrament of Penance, Confession as a way to allow God’s grace lead us to repentance and a new life.
5. Pope Francis has encouraged Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Benediction and other Eucharistic devotions all of which are anathema to the heterodox.
6. Most recently, as it concerns the Pauline Mass, he has demanded that bishops, priests and deacons read the black and do the red and has done so without ambiguity. The heterodox oppose this.
7. The pope has promoted a pastoral approach to sinners and saints. He wants bishops, priests and deacons to be real people, identifying with the humanity of their parishioners and not just men of ritual with a preoccupation with ritual and form over being truly human, sympathetic and available for pastoral ministry.
These seven aspects of the current papacy are challenging to so-called liberal Catholic, in reality who are heterodox. This is a most positive development.
Finally, while this pope has used his authority against neo-traditionalists, actually modern Protestants, he has used his papal authority in a harsh way which opens the door for future popes who may be more traditional minded to use their authority against neo-heterodox and pure heterodoxy. This is positive.
He has also opened the door to future popes modifying or canceling some of the more controversial aspects and teachings of this pope or at least clarifying these ambiguous teachings.
17 comments:
"Some of the comments I allow to be posted are pro-abortion although those making the comments protest up and down that they are pro-life."
I don't recall seeing any "pro-abortion" comments here.
Should have used “anti-respect” in terms of how uncharitable some comments are. Will change that.
Father McDonald said..."He has also opened the door to future popes modifying or canceling some of the more controversial aspects and teachings of this pope or at least clarifying these ambiguous teachings."
That door had been opened years prior to Pope Francis' Pontificate.
Example:
-- Via Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI declared that "upon mature consideration...The conditions for the use of this Missal laid down by the previous documents Quattuor Abhinc Annos and Ecclesia Dei are now replaced as follows:"
After he had canceled/modified Pope Saint John Paul II's liturgical peace plan, Pope Benedict XVI's accompanying letter to bishops opened the door to Summorum Pontificum's cancelation/modification.
Via said letter, Pope Benedict XVI informed bishops that in regard to Summorum Pontificum, "If truly serious difficulties come to light, ways to remedy them can be sought."
Anyway, Pope Benedict XVI had subjected Pope Saint John Paul II's peace plan to cancelation/modification. In fairness, Pope Benedict XVI's liturgical peace plan was subject to similar treatment.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
You're pro-abortion if you vote for Democrats. It is that simple. You can't bifurcate your vote. During the pandemic Pelosi had the gall to ask for more funding for the abortion mills.
TJM - If you vote for a sexual harasser, you are pro-sexual harassment. It's that simple.
If you vote for a serial liar, you are pro-lying. It's that simple.
If you vote for a serial adulterer, you are pro-adultery. It's that simple.
But you know that it is not that simple. Why you continue to insist that it is is anybody's guess.
MT,
Pope Benedict was more generous than his predecessors and he desired to liberate priests from hierarchical tyranny. He treated priests like adults. So Benedict did not cancel anything he expanded on previous papal legislation. In stark contrast, Pope Francis reversed that expanded peace plan in the cruelest way possible and declared war on his priests and bishops.
Father K,
Strange you voted for Clinton who fits all of the above in spades. Based on last night's SOTU you voted for a serial liar, an adulterer and a pro-abortion president. Adultery, although morally disordered, is not intrinsically evil like abortion. And by the way, there is NO proportionate reason to justify your voting record. Otherwise, you would have given us a myriad of examples long ago.
In 2021 A.D., Rorate Caeli had run the following headline/article:
-- Francis, in interview: Actually, the Traditional Mass was not abolished, I just wanted a “constructive reordering” of Summorum Pontificum…
Pope Francis: "...last year we saw with those responsible for Worship and for the Doctrine of the Faith that it was appropriate to make another evaluation of all the bishops of the world. And it was done."
"It lasted the whole year. Then the subject was studied and based on that, the concern that appeared the most was that something that was done to help pastorally those who have lived a previous experience was being transformed into ideology."
"So, we had to react with clear norms. I did more or less the outline, I had it studied and I worked, and I worked a lot, with traditionalist people of good sense."
"If you read the letter well and read the Decree well, you will see that it is simply a constructive reordering, with pastoral care and avoiding an excess..."
========
Let us suppose that Pope "X" receives considerable feedback from bishops that Traditionis Custodes has been weaponized. Pope "X," following extensive study, and in good faith, then applies a constructive reordering to Traditionis Custodes.
I would hope that Pope "X's" good name is not trampled by defamers who would claim that he had acted out of supposed hatred that he harbored against Pope Francis...that Pope "X" is vile, cruel...a monster.
I would hope that Pope "X" is not subjected to the horrifying degree of hatred and intolerance that has been spewed at Pope Francis in regard to Traditionis Custodes.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
TJM - What you can read into a speech is amazing.
Your argument is, "Adultery, while a mortal sin, is not instrinsically evil. Therefore, it is not wrong to favor adultery."
There you go again... Why you continue to argue this way is anybody's guess...
Father McDonald said..."He has emphasized the devil and demonic temptations all within traditional pre-Vatican II orthodoxy on this subject."
Yes.
I believe that among the Popes of my lifetime, beginning with Saint John XXIII, that Pope Francis has issued the greatest amount of references to the devil/demonic temptations. That is a key aspect in regard to the important manner in which Pope Francis has contributed this, and that, to the Church, as well as world.
Pope Saint Paul VI, via his "smoke of Satan" address, had/has also generated tremendous attention within, and without the Church, in regard to Church teaching related to Satan.
Deo gratias for our holy Popes!
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Thanks for this.
Hal McCard
Franklin, TN
Fr K,
Like a typical “liberal” you fail to accept responsibility for your participation in evil, you clearly lack self-awareness and fail to comprehend your rank hypocrisy (Clinton, par example). You are siding with pure evil: abortion, trangenderism, child mutilation while slinging mud at a man who has done more for world peace and the working man than the senile grifter you will vote for. You may think voting Dem makes you one of the “cool kids” but underscores how intellectually and morally bankrupt you are. “But for Wales?”
TJM - I know "A Man for All Seasons" far better than you. If you understood the scene with Richard Rich, you'd have never quoted it to suit your base motives.
Your refusal to see the idiocy of your argument regarding voting is nothing but rank evasion.
Your defense of Trump is rank cultish behavior. A Nate White has written, Trump, "...has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace... Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.... he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down."
From your behavior here I can see why you find trump so appealing.
I don't want to insert myself into the slugfest between TJM and Fr. K, but I do think it is worth noting that adultery is not simply morally disordered, but is just as intrinsically evil as abortion. See the Catechism, para. 1756.
Frederick,
Not true and you know it. The Church has always taught that adultery is a sin against justice, it is not intrinsically evil like abortion. If you are adulterous, no one loses their life, unlike abortion. Nice try but epic fail.
"There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery." (Catechism 1756).
"Intrinsic evil" does not mean "most evil" or "really, really, evil." It refers to an act that is evil regardless of circumstance or intention. Your argument is not with me, but with the catechism.
"The idiom “in and of itself” is the English version of Latin per se which means “by or in itself; without reference to anything else; intrinsically.” "In and of itself" thus means by itself; with respect to its intrinsic or inherent nature without consideration of extraneous factors; in its own capacity, by itself, without considering any other factors, considering it alone."
In and of itself = Intrinsically.
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