NO SCRATCHING OF ONE’S HEAD OR TRYING TO SPIN THIS IN WHATEVER DIRECTION THE SPINNER WANTS—POPE LEO’S CLARITY!!!! THANK YOU JESUS!

I have to say that Pope Leo is the best of what Vatican II taught and taught clearly until progressives began almost immediately after Vatican II to spin it into the “spirit” of Vatican II which is an unclean spirit of rupture and heterodoxy

I know that Pope Leo is a pastoral pope, perhaps more pastoral than Pope Francis. Pope Leo never calls anyone names or tries to humiliate them—doing so isn’t pastoral, it is cruel. 

Yet His Holiness clearly upholds doctrinal fidelity even as the Church develops a pastoral theology. But it will always be a “theology” as there cannot be a pastoral doctrine or dogma! Theology is an art and mistakes can be made even by popes who promote pastoral theologies. 

Thus far in His Holiness current pilgrimage, he has been pastoral, doctrinal and no-nonsense. He’s brought back “disorders” to the moral conversation and warned not to justify immoral practices in the name of being pastoral! That was huge! And it is a correction to those in the synodal process who try to use it as a parliament or a political lobby to change doctrines and morals of the Church for pastoral reasons. 

No scratching of one’s head with Pope Leo or spinning it in a way he didn’t intend it!

This is from Infovanticana:

Pope Leo XIV asked the bishops of Peru this Thursday, November 12, to know how to “unite doctrinal fidelity with pastoral closeness” and, when faced with the questions of our time, to ask themselves which paths truly lead to Christ and to “denounce the false paths.” He did so in the address he delivered to the Peruvian episcopate in the chapel of the Archiepiscopal Palace of Lima, during his second day in the country, according to the text published by the Holy See.

The address concluded with three invitations: not to stop walking with the people, to continue doing so together in episcopal communion, and to open the heart to God, to the brethren, and to the people. He also reminded them that “the Church does not belong to us; it belongs to Christ.”

I JUST SAW THIS ON FACEBOOK AND HAD TO TAKE A DOUBLE-TAKE AND THEN KIND OF LAUGH!

There’s been some comments on another post about the Archdiocese of Portland’s anti-hands rubrics for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

But the photo above, although a bit of AI adjustment, is from Saint Joseph Church in Macon, Georgia when I was pastor there. It has to be around 2009 or 2010. It was before I restored the altar railing but after I put in those horrible HAND railings to get up those steep steps with bad knees, but mostly for going down those steep steps that appeared like a cliff to me with my problematic knees. Eventually, those ugly HAND railings were removed once the altar railing was restored. 

The priest, ad orientem to the camera, was my parochial vicar—he is no longer in the active priesthood and God willing happily married and in the Church but I am not sure about that. 

Another interesting tidbit is the chasuble the priest is wearing. I purchased for the parish a set of those chasubles in all liturgical colors for the EF Mass at St. Joseph. They are gothic, but also included the maniple, chalice veil and burse . I purchased those in 2007 after Summorum Pontificum and these arrived in time for our first TLM at St. Joseph on September 14, 2007 the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. 

The photo was posed prior to a Sunday Mass for our annual stewardship renewal booklet.

This is the accompanying message which included the photo above from Facebook:

The Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, has asked laypeople to refrain from holding hands or raising their hands during the Our Father prayer at Masses in the archdiocese.

While the Catholic liturgy is fairly uniform across Catholic parishes, some Mass attendees raise their hands in the “orans” posture of prayer or hold hands during the Our Father prayer, while others don’t. The Archdiocese of Portland through an official instruction has asked laypeople to refrain from doing either.

More: https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/no-more-holding-or-raising-hands-during-the-our-father-archdiocese-says

COMMONSENSE COMING FROM MY ARCHBISHOP WHEN I CELEBRATE MASS AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA’S MARINE CORPS BASE—COMMONSENSE MISSING IN SO MANY LITURGISTS IN THE VATICAN CURIA AND HIGHER…

 When I celebrate Mass at Parris Island Marine Corps Base in South Carolina, my archbishop is Archbishop Timothy Broglio. 

He allowed the assigned Chaplain there to celebrate the Sunday Masses ad orientem and for the daily Masses to be the TLM. Commonsense so lacking in so many cardinals and lower bishops of the Church is in full bloom with Archbishop Broglio!

On top of that, what we have seen since Vatican II is a neurosis in so many bishops who proclaim all the great things Vatican II changed from that godawful pre-Vatican II Church, such as authoritarianism, and yet they implemented the “spirit” of Vatican II in the most pre-Vatican II authoritarian way—especially liturgists! We have seen that revival of pre-Vatican II authoritarianism with Pope Francis’ Traditionis Custodis and those in the Dicastery of Divine Worship who have implemented it with an iron-fist, micromanaging cardinals, archbishops and bishops and in the most pre-Vatican II authoritarian way! 

They really are control freaks, to use a charitable secular expression! 

I hope this makes waves! Press the title for the complete article:

Broglio calls for "liturgical freedom" for the Traditional Mass: "It is not necessary to repress this desire"

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, former president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has defended in an interview with Tribune Chrétienne the need to allow greater freedom in celebrating the traditional Mass. The military ordinary states that Traditionis custodes did not address any real problem in his jurisdiction and calls for “a little liturgical freedom” for all.

WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE POPE FRANCIS WAS, POPE LEO IS A GENIUS—THE LIVING SUCESSOR OF SAINT PETER INTERPRETS POPE FRANCIS THROUGH A CORRECTIVE LENS THAT ISN’T A CANCELING OF POPE FRANCIS, BUT RATHER A PROPER INTERPRETATION OF POPE FRANCIS’ POPULIST JARGAN!

This Pillar article hits the nail on the head and all I can say, is WOW! Thank you Pope Leo for clarifying Pope Francis’ gray language and concepts!

Press the title for the Pillar’s full commentary:

In Argentina, Leo reinterprets Francis

Leo offered new interpretations to a number of controversial concepts from the Francis papacy.

NOVEMBER 11, 2026 • EDGAR BELTRÁN

Here are the money bytes that show Pope Leo is a genius when it comes to the confusion of some of Pope Francis’ words and how heterodox leftists in the Church tried to manipulate that gray area to change doctrine and pastoral care:

Dare to look at Argentina with the eyes of God! Dream of young people asking themselves whether Christ is calling them; of parishes that are living communities of faith; of religious families that have the audacity of their founders; of seminaries and novitiates where saints are formed… Dream of a Church that keeps "making a mess," as your countryman Francis asked of you! (cf. Meeting with Argentine Young People, Rio de Janeiro, July 25, 2013). A mess that carries her to every corner and makes the Gospel of Jesus Christ resound everywhere.

But while Francis’ phrase (todas, todas, todas) was often subject to broad interpretations, and seemed sometimes to be used to imply a kind of inclusion-without-conversion, Leo gave the words a definitively Christological interpretation:

“I would like to draw inspiration from those words to speak about what it means to live as disciples of Jesus: ’Todos hacia Cristo, todos con Cristo, todos como Cristo’” — “everyone toward Christ, everyone with Christ, everyone like Christ.”

…However, Leo went on to emphasize the need for conversion and repentance as part of the process of drawing near to Christ.

The same day, Leo directly warned clergy against the practice of justifying immoral practices in the name of being “pastoral” - a warning which some have taken as a rebuke against the interpretations of Francis which claimed such justification from perceived ambiguities in the late pontiff’s rhetoric. (Of course, Pope Leo must have been thinking about Jesuitical Father James Martin and others like him, maybe even Cardinal Fernandez!)

In his speech to the Argentinian clergy, religious and seminarians, Pope Leo offered a question drawn from the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius: “What has become disordered within us? In what ways have we failed God?” (Pope Leo knows that heterodox leftists in the Church are trying to erase that dreaded word  “disordered” when it comes to disordered sexual orientations and disordered affections! Brilliant!)

As Leo’s papacy moves forward, it increasingly appears that he intends to clarify some of Francis’ ambiguities by offering interpretations that frame both Francis and himself within the Church’s perennial tradition.

A hermeneutic of continuity, if you will.

ALL OF THE LATIN RITE SHOULD HAVE AN INDULT FOR MARIAN BLUE VESTMENTS! NO?

 Pope Leo has had a grueling schedule and for someone who a little over a month ago had part of His Holiness’ lung removed due to cancer, His Holiness seems to be getting stronger by the minute! Another huge crowd at today’s Mass—haven’t heard numbers yet!

POPES HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE AND MUST RELY ON “UNDERLINGS” TO DO THEIR JOB PROPERLY—I CAN’T IMAGINE THAT POPE LEO, A CANONIST, IS PLEASED WITH THIS IN-HOUSE INTER-DICASTERY CONUNDRUM!

 For the most part, most rank and file clergy and laity could care less about the in-fighting in the Vatican Curia or decisions made by various dicasteries until and unless it might affect them personally, like the excommunication of the FSSPX and the cancelation of Pope Benedict’s liturgical magisterium by Pope Francis with His Holiness’ cruel Traditionis Custodis. 

Initially, when I read some commentaries on the questions concerning the FSSPX’s excommunication, I thought it was just sour grapes. But this commentary certainly moves the questions front and center and it seems that Pope Leo, since it’s His Holiness’ excommunication of the bishops of the FSSPX, needs to clarify the questions raised.

And maybe like Sister Natalie Becquart, Cardinal Fernandez needs to be shown the door? Of course, what do I know?

Does the fact that Cardinal Fernandez of Argentina did not travel with Pope Leo to Argentina, while other high ranking cardinals in the Curia did, tell us that the good Cardinal’s days as the Prefect for the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith are numbered? But what do I know?

I copy this from Rorate Caeli. Press their title for the commentary:

Tensions Among Roman Dicasteries Over the Decree of SSPX Excommunication

Translated from the French original here, courtesy of FSSPX News.

The schism remains elusive, but divisions are spreading to Rome itself. Four months after the consecrations in Écône, the condemnation of the Society of Saint Pius X is becoming a headache for the Vatican.

The decree of excommunication issued in the wake of the episcopal ordinations in Écône is now causing difficulties within the Roman Curia itself. In an investigation published on October 30, 2026, by the German Catholic daily Die Tagespost, journalist Guido Horst reveals that the Dicastery for Legislative Texts has repeatedly attempted, in collaboration with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, to resolve the legal contradictions contained in the documents of July 2. But these efforts were thwarted by a lack of cooperation from Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who seems unwilling to revise the texts published under his authority.

Read more »

THE FOUR LAST THINGS: DEATH, JUDGMENT, HEAVEN AND HELL…

 What a great Catholic question former New York Times commentator, and now CBS 60 Minutes anchor, Ross Douthat asked President Trump.

What a non-Catholic, non-Christian answer President Trump gave!

Ross Douthat understands the Catholic meaning of death, judgement, heaven and hell—particularly our particular judgement and maybe the type of thing our Lord will ask us! Of course, the Lord already knows the answer; He just wants to make sure we know the consequences to our answers, heaven or hell!

AI summary:

During a 60 Minutes interview on November 8, 2026, correspondent Ross Douthat asked President Donald Trump a hypothetical question about the afterlife and forgiveness: [1]

• The Question: Douthat asked Trump if he could enter paradise after death if it required feeling love and forgiveness for political adversaries like James Comey, Nancy Pelosi, or anyone he had expressed hatred toward over the years. 
Trump’s Answer: Trump replied, "The answer is no. I want to be honest, no," adding that saying otherwise would "not be real". He described those figures as extremely dishonest and bad for the country, stating, "I probably cannot do that, no, because I do hate some of my enemies, and I always will". 

SAVANNAH’S SUNDAY TLM WITH YOURS TRULY…

 

BEAUTIFUL SOLEMN SUNG VESPERS WITH THE POPE IN A BEAUTIFUL CATHEDRAL OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY IN BUENOS AIRES…

 The post Vatican II adjustment to the sanctuary at the Cathedral is beautifully done—kudos. 

CELEBRATION OF VESPERS WITH THE BISHOPS AND SYNODAL TEAMS OF ARGENTINA

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV

Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (Buenos Aires)
Monday, 9 November 2026

Although the Vespers was for Bishops and Synodal Teams of Argentina, Pope Leo said very little about synodality. His homily was Christ-centered, Mariological and Soteriological! Thank you Pope Leo!!!

You can press the title above for the pope’s full homily. But what little His Holiness said about synodality was very orthodox!

This is it:

I would like to encourage you, together with your synodal teams, as fellow member’s disciples of the one Teacher, to continue listening to one another and discerning together what the Holy Spirit is asking of you in the light of the word of God and the Magisterium of the Church. In this way, you will be able to serve Argentina today. May he enlighten and strengthen you to translate into concrete decisions respect for the dignity of every person, the commitment to the universal destination of goods, the preferential option for the poor, and care for creation (cf. Magnifica Humanitas, 14).

2 AND 1/2 MILLION ATTEND POPE LEO’S MASS IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA…!

 

BEAUTIFUL PAPAL SOLEMN SUNG VESPERS AND A WONDERFUL HOMILY FOCUSED ON CHRIST AND FAITH NOT ON SYNODALITY! THANK YOU HOLY FATHER!

Press title for full homily:

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV

Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Saints Philip and James (Montevideo)
Friday, 6 November 2026

FRANK CARDINAL LEO MAKES SILERI NON POSSUM WITH PRACTICAL, DOABLE AND PROFOUNDLY CATHOLIC VISION FOR HIS EMINENCE’S ARCHDIOCESE OF TORONTO

The Italian Blog, Sileri non possum, has my bishop at our beatification in a headline photo:

Press title for the good Cardinal’s vision for the Archdiocese of Toronto. It is commonsense, practical, doable and most importantly, CATHOLIC!

 CATHOLIC CHURCH

Cardinal Frank Leo sets out to overhaul parish life in Toronto

Every parish will be required to have a pastoral council and carry out a thorough review of its activities. This is the first step in a seven-year pastoral plan.

HAS THE “WHERE PETER IS” BLOG, AKA, “WHERE POPE FRANCIS WAS” APOLOGIZED TO THE NEW PREFECT FOR THE DICASTERY OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR BEING SO NEGATIVE AND CONTRARY TOWARDS EWTN? LET US PRAY THEY WILL REPENT!

 The Pope also took the opportunity to formally introduce the new Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, the former EWTN chief executive, Maria Montserrat “Montse” Alvarado, someone “that many of you already know.” She had “joined the Vatican team of the Holy See” on November 1 to take on “this challenging role as Prefect of Communications,” succeeding Paolo Ruffini, “who has completed his term of service.” He praised her “wonderful experience,” “creativity,” “life and liveliness,” saying she would accompany them on the visit and help the Vatican and the Pope “in the very important dimension of communication.”

The Pope formally introduced the new Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Maria Montserrat Alvarado   (Vatican Media)

But the Pope Francis era “Where Peter Is” was quite negative about EWTN. I’m glad we have a “Where Peter Is” in Pope Leo that appreciates EWTN and its chief executive officer no the Prefect for the Dicastery of Communication.

An AI summary of Where Peter Is, Aka, Where Pope Francis Was attitude toward Pope Leo’s pick:

The blog Where Peter Is has frequently criticized the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), describing it as a voice of opposition to Pope Francis and accusing it of undermining papal authority. [1, 2]

Key criticisms and themes published on the site regarding EWTN include:

Opposition to the Pope: Contributors have characterized EWTN as "the voice of opposition to the pope," arguing that the network and programs like The World Over (hosted by Raymond Arroyo) regularly align with right-wing political causes and Republican party positions over teachings or guidance from the Church and Pope Francis. [1]
Ignoring or "Screening Out" Papal Teachings: The blog has accused EWTN of "screening out the papacy" when papal statements or initiatives challenge the network's preferred political or ideological narratives—such as ignoring or giving minimal coverage to major papal documents and books like Let Us Dream. [1]
Fostering Division and "Post-Truth" Media: Articles on the site have accused EWTN of engaging in "media pathologies," twisting facts to suit ideological prejudices, enabling anti-Francis campaigns (such as Archbishop Viganò's 2018 allegations), and poisoning dialogue and communication within the Catholic Church. [1]
Stewardship of Catholic Media: While commenting on broader Catholic media responsibilities, the blog maintains its stance of defending the integrity of Church tradition and critiquing what its writers view as disloyalty or defamation from platforms operating under the Catholic umbrella. [1]

You can read more directly on the Where Peter Is EWTN Archive. [1]

THE POPE LEO PONTIFICATE AND CONTINUING TO READ THE TEA LEAFS AND LISTENING TO VATICAN GOSSIP

 I noticed Pope Leo’s replacement of Sister Natalie Becquart and wondered what it meant, but I felt it was significant. Until now it was under reported or went unnoticed. 

But it tells us something about Pope Leo’s understanding of synodality which differs from Cardinal Grech and His Eminence’s right hand woman, Sister Natalie. She’s gone now and unceremoniously.

I used to complain about anything and any document coming the the Synodal way. Usually no mention of God, Father, Son or Holy Spirit was made; nothing about salvation, sin and redemption; nothing about the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Communion of Saints and Angels—nothing!

And what Sister Natalie wrote was often a word salad that would make Kamala Harris proud. 

Serre Verweij writes this about Sister Natalie:

Pope Leo unexpectedly ended Sister Nathalie Becquart’s tenure undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops and appointed both a replacement for her and for Marín de San Martín, who had been given a different position on 12 March with his position vacant since. Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa and Salesian Sister Elena Massimi were appointed as the new undersecretaries. This preserves the current status quo of one female religious and one male religious priest as undersecretaries. 

Nathalie Becquart was an openly activist progressive and an important ally of Cardinal Grech. Her removal is the first real strike taken at the core liberal block. At the same time Father Costa is about as liberal as Becquart. He has been involved in several synods since 2017 as a Special Secretary, steering so called experts and topics dealt with and was officially made Consultor in 2019. Through these roles he inserted a powerful behind the scenes influence promoting LGBT talking points amongst other things. His new role ironically forces him more into the open and requires accountability, and decreases his influence on the experts and content of synodal assemblies themselves. Whether this is a case of being kicked upstairs remains to be seen.


Sister Massimi appears to be a generic centrist outsider concerned with church music. She has rejected relativism in music and quoted Cardinal Ratzinger, yet paid very basic lip service to Traditionis Custodes when meeting with Francis. She has praised lay ministries involving women as well as synodality, but spoke of healthy progress within tradition.

Overall these appointments fit a pattern of Pope Leo only removing very select liberal figures from the Vatican institutions they dominate, internally promoting some others but refusing to bring fresh progressives into Rome. Yet, the new figures he does appoint to these institutions for now appear to be harmless centrists. 

Serre Verweij has a long, but very interesting gossip piece which I copy from Rorate Caeli. Press the title for the full commentary—very interesting:

The Latin Mass and the Struggle for Power in the Vatican

by Serre Verweij

When Pope Leo was elected, many traditionalists were initially cautious or did not know what to expect. Then, in his first real interview (with Crux), Pope Leo declined to stand behind Traditionis Custodes; next, his nuncio in the United Kingdom told bishops that they could request exemptions from Traditionis Custodes and that these would be granted automatically, while the persecution of traditionalist religious communities and of bishops who refused to enforce Custodes fizzled out.

Read more »