Friday, June 1, 2012

US Women Religious Still in Denial


Edit: "I'm not a feminist", she cried, despite the full length poster behind her advertising NOW and the autographed photo of Gloria Steinem. This is a fanciful portrayal of a spokesman today who insists that US Women Religious, amazingly, that they're being unfairly treated.  It's just this kind of response that demonstrates a profound absence of humility in the face of adult supervision and portrays a breathtaking ability to ignore the facts and deny them show that this spokeswoman, and the women she claims to represent are delusional.



In light of the demographic, doctrinal and moral collapse of women religious, it's difficult to understand how they expect people to believe them.

They probably expect that public opinion will still remember them when they used to wear their habits, tirelessly instruct young children and told their prayers on a rosary rather than sitting in the lotus position in a Buddhist temple somewhere.

Whether you're talking about Obamacare nuns and the six-figure salary Sister Keehan, or you're talking about the more garden variety type of nun who resides in various parts of the United States with only an obscure cross-shaped item prominently hanging around her bent neck.

These women religious are defiant and convinced that their manifest departure from Catholic belief and practice is acceptable.  They're defiant even when they're caught red handed, as was one nun of the Dominican order called the Sinsinaua.  They only apologized after tremendous public outcry, but a trip to their web site shows little improvement and a worldly left of center, 1968 feel that reminds one more of elderly hippies trying to relive their heyday than a legitimate religious association.  It's a good thing they don't like the Latin Mass and wear traditional habits.
Sister Donna Quinn
Assisting in the Slaughter at
Abortuary
Here's what the anti-Catholic Washington Post had to say:


Leaders representing most American nuns pushed back on Friday against a stinging Vatican report that was issued in April and called for their “reform.”

After a special meeting this week in Washington, the 21-member board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious issued a statement calling the Vatican report “unsubstantiated “ and saying it has “caused scandal and pain” and exacerbated polarization throughout the Catholic church community.

The board of the conference, whose members represent the vast majority of the 57,000 nuns in the United States, met for three days to consider how to respond to the Vatican report accusing the group of “radical feminism” and of publicly undermining the leadership of the bishops.
The thing about this is that despite being smaller in number, male religious are an even more serious problem and will be no less defiant and in denial than these recalcitrant women are.

Link ...

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Bishop Schneider Says: Communion in the Hand is a Great Wound in the Church

A reform of the Church is advanced by an end to Communion in the hand and supper tables.  Proceedings and Old Liberal committees will play a completely subordinate role.
Auxiliary Bishop Schneider
on der Homepage of the
Shrine of Maria Vesperbild.
 

(kreuz.net)  "The more committees, the more proceedings, the more fear of public opinion and the politically correct, the less there will be real reforms in the Church."

This is what Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider from Astana in Kazakhstan said on Pentecost Sunday at the Swabian pilgrimage Maria Vesperbild.

For Msgr Schneider it is "more than clear that the Church has experienced a great crisis."

Communion is Handed out Like Bread

The crisis  shows itself in its most gripping in the declining Liturgy, for the prelate:  "Today's manner of receiving Communion spread throughout the world is a great wound."

The body of Christ has been received "without recognizable sacral gestures of worship".

Hand communion leaves one with the impression as if one is taking a regular meal, which "one puts in ones' own mouth".

The Bible gives a different example of reverence

Msgr Schneider recalled that the angel and prophets in Holy Scripture knelt before Jesus Christ:

"How great is the contrast between  today's widely spread form of handcommunion with the minimalistic signs of reverence on the one side and the glorious examples in Holy Scripture and the examples of Catholics frm the past two thousand years, and  also the edifying examples of our own associates, parents, grandparents on the other side."

The example of the Pope

Msgr Schneider recalled then that Pope Benedict XVI has been distributing Holy Communion in the mouth since Corpus Christi of 2008 to the faithful on their knees:

"A true Catholic, and even more a Catholic Bishop, can not ignore the Pope's  gestures."

That would be a true renewal

For the Auxiliary Bishop it would be a poignant sign of Faith if all the Masses world-wide "were brought back to clear signs of reverence, silence, the holiness of the music".

He criticized the supper table very carefully:  priests and people should interiorly and exteriorly look together upon Christ -- he said.

All faithful should "receive the body of Christ self-evidently in the state of sanctifying grace, having gone too confession, and  to receive it directly in the mouth with the piety of a child."

In this Msgr Schneider sees "powerful sings of a true renewal in the Church".

In such Masses a God fearing man should fall on his knees and say:  "Verily,  God is among you"  [1Cor 14 24-25]

A Church of Believers -- not of Church-tax payers

The Auxiliary Bishop explained in his sermon an example of reform from Kazakhstan.

In the city of Karaganda the Catholics built one Church every 35 years under the Communists.

The authorities allowed only a lowly, utilitarian building without towers or a cross.

For two years the faithful -- also the elderly and the children --- were occupied with the building.

They dug even in the earth, in order to put the church deeper in order to allow for a larger interior space.

Without Discussions or Commissions

After the completion of construction there was no Bishop far and wide who could have blessed the church.

Actually the parish priest -- he was called Pater Alexander Chira by everyone -- promised the faithful that God would send a Bishop.

On the day of the blessing he appeared himself with a mitre and shepherd's staff in the church.  He was a secret Bishop.

According to a woman who witnessed the event, there were even more tears flowing than holy water.

The church blessing is an example for Msgr Schneider "of true reform of the Church without a lot of commissions and discussions."

Link to kreuz.net...


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Cardinal Burke is in Line for Big Job?

Cardinal Burke as Crown Prince?

 Vatican:[kreuz.net] Pope Benedict XVI may put the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, Raymond Cardinal Burke (63) into a position of responsibility. According to reports from Roman circles, the Cardinal is in consideration to be the next Prefect of the Congregation for Doctrine and the Faith, or the new Cardinal Secretary. Photo...Institute of Christ the King.

Muslims Burn Down Two Churches in Zanzibar

(Doboma) Hundreds of Muslim separatists burned two churches in Zansibar to the ground.  The group of islands around the main island of Zansibar  with more than a million inhabitants belongs to Tanzania. The inhabitants of the autonomous island group are 98% Muslim.  This was reported by Reuters.


On the mainland, however, while the coastal region is predominantly Muslim, but the interior is predominantly Christian. In addition there is an ever-shrinking group of followers of indigenous religions. The number of Christians, mainly Catholics is estimated with more than 45 percent. The Muslims are supposed to be around 40 percent. Exact details are not known. Since the independence of the East African state in 1964, the religion of the state is not applicable because the question is considered too explosive for the cohesion of the state. In the wake of decolonization, the mainland territory of Tanganyika and the island group on the new state of Tanzania was united.

Muslim separatists demanding independence of Zanzibar and fight simultaneously for the Islamization of which is directed against the tiny Christian minority, which makes up just one percent of the population.

In the night from Saturday to Sunday the separatist group UAMSHO (Association for the Mobilization and Proliferation of Islam) burned down two Christian churches. This led to open clashes with the Tanzanian police. A church was burned down completely. The second was saved by the prompt intervention of the security service from utter destruction.

The UAMSHO calls for a referendum on the withdrawal of Zanzibar in Tanzania. For 2014, the East African country is scheduled to receive a new constitution. The UAMSHO will use this opportunity to lead the archipelago before the new Constitution to independence.
Link to katholisches...

Pope Complained of German Bishops Forsaking Him

The Vaticanleak Book is a Hastily Built, Chaotic and Untrammeled Thing

It is to laugh:  As the Church-hate media use Bishop Richard Williamson as a pretext to get started on the Pope, he expects backing from the German Judas-Bishops. -kreuz.net 

(kreuz.net, Vatican)  The book from Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, armed with books from the 'Vatican Leaks', is a hastily knit messy framework.

This was established by the German news "Welt" yesterday.

Nuzzis' book is entitled "Sua Santita -- Le Carte Segrrete di Benedetto XVI" -- Or, His Holiness -- the Secret Letters of Benedict XVI.

It was published two weeks ago.

"Only civilly married"

Nuzzis' book cites hundreds of secret documents or memos and handwritten notes from the Pope.

The facsimile of thirty confidential letters are in the appendix at the end.

Many of the  papers are confidential letters concerned only with Italian affairs -- "a dinner between the Pope and the President of Italy, also the dismissal of the chief editor of 'Avvenire', the newspaper of the Italian bishops' conference,"  says the newspaper.

At dinner with the ex-Communist and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano they discussed family law, euthanasia, abortion and children.

There is only one note about the Italian president on the Vatican document, "Only married civilly."

Massive Donation Slump

Another letter comes from the emeritus Cardinal Paolo Sardi (76) -- the Pro-Patron of the Order of Malta.

He criticized the poor coordination of the various departments in the Vatican.

A letter of the Papal delegate to the beleaguered congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, Cardinal Velasio De Paolis (76) reported on the massive donation slump of the order and their severe financial situation.

A protest against the Pope insultress

A memo to the German Nuncio, Archbishop Jean-Claude Perisset, asked for "a clear word of protest" directed at the Bundeschancellor Angela Merkel.

This statement refers to her interference in the lifting of the Excommunications against the four Bishops of the Society of St. Pius X in 2009.

The chapter on the German Chancellor contained seven pages.

Benedict XVI noted himself in his report the word "media tsunami".

In Nuzzis' book, there were also conflicts specified  between the Old Liberal Mainz Cardinal Karl Lehmann and the Pope.

But there's even more -- at 'Weltbild'

In an interview with the German 'Tageschau' Nuzzi said that onoly some documents in his book come from the Pope himself.

During the media scandal regarding Bishop Richard Williamson the Pope personally criticized to the German Nuncio that the German Judas-Bishops did not defend him. [Remember when Father Schmidberger of the SSPX did just that?]

Nuzzi explained still more that there were still more documents regarding "Weltbild" [The pornography distributor of the German Bishops].

This information could be included in a planned German version of the work.

News Reports: Cardinals Interrogated!?


Cardinals interrogated

Vatican. In addition to the papal chamberlain Paolo Gabriele, several other people were questioned. This is what the speaker for the Vatican press bureau, Father Federico Lombardi, told reporters yesterday. The Italian press is reporting that Cardinals were also interviewed. According to Father Lombardi, the valet is merely accused of grand larceny. Gabriele's motives are still unclear. Father Lombardi called the revelation of scandal, "a severe charllenge for the Pope and the Curia."

The Curia was belittled

Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI. was very saddened about the current scandal revelations. Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu (63) - the substitute, second husband, the Secretary of State - said to Vatican newspaper 'L'Osservatore Romano'. When asked about the visible rifts in the College of Cardinals as revealed by the documents the substituted demurred. Disputes are not unusualin all institutions where decisions are made: "In short, we are not mummies" Different points of view or even conflicting views are normal.

Abortion brutalized society

Germany. In Germany every week on average three children die through violence or neglect. The reports of the German station 'n-tv.de'. Last year, 146 children under the age of 14 died in this way. 114 of the victims were under the age of six years.

A manager with "a little prayer or something"

Germany. Many things in the everyday life of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Berlin are comparable to the daily routine of a manager - "only the income is not." The cardinal told the 'welt.de'. He tries to structure his daily routine to spiritual needs generally. "I take my time for personal prayer, as a break." Usually he uses car trips, "to pray a little bit or something." Cardinal Woelki describes himself as a conservative , "Because I am conservative in not looking at it as something negative but as something necessary." He wants to preserve the origins and sources.

Unfortunately true


"The fact that Benedict XVI. has no knack for personnel decisions we know from his days as a university professor. That it was unwise to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, to appoint him as the head man of the Curia - and there is no doubt about that. Bertone like Ratzinger as a theologian in the CDF, as a "man for dirty jobs" [man fuers Grobe] who had helped much, but he lacks the managerial skills to direct an administrative authority and any political sense. "

From a hate article by Paul Kreiner in the 'Stuttgarter Zeitung'.




Link too kreuz.net....

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Iowa Bishop Bans Sports

Above: Auxiliary Bishop Richard Pates of the Archdiocese of St Paul/Minneapolis and Rev. James Pennington  of Spirit of the Lakes United Church of Christ – Monday, May 14, 2007 standing together behind infamous Rainbow Flag.
Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, former Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis, seeks to limit “creeping incursion” of sports into church activities

prohibit any Catholic school from holding activities not related to religious services or religious education on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.

May 28, 2012 By Dar Danielson

The state’s largest Catholic Diocese is implementing a policy to create a separation between church and sports. Bishop Richard Pates of the Des Moines Diocese has approved a policy at the request of the priest council that would prohibit any Catholic school from holding activities not related to religious services or religious education on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.

“Our priests especially are experiencing the fact that it’s kind of a creeping incursion Wednesday evenings and also Sunday mornings, particularly in terms of their participation related to youth leagues related to sports, etcetera, soccer and that sort of thing,” Pates says.

The Bishop says a young person confronted with the possibility of playing sports or going to church, they would naturally want to play sports, and the puts pressure on the parents that want them to go to church. The other Catholic Dioceses have varying policies that seek to accomplish the same end.
Link to original...
H/t: Stella Borealis

Anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople 1453


Edit: today is the 559th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople.   Here is a painting by Theophilus of Lesbos whose innocence and purity portrayed mythical paintings of Greece's history.


Goal: "Celebrate the Old Mass in All Churches"

Deutschland.  Yesterday the Society Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais conosecrated a new church in the 21,000 population city Schramberg--- fifty kilometers north east of Freiburg.  About 300 traditionalists were present.  The newspaper 'nrwz-online.de' noticed that "quite a few young families" were present.  In his sermon Msgr Tissier de Mallerais, encouraged the rebuilding of the Church step by step.  The goal is to celebrate the Old Mass again in all Catholic churches.

http://www.kreuz.net/article.15270.html

"The Pope Wants to Recognize the SSPX"

The General Superior of the Society spoke at the Chartres Pilgrimage about the efforts toward reconciliation with the Vatican.
Bischof Fellay bei der Wallfahrt nach Orléans.
© dici.org

(kreuz.net, Orleans)  Since Saturday and till Monday the Society f St. Pius X marched from Chartres to Orleans.

In the last year, Paris was the pilgrim's goal.

But this year the Society are recognizing the 600th birthday of the French national heroine, St. Joan of Arc (+1431)  who was born in Orleans.

Shennanigans of the City


The Pius Pilgrims didn't know for long where the concluding Mass would take place in Orleans.

The authorities of the city were really intent on sabotaging the event.

The Society requested some land near the Cathedral in the center of the city.   The authorities expressed their concerns about that.

Then the place agreed upon and the Society began with its planning.

Two weeks before the beginning of the pilgrimage, a denial came out of the blue.

The concluding Mass would therefore have to take place on the peninsula of Charlemagne on the harbor of Loire at the doors of the city.

The Church is at an End

On Pentecost Sunday Bishop Bernard Fellay -- the General Superior of the Society -- celebrated Holy Mass for the pilgrims.

He preached long in French, English and German.

The General Superior touched upon the subject of the destruction of the Church and talked about the Pastoral Council.

Humanly speaking the distorted figure of the Church can not be saved from this crisis -- he said.

Actually, one can't think humanly.  The Church will remain, because She is the bride of Christ.

Bishop Fellay Can't see all the Cards


The Bishop explained that the Society is full of mistrust and fear in the things of the discussion with the Vatican.

One sees how poorly the traditional societies reconciled with the Vatican have been managed -- even those, who have only a light inclination to tradition.

The Society have to proceed with great intelligence.

Somehow or other:  The Society will fight on

At the same time Bishop Fellay sees the possibility that the Society will be recognized.

If the reconciliation threatened the existence of the Society, then it would be rejected.

At the same time it's not a question of imposing God's will.

Will the Pope Follow Through to the End Despite Opposition?

Of one thing is Msgr Fellay certain:  "The Pope wants to recognize the SSPX."

The Bishop then put the question if Benedict XVI is in a position to bring the situation to a conclusion:

"Will he give in, if he is confronted with pressure, with opposition?"

Lack of Unity in Faith

At present there are many open questions.

Msgr Fellay mentioned the Dogmatic Discussions and the various ways of weighing the Pastoral Council.

Link to kreuz.net...

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Pentecost Chartres-Orleans -- +Fellay: Recognition by Rome? Trust in God's Foresight

Edit: Usually, there's not much to add to what Rorate has done.  This time we have some overlap.

(Orleans)  More than a thousand pilgrims covering the second leg of their yearly international pilgrimage of tradition on foot.  On the occasion of the 600th birthday of St. Joan of Arc, rather than travelling from Chartres to Paris, they went from Chartres to Orleans.

Msgr Bernard Fellay, the General Superior of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X, celebrated a Pontifical High Mass for the Pilgrims at this feast beneath the open sky.  For the German speaking pilgrims he added personally a sermon in German to the content of the Mass.  In that, he drew a comparison between  the relationships which dominated the time of the Maid of Orleans and those of today.  Then as today "Chaos" dominated.

A young girl showed then what it meant to accept God's will and to do.  Also then to accept, when one might not understand in a human sense.  Humanly it is not apprensible, why God allowed that Joan was burned at the stake.  But God had even given up even His only Son for the salvation of man.  There had to be a savior of France, in order to mature the soul.  That's how it always is with the healing of the soul.  God accomplishes this for the salvation of souls.

For this reason, the faithful also now rely on divine providence and not according to human reckoning.  This also applies for the question of the recognition of the Society by the Holy See.  It means to throw yourself into trusting God's guidance and let go.  In this regard the Superior General re-emphasized, contrary to rumors,  that there is no document from Rome before him that must have a yes or a no.

On Pentecost Monday, the Pilgrims will end their last leg in Orleans, where the current international pilgrimage will conclude their 100 kilometer journey on foot with Holy Mass.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: Saint Louis Boulogne
Translation: Tancred

Link to katholisches...

Saturday, May 26, 2012

SSPX Unification Postponed

Edit: with figures like +Zollitsch, +Koch or +Schoenborn around, it's not surprising there's a postponement from the expected date of Pentecost. 

It just is what it is.

Mary Altar of the Society
Church of St. Joseph in
Memingen
© Wikipedia-Benützer ‘Bene16’,CC
(kreuz.net) Pope Benedict XVI. will only  take care of the dossier "Society of St. Pius" in summer vacation -- therefore after the High Feast of St. Peter and Paul.

This is what Europe's largest Catholic internet site 'kreuz.net' has learned from Vatican circles.

Because of the current difficult inner-Church situation that is involved with the reconciliation with the SSPX must be immediately managed before there can be a unification. 

Till now observers originally thought that the Vatican would have made known the reconciliation between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X on Pentecost

Sinn Fein Silences Pro-Life Members

Edit: we've just learned from Sinn Fein member that increasingly, the political wing of the IRA, Sinn Fein, has shown a very radical, indeed, Revolutionary inclination.  Like many political organizations that throve beneath the Catholic umbrella throughout the tumults of the last 200 years, they have increasingly shriven themselves from the origins which justified their existence in the first place.

Sinn Fein will find it difficult indeed to exist without its Catholic identity, but that is true of other organizations which have done so as well, even to the point of silencing its pro-life members.

It may also be supposed that now Sinn Fein is revealing itself from its Revolutionary and Socialist, even Communist influences revealing what it was all along, a Revolutionary organization.

Reports have been coming from Ireland that Sinn Fein is silencing its pro-life membership. Of course, like Ted Kennedy, they are also serious dissenters on the Catholic teaching against abortion. We found some substantiation for this in the following report, here at the Devin McAlisky blog entitled, "Is Sinn Fein Sort of Revolutionary?"  (They've always been that)

Probably the best evidence that some very large majority of SF members are feminist is their position(s) on abortion (bear in mind, there would be a lot of SF members who are pro-life but nonetheless feminist).
1) In 1985, although it was apparently a very unrepresentative vote, SF did, for one year, adopt a pro-choice position.
2) Although Sinn Fein MLAs did vote for a Democratic Unionist Party motion, which opposed the extension of the Abortion Act to N. Ireland (abortion is almost completely illegal there). It’s not that simple. A member of the Women's Coalition proposed an amendment that radically changed the resolution so that it simply referred the issue to the Health-Care Committee for further research, discussion, and debate. SF members spoke (starts half-way through, you'll want to look at this to see who's who) and voted in favor of this, and when they spoke, they made it clear their party is not fully committed to the pro-life position.
3) In 2004 (possibly 2003, but I'm pretty sure 2004) SF Youth came within one vote of adopting a pro-choice position. 
4) SF's current abortion position is that they support abortion when the life or health of the mother (I think that might also apply to the fetus as well) is at risk, in cases of rape or incest (in the 2002 Abortion referendum in the South, SF also were okay with abortion when the woman is suicidal). They also feel very strongly about not criminalizing women who have abortions. 
5) They support “comprehensive sex education, full access to child-care and comprehensive support services, including financial support for single parents.”

German Archbishop Says Interest in Old Mass Very Small


Archbishop Zollitsch Underrates the Old Mass

Germany. With the Motu Prorio 'Summorum Pontificum' the Pope wants to show that he is doing "everything possible in order to avoid a definite schism." The Old Liberal Bishop Archbishop Robert Zollitsch said this in an interview with the newspaper 'Welt'. He fears that the reconciliation aims "God have mercy" will not be reached: "Point is that the interest in the Old Mass is much, much smaller in the Church than it looks like from the discussion."

  New Mainz Auxiliary Bishoop?

Germany. The Mainz Cathedral Rector Hans-Jurgen Eberhardt might shortly become the successor of the deceased Auxiliary Bishop Werner Guballa oof Mainz. Prelate Eberhardt is considered to be an Old Liberal protege of Cardinal Karl Lehmann.

A form of lifestyle?

Germany. Homosexual soldiers "should stand by their convictions as much as possible". That's what neo-conservative Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen recently told a soldiers' pilgrimage to Lourdes. One must be careful "not to be formed by public opinion" -- he cryptically explained. This is valid not only for "this form of lifeestyle, but for others as well."

The secret at issue is this: that one sacrifices the world with God's sacrifice, that the betrayal of the religion must entail also the betrayal of the culture after it. Western culture will live just as long as Western religion. 

 From the book "The Angel's Wreath" in the year 1946 by the famous author Gertrud von Le Fort (+1971)

Source kreuz.net....

Lord Monckton with Alex Jones: David Cameron Bans Crucifix

Lord Monckton joins Alex in-studio today, Wednesday, May 23. Monckton is a British politician, public speaker, former newspaper editor, and a spirited critic of the globalist theory of anthropogenic global warming. Mr. Monckton is in the United States to attend the libertarian Heartland Institute's conference in Chicago.

Insensitive "Ale Mary's" Bar Owner Continues the Hate


Edit:   Here is one of the bar owners, Tom Rivers, with a smug and irrepressible grin on his face in a recent article in a local Baltimore paper. As of yet he hasn't said he will open up a Simonbar Schul and call it Mad Dog 20/20.

It's been interesting that despite the prima faciae hate speech being directed against the Catholic Church that it continues

In a way it's not surprising, since the bar owner has proven to be vulgar and disrespectful in the extreme as when the concerned forum owner of Fisheaters approached him in a very friendly way. I don't think he'd tolerate anyone talking to his female relatives the way he wrote to her by completely unnecessary verbal putrescence.

It's also not surprising that the media, both local and national has been unsympathetic and even disrespectful in their own right.  Local Baltimore Fox affiliate lied when it said that it tried to contact leaders of the group opposed to "Ale Mary's" blasphemy initially.  They still haven't contacted anyone.  They also weren't interested in Tom River's threatening and offensive behavior either.

Despite attempting to justify this farce, they've appealed to the Archdiocese which gave far less than a resounding endorsement, and claimed to have a certificate that justifies the objects use.  We've tried to respectfully contact the Archdiocese, but no further clarification has been given.  

We'll assume that is a green light for more prayer and fasting.

There is going to be a rosary said before the bar on the Sunday after Corpus Christi at 230pm.  All Catholics and non-Catholics who find this sort of thing detestable are invited to attend and show solidarity.

Here are some of the other blogs:




Women of Grace Joan Benkovic


Pink Plastic Statue

Here's the back story from a local blog:




My eyes scan the ecclesiastical accoutrements of the surroundings and fixate on the pink Jesus statue on the center of the bar that appears to be watching over the inhabitants of this small earthly kingdom. During the course of the afternoon, our good-natured host and owner of the establishment, Mary Rivers, relates a story about a time when this Fells Point flock was deprived of its rubicund protector. Apparently some pub crawling philistine had the audacity to pilfer the good shepherd.

A thorough inquiry into the matter was conducted by Mary’s husband and co-owner, Tom Rivers. His investigation uncovered evidence that suggested the likely suspect had covered the expenses incurred that day with plastic. A careful audit of the receipts revealed the culprit, and an amount, proper and in keeping with the seriousness of the transgression was added to the offender’s credit card. Of course it wasn’t long before there was a call received at the bar questioning and protesting the apparent seizure of funds. But after a tactful interrogation a full confession was made, and a suitable penance was imposed. It was agreed that the attached monies would be returned if Jesus was restored to his rightful place, and that a public act of contrition be offered up to the local patrons. As to how this second coming played out, I can’t quite say. That part of the story got lost in the pleasant fog encountered after several pints of Brewer’s Art Resurrection Ale.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Communist Officials Oblivious to Disappearing Children



Man arrested in Yunnan cannibalism-murder case accused of selling victims' flesh

Police arrest Zhang Yongming, a 56-year-old farmer. They find human flesh and eyeballs in his house. He is accused of killing teenagers and then selling their flesh. Local Communist officials are suspended for ignoring residents' complaints.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - Police in Yunnan arrested Zhang Yongming, a 56-year-old farmer, for murder and cannibalism. He is accused of killing about 20 teenagers in Jinning County and then eating them. Residents blame Communist authorities for ignoring their complaints that young people were going missing.

Zhang Yongming was detained two weeks ago in Nanmen village in Yunnan province but police entered his home only today where they found human flesh, eyeballs and bottles with blood, Hong Kong's The Standard newspaper reported.

Zhang had previously served 18 years in jail for murder. The victims' bodies were usually dismembered, the Guangxi News website reported on Friday.

Media and residents are blaming Communist authorities for ignoring repeated complaints.

Two top county officials, Da Qiming and Zhao Huiyun, were suspended for failing to take action to solve the "vicious" crime, it was reported.

Kunming-based Chuncheng Evening News reported three weeks ago eight possible victims, males aged from 12 to 19. The Shanghai-based Dongfang Daily reported that the number of people missing had reached 17. Internet users have speculated that the final count could be at least 20.

However, none of these reports has been confirmed.

Link to Asianews....

Muslims Attack Catholic Church in India


Srinagar (AsiaNews) - An "planned" attack, with the clear goal of "scaring to death the Christian community. The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir must act to ensure security for the faithful and places of worship", says Sajan George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), reacting to AsiaNews to the arson attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Srinagar, two days ago. The main entrance was completely destroyed, but the timely intervention of a security guard prevented the fire from degenerating. Cameras captured two attacker who targeted the Church in the evening (20.30 hours the local, ed) their names are still unknown. All Christian communities in the valley of Kashmir have expressed solidarity with the Catholic Church.

The films show two men taking advantage of the temporary absence of the security guard. In those moments, the attackers threw petrol and other flammable material at the front door, then set it on fire. Fortunately, the guard came back in time to stop the fire to spreading: the entire building structure is made of wood.

Fr. Mathew Thomas, pastor of Holy Family, told AsiaNews: "What happened to us is very worrying. Watching the video, you understand that it is a premeditated attack, and that the two attackers were well aware of what happens in church. At the end of January, my bike was burnt, we have not found out why, nor who the culprits were. It was clear that even then, the goal was the church. On two other occasions, the Virgin has interceded for us. May She protect us and save us
Link to Asianews...

Vatican Leaks: The Butler Did It!

Edit: as was promised, the man who leaked the Pope's confidential mail to a malicious journalist is going to jail.
[Guardian] The pope's butler has been arrested by Vatican police on suspicion of leaking a large number of confidential letters addressed to Benedict XVI which have lifted the lid on alleged corruption and nepotism at the Holy See.

A Vatican spokesman declined to confirm the butler's arrest, which was widely reported by Italian media on Friday, stating only it had arrested a person discovered in illegal possession of "confidential documents".

Paolo Gabriele, 46, who has worked as Benedict's butler since 2006, was reportedly taken into custody after investigators found a mass of documents in the Vatican apartment he shares with his wife and three children.
Link to Guadian...

Out With The Bad in With The Good

Edit: The SSPX is in and Cardinal Bernardin's experiment in Church undermining is out.

Even Regensburg's Bishop calls them parasites.

Cardinal Schonborn might legitimize them by meeting with them and even secretly agreeing with their message and techniques, but they are increasingly finding that not all are welcome as this group below in the video, Minnesota's Call to Action knows.

Let us be serious, however,  we know the song and the billboard says "all are welcome", but is anyone who disagrees with their message of tolerance for sin and disobedience really welcome?



H/t: Colin

Unprecedented: SSPX Questions Vatican II on USCCB News Source

Edit: Members of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pope Pius X are seen here expressing the same notions and concerns once expressed by Archbishop Lefebvre in a high quality presentation.  You won't see any fire breathing madmen in cassocks here.   Sincere and ardent young men are shown expressing their love for the Church and concern for doctrinal purity, as much as their spiritual father did, but this time they are doing it on the official USCCB Catholic News Service.

In the past, Catholic priests have challenged non-negotiable Catholic teachings [women's ordination, sexual purity, the authority of the Church] through various news media.  The same priests and laity, ironically, have been the ones to challenge and attack those who question the correctness religious liberty or the New Mass.

Increasingly, it seems to us, the voices of dissent are being heard less and less, while those who revere the doctrinal thesaurus of the Church are more frequently being heard.

What's clear is that the Church's communications media, which hasn't always been the best, let's face it, is trying to sell the reconciliation to the Catholic world at large.

 

Pilgrims Ride by Horse on Blutfritag

Europe's largest procession of horses: about 2,600 riders in dress coats and top hats of pastors and ministers, ride through city and field.

Weingarten (kath.net/pdr) On the day after Ascension Thursday, riders from the outlying and further distant village and cities as well as pilgrims from Weingarten's sister city Mantua in Italy arrived punctually at seven o'clock. In the streaming sunshine they turned back after 10km without any major incidents toward the inner city again for Blutfritag (Blood Friday Procession).

In their midst is Dean and Basilica Pastor Ekkehard Schmid (photo).He blessed the people, the homes and fields on the sides of the street as he passed with a Relic of the Most Precious Blood. Up until the closing of the Monastery in Autumn of 2010, this event was organized by the Benedictine Monks. The relic goes back to the soldier Longinus, who pierced Christ's side with a lance. In the year 804 all of the blood appeared again in a miraculous way in Mantua. In the eleventh century a part of the relic was brought by the Guelphs (the Pro-Papal Good Guy Party Factions in Medieval Italy) to Weingarten, whereupon a pilgrimage developed, in which many people are led today to the Martinsberg.

"As the Misterpresident it is an hnor and as a Christian a joy to participate in this event," greeted Winfried Kretschmann. Next to other representatives in politics, business and culture he was noot able to participate in the Blutfritag in Weingarten, because of his appointment at Katholikentag. A solemn Pontifical High Mass with Feldkirch's Bishop Elmar Fischer in the Basilica brought the rider's procession t a close.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Pro-LCWR Protests: Not a Person Under 70

Edit: not a single person in the crowd under seventy, and they're spouting the usual cultural Marxism, complaints about corporate power and so forth.  So, it's not just the protesters who are old and tired, but it's their rhetoric.

The news media likes portraying the nuns as victims of an oppressive power structure, but it's not true.

 If anything, it's the nuns who are often oppressive.  They are in charge of very powerful charitable, medical and educational organizations which enforce the maxims of political correctness and a regime that is so thoroughly secular that if it weren't for the vaguely shaped crucifixes and minimalist Catholic statuary, no one would think of associating these institutions with Catholicism.

Here they are "protesting" in front of a church that offers a Latin Mass.  It's on the marque.



The Vatican is cracking down on a group that represents 80% of the nuns in America. It says America's Leadership Conference of Women Religious is speaking out on issues the Catholic faith doesn't support, but now local Catholics and other faiths are standing in support of the group. 

 In its assessment the church asked the LWCR to reform and separate themselves from issues like women's priesthood the inclusion of the gay community and social-economic justice. Today, nearly two dozen Catholics, and even people of other faiths gathered here outside St. Mary's in a strong showing of local support. Helaine Arnold – Supporter of LCWR: “We're not here to protest anything. We're here to support, here to say we believe in these people.”
Link too wbday...

Opus Vatican Bank Chief Ousted: Leaker Caught?


Edit: This Opus Dei type just may be the one leaking. Isn't that the case, when betrayal comes it always comes from capital? The troubled Vatican Bank continues to struggle for respectability and reform.



Vatican bank chief ousted in no-confidence vote
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The president of the Vatican bank has effectively been ousted after receiving a unanimous vote of no-confidence from bank overseers for having leaked documents and failed to do his job at a critical time in the Holy See's efforts to show financial transparency, the Vatican and officials said.
Ettore Gotti Tedeschi has been a polarizing figure ever since he was named president of the bank, known as the Institute for Religious Works, or IOR, in 2009. He is under investigation for alleged money laundering by Italian magistrates, but the investigation isn't believed to have factored into the decision since the Vatican considers the probe to be motivated by outside political interests.
The Vatican said in a statement Thursday that the vote was taken because of Gotti Tedeschi's failure to fulfill the "primary functions of his office." He himself has told prosecutors that he barely paid attention to the bank's works, showing up only two days a week while tending to his primary position as head of Spain's Banco Santander's Italian unit in Milan.

Allegations of Police Corruption at Benedictine University

Edit: there's more going on at Collegeville lately.   A University employee has admitted to a criminal act, but the local law enforcement officials refuse to investigate any further.  Meanwhile, the target of a threat lives in fear for their safety.

This event gives some further credence to claims that County officials were deliberately incompetent in their investigation of the disappearance of Josh Guimond in 2002.

What's happening can only be described as Kafkaesque.

Gagliadi Only Sees Evil Abroad

[Eponymous Flower]  Collegeville is a small town which includes the decadent Old Liberal Monastery of St. John's Abbey and has a population of approximately 3,000.

Some may recall that football's most winning football coach, John Gagliardi, had hypocritically commented on the Sandusky scandal, ignoring the substantially more significant problem in his own back yard.

 Despite admitting that he himself has had knowledge about predatory Monks at the Modernist Abbey of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville Minnesota, he did not know “if there was enough punishment in the world for a guy like that" when it came to a softball interview for the national news at the St. Cloud Times.

It's easy to be brave at times like that. Yet this was his statement in view of Penn State's Jerry Sandusky, who was accused of 50 allegations of sexual misconduct.

Gagliardi has been in close proximity to over 16 credibly accused homosexual perpetrators who preyed on students for as long as he's been coaching at St. John's. As the Pine Curtain notes, they taught at the schools where Gagliardi's children were schooled, and one of them even drove the bus for Gagliardi's football team. Impossible not to know, and what if they'd molested one of his children? There is no comment.

Perhaps some level (a very feeble level), of professional loyalty is in play here, as we pointed out before. Surely, Gagliaridi has a certain responsibility to his employer St. John's University, but at what point does the institution to which you belong become so morally compromised, dishonest and corrupt that it tarnishes your reputation as well?

SJU Employee Terrorizes Alum

It's easy to make brave statements about how "shocked" you are at sexual abuse when someone else is at fault, it's almost as easy as making criminal and terroristic threats on Facebook, and almost as easy as getting away with it because your grand father is the football coach.

Normally, such transgressions would result in termination from a job, some jail time and possibly community service, but this is St. John's Abbey of Modernism we're talking about here.

Corruption in Local Law Enforcement?

In any cease, such observations were likely to arouse profound anger and hatred on the part of Gagliardi's family members. Recently, John Gagliardi's grandson, Johnny Gagliardi, admitted to making a threat on the Facebook page of a person who had made a point of posting about John Gagliardi's possible complicity in the sexual abuse at St. John's Abbey and University. Despite the fact that the target was concerned for their safety during a visit to the campus where the perpetrator worked in "Life Services", local law enforcement and the prosecutor have decided not to investigate the case. Pine Curtain writes:

On February 3, 2012, however, Stearns County Sheriff’s Department Captain Pam Jensen called the target to report that her office had decided to close the matter. Remarkably, she told the target that the suspect was still “angry.” [Incredibly, implying that the target is actually at fault]

On February 3, 2012, the target of the threat sent an email to Stearns County Sheriff’s Department Captain Pam Jensen, cc’ing Stearns County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Jon Lentz, Stearns County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Danial Winkels, and Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall.

The target explained that he felt the threat was real and that the suspect’s “reference to ‘what is coming’ is worrisome, given his and his family’s influence and connections.” He wrote, “it is important that my (and my family’s safety never be in question, whether in my own home and community or on future visits to my alma-mater. That is not currently the case.”
[Note: Less than a month earlier, a member of the suspect's family was made aware that the target was planning to visit the area in early February.]

If the local authorities have dismissed any further investigation into the case, it is very likely the result of a conflict of interest. The Pine Curtain Writes:

The February 3, 2012 request for an independent prosecutor was denied. This request was made because:

1) Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall’s children attend Saint John’s Preparatory School.


2) Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall’s husband, John Kendall, is currently listed as a faculty member at Saint John’s University.

3) Janelle and John Kendall give money to the Saint John’s University Annual Fund.

4) Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner and at least one of his sons reportedly attended Saint John’s University.

5) Sheriff John Sanner has been a fixture on the sidelines at Saint John’s University football games.

Read further at Pine Curtain... 

Anti-Catholic Media Continues its Crusade in Philadelphia

It wasn't that the Church had been too much like the Church, but that the Church had become too much like the world.

Edit:  Few people writing about Catholic issues in the press like commenting about the effect of introducing modern psychological perspectives into Catholic institutions in the 50s and 60s.  The attempt to liberate a Catholic nunnery in California by Doctor Coulson who introduced the nuns to "encounter groups" where the notions of evil and any judgements at all were dispensed with, opening the door, it was hoped to a Utopian dream.  But things weren't that simple as Maslow observed:

"But we didn't have a doctrine of evil. (Abraham) Maslow saw that we failed to understand the reality of evil in the human life. When we implied to people that they could trust their impulses, they also understood us to mean that they could trust their evil impulses, that they weren't really evil. But they were evil."

 "Humanistic psychology, the kind that has virtually taken over the Church in America, and dominates so many forms of aberrant education like sex education, and drug education, holds that the most important source of authority is within you, that you must listen to yourself."

 "Maslow believed in evil, and we didn't. Maslow said there was danger in our thinking and acting as if there were no paranoids or psychopaths or SOB's to mess things up. We created a miniature utopian society, the encounter group."

The result exposing the nuns to this psychological outlook and the spirit of the world was devastating.  Fortunately, no one could accuse the nuns of being sexual deviants, but this approach destroyed their lives and their community as Coulson later admitted.

What about the introduction of these methods into Catholic circles where children were involved?  The result was predictably disastrous.

I defy anyone to find any major institution in the West that didn't handle sexual abuse according to this pattern. The going orthodoxy with respect to sexuality was non-judgement, guiltlessness and diversity. It was not out of the norm that sexual predators were not judged so much as coddled, and the effort to see the Catholic Church as somehow exclusively problematic in this regard is disingenuous. Those who come along for the ride in scapegoating the Catholic Church for accomodating a spirit which was really alien to it out of a sense of aggiornamento then popular, really need to reassess the bigger picture and take stock.

 The Catholic Church embraced a viper to itself when it accommodated psychological theoriesn [Usually predicated on by erroneous behaviorist, occult or humanist perspectives] about human nature alien to its own notions.

To be more direct, I don't think anyone will confuse the moribund and infirm Cardinal Bevilacqua, who is now being singled out with those under him of being paragons of orthodoxy or fervent advocates of sexual continence. Indeed, those guilty of the sexual abuse of minors aren't God fearing men and women, they're more likely to be conniving manipulators and moral relativists themselves.  It's convenient to such people that there's no God, or no objective morality and modern psychological approaches offer a kind of benediction for them to do and justify what they want.

To put it more brusquely, the Catholic Church was attacked, and is still attacked today, for its positions on sexuality and forgiveness and if some of its ministers.  Shame and guilt were supposed to be bad unhealthy things, and criminals, even sexual ones, were believed to be reformable if they could only be understood.  Now, people aren't so sure.  Could it be that the Church's original, and orthodox , anthropology which was the basis for its disciplinary outlook was actually right all along?

Now that those approaches have proven to be unsuccessful,  ministers in the Church like +Bevilacqua,  who tried to accommodate the modern West's emphasis on the reformability of human beings  and the elimination of shame and guilt from sexual aberrations, are being attacked again for attempting to alter the Church's previous disciplinary features with respect to sexual crimes by entering a spirit of good old late 20th century liberality and the legal profession is eager to take advantage of this momentary double standard.
Priest uses Nurenburg Defence- I was only obeying the Cardinal's orders

The Associated Press: Monsignor: Cardinal wanted accusers kept in dark:

"A Roman Catholic church official conceded that a 1994 list he compiled of 35 priests suspected of sexually abusing children in the Philadelphia archdiocese included some "pretty sick individuals."

Monsignor William Lynn took the stand in his own defense Wednesday in a groundbreaking child-endangerment and conspiracy case. Prosecutors blame Lynn for helping keep those priests and many more in ministry, where they were had access to countless other children.

Lynn testified that the head of the archdiocese forbade staff from telling accusers their alleged abuser had other victims."


Link to Cathcon...

Father Pfluger Sees Novus Ordo Being Abolished in 20 Years


Edit: there were some interesting elements regarding Father Pfluger's April 29th lecture to 'Spes Unica', including the important point that the Holy Father has accepted the preamble as it is written, including the Society's right to dialog about controversial points in the Vatican Council.

It seems to be also that this has been picked up by Cardinal Brandmuller, who delivered some covering fire for the SSPX recently when he said that the two documents are not binding.


"Our Problem is the Bishops"



The first assistant of the Society of St. Pius X confirms:  "We know that the Pope is agreed to the new form of the Dogmatic Preamble."
Father Pfluger's Lecture on unity at
‘Actio Spes Unica’.

© pius.info

(kreuz.net, Hattersheim)  The Bishops deal with the Society of St. Pius X as if they were still excommunicated.

The first assistant of the Society, Father Niklaus Pfluger, said this in a two hour lecture in the 25,700 population city of Hattersheim near Frankfurt am Main.

The host for the event was 'Actio Spes Unica', an organization very closely bound too the Society.

The break is obvious

Father explained himself about the negotiations with the Vatican.

At the end of the Dogmatic discussions it had been clear that there was no theological agreement.

The theologians of the Society had  depicted a break in the Church before and after the Council.

Because the Pope says it's so


The Vatican theologians had want to  demonstrate continuity.

They explained that the Second Vatican Council had ostensibly announced the enduring teaching of the Church.

There were new teachings.

It was established with the fact that the Pope says it's so.

At the same time the Vatican theologians had admitted the ecclesiastical decline, the abuses, errors and scandals of the Conciliar Church.

But they would not clearly admit to Father Pfluger that the Pastoral Council was the cause for this.

No time lost with the doctrine of the faith


Father Pfluger mentioned the September Meeting of the General Council of the Sciety with the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine and the Faith, William Cardinal Levada.

There had been not a word lost about the Dogmatic Discussions.

The Prince of the Church simply handed the text of the Dogmatic Preamble and proposed a Personal Prelature as the future legal form f the Society.

Much is in disarray

The second part of the discussion dealt with the Church crisis -- among other things in Germany.

The Congregation sees, "that much is in disarray."

That was discussed  -- said Father Pfluger -- also in a spontaneous discussion with the Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine and the Faith, Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer (68)..

The Archbishop openly said: "Our problem for the last twenty years are the Bishops, the theologians and the Universities."

The Vatican doesn't speak with one voice

Father Pfluger mentioned the document to the Congregation from the middle of March.

In that a positive answer was expected from the Society and in the opposite case threatened with excommunication.

In any case, in the middle of March Bishop Bernard Fellay received a second dispatch: "You must not take that letter seriously."

The Pope wants a solution and is prepared to be gracious.

"We need the Societey"

Father Pfluger cited a Cardinal, who regarding the breakdown in the Council said to Bishop Fellay: "We need you".

For Father, that is one possible explanation why the Pope wants to achieve  the reconciliation, even though practically all of the Bishops are against him.

It is after forty years for the Society a new situation, that a Pope offers a regularization almost without any concessions on the side of the Society.

In the light of Tradition


Father Pfluger mentioned the Dogmatic Preamble which the Society had reworked for the middle of April .

The Pius text is shorter and more precisely formulated than the original edition by the CDF.

The Society had enjoined in the text that the Pastoral Council and the subsequent Magisterium be discussed.

The Pope is in Agreement

Father let some information slip through.

One knows, that the Pope is in agreement with the Society's version of the Preamble.

The fact is only to be returned to the CDF, in order too follow normal channels.

Pope Under Pressure


Father stressed that "very many" in the CDF and inn the Vatican do not want a positive solution for the Society.

There is "pressure" being exercised against the Pope.

As an example, the clergyman described the Old Liberal President of the Pontifical Council for Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch.

He has already ruined his own Diocese of Basel as Basel:  "They don't come more modern than he, really."

When he became a Roman Cardinal, he started praising the Old Mass.

With 'kreuz.net' it's easier

Father Pfluger mentioned his other crises in the Church during his lecture -- for example the time when there were three Popes simultaneously.

There was no internet or television then, in order too find out, who the real Pope was.

In the current crisis it's easier to inform yourself.  "Now we can go on 'kreuz.net' and look at what Father Andreas Steins is saying, what says Father Franz Schmidberger."

In twenty years the Novus Ordo will be gone

Father Pfluger ventured the understanding that the Pope is still not able to abolish the New Mass.

At the present all priests and Bishops celebrate this rite.


But: "In twenty years, then the Pope will do it."


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Disagreements Between Cardinal Koch and Cardinal

Edit: There was a minor translation change in the statement by +Koch at his astonishment at the fixation about the SSPX after 50 years of dialog, rather than implying that he was thinking it would stall the talks.  Thanks to P-Hall.


What binding level t the texts of the 2nd Vatican Council have?  A decisive question.  How the media plays the Cardinals against each other::  "Divide et impera?"  by Armin Schwibach

Rome (kath.net/as)  The discussion of the forthcoming unification with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X (FSSPX) driven some strange blood, which are in view of the interpretation of the texts of the 2nd Vatican Council.  So it happened in the last days that the media has played two Curial Cardinals who have expertise in the matter, against each other: a completely far fetched situation of a published opinion without foundation.

The play began after the President for the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity,  Kurt Cardinal Koch,  had held a lecture with the title "Building on 'Nostra Aetate -- 50 Years of Christian-Jewish Dialog" at the Papal University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in the "John Paul II" center.   All questions in the concluding press conference resolved themselves  then, however, on the FSSPX and the negotiations in the Congregation for the Doctrine and the Faith:  it was a question of
the long expected 'feria quarta', on the meeting of the Congregation over the document presented by the FSSPX and being informed about the possible coming unification.

Cardinal Koch explained to the media concerned with this only that the discussions were in process and he could not say what they concerned till Pope Benedict's decision.   At the same time the Cardinal announced his surprise at this that over fifty years of dialog with Judaism would be fixated in such a way  by the Society of St. Pius X.

Journalists constructed from this statement the opposite.  It was loudly announced  that Cardinal Koch himself as the first according to the full committee of the Congregation of the Doctrine and the Faith had expressed himself about the unification with the Society, which wasn't the truth, because:  Koch had refused for that reason to  comment.

Cardinal Koch further explained that the Second Vatican Council and all its texts are binding for a Catholic, from which the journalists determined that it was a "mandatory obligation". In the sense of Pope Benedict XVI's called for Hermaneutic of Continuity with Tradition, Koch underlined, it is important to stress that it is the Magisterium which determines the authentic interpretations with respect to Catholic doctrine and answers all subsequent open questions. With his address to the Roman Curia on the 22nd of December 2005, Pope Benedict XVI presented a "key for the interpretation of the Conciliar texts offered: "Reform in Continuity" against the "Hermeneutics of Rupture".

The presentation of the book "Le chiavi di Benedetto XVI per interpretare il Vaticano II"  (The keys of Benedict XVI for the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council)" took place on the 22nd of May in Rome.   The work was written by Walter Cardinal Brandmuller together with Curial Bishop Agostinoo Marchetto and the Italian theologian and liturgist, Msgr. Nicola Bux.  At the presentation of the book, +Brandmuller touched on the various levels of binding of the Council texts.  There is a big difference between a Constitution and a simple Declaration, as well as those on Christian Education, the Mass Media or even "Nostra Aetate".  Those "controversial documents" for the FSSPX as even over religious freedom and the relationship to the other religions have no binding doctrinal content, said Brandmuller, as is the case with the Dogmatic Constitutions.  For that reason they may be discussed.  Oddly  both of the controversial texts, namely, "Nostra Aetate" and "Dignitatis Humanae", according to the estimation of Canon Lawyer Klaus Morsdorf would have no doctrinal content.  That doesn't mean, however, said the Cardinal, that one need not take them seriously:  they are expressions of the living Magisterium, without binding the entire Church.

Brandmuller's address was taken up by the media immediately represented as the opposite to the words of Cardinal Koch.  This then did not correspond to reality.  As to the question if he was in contradiction with Cardinal Koch's comments, +Brandmuller explained that this couldn't have possibly been the case.  It is completely correct, when Koch says, that a Catholic has to accept the decrees of a General Council.  That doesn't preclude, "that the Decrees have various levels of binding".  Also there is a "Free space for theological discussion abut the correct understanding of the Conciliar texts":  "Where then is the disagreement?"

This begs the question: is the reason that these differences which are as obscure as the Antipodes be a wedge driven between two Cardinals, these two who could or will be the spearheads of Benedict XVI's work of reform and  give significant contributions for the reflection over the Vatican Council right in the wings of the upcoming "Year of Faith?  "Divide et impera" appears to be the motto. Cui bono?

Link to origial kath.net....

Vatican Leaks and the Dark Nights of Benedict XVI

"It is important to have friends around one's self"  


(Vatican)  He is called Luigi Martignani and is a Capuchin.  He is employed to the Investigation Committee of the Vatican State Secretariat, whose mission from the Pope should uncover the Vaticanleaks scandal.  What is meant are the confidential documents which have been skimmed from the Vatican and manipulated by the press.

Pope Benedict XVI has approached the incident not without concern.  From his circle much is hear that the Pope is very distraught over the document theft and the breach of trust associated with that which come from his closest associates.  At yesterday's lunch with the Cardinals, which the College of Cardinals gave in honor of his 85th birthday, he said these words not accidentally:  "It is important to have friends around you."  Then he continued:  "In my life I have experienced wonderful times, but also dark nights.  Even the nights were necessary, and today, surrounded by Cadinals, my friends, I feel myself sure in this company.  The evil will master the world, and does this either through violence or by presenting itself as good.  In this manner, it destroys the moral foundation of society."

Margignani must operate on another level.  He is the operative arm of Cardinals Herrnaz, Tomko and De Giorgi, who are directing the investigation.  Their mission is to find out who the person responsible for the theft of documents is, whom Journalist Nuzzi has given the code name "Maria" in his tell all book.  The journalist insists, that behind this is not only one person, rather several.  In the Vatican ne suspects that behind this statement by Nuzzi is a distraction in order to protect his informant.

The figure of the secret traitor is naturally a no recent occurrence.  Every Pontificate had its leak.  The deceased Doyen of Vaticanistas, Benny Lai wrote many times in his Vatican diaries about this.  For the most part it was the doing of one person within the Leonine walls who's been allotted "strong protection", which can be so strong, that even when he himself is unseen, it is not said that he can be far from his post.  Lai maintains that for the collection of information he relied on all imaginable methods available. "We ourselves paid 10,000 Lire every month to Riccardo Galeazzi Lisi for that reason, ( Lisi was the doctor of Pius XII)  so that he could inform us about the course of the Pope's health."   As Pius XII discovered that Galeazzi Lisi betrayed him, he did not dismiss him, but said, "If he wants to remain in the Vatican, he should stay, but arrange for it so that I will no longer see him",  said the Pope.  And the corrupt Archiatros thanked him not, rather arranged to take photos of the dying Pope with a hidden mini-camera.

The history must be repeated, however.  The mole of 2012 can at least not count on that.  He is not in any case shut out, that even he, once detected, will stay in his position.  Even with his improvised camouflage he will be discovered.  The Vatican Gendarmes have already made their investigation. The mole had access to the archives of the State Secretariat and that the part in which Msgr Gänswein, the private secretary of Pope,  which correspondence addressed  to himself and the pope was filed after their dispatch. The circle of people is very small.

Text: Palazzo Apostolico/Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: Palazzo Apostolico
Trans: Tancred

Link to original, katholisches...

Cardinal Awaits Pan Orthodox Council


Cardinal waiting for Pan-Orthodox Council before ecumenical 


Kardinal Koch: Ökumenisches Warten auf ein gesamtorthodoxes Konzil – kipa/apic

A stumbling block in relations between the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches continues to be the Pope's primacy, Cardinal Kurt Koch said in an interview with the press agency Kipa in Einsiedeln in Switzerland. It is now necessary to wait for the Council before there are any further decisive ecumenical steps. - Cardinal Kurt Koch was staying on 20 May in Einsiedeln on the occasion of an Aid to the Church in Need pilgrimage .

In 2007 in Ravenna (in Italy), there was a meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.  On that occasion an agreement on the question of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome was near, Koch said.

For the first time separated churches stated in a common expert document that, according to the tradition of the church that at a universal level there was pre-eminence of a "Primus" as had the Bishop of Rome during the first millennium. - The document was entitled "Ecclesiological and canonical consequences of thesacramental nature of the Church; conciliarity and authority in the Church ."

Translation:  Chris Gillibrand @ Cathcon

Switzerland: Pontifical High Mass by Embattled Bishop of Chur

Edit: He's been frequently attacked in the press and by his own clergy and those laity in the Diocese who primarily subsist on the tax subsidies offered to them as part of a nationally recognized ecclesiastical body.  Despite this, he perseveres and thrives.

(Birnau)  On Thursday, the 17th of May, on the Feast of the Ascension the Diocesan Bishop of Church, Msgr Vitus Huonder celebrated a Pontifical High Mass in the pilgrimage church Birnau in Bodensee (Baden-Württemberg).   The liturgical service was organized by seminarians of the Society ofo St. Peter from their seminary at Wigratzbad.  The musical program was in the hands of the Collegium Musicum.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Photo:  Priesterruderschaft St. Petrus
Trans: Tancred


Link and more photos, here....