Many had worried that if Pope Francis had died suddenly, that the cardinals in the conclave to elect the new pope would not have known each other long enough to make a well-informed decision.
But Pope Francis’ long dying process has put an end to that. Pre-Conclave discussions are taking place and the cardinals are thinking about who will be the best candidate to be the next pope given all the chaos of the current papacy for the last 12 years. They are making concerted efforts to know one another and the problems caused in the last 12 years.
And all of this lengthy dying process has taken place within the context of an American Presidential election that has put so much of this pope’s agenda into question, and here I am speaking about His Holiness’ secular agenda as it concerns globalization, the weather and human-made climate change and enabling a political process in the Church to determine future doctrines and a different Church than what the Catholic Church is and has been.
All of this 1960’s chaos recovered by Pope Francis after the great papacies of St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI has enabled a completely new generation of Catholics, from cardinals to the laity to see how much wisdom there was in the previous two papacies compared to the current one that relishes in the past, specifically the period from 1964 to 1977, the period of St. Pope Paul VI’s papacy of chaos and impotence in the face of the progressive agenda of those who wanted a completely different Church than the one Christ founded.
Because of Pope Francis, a completely new generation knows the chaos and disorientation in the Church caused by the so-called spirit of Vatican II.
The conclave too, will have to deal with the neo-Gnosticism of the current synodal way of thinking that it is possible to blame God for dogma and doctrinal changes a parliamentary Church procedure initiates in contradiction of doctrines, dogmas and corrections instituted in a clear and unambiguous way by previous papal Magisteriums and Ecumenical Councils.
And currently, the Italian Church’s synodal process taking place in Rome has been a complete and unmitigated disaster making clear to the conclave cardinals just what a disaster the synodal way is for Italy and the entire Church. Hopefully, they are rereading the late, great Cardinal Pell’s evaluation of Pope Francis’ papacy and they have time to do it!
Blaming the Holy Spirit for every fresh novelty seem to be blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, in my most humble opinion.
But with that said, I do believe the Holy Spirit has given the cardinals of the next conclave a great gift of time to figure things out before the conclave while we experience Pope Francis’ lengthy dying process.
3 comments:
One can only hope.
If Pope Benedict XVI's horrific assessment of the Church has proved valid, then Pope Francis inherited the following as our governor:
A Church long mired in state of utter spiritual collapse. In 2005 A.D., then-Cardinal Ratzinger insisted that the Church had plunged into a state of "filth."
"We have considered...the falling of many Christians away from Christ and into a godless secularism. Should we not also think of how much Christ suffers in his own Church? How often is the holy sacrament of his Presence abused..."
"How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood...What little respect we pay to the Sacrament of Reconciliation...Lord, your Church often seems like a boat about to sink, a boat taking in water on every side. In your field we see more weeds than wheat."
"The soiled garments and face of your Church throw us into confusion. Yet it is we ourselves who have soiled them."
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In 2009 A.D., Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that despite his having served four years then as Pope, "in vast areas of the world the faith is in danger of dying out like a flame which no longer has fuel..."
In addition to the above bleakness, Pope Benedict XVI/Joseph Ratzinger had insisted for decades that the Latin Church had long been mired in a state of liturgical collapse.
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Finally, then-Pope Emeritus admitted that he had served as a weak governor of the Church. Pope Emeritus to interviewer Peter Seewald: 2016 A.D: Governance was my weakness.
"A weak point of mine was maybe little resolve in governing and making decisions. In reality I am more a professor, one who reflects and meditates on spiritual questions."
"Practical governance is not my strong point and this is certainly a weakness."
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Regarding all the above, as described in horrific fashion by Pope Benedict XVI:
Deo gratias that God has gifted us with Pope Francis who, in turn, has worked overtime, to the point of the Pope's near-death, just to keep Holy Mother Church afloat.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
In 2016 A.D., then-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had offered to journalist Pete Seewald an evaluation of Emeritus' former Pontificate. I view as very revealing and important — important in evaluating the Vatican II Era Pontificates — Emeritus' comment in question.
But first, to set the table...
Via Mr. Seewald's questions, then-Emeritus had discussed the difficulties that had marked Emeritus' Pontificate. Numerous scandals, as well as controversies, had surfaced during Pope Benedict XVI's reign.
Then-Emeritus acknowledged that he had governed as Pope in weak, indecisive fashion. He declared:
"A weak point of mine was maybe little resolve in governing and making decisions. In reality I am more a professor, one who reflects and meditates on spiritual questions. Practical governance is not my strong point and this is certainly a weakness."
Millions of Catholics had abandoned the Church during Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate. He had heard the claim that his vicious critics had advanced. That is, his resignation was the act of a coward who had fled the wolves.
In face of all of the above...the negativity that he had come his way as Pope...Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI declared to Peter Seewald:
"But I do not see myself as a failure. For eight years I carried out my work."
I view that as a very important comment — important as said comment is valuable in offering guidance in regard as to the manner in which we view Vatican II Era Pontificates.
More than a few critics of Vatican II, the liturgical reform...the Vatican II Era...have blasted the Popes of our time as failures who had collapsed the Church.
Then-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had rejected that notion in regard to his reign as Pope. But he did not stop there. Throughout the Vatican II Era, as priest, Archbishop, Cardinal, as well as Pope, Joseph Ratzinger had heaped praise upon each Pope other than himself.
He had made it clear that he viewed Pope Francis' Pontificate as a holy, spiritual success. That applied as well to Emeritus' predecessors from Pope Saint John XIII to Pope Saint John Paul II.
I agree with then-Emeritus' positive assessment of his Pontificate...of each Vatican II Era Pontificate.
In line with holy Joseph Ratzinger, I hold in high regard our Vatican II Era Popes.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
"But I do not see myself as a failure. For eight years I carried out my work."
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