"We Need a Pope Who Doesn't Wink at the Great Powers and Global Lobbies"

(Rome) The well-known psychiatrist and criminologist Alessandro Meluzzi is a television star in Italy. The most important criminal cases end up on his table or are analyzed by him in the media. On the occasion of the 100th birthday of John Paul II, he criticized the incumbent head of the Church.

The 100th birthday of John Paul II (1920–2005), who was head of the Catholic Church from 1978–2005 and was canonized in 2014, was the occasion for an interview that Bruno Volpe (La Fede Quotidiana) conducted with Meluzzi.Meluzzi who is seen by some as a “colorful bird,” but his thinking always impresses with clarity. The former Freemason, who belonged to the Grand Orient of Italy, converted to Christ and also studies theology. He was ordained a deacon for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church united with Rome. Today he is the Archbishop of the Autocephalous Italian Orthodox Church, which is not recognized by the canonical Orthodox Churches.

Question: What was your impression of John Paul II. If you had to briefly outline him as a specialist ...

Prof. Meluzzi: Well, above all, he was a clear head, a real shepherd and a saint of life and in life.

Question: What impressed you the most?

Prof. Meluzzi: His courage, his hope, his momentum. A pope who also looked like a real man in his physical appearance: male and combative. In every moment of his pontificate, even in old age, frail and sick, he had a strong charisma.

Question: Let's try to explain your idea of courage.

Prof. Meluzzi: Precisely because of his physical appearance, he was more like a prophet of ancient Israel, but at the same time a priest and king.

Question: Every historical epoch has its Pope: What role would you think John Paul II would play in a time as confused as ours and would it be useful?

Prof. Meluzzi: Certainly every historical moment, every epoch has its pope, but I have no doubt that we need a pope like John Paul II today instead of that one who winks at the great powers and global lobbies. Together with Trump and Putin, John Paul II would be one of the three leading figures worldwide.

Question: What is the situation of the Catholic Church, which moment is it experiencing?

Prof. Meluzzi: A bad moment. There is a lack of heads with a clear mind like John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger. We are experiencing a Catholic Church that has turned its back on its people and especially God and rejects the meaning of the holy and transcendent.

Question: You are a recognized doctor and renowned psychiatrist: is there a risk of panic among the population because of Covid-19?

Prof. Meluzzi: Not so much, but definitely a risk of depression. I wonder: what is the point of the face masks? They are completely useless and harmful. Depression also weakens the immune system.

Question: Many are outraged because some right-wing parties took to the streets on June 2 to protest government measures. [1]

Prof. Meluzzi: Are you surprised? This is the usual double standard by which the political left measures: All are equal, but they are always the same as the others.

Question: The face masks are useless. General Pappalardo, the leader of the Orange West, says the same thing, thus causing outrage. [2]

Prof. Meluzzi: He says nothing fundamentally wrong: listening without arrogance and reservations is imperative and not, as some journalists do, who first provoke and then wonder that they don't want to be seen at events.

Introduction / translation / footnotes: Giuseppe Nardi
Picture: La Fede Quotidiana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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On June 2, "Republic Day", a state holiday in Italy, the former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini of the Lega had called for a rally in Rome. The other right parties, Fratelli d'Italia and Forza Italiana, had to follow suit. Despite the corona security measures of the left-wing government and despite the recommendations of the party leaders of the other co-organizing parties, there were so many participants that the rally was carried out at home on social media, so that the media did not mention the number of participants.

[2] Gilet Arancioni ( Orange Vests ) are a newly founded Italian citizens' movement based on the French Gilets jaunes (Yellow Vests ). Their undisputed leader is the former Carabinieri General Antonio Pappalardo. Pappalardo sat 1992–1994 for the small Italian Social Democratic Party (PSDI) in the Italian Parliament. The qualified lawyer still describes himself as a social democrat. Pappalardo was briefly State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance 26 years ago during the government of Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who later became president. The goals of the movement are still unclear and are directed primarily against the state corona measures and call for help for the people affected by the measures.

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Francis Celebrates Ad Orientem at Tomb of John Paul II for Centenary

(Rome) On Monday, Pope Francis celebrated the first Mass since the re-admission of public services in Italy - and that versus Deum. It should also be the last to be broadcast on the media due to the Corona crisis.

Among all the measures that have been taken because of the Coronavirus by the Church,  this was Pope Francis' most radical. In his diocese of Rome he had all services suspended on March 8th and all churches and chapels closed on March 12th. No diocese worldwide has gone this far. After only 24 hours and an impending uprising, the priests rowed back. At least the parish churches were reopened, all other churches and chapels remained closed. The Pope's diocese remained on the most radical path. The corresponding decrees were signed by Cardinal Vicar Angelo De Donatis, who heads the diocese on behalf of the Pope. The cardinal vicar is formally an auxiliary bishop who acts as vicar general. Cardinalatial dignity has been associated with this since 1558. De Donatis indicated that the order had come directly from Francis. No other would be conceivable. No vicar general would take such a drastic and historically unprecedented step on his own. Since the Vatican had hermetically sealed itself at the beginning of March, Pope Francis also celebrated without the people in the past ten weeks . Only two or three priests, a religious and an organist took part in the morning celebrations in Santa Marta. In return, the Pope's morning mass was carried over the world through direct channels. The Mass last Monday morning was the last to be broadcast because public services have been allowed again in Italy since the same day.

Franziskus at Sebastian's Altar (St. Peter's Basilica)

The direct transmissions were not concluded from Santa Marta, but from St. Peter's Basilica, namely from the Sebastian chapel. It is located in the north aisle in front of the chapel. The tomb of John Paul II has been under the altar of this chapel dedicated to the proto-martyr, since 2011. The remains of the Vatican Grottoes, the first burial place, were brought to the beatification. The canonization took place three years later, on April 27, 2014.

At the Sebastian's altar above the tomb of the Polish Pope, who ruled the Church from 1978 to 2005, Pope Francis celebrated the last of the morning Masses that were broadcast. The occasion was the 100th birthday of John Paul II, who was born on May 18, 1920 in the Polish town of Wadowice. Here Pope Francis celebrated versus Deum . It's a direction of celebration that gives his House Liturgist, Andrea Grillo, a flush of anger.

Pope Francis had already celebrated at the Sebastian Altar in the past and in each case versus Deum as an alternative to the direction of celebration that was taken for granted in Church tradition, in the direction of the rising sun, towards the returning Christ who would come from the east.

For the first time, however, the celebration was broadcast by the media on Monday, which is why the unusual direction of celebration since the great liturgical reform of 1969/70 was given special visibility. Photos of the celebration were also distributed by international press agencies such as AFP.

The tomb of John Paul II has been under the altar since 2011

It is said that the Pope celebrated "with his back" to the people, as the actual direction of celebrations has been discredited for half a century, because the previous way of things were adhered to. In plain language: There is no "people's altar" in the chapel of St. Sebastian. Another inaccurate claim, because in the past it has been demonstrated many times over how quickly a portable altar can be set up at any location. Pope Benedict XVI had one removed from the Sistine Chapel, where John Paul II usually celebrated. For the Thanksgiving Mass with the Cardinals, his first mass as Pope the day after the election, Francis had it brought back to the Sistine Chapel.

The unusual orientation for Francis  was no tribute to John Paul II. Be that as the people's altar was shuffled into the Sistine Chapel, undoubtedly the celebration versus populum is preferred.

Liturgical gestures by Benedict XVI. paid special attention because Francis knew how serious the liturgical question was to him. The media rush to judgement. Probably for the exact opposite reason of his predecessor.

Gestures that cannot really be classified are an essential feature of the current pontificate.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi 
Image: MiL

Cardinal Dziwisz Defends John Paul II from Charges He Reacted Slowly Against Sexual Abuse

Cardinal Dziwisz defends John Paul II against "biased" criticism.

(Krakow) Opinions and allegations that Pope John Paul II has reacted too slowly to the sexual abuse of minors by some clerics, "are biased and contradict the historical facts". Stanislaw Cardinal Dziwisz, Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow, rejected this claim in a public statement. Cardinal Dziwisz served as personal secretary to Karol Wojtyla for almost 40 years.

Yesterday, the statement "John Paul II on sexual abuse in the Church" by Cardinal Dziwisz was published on the website of the Polish Episcopal Conference in Polish and English.

It is not true, according to the cardinal, that John Paul II "wanted to tolerate the crime of sexual abuse of minors in the Church". The truth is that the Pope was rather "shocked" and "fought against it".

Dziwisz was ordained priest in 1963 by Karol Wojtyla. From 1966 he became his secretary as Archbishop of Krakow. When Cardinal Wojtyla was elected to the pope in 1978, Dziwisz went to Rome as his personal secretary. Benedict XVI. appointed him Archbishop of Krakow after the death of the Polish Pope and created him Cardinal.

Dziwisz recalls, inter alia, the indulgences given by John Paul II to the United States of America (1994) and the Church of Ireland (1996), which approved a policy known as "zero tolerance". The former personal secretary of this Pope also refers to the document Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela for the Protection of the Sacraments, which was published in May 2001 on the initiative of John Paul II. It proclaimed new norms "on the more serious crimes" (de delictis gravioribus), which took the defense and fight against such crimes to a new level

John Paul II had observed how the local churches responded, in whose responsibility cases occurred. This was especially true of the United States, where the problem occurred for the first time massively. "If necessary, he helped them, often on their own initiative," or "at the request of the local episcopate." In the 1980s he reacted to the crisis in the US church.

"The pope first observed the activities of the episcopate of the United States, and when he came to the conclusion that new instruments were needed to combat these crimes, he gave the church superiors new powers. For the bishops, this was a clear indication of which direction to fight. "

When it became clear that the local episcopates and religious leaders still could not cope with the problem and that the crisis spread to other countries, John Paul II recognized that the problem "not only concerns the Anglo-Saxon world, but has a global character ".

It is known that a new wave of revelations came in the United States in 2002, caused by publications known as "Spotlight". On the other hand, as the cardinal states, it is scarcely known that John Paul II published the document Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela (for the protection of the sanctity of the sacraments) in May 2001 just one year before these events. "We know the groundbreaking significance of this law," said the emeritus Archbishop of Krakow. In doing so, the Pope responded to the apparent difficulties of the competent episcopates to respond appropriately to the problem.

"All sexual crimes committed by clerics against minors have thus been reserved for the jurisdiction of the Apostolic See."

"He also pledged every bishop and religious leader to report all these crimes to the Congregation of the Faith, if their probabilities were confirmed in a preliminary ruling."

The rest continued under the control of the Apostolic Tribunal.

The cardinal states that the main problem of sexual abuse of minors in the Church had already reached its peak before the pontificate of John Paul II. On the other hand, the Polish pope began to act as soon as he became aware of the problem. The demonstrable decline in crime since then proved the effectiveness of the measures, although the problem could not be completely eradicated.

"This analysis serves as a guide for anyone involved in the fight against the crime of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. It helps diagnose the crisis and shows the way out. "

At the end of his statement, Cardinal Dziwisz also commented on the case of Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ.

"It is said that John Paul II has covered up his criminal activities. But the facts say otherwise. I would just like to remind you that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith began in December 2004, during the pontificate of John Paul II, with the investigation into the allegations against Maciel Degollado. Msgr. Charles Scicluna, at that time promoter iustitiae and now Archbishop, was sent to Mexico and the United States with another lawyer to carry out the necessary activities in this matter. The decision to initiate these investigations could only be made with the knowledge and consent of John Paul II. The investigations were not interrupted in the time of the Sedisvakanz after the death of John Paul II and could therefore by a judgment at the beginning of the pontificate of Benedict XVI. be completed."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: episkopat.pl (screenshot)

Previously Unpublished Texts by Benedict XVI on Human Rights

Former Pope urges in essay 2014: Replacement of human rights for the concept of God "ends in a nihilistic 'right' of man to deny himself"
 

Vatican City (kath.net/KAP) From the perspective of former Pope Benedict XVI. faith in God is the best foundation for the concept of human rights. At the same time, however, he also qualifies these so that man can not and should not reverse them. These are the essential statements of a previously unpublished text by Benedict XVI, which will appear recently in a new book with selected contributions and speeches of the emeritus Pope on the subject of faith and politics. [And a forward by Pope Francis.]

The essay "The Multiplication of Rights and the Destruction of the Legal Concept" was a response Benedict XVI. (2005-2013) penned in autumn 2014 to a book written by the Italian philosopher and politician Marcello Pera. In his book "Church, Human Rights and the Abandonment of God" is about what happens when "the concept of human rights is replaced by the concept of God," wrote Benedict XVI.

He summarizes his analysis of Pera as follows: "The multiplication of rights ... ends in a nihilistic 'right' of man to deny himself," Abortion, suicide and the "production of a human being as a thing" would then be regarded as human rights "which deny him at the same time."

Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI. had already contributed to Pera's books in 2005 and 2009. The now published statement is in the form of a letter to the philosopher and longtime Forza Italia politician. In it, the emeritus Pope initially dealt with the topic of human rights in papal teachings. After their condemnation in the 19th century, the encyclical "Pacem in Terris" by John XXIII. (1958-1963) took a turn.

However, the topic of human rights has become especially important in the thinking of John Paul II (1978-2005). In their obedience to God, the Pope from Poland saw the first Christians' resistance to the claims of absolute power of the Roman Emperor, an early Christian justification of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These in turn were for him, a suitable instrument in the fight against the ideologies of National Socialism and Communism.

The new volume "Freeing Freedom - Faith and Politics in the Third Millennium" [In English, "Faith and Politics" by Ignatius Press] with political texts and speeches by the theologian Joseph Ratzinger and later Pope Benedict XVI. will be released worldwide next Monday (5/14.). In Italy he has been trading since Thursday. The German version is published by Verlag Herder.  The foreword was written by Pope Francis.

Trans Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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The Certificate to Kill Can be Received at the Diakonie (Catholic Social Services)

Bishop Dr. Franz Kamphaus was one of the decisive force among the German bishops, who is in conflict with those who oppose the continuatinon of life-threatening counseling of pregnant women. Only the instruction of Pope John Paul II of 7 March 2002 put an end to the issuing of certificates in Limburg. The instruction is certainly undermined since then, resulting in the death of numerous unborn children.

The diocese of Limburg was prohibited on 7 March 2002 from issuing  Pope John Paul II issued certifications with the children can be murdered impunity. Pro-lifers have now pointed out that the diocese of Limburg not only promotes abortion, but counseling centers of the diocese even puts pregnant women in conflict with institutions such as the Diakonie, who provide the issuance of the certifications for the murder of the unborn child that is excused from punishment by the law.

This does not happen in ignorance of the leadership of the diocese, but is explicitly praised by it. Speaking to the Hessian Rundfunk spokesman Stephan Schnelle said that it had indeed removed the advertisement for abortion from the diocese page according to reporting by Katholisches.info, "the revision is no criticism of the work of Diakonie," they have been collaborated confidently together for years. Since there are numerous counseling institutions that counsel pregnant women in conflict to Catholic teachings, the promised collaboration with Diakonia can only mean the issue of abortion certificates, which was explicitly forbidden by Pope John Paul II. At any rate, the head of the diocese does not mind that the Diakonie issues certificates to kill unborn children.

This is in line with the reports of counselors from organizations that work according to Catholic standards. Many pregnant women in the conflict are dissatisfied because of the poor advice and, above all, make contact via Internet with more sound counseling centers. It is often said by the women that they are sent fairly quickly by the counselors, who are not allowed to issue a certificate, to other places so that they receive the abortion certificate there.

Just one parenthetic observation. During the image research, the author came to the press photos page. A picture of Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst can not be found, whereas Bishop em. Dr. Franz Kamphaus appears. This too is a clear statement.

Text: Linus Schneider 
Photo: Bistum Limburg

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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Assasination Attempt on John Paul II at Fatima in 1982

On May 12, 1982, Father Juan María Fernández y Krohn, a priest of the Society of St. Pius X, attacked Pope John Paul II with a bayonet during the pope’s visit to Fatima.  

There is an interesting post by Father Cekada who knew the assassin and even belonged to the same clique of "hard-liners" in the Society.  Father Krohn was wound up pretty tight, like a lot of Sedevecantists, but anyhow.

Krohn accused Archbishop Lefebvre of being too soft during the trial.

The question now is, with Pope Francis in Portugal, does Krohn still harbour these intense ideas about religion, and if so, will he be in Portugal this weekend to see Francis? Krohn was banned from Portugal after serving three years of a six year sentence and moved to Belgium where he practices law.

Pope Francis Confirms His Burial Place -- the Grave of John XXIII

Pope Francis has chosen his resting place

(Rome) Pope Francis is preparing his grave, as the press agency I.Media reported. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi SJ confirms the report. This is neither "mysterious" nor something "special", says Lombardi.

The selection and preparation of a tomb is part of the earthly life cycle of a human being, said the Vatican spokesman.To that effect,  the selection of  the tomb chosen by Pope Francis is in the Vatican Grottoes.

Vatican spokesman: "Little more availability"

The crypt  below the St. Peter's Basilica and the further underlying necropolis is known as the Vatican Grottoes. Numerous popes were buried in the crypt, some of whom were laid there in the Vatican Basilica in the course of the Causes of Saints.

I.Media published the picture of a tomb. It's then not certain this really is the final resting place Pope Francis desires himself, as Tiscali reported yesterday and published its own photo.

The currently empty grave

Vatican spokesman Lombardi reported on Saturday  that it is the only unoccupied chapel at the moment in the Vatican Grottoes, which is why, in principle, the question arises, where the ceremony will be held  in the future.

"Pope of gestures" will be buried in the grave of the "Pope of the Council"

As "Pope of gestures" Francis wants to use the former grave of John XXIII. in which the "Pope of the Council" has lain for 38 years, from 1963 to 2001.  Soon after the beatification in September 2000 he was translated into St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Francis chose, bypassing the rules for the canonization for his miracle-less  elevation to the altars in 2014  together with John Paul II. The Polish pope was canonized through the recognition of a second miracle within a regular canonization.

From 2005-2011 John Paul II had initially been buried in this grave until he was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica.

John XXIII. let himself be buried in a simple sarcophagus of travertine in contrast to his predecessors. The grave inscription reads only Joannes PP. XXIII . Since then, all the popes have been buried in simple manner.

John Paul II., following the example of Paul VI. who found his final resting place in a grave sunken into the ground. On the marble slab in gold letters, which was even more spare, is Joannes Paulus II  with the birth and death date.

Cardinal Comastri: "Holy Father, it is yet to be seen who comes first"

The grave niche in the Vatican Grottoes has been unoccupied since 2011.  Recently it has been cleaned and "is ready to receive the mortal remains of Pope Francis," said Tiscali. The Argentine Pope let the Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, know that he wishes that grave for himself. The ideological commonality stressed with a hidden agenda  between John XXIII. and Pope Francis found is to continue in the grave.

Cardinal Comastri confirmed that Pope Francis expressed his wish two times.  The cardinal had replied: "Holy Father, it is yet to be seen who comes first." The reference was to the Emeritus Benedict XVI. whose ideas for grave locations are yet unknown.

Near the niche selected for Pope Francis, a white marble sarcophagus was recently placed.  Whether it has been  prepared for the German Pope remains speculation for now.

[Show as slideshow]

Text: Giuseppe Nardi 
Image: Wikicommons / Tiscali / MiL (screenshots)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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