UPDATED
In these days after the death of Pope Benedict XVI, old wounds concerning the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, have opened again and a bit of salt added by the Supreme Pontiff himself, who seems to be tone deaf or indifferent to these wounds he has and is causing.
I remember being scandalized my first year of seminary in 1976 when there was a discussion about Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Sainthood, the priest-theologian said, isn't dependent on the nice personality of the one canonized. He went on to say that Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton could be a "b-t-h on wheels." I was shocked, scandalized and wondered what he meant by that.
I have been reading a certain international Italian blog that has lamented a few things these past days in terms of the "salma" of Pope Benedict. While I know Italian, can understand it, and speak it on a basic level, I am illiterate in the sense that it is my original language, the language of my mother, but having left Italy before primary school, I have never studied Italian to read and write it much to my consternation. What I can read and write is self-taught.
Thus, I had to look up "salma" (I thought it meant Psalm) and found out that it is "corpse" as we say it in English, which is closer to the Latin for body, than salma is.
Well all of the consternation in the Italian blog about what happened at the Vatican and with Pope Francis was summarized in this English post on Rorate Caeli I read this morning. Apart from any mean spiritedness, I think it is accurate although not dispassionate. I won't summarize it, but if true, it is disedifiying, depressing and scandalous to say the least as it appears that there was an effort to slight Benedict XVI even in his "salma".
The Funeral Rites of Benedict XVI and the Many Petty Gestures of Francis
And then, even the Deacon's Bench blog made reference to the homily that Pope Francis gave, which the Washington Post call terse. It is short and I think it is terse. Maybe we need to give Pope Francis some slack. He is in declining health, and at 86 has a right to be a grumpy old man who grows tired easily due to age and pain.
But Deacon Ken Kandra compares Pope Francis' homily for Pope Benedict and Cardinal Ratzinger's Homily for Pope John Paul II. The entire article indicates what a true homily should be and it shouldn't be a eulogy about the deceased person, but rather be Christocentric. Pope Francis gave a good homily, but he might have used some examples from Pope Benedict's long life as examples of what it means to be loved by God and transformed by him as well as redeemed.
When a funeral homily is also a eulogy: Cardinal Ratzinger on Pope John Paul II
There has been a lot of discussion lately about Pope Francis’s homily for the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict; some have argued, correctly, that it was a homily, not a eulogy, and served as a powerful homiletic reflection on sacrifice and surrender. Others have complained that it didn’t speak enough about Benedict’s life or pay tribute to the man himself.
Can you have both?
Yes.
UPDATE: LACROIX INTERNATIONAL HAS AN ARTICLE BY ROBERT MICKENS, AN NCR TYPE PROGRESSIVE WHICH CONFIRMS MUCH OF THE ABOVE AND ADDS MORE. IT IS BEHIND A PAYWALL, BUT PROVIDES “CLICK BATE”.
PRESS HERE FOR THE BATE FROM LACROIX
11 comments:
Then it is the beauty of the Holy Ghost on display if, in diminishing Pope Benedict, God was magnified.
For what it's worth, I would hope that Benedict would be pleased to know of all the young priests, young people and families that took the time to acknowledge his passing. That's his legacy and his wisdom, intellect, gentle demeanor, his ability to inspire and fond memories of personal encounters for those lucky enough to have met him is what will be remembered for years to come. The flags, formal dress, invitations, or, lack thereof, other slights actual or perceived, pffft, none of it matters.
Father McDonald: In regard to the article, posted on Rorate Caeli, that you had referenced:
New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) credited said hateful, vile, attack against Pope Francis to:
"Caminante Wanderer, Argentina, January 5, 2023."
The blog is owned by a person identified as: "Male. Argentina. Christian in communion with Rome."
The blog is replete with hateful attacks against Pope Francis. The vicious blogger also has several pro-Archbishop Viganò articles.
In line with New Catholic (Rorate Caeli), the blogger in question has, over time, directed numerous lies at Pope Francis.
I just read a post in which the blogger claimed that Pope Francis has refused to condemn the persecution of Christians. Beginning in 2013 A.D., Pope Francis has issued numerous condemnations in regard to the persecutions that Christians have suffered during our time...and beyond.
It is easy to understand as to why the "Caminante Wanderer" blogger has enjoyed New Catholic's favor.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
The following is from the hateful, anti-Pope Francis hit-piece that Rorate Caeli promoted:
"The face of Pope Francis during the funeral Mass, which illustrates this article, is sufficiently eloquent of the darkness of his soul:"
The Vicar of Christ has a dark soul.
Incredible. What a sick article in question.
Anyway, the sick, hateful article in question has portrayed a Pope...a man...who differs greatly from the Pope...man...about whom then-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI praised as a wonderful brother, and friend, in Jesus Christ...a warm, kind, holy follower of Jesus Christ.
That is the man, Pope Francis, upon whom Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI showered praise and affection...the man Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had known for years.
I have far greater confidence in Pope Benedict XVI's positive, first-hand assessments of Pope Francis, as compared to the vicious anti-Pope Francis hit-piece that New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) promoted.
In that regard, I have far greater confidence in Pope Francis' positive, first-hand assessments of Pope Benedict XVI, as compared to the vicious anti-Pope Benedict XVI hit-pieces/comments that certain folks/news media outlets have, during the past few days, promoted.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
ByzRus,
Young faithful Catholic laymen and priests adore Pope Francis and have little to say about his successor, the dour, mean-spirited, empty cassock. Although I despised the damage Paul VI inflicted on the Church, he was not an empty cassock, just deluded.
The hateful, anti-Pope Francis article in question that New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) promoted has demonstrated New Catholic's two-faced manner...and that is not an isolated example.
Just three days ago, one day prior to Pope Benedict XVI's funeral, New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) promoted the following Vatican News article:
"At the beginning of his catechesis at the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis paid tribute to his predecessor, the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose funeral will be held on Thursday."
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On Thursday, New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) defended Pope Francis against Rod Dreher's hate attack against Pope Francis.
Dreher said, "Appalling homily by Pope Francis at #BenedictXVI funeral! What a disgraceful act. A sign of immense disrespect. Anaxios!"
New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) responded: "It seemed to us a very good and appropriate homily, short and with several mentions to the deceased’s documents, and, indirectly, to his virtues. Criticism where criticism is due, this is certainly not the case."
==================================================================================
Now, New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) has promoted the following article:
"The Funeral Rites of Benedict XVI and the Many Petty Gestures of Francis"
Said article trashed the words, and conduct, that Pope Francis had offered in regard to Pope Benedict XVI, just prior to, and during, the funeral Mass.'
'
Conversely, New Catholic (Rorate Caeli) had promoted positive assessments, prior to, and following the funeral Mass, of the words, and conduct, that Pope Francis had offered in regard to Pope Benedict XVI.
New Catholic (Rorate Caeli), has contradicted himself.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
MT, I acknowledge that the Rorate piece includes hateful editorial comments about Pope Francis’ character. You call that out too, but I don’t hear you responding in any meaningful way about the facts of what is reported, confirmed by progressive reporting too, from those who otherwise praise Pope Francis as you do.
This Sunday at Crux, John Allen has a piece, straightforward reporting, on those that Pope Francis once promoted and closely worked with only then to sever relationships and throw them under the bus, as they say.
Robert Mickens, who is not fan of Pope Benedict and in fact fired from a news publication in England for calling Pope Benedict the “rat” has a piece on Pope Francis, which I linked in my article, about this very same thing. He is alarmed too.
Do you mind commenting on the facts and leave the editorial part out?
BTW, MT, even the devil can tell the truth, just think of the demons that Jesus expelled who exclaimed directly to Jesus, “We know who you are, you are the Son of God.” Do you then denigrate what they said by focuses on who they are?
Father McDonald,
You are asking the impossible of MT
Father McDonald, I am happy to respond to you.
I try not to concern myself with claims offered by news media types — including "progressives" who support Pope Francis supposedly — as to why Pope Francis (or any Pope) had said this, or had done that...why this or that person has ceased to enjoy a Pope's support.
It is speculation...and even when reports have referenced "insider sources," one speculation after another has proved false.
Father McDonald, you referenced today's article by John Allen.
-- Vicar of Rome latest papal confidante to fall out of favor
"As Italian Cardinal Angelo De Donatis would be the latest to tell you, there’s a somewhat similar phenomenon with Pope Francis. After almost a decade in power, there’s an increasingly long list of figures who were once part of the pontiff’s inner circle, but who, for one reason or another, have lost that standing."
But as we read deeper into the article, John Allen reported:
"Yet the wheels began to come off the relationship during Covid, when Francis compelled De Donatis to reverse course on closing Roman churches..."
"Perhaps the last straw was De Donatis’s recent defense of Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik, accused of various forms of sexual and spiritual abuse;"
Ah...no wonder Cardinal De Donatis has fallen out of favor with Pope Francis.
But even at that, John Allen employed the word "perhaps" in regard his speculation in question.
That said, does it matter as to why this or that person has enjoyed favor with Pope Francis? How does that change our lives?
I am sorry. I do not have great interest in regard to Vatican politics.
Anyway, Father McDonald, thank you for your response...as well as the opportunity to have responded to you.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
With all sincerity, I too would be interested in hearing some concise feedback from MT. Just a few lines. Kindly omit the quotes, links and dashes as they are challenging to sort through.
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