As bishops continue to issue statements responding to the Vigano letter, Rorate has begun to compile the supporters of the letter from within Church hierarchy in a post.
One new statement deserves highlighting, from Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Summarizing what so many Catholics are thinking right now, of Pope Francis' rare no-comment, and charge to let secular media discredit the Vigano letter, Paprocki today wrote:
"When asked about this aboard the papal plane on his return flight from Ireland on August 26, Pope Francis said, 'Read the statement carefully and make your own judgment. I will not say a single word on this.' Frankly, but with all due respect, that response is not adequate."
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| The first year of the Bergoglio pontificate |
Contrast the statements of Bishop Paprocki, Cardinal Burke, Bishop Morlino, Bishop Strickland, Bishop Konderla, Bishop Olmsted and even Cardinal DiNardo to that of Pope Francis and his closest allies.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, Bishop Robert McElory of San Diego and Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington all must have the same copy editor, as the four staunchest American members of Team Francis use similar quotation marks to dismiss Vigano's testimony. He was not the light, but was to give "testimony" of the light.
The Vigano letter and its responses have -- again -- separated the Wuerls from the men. The mainstream media and nominally Catholic outlets that provide repeated forum to heresy and heterodoxy have lined up in support of the Francis-Wuerl-Tobin-Cupich-McElory mafia, while an increasing list of respected Church leaders speak out in support of Vigano and a serious investigation and house-cleaning within the Catholic Church.
There is safety in numbers -- this is no longer a fringe movement, up to and including direct criticism of Pope Francis. Until this movement becomes the majority, the Francis-Wuerl-Tobin-Cupich-McElroy mafia remains fully in power, with the status quo prevailing.
