Disquiet Among the Bishops About Pope Francis -- In Poland and Italy -- A Collection of Citations

(Rome / Krakow) Pope Francis arrived on Wednesday in Krakow, where he will participate at World Youth Day 2016. There are more points to the program, however. One was an encounter with the 130 Polish bishops from 45 dioceses, which was originally to be held in public and with the Pope's address. However, instead, it is taking place behind closed doors and is in the form of question and answer.

Poland's bishops had clearly discussed in advance behind the scenes, but have really indicated what they really think of the recent document by this pope, the Post-Synodal Exhortation Amoris laetitia: namely, not much. Moreover, they view some passages as dangerous and contrary to Catholic moral teaching and the Discipline of the Sacraments. They had already established themselves against the "new Mercy" at two Synods of Bishops in Rome, believing it is a false compassion. The Apostolic Exhortation that despite these expressions of concern received the controversial points and no less controversial spreads, therefore sparked considerable resentment in the Polish episcopate.

Poland's bishops do not stand alone. In other Episcopal Conferences - leaving aside the Bishops' Conferences of the German-speaking areas - it looks no different, and even in the "Land of the Pope", which traditionally means Italy.

Among Italy's bishops, the Apennine Peninsula counts 223 dioceses, there is considerable grumbling. The majority of the bishops feel ill at ease due to Pope Francis. This not only has to do with the fact that the Argentinean Pope in December 2013, has placed the Italian Episcopal Conference, traditionally very influential in Rome for historical and geographical reasons, under provisional administration by giving her a new general secretary, Bishop Nunzio Galatino, a watchdog who has set the tone ever since. The matter goes even deeper, as the Vatican expert Sandro Magister writes:

"There is among many Italian bishops anxiety with Francis, which is smoldering under the ashes and rarely is expressed apertis verbis." A few days ago Luigi Accattoli, the senior Vatican expert of the Corriere della Sera , published a collection of statements in the Dehonians magazine Il Regno of the Italian Bishops about Pope Francis. It involves personal judgments that Accattoli collected over the past three years, on various occasions, where he came into contact with bishops. Accattoli, "an objective observer above suspicion" (Magister), does not mention the names of the bishops. He does not say who said what. Since they were informal, personal conversations, that would be impossible. The Vatican expert "revealed" that is his intention, in an example from Italy, the anxiety of the bishops about this pontificate, a phenomenon that affects the whole universal Church.

As Accattoli prefaces, only statements from bishops were selected for his collection of quotations, who belong to the "admirers of Bergoglio's apostolic boldness," and are "sympathize with the Argentine Pope." The Vaticanist signals, that he does not want to signal against that the reigning Pope, but will give a general impression, of how the judgments of those bishops who were left out would be, that is, those who do not "sympathize with the Argentinean Pope."

Pope Francis in the judgment of Italian bishops

"I admire his generosity. There was much demotivation in circulation, his arrival was a psychological liberation. But why so much unrest, what is his plan? "

"He blames, urges to move: But where does he want to lead us?"

"I have the impression that he has a bad opinion of us bishops, and I do not understand where that comes. Italy is, after all, the hard core of the Catholic Church: Why does he beats us?"

"I admire the ability of the Pope, and his 'going forth' with gestures of compassion toward the disenfranchised, to the non-believers. But I wonder, what's with all the rest: the Catechism, the Code, the seminaries, the parishes, the state laws that remove more and more from the Christian sense. What is there to say, what to do?"

"But what does "going forth" mean? That's easy to say, but to do? What does this mean in a given situation as in my diocese?"

"He has blocked the slogan of the non-negotiable values, but what has he replaced it with? With half a word, for half a word it is, or perhaps not?"

"He plays on the godparents at Baptism and Confirmation, he says that it is not right to exclude those who live in irregular marriage situations, but then it does not change the existing rules and so it leads us into difficulty with the people."

"The people are constantly contrary contrary: 'but the Pope has said.' In most cases, they have misunderstood, but try just once to convince them. He is quick in speech, but unfortunately, he does not take into account that we are the ones who are in the trenches. It just seems as if he had never been a bishop."

"In Amoris laetitia in paragraph 300, he wrote that the distinction of personal situations should be done in dialogue with the confessor in 'accordance with the teachings of the Church and the guidelines of the bishops': I as a bishop must give these policies? If they haven't been even given by the Pope - I suppose because he hasn't given one. How should I give them?"

"The recent Synod had the question of the ministries submitted to it that could be entrusted to those who live in irregular marriage situations; however, he has to appreciate in Paragraph 299 instead of this request, the matter is simply entrusted to us, we who are under the pressure of expectations of the people."

"In paragraph 122 of Amoris laetitia he explains: 'We must not limit to two limited persons the charge of the tremendous burden to replicate the union in a perfect way that exists between Christ and his Church.' I think that is a thoughtless statement. Let's take a comparison with the clergy? Shall we say that we do not want to charge a priest with the burden to replicate the form of the good shepherd?"

"In the nullity of marriage he has made the Bishops as sole judges, and now the poorest come to me, as if I could handle any case: 'you are the judge, the Pope said.' And all want a fast track."

"What interests the faithful, is Communion. If the decision is made to allow access to the sacraments, they are no longer interested in the recognition of the nullity of marriage."

"With these appointments, he does not follow the usual practice, he decides on the fly. One understands yet that he is willing to oppose careerism and nepotism, but the practice was a lifebuoy to avoid errors. If he is going without a net, then what certainty does he have of not to making mistakes?"

"He takes out a freedom that brings its employees at the curia and the leaders of the Episcopal Conference in embarrassment. For many it is as if the relationship of trust has been lost."

"He beats not only priests and bishops, now he goes so far as to threaten the dismissal of bishops who do not commit themselves to combat pedophilia in the clergy. This foray I really do not understand: This is a tricky terrain. The bishop is a father and must also find a way to be a merciful father, is he not?"

"I understand that he wants to appear poor, but to wear a diaphanous gown through which you can see the black pants underneath, is that not neglect? If we are appointed bishops, we received strict instructions regarding our clothes that we should always present ourselves as tidy. Woe if that is not the case. Does that not apply to the Pope?"

"He talks a lot about synodality, but then he decides everything alone. He says that we must decentralize, but such a strong personal concentration of power, it has never happened before."

Text / Translation: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: MiL
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
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Bishop Galantino: The Prelates, For Whom Unborn Children Are Just a Millstone Around the Neck

Bishop Galantino: Handpicked "Man of the Pope"
in Italy's Church Has bergolian difficulties
with the Unborn 

(Rome) The Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Italy distanced himself from the defense of life. Therefore, he was heavily criticized, and is now attempting a self-pitying correction, which was in reality a criticism of his critics. It's another signal as to how annoying some prelates find  the struggle for life, when John Paul II led the struggle to the last and Benedict XVI. declared it a non-negotiable principle.  But then came Pope Francis.

Bishop Nunzio Galatino Cassano all'Jonio made a brilliant career move under Pope Francis, however, he became known simultaneously in a controversial, perhaps scandalous manner. Until his discovery by Pope Francis, the Bishop was completely unknown to the world outside of Calabria. As bishop, he stands at the head of an old dwarf diocese, as they actually exist only  for historical reasons only in Italy. The new pope made unilaterally the Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference at the end of 2013. Although Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco is still chairman, the real "man of the Pope" has been Msgr Galantino ever since.

On May 12, the Bishop gave an interview in which he distanced himself from the strange way he addressed pro-lifers  who perform prayer vigils in front of the modern death camps and there pray the rosary for the protection of life and for an end to abortion (see separate report Bergoglio Effect: Secretary of the Episcopal Conference Distancing Himself From Pro-Lifers  ). It's not a random statement, but a deliberate signal to the dominant forces for the killing of unborn children as a "right", to which you must not be challenged.

Pontifical Galatino

The interview was made ​​in Catholic circles, but especially crated among life advocates an international sensation. It fit into a series with a no less irritating interview, that Pope Francis gave in September 2013 for the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica. The head of the church said that  Catholics  were "obsessed" with the right to life and that one can "not always" speak out about issues such as abortion  (see separate report And he wept over his Pope - Pope Francis is silent on abortion and homosexuality, and finds it a good thing ). The irritations were more violent, as the Catholic Church is the last major, global institution that still opposes the abortion dictate, and the popes have raised their voices courageously against the murder spree charged from the Encyclical Humanae Vitae to Pope Benedict XVI. Ten months had to pass and  ever stronger murmurings rose within the Church, till Pope Francis for the first time brought the word "abortion" in his mouth in January 2014 (see separate report "The Horror of Abortion" - Francis Pope calls abortion for the first time by name ).

All Just a Misunderstanding on Which the Media are to Blame?

Now  Bishop Galatino laments in a recent interview for the monthly magazine  Sempre, the fierce criticism that hit him after his first interview. The Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference saw no need for a correction of his first interviews. The criticism he described as "aggression, which in reality hurt me a little." Monsignor Galatino is of the opinion that it had all been a misunderstanding which goes back to an instrumentalization by the media. "The said interview was developed in a specific context: the influence of social communications. On this occasion I warned for vigilance, especially with regard to television, where images are used only to support one's own message. I gave the example to those who then only blank faces of those show who pray the Rosary against abortion in front of clinics. It was a method of the media, who don't  just want to invalidate the rosary prayed in front of the clinics  but also the large and unusual movement that stands behind it."  According to Bishop Galatino he wanted to warn you to be vigilant against such media manipulation.

From the "Malice" of the Rosary

The reason for the misunderstanding  was that his statement was taken out of context. "Sometimes the representative of certain of our movements don't read the interview completely, but only the titles and headlines of the media, who of course, have every interest to write something sensational and create problems. So it came to 10,000 tweets and 15,000 Facebook posts "Against Bishop Galantino, who showed himself to be  " impressed"  by this wave of criticism from within the ranks to dismiss the "malice of certain people who claim to pray the Rosary."  It is  "worrying to know that someone who prays the rosary, then is able to express himself in such tones and with such verbal aggression." Pro-Lifers shake their heads. Bishop Galantino has thus proven just one more time to have little idea of ​​the reality of war, which is against under way against the unborn children worldwide, and the protection of life, about which he speaks, however.

Pope Francis seems  to be satisfied with the thesis of this "misunderstanding" at any rate. This past June 21st he paid Bishop Galantino and his mini-diocese in Calabria a visit. To see an homage, which was unanimously interpreted by observers as a signal to the Italian Bishops for Bishop Galatino as the new powerful man in Italy's Church (see separate report A question of priorities - Corpus Christi procession without Pope Francis ).

What Exactly Had  The Secretary-General Said on May 12?

Quotidiano Nazionale: In recent years, the Bishops' Conference established itself  (life, family, education) for the non-negotiable values. The Pope does not have this concept at heart. Do you not also? 

Bishop Galantino: When we think of the sanctity of life. In the past, we have focused exclusively on a no to abortion and euthanasia. This goes not, in between there comes to the existence, develops. I do not identify myself with the motionless faces of those who pray the rosary in front of  clinics, where abortions are carried out, but with those youth who reject this method and fight for better quality of life for the people of their rights to health and work.

In the new interview, Bishop Galatino spoke of the "influence of the media" and "instrumentalization by the media." In the original there is nothing of the sort, but a whole precise question to which the bishop replied which was just as clearly irritating.

Bishop Galantino has tried an old game, where the blame is always pushed to the journalists. An attempt that often succeeds in this particular case, however, as the bishop has neither denied up until today his former statement  nor demanded a rectification of the daily newspaper. A substantive correction of his position would offer more suitable for the  "man of the Pope" in the Italian Episcopal Conference. Above all, it would  provide the only correct answer to doubts and criticism. Therefore, Pro-Lifers believe that Bishop Galantino has exactly said  is in the interview: A distancing from  the right to life scene that is seen by some prelates as just a more than annoying millstone that impedes an arrangement with the Zeitgeist.

Sometimes the attempts to plug a hole are worse than the hole itself

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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A Question of Priorities? -- Corpus Christi Procession Without PopeFrancis

(Rome) Rome witnessed yesterday a papally orphaned Corpus Christi procession. The Vatican released a short term program change through Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi yesterday for the Feast of Corpus Christi. While Italy has long since abolished the feast of Corpus Domini as a day of celebration and is therefore transmitted in Italian parishes to the following Sunday in the liturgical liturgical calendar by the Vatican. The Solemnity of is, however, celebrated on the vigil of Corpus Christi in front of the Patriarchal Church of San Giovanni Laterano.
At the end of the Pontifial Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, the Pope did not take part in the traditional Corpus Christi procession with the Blessed Sacrament. Instead, the Pope, who has had several problems with over-exertion in the past few months, was brought directly in a car to the Patriarchal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, there to await the procession that leads from one to the other papal basilica. . Pope Francis then issued the solemn blessing. The procession was led by the Cardinal Vicar Agostino Vallini, who represents the Pope in governing the diocese of Rome.

Pope Francis Kneeling to DJ at Charismatic Conference

Participation Not "Opportune" Because of Calabria Visit

The Vatican spokesman Lombardi officially announced that the Pope "has deemed it opportune to give up the long walk between the two basilicas with a view to his next commitments," special mention was made of the trip to Cassano all'Jonio in Calabria, which took place yesterday. "Risum teneatis" was offered by the website Messa in Latino.

At the same time, the Vatican spokesman continued, "it was prefered that the Pope, not cover the procession in an open vehicle, so according to the spirit of today's celebrated festival, the attention of the faithful would be focused instead on the Blessed Sacrament exposed and carried in the procession." "Risum teneatis" Messa in Latino again intervened. "Despite the incredible concealment by the press-service of the Vatican, we hoped confidently and with Christian hope that the Holy Father, maybe perhaps a little fortified by vitamins, that in the year of Our Lord 2014 he would at least participate in the last part of the procession. Unfortunately this was not so! "

Mother cried: "For the first time a pope has left his flock"

A mother was with her children on the Via Merulana and wept. A TV crew from La7, taking notice of the scene, asked the woman: "The Pope stayed away from the Corpus Christi procession, while during Holy Mass he never knelt and after the Mass at St. John Lateran he ducked into a car till Santa Maria Maggiore to reappear for the blessing ... I am Roman, this is the first time a pope has left his flock in the Corpus Christi procession, is this Pope is so 'humble' that he is humbler than Jesus Christ? "

Pope Benedict at Corpus Christi Procession

Seriously Ill John Paul II Never Lacked Suffering

In fact, the absence of the Pope and the thin grounds that the Vatican spokesman Father Lombardi delivered, was irritating. Actually Pope Francis seems much more "humble", taking into consideration the words of the Roman mother, than his predecessors. "Who could not remember Pope John Paul II, the physically handicapped, yet with great devotion worshipping his Lord in the procession through the streets of Urbe. Or, Pope Benedict XVI. with his frailties, who did not shrink from it as vain, but was driven in a private vehicle in the procession, at which he knelt to worship the holy of holies," said Messa in Latino.

When Did Pope Francis Kneel?

In fact, since the beginning of the pontificate, there is a question of when Pope Francis kneels. An official explanation as to why the Pope does not genuflect at the consecration of the Lord, has not been offered up until today. Francis knelt during personal prayer when he visited the miraculous image of the Virgin in Santa Maria Maggiore, he knelt in prayer on June 1 in the football stadium in Rome, when he attended the meeting of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and he knelt on Holy Thursday at the washing of the feet of people of different creed and religion. He does not genuflect at the consecration and does not kneel before the Eucharistic Lord. The only exception is for the prayer vigil for peace for Syria previously on September 7, 2013. There was a Eucharistic adoration on St. Peter's Square, at the first part of which Pope Francis participated. To this end, he also had the Salus Populi Romani, the miraculous image of Santa Maria Maggiore brought out, before which he prayed kneeling.

The visit to Calabria and the shift of power in the Bishops' Conference

Bishop Nunzio Galantino, the new strong "man of the Pope" in the Italian Episcopal Conference
 

The visit, limited to a few hours to Cassano dell'Jonio, was to call out the Mafia. A legitimate and important concern for the affected population. Can the "control" of the Mafia, however, take precedence over the first duties of the Pope, the worship of God. Is the drive to Cassano dell'Jonio more important than the Blessed Sacrament? Thus the question must be answered as to why the Pope actually drove to Calabria.

On December 28, 2013, Pope Francis appointed the Bishop of Cassano dell'Jonio, Monsignor Nunzio Galatino, the new Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference. Although Francis had declared the direct autonomy of the Bishops' Conference of the Pope, which leads automatically to decoupling from the chair, he has grasped increasingly in the following months, the Episcopal Conference with an authoritarian hand, than his predecessor. This includes the appointment of Msgr Galatinos. The Secretary-General had always been a confidant of the delegates appointed by the Pope, who represent him in the office of president. Bishop Galantino was, however, appointed him Executive President of the Bishops' Conference over the incumbant Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco named by Benedict XVI. Cardinal Bagnasco had learned of the appointment, which is equivalent to his actual disempowerment, from the media. The new strong man of the Italian Episcopal Conference, the man of the Pope, is Bishop Nunzio Galantino. Galantino himself stood out as exceedingly negative. He seems to take the controversial statements and gestures of Pope Francis literally. In early May he distanced himself brusquely and in a disappointing way to the Pro-Lifers (see separate contribution Bergoglio Effect: Secretary of the Bishops' Conference Distances Himself From Pro-Lifers ).

Pontifical Request for "Forgiveness"

Already the appointment Galatinos was completely unusual and downright curious looking. Pope Francis begged the diocese of Cassano dell'Jonio to "pardon" him, saying that he was making their Bishop, the General Secretary of the Bishops' Conference. It was already an agreed upon papal wish that Galatino remained also the bishop of his diocese. Cassano dell'Jonio with nearly 100,000 believers is one of the most numerous small dioceses, as they are frequently maintained in Italy for historical reasons. Even more: Pope Francis was asking the faithful of the Calabrian Diocese, of course, only rhetorically for "permission" to use their bishop and otherwise. The Pope wrote a letter specifically to the faithful of Cassano dell'Jonio to post the everyday decision and offer a wordy justification. "It has the impression that the Pope had to ask permission in Mafia Land, that he may decide something," wrote one commentator called No Mafia on the website of the daily newspaper Quotidiano della Calabria.

"Gesture of humility" or The Bizarre Scenario of a "Pope-King"?

Of this may of course be no question. In Rome we saw that behind the baroquely ornate gesture of humility, a rather quite successful diversion, which drew the focus on the unusual and the rather brutal intervention of a "pope-king" (Sandro Magister) in the Bishops' Conference, with the dismissal of the previous Secretary-General Mariano Crociata and the de facto disempowerment of Cardinal Bagnasco.
So also the Pope's visit to the Diocese of Cassano dell'Jonio officially stands under the motto "I come to ask for forgiveness." So there was Bishop Galatino making known throughout his diocese in March: "He comes to ask us for forgiveness." It's a statement that Bishop Galatino repeated several times. His exact words were: "The Pope's visit will be an opportunity to - look us in the eye after he has already done it in writing - to be 'understood' and to learn 'forgiveness' and, as he told me himself on Thursday [27 März 2014] repeated several times asking for forgiveness.'" A rather bizarre scenario.

Already in his letter, with which he informed the diocese of the appointment of Galantino to General Secretary, the head of the Church wrote: "I have not had the pleasure of meeting you in person, but I hope that I'll be able to do soon." The program has been amended several times. Now, a visit to the prison of Castrovillari is also provided for. There sits a the entire family of little Cocò, a three year old child, who had been executed on January 16 Clan War like a mafia boss, and then burned. Pope Francis had mentioned him at the Angelus of 26 January. The family of Cocò, parents, grandmothers and siblings are sitting in prison for drug trafficking. In Castrovillari prison a Romanian is also also incarcerated, who was found guilty of murdering the priest Don Lazzaro Longobardi on March 2. A "martyr of charity" to whom the Pope was alerted by Bishop Galantino.

The human need for the sacred, worship, prayer and penance, were given gestures with strong sociological connotations in the past few months. The trip to Calabria is being loaded up, in addition to the primary reason, as strange "apology tour" with sociological accessories.

Sacredness or Sociology: A Matter of Priorities?

So the fact remains that the Corpus Christi procession in Rome, the city of the Popes, was first orphaned in recent history. Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament found no Vicar of Christ who was kneeling in front of Him and accompanied Him. The Successor of Peter spared himself, for a pastoral visit to a small diocese whose significance is at best "third-rate". The people there will be happy rightly about the visit, but the question arises as to the priorities. The "existential margins" may be important, but certainly not more important than the Blessed Sacrament, and liturgical actions.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: RnS/Papa Ratzinger Picture: RnS / Papa Ratzinger

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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