German Federal Court tries to protect outdated Church-tax-system

Regensburg Cathedral

Edit: Excommunicating someone for not paying the Church-tax means nothing to people who go to church for purely cultural reasons, or aren't really concerned about being married or buried with a Catholic ceremony.  Apparently, you don't even really need to be Catholic to be truly honored in German-speaking parts like Vienna, you just have to be a famous Communist "artist" who ridicules the Catholic faith.  For those people who are loyal Catholics, it means a lot, and they're willing to expend a lot of time and money to ensure their Catholic names, even though those in charge are working against them.

Doctor Andreas Janker is a Regensburg, Germany born Engineer. He's also, for the time being, a Catholic in good standing with some serious concerns about the way the Catholic Church in Germany does business.

We'll get back to him in a moment. You see, like the United States and the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, the German Bishops also support abortion, the use of birth control and other forms of non-transparent activities, they hope no one really will question. The Catholic Church in the United States, like the German Church, also receives substantial Government largesse in the form of Student Loans and Grants. Catholic Charities alone receives over $2.9 billion dollars a year from the Federal Government, which accounts for about 70% of its revenue.

While America's Bishops receive substantial amounts of money from the American Government just like the German Bishops do, American citizens are selectively taxed for these gracious offerings as they are in Germany. Each German Catholic , who pays income tax (i.e. of all catholics only every third catholic) has to pay about 8% of his income tax on a Church-tax, which the German Government collects on behalf of the Church and itself keeps a 3-5% fee for managing it.

Many people object to what both the Catholic Bishops in Germany and the US do with the money, and with good reason too, since they both support programs which in various ways, violate Catholic moral tenets and even honest business practices. But while a few American Catholics opt out of Catholic systems by refusing to give money to their Diocese, (Unfortunately, they have to continue paying taxes which support Catholic organizations who misbehave), they don't have to worry at this point about being excommunicated as faithful German Catholics do who try to buck the system.

There should be nothing wrong with the government supporting the Church. It's an ancient practice probably going back to the days of the Apostles. (Since the Apostles had wealthy Roman patrons and benefitted from Roman Law in various ways too.) But what happens when the individuals running the Church and the government start working against the Church's favor, and even continued existence? Should individuals be dragooned into supporting this auto-leisionistic (self-destructive) system?

People are probably familiar with the situation where the German Catholic Bishops have produced a document effectively excommunicating Catholics who opt out of the German Church-tax for any reason. They do not specify special cases, like those involving Zapp or Janker, as the famous Canonist Father Gero Weishaupt explains .

At present, this document threatens to alienate some of the only people in Germany who actually have Catholic belief and are courageous enough to want to see it lived out in its institutions. One such man, we've already talked about is Canon Lawyer Prof. Harmut Zapp, who, counter to the way it's been reported in the official German Catholic media, at KNA for example, just won his case against the German Bishops. Strangely enough, the National Catholic Reporter has accurately reported on his case, here. Zapp's Diocese, Friburg, has sued his town of Staufen-im-Breisgau and lost its case.

Basically, the Federal Administrative Court in Germany has decided that for the GERMAN state the Church as "community of believers" and the "Church as a Statutory Body" is the same thing. But it has also decided that his declaration only to leave the Statutory body of the Church is valid because it makes a declaration not invalid if somebody declares he wants to leave the statutory body. It can only be the task of the Church to decide about the consequences of doing so. So the Church who fought 5 years against this kind of declaration has now been lost and has to pay the bill, while Zapp won his revision and is now able to conduct this discussion, being at the same point he was five years ago, within the Church this time.  Which is actually what  he wanted a long 5 years before.

Zapp's case is also vitally important for another courageous Catholic, the aforementioned, and widely discussed, Dr. Andreas Janker. Janker, like Zapp, wants to opt out of the Church-tax system. He currently gives money to Catholic and charitable causes he trusts, so it's not about making the sacrifice.  He also has no desire to leave the Catholic Church and believes in God, certainly he believes in God more than he does the German Bishops.

Not wanting to see the money he's worked so hard to earn misspent, he's decided to opt out of what he regards as a "non-transparent" system. He does not want 8% of his yearly income tax to go to unworthy causes that lack transparancy and whose incompetence he's witnessed first hand, like the Lutheran-Catholic medical insurance organization 'Ecclesia', for example . In Germany, both "churches" (the Evangelical and the Catholic Church) are owners of one of the largest insurance brokers in Europe, the 'Ecclesia GmbH', which also settles liability claim cases for non-church companies. The cases can have nothing to do at all with any, any Church affairs! And they understand the protection of the financial assets of their clients - which are big insurance companies - as Christian value! With such a business goal they operate against legitimate claimants - which Janker has personally experienced with his helpless mother, who was treated very badly in a state hospital. [Note also a kind of parallel, between this situation and the 'Weltbild' scandal, which has the German Bishops profiting directly from the sales of pornographic literature, for very large amounts of money.]

Doctor Janker, His Wife Karin with his Mother

At present, Doctor Janker has not paid Church-tax since December 17, 2009 and is currently back in the Church after various legal paths over years up to the the highest court in the Catholic Church, the Apostolic Signatura and to Monsignor Francesco Coccopalmerio, the current President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts begging for help according Art. 158 PASTOR BONUS. As it was mentioned in the German Catholic news that his case is already at the Apostolic Signatura, then in Germany, in the city of Regensburg the entry in his baptism register was removed only to make his cause in Rome "without grounds", and to keep the ball in the German field.

Ordinarily, the situation had been settled but the General Vicar of the current Archbishop Mueller of the CDF, who was his Bishop, intervened in turn to (vindictively in our opinion) put Dr. Janker back on the Church-tax rolls at the Civil Registration Office, urging via the Bavarian State that the civil-registration office has - after nearly 2 years - to withdraw his declaration of 2009. Dr. Janker has to sue against this withdrawal of the declaration, that it will not become valid and that his old declaration will become invalid,  and Janker has also argued successfully for a stay in order to await the decision of the highest court in Leipzig (Zapp´s identical case).

Consequently, the Civil Registration Office has been waiting  for the related case of Harmut Zapp to be ruled upon in the Federal Administrative Court at Leipzig. Now that the Federal court case has been decided in Harmut Zapp's favor, it should have a favorable result in that now Janker's case will be treated the same way, but very probably Janker and maybe Zapp also will be very soon "excommunicated" (again) by the German Bishops, i.e. the same punishments as before but described as "this is NO excommunication, that's just how you feel!"

Did Condemning Sesame Street Star to Hell Drive Kreuz.net Finally From the Internet?

Edit: Germany's largest Catholic internet site, generating at least a 100,000 visits a day, Kreuz.net is down.  After spending the morning perusing a few articles, it was noted in their news updates that one person was moved to threaten Kreuz.net legally.  Kreuz.net does actually violate German laws regarding alleged "hate speech", but since it does not operate on German soil, escapes the prohibitions. But just maybe, ridiculing a famous comedian has pushed some over the edge on behalf of the late 51 year old comedian.

[The Hollywood Reporter] The cause of death was not immediately known, but a police spokesman said there was no evidence of foul play.

Self-trained, Bach started in the independent theater scene in his home city of Cologne before moving to television, where he became one of the most familiar and enduring faces on the small screen. The rotund actor and entertainer's national breakthrough came with the sitcom Lukas, on which he played a single dad who lives with his father and daughter. The show, which ran for five seasons, was hit with both audiences and critics. It was groundbreaking in German television in its depiction of homosexual characters and alternative lifestyles.

Other prominent roles including the Pepe on the German version of Sesame Street and, most recently, co-host of hit reality show I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!

Indeed, after posting an article hailing the death of a German Comedian, Dirk Bach, as a homosexual who hated the Church and insisting that he was in [boiling there, in fact, as one commenter corrects] Hell and hated children while he was alive,  the post generated over a million hits and prompted 1,500 or so messages in at least one combox covering the story.

Surprisingly, or not, over half of the thousands of e-mails kreuz.net received were encouraging.

Already earlier today, a post had appeared in kreuz.net's News Reports, describing an "Illiterate Homosexual" who planned on paying kreuz.net back for condemning homosexual depravity and speaking ill of the dead.

Also, kreuz.net has been under attack from 'Anonymous' which has been unable to unhorse this intrepid blog after frequent unsuccessful and ineffective attacks as kreuz.net is often happy to report.

We've never noticed kreuz.net off line before.  It's never off line, but in case you might be wondering what became of it, there are certainly no shortage of people on the wrong side of things who'd love to see it gone forever.

Developing..

Photo: Getty Images

The Victory of Lepanto and The Feast of the Holy Rosary

[Wikipedia]The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of southern European Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Corinth, off western Greece. The Ottoman forces sailing westwards from their naval station in Lepanto (Turkish: İnebahtı; Greek: Ναύπακτος or Έπαχτος Naupaktos or Épahtos) met the Holy League forces, which had come from Messina.
 


With the unexpected but hoped for victory over the Turks, St. Pope Pius V commemorated God's gift by commemorating this as a feast.

Loyal German Priest Association Criticizes the German Church-tax Hunt

"It's tasteless to give so much attention to money."

The "Network of Catholics Priests"  has leveled severe criticism on the Church-tax decree of the German Bishops:  There are significant reasons for faithful to withhold from paying Church-tax in its current form.  To be Catholic without Church-tax is possible.

Cologne (kath.net)  Guido Rodheudt, the speaker for the "Network of Catholic Priests" has leveled a severe criticism in the recent issue of "Christ und Welt" of the Church-tax Decree of the German Bishops and also  a "pastoral encouragement" for the Parish priest.   This also passes the buck, because first it puts the Paster with the mandated document respectively in contact with the person to approach them, and designate this person as excommunicate.

Rodheudt continues: "The Bishops have created a massive conflict of conscience for Pastors, because there are significant reasons for the faithful, to withhold their Church-tax in its present form and to permit their devotion to the Church in another form.  One can be thoroughly Catholic, without paying Church-tax.  Why should a pastor refuse the Sacraments to someone who would prefer to give his money directly to a Cloister, instead of giving it to Diocesan Academies, or questionable youth associations. How can someone make it clear to the people of the Church, that the Bishops are struggling on the one hand to make a special allowance for remarried and divorced, and on the other side to excommunicate faithful Catholics  because of money?"

He also doesn't understand why Rome has (supposedly) validated this way and why the German Bishops' Conference is celebrating this as a victory.  "What should the public perception of the Church be? Two years ago it was the abuse theme, then the "Affaire Williamson", and now it's money --  it's never the Faith.  I strongly reject this method of tax-hunting."  It is tasteless, to give so much attention to money.

Link to kath.net...

Brazilian Bishops' Conference Opposes Blasphemous Photo of Footballer

The Brazilian Bishops' Conference has described the photo montage of the 20 year old stormer of FC Santos on the cross as a provocation and an offense to religious feelings, freedom of opinion must have limits.

Sao Paulo (kath.net/KNA)  A crucified  Neymar da Silva Santos Jr on the title of the Brazilian football magazine "Placar" (see photo) is a concern for anger.  The Brazilian Bishops' Conference descried the photo montage of the 20 year old stormer of FC Santos on the cross as a provocation and an offense to religious feelings.  Freedom of expression must have limits, explained the Bishops according to media reports on Saturday.

In view of the significant worldwide protests because of the inappropriate engagement with religious symbols the representation is tactless. The news paper is disturbing the respectful cohabitation between faith communities, says the Bishops' Conference.

"Placar" defends the title photo with the most recent critique at the player:  He has  "ben made into a scapegoat in sports and is dragged through the mud."  Neymar, in the past year was chosen as the football player of the year for South America, and because of his millionaire income and an outrageous lifestyle has created hostility.  Finally, fans have booed him at a contest in Sao Paulo, because he was mainly responsible for the poor performance of the national team.

Link to kath.net...

SSPX Building in Holland: New Chapel

Edit: the following is a report from the SSPX German site on a new, and in some senses symbolic, development.

[piusbruderschaft.de] For almost 25 years the ship "Christina" has served the faithful of the Society of St. Pius X in the Netherlands as a chapel.

In the truest sense of the word, a "church-ship". Only the Society has receeived a new ship in the Netherlands, which will serve them as a chapel.

Leiden is a city with less than 120,000 inhabitants and lies northwest from The Haag. The chapel should, exactly like the church-ship, will be consecrated and receive as its patroness, "Our Dear Lady of the Rosary". The church-ship will lose its function and be decomissioned. An end can also be a beginning. Here's a photogallery of ships that have served as churches...

HLI Offices in Vienna Vandalized during World Congress

The Viennese Comrades and their allies in the Old Liberal establishment are silent against the violence of the red lacquered Nazis and are pleased too.

(kreuz.net, Vienna)  Till Sunday the international representatives of  pro-life organizations are meeting at a big "World Prayer Congress for Life".

The organizer of the event is the world-wide pro-life organization 'Human Life International'.

The event is being held in the noble Palais Niederoesterrech in Vienna's center.

The program has a long line of lectures by Neoconservative priests, prelates and bishops.

The Pro-lifers go to the Street

Two events during the Congress deserve some attention.

On Saturday the emeritus Bishop of Feldkirch, Msgr Elmar Fischer, held a New Mass.  After that, he amazingly joined life protectors in a prayer vigil outside of one of Vienna's abortuaries.

On Saturday evening Bishop Klaus Kung of St. Polten held a Marian vigil in the centermost Church in the city.

Then he led a procession of light to the tomb of the innocent which took place in front of the Church.  There he bestowed a Marian blessing.

Vienna's Police Permitted Violence

Abortion fanatics have called for violent counter-demonstrations during the Congress.

One of the hate placards showed a masked woman who was scantily clad, with a weapon in her hand and a bull horn in the other.

The target was described as:  "Vatican"

It is a unimaginable in legitimate countries  that the police -- even among the Communist-ridden Viennese police department --  that such demonstrations are tolerated.

Attack on an Office of 'Human Life International"

The left violence took place in the night on Thursday to Friday.

The antifascist Neonazis effected an attack on the office of 'Human Life International' in Vienna.

The extremists threw mason jars through the glass entrance door of the office.  The doors were completely destroyed.

Politics and the Police Protect the Antifascist Neonazis

The mason jars contained black paint.

It covered a computer, some office furniture and the floor of the office.

One of the jars didn't break.  It was taken as evidence by investigating police officers.

An earlier attack in 2010 on HLI:



Link to kreuz.net...

Newbytes: Archbishop Says Homosexual Politicians Should Stay Away from Communion

Archbishop:  Homosexual Politicians Should Stay Away From Communion

USA.  Catholics and especially Catholic politicians, who support homosexual causes, should not come to Communion.  This was what Archbishop John Myers (71) wrote to the 300,000 population city of Newark in New Jersey in a Pastoral Letter on the Feast of the Holy Cross on the 14th of September.  Msgr Myers finds it dishonest to go to Communion and deny the teaching of the Church.  Christ has strongly condemned people who lead others into error.

Thanks the Inactivity of the Bishops

Germany.  In the Diocese of Munich and Freising, there are 24 priests and deacons who've just established the dissident club "Munich Circle".  This was reported by the German Church-tax agency 'KNA'.  Many of these clergy are inactive.  The ring leader is the Old Liberal Parish Administrator Christoph Nobs of the 20,000 population community of Ottobrunn in the Upper Bavarian suburb of Munich.  The group is made of other dissident socieites from Passau, Limburg or Austria.  Fr. Nobs favors a less "bitter" approach than other Old Liberals.

Navy Against Abortion Ship

Morocco.  A Moroccan warship has intercepted the abortion ship 'Women on Waves' and blocked its path.  The ship was sent by progressive countries, which claim to save human life actually murder children.  A Moroccan police order is preventing on land  monstrous Moroccan abortion propagandists from coming to the ship.

Cardinal: Anti-Catholic Charity Society Rebuffed

Canada.  Catholic aid organizations may directly or indirectly support abortion and contraception in developing countries.  This was explained by Cardinal Peter Turkson, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, at a meeting of the Canadian Bishops' Conference.  It is yet to be seen if the words of he Cardinal will not have some effect.  The Canadian Catholic aid organization 'Development and Peace', which belongs to the international 'Caritas', finances the murder of children in the Third World.

Council of Catastrophe: Decline Without End

"The lower birth rate has manifested itself in a decline of the number of priests. In 1990 there were 19,707 priests, in 2011 there were 14,800.  In this time frame the number of church members has also shrunk from 28.2 million to 24.2 millions, still not at the same rate as the priesthood.  In the year 2010 126 young men in German wanted to become Catholic priests.  Ten years previously there were almost twice as many.  In the Archdiocese of Berlin there wasn't a single priest ordained."

From an article in the anti-Church Berlin news, 'Tagesspiegel'.

Link to kreuz.net...

New German Charges Against the British Hero-Bishop

Illegal According to International Law

The muzzle-justice of the organizations pursuing the Third Reich continue to embarrass themselves.  The attorney of the Society has already announced that he is prepared to appeal against the new summary order of punishment.

Bishop Williamson at
Confirmation in 1991
© Jim, the Photographer, Flickr,CC

 (Kreuz.net) The Nazi-mad Federal Court of Regensburg has renewed its summary order of punishment against Hero-Bishop Richard Williamson (72) for incitement of the people.

The new accusation is seeking a penalty of 100 days at the daily rate. (It's indeterminate now what they'll charge him per day, but it will probably be similar to the 65 euro amount, which is 6,500 euros total)

 A court speaker is angered -- that Msgr Williamson -- is not punishable by German law -- has allegedly defamed the gas methods during the anti-Catholic Third Reich. The German summary punishment is illegal according to international law. 

Now they will once again roll out the failed court case. Preliminarily, the attorney of Bishop Williamson has announced, that he is against proceeding in the case of a new summary punishment.

Occupational Therapy for Muzzle-Justice

The proceedings have been ongoing since 2009.

At the appeal in 2011 the German State desired 100 days at a daily rate of 65 euros, therefore, 6,500 euros.

The Supreme Court of Nurnberg declared the Society Bishop free of any adverse judgements resulting from the trial, but allowed for a new trial. [Can you say double-jeopardy?]

Link to kreuz.net...

I consider Cathcon a friend, but we don't always agree.  His take is somewhat more conventional to say nothing of politically correct.

Cistercian Abbey in Czech Republic Restores Old Rite and Office

(Prague)  The Czech Cistercian Abbey, Vyssi Brod -- Hohenfurth has become an old ritual community.  The Holy Mass will be celebrated for the faithful in the ordinary as well as in the Immemorial Rite of the Mass.  The Cloister community itself has returned to a traditional choir and praying of the Cistercian Liturgy of the Hours and celebrates the "classical" form of the Roman Rite as of 2011 in the Autumn. The restoration of the classical Office was supported by a collaboration with the Trappist Abbey of Mariawald.  The life of the Monastic community begins at 4:15am with rising and ends at 7:15 pm (7:45 in Summer)  with the lecture in the Rule of St. Benedict, the Collations, Compline and Salve Regina.  After that, "strict nightly silence" is maintained.

Parts of the magnificent cloister may be viewed, this is valid for near the Abbey church and above all the impressive library and refectory.  "To participate in the tour, decent clothing appropriate to the place is necessary,"as it says on the internet site of the Cloister.

750 Years of Cistercian Ora et Labora in the South Bohemian Hohenfurt

The Cistercian Abbey of Hohenfurth was founded in 1259 in what was then German-settled southern Bohemia by Wok von Rosenburg and settled with monks from the Abbey of Wilhering near Linz.  The  hub of the Cloister community formed the market town of Hohenfurt with about 100 households in the surrounding area. During the Hussite Wars and the 30 Years War it was drawn by sympathy to undertake the renewal of pastoral care in the wake of the Protestant Revolt in numerous parishes.  Its involvement in the education system even allowed the Cloister to escape the destructive reforms of Josephismus.

After the First World War the area of Hohenfurt with its 1459 German and five Czech inhabitants, complete with the Cloister became part of the new Czech Republic.  The new State adopted a "hostile disposition" toward it, which was as ideological as it was also ethnically motivated and in the land reform which allowed up to 250 hectares almost all of the  Cloister property of more than 5,500 hectares of wood and farmland was confiscated.

The election of the 43rd and presently the last Abbot formed himself with difficulty in 1925.  The Czech authorities conveyed a not very pleasant talking "to" not to recognize the German candidates.  Although the ethnic question had never played a role in the Cloister, Hohenfurth operated like a German Cloister.   So it was a concern to find a virtuous candidate who the authorities were not "negatively inclined" to.  The election fell upon Father Tezelin Jaksch from Hackelhof born in Budweis,  who was then the pastor of Payerschau, "because of his refined bearing and his complete mastery of the Czech language."  Abbot Tezelin attempted to reclaim three quarters of the original Cloister property, which still hadn't been resold by the State.

The Abbey bloomed in 1938, in which the Abbey reached its high water mark with 70 monks, with the    Suddetenland of the Third Reich.  The Czech monks had to leave the monastery, Abbot Tezelin was imprisoned as a pretext and deported to the protectorate of Bohemia and Maehren. The convent then elected an Abbot Coadjutor with Father Dominik Kaindl.   After that the Cloister was repealed by the National Socialists after almost 700 years of unbroken existence.  Father Engelbert Blochl died in KZ Dachau, 21 monks were drawn to serve in the war in the Wehrmach, of whom 10 did not return,  while another died as a prisoner of war.  During the war, the Wehrmacht established a hospital in the Cloister and by the end of the war, American troops, who were sent to south Bohemia, made a military camp out of it.

After the Second World War Abbot Tezlin Jaksch (1885-1954) struggled for the re-establishment of the Cloister, which indeed succeeded statutorily, was in any case reduced ad absurdam, there where the German monks, and with them almost the entire convent, were driven out in the course of Czech directed ethnic cleansing with the rest of the German population.  The Czech authorities confiscated the entire property and declared that "the Cistercians of Hohenfurth are traitors and enemies of the Czech Republic".  Only a few Czech monks were allowed to return to the Abbey with great difficulty.

The Communist power transfer of 1948 almost seamlessly took up the National Socialist persecution.  Abbot Jaksch had to leave Cloister Hohenfurth in the same year and go to Austria.  The Cloister was closed by the Communists in 1950.  The last two still remaining Czech monks were interned and the Cloister was transformed into a military concern.  The exiled monks of Hohenfurth found refuge in Austrian and Bavarian Cisterician Cloisters above all in Stift Rein in Steyria, which has since 1959 in the event of the 700th foundation anniversary of Hohenfurth, took up the name Rein-Hohenfurth.

After the break up of the Communist dictatorship in 1990, the two Cistercians still living at Hohenfurth travelled back to Bohemia and began the new settlement of the Cloister.  In all there are still six Hohenfurth monks in various Cloisters of Austria and Bavaria, yet the other four are too old and fragile for a journey.

The restoration took place with great difficulty, since the Czechoslovakian State till 1994, and the Czech since 1994, shows no interest in the rebuilding of the Catholic orders. The return of the Cloister properties stolen from the State proved to be difficult and lengthy.  For the new beginning there was economic help also from the Cistercian Cloister of Heiligenkreuz.  In 1992 four novices were accepted into the Cloister.  Since then the Priory of Hohenfurth -- Vyssi Brod, which has been led since 2007 by Justinus Berka, is struggling for the restoration of the life of the Cloister and after the atheistic deforestation, for the evangelization of Bohemia.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: Kloster Vyssi Brod (Hohenfurth)

Link to original katholisches....

Cardinal Rodé Exonerated by Paternity Test

At the end of August it was still maintained that the Slovenian-German Peter Stelzer was still the son of a Curial Cardinal.

(kreuz.net) The Slovenian Curial Cardinal Franc Rodé (78) is not the father of Peter Stelzer (42), residing in Germany. This was reported on the website of the Slovenian Bishops' Conference yesterday.

It was jubilantly reported at the end of August in Germany that a Cardinal had a child with a living Slovenian woman.

The powerful media bosses in their bitter hatred of the Church, took this opportunity to besmirch the Church.

Yesterday, it came to light

A DNA test from the Institute for Legal Medicine at the University of Munich proved that the Cardinal is not the originator of the German Peter Stelzer.

This was according to an attorney for the Cardinal, Nina Zidar Klemencic, on Tuesday in Laibach.

The defamation is said to have injured the slandered Cardinal.

The Journalist has to pay

The slander was spread by an article in the Slovenian scandal sheet 'Delo'.

Stelzer's mother had clearly been involved with so many different men, that she didn't remember who the father of her son was in order to establish the paternity of her son at all.

According to reports from the District Attorney, Stelzer has been forgiven by Cardinal Rodé.

Now the Cardinal will sue the author of the slanderous article.

Link to krez.net...

Dutch Bishop Puts Hammer Down on False Ecumenism

Edit: as usual Father Gero Weishaupt is a great source for things happening in the old country.  He presents the following story about a priest being disciplined for liturgical abuses with a just penalty and the cancellation of an Ecumenical service involving "intercommunion".

Not Ecumenism in Feeling, But in Faith

(kathnews)  's-Hertogenbosch (NL).  In an open letter to the parish communities of the Dutch villages of Someren and Lierp, to which belong the Diocese's-Hertogenbosch laying in the Province of Brabant, the Diocesan Vicar General has taken a position on the importance and the manner ecumenical celebrations should take.  The Bishop reacted to it immediately and spoke out in a letter to the Pastor of serious Liturgical abuses and offenses against Ecumenism in its Catholic sense.  The Pastor concerned was informed of penal consequences.  After that the Pastor cancelled the event.  Many parish members showed a lack of understanding of the manner of the Bishop's proceeding.

Letter of the General Vicar

Now the General Vicar of the Diocese, Dr. R van de Hout, briefly laid out the position of the Catholic

Church on Ecumenism in a letter.  Here is the basic text of the letter in an English translation:


"Dear parishioners of Someren and Lierop and all interested believers elsewhere in the diocese!"

 Concern for the catholicity of the parishes in the diocese 

From the reactions of many of them it is clear that it will be difficult to understand why the bishop at a recently proposed ecumenical ceremony in Someren and Lierop must intervene. The confusion seemed to be still larger basis of statements of the Pastor, the non-Catholic minister and the parish council of Lierop, in which, according to the Bishop was accused illicit action. The Bishop must awaken people to the Catholic faith and take care that the Catholic parishes in his diocese to remain in communion with the universal Church. Only then can our faith and the Church have their importance to the people and their happiness.

 Commonality and Boundaries

The Catholic Church promotes ecumenical contacts with Protestant communities. We need to get to know one another, to develop active common social ties. Together we can listen to God's Word and pray together. But it is not permissible to celebrate the Eucharist / Communion. This prohibition has been repeated by the Pope, but always by the Dutch bishops as well.

Different faith 

Why such celebrations are unlawful? Because Supper and Eucharist, although reference is made to both the creation and the command of the Lord, are not the same. The Roman Catholic Church believes that in the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ is sacramentally preset at the cross and that the bread and wine are transformed and really substantial in the Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is - in the words of the Second Vatican Council - the source and summit of ecclesial life. According to the Catholic view, only a valid ordained priest transform the Eucharist. Protestants have no validly ordained priests. Protestants do not believe in the real transformation of bread and wine and have a more symbolic understanding of this sacrament. [It can't be a sacrament at all, actually] That is the reason why the Church does not allow a joint celebration. The Church also prohibits that non-Catholics receive the Eucharistic Communion or that Catholics participate in Protestant communion. Thus confusion is with regard to this sacrament, for us Catholics, the heart of the faith, to be avoided. 

Harmful to Unity

Superficial ecumenical acts like the common celebration of the Eucharist / Communion Service are harmful to the unity and don't bring ecumenism even a step further. On the contrary, the unity is only then no unity in the faith, but a unity in feeling. It's about discovering that we as a church or religious community and not as a single parish or community through common reflection, discussion and study to learn what the Lord wanted it with his church and with his sacrament of unity.

 Prayer for Unity

 Meanwhile, we pray in the parishes and communities for the assistance of the Holy Spirit. He alone can bring about real unity step by step. Moreover, ecumenism is much wider than the unity between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant ecclesial communities. It also relates to our relationship with the Orthodox Churches of the East. ... "(Translation: Gero P. Weishaupt)

What does canon law say?

Concelebrated (intercelebration) with ministers of ecclesial communities which are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, according to canon law, one of the very serious offenses in the sacramental-liturgical field, the - is treated by the Glaubenkongreation (see - such as sexual abuse of minors . Liturgical Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, No. 172 c).

The Code of the Catholic Church (CIC/1983) reads:

 "Catholic priests are forbidden, together with priests or ministers of Churches or ecclesial communities which are not in full communion with the Catholic Church to concelebrate the Eucharist"

(Canon 908). "Who is guilty of illicitly worshiping in community is to be punished with a just penalty"

(Canon 1365). By law, the bishop or the professor for sanctioning. In the diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch, the bishop could refrain from sanctioning because the responsible minister had taken after a canonical warning from his plan distance.

Link to kathnews... 

Bildquelle: nl.wikipedia.org, user Karrow

Ahh, The Creatures of Vatican II, What Music They Make

Edit: Father Ladislas Orsy is a Jesuit who teaches Canon Law at Georgetown University, who declared a legitimate excommunication of a dissident nun "null and void".  He must be a Cardinal, or a vampire in peccatore, because that doesn't seem possible.   She was previously excommunicated by Bishop Olmestead for cooperating in the sin of abortion.

Here he is for 'America Magazine', enthusiastically talking about the "faith tsunami" which swept and shook the world, leaving thousands of churches, religious orders and countries completely devoid of Catholic belief and practice.  Ironically, he finishes with a diversion on St. Francis of Assisi.  He built things, he didn't blow them away, or suck their blood.



Photo of the great Bella Lugosi stolen from Nate's non-sense...

Speaking of heresy, Bishop Trautman's reign has been brought to a definitive close today in Erie Penssylvania as a new Bishop, Lawrence T. Persico, is brought in.  Catholic Snooze Network thinks Erie is "thrilled" with him, but we're not sure why.  Although he is a canon lawyer, and has shown interest in handling "sex abuse", we don't know much about him.

On commenter posts an appropriate youtube farewell dedication for the Bishop Emeritus of Erie:

In the Big Cities in Europe, the Churches Are Empty

Philippe Cardinal Barbarin

Philippe Kardinal Barbarin
© JaHoVil, Flickr, CC-BY-SA

A French magazine is concerned that a French Cardinal has been ungently awakened from the Conciliar madness.

(kreuz.net) On the 27th of September Philippe Cardinal Barbarin of Lyon was suddenly seized by an attack of Conciliar derangement for the magazine 'Paris Match'.

Inner-Church Civil War

When he was asked for a summation of the Second Vatican Council, the Neoconservative Prelate fell into a delirium:

"This renewal was really necessary:  the Liturgy, the inclusion of the laity, the life and the role of priests  and Bishops, our method of working together -- that has deeply transformed everything."

Or:  "The Council had also asked, for the unity of Chrisians and to work for dialog with other religions -- which demanded progress for this."

Everyone Reads and Follows the Bible

The Catholics are to have finally found a taste for the Word of God -- mythologized the Cardinal.

"The Bible appeared to them not long ago as something not comprehensible:  now it's open for all and has awakened our faith."

The Caning 

A well earned caning is followed by the boot:

"Are you avoiding the  Cardinal Martini's testament, for the Church has fallen behind two hundred years" -- said 'Paris Match' said to the exultant Cardinal, trying to draw him back to the Old Liberal reality.

He then quickly noted that he is to have conferred extensively with Cardinal Martini at the Conclave in 2005:

"He spoke to me for a long time about the Church and the Vatican."

And: "He had wished that the Church would awake."

Carinal Barbarin continued: "In Milan and in our large cities, Europe's churches are empty."

What?  Is that the result of the Second Vatican Council?

Link to kreuz.net...

These Politics Will Lead Unavoidably to the Social Downfall

To the Bitter End

We will experience a Europe which will be under dictatorial rule -- and the Democratic politicians will explain to us that there are no alternatives.

(kreuz.net)  "How does it work like this that the political class will attempt to save the Euro down to the bitter end."

Albrecht Schachtschneider (72) said this in an interview, which was highly praised by users of 'Epochenwechsel'.

Soon, Germany Will be there

The desire is -- says Schachtschneider -- with the Euro and saving the Euro "to force the cause of the European state."

The constitutional lawyer insists that this political maneuver will lead "unavoidably to the  economic decline of all peoples":

"In the south it is already clearly detectable:  The recession and deflation -- and eventually then inflation."

And:  "That effects France also more and more and will soon draw Germany into the abyss."

The German must deliver the state of its assets

Schachtschneider predicts a climb in interest for Germany:  "The debt will become unserviceable in Germany."

He sees "fatal consequences" for everyone:  "One will make claims in every way of the citizens, to deliver up their assets."

It happens like this:  "The short term deposits in the region of two billion will be frozen by account blocks."

The immoveable assets will be seized by a forced loan.

Gold will be confiscated:  "There will be a ban on trading gold."

Schachtschneider recalled then that the private assets of the German people's assets have already been exhausted by incoming obligations.

It might be taken by the state only in title.

Rebellions will be put down


The past bankruptcy politics will in Schachtschneider's estimation result in a serious political crisis:  "The population may possibly rebel."

Actually: "This rebellion will be put down with all the resources and probably by foreign police power.  The troops have already been prepared."

The constitutional attorney expressed the foreseeable:  "We will experience a Europe, that will be despotic, i.e. dictatorially ruled."

Link to original...

Two German Bishops Resign

Bischof Joachim Wanke
© Th1979, Wikipedia, CC

One official resignation after the other followed unexpectedly -- by reason of a "labile health situation". German Catholics should not expect reforming Bishops to be appointed by the current pontificate.

(kreuz.net)  Today Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of two German Bishops.

As of today Bishop Joachim Wanke (71) and Bishop Wilhelm Schraml (77) of Passau are on leave.

Because of poor health

Msgr. Wanke resigned his office by reason of Canon Law 401 § 2

In this case a resignation follows by reason of poor health or another serious reason.

The Bishop resigned in the former case because of a "labile health situation".

The diocese of Erfurt will be immediately directed by a provisional Diocesan Administrator.

Msgr. Wanke was first established as Bishop of Erfurt in 1994. Previously he was an Auxiliary Bishop as the former Apostolic Administrator of Erfurt-Meinigen.

Resignation because of Age

Bishop Schraml had already reached his age of resignation by 2010 -- at the completion of his 75th birthday.

Msgr Schraml was a priest of the Diocese of Regensburg. In 1996 he was named by Pope John Paul II as the Auxiliary Bishop of Regensburg.

By 2001 till today he was Bishop of Passau.

Link to kreuz.net...

US Catholic Media Distorts German State-tax Situation

Catholic Media at Work

Edit:  While a lot of Americans now understand that the German Church-tax is a system which essentially compels German Catholics to pay their Church tithes from their income tax at 8% thanks to the Catholic media, that's where their understanding pretty much ends.

This coverage in the American Catholic media on the German news is generally unsatisfactory.  Whether James Akin is trying to cover for Cardinal Schonborn, or what not.  In the current furor over the German Church-tax, predictably, Catholic media has sided exclusively with the German Bishops, while ignoring the actual condition of the German Catholic World, which has sunk very low indeed. It's almost as if they don't want American Catholics to draw obvious parallels between the corrupt bureaucracies which dominate both churches.

It's therefore tragic that we have to go to the usually unreliable American secular press to get a clearer picture of what's going on.  This was the case with 'International Business Times', which described the Bishops' Decree as, "Pay up or Die Without Absolution", which is what it is if you bother to read the Decree, which Father Boyle admits he has not.  We were the first, and only American news commenter, to report on this issue and we did so by simply translating the story from the German District of the SSPX, which describing the deplorable situation in very clinical terms indeed.

We also noted that the German Bishops had made no mention of refusing the Sacraments to the numerous dissidents employed in Catholic Counseling Services recommending abortion services, for example, in parishes or on University Faculties simply teaming with non-conformist intellectuals who are capable of doing everything but teaching the Catholic Faith.

To read articles by James Akin or Father John Boyle, you would think that the German Bishops are simply tightening up the reigns and drawing Catholics to greater fidelity.  Actually, most Germans leaving the Church aren't concerned in the slightest about whether or not they are excommunicated, but there are many Catholics who are faithful to the Church's teachings, so faithful in fact, that they have no desire to be a material contributor to Diocesan programs and efforts which they can't in good conscience support.

While Father Boyle does acknowledge that opting out of the Catholic Church as a "body of legal right", can be dealt with as a case by case basis, not all German Bishops are concerned by the moral reservations of many faithful Catholics.

This was the case with a German canonist, Doctor Harmut Zapp who recently won a legal case against the Diocese of Freiburg headed by the head of the German Bishops' Conference Archbishop Zollitsch (One of German's most dissident and disobedient Old Liberal Bishops). The ruling was inaccurately reported by First Things as a victory for the Archdiocese.  This was not the case as the German Court ruled in favor of the good Catholic Doctor Zapp, whom First Things described as a "tax dodger" or a man of low integrity.

While these sorts of inaccuracies aren't necessarily the result of bad will, they are frequent and persistent enough where it becomes easier to accuse those harboring them persistently without recantation or apologies, of being a very bad set of characters indeed.

Let's not assume, as the Catholic media USA does, that the German Bishops aren't the problematic, often encouraging heresy and disobedience to Rome, while continuing projects harmful to their flocks and harboring enemies of the Church at the expense of the laity who support it with their blood, sweat and tears.  Germans work hard, but they also want to see their money spent well.

There was one ray of light, however, on Father Boyle's blog, where a commenter brought up the point we've been trying to make that faithful Catholics shouldn't be forced under threat of excommunication to support anti-Catholic policies and individuals.  As noted above this situation has obvious parallels in how the USCCB has been working with CCHD and CHS to promote programs and individuals not only working contrary to Catholic belief, but often hostile to it.  While our own situation in the USA has improved slightly,  let's hope that with the help of faithful Catholics everywhere, a stop can be put to this horrible misappropriation of spiritual and financial capital.

Photo credit, thanks.

Legal Complaint: Organ Donors Aren't Even Dead Before They're Chopped UP

Edit: the Church has expressed reservations about this, as on Lifesite News.  This story is terribly gruesome, and it's hard to believe that anyone could suspend their disgust and horror long enough to contemplate doing something like this, no matter how much money he was being paid.

Patrick McMahon (50) is a former employee of the organization 'New York Organ Donor Network', which manages organ transplants.

On Tuesday he arrived in a court in Manhattan and filed suit against the organization.  This was reported in "New York Post" on September 26th.

McMahon's accusation:  The organization is supposed to have been put under massive pressure to prematurely pronounce patients as "brain dead", in order to take out their organs.

The organization has also trained hospital employees in the tactics of conferring with relatives to facilitate the organ donations.

Diagnosis over the telephone

McMahon gave some examples:

In Septemer 2011 the New York Clinic at Nassau University Medical Center designated a boy of 19 as an organ donor although he was still trying to breathe and still had brain activity.

Michael Goldstein -- the medical director of 'New York Organ Donor Network' -- had become involved in the case on the telephone and shouted: "This boy is dead, do you understand that?"

McMahon was active in the US Airforce in Iraq and Afghanistan as a medical technician.  He explained:  "I have seen worse cases than this which were successfully operated on."  There were people with serious brain injuries and every possible kind of trauma which he was able to help save, and in some of the cases he's seen, they're being designated as donors.

Extortion of the next of kin

In any case there was a woman in St. Barnabas Hospital in the New York city portion, the Bronx, who was offered up.  She also showed life signs.

Actually, the employee of the 'New York Organ Donor Network' used the fact, that she had received a kidney a few years old, in order to extort her daughter."

Whoever protests is a troublemaker 

In October 2011 in Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn a man was dismembered although he had shown brain activity.

A month later McMahon saw, how a woman with an overdose was delivered to the Staten Island University Hospital,  received anesthesia before the removal of her organs, because he body flinched.

As McMahon protested, a colleague from 'New York Organ Donor Network' explained that he is a "uneducated troublemaker".

Every fifth

McMahon explained in his complaint that every fifth designated organ donor shows brain activity.

Lutheran Church Closed to Host Freemasonic Rituals

Edit: this is from the German district web-page on the historic meeting of Freemasons, for the first time taking place in a church.

[piusbruderschaft.de] Yesterday the main Protestant church in Hamburg, "St. Michealis Kirche", held a Freemasonic convent with ceremony.

Even though the "brothers" were strenuously advised that only limited press photos were allowed, one pius-info reader took some private photos.

Normally the church holds a Feastday protestant Liturgy, but clearly those responsible for church of St. Michaelis find the Freemasonic convent more important than their own community, which was in any case excluded from the event. (see photo)

It was the first time that such a Freemasonic ritual has taken place in a church in Germany.

The pius-info photography shows:  "The ceremony of light with the giving of the candles follows the ritual wall conducted with much tapping and clapping three times to greet the brothers from abroad,  alltogether very comical and middle-class, but deadly serious."

The following press release was to be read in the news "Die Welt":

1,500 Freemasons from all over the world conducted a solemn Masonic ritual in Hamburg's main church ST. Micehalis (Micheal).   It was the high point of the celebration of the 275 year existence of German Freemasons -- in Hamburg, the first Masonic Lodge, "Absalom zu den drei Nesseln" (Absolom of the three Nettles) was founded.

It was the first time that so large a meeting of Freemasons took place in a Church, and the first time that the press could be present on Saturday during this important event.  With this step, the Freemasons want to open themselves to more strongly to society.

(Die Welt, 9/29/12)

Interior of the Protestant church:  Everything is Adapted to the Masonic Ritual

Freemasonry has been condemned by the Church for centuries.

Link to piusbruderschaft.de...

1567 September 30th and 29th: Protestants Massacre Catholics in the Michelade

Edit: Like any other Revolutionary movement, Protestantism took up the sword to obtain its illegitimate supremacy wherever it came to power.  It is not remembered, conveniently, outside of France especially in discussions about St. Bartholomew's Day for which it served as a justification.

The Michelade is the name given to the massacre of 80-90 Catholics, including 24 Catholic priests and monks, by Protestant butchers in Nîmes and Languedoc on Michaelmas (29th and 30th of September) 1567, following their failure to abduct the king and queen mother in the so-called, Surprise of Meaux the previous day and in retaliation for the suppression of their Huguenot beliefs.  The name is taken after the feast on which the massacre occurred, after the Archangels.

The September 29, 1567 is the Feast of the Michelade, where a fair was held on the day of the Saint-Michel in Nîmes . Passing near the city, a Protestant merchant of vegetables was insulted by some soldiers and vegetables his trampled. This incident lead to a crowd of protestant peasants and soldiers training companies. Insults and threats were exchanged and turned this crowd into a riot.

The First Consul Guy Rochette, a Catholic, tried in vain to pacify the mob, and was forced to take refuge with Bishop Bernard Elbene. The vicar general and twenty of monks or clerics , were incarcerated. On September 30, 1567, they were kidnapped, killed and thrown into a well in the courtyard of the palace . Men working three centuries later,found the bodies that were piled up at the bottom of the well.

The Rioters also looted Catholic churches in the city, and attempted to demolish the tower of the cathedral by undermining its base. The First Consul stopped this. The Bishop escaped and went overnight at Tarascon , with a Protestant soldier, Jacques Coussinal.

Link to French wiki... H/t: Francisco de Marooned

News Bytes: Divorce Taught at Linz Seminary

Divorce in Linz Seminary -- The Comrades Want More Children's Blood -- Postnatal Multiple Abortion -- Now the Homosexual-Media Has its Revenge -- Not a Party of Idealists


Divorce in the Linz Seminary

Austria.  On the 2nd of October an event was propagated 'Pro Oriente -- Sektion Linz' in the dying Linz Seminary on Divorce.   This was reported by the Austrian Church-tax news agency 'kathpress'.  It is described as a "thought provocation"  from the scandalous and immoral praxis of separation by Orthodox schismatics.  These will wed adulterers without scruple.   As lecturers, two schismatics were invited:  Anargyros Anapliotis, Orthodox Canon Lawyer from Munich, and Sorin Bugner, Pastor of teh Romanian Orthodox community in Linz.

The Comrades Want the Blood of More Children

France.   The child slaughter will be financed next in France completely at the hospital.   The so-called Health Minister, Comrade Marisol Touraine, announced this.  The French President, Comrade Francis Holande, had made a campaign promise that he would approve the costs for killing children.   Till now 80 percent of abortions were already paid from the health fund.

Postnatal Multiple Abortions

Germany.  A 28 year old from Schleswig-Holstein has killed five new born babies since 2006.  This was reported by NS-journalist founded maganizine 'spiegel.de',  that the slaughter of children can be done to the day of birth.  The child murderer bore two of the murdered children at home and three in the woods and subsequently killed her children.  The criminal is married and has two living children (8.10).

Now the Homo-media Takes its Revenge

USA.  The US- Scouting organization "Boy Scouts"  is supposed to have covered hundreds of alleged cases of abuse.  This is what the abuse-media says.  In five hundred cases the organization is supposed to have ignored evidence. The news daily 'Los Angeles Times' has looked at over 1,600 confidential documents.  In 80 percent of the cases they are said to have ignored them.  The back ground for the witch hunt:  In July the organization had made it clear that they weren't going to accept any homosexually disturbed individuals,  from whom comes the greatest danger of abuse.

It's not a Party of Idealists

"The Greens are not a Party of idealists.  Their secret consists in this:  >>To create structured speech, that  permits the combination of the criticism of society with the use of its privileges.<<"

Comrade Manfred Gullner (71) -- founder and business leader of the 'Forsa-Meinungsforschungsinstitutes' during a lecture on the 1st of September in Duisburg.

Protestants Excommunicate Critics of Homosexuality

© Miebner, Wikipedia, CC

Who says that Protestants don't believe in anything any more?  Whoever doesn't agree with protestantic homosexual disorder may not come to the Lord's Supper.

(kreuz.net)  Ute Brause (51)  is the wife of the Protestant Preacher Gerald Brause.  He is active in Ossling and Grossgrabe in the Church district of Bautzen.  The couple has been married for 28 years.

Because of the decision of Saxony's Protestants allow homosexual couplings in their parish residences, Frau Brause left the Protestant community.

It had become clear to her that she had to obey God rather than men -- she explained this on August 28th at the Protestant site 'idea.de'.

She lost her job

After her departure Frau Brause informed her employer -- that the Protestant "Diakonische Werk" in the 17,000 population city Kamenz -- about the step

Within one and a half weeks later she was given notice.

The work hires associations who are not members of the Protestant community also.

The Protestant Lay-Bishop Had No Understanding

At the same time the Brauses received an invitation to a talk with the Saxon Homosexual Lay-Bishop Jochen Bohl in Dresden.

"He made it clear that he didn't understand  act of conscience, which brought me to leave the church" --  Frau Brause told 'idea.de'.

Bohl wrote a letter to her husband that his wife may no longer approach the Lord's Table.

The Protestagay-Lay Bishop Threatened

The homosexual Lay-Bishop openly threatens:  Should Frau Brause thereon participate in the Lord's Table,  this could create a "difficult situation" for her husband.

Pastor Brause was ordained still in the DDR [The old Communist East Germany].

"Even the atheistic State itself respected that Christians held to the Bible" -- he told 'idea.de'.

Link to kreuz.net....

Church-tax: Archdiocese of Freiburg Loses Against Loyal Catholic

Attorneys:  "Just because of an unsuccessful complaint by the Archdiocese of Freiburg there will begin a discussion within the Church now more than ever with a five year postponement."

Freiburg (kath.net)  Freiburg lawyers of canon lawyer Harmut Zapp have published a press clarification about the judgment of the Federal Court's instruction about leaving the Church,  in which they make it clear that, contrary to some media reports of the Archdiocese of Freiburg with its legal opinions, where Helmut Zapp is explained to have left the "Roman Catholic Church, as a corporate body of public law" has not left the Roman Catholic Church, has lost.

Kath.net recently documented the explanation in text [with our translation]:

The Federal Administrative Court has, with its judgement of 26.09.2012 (-6 C 7.12), has finally rejected the complaint of the Archdiocese of Freiburg against Harmut Zapp declared leaving of the Church to the registry office in July of 2007.  The Archdiocese of Freiburg is thereon completely subject whereupon Hartmut Zapp with his declared exit from the "Roman Catholic Church as a body of public right" does not constitute leaving the Roman Catholic Church.

Much more it was certified that Hartmut Zapp with his declaration is effectively, "without any ifs and buts"  is outside of the Catholic Church.  Hartmut Zapp has indicated with his declaration of exit.  It went to him-- against the media reportage --  that he was  at no point,  throwing aside his duties as a member of the Roman Catholic Church corresponding to its internal norms.

The Federal Administrative Court had further clarified in substantiating its ruling that the consequences of declaring exit of Hartmut Zapp only bears upon the State's area.   Among other things, the state may no longer levy Church-tax on Hartmut Zapp.  That is only the consequence of the declaration of leaving the Church in the secular area among  others, albeit it is also in the public consciousness probably the most important.

Against that there remains according to the Federal Administrative Court finally the question of the Roman Catholic Church itself, as it addresses the exit of Hartmut Zapp within the Church.  The Federal Administrative Court can and may not address the specifications of the basic law on articles creeping over from Weimar's Reich Constitution.  If Hartmut Zapp respective of internal Church norms therefore  is or not a member of the Roman Catholic Church, the Church must itself decide on these norms.  Which importance in connection with the German Bishop Conference's recently published "General Decree on Leaving the Church", remain foreseeably to be clarified by internal Church processes. 

Hartmut Zapp wants exactly these internal Church conflicts already in 2007 to be adjoined with his declaration of leaving the Church.  Just because of the most recent unsuccessful complaint of the Archdiocese of Freiburg, there begins an internal Church discussion now more than ever after a five year postponement.

Link to kath.net...

A Site Dedicated to Abbé Michel in Thieberville and His Apostolic Work

Edit: we found this on the Messa in Latino site and got an approximate google translation. The sites below are in French but boast beautiful photos and show the continuing work of this great priest. Thanks be to God!

 [MIL] Do you remember the heroic priest who opposed Thiberville with recourse to Rome (unfortunately lost in both instances) to his bishop Nouricchard that, under the pretext of uniting several parishes, also suppressed in that, with the double Rite (NO and EO) was the most popular and loved by the faithful and pious Catholics? Well, the good priest, who no longer has a parish but is one of the group related to the Parish of Thiberville, it has not been abandoned by his followers. Here you can find links to the site support Abbé Michel packed with news and photos of initiatives, including the Church of Folleville that has been "restored" and brought to the honor of the Catholic Rite by the indefatigable Abbé Michel, who in spite of everything, continues its defense of the rite of the Church, to celebrate coram Deo, and always wears cassock (which is very rare in France!).

 Thanks to a reader for the reporting of the site.

 And thanks to Abbé!

Modernist Abbey Still Defies Archbishop Nienstedt

Edit: St. John's Abbey has recently come out in favor of the Marriage Amendment, but not really. Archbishop Nienstedt has been courageously encouraging all Minnesotans to defend Marriage, while some of his own clergy and professed Monks in Collegeville are undercutting his authority and insulting the Catholic Faith. While they insist that they support Marriage, they don't explicitly advocate a vote for "yes" and undercut the message by wingding about how different types of people have different struggles.

Of course, they mean Father Bob Pierson, among others, who was asked to lie low but continues to speak against the Archbishop's witness in defense of marriage. The Abbey refuses to discipline him or any of the others like him who make a mockery of the Church's teachings by their support for sodomy.

We'd written earlier this month about Father Piersn's continuing defiance of the Archbishop's defense of marriage.

Here's the Abbey's passive aggressive non-statement. It's actually worse than if they'd said nothing at all:

Marriage amendment in Minnesota

As a Catholic institution we take the proposed amendment to the Minnesota constitution as an opportunity "to witness to our conviction that marriage is a vital part of the social fabric" that needs support and attention. By doing this we hope to put the marriage amendment into a larger context that acknowledges the challenges that people face in reconciling their faith commitments with a variety of other positions in the culture.

Individual members of the monastic community do have individual opinions regarding this and other political, social and even moral issues under discussion in our society. Individual monks may express their personal views on such issues based on their own freedom of conscience, though in doing so, they do not necessarily represent the opinion or view of the abbey. In this situation, the individual speaks for himself only.

As an institution we strive to ensure that whatever takes place under our auspices be consistent with the integrity of the Church's teaching on marriage. We wish to witness to unity, respect, and peace, even in the midst of challenging emotions and differing ideas on this matter.

News Bytes --- Case for the Beatification of Pope John Paul I is Begun

Is it possible to canonize all the Conciliar Popes automatically?

Vatican. [kreuz] In the course of a General Audience this Wednesday, Bishop Giuseppe Andrich (72)  of Belluno-Feltre presented the Pope with the case for a Beatification for John Paul I. (1978).  John Paul I was born in Belluno on the 17th of October he would have celebrated his 100th birthday.  For the occasion of this day, Msgr Andrich presented the Congregation for the Causes of Beatification and Saints with a file of the allegedly heroic virtue of John Paul I.

Bishop Attacked in the Open Street

Mexico:  On Wednesday armed robbers attacked the Mexican Bishop Alonso Gerardo Garza Trevino (64) of Piedras Negras in the northern Mexican 50,000 population city of Sabinas while he was in his car.  The perpetrators forced the Bishop as well as his companion to get out.  Then they stole the auto and drove on.  The police found the car some hours later.  The personal property of the Bishop was found still in the car.

The Courage to Pray

UK On the 24th of September Bishop Philip Anthony Egan (56) of Portsmouth in southern England was consecrated.  In his address he asked for prayers that he will be a holy, faithful and courageous Bishop.  A Bishop must give his life as did the Master for his flock.

The Green Comrades Are A Clientele Party

"The Greens are a clientele party today for the minority of pampered post-materialists in the orbit of public service (40 percent of the ofoficials in higher services are hangers on of the Greens).  The average household incomoe of the Greens is higher than that of FDP-adherents.

Comrade Manfred Gullner (71) -- founder and business manager of the 'Forsa'- Institute for Public Opinion in a lecture on the 1st of September in Duisburg.

Old Liberal Gold Instead of Catholic Faith

Matthias Matussek
© Christliches Medienmagazin pro,
Flickr, CC

Perhaps the Pope and Bishops are finally coming to the conclusion that the Church is supported by the people who form it -- the Catholic Faithful.

(kreuz.net) "How distrustful must the German Catholic Church be to tie the Sacraments to membership fees?"

This question was put by journalist Matthias Matussek yesterday in the former Nazi-Journaist founded with the help of his SS-Friends Germany Church-hate magazine 'Spiegel".

Matussek commented on the most recent Leipzig Church-tax judgment in which the Bishops most recently lost their senses.

The Journalist prophesied:  "So the Church will sink in on itself:  the old will die, the young will stay away.  The Church will be built voluntarily."

"No Sacraments Without Church-tax"

The last Dogma of the Old Liberal Bishops sounds like this to Matussek:  "No Sacraments without Church-tax."

Or: "Pay first, then to the Communion rail and the Confessional."

Interior Empty

Matussek sees the in the fact of a Church-tax a "hair raising, but for the time being, tolerable alliance  in which all participate."

The Church secures to itself a yearly intake of 4.8 Billion Euro -- and the state collects a two percent fee.

At the same time the German official Church is, according to Matussek, "sturdy on the outside, but empty on the interior."


They keep out of a conflict with the Zeitgeist

The Journalist referred to a new 'Allensbach' study:  Only 47 percent of so-called Catholics in Germany believe in the Holy Trinity.

With this not even one half in this case pray the Creed.

This scandal should, according to Matussek, disquiet the Bishops -- "not the fact that the Zeitgeist takes offense at celibacy."

Actually the German official Church "keeps out of conflict with the Zeitgeist."

A Pitiful Picture

For Matussek the German Bishops offer the explanation that the tax rebellion was a "serious transgression" against the Church Community, a "pathetic picture".

Even the Old Liberal magazine "Christ in der Gegenwart' (Christ Today) takes note that the Bishops are concerned not "for those leaving, but to save their Church finances."

Matussek compared the situation with a "present day scandalous form of indulgence in the word where everything is only for sale."

In the End the Catholics Remain

He knows, that "our Church will soon sink."

Because: "The Old will die, while the young stay away."

Too late will the Church recognize that those who support it are the ones who form it: the Catholic faithful.

Link to kreuz.net....