Pope Francis has been the most polarizing pope in centuries. He demands frankness in conversations except if it is traditional talk. He wants a listening Church and one of dialogue unless it includes traditionalists and their concerns. Thus the synodal process is a paradox to say the least and a disaster in the making unless the Holy Spirit of surprises intervenes and usually in ways that those who proclaim the Holy Spirit of Surprises least expect.
Thus progressive Father Thomas Reese, a fellow Jesuit of Pope Francis, is pessimistic about the forces the pope has set in place and allowing to ferment into a sour wine, one of polarization, division and perhaps schism if not an all out new neo-Protestant reformation.
He makes great points, as well, about the previous papacies and this one and how conservatives decried progressive criticisms of the pope and how that has reversed under Pope Francis, conservatives criticizing the pope and shooting themselves in the foot as they do it showing they are no better than the progressives of a previous age.
Press the title with its money byte below for the full National Catholic Reporter commentary:
Pope Francis' big gamble: The synod on synodality
For Francis, you might say that the synodal process is more important than the results. For Americans, who are result-oriented, this is unintelligible. Francis sees the experience of prayer, listening and discernment as a way of healing divisions and building the Christian community. If we are not true to the process, the results are meaningless.
Conservatives are too fearful and progressives are too impatient for such a process. St. Ignatius Loyola would say that they lack "indifference," meaning that they are too attached to their own views to be open to God's will.
Will the synodal process work? Will it help heal divisions in the church and foster a community that can spread the Gospel, care for the marginalized and heal the Earth? Or will it blow up and show the world how divided we Catholics are?
As a social scientist, I am pessimistic, but I hope and pray that Francis once again surprises us.
My final comments: The synodal process is more important than the results. Think about the process, similar to the synodal process, that religious orders went through in the 1960’s and 70’s to update their constitutions and ways of life. Often these were called “chapters” and the listening processes led to new constitutions and ways of life. The process of listening, discerning and making decisions was touted as wonderful and of the Holy Spirit. When you hear that within the context of discontinuity, know that this thinking is neo-gnostic. The results were disastrous as religious orders became unrecognizable from what they had been. Religious became so secular, individualistic and heterodox, that no one wanted to join and most left. In other words the nuns were the first to become nones!
Now, the pope is applying to the entire Church what religious orders pioneered in the 1960’s and 70’s. And we can be sure that the same results will occur as it did for the religious, especially women’s communities.
We’ll be asking asking the last lay person to leave the Church to be sure to shut off the lights when they go.
7 comments:
Ironically those religious institutes which held Chapters to renew religious life are in their final “chapters” now. Liberals never learn
How many times have we heard new bishops say that they're going to do lot of listening. This is such bunk and bologna; displeasure is written all over their faces when told what they don't want to hear. Pope Francis epitomizes this approach. Where was all this wonderful listening when a handful of cardinals submitted dubia questions regarding The Synod on the Family? It's been well over a decade and these cardinals are still waiting, some are dead and waiting.
Father McDonald said..."Thus the synodal process is a paradox to say the least and a disaster in the making unless the Holy Spirit of surprises intervenes and usually in ways that those who proclaim the Holy Spirit of Surprises least expect.
"Thus progressive Father Thomas Reese, a fellow Jesuit of Pope Francis, is pessimistic about the forces the pope has set in place and allowing to ferment into a sour wine, one of polarization, division and perhaps schism if not an all out new neo-Protestant reformation."
Father Reese was very complimentary to Pope Francis. He praised the manner in which Pope Francis has conducted Synods.
Conversely, Father Reese trashed the manners in which Popes Benedict XVI, as well as Saint John Paul II, had conducted Synods.
Father Reese declared:
"Synods under Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI were stage-managed affairs, where the agenda and debate were carefully controlled. Curial cardinals instructed the gathered bishops what topics could not be brought up or discussed."
"The heavy-handed censorship of earlier, more conservative papacies resulted in pent-up frustrations among those who wanted to continue the reforms begun at the Second Vatican Council."
In contrast to that, Father Reese praised Pope Francis as a Pope who has "encouraged open discussion and stressed compassion and concern for the marginalized."
Unfortunately, as Father Reese noted, "conservatives" have taken advantage of Pope Francis' calls for open discussions to, in turn, trash Pope Francis.
Father Reese noted also that "progressives" are upset that Pope Francis "has not embraced the progressive push for married priests and women priests. While he has shown openness to LGBTQ people, he has not changed the church's teaching on sexual ethics. Nor has he reversed the condemnation of artificial contraception."
Therefore, as Father Reese made clear, should the Synod fail (whatever that means), the fault would lie with conservatives and progressives whose agendas trump the good of the Church.
It is the selfishness of conserveratives and progressives that would sabotage the Synod.
Conversely, as Father Reese noted, Pope Francis has acted in good faith.
Finally, due to the selfishness of conservatives and progressives, as each group attempts to push its agenda, Father Reese said that "as a social scientist, I am pessimistic..."
But Father Reese added that he will "hope and pray that Francis once again surprises us."
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Father Reese's article is very complimentary to Pope Francis. Unfortunately, Father Reese had commented negatively upon Popes Benedict XVI, as well as Saint John Paul II.
I reject Father Reese's negative comments in regard to Popes Benedict XVI, as well as Saint John Paul II.
Pope Francis is under Divine protection. As he is guided by the Holy Ghost, I am confident that Pope Francis will, in turn, guide us to a holy Synod that will benefit the True Church.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald said..."Pope Francis has been the most polarizing pope in centuries."
Pope Benedict XVI polarized certain folks in tremendous fashion. Even as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he has "polarized" folks. Popes Saints John Paul II, as well as Paul VI, polarized folks.
But said "polarization" is meaningless in regard to our holy Popes.
Today, the overwhelming amount of Catholics love, and respect, Pope Francis. The overwhelming amount of Catholics loved, and respected, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Saint John Paul II, as well as Pope Saint Paul VI.
Those who are "polarized" would do well to read Pope Saint Pius X's 1921 A.D. declaration: "Love the Pope."
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/11/love-pope-no-ifs-and-no-buts-for.html
"Therefore, when we love the Pope, there are no discussions regarding what he orders or demands, or up to what point obedience must go, and in what things he is to be obeyed;
"when we love the Pope, we do not say that he has not spoken clearly enough, almost as if he were forced to repeat to the ear of each one the will clearly expressed so many times not only in person, but with letters and other public documents;
"we do not place his orders in doubt...we do not limit the field in which he might and must exercise his authority;
"we do not set above the authority of the Pope that of other persons, however learned, who dissent from the Pope, who, even though learned, are not holy, because whoever is holy cannot dissent from the Pope."
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I have never felt that this, or that Pope, had driven me to polarization.
Today, God has authorized Pope Francis to pastor me...to teach, govern, and sanctify me. I am thankful that God has blessed me in such loving fashion.
God has blessed me with the gift of His Papacy. As he is under Divine protection, the Pope will lead me to the Truth.
Therefore, who am I, as one of his flock, called to submit to the Pope, who possesses awesome, God-given authority over me, to declare that "the Pope has polarized me."
Should I ever harbor such a notion — that the Pope has polarized me — I pray that God would grant unto me the wisdom, as well as humility, to conclude that I, not the Pope, am the problem.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald said..."Pope Francis has been the most polarizing pope in centuries. He demands frankness in conversations except if it is traditional talk. He wants a listening Church and one of dialogue unless it includes traditionalists and their concerns."
Father McDonald, from the literal first seconds/minutes of Cardinal Bergoglio having been announced as Pope Francis, "traditionalists" launched vicious comments/lies against Pope Francis. New Catholic/Rorate Caeli has boasted that he was first in that regard.
From 2013 A.D. to date, "traditionalists" have attacked Pope Francis daily.
Their horrific behavior had reached the point that trads generated absurd "Open Letters" that accused Pope Francis of heresy...some even demanded his removal as Pope.
Pope Francis has always acknowledged the sickness that has long been part of "traditional Catholicism."
Nevertheless, Pope Francis, having rejected calls to slam "traditional Catholicism," maintained Summorum Pontificum.
Such leading radtrads as Peter Kwasniewski trashed Summorum Pontificum as a muddled, unsustainable liturgical peace plan that was packed with lies...a document that could not possibly achieve success.
Peter Kwasniewski, July 7, 2021 A.D., Crisis Magazine: "Summorum Pontificum at Fourteen: Its Tragic Flaws."
https://www.crisismagazine.com/2021/the-tragic-flaws-of-a-great-gesture-summorum-pontificum-at-fourteen
"This, then, is the fundamental problem with Summorum Pontificum: it is internally incoherent, founded on a monumental contradiction caused by the worst abuse of papal power in the history of the Church."
"After its Prologue and Article 1, the remainder of Summorum Pontificum subtly holds the traditional liturgy hostage, or gives it, as it were, second-class citizenship."
Pope Francis has accommodated, and extended mercy to, the SSPX far beyond that of his predecessors.
Cardinal Burke, for example, has slammed the SSPX as "schismatic." He has insisted that the Faithful are compelled to avoid SSPX chapels.
Pope Francis has praised and blessed the FSSP.
There are reports today that Pope Francis had met four days ago with Dom Geoffroy Kemlin, the Abbot of the Solesmes Congregation. Pope Francis informed the Abbot that he (Dom Geoffroy Kemlin) is free to implement Traditionis Custodes as he (the Abbot) will determine.
On February 4th of this year, Pope Francis had met with FSSP priests. Pope Francis exhorted the priests/SSPX to continue their TLM-centered mission.
In May of this year, Pope Francis enjoyed a cordial exchange with mothers of priests who offer the TLM. The ladies had marched from "Paris to Rome to bring to Pope Francis the plea of the faithful who are attached to the traditional liturgy."
The group said that they were pleased with their exchange with Pope Francis.
Pope Francis has practiced inclusion, not exclusion, in regard to his having accommodated "traditional" Catholics within the Church.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Also, unless I missed it, isn't this item worthy of notice?
https://www.foxnews.com/world/pope-criticizes-bidens-abortion-views-catholic-self-identity-incoherence:
Pope Francis questioned President Biden's conscience on Tuesday in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief's religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent.
"A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision.
Asked about Biden — a self-professed "devout Catholic" who supports blanket legalization of abortion on the federal level — the pope dismissed the president as incomprehensible.
"A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pope said in the Univision interview. "Is it just to eliminate a human life?"
He added that Biden should instead question his own conscience and consult with his bishop.
"I leave it to [President Biden's] conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest about that incoherence," the pope remarked.
The pope has been hesitant to directly meddle in politics since the beginning of his papacy — afraid to devolve the Holy See into a normal, secular world power.
Instead, Pope Francis has taken a more pastoral role via his encyclicals and apostolic journeys — many historic in content. . . .
And then there’s this as well:
https://www.foxnews.com/world/german-catholic-bishops-fail-update-teachings-sex-warning-pope-francis
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