Islamization a Major Issue in Bulgarian Politics Today: Unrest

H/t: Fisheaters

Father Pfleger Declares Victory over Cardinal George

Editor: He's declaring victory on his FB Page. He can now return to St. Sabina's to make the same inflammatory statements, perpetrate Liturgical abuses and lead his flock to Hell. Cultural Marxism is indeed a powerful thing.

The heretical pastor was prepared to leave the Catholic Church at one point and considering his boss' strong statement, it's easy to see that a significant turn around was made without Pfleger making any recantations at all:

The cardinal ended the letter by saying, "This conflict is not between you and me; it's between you and the Church that ordained you a priest, between you and the faith that introduced you to Christ and gives you the right to preach and pastor in his name. If you now formally leave the Catholic Church and her priesthood, it's your choice and no one else's. You are not a victim of anyone or anything other than your own statements."

So much for those hard words. Pfleger now says:

Thank you to all who prayed and stood with me in the FIRE, God is so FAITHFUL. I am grateful to friends and stangers [sic] who lifted St. Sabina and Myself before the Throne of God! Although we have very HOT days and very COLD days we neither BURN nor FREEZE, because God is in CONTROL, so it is with life. No matter how it looks or feels GOD is in control and will not let life Destroy us! To GOD be the GLORY!!!

Here's the article from the local Chicago paper:

Ending a weeks-long standoff, Cardinal Francis George lifted his suspension of the Rev. Michael Pfleger on Friday after the two men met and Pfleger apologized for statements the cardinal took as a threat to leave the priesthood.

Both men issued simultaneous statements, with Pfleger saying he would deliver a transition plan by Dec. 1 for St. Sabina Catholic Church, the South Side parish he has served for nearly 30 years.

But neither statement clarified how long Pfleger might remain at the parish. For now, he'll be back in the pulpit for the 11:15 a.m. Mass on Sunday.

Link further...

h/t AQ, E

De Ecclesia Militante by Chris Wells

Editor: Don't forget to support the pious work of Chris Wells on his Pius Blog. He writes:

Saint Robert Bellarmine - De Ecclesia Militante
Today I'm beginning to post St. Robert Bellarmine's classic work, De Ecclesia Militante. Despite its importance to the study of ecclesiology, to the best of my knowledge there is no English version available. I will be posting a (very rough) English translation, with the Latin text following in a later post. I hope that by making this text available on the internet, it will prompt other students to rediscover Bellarmine's theology.

Chapter One
About the Name of the Church

(1) The controversy about the Church militant has many parts. For she is first considered as she is in herself; then about her members, that is, about clerics, about monks, about laity. But returning to the Church considered according to herself, about which we now start to dispute, there are esEpecially three controversies. The first is about the name and definition of ‘Church.’ The second, about the quality or about the visibility of the same. The third, about the notes, by which she is able to be known certainly.

Read further...

Phillippine Bishops Support SSPX Rosary Crusade

Edit: Father Albert Ghela of the SSPX in the Philippines receives a kind of endorsement from the Church there. Let's hope this kind of collaboration continues with benefit for everyone, including the sheep.

Here in the Philippines the SSPX organised a 1 Million Rosary Crusade for the Defense of God's Law on Life and Family. This Rosary Crusade is supported and endorsed by the Philippine Episcopal Commission on Family Life (CBCP). President Aquino accepted $500 million in aid from the USA that had the "Family Planning" strings attached and now the Catholic Church is the only force to truly oppose him. It is heartwarming to see the local Bishops here in the Philippines supporting the SSPX, under the banner of Our Blessed Mother, in the defense of life. St. Lorenzo Ruiz, Archbishop Lefebvre and Bishop Lazo, pray for us!

In this first video Fr. Onoda, rector of the SSPX's Our Lady of Victories Church in Manila, hosts Archbishop Paciano Aniceto who is the chairman of the Philippine Episcopal Commission on Family Life (CBCP).



In this second video Fr. Albert Ghela SSPX, hosts Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu.



H/t: Hawaii5O

The Immemorial Mass is a Duty: Swiss Bishop Promotes Mass of All Ages

Switzerland [May 16, Kreuz] Bishop Vitus Huonder met with about 60 priests at the Benedictine Cloister of Einsiedeln. The Vienese Psychiatrist and Opus Dei Numerary, Raphael Bonelli gave a talk about celibacy. In his preaching, Msgr Huonder spoke about the Instruction 'Universae Ecclesiae'. The Bishop encouraged the priests to follow the Instruction. He stressed especially the right of the Traditionalists for the Old Mass. Every Bishop has been bound by the Pope, to support the desire for the Old Mass -- Msgr Huonder said.

http://www.kreuz.net/article.13221.html
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

More Mistaken Notions About the Rome Conferences with the SSPX

Editor: There's a lot more docility on the part of the SSPX to what the Vatican says it wants; but William Oddie says that he's a Papal Loyalist, understandably so for the SSPX has shown time and time again that it has been more loyal to the Holy Father than the men who are supposed to be in union with him. Incredibly, he talks about the mainstream Catholic. Actually, if the numbers on birth control and actual knowledge of the average layman to be believed, most Catholics are not Papal Loyalists. They don't either believe or understand most Catholic doctrine, and they don't practice what the Catholic Church teaches by and large. On the other hand, it's your SSPX types who are on board with the Pope on Birth Control, Homosexuality, the Hierarchy and a host of other issues.

I suppose the Guardian just hopes to portray the Traditionalist position as ridiculous, but William Oddie's expectations and explanations really fly in the face of reality when he writes the following:

Well, I can’t say I’m neutral between the two points of view, definitely tending towards being a “papal loyalist” (despite some discomfort over Assisi, I think it’s just about defensible), though how high-minded you need to be to hold such views I’m not sure: it seems to me it’s a perfectly normal for a mainstream Catholic to be loyal to the pope. [Hmmm...you'd think...]

The real question is whether there was ever any realistic prospect that there might be any kind of rapprochement. Rome’s view is that the SSPX can be as critical as it likes about the distortions of Vatican II – what Pope Benedict calls “the hermeneutic of discontinuity and rupture” – but in the end it has to accept the essential Catholicity of the Council itself. This seems to me entirely reasonable. SSPX actually demands that Rome should repudiate the Council and accept that the Mass of Paul VI is invalid, even Protestant.

UK: Ritual Slaughter of Goats in Devon Has Frightened Local People

Editor: It's frightening to think that someone should be so cruel to a poor, harmless goat. Goats are sweet, gentle animals and to think that someone would do the kinds of things to them that are happening here, is more than a little disturbing. It's understandable that the local people are overwrought about this.

When things like this happen, it's understandable how ordinary people can justifiably have concerns about Satanism. Whether or not this constitutes some form of Satanic ritual or not, it looks to be more likely the result of adolescents who listen to Satanic Rock N' Roll.

It would be a blessing if they were caught and punished, because it's even more disturbing to think that the people who are doing this are free and liable to turn up just about anywhere.

[The Daily Mail] Four goats have been cruelly slaughtered in a village, raising fears of ‘satanic rituals’.

The animals were killed within a few days of each other, either with their heads twisted backwards or their throats cut.

The horned goat is a symbol in the occult, intended to mock the image of Jesus as the ‘lamb’ who died for Man’s sins, after a reference in the Bible to the obedient sheep being separated from the unruly, non-believing goats.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1387427/Satanism-fear-stalks-village-goats-tortured-killed.html#ixzz1Mo09LtOk

Boston Archdiocesan Official Supports Obama Extravaganza

Editor: Despite there being a prohibition that Personnel working for the Archdiocese adhere to and defer to the teaching of the Church, a Diocesan official who's helping to organize a campaign being sponsored by the pro-abortion, Marxist, President of the United States.

[Boston Catholic Insider] There is no question that the moral tradition of the Catholic Church opposes abortion–as do certain applicable Archdiocesan Affiliated organizations–and there is little doubt that President Obama is pro-abortion (see “Obama recalls Roe v. Wade, backs abortion rights“ and “Barack Obama on Abortion“).

So, can Jack, through his public and private actions, serve as chair of Partners Healthcare (one of the largest abortion providers in the state), raise money for pro-abortion politicians such as President Obama, endorse them, lead faithful Catholics and others to vote for them, and presumably vote for them himself, while also somehow promoting the welfare of the Archdiocese and each applicable Archdiocesan Affiliated Organization and exemplifying the moral traditions of the Church?

As we all know, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, in a 2007 interview with the Boston Globe, acknowledged that Catholic voters in Massachusetts generally support Democratic candidates who are in favor of abortion rights, said, “I think that, at times, it borders on scandal as far as I’m concerned.”

So how does Jack’s very public support for candidates who favor abortion rights reconcile with Church moral teachings, the Code of Conduct policy and the Cardinal’s own belief that it borders on scandal?

Here are a few excerpts from the

Bishop Fellay of SSPX Has Mixed Reactions about Clarification: Sees no Reconcilation Short Term

Editor: The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

Clarity is not the Charism of the Conciliar Church

The General Superior of the Society of Pius X has made it clear that a reconciliation with the Vatican is not foreseeable "in the short term".

(kreuz.net, Stuttgart)  The instruction 'Universae Ecclesiae' has affirmed the importance of the Old Mass for the whole Church.

Bishop Bernard Fellay -- the General Superior of the Society of St. Pius X -- said this in a German video interview with the website 'pius.info'.

This occured on Tuesday at during a visit by Msgr Fellay in Stuttgart.

The Bishop was leased that Bishops and Priests will be permited to offer the Old Rite.

At the same time Msgr Fellay sees shadows in the Instruction.

Legitimacy of the New Mass

The Bishop especially criticized number 19 of the Instruction.

It reads: "The faithful who ask for the celebration of the forma extraordinaria must not in any way support or belong to groups which show themselves to be against the validity or legitimacy of the Holy Mass or the Sacraments celebrated in the forma ordinaria or against the Roman Pontiff as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church."

The General Superior took the entire paragraph to mean that the legitimacy of the New Mass may not be doubted.

Actually, it's a fact "that probably ninety percent of those, who are attending the Old Mass see."

Because: Why should one attend the Old Mass if one is happy with the New -- asked the Prelate.

With this point, the Society is "surely not pleased".

Careful Criticisms

Additionally, Msgr Fellay criticized number 31 of the Instruction. There, the Diocesan Bishops are strenuously forbidden to offer Priestly ordinations in the Old Rite.

The section from 31 reads: 31. "Only in Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life which are under the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, and in those which use the liturgical books of the forma extraordinaria, is the use of the Pontificale Romanum of 1962 for the conferral of minor and major orders permitted."

Bishop Fellay had hoped for the same openness to ordination as with the Mass.

As a whole he greets the new Instruction "with mixed feelings".

As far as that goes, he hopes that the good will grow and that the Old Mass will be more and more celebrated.

No Reconciliation in the Short Term

Of the Conferences with the Vatican, Msgr Fellay said that he remains committed to them.

If it will produce a common clarification or not, only the future can tell.

The Bishop isn't expecting too much.

In the short term he does not see a reconciliation. The Society should not expect that Rome will suddenly say: "I was wrong".

Long term Msgr Fellay hopes for certain emendations -- especially of the Pastoral Council:

"It is very, very difficult, to say anything clear about the results of the Discussions."

Link to original...here.

Pope Warns of the Sins of Sodom and Gomorrah

Editor: The following is a google of Vaticanist Tornielli's account of Pope Benedict XVI's address during his general audience today.  If there are but ten good men left, God is good enough to work from that to save the city of man from utter destruction.  It is not only a warning, but a sign of love and healing.

Evil "is not acceptable," but "the Lord does not want the death of the wicked, but that he be converted and live; his desire is always to forgive, save, create, transform evil into good." This was explained by Benedict XVI during the general audience today, commenting on the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities where rampant immorality, for the sake of which Abraham prayed to God begging him not to wear his punishment in just the name of those who lived there.
 
With his prayers, "Abraham is giving voice to the desire of God, which is not to destroy, but to save Sodom, to give life to the repentant sinner." The need 'to find right men in the city "is becoming less demanding and ten in the end it will be enough to save the entire population." But "there were not ten righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities were destroyed." And this is because "the town were closed on an all-encompassing and numbing evil, without even a few innocents from which to transform evil into good."
 
"It is not the punishment that should be eliminated - said Benedict XVI - but sin, that rejection of God and the love that brings in itself the punishment." It serves, however, "a transformation from within, a few good holding on, a beginning from which to transform evil into good, hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness." For this the righteous shall be in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham and continually repeated: "Perhaps it will ...."
 
"There - Ratzinger has made clear - is in reality ill that there must be the seed of good that can heal and restore life." "It's a word," he added spontaneously to the Pope, addressed "to us" so that "in our town is the seed of good, we do not all because there are only ten righteous people to live and survive in our cities and to save us from the bitterness inside which is the absence of God in the real sick of Sodom and Gomorrah, the seed of good is not. "
 

Hearing these words of the Pope came to me immediately in mind the connection with the incident, sad and dramatic, the Genoese priest accused of abusing children by offering them in exchange for cocaine.

Study blames U.S. clergy sex abuse on poor training of priests, upheaval of the 1960s

Editor: The Bishops need to start taking responsibility for what they've failed to do in their training of priests and opening the doors of the Church to modern psychological techniques, moral relativism, Marxism and ultimately, Modernism.  It's a convenient time to point out what happened in California with the IHM Sisters at the hands of practitioners like Doctor Coulson who destroyed the lives of the Nuns there by appealing to their desire for becoming more modern.  They became more modern, alright., here and abstract here. Rather than identifying the problem, doing public penance and making restitution, the Bishops have instead, by and large, attempted to nullify the problem through various meaningless gestures and participate with those outside the Church who want to make this a cause for more, not less, Liberalism entering into the Church.  This Liberalism takes the form of sex education, which was part of the problem in the first place, increasing more lay involvement and pushing for an end to clerical celibacy, priestesses and an electoral process for Bishops.

In fact, this observation about the moral ineptitude of the Bishops and their conferences is not that controversial or original as Catholic Church Conservation notes: Cardinal Baggio in 1977 when Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, addressed the Circulo di Roma, a group of diplomats and intellectuals based in Rome.

While dressing up his assessment of Bishops' Conferences in a generally positive light, he declared that, « as they were entirely human institutions, they reveal grandeurs and servility, ambiguity and contradictions, such as improvisation and inexperience, empiricism, group mentality when it comes to expressing an opinion, bureaucratic and administrative inertia, a refusal to take responsibility, a loss of energy and time- these defective elements lead one to consider sometimes that the Bishops’ Conferences are a aberration of pluralism »

Considering that sex-abuse is far more likely to occur among Protestants, and Jews, this study reiterates the true source of the problem, which is Liberalism and Modernism, sins upon which modern Judaism and Protestantism are founded.  

Although the victims studied by the researchers were all legally minors, the authors said only a percentage of accused priests - less than 5 percent - could be technically defined as pedophiles.

Associated Press
Updated: 05/17/2011 11:50:26 PM CDT

WASHINGTON - Researchers commissioned by the nation's Roman Catholic bishops to analyze the pattern of clergy sex abuse over decades have concluded that homosexuality, celibacy and an all-male priesthood did not cause the scandal.

The report from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York said about 44 percent of the known abuse cases involved priests who were ordained in the 1940s and 1950s, at a time when seminaries did not properly train them to live a celibate life. These men were not equipped to withstand the social upheaval of the 1960s, which was a time of an increase in sexual deviancy and a spike in crime in society at large, the authors said.

The full report is the last of three studies commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as part of child protection reforms adopted in 2002 at the height of the American abuse crisis. Dioceses nationwide have received allegations from more than 15,700 people against about 6,000 clerics since 1950, according to reports John Jay and others compiled for the bishops. The findings are scheduled to be released Wednesday. A person close to the bishops provided a copy to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity since the person was not authorized to release the information.

The debate over what caused the crisis has fallen along ideological lines, with liberals blaming mandatory celibacy or the lack of women in positions of authority. Conservatives pointed to gay priests, since the overwhelming majority of known victims were boys.

The John Jay researchers, however, said that the offenders chose boys mainly because the clergy had greater access to them. [This is the politically correct thing, of course, denying the obvious link to deviant sexual behavior and mental conditions which lead to the abuse.] According to the researchers, abuse cases peaked in the 1970s, then began declining sharply in 1985, following a similar trajectory for the rate of abuse in society at large.

The bishops hoped the results of the study, which were first reported by Religion News Service, would help them better identify potential offenders. The researchers, however, said they found no "psychological characteristics" or "developmental histories" that distinguished guilty priests from clergy who did not molest children.

"No single 'cause' of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests is identified as a result of our research," the authors wrote.

Although the victims studied by the researchers were all legally minors, the authors said only a tiny percentage of accused priests - less than 5 percent - could be technically defined as pedophiles. The John Jay researchers define pedophile as an adult with an intense sexual attraction to prepubescent children. However, victim advocates have disputed that classification, since boys ages 10-14 were the largest group of known victims, which could include children who had not yet gone through adolescence.

Critics argue the study cannot be trusted since the raw data was provided by the bishops.

In February, a Philadelphia grand jury alleged that the local archdiocese kept 37 credibly accused clergy in public ministry, despite repeated pledges by the nation's bishops that no offenders would stay on duty. In response, Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali suspended about two dozen clergy and hired a former prosecutor to review the cases. Ana Maria Catanzaro, the head of the Philadelphia review board, which was formed to advise bishops on abuse cases, said last week that the archdiocese had "failed miserably at being open and transparent" and had kept some cases from the board.

"What Philadelphia does is reveal the flaws in the process," said Ann Barrett Doyle of the advocacy group BishopAccountability.org, which is compiling a public database of all records related to the scandal.

The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said the study is useless for protecting children because the focus is on priests, not bishops. No bishops have been disciplined by the pope for keeping offenders in ministry without warning parents or police.

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the bishops' conference, said the bishops fully cooperated with the $1.8 million study, which was funded by the bishops, foundations and a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

"John Jay was chosen to do the study because of its independence from the church," Walsh said. "John Jay was free to consult whomever they wanted and they did so."

H/t CDL and Stella Borealis. Link to article, here.

TFP Marches in Defense of Marriage Rally in Da Bronx

Editor: The TFP was invited to help at the Defense of Marriage March in the Bronx, New York by Senator Diaz.  There were many Cristeros present and the numbers were swelled somewhere between five to ten thousand.  Naturally, the decadent media ignored the presence of the Society for Tradition, Family and Private Property.

Don't be afraid. Stand up and tell the truth about marriage and listen to Mr. Brown.  They've told kindergarten children that their parents are bigots for believing marriage is between a man and a woman, closed down Christian adoption agencies and threatened those who oppose them.  In any event, someone should tell Mr. Brown that the problems were intensified by the Civil Rights Movement, but it was a moving speech all the same, but they need to understand that some of the principles they embrace actually undermine their positive support for marriage.

Mel Gibson Still Wears His Scapular

Some of us never take them off, not even in the shower.

Who cares about stars anyway? Well, Mel Gibson is one of the most significant creative artists of our age, such as it is, and he's still got the Faith, even if he is a bit broken down inside. He still has a devotion to the Blessed Mother, the Carmelites and St. Simon Stock, and so should you.

After failing to appear at a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival for his upcoming film, "The Beaver", Gibson is depicted here wearing a Scapular, or a religious garment that consists of two brown pieces of wool attached to a string worn around the neck. From the looks of it, this is a really cheap one he's worn for ages, it's tied around his neck, the brown colored tag of fabric hanging down.  It has an image of St. Simon Stock or St. Micheal the Archangel defeating the Devil, with an inscription which reads, "Whoever wears this scapular shalt not suffer eternal fire". It's a promise associated with the scapular that whoever wears it piously and follows its promises will be taken to heaven.


Photo from the Daily Fail.

Edited for clairity.

Rainbow Ron Flip-Flops on Abortion

Here's an apologia and critique of the Pro-Life movement on his behalf by Lew Rockwell, here.

The Immemorial Mass of All Ages is Only for the Brave

Editor: Bishops will try to administratively and in any other way they can, ruin Seminarians and Priests who want to learn the Immemorial. Yet a courageous Scottish priest perseveres and celebrates the Immemorial at the Chair of Peter with the mighty Cardinal Brandmueller. It's the first time in forty years.

Plus this from te igitur blog:

[Catholic News Agency] Fr. Dunn said the advisory note seemed to interpret the Pope’s instructions in a way that effectively turned many of them on their head. In fact, the renowned blogger Fr. John Zuhlsdorf described the advisory document’s interpretation of “Summorum Pontificum” as the “coldest, most hostile I have read so far.”

“There were three Glasgow priests signed up to the course in Oxford. After that note came round, two dropped out. They felt really intimidated. My own response, though, was to stick it out and attend.

“Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster said the first Mass. When I told him I was from the Archdiocese of Glasgow he said, ‘My goodness, you’re a brave boy’.”

Universae Ecclesiae: One priest's story :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Kreuz.net cited CNA and added to the story:

Seeking Consolation and Support in Rome

He visited the Conference on the Old Mass, which the Italian Organiation 'Youth and Tradition' had organized from Friday till today.

Today the Cardinal Emeritus Walter Brandmueller celebrated the Old Rite in the Pontifical Office on the Altar of the Cathedral of St. Peter -- the first of its kind in over forty years.

Father Dunn will assist at this Mass.

The new Instruction has Fr. Dunn in a hopeful mood.

He prays that Pope Benedict XVI and his advisers at the presentation of the Instruction to the Bishops of the whole world, will accept no deviations accepted.

In the meatime, there are two priests celebrating the Old Mass in the Archdiocese of Glasgow.

Actually, five other priests are learning it now.

Kreuz.net original...

The SSPX in Germany Lauds 'Universae Ecclesiae'

Editor: Something for everyone.

(kreuz.net) The Old Liberal Front in the German -- the theoflunkies, journalists and Bishops -- rebel against the new Instruction 'Universae Ecclesiae'.

That is the result of the first reaction to the document.

The German Bishops' Conference published only a brief press release on the publication of the new document.

The current Counsel of the Bishop's Conference will "advise" on the Instruction of the next meeting in June -- completely unnecessarily.

Accordingly, the original Guidelines of 2007 have "only been slightly altered".


The Nattering Bishops

The statement of the Bishops Conference attempted to downplay the importance of the Mass of All Times:

"In Germany there are 128 locations which celebrate the Mass at irregular intervals.

For that reason they are not organized in communities.

In comparison to which: In Germany there are 11,300 Parish Communities."

That these parish Communities are, in comparison to Old Rite Communities, massively over aged and spiritual dead is not discussed.

The Novus Ordo Eucharistic Celebration Expresses a Theological Break.


The speaker of the "Workers Community of Catholic Liturgists", the layman Benedict Kranemann, also criticized the Instruction.

Kranemann teaches in Erfurt.

He lamented that the Instruction had not taken into account the Critique of the German Bishop's Conference and the German State-theoflunkies.

There is a danger that "tensions within the Church will be intensified".

Kranemann asks, how "two different forms of religious services could stand for the same theology?"

This -- justifiable -- objection had been made also by Italian Liturgists.

In any case: The Sedevacantists are Discussed

The chief editor of the German 'Catholic News Agency', Ludwig Ring-Eifel, maintains, that the Instruction has "validated decisively the Traditionalist Faithful" in almost all points of argument.

The Instruction "has made an enormous entrance with the inhabitants of this stream near the Bishops" -- wrote Ring-Eifel almost as precisely careful as the Instruction itself.

In reality the Instruction forbids the Bishops to offer the ordination in the Old Rite in their Diocese.

Finally, Ring-Eifel commented on a "sharp" cut off of "tradionalist fanatics, who go so far as to declare the New Mass as invalid."

He mentioned the Sedevacantist position, in order to insinuate the Society of St. Pius X:

"The adherents of the Society of St. Pius X, which is at present in discussions over dogmatic conflicts with Rome, must decide where they stand."

Society of St. Pius X Praises Instruction

The German district superior of the Society of St. Pius X, Father Franz Schmidberger, boisterously praised the Instruction to the German 'Catholic News Agency'.

The Pope has placed a necessary bar on the arbitrary sidetracking of the Motu Propio by many Bishops.

The Cleric was especially pleased that the Instruction has promoted better Latin instruction.

Fr. Schmidberger sees a "serious Will" of the Vatican, 'to protect holiness of the Liturgy".


Link to kreuz.net original...

Anglicans in Conflict: Can a Freemason be a Christian?

London (kath.net/KAP) After the naming of a Freemason to Bishop the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is once again coming under criticism.[He once apologized to them] From a report at the "Sunday Telegraph", the leading members and clergy of the General Synod of the Anglican Church criticized the decision to name Jonathan Baker as the Bishop of Ebbsfleet. There have been "serious conflicts between the organization and the Anglican Church", he said.

Baker would be a "flying Bishop" to care for the faithful, who are opposed to women's ordination and are still in the Anglican Church. According to information from the newspaper Baker let it be known shortly after his naming to renounce his membership in the Masonic Lodge this Sunday. He gave his grounds as being his desire to concentrate on his new appointment. Yet previously, he affirmed that his membership with the Freemasons are compatible with his Episcopal Office.

Williams has indicated in the past on various occasions that he has serious reservations about the compatibility of Freemasons and Christianity, for example, at a General Synod in 1987. The bout then, however, did not come to a conclusion.

Link to the original, kath.net...

Redemption songs: The conversion of Bob Marley

Editor: We just received this item from the e-mail. It's always heartwarming to hear stories of conversion. We'll withhold comment about Mr. Marley's ultimate fate. It's not something we can know with absolute certainty and it's not our decision to make, but God is love, we know that and that Bob Marley received the last rites of the Orthodox Church gives us more hope for his salvation than had he received none.

Image stolen from, here.

Redemption songs: The conversion of Bob Marley

By Christopher Stefanick

May 11 marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of Robert Nesta Marley, more popularly known as Bob Marley. He’s known by other titles as well: “The king of reggae,” “the first Third World superstar,” “The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley,” and, by Rastafarians, as “The Prophet,” or “The Teacher.” There have even been efforts by Jamaicans for him to be declared a national hero.

What many don’t know is that Bob Marley can also be called a Christian. He was baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox faith before his death in 1981.

Bob Marley had become a zealous Rastafarian as a young man. The dreadlocks and pot smoking that became central to his image weren’t just accessories to a rock star lifestyle. They were pillars of Rastafarian faith. Rastas believe that cannabis removes mental barriers to enlightened thinking, and they base their dreadlocks in Old Testament law. As debatable as these doctrines are, it’s clear that a sincere faith in God and service of his people were the driving forces in Bob’s life and music.

One doesn’t have to dig deep into his lyrics to see Marley’s faith. In “One Love,” named the song of the millennium by BBC, Bob sings, “Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.” And in songs like, “Forever Loving Jah” (“Jah” is the Rastafarian word for God), Marley is clearly praying, not just performing. Praise to “Jah” can be found throughout his music. Bob wasn’t just a secular rock star. It’s probably more accurate to say he was a religious musician who had made it in the secular world.

Read the rest of the article, here.

'Universae Ecclesiae" is Out: Seminarians Must Learn the Traditional Mass

It is to be assumed that the Old Liberal German Bishops also can't wait for the expected clarification from Rome.

The Mass of All Ages

(kreuz.net, Vatikan) The Instruction 'Universae Ecclesiae' to the Motu Proprio 'Summorum Pontificum' isn't slap in the faces of the Old Believers, nor is it perfect.

This was reported by Father John Zuhlsdorf from a well-known Weblog 'wdtprs.com'.

The priest received the three page long document, which will be addressed by journalists at ten o'clock tomorrow.

He will honor the moratorium till noon.

The Rights of Traditionalists Before the Bishops

Vatican Andrea Tornielli went cleverly to work.

He published today on his website the first contents of the document.

According to that 'Universae Ecclesiae' underscores the rights of the Traditionalists against the Old Liberal Bishops.

The shepherds must not obstruct the freedom of the Traditionalists by limiting rules or qualifications.

For example there are no specifications about the number of faithful necessary for a group of Traditionalists to have a Mass.

In any case, the priest must have a solid understanding of Latin for the celebration of the Old Mass.

That about closes out the ninety percent of the priests who've been educated in the system of seminaries run into the abyss by the Bishops for the last thirty years.

Even the Easter Triduum

In the new generation of priests it will be different. Because the Clarification desires that the celebration of the Old Mass will be a part of priestly education again.

It is to be expected that the German speaking Bishops will not be kept out of Rome by any further schismatic acts.

The Clarification also provides for the celebration of the Easter Triduum, in so far as there is a Traditionalist group.

As recently as last Good Friday neo-Conservative Bishop Fraz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg refused to allow the Traditionalists in his Diocese to celebrate the Old Liturgy.

Finally the Papal Commission 'Ecclesia Dei' explains Tornielli will in the future be a clearing house for receiving alleged or real conflicts.

Link to original, kreuz.net...

Liturgical Abuses Encouraged by John Paul II says Former Master of Ceremonies

He Encouraged it Himself

The beatified John Paul II could be named as the patron Saint of liturgical abuses.

(kreuz.net, Vatikan) The beatified John Paul II († 2005) had expressly desired the abuses which were celebrated before him in Pontifical Offices.

This is what the organizer of the abuses and many years Master of Ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini (69) wrote in his new book, "IO sono un Papa amabile. Gioanni Paolo II" -- "I am a loveable Pope. John Paul II."

Paolo Rodari reported this on May 7. on his [often excellent] website 'Palazzo Apostolico'

For every trip an actual theater Mass

Rodari reminds of the neo-Conservative theory, where the then Master of Ceremonies, Marini, is supposed to have incited a "spectacle coterminous with the Papal Liturgies" against the will of Pope John Paul II.

This justification is energetically contradicted by Archbishop Marini in his book.

The Conciliar Blessed had encouraged him to insert more cultic heather practices in the Papal Masses -- wrote Msgr Marini.

John Paul II wanted to break through the "rigor" of Papal Masses.

Archbishop Marinini reports that John Paul II wanted a "new Liturgy for every trip".

The Conciliar Blessed is said to have turned to Msgr Marini saying with praise: "beautiful, beautiful."

The Cardinal Found the Legs for Angelic Dancing


Archibishop Marini mentions even a risque moment, which had occurred at a Papal Mass in 1991.

At that time the Archbishop wanted a dance with the Archbishop of San Luis Maranao in North Eastern Brazil, Msgr Paulo Eduardo Andrade Ponte († 2009) during a Papal Mass.

At the announcement of the Gospel two dancers stepped forth, whose robes were blown high by a sudden wind.

After the Mass the Cardinals discussed in the Sacristy if this spectacle was actually necessary.

On that the then president of the Brazilian Bishops Conference, Msgr Luciano Mendez de Almeida († 2006) had answered that he had seen "the angel of the Resurrection" in the two dancers -- so says Msgr Marini.

Link to original...