Franciscans of the Immaculate Win Important Legal Battle

Franciscan of Immaculate marching for life. New points for victory, but without a rethinking in the Vatican there seem no end to the torments in sight.

(Rome) The Franciscans of the Immaculate, oppressed by the Congregation of Religious with the approval of Pope Francis, have achieved another victory, at least a moral victory, which should more than ever be the occasion of a process of reflection in the Vatican. There aren’t any indications so far.

Despite its young age, the Order, which was not established until the early nineties, stood out for the great number of religious and priestly vocations, even in Europe, where most of the orders are moaning because of a lack of vocations.

Old Rite and missionary - and a thorn in the eye

The secret: As large parts of the Church and also many members of the Order, especially during and after the Council, were enthusiastic about "cutting off old braids" and introducing all sorts of innovations in the name of new "freedoms," from the setting aside of the Order's name to the abandonment of the Order's habit, from the convenient expansion of the cells while at the same time reducing the communal prayer of the hours, two friars minor went the opposite way. They asked to leave the company of their "progressive" confreres and retire to an abandoned monastery and revive it. There, they did not seek to subject their religious rule to an "aggiornamento" but to build on the first Franciscan rule of the order and deepen Marian spirituality.

The two Minorites, Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli and Fr. Gabriele Pellettieri, were joined by others, and they became the founders of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, a Marian and traditional order. As Pope Benedict XVI. freed the Immemorial Rite with the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum and procured a home in the church, the young religious community did not hesitate to follow him in it. The Franciscans of the Immaculate became the first and so far only new religious order, which has returned to the traditional rite, but remained pastoral and bi-ritual. The special charisma that has distinguished the Order from other altruistic communities was its missionary zeal.

Benedict XVI. held his protective hand over the Order, which seemed to become as unique and interesting a model as it was to young members of other orders.

The Commissar 

Then there was the unexpected resignation Benedict XVI. and election of Pope Francis. In the Order, a tiny minority of five disgruntled, liberal brothers had complained because of the change to the Immemorial Rite in the Vatican. Under Benedict XVI. the Congregation of the Religious did not dare to take action. Under Francis, it immediately received the tiny minority's complaint as an opportunity to crack down on the unloved model - and radically.

Order's founder, Father Manelli

Manelli was deposed as Superior General and placed under house arrest. The order's leadership was removed from office, the priests were forbidden to celebrate the Immemorial Rite, and an apostolic commissar was appointed. In contradiction to Summorum Pontificum, each priest had to individually apply for a special permission to celebrate in the forma extraordinaria.

In order to exorcise the Order's charisma, monasteries were closed, its seminary closed and evictions were carried out. The conversion into an Ecclesia Dei community was prohibited as well as the founding of a new order. Bishops were threatened if they accepted Franciscans of the Immaculate who left the Order.

In that summer of 2013, a veritable destructive campaign was kindled. The consequences did not remain: the first was the drying up of the vocations.

No reason

The Summit: To date, the Vatican has not given any reasons for this radical interference, let alone any charges. So far there was no possibility for the Franciscans of Immaculate to defend themselves against the oppressive measures of the papacy or at least to defend themselves. The requests and queries of Fr. Manelli to be received and heard by the Pope were not answered by Francis.

As Commissar, the Congregation of Religious used the Capuchin, Father Fidenzio Volpi. A man who was possessed of no sympathy for the tradition or the Immemorial Rite. Accordingly, he raged against the Order. Unofficially, let it be cryptically hinted that the order was being cleaned up because of "Lefebvrian deviationism." Later, he even claimed that the Order had been put under temporary administration four months after the election of Pope Francis, because it wanted to "overthrow" the Pope. That tradition and the Immemorial Rite is the real enemy became more and more clear, if there was any need for further proof.

In May 2013, founder Manelli celebrated his 80th birthday (see Father Stefano Maria Manelli is 80 - success story of the Franciscans of the Immaculate: Old Rite and Missionary), unaware of what a storm would soon rage over his work. Meanwhile, Fr. Manelli is 85 years old and has been under house arrest for nearly five years, as ordered by the Vatican.

The Book of Slander

By contrast, Commissioner Volpi has been long dead. Today, the second Commissar, who is a bit more reserved than his predecessor, is in office today. Volpi died in the midst of a civil and criminal dispute before Italian courts. The way in front of state courts is at least open to Father Manelli and representatives of the lay organizations affiliated to the Order because the Vatican has no access to it.

The book by Loredana Volpi

Volpi had been condemned by the Italian court for defamation, to payment of damages, the execution of which was prevented by his death.

Loredana Volpi, a niece of the deceased commissar, saw the reputation of her uncle damaged. Together with Mario Castellano, she wrote the book "Truth and Justice for Father Fidenzio Volpi. A dark matter in the pontificate of Pope Francis" (Verità e giustizia per padre Fidenzio Volpi, Una oscura vicenda nel Pontificato di Papa Francesco). Now, she has admitted to accusing the Order of unproven things and writing slander against those in charge of the lay religious organizations.

"While the Acting Administration of the Franciscans of the Immaculate continues in its sixth (!) year, without for the time being, foreseeing a possible solution to this unusual affair, which together with other actions bordering on arbitrariness (see the Order of Malta) like a blemish on this pontificate, has been a important manner of procedure in the indictment and slander-construct that has poisoned this story," said Vatican Marco Tosatti.

Mario Castellano, the co-author with Loredana Volpi, was a consultant to Commissar Volpi. Numerous hints, tips and "recommendations" from Fr. Alfonso Bruno, the main opponent of Fr. Manelli, who became the main beneficiary of the provisional administration of the Order, were probably included in the book.

In each country there are keywords that function as ciphers. If you want to slander someone, it is sufficient to incorporate these keywords and to drop some allusions in the subjunctive. Castellano and Volpi in their book brought the Order and lay organizations into contact with the Camorra, the Neapolitan mafia. The mafia is good for slander in Italy.

Loredana Volpi was received in audience, apparently for merit in the struggle against the Franciscans of the Immaculate, even by Pope Francis, to whom she presented a copy of her book.

The Apology

The founders Manelli and Pellettieri

The two authors, however, made a mistake. In their references in the book, they named the leading lay representatives by name. These filed a criminal complaint for defamation. This was to prove the truth, which was obviously not possible. To escape prosecution, Loredana Volpi decided to come to an out of court settlement with the plaintiffs. She undertook to write a letter of apology to be published in the leading daily newspaper of Southern Italy, in Il Mattino, and in the national daily La Repubblica. The left-liberal Repubblica was not the only newspaper to participate in the campaign against the Franciscans of the Immaculate. The ruling may have fallen on it because it is the only newspaper that Pope Francis reads daily, according to his own statement.

However, in order for the message to arrive at the governing pope, who bears the responsibility for the whole case, Volpi must, as she had handed him a book, also make her apologies directly.

Tosatti published excerpts from the letter of apology:

"It is absolutely certain that the statements employed are [...] not justified, being untrue, and for that reason they must be considered absolutely baseless and unjustified. In that sense, I renew to you my formal apology for the unfortunate and unjustified conduct towards you, and I inform you that the present letter will be published in the following ... media organizations and also on the Internet so that it may be widely used to redress the damage caused."

In return, those affected withdrew their ad.

The one most principally responsible is Pope Francis

The incident proves "once more," according to Tosatti, that the whole affair, which brought a most extraordinary, flourishing, young order to the brink of annihilation, is based on a construct of unproven allegations, rumors, baseless allusions, numerous verbal aggressions, and unbelievable slander. In short: it is an intrigue. The intriguers, that's for sure, seem partly personal, but partly ideologically motivated.

The ultimate responsibility for this lies not only with Pope Francis, because he endorsed the interventions of the Congregation of Religious, but above all because he has put both the male and the female branch, which was also placed under provisional administration at a later time, with two separate actions he refused to appeal to the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signatura against the measures of the Congregation of Religious. Thus, he decided by virtue of his powers as an absolute monarch. Why so much emphasis on an Order with which he had never had direct contact? The ordinary legal process would have clarified the legality and validity of the measures of the  Congregation of Religious and above all revealed what it is all about. That was (and is) precisely, obviously not desired.

Loredana Volpi's apology, according to Marco Tosatti, "casts a heavy shadow on the credibility of the Fronde [faction] of adversaries," arrayed against Father Manelli and his Order.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: MiL / Chiesa e postconcilio / Corrispondenza Romana
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

Pope's Favorite Newspaper Opens the Hunt Against New CDF

"La Repubblica" and the Politics of Scorched Earth

(Rome) Pope Francis appointed a New Faith Prefect last Saturday to get rid of the old one. Because of these "necessities", the number two of the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is now number one. On Monday, the only daily newspaper that the pope regularly reads, already opened its hunt for the new CDF Prefect.

La Repubblica disapproves of the nomination of Ladarias as a Prefect of Doctrine and the Faith

In his home country of Spain, Luis Ladaria SJ enjoys the good reputation of orthodoxy. Apart from the unusual circumstances of his appointment, the latter was largely positive. The pope's decision obviously followed tactical considerations, in order for the dismissal of Cardinal Miiller not to result in a revolt. Francis did not impress La Repubblica , the flagship of Italian left-wing journalism. The only newspaper he reads every day, according to his own statements, contained a "message" to the head of the Church on Monday: a disapproval of the appointment of Ladarias.

For La Repubblica, the new Prefect is "too conservative" in any case. There is also a fundamental aversion to the institution which was the former Holy Inquisition. La repubblica, of course, does not write this.  It attacks with the dirt bucket and goes to the "tried and tested" way of denunciation. "Pedophilia: a shadow on Bishop Ladaria," is the headline, and the same on the title page. To this end, the archive photo of a rally in front of St Peter's was reprinted against sexual abuse by clerics. The is a banner with an inscription "Church without abuse." The actual article can be found on page 15. The title reads: "He did not expose the pedophile priest. The Shadow on the Chief of the Holy Office."

The case of ex-priest Gianni Trotta

One of the two authors is the expose journalist Emiliano Fittipaldi, who was brought to justice in connection with the Vatican's Vatileaks 2 scandal. He was accused of having published confidential documents from the Vatican in his book "Avarizia" (avarice), published in late 2015. As the court was not able to prove any criminal offense, he was released a year ago, while the Vatican employees who had supplied him and another journalist with the documents, the Spanish Prelate Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, and the busybody PR wife, Francesca Chaouqui.

La Repubblica has blown the Tally-ho against the new Prefect

The Catalan daily newspaper La Vanguardia took up the Repubblica article and titled it: "New crisis in the Vatican: Ladaria, recent appointment of the Pope, covered a case of pederasty. Shadow over the new Prefect of the Congregation of the Faith." This is about the case of an Italian priest named Gianni Trotta, who was removed in 2012 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from the clerical state. Trotta then became a soccer coach and abused minor children. In spring 2015 he was arrested and sentenced to eight years imprisonment by an Italian criminal court. The case had been reported in great detail by Repubblica and L'Espresso, the weekly magazine, last February.

The Congregation conducted the trial of the 49-year-old Trotta in 2009, which ended with the maximum sentence, the laicization. Repubblica criticizes the fact that Trotta was condemned by the Vatican but that the judgment was not publicly disclosed. In this way the people had not been warned in some small places in Puglia. In addition, Trotta, who was active as a coach of children's teams, continued to work as a priest, to gain people's confidence.

The crime of abuse relevant to criminal law were all committed after he had been laicized. This applies to the abuse of an eleven-year-old boy, for which he was sentenced to eight years in the first instance. This also applies to other cases of abuse involving the production and distribution of child pornography, for which he will soon be responsible. Repubblica criticizes the fact that they might have been prevented if the Vatican had made the case public. The daily newspaper even goes so far as to blame Ladaria for having "covered up" a case of pedophilia. The concept of cover-up is overshadowed here because Ladaria was not involved in the cover-up, but in the condemnation of Trotta.

Politics of the Scorched Earth at La Repubblica

The decree of laicization from 2012 was signed by Cardinal Levada. Then Cardinal Levada, and Ladaria, was then secretary of the Congregation. Repubblica , however, makes a cover-up of the conviction. According to Repubblica, the Congregation of the Faith would have had to publicly denounce Trotta. A doubtful demand to the Church, in which a maxim is to be hard against sin, but mild to the sinner. Repubblica's fretting, therefore, is probably more about something else.

The new Prefect,  Luis Ladaria Ferrer, is virtually unknown to the general public, including most Catholics. The Repubblica article guarantees that his name is immediately placed in a negative context. "The Prefect did not bring the pedophile ex-priest to the public,"... "cover-up of a pedophile scandal" are the headlines spread over media and social networks. It's an imagery that can hardly be bettered. What is the purpose of La Repubblica with the immediate tally-ho on the newly named Prefect?

When Pope Francis was elected, Eugenio Scalfari, the founder and father of La Repubblica, was his preferred partner. The result was several interviews and editorials of doubtful content. In the meantime, it has become quieter because the confessed atheist from a family with an old Masonic tradition, whom Pope Francis "does not want to convert", is already in his 94th year.

The fact is that this is the message that La Repubblica has noted with satisfaction the dismissal of Cardinal Müller and has declared the hunt for his successor.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Photo: La Repubblica (Screenshots)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

Francis Grants Another Interview to His Favorite Masonic Journalist

Edit: you'd think that after being burned by the Freemason who founded the Pope's favorite morning news read, he wouldn't grant anymore interviews. Then again, considering that the divorced and remarried frequently went to Communion in Buenos Aires before Bergoglio was Pope, why would such a statement be surprising? He's just floating more trial balloons being heard in the court of public opinion.

[Catholic Herald] The Vatican has said that an interview which quotes the Pope as saying that “all divorced who ask will be admitted” to Communion is “in no way reliable” and “cannot be considered as the Pope’s thinking”.

In an article in La Repubblica, Eugenio Scalfari said the Pope made the comment during a phone interview.

According to a translation by traditionalist blog Rorate Caeli, Pope Francis said: “The diverse opinion of the bishops is part of this modernity of the Church and of the diverse societies in which she operated, but the goal is the same, and for that which regards the admission of the divorced to the Sacraments, [it] confirms that this principle has been accepted by the synod.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/11/02/italian-newspaper-pope-says-all-divorced-who-ask-will-be-admitted-to-communion/

Leftist Ex-Mayor of Venice: "I Expect More From the Pope Than From a Renzi or Merkel"

(Rome) The Catholic journalist Antonio Socci has been harshly attacked for his criticism of Pope Francis' silence about the tragedy of the Christians in the Middle East. However, similar criticism also comes from an "unsuspected" wing, as expressed by philosopher Massimo Cacciari who was mayor from 1993-2000 and 2005-2010 of Venice. Cacciari began his career as a radical left-winger. For the daily newspaper La Repubblica, which Pope Francis prefers like no other medium,  Cacciari said:

"This is a radical change in the political theology of the Church ... but that's a neat problem ... Francis considered an intervention, where he decides to to legitimate the UN   - but that is a secularization of the Catholic idea of" just war "... The position of Francis is extremely weak. His point of view is actually one that a Renzi or a Merkel might represent. Forgive me, but from the Pope, I expect something more, that is, he should tell me that it is necessary to intervene on the basis of the absolute values he holds."

"No more silence" - Haunting Words of Saint Catherine of Siena

Antonio Socci provides affirmation  to Cacciari's statement  in the words of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380):

Saint Catherine of Siena, with a burning faith and an open heart

"Oh,  end  the silence! Call out  with a hundred thousand tongues. I see that the world is sick because of the silence, the bride of Christ is pale. "With these powerful words, the saint turned to  high church officials.

And what else did Antonio Socci write about in the newspaper  on 20 August  on the topic for Libero:

"Even today, one can feel the need in the Church, that women and men with burning faith and open hearts like St. Catherine, turn anxiously to the Pope (Gregory XI), who did not do what he was supposed to have done:  'In  your place I would fear that the divine judgment would come upon me.'

But in our time a strange clericalism and its flattery predominate and not the voices of the great saints or free men and women, or perhaps they are not heard.

It is very hard and very painful for a Catholic, given the tragedy of Christians and other minorities in Iraq, to understand the attitude of the Vatican by Pope Bergoglio and accept that they are hunted and killed by bloodthirsty Islamists of the Caliphate in these times.

A Week-long Illusion

In the first weeks there was a reluctance to talk about it. Even the prayer initiative of the Italian Bishops' Conference of 15 August, the pope, in open contrast to his predecessors, remained silent. Obviously, he cherishes a dislike of the Italian Church.

Then, finally, after 20 days of the massacre of men, women and children and a thousand times the pressure, especially by the bishops of that country and the Vatican diplomats, Pope Bergoglio decided to express those fateful words, even though he did it very quietly, 'It is legitimate to stop an unjust aggressor '.

What a performance ... That would have been missing, would  he have said that it is legitimate that the attacker kills innocent people, crucifies the  'enemies of Islam', buries children alive and rapes women and sold them as slaves.

The Attitude of John Paul II., And Benedict XVI.

In another tempo and energy, John Paul II called to defend the innocent. 'When I see that my neighbor is persecuted, I must defend him: This is an act of charity. That to me is humanitarian intervention.' He emphatically turned, however, in 2003 with his last strength against the non-UN-supported U.S. military intervention Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.  Similarly, Benedict XVI appealed against the. 2011,  UN-supported U.S. military intervention Opération Harmattan against Libya.

But neither John Paul II. nor Benedict XVI. are sitting on the chair of Peter. Pope Bergoglio hastened to shuffle off his words   immediately that one may legitimately 'stop the attacker, but without bombs and without going to war.'  Thus we imagine the bitter question of whether he really wants to save face or save the lives of innocents. How should a brutal gang of killers be stopped without weapons? What does  Pope Bergoglio suggest to the butcher to stop?  There will be those who will immediately say, a pope could not call for violence, even not when it comes to saving innocents. Wrong. For centuries, the Catholic doctrine teaches the right to self-defense against an unjust aggressor.

It was the theologians of the school of jurists of Salamanca, as well as the Dominican Francisco de Vitoria, precisely on that point, who established the modern basis of International Law on the basis of natural law in the early 16th century.

Pope Benedict XVI. in 2008, recalled to the United Nations: 'The principle of responsibility to protect was viewed from the ancient ius gentium  (international law) as the foundation of every action that is performed by the governing to the governed.' And pointed out that the Dominican Friar Francisco De Vitoria, is rightly regarded as a precursor of the idea of the United Nations.'

Thus John Paul turned II turned in 1995 in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae: On the other hand, "self-defense of the one for the lives of  others  responsible for the welfare of his family or the common good, is not only a right but a grave duty". ¹ It unfortunately happens that the need to render the attacker harmless, sometimes brings his killing with it. In this case, the fatal outcome is put the attacker to load, which has exposed him by his act, even in the event that he was not morally responsible for lack of use of reason.' ²

What Pope Francis would have done if following in the footsteps of his predecessor, would have been a proportionate and targeted use of force to disarm the attacker and save the lives of the persecuted. But not for other interests.

Silence is a Child of Catho-progressive Ideology

Moreover, we find no single  mention by the Pope regarding the Islamist slaughter, not even once the word Islam, Islamists or Muslims. If someone had only the words of the Pope to go on,  he would not understand in the least, who is responsible for this humanitarian tragedy.

This serious reluctance is the result of Catho-progressive ideology, for dialogue with Muslims is wrongly understood and  pursued as surrender, even on a psychological level. This goes so far that there are Catho-progressive commentators who go so far as to repeat with zeal, that the butchers of the Caliph have nothing to do Islam and the  'true' Islam, since   actual Islam is something else entirely. Only: The Butcher of the Caliph forces his victims to convert to Islam if they don't want to be killed or driven away.

It is understandable and right that the church leadership does not seek conflict, controversy or even a religious war. But it is also a duty to tell the truth and to give believers a serious cultural judgment about  what is happening to Christians in the world. This is especially true given the cultural subservience of many Catholics, where some are even  seriously concerned, to keep so contemptibly, silent about 'the persecution of Christians.'  Christians are clearly the most persecuted group worldwide.

The Pope's Quiet Words   "at least" Refute the Loud Talkers

Despite all the words of the Pope on the flight back from Korea, it's a step forward, always with the hope that given the dramatic situation he will soon, as soon as possible, follow clearer and more decisive words.

The words should, meanwhile, already serve to order some of their thoughts to help. Even those who wanted to go immediately with sharp words, to  silence everyone in recent days who dared to call the papal silence by name. And those who were not embarrassed, to insinuate the same time, the demand to stop the attacker was the same as calling for a war or even a crusade.

The papal words, as quietly as they may be, at least refute those who  trumpeted the most loudly, that the silence of the Pope meant that he 'wanted to avoid even worse reactions'. Or quite shrewdly: 'If the Pope does not say anything, then it means that he is in secret '. This is much chatter, spoken by well-meaning and less well-meaning people.

In reality, we were under the illusion in the Vatican for weeks that there is a diplomatic way. However, the  Caliph just wants to conquer, massacre and forcibly convert. That's exactly what the situation as it was described by the Iraqi bishops who were perfectly familiar with the real situation for the Vatican, which did not want to hear. The bishops have indicated that the butchers do not even know what the word 'dialogue' or diplomacy mean.

An addendum

And an addendum: In his speeches during the Korean visit to Pope Francis called legitimately on the whole Church to reflect on the example of the martyrs of yesterday and today and for prayer. Quite right. The call is very weak, if he does not at the same time encourage the whole Church to rush to the aid of the victims. And it is weak without that profound cultural consciousness that Benedict XVI. knew how to give those who were willing to listen. Today, however, confusion rules.

Introduction / Translation: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Riscossa Christiana / fresco in the church of S Pietro di Carpignano Sesi (Novara)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

Papal Dyarchy in Discourse With Atheists? Kulturkamp of Benedict XVI.,

(Rome) The daily Il Foglio addressed recently the unexpected letter from Benedict XVI. to the atheist Piergiorgio Odifreddi. A letter brings the retired Pope back from his self-imposed retreat in the current confrontation between an aggressive atheism and Christianity. One can't speak of "Retirement" of a Pope anyway. The commentary with which Benedict XVI. replied, was addressed to the militant Church opponent Odifreddi, differing from that of the reigning Pope. The question is how the unusual situation of two living popes who act in the same discourse is to be classified. Is it a supplement or an abnormal dyarchy? The historian Roberto de Mattei had doubts (see separate report), whether it would be good, so to speak, for two popes to act simultaneously, even though one is reigning, and the other an emeritus pope. Il Foglio said in the letter to Odifreddi that the actual reason for the resignation by Benedict XVI. visible. But then things had gone differently in the conclave, as originally designed by the German Pope. A contribution to the discussion.

The letter, in which Benedict XVI. Lambastes Odifreddi, Poses the Real Reason for his Resignation

"Very few people in the world, Eugenio Scalfari is one of them, can understand the surprise and emotion that one feels to receive unexpected letter from the Pope at home." It could also just take note that within two weeks, the Pope emeritus had also written an atheist at La Repubblica in secret and watched the effect it would have. One could joke about Emeritus miracle, given the feelings with which Piergiorgio Odifreddi has received the postman. One may note, that miraculous contained in the (current) media triumph of the papacy, but maybe just something artificial. One could also determine that something is overdrawn in the way La Repubblica thrilled at the papal letters, but they were judiciously published and can comment more or less intelligently.

If you read Pope Ratzinger's intelligent lashes against Odifreddi, however, after Francis had lovingly massaged Scalfari's conscience, one might also suspect the two play the game from the good and the evil Pope, one caressing, the other skinning. But it is not.

One may note that the Pax Journalistika between La Repubblica (and virtually all mass media in the world) and the Vatican began the moment when the ruling bishop of Rome decided and signaled that he is withdrawing from the harsh terrain of cultural struggle with the secularization, and instead, prefers a dialogue that emphasizes the freedom of conscience and no longer sits on the bayonets of the doctrine and the dogma (a position that however the Pope Emeritus demands Odifreddi). The crucial turning point was the first meeting of Pope Francis with the press, as he at the end of the attending journalists, "respect" only "silently" blessed.

In view of Roman Catholicism, the resistance (after Protestantism has ceased for some time to be an oblique counterpart to the modern and surrendered without much resistance), and now it appears to be crumbling, the media creates cheering for Pope Francis as a golden bridge, that it must be built for the surrender of the Catholic Church. But even so, it is not.

You could say a lot of things, by varying slightly between the important and the less clearly wrong. The key point is quite another, for whoever wants to see it. The letter of Benedict XVI. to Odifreddi is written in a tone of relaxed severity. He grants the opposite as far as possible out of academic courtesy, but then the blows are mercilessly struck. Benedict XVI. attacks his opponent on the field: "In your religion of mathematics three basic themes of human existence remain disregarded: freedom, love and evil"

All this means two things. That Ratzinger, freed from the burden of Peter, has become again as he always wanted to be, an intellectual and theologian, a thinker who is freer than it is intended for him by others. Now that he is no longer a Pope, he takes back the freedom of a tone of voice that had to suffer from the continuous bombardment of the world. This clearly also points to the dark side of the same coin. That Benedict XVI. no longer felt the power of being able to withstand the highest position in his supreme authority and Church government. The collision with the post-Christian, secular culture of the West, however, he has still grown very well into his role as a theologian. The resignation was an admission that would have been required the energy and power of another for the post that he had not. According to him, a pope should come who can take the same weapons for the same battle, but with a different momentum, force and vigor.

But instead of this, a pope has come to the scene and stage, to change whole theater even more. The Cardinals had understood the resignation of Benedict quite differently than he. As he wanted to pass on to younger hands, so the fight would continue with renewed vigor, some Cardinals saw a chance to disengage from combat. Had Benedict XVI. looked closely, he would have noticed that some Cardinals had not fought faithfully at his side, but at best are "heroic" in Rome for the "all'armi" - called to arms, but exchange the Catholic armor at home with the staid street clothes where political and cultural arrangements are reversed.

The new pope turns toward modernity to another discernment. A little naive, a little smart, he avoids it, to bring them into the field of fire. He is differently cultivated, even Ignatian. We'll see how it goes. Anyway, it would have been interesting to experience a Benedict XVI. on Peter's throne, who responded with such intellectual looseness, but the answer all of the Odifreddis this world and the friends of the false and fraudulent gods who attack the Church, and forced on to fight on their own terrain, where the debate is to take place and the Odifreddi now acknowledges: "The search for the truth."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi Image: Wikicommons Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches... AMGD

Italian “Newspaper” Alleges Curial Blackmail

Photo: Catholic lane

Edit: it’s always a mark of suspicion when a news story becomes universally acclaimed and repeated to the point where its assertions, misapprehensions, inaccuracies or malice become common currency.

Remember when the Eponymous Flower Blog posted the story from Father Dariuscz Oko back at the end of October? The courageous Polish priest is studying the homosexual subculture within the Church in connection with a Vatican investigation. This priest said then that the Holy Father has been persistently working to combat evil within the Church. Still, who can say what his abdication means to this battle. Obviously, there are those who will attempt to portray this as a failure of the Church to act responsibly and will attempt to shame the Holy Father’s efforts. Who will win indeed, the wolves or the shepherds?

Presently the suggestion is that Pope Benedict XVI has resigned not for the reasons he’s stated, but for more pecuniary, and even possibly reasons of a more scandalous nature.

The following is an interesting blog entry from a Doctor Robert Mouynihan who is the founder of Vatican Inside Magazine,  on the Catholic lane blog, with the very encouraging title, “Italian Press Alleges Curia Blackmail".

The story involves the revelation of a study which was ordered by the Holy Father to determine the source of a problem within the Church’s hierarchy and Its employees. Three trusted senior Cardinals were chosen and they very methodically interviewed, compiled charts and information to provide a presentation of the raw material they’d collected. Unfortunately, the information was leaked to other agencies, clearly not trustworthy or ideologically reliable, like the anti-Catholic, and Socialist, La Repubblica.  It has an agenda, shockingly or not, like the New York Times in the US.

The origin of this story and the way it’s being spun is the problem. Doctor Moynihan is going to explore the story by talking to those who’ve originated it, namely it’s principle originator, Ignazio Ingrao, who is known as a Vaticanista, operating the blog “Urbi et Orbi”. It should be clear that no one can deny the pedigree of the Italian paper that is disseminating this spin, but what of those who’ve accepted its interpretation uncritically, and worse, come to more uncharitable conclusions than the originator of this story. Indeed, the publication which hosts Mr. Ingrao’s blog, Panorama.it, is part of the Burlesconi publishing empire. Surely this is an unbiased source, considering the long standing hostility of Mr. Berlusconi for the teachings of the Church, if not the Church Herself.

Doctor Moynhian shouldn’t have to go far to see what’s behind this portrayal.

Here’s an excerpt:

While we were speaking, Italian journalist Iacopo Scaramuzzi, another excellent Vaticanist, came up. He waited respectfully a few steps away, and came up when I nodded to him and stepped away toward the kiosk. I bought the two copies of La Repubblica. When I returned, Scaramuzzi was asking Saraiva Martins questions about the Pope’s resignation, about the Pope’s mood during these days of Spiritual Exercises, and about the qualities of spirit and character that the next Pope will need.

As the two spoke, a reporter and cameraman from Associated Press walked up. “May we?” they asked, with the camera already rolling. For a while they filmed the conversation, and then the AP journalist broke in, asking if Saraiva Martins had read the news that had broken that morning in La Repubblica, about the alleged blackmail of Vatican officials. Saraiva Martins glanced at me, holding the two copies of the paper, then said, “No, I cannot make any comment on that. I haven’t yet read the article.”

A moment later, the interview was over, and Saraiva Martins and I began to walk away toward his residence nearby. I waited until we were under the colonnade opposite the press office, in front of the Ancora bookstore, then handed him the second copy of La Repubblica. He thanked me and he said we could speak again after the end of the Spiritual Exercises on Saturday.

Indeed, some might remember that Vatileaks butler Paolo Gabriele has some possible connections in a Monastery closed by the Holy Father as reported by Orbis Catholicus.