Carlo Caffarra, Unheeded Prophet. His Last Letter to Pope Francis
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The morning of September 6 saw the sudden passing of Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, archbishop emeritus of Bologna and a moral theologian of the highest rank, especially on questions of the family and life.
With his decease and after the likewise unexpected death, last July 5, of Cardinal Joachim Meisner, the four cardinal signers of the “dubia” submitted last year to Pope Francis on the controversial points of “Amoris Laetitia” have dropped by half. The two still alive are the German Walter Brandmüller and the American Raymond L. Burke.
Of the four, Caffarra was the driving figure. His signature is on the letter with which last spring he asked for an audience from the pope for himself and the other three. This time as well, as previously for the “dubia,” without getting any response.
Shortly before sending that letter, Caffarra chanced to meet with Pope Francis when he visited Carpi, near Bologna, on April 2. During the lunch he sat beside him, but the pope preferred to converse with an elderly priest and with the seminarians who were sitting at the same table.
The following is the complete text of the letter, the last one Caffarra wrote to the pope, published by Settimo Cielo as an exclusive last June 20, with the author’s permission.
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"OUR CONSCIENCE IMPELS US…"
"OUR CONSCIENCE IMPELS US…"
Most Holy Father,
It is with a certain trepidation that I address myself to Your Holiness, during these days of the Easter season. I do so on behalf of the Most Eminent Cardinals: Walter Brandmüller, Raymond L. Burke, Joachim Meisner, and myself.
We wish to begin by renewing our absolute dedication and our unconditional love for the Chair of Peter and for Your august person, in whom we recognize the Successor of Peter and the Vicar of Jesus: the "sweet Christ on earth," as Saint Catherine of Siena was fond of saying. We do not share in the slightest the position of those who consider the See of Peter vacant, nor of those who want to attribute to others the indivisible responsibility of the Petrine "munus." We are moved solely by the awareness of the grave responsibility arising from the "munus" of cardinals: to be advisers of the Successor of Peter in his sovereign ministry. And from the Sacrament of the Episcopate, which "has placed us as bishops to pasture the Church, which He has acquired with his blood" (Acts 20:28).
On September 19, 2016 we delivered to Your Holiness and to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith five "dubia," asking You to resolve uncertainties and to bring clarity on some points of the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, "Amoris Laetitia."
Not having received any response from Your Holiness, we have reached the decision to ask You, respectfully and humbly, for an Audience, together if Your Holiness would like. We attach, as is the practice, an Audience Sheet in which we present the two points we wish to discuss with you.
Most Holy Father,
A year has now gone by since the publication of "Amoris Laetitia." During this time, interpretations of some objectively ambiguous passages of the post-synodal Exhortation have publicly been given that are not divergent from but contrary to the permanent Magisterium of the Church. Despite the fact that the Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith has repeatedly declared that the doctrine of the Church has not changed, numerous statements have appeared from individual Bishops, Cardinals, and even Episcopal Conferences, approving what the Magisterium of the Church has never approved. Not only access to the Holy Eucharist for those who objectively and publicly live in a situation of grave sin, and intend to remain in it, but also a conception of moral conscience contrary to the Tradition of the Church. And so it is happening – how painful it is to see this! – that what is sin in Poland is good in Germany, that what is prohibited in the archdiocese of Philadelphia is permitted in Malta. And so on. One is reminded of the bitter observation of B. Pascal: "Justice on this side of the Pyrenees, injustice on the other; justice on the left bank of the river, injustice on the right bank."
Numerous competent lay faithful, who are deeply in love with the Church and staunchly loyal to the Apostolic See, have turned to their Pastors and to Your Holiness in order to be confirmed in the Holy Doctrine concerning the three sacraments of Marriage, Confession, and the Eucharist. And in these very days, in Rome, six lay faithful, from every Continent, have presented a very well-attended study seminar with the meaningful title: "Bringing clarity."
Faced with this grave situation, in which many Christian communities are being divided, we feel the weight of our responsibility, and our conscience impels us to ask humbly and respectfully for an Audience.
May Your Holiness remember us in Your prayers, as we pledge to remember You in ours. And we ask for the gift of Your Apostolic Blessing.
Carlo Card. Caffarra
Rome, April 25, 2017
Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
20 comments:
If Pope Francis is right, then he needn't fear open dialogue with his advisers. If he's wrong, then it is perfectly understandable that he doesn't want to talk about it. But he will not have the right to remain silent on Judgement Day.
Like S. JPII tried with Archbishop Levebvre (and failed), Pope Francis is also trying to let the biological clock solve his problem. But in this case, I suspect that others will take up the cause when there are none left.
It is amazing that a man (Francis) who makes such a big deal about dialogue has ignored every single person who does not agree with him. Before that bogus synod on the family almost 1,000,000 people petitioned him to uphold the Church's teaching on marriage on the family. They received no response. The dubia cardinals received no response.
Answer the dam questions. If Francis believes that it is God's will to let people remain in sinful situations AL 303, then let him openly teach that in the light. But he won't because he is subverting the Faith under cover of darkness just like any other prince of this world. But one day, like the good Cardinal, Francis will die. He will stand alone before his Creator and judge and he will be held 100% accountable for his actions and for leading the sheep astray down that wide open path that so many take which leads to perdition.
Mark Thomas -
I would be curious to hear your thoughts on this if you would be willing to share. To me, this is difficult to defend, justify or, explain away. As an apologist for this papacy, perhaps there is a way you can convince me otherwise.
Thank you in advance.
Victor captures it pretty well. Did the original letter come from a group that felt they could afford to be fired if the Pope didn't like the questions? This could leave any broader opposition undisclosed.
Pope Francis is a standard liberal: "do as I say, not as I do."
Somewhere in the Church hierarchy there is a powerful influence group that hands out favors. Catholics in irregular unions must have someone(s) favoring them and this chain of support ultimately ends in the office of the Holy Father. Otherwise this system could not work. The Pope could stop it. He has not, in fact he is doing many things to advance their interests. It has been pointed out by Cardinals and philosophers that the goings on threaten the entire moral structure of the Church.
I do not think Catholics in irregular unions are behind advancing this negative moral debacle. It must be another group needing a favor. You see, once one group is allowed to transgress a sexual prohibition other groups can say what about us!? Ultimately, everybody will be exempt from sanctions for their sins no matter what. God will not allow this to go to its logical conclusion.
Anon-1
ByzRC if my submission to the Roman makes me an apologist for Pope Francis...then so be it.
I believe the Church's teaching that the Church of Rome has always taught the True Faith. Should that position me as apologist for Pope Francis...then so be it.
Anyway...here are declarations from Cardinal Burke in regard to Amoris Laetitia:
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/amoris-laetitia-and-the-constant-teaching-and-practice-of-the-church
1. Cardinal Burke made it clear that Amoris Laetitia is orthodox.
2. Cardinal Burke said: "How, then, is the document to be received? First of all, it should be received with the profound respect owed to the Roman pontiff as the Vicar of Christ, in the words of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council: “the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity of both the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful” (Lumen Gentium, 23)."
Ummm...if Amoris Laetitia is unorthodox...if Amoris Laetitia leads souls to hel;...then why would a Catholic receive Amoris Laetitia with "profound respect" as Cardinal Burke declared?
3. Cardinal Burke did not identify Amoris Laetitia as having created confusion within the Church. He made it clear that Amoris Laetitia did not change Church doctrine.
Cardinal Burke, via his above-linked article in National Register, did not blame Amoris Laetitia-related confusion upon the document itself.
Cardinal Burke, instead, blamed the confusion in question upon various secular and Catholic media.
Cardinal Burke declared:
"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."
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Via the National Register., Cardinal Burke issisted...
-- That Amoris Laetitia be received with "profound respect" by Catholics.
-- Made it clear that AL is orthodox.
-- Insisted that AL did not change Church teaching.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Various Catholics denounced the dubia as a Pharisee-like trap.
Example: 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.”
Example: "Pope Francis still hasn't responded to the dubia. He has good reason not to."
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/01/05/pope-francis-still-hasnt-responded-dubia-he-has-good-reason-not
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Mark Thomas in what you quoted in your comment about Cardinal Burke's response to AL:
isn't that why he and others wanted a clarification? That "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."?
Cardinal Burke declared:
"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."
Cardinal Burke's comments were made immediately after AL was issued and can be seen as an attempt to pre-empt those who might interpret it as a departure from traditional teaching, as reiterated in Familiaris Consortio.
Since then, it is clear that many people, including bishops, are indeed interpreting it in such a way, and, in the case of Argentina, with the implied encouragement of Pope Francis.
It also emerged that the offending chapter (and the infamous footnote) was the work of Victor Fernandez, a controversial Argentine theologian in whom the Pope appears to have inordinate confidence.
Also that changes asked for by the CDF in the interests of clarity were rejected out of hand, and when it came to interpreting the document the Cardinal Prefect was effectively sidelined and then peremptorily dismissed.
Dissatisfaction with the state of affairs goes far wider than the four 'dubia' cardinals, who were emphatically not asking trick questions. In any case, Our Lord did not respond to the questions of the Pharisees with obdurate silence.
I might be prepared to overlook Francis's throw-away snide comments and faux-humility which verges on hypocrisy. I, and others who endeavour to keep themselves informed (small minority though we be) cannot overlook his refusal to do what all his predecessors have done, viz. 'to confirm the brethren'. No-one can be confirmed in uncertainty.
For this reason alone he has so far shown himself to be unworthy of his office. I would like to be wrong on this, but mounting evidence shows otherwise.
If Josepg Stalin were Pope, Mark Thomas would slobber over him
Mark, thank you. I've been a bit out of pocket so, I'll have to look at this more thoroughly later. One thing that sticks out, however, is the canon lawyer/Pharisee response. Troubling the thought process is to brush off four princes of the church given the other topics where debate has been encouraged. I suppose we can conclude that we're only to 'make a mess' and debate things on HH's terms. Sounds like the progressive left in the US to me.
Thank you again for taking the time to respond.
Best.
ByzsRC,
THere's a saying which appears to apply to Santita: scratch a liberal, find a fascist.
TJM said..."If Josepg Stalin were Pope, Mark Thomas would slobber over him"
From the First Vatican Council, quoting the 529 A.D. Creed of Pope Saint Hormisdas:
"The Catholic religion has been preserved ever immaculate in the Apostolic See."
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"...whoever is holy cannot dissent from the Pope."
— Pope Saint Pius X, 1912 A.D.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
If Amoris Laetitia is unorthodox, then why, to reference just a few Churchmen, have the following Cardinals and bishops made it clear that Amoris Laetitia is orthodox?
Cardinal Burke, Cardinal Müller, Cardinal Sarah, bishops of Poland, bishops of Costa Rica, bishops of Alberta and The Northwest Territories, Archbishop Cordileone, Archbishop Chaput...
...Cardinal DiNardo, Cardinal Wuerl, Bishop Morlino, Archbishop Gomez...
...Bishop Stephen Lopes, of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.
Bishop Philip Egan, Diocese of Portsmouth, England:
"Has the Church’s teaching changed with Amoris Laetitia? No."
"Amoris Laetitia is totally consistent with Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae, with Familiaris Consortio of St. John Paul II and with the teaching of emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, and Francis frequently cites them. There has been no change in canon law."
"Does the Pope say the divorced and civilly remarried may now be readmitted
to Holy Communion? No."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
ByzRC, thank you. Peace and good health to you and your family.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
TJM said..."If Josepg Stalin were Pope, Mark Thomas would slobber over him"
Is Stalin Pope? Nope.
Pope Francis is the Vicar of Christ.
The True Church has declared that thanks to the very words of Jesus Christ, it is guaranteed that "the Catholic religion has been preserved ever immaculate in the Apostolic See."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Mark Thomas,
The point is, you could care less about character and spirituality of the person occupying the Petrine Office. If they have the title Pope, you slobber all of them.
Here's something you should read which shows that there are elements of the Catholic laity who aren't living in lala land when it comes to talking about Santita:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-life-america-rushes-to-defend-president-trump-against-popes-critic?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com&utm_campaign=00cc1be698-Catholic_9_12_2017&utm_medium=emai
Only Mark Thomas will defend the indefensible.
When Cardinal Meisner died suddenly, someone mentioned on this blog that the other three cardinals should watch their backs ... and now there are two ...
Jan
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