For the record - In latest interview, Pope attacks "rigidity" in seminaries and in priestly formation. Are seminaries soon to be targeted for "reform" by Francis?

 St. Francis Seraphic Seminary, Andover, MA. Closed as a seminary in the 1970's, finally demolished in October 2016.

It is extremely difficult to keep up with the unending barrage of words from Pope Francis. One interview after another, press conferences, speeches, letters, phone calls, off-the-cuff remarks, daily homilies... the endless flow of words results in people knowing not so much what the Pope has exactly said on this or that topic, but rather the general run of this Pope's thinking and the main themes of his stated policies. Rather than being a sign of Francis' sloppiness, a case can be made that this is an excellent strategy. Liberal would-be reformers, who tend not to bother with exactitude, make use of the very strong impressions left by Francis without being tied down by his exact words. Meanwhile some "conservatives" still remain hesitant to call out Francis precisely because they are obsessed with nailing down exactly what Francis said on each particular occasion, and in trying to find excuses for these while dismissing as "misinterpretations" nearly anything that would force them to face the facts.

The new Synod Council: split between "liberals" and "conservatives".Chaput has the biggest vote, Forte joins through a technicality

Lost amidst all the news from the just-concluded Synod was the election by the Synod fathers of the new "Synod Council" that will assist the Synod Secretariat until the next ordinary Synod (which is yet to be scheduled or announced, although it should take place in the next 3-4 years). 

The names of the 12 elected members of the Synod Council have not yet been officially revealed pending the appointment by Pope Francis of 3 more members, but Sandro Magister published the names yesterday:

THE SYNOD: The decentralization of the Church offends the Faith and common sense

Roberto de Mattei

IL FOGLIO

October 20, 2015

Doctrinal "devolution" to the bishops' conferences? Francis already endorsed it in 2013. UPDATE: Francis' most important speech so far on "decentralization" -- and his intentions for the Synod

[UPDATE 10/19/2015 2:30 AM GMT]: For the record: Edward Pentin has posted a complete "working translation" of Francis' watershed speech on his desire to see a more decentralized and "Synodal" Church that "begin(s) with the people and their everyday problems" and for which the "conversion of the papacy" is central.

We will not dedicate more time to commenting on the theme of decentralization. It is enough to say that so long as the good bishops and cardinals who have been attacking the proposals for "decentralization" shy away from naming the true patron of the proposal -- the Pope himself -- they are only avoiding the problem, instead of addressing it. 

Equally important as the "decentralization" aspect is Francis' assertion that it is the "flock" that is "discern(ing) the new ways that the Lord is revealing to the Church", which he uses to justify the controversial "consultation" that took place in the run-up to the Synod. Remember that it was this process of consultation that the German and Swiss bishops (and powerful lay groups such as the German Zentralkomitee der deutschen Katholiken) used to collect support for far-reaching reforms in the teachings of the Church on family life and sexual morality.

A Permanent Synod and Expanded Council of Cardinals for the Catholic Church?

The Servizio Informazione Religiosa (SIR) published an interview last Friday with Bishop Franghískos Papamanólis, the President of the Greek Episcopal Conference, that made its ad limina visit last week. Most of the interview is about the political and economic situation of Greece and the state of Catholicism (which is almost entirely of the Roman Rite) in that country, but towards the end touches on the ongoing reform of the Curia and Francis' push for 'synodality' in the Church. (The following translation of the final portion of the interview is courtesy of a theology professor and friend of this blog.)

The meeting with the Holy Father lasted an hour and 25 minutes. What else did you talk about?

“Ecumenism is close to the heart of the Pope and he suffers much because its importance is not being fully understood. I believe that the first thing to do would be to purify the structures in a way so that a right way of believing corresponds to the right way of operating. Even in the Catholic Church there are many things to correct and the Pope understands this well. To purify the structures is that which the Holy Father would want to do with the reform of the Curia. Many traditionalists within it, who are the expression of strong and powerful churches, do not understand the conditions in which the Catholic Church struggles in many nations of the world. Go and talk to the bishops of other Continents and listen to the things that they would say to you . . .” 

First, you cited the reform of the Curia, have you and the Pope spoken about it and in what terms? 

"We have spoken to the Pope of synodality, of a permanent Synod. How to do this should be studied, and it is here that the experience of the permanent Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church could be of help in understanding. How to render permanent the Commission of Eight Cardinals should be studied, expanding it before anything else (ampliandola innanzitutto). The reform of the Curia is not able to limit itself to increasing or diminishing the dicasteries, or replacing personnel.  The true reform of the Curia is the purification of its structures."

New cardinals coming in February

From Vatican Information Service:

A press conference was held today during which the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., announced the Holy Father's wish to convene a Consistory for the creation of new cardinals on 14 and 15 February 2015. He also announced two other important appointments: a meeting of the Council of Cardinals for the reform of the Roman Curia (9 to 11 February) and a meeting of the College of Cardinals (12 to 13 February) to discuss matters relating to the reorganisation of the Holy See.

The Current Catholic Situation: "The Betrayal of the Clerics"

Evil Hierarchs allied to the Powers of the World
persecuting and burning Holy Orthodoxy and Virginal Purity - not new!

The Purge will hit new levels - they know they are in a race against time

¡ Bienvenidos a Siberia !

Blue Thursday: The orthodox counter-offensive at the Synod- "such a day had never happened before, not even at Vatican II"

We are calling it "Blue Thursday" for the color of Our Lady -- and also the main color of the flag of Australia, the nation of Cardinal Pell, the first to rise up against the Baldisseri authoritarian manipulation.

***

The counter-offensive of the orthodox

Agitation in the Hall. The commissions dismantle Forte's text

by Matteo Matzuzzi

Il Foglio

October 17, 2014

Rome. They say that a confrontation like this had never been seen before, perhaps not even at the Council.

Full Text of Cardinal Burke's Major Interview to Il Foglio on the Synod

Faith is not decided by vote

Cardinal Burke against the media manipulation on the Synod. And very clear on everything else.

by Alessandro Gnocchi

Il Foglio

October 13, 2014

The world likes Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke very little or not at all.  And , if it is possible, the Church likes him even less than does the world.  On the other hand, this 66-year-old American from Richland Center, Wisconsin, has done everything as a Catholic to successfully carry out his intent to set a fire under the consciences of Christians who are all too inclined to tepidity.  

Benson at 100: Paganism and Puritanism, Enemies of the Church's Immutable Standards of Moral Perfection

"The Church alone has the
secret of the sinner's cure."

Not Even the Pope Can Give Communion to the Divorced and Remarried

By Antonio Socci, (translation by Rorate correspondent Francesca Romana)

Libero

October 5, 2014

There is a lot of confusion in the Church about the Synod starting today and that’s going to hold discussions about communion to the divorced and remarried.  Many believers are disorientated  about the “revolutionary” path indicated by Cardinal Kasper, who was asked by Pope Francis to launch the novelty at the February Consistory and is always saying that he speaks in the name of Pope Francis (”I spoke to the Pope. We agreed on everything.”).

An overwhelming number of cardinals are in total disagreement with him.  So now what’s going to happen?  Could it really be true that the Pope may embark on a way that upsets what the Church has constantly taught for two thousand years, based on the words of Jesus Himself and the Pauline texts? Is it possible to challenge the commandments, the Gospel and the Sacraments? Some think that the popes can do it and the mass-media feeds this expectation. In reality it is not like this at all since the Church belongs to Christ and not the popes, who are only temporary administrators and not masters – as Benedict XVI used to say repeatedly. They are subject to the law of God and the Word of God and must serve the Lord by protecting the “depositum fidei” entrusted to them. They cannot take possession of it or change it according to their own personal ideas.

South African Cardinal: If Communion for divorced & remarried, what do we tell polygamists?Strong words for those seeking divorce: carry your Cross!

From our friends at Catholic News Service comes a short interview today with Wilfried Cardinal Napier. The good cardinal rightly asks the question: if Kasper et al are successful, how could the Church deny Christ to a polygamist?

He also has a -- sadly, nowadays -- shocking message for those seeking the easy way out: carry your Cross!

Video below:

The Problems with the Muzzled and Manipulated Synod (and they have deep theological consequences as well)

"How to make a temporary muzzle" - Synodical Version

We first mentioned here the intention of the Cardinal called "The Pianist" to manipulate the 2014-2015 Synod. This is in full implementation at the moment.

DANGER AHEAD: ". . . developing the idea of biblical inspiration . . ."

Caution: 2,000-year-old book being "developed"

Pope Francis the "Pastoral" - On the Synod and on the SSPX A guest-piece by Don Pio Pace

We are very honored to post this fourth guest-post by a very wise, knowledgeable, and highly influential cleric, writing under the pen name of don Pio Pace. This time, he tries to decipher Francis, also taking into consideration the stakes of the Synod of Bishops beginning this Sunday and the curious warmth towards the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX).

___________________________

Janus
Vatican Museums

The Synod Will Be a Farce - if the Kasper Legion's Attempt to Muzzle It Goes According To Plan

"With Annoying Paragraph 1650 Removed !"

Interview: SSPX's Fellay Speaks on Meeting with Cardinal Müller - Kasper's consistently following Spirit of the Council to its logical end.

The General House of the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX) in Switzerland has just released an interview granted by the Superior-General of the SSPX, Bp. Bernard Fellay, on the meaning of the meeting held with the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), Cardinal Gerhard Müller, on September 23.

SYNOD AND TRUTH: Understanding In Depth the Grave Errors of Cardinal Kasper - A Major Article by Roberto de Mattei

KASPER’S MESS

The origins of the errors

For them, Christianity is praxis, not justice

Roberto de Mattei

Il Foglio

October 1, 2014

The upcoming Synod of Bishops has been preceded by a rumpus in the media which attaches to it a historical significance greater than its ecclesiastical importance as merely a consultative assembly in the Church. Some are complaining about the theological war the Synod promises to be, but the history of all the Episcopal meetings in the Church (such is the etymological significance of the term “synod” and its synonym “council”) has been made up of theological conflicts and bitter debates on errors and divisions that have threatened the Christian community since its beginnings.

Communion for "Remarried Divorcees": "Eucharist Not a Superstitious Rite – Outside State of Grace, Not Only Useless, But Sacrilegious."

Jules-Alexis Muenier
Catechism Lesson (1890)
Musée d'Orsay

"From the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife. And they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." And in the house again his disciples asked him concerning the same thing.

And he saith to them: "Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if the wife shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

The Gospel according to Saint Mark, x