A Gloating Cardinal Mahony Disparages Pope Benedict

Edit: why isn’t he on a plane back to California and Folsom Prison? Some may have noted that Pope Francis publicly stripped Cardinal Law of his office. Hopefully, he applies discipline equally, for Cardinal Mahony cost the Catholic Church in the United States, just in terms of capital, far more than Cardinal Law by about 150 million Dollars.

There is not much of an outcry for the fifth estate to put this man away either.



 Of course, who does CNN go to to get expert clarification? National Catholic Reporter. H/t: Alison

Epoch Making: Patriarch of Constantinople WIll Come to Popes Inaugural Mass

For the first time since the Great Schism, ecumenical patriarch to attend pope's inaugural Mass

The metropolitans of Argentina and Italy will accompany Bartholomew. Moscow Patriarchate hopes in closer cooperation with Rome but excludes for now a meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill.

Istanbul (AsiaNews) - The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I will attend Pope Francis's inaugural Mass. The Ecumenical Patriarchate Press Office informed AsiaNews about the decision, noting that this is the first time such an event occurs since the Catholic-Orthodox split in 1054, an important sign for Christian unity.

The ecumenical patriarch will be accompanied by Ioannis Zizioulas, metropolitan of Pergamon and co-president of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Church, as well as Tarassios, Orthodox Metropolitan of Argentina, and Gennadios, Orthodox Metropolitan of Italy.

Relations between Catholics and Orthodox have been improving since the Second Vatican Council through mutual visits, acts of friendship and theological dialogue.

Under Benedict XVI, the dialogue picked up in earnest after a lull. In trying to promote it, the pope suggested ways to express the primacy of Peter's successor that could be acceptable to the Orthodox, finding his inspiration from the undivided Church of the first millennium.

Catholic ecumenism has met however with great resistance from the Russian Orthodox Church and the Moscow Patriarchate, seat of the 'Third Rome'.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church's Department for External Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, said on Thursday that a meeting between the pope and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow was "possible but the place and timing will depend on how quickly we will overcome the consequences of the conflicts from the turn of 1980s and 1990s".

The issue of the Ukrainian Catholic Church is at the core of the "conflicts" to which Hilarion was referring. Although it was unbanned following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was left without its original churches, which had been seized by the Communists under Soviet rule and later transferred to the Orthodox Church.

Still, "on several occasions, Pope Francis has shown spiritual sympathy towards the Orthodox Church and a desire for closer contacts," Hilarion said.

It is his hope that under the new pontificate "relations of alliance will develop and that our ties will be strengthened."

H/t: Badger Catholic

Mellow Out Subcaths, Free Speech is a Democratic Virtue

Update:  Mark Shea has apologized for slandering Michael Voris, who was simply reporting the news and not making any negative statements about the Holy Father at all.  Well!

Edit:  after reading a blog post recently urging a non-descript group of intransigents, integralists, seminarians, mothers of five at home and people of the remnant, to “calm down”,  I thought it would be interesting to address the subject of public browbeating typical of certain people who attempt to vilify that group known as “Traditionalists”,  loosely described as a group of individuals who embrace the rites and doctrines of the Catholic Church as they have been practiced throughout the ages.  First off, assuming that most of the people are firm advocates of the Second Vatican Council, we should perhaps step back from vilifying a group of people and consider the importance of free expression, religious freedom of speech and  assume that we're supposed to be adults capable of forming our own judgments, even if they are incorrect.  But hey, it's a lot easier to kick a dog we think won't bite!

Part of the problem with these rushes to judgment, even if we're criticizing people we think no one regards as human beings, is that the individuality of each one is forgotten.  This is important, for there are almost as many reactions to this papal election as there are different members of the alleged "trad" group being vilified.  The responses range from palpable anger, despair, grief, resignation, cautious optimism, joy, legitimate concern,  to outright enthusiasm for this Pope.  Of course, it also helps that bloggers are so vague in their accusations, this enables many others, even self-identified traditionalists who proceed to beat themselves up with recriminations, can join in with their own particular image of the fire breathing, unfriendly, mean spirited traditionalist that they've learned to despise.

Ultimately, this kind of attempt at public shaming has the intention, whether expressed or not, of silencing legitimate criticism.  You're kicking the barking dog, or even giving him sleeping pills so a thief can get in and out undetected with the goods.

This sort of thing brings to mind a certain kind of cliquey blogger, but one blogger in particular, some blogs are more passive in their appraisal of traditionalists, but there are other blogs who shrug off not only any pretense of restraint, factuality or a love for persons, but they go right for good old fashioned slander, like Mark Shea does.

But in addressing this issue of individuals and groups, let's not assume that the people offended don't have a legitimate point to make.  Let's not blame the victim of bad behavior for calling out as so many have before only to suffer this:

And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Indeed, rather than blaming those who are suffering and recognize the familiar signs of the things which have scandalized them, why not blame the agents of such crimes?   Is there really anything wrong with having a "questioning faith" if your name isn't Hans Kung, Roger Cardinal Mahony or Sister Joan Chittister?

Just to point it out, most people in the world are deliriously happy about the new pontiff, but in some areas it seems that he has profoundly distressed a section of Catholic Church who has made extensive use of the Pope's opening up of the Mass of All Ages to the entire world with his Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum in 2007 in Argentina.  There have been numerous responses to Rorate Caeli's expose on the situation in Buenos Aires, most of them are as hysterical and uncharitable as the post accusing intransigents of doing.

In fact, according to Rorate Coeli's journalist, the Holy Father did not implement the legislation in his See and even went to extents to suppress it by refusing to allow his priests to say it.  This goes against what else we've heard from Giuseppi Nardi at Katholisches, that the Institute of the Good Shepherd has a Mass location in his See, but we have been unable to confirm that at present.

But then there are other "trads" like Father Gruner, who believe that we are on the eve of a Fatima Papacy.  Father Gruner has been in contact with the Holy Father in the past and is beside himself.

Of course, focusing on the alleged problem of people with legitimate or perhaps, ill-formed and misplaced grievances in good will, we should be considering where the true problems lie instead:

SSPX DICI on Papa Bergolio in Argentina

15-03-2013

DICI obtained the opinion of Fr. Christian Bouchacourt, District Superior of South America, on the evening of the Pope’s election.

Cardinal Bergoglio wishes to be a poor man among the poor. He cultivates a militant humility, but can prove humiliating for the Church. His appearance in the loggia of St. Peter’s in a simple cassock without his rochet and mozzetta is a perfect illustration. He is a fine politician… And idealistic apostle of the poverty of the 70’s, he is completely turned towards the people, the poor, but without being a disciple of the theology of liberation.
Very conscious of the dilapidated state of his clergy, he did nothing to fix things. Never has the seminary of Buenos Aires had as few seminarians as today. It is a disaster, as have been the liturgies presided over by the “Cardinal of the Poor.” With him, we risk to see once again the masses of Paul VI’s pontificate, a far cry from Benedict XVI’s efforts to restore to their honor the worthy liturgical ceremonies.

He was firmly opposed to abortion. But while he wrote a beautiful letter to the Carmelites of Buenos Aires against the homosexual “marriage” bill – which was unfortunately voted through in the end – he had a regrettable discourse read during the protest against this bill, in which the name of Our Lord was not pronounced even once, while the Evangelistic pastor who spoke before him to excite the crowd delivered a more courageous discourse…(see DICI #219, July 24, 2010).

During an ecumenical meeting, he knelt to receive the blessing of two pastors.
He is a man of consensus, who hates confrontations. He kept his distance from the Catholics who denounced the blasphemous expositions that were held in Buenos Aires.

I have met him 5 or 6 times and he has always received me with benevolence, seeking to grant me what I wished, without going out of his way to overcome obstacles….

(sources : SSPX – DICI #272, March 15, 2013)

The Pope’s New Coat of Arms Restores Tiara?

A Fanciful Aspiration?

Edit: a Pope who doesn’t  speak English, who in turns plays the pilgrim Pope, then the Mystic Pope, a connoisseur of decadent art, then sending signals by venerating the relics of St. Pope Pius V, and now putting the tiara back on his coat of arms which the previous Holy Father, Benedict XVI had removed.

H/t to Orbis Catholicus…

And from Charles Coulombe:

Will the Next Pope Be Crowned?

The announcement of Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013 that he would leave the Papacy (he could notresign it, as there is no earthly authority into whose hands he could do so; he renounced the See of St. Peter and the Diocese of Rome, and abdicated as Sovereign of the Vatican City State) on February 28 sent shock-waves throughout the world, and continues to do so at this writing. The fact that he will still be alive, though not participating, immediately alters many of the traditional features of the Sede Vacante — those dealing with ceremonial side of Papal death will be omitted, though something will have to be decided about such things as the ritual destruction of Benedict’s official ring. The Conclave shall duly elect Benedict’s successor, and the new Pontificate shall begin.

Apart from the next Pope’s record in diocesan or curial administration, much will be told about the course he intends to follow by his choices for the rites with which his Papacy will begin — what was traditionally called acoronation, and has been referred to in the last three Pontificates as an “installation” or “inauguration.” Pay close attention to what transpires on that day in early or mid-March; you will learn a great deal about the course of the Church in the next few years.

For the past several centuries, the coronation was a long ceremony, taking about six hours to complete. When Paul VI was elected, he shortened it considerably, by removing many of the small gestures, some of the repeated actions, and the like. He was however crowned with a Tiara as were his predecessors (albeit — in keeping with his unique aesthetics — a rather ugly one lacking the traditional ornamentation). Paul laid it on the altar of St. Peter’s at the end of Vatican II, in a gesture that was seen as bespeaking humility by some and as virtual abdication by others. Because of the changes he made in the Papal Court (ending most hereditary and lay offices, though a few remain), Paul made it impossible, just as he had with Papal funerals, for the sort of Coronation that he and his predecessors enjoyed to be performed again (cynics noted that while calling for a greater role for laity in the Church at large, he sharply reduced their standing in the ceremonial life of the Vatican). Nevertheless, it is certain that he intended for his successors to have some sort of coronation. In 1975 Apostolic Constitution, Romano Pontifici Eligendo, Paul explicitly declared, “the new pontiff is to be crowned by the senior cardinal deacon.”

Roberto de Mattei: Will Pope Francis Address the Causes of the Crisis? The Example of Hadrian VI.

What follows is the first opinion of the well-known tradition associated historian, Roberto de Mattei on the election of Pope Francis  (Francis):

The church has a new pope: Jorge Mario Bergoglio. The first non-European pope, the first Latin American pope, the first named Francis. The mass media will evaluate his past as a Cardinal, as archbishop of Buenos Aires and a simple priest to guess what the future of the church will be under his pontificate. Which revolution will he carry the flag for? Hans Küng describes him as the "best choice" (La Repubblica, 14.3.) But not until after the appointment of its staff and to its first keynote speeches will we be able to estimate the orientation of the pontificate of Pope Francis. For each pope, which is 1458 Cardinal Enea Piccolomini Silvia said at the moment of his election as pope with the name Pius II: “Forget Enea, listen to Pius.”

The History never repeats itself exactly the same in the past, but it helps to understand the present. In the 16th Century went through the Catholic Church a crisis that had never happened before. Humanism, with its immoral hedonism had infected the Roman Curia and the popes themselves. The corruption of Martin Luther's Protestant pseudo-reform had arisen, which Pope Leo X. who was from the family of the Medici, dismissed it as a "quarrel among monks." The heresy then immediately spread out, as after the death of Leo X. 1522, a German pope, Adrian of Utrecht, was unexpectedly chosen. He gave himself the name of Hadrian VI. The shortness of his pontificate, prevented him from bringing his projects to a conclusion. This is particularly true that, as well-known papal historian Ludwig von Pastor writes of the gigantic conflict against the many abuses which disfigured the Roman Curia, included almost the entire church. Even if his papacy had lasted longer, the evil was too deeply rooted in the Church, Pastor noted, than it would be necessary for a single pontificate to effect such a great change. All the evil that has been done for generations, could be overcome only by a long continuous work.

Hadrian VI. realized the extent of the problem and the responsibility the men of the Church who bore it. It is clear from the Instructio that on the apostolic nuncio Francesco Chieregati read on behalf of the Pope third January 1523 at the Diet of Nuremberg. Ludwig von Pastor emphasizes the extreme importance of this document, to learn not only about the ideas of the Pope for the renewal of the Church, but because it is as a text, never been in Church history never before.

After it initially rejects the Lutheran heresy, he treats the last and more important part of the instruction, the failure of the highest ecclesiastical authority against the revolutionaries.

We frankly confess that God lets it happen this persecution of His Church, because of the sins of the people and especially the priests and prelates. It is certain that the hand of God has not withdrawn, not because He can not save us, but because our sin separates us from him and therefore He does not hear us. The Scripture clearly teaches that the sins of the people have their origin in the sins of the clergy and therefore, as St. John Chrysostom explains, our Saviour, when He tried to clean the sick city of Jerusalem, he first went to the temple to punish the sins of the first priest, like a good doctor who cures the disease at its source. We have never sought the papal dignity, and would much rather have closed our eyes in the retreat of private life: We have waived the tiara, and only the fear of God, the legality of the election and the danger of a schism have led us to the office of the highest pastors to assume that we do not want to exercise in ambition, nor to enrich our families, but only to return the Holy Church, the bride of God to Her original beauty, to help the oppressed, to promote wise and able men to absolutely everything to do, what befits a good shepherd and true successor of Peter. However, no one should be surprised if we do not remove at a stroke all the abuses, because the disease is advanced and deeply rooted. It will therefore be taking one step after another, and confront the dangerous evils by the right drug, not to hasty reform to confuse everything even more. For, as Aristotle says, any sudden change is dangerous to common life.

The words of Adrian VI. help us to understand how the present crisis of the Church originated in doctrinal and moral defects of the men of the Church in the second half century since the Second Vatican Council. The Church is infallible. But Her members, the high ecclesiastical authorities, can make mistakes and must be willing to admit their guilt publicly. We know that. Adrian VI had the courage to tackle this critical examination of the past. How will the new pope counter the process of doctrinal and moral self-destruction of the Church and what position will he play against a modern world that is immersed in deep anti-Christian feeling? Only in the future will we be able to answer these questions, but it is certain that the cause of the darkness of our present time are in our recent past.

The story also tells us that Hadrian VI. was followed with the name of Clement VII (1523-1534) Giulio de Medici. Under his pontificate, the terrible sack of Rome took place on 6 May 1527 by the Lutheran mercenaries of the Emperor Charles V. The destruction and sacrileges that were committed then, and those of the year, exceeded the sack 410, can be barely described. There was particular brutality taken against religious and clergy: nuns raped, priests and monks killed or sold as slaves, destroyed churches, palaces and buildings, relics scattered and taken away. After the carnage famine and pestilence followed in quick succession. The citizens were decimated.

The Catholic people interpreted the event as a just punishment for their sins. Only after the terrible looting did life begin to fundamentally change. The climate of moral and religious relativism dissolved and in the general distress, a serious, sober and contrite air made throughout the holy city. This new atmosphere made the great religious revival of the Catholic Counter-Reformation of the 16th Century possible.

Link to Katholisches…

Image from here…

Contact: vekron99@hotmail.com

ADMG

Discalced Franciscan Does Penance at St. Peter’s During the Conclave

Credit: radiocristianidad

Edit: a lone pilgrim was praying in the rain in St. Peter’s square on a sewer grate while curious passers by watched (some joined him in prayer, and one priest even offered him grapes).  After finishing his prayers, he would go back to Assisi, to sleep outside there in the portico of the church.  Being interviewed by one journalist, he spoke of the end times.  Yet another journalist, interviewed the Friar and recorded his thoughts:

"Now times are very difficult for the church," said Massimo Coppo, who for more than 30 years has devoted his life to prayer and penitence for the church, following the example, he said, of St. Francis of Assisi.

Coppo arrived in Rome early Tuesday on the train from Assisi, where he is part of a community dedicated to St. Francis – and reforming the church. He's become something of a fixture at St. Peter's, but usually takes the train back to Assisi at night, where he sleeps under the porticos of the basilica.

"Tonight, I think I will stay," Coppo said, thanking a young priest who pressed a bag of grapes and crackers into his gnarled hands. "Here it is a mission of praying." He'd chosen his spot, kneeling atop the sewer drain, because, he explained, "When Francis came here to meet the pope, the story says that he also stayed in a stable with animals. So I want to stay here, as a sign of penance and also in prayer, so that our church may be clean and restored."

When I asked the question that is nearly ubiquitous in Rome at the moment – who would he like to see elected pope – Coppo skipped names and went straight to description.

"To me, I hope it will be a pope who is poor or who understands the poor. Many people are poor and becoming poor," he said. "A pope that speaks of eternity – of paradise – and even of hell in a world that doesn't like it.

"The revolutionary approach of Francis to poverty and suffering is the approach of the apostles, of the Bible," the soft-spoken pilgrim continued. "Sometimes, part of the church wants to please the world. It's not possible.”

The full story is here...

Pope Francis’ Aesthetic Tastes Are Revealing

Edit: another feature of Pope Francis that might provide an indication of what his approach to the Liturgy and sacred art will be, are the things he likes.  According to Nick Squires, the Pope’s favorite “painting” is Marc Chagall’s Crucifiction:

His favorite film is Babette’s Feast:



A Review on Rotten Tomatoes:

The Danish/French Babette's Feast is based on a story by Isak Dinesen, also the source of the very different Out of Africa (1985). Stephane Audran plays Babette, a 19th century Parisian political refugee who seeks shelter in a rough Danish coastal town. Philippa (Bodil Kjer) and Martina (Birgitte Federspiel), the elderly daughters of the town's long-dead minister, take Babette in. As revealed in flashback, Philippa and Martina were once beautiful young women (played by Hanne Stensgaard and Vibeke Hastrup), who'd forsaken their chances at romance and fame, taking hollow refuge in religion. Babette holds a secret that may very well allow the older ladies to have a second chance at life. This is one of the great movies about food, but there are way too many surprises in Babette's Feast to allow us to reveal anything else at this point (except that Ingmar Bergman "regulars" Bibi Andersson and Jarl Kulle have significant cameo roles).. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Pope’s First Mass is Versus Populum

Setting for Mass Versus Populum

Is the Cafeteria Open?

Edit: according to FatherZ, the new Pope is now saying Mass in the magnificent Sistine Chapel versus populum.  Once you start a ball rolling, it’s hard to stop.  One wonders what other changes will be taking place?  It looks like we’re going back to John Paul II and that Msgr Marini may be looking for a new job soon.

Some of us were brought back to 2006!

Here you can watch the Mass live on EWTN.

One reader asks, “is the cafeteria open?”  Thanks to him for that witty reposte.

Newsmax Poll on New Pope and State of the Church

Edit: currently with a little under 3,000 votes cast, most are Catholic, against birth control by a slim margin, overwhelmingly against priestesses, overwhelmingly favorable to the new Pope and overwhelmingly favorable toward the Catholic Church.

Cast your vote, here….

Pope Francis: A Brighter Portrait [Update]

Update:  according to what we’ve heard from the Argentine journalist at Rorate Caeli, the Immemorial Masses offered within the vicinity of Buenos Aires, in fact, one close to the city center, another 20 miles away and the third within 60 miles, but none of them are within the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires itself.

When individual priests attempted to offer the Immemorial Mass, in this very conservative Archdiocese, they were ordered to stop.

We still don’t know what to make of the Society of the Good Pastor’s alleged presence in the Diocese

At any rate, it’s indisputable that when he was the ordinary, he not only didn’t promote the Traditional Mass, he thwarted it, against the spirit of the legislation, and it could be said in a spirit of disobedience to the wishes of the Holy Father and the legislation of Summoroum Pontificum.

Edit: this is a bit of an overwhelmingly positive look at the new Pope, with some cautionary notes.  It’s interesting to note that despite a local Argentine journalist’s description of the new Pope as a man who did not implement Summorum Pontificum,  the new pope has, in fact, several locations, far more than most cities in North America, including the Society of the Good Shepherd.  Not only that, but he appears to have been a bit of a cold warrior, and is going to face some nasty reprisals against the Leftist press for his involvement.  Hopefully the links on all the locations will still work.  Each cross marks a Mass location in and around Buenos Aires.:

Ver Misa Tradicional Summorun Pontificum en Argentina. en un mapa ampliado

Buenos Aires is a city with almost three million inhabitants.  It has four Latin Mass locations within the city limits and reasonable driving distance.  It looks like two of them offer Mass daily, according to the map above, while one offers it at 12 on Sundays.  Further to the south at the Air Force base, Mass is offered only once a month.  You can click and drag around the window to look inside them.   It will be easier to look around if you access it directly on google.

(Vatican)The conclave brought a big surprise. What is surprising is the choice of the Argentine, Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio. The Archbishop of Buenos Aires is the first non-European, [St. Gregory III?]  the first Hispanic, the first Jesuit, on the See of the Prince of the Apostles Peter.  Surprisingly, he is also the first to take the name Francis, which he has chosen as pope. Although he is a Jesuit, the recent descendant of Italian immigrants, he is close to the new Community Communion and Liberation (CL) of Giussani. From the ranks of this community comes Milan's Archbishop Angelo Cardinal Scola who was actually considered "papabile”. Bergoglio is only one and a half years younger than Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was when he was elected as pope in 2005. Contrary to expectations, the College of Cardinals would set clear signals that needs to be read, but no long pontificate, as had been adopted previously. On the 17th of December,  Pope Francis I ail be 77 years old.

The choice of name inevitably points to the "poverello", the “little poor one",  St. Francis of Assisi. No pope has previously held the name. One name says it all. Cardinal Bergoglio forbade the Argentine faithful who wanted to accompany him to the joy of his elevation to cardinal in Rome, to make the journey. [Forget about any of the spiritual benefits pilgrims would receive for their sacrifices and good intentions.] He asked them to donate the money to charity. Appointments to the Roman Curia were refused by the Jesuit. He traveled to Rome only when it was absolutely necessary.

Francis, however, was not just the stereotype, which is known today about him, but in addition to his evangelical poverty, he is an especially staunch defender of God and an indefatigable son of Holy Church. This at a time when there were many sectarian currents outside the Church and many believers joined these groups because of their dissatisfaction with the church.  St. Francis opposed them by offering an equally authentic counter model. Which included also, if necessary, to suffer emergencies in the Church,  from what did not correspond to Her real nature in this time by human weakness and ignorance.

The new pope was also the Bishop for Eastern Christians in Argentina. He has not celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, since the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. The implementation of the motu proprio in the archdiocese was "rather lukewarm," writes Messa in Latino. The Remnant said that not much is known about his disposition to the traditional rite in a preliminary report. In his archdiocese there is a branch of the Old Ritual Institut du Bon Pasteur. He also was, however, so far, among others in the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  As for questions in the Church's moral teachings and ecclesiastical discipline, he is considered to be like Pope Benedict XVI.. To legalize the killing of unborn children, the Cardinal said: In Argentina, "there is the death penalty." He turned and decided, without success, against the legalization of gay marriage by the Argentine government. [In one of the most Catholic countries in the New World.]

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, a Jesuit like the new pope said in an initial statement that Francis is a Pope who will show a "style of simplicity and evangelical witness" and also a "continuity with Benedict XVI."

On fiscal policies he may be expected to criticize the excesses of capitalism. Bergoglio, although no Franciscans may be considered  as a Franciscan in his manner of living. He has neither a driver nor a stylish sedan. In Buenos Aires, he used a lot of public transport. In the conclave of 2005, he was as the “rival" of Benedict XVI. said to have tearfully asked the cardinals in the conclave not to choose him, but Joseph Ratzinger. His opponent is now to succeed. The pendulum has swung in the other side? Among the human vices he finds particularly offensive is careerism, especially in the church.

In the short speech to the assembled crowd at St. Peter's, he said, both in relation to his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. and of himself as "bishop."  Francis clearly addressed his diocese as Bishop of Rome. How this will affect his understanding of the papacy, must be seen. What role will the collegiality on which was in the General Congregations much emphasis?

In 1973 to 1980 Bergolio was the Argentine Superior of the Province of Argentina of the Jesuit Order, and then vigorously opposed the Marxist liberation theology. Not least because of his resistance to some Marxist-inspired confreres and the resulting conflicts, he was transferred. [He fought with the good guys] In 1986 he received his doctorate in Germany, which is why he learned, alongside Spanish and Italian, very good German as well. Subsequently, he served as spiritual director and confessor at the Jesuit church of Cordoba. In 1992 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires by John Paul II.  In 1997 he was appointed Coadjutor, and he succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarrancino by the Office of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. By 2011 he was also Chairman of the Argentine Episcopal Conference.

In the General Congregations prior to the Conclave for the new pope, he spoke especially about the mercy of God and the joy of the faith. In Argentina it is the priest, acting in the slums, who are his favorites. Without Deviations of the Doctrine of the Faith he was trying to win all, even the most feeble, for Christ. The Church, said then Cardinal Bergoglio,  must "always reflect the merciful face of God."

Pope Francis, Now the Jesuits Are Control All Your Bases!

Edit: when we were watching the last election, it was with resignation.  Pope Benedict XVI was a possibility and probably the best possibility of them all, but there was much trepidation about what he’d do in the future.  Could we be, as one anonymous canonist remarks, be looking down the barrel of another Vatican Council?

At this point, the new Holy Father, Francis I, is not being met with a great deal of enthusiasm by traditionalists in Argentina.  Despite his intransigence on matters such as sexual morality where he opposed illicit unions, he has been unfriendly to tradition in his See.

This may mean, of course, the death of any reconciliation with the Society of St. Pius X, and even a complete abandonment of Benedict XVI’s project of restoration.

He’s already off to a bad start, (change is a bad thing in rituals and doctrine) taking an unusual name and appearing to the Sala window only in a white cassock without his mozetta as his predecessors had done.  At least he kept the Ferula Papalis, but I don’t think we can be hopeful that he will be restoring the papal coronation and tiara at any point.

Still, it’s not the end of the world. The Pope in white may be the greatest Pope we’ve ever had, greater even than St. Pius IX.  Or he may be the worst Pope we’ve ever had, only time will tell.

Anyway, don’t expect him to put much of a break on false ecumenism:




Update:  Here’s a comment from Rorate Caeli’s combos:

"I live in Buenos Aires. Bergoglio has destroyed the archdioceses, persecuting every single orthodox priest. He despises sacrality, and has de facto prohibited the application of Summorum Pontificum. He is an utter enemy of Tradition, ill-minded, almost maffiosi. This has to be a severe chastisement from God to us all."

Ed Peters Sees Canon Violation in Vatican Snub

Edit: Waaaaaaa! Team America isn’t welcome at the Vatican. I wonder if it means Cardinal Dolan won’t be the first high school wrestling coach to be the pope. Obviously, George Weigel has had some issues with this current papacy, since he doesn’t quite get the access now he once enjoyed under John Paul II, but Ed Peters finds another avenue to object to this state of things in the Vatican. It’s probably too much to expect that they were disinclined for doctrinal reasons?

George Weigel’s essay on the shut-down of the American press conferences is spot-on, in my view, and I post here only to add a canonical perspective on events.Law.1983 CIC 212 § 3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they [the Christian faithful, which includes cardinals] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.Universi Dominici imposes secrecy concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the election of the Roman Pontiff. UDG 10, 12, 48, etc.

Helium Prices Rise on the Increasing Possibility of a Schönborn Papacy

Cardinal Schönborn’s odds have gone up, as the Leftist press worldwide extols his alleged conservative credentials. His standing at Paddy Power has demonstrated great buoyancy. Meanwhile, the helium industry is gearing up for a ++Schönborn papacy, who if elected will not only create a lot of hot air among journalists, Catholic and secular alike, about how conservative he is, despite his penchant for Liturgical extremes, but will surely create a real demand for helium.

 

 At present, it’s not clear whether or not Dennis Rodman’s campaign for Cardinal Turkson is having an effect.

 

There are also suggestions in some confidential circles that instead of white smoke, they will release thousands of multicolored balloons if the Danube Cardinal is to channel some of that river water into the Tiber.

Link to  photo.

Radio Vatican is Now Live

Edit: with very nice music and hopefully we won’t have to listen to Father Reese, either.

[Don’t] Get Your Conclave News from Vatican Radio, Not NBC or Whatnot

Update to the Update GMT 18:23:  Here’s decent coverage from them on the Vatican website:

http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm

Edit: don’t get stuck listening to crappy coverage from NBC, BBC or Nazi originated Spiegel.  Listen to the Vatican Broadcaster, as chaotic as it is.  Their site is horribly constructed and I can’t find live streaming, but here’s a link for an MP3:

http://www.vaticanradio-us.org/webcasting/rg_inglese_1_1.mp3

You also may have to download a viewer/player in order to get into the Vatican Site.  There are various  sites to access live streaming, but the English ones appear to be broken.

Just listening to the morning news now, and it’s got Father Thomas Reese SJ, disgraced former editor of America on.  Can’t they find someone who’s Catholic?

Ok, forget Vatican Radio in English.  Here’s live streaming coverage on Youtube:

Conclave: The First Ballot is at 2PM

We could see white smoke as early as 2 PM EST today! Be sure to share this nifty pic created by CatholicPulse.com.

H/t: Catholicsistas

Hans Kung Fears Continuation of Benedict's Papacy

Benedikt XVI. will not sit in peace after his resignation, but will continue to co-administer in the Vatican, says Theologian [sic] Kung. There are many indications for that.

[Zeit] Benedikt XVI. will also continue to except size influence in important decisions in the Vatican - the Theologian Kung is sure of this. Benedikt has flipped all the switches in order to secure his position of power, said the Tubingen professor. For the new Pope this will be a great burden. He will be "hindered in every way by a shadow Pope. "


Benedikt XVI. had bid farewell to the Cardinalls on 28. February in the Vatican and said to his successor: "Among you is the future pope and I promise you my unqualified obedience and respect" he said, before he flew to his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. in a few moments he would withdraw into a former monastery in the Vatican garden.

He is alarmed that Benedikt XVI. has his retirement residence so close to the center of power. Here it is so that Benedikt according to his press speaker to continue contact with his Cardinals. And also Benedikt's private secretary, Georg Gänswein - says Küng is "a puppet master" - in an influemtial position at the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Benedikt will have as a consequence many opportunities to have comprehensive influence.

Reforms indispensable

If the new pope should be ready for reforms, conservative Cardinals could always turn to the old Pope and build a powerful position. Küng himself considers reforms indispensable. Without reforms the Church may "run into a new ice age and is in danger of becoming an large sect of shrinking relevance."

The Conclave - the selection of the new pope - begins on Tuesday.

http://mobil.zeit.de/gesellschaft/2013-03/hans-kueng-papst-schattenpapst#.UT5ko7_rTsM

More Religious Art

Edit: Could it be that the Wu Tang Clan has become Catholic? This photo appeared on EWTN’s FB site. If anyone knows about the who, what and where, please share.

Come at me Bro!

A Contrast in Two Contenders: Scherer Lets Host Fall to the Floor --Scola Shows Commitment to Hermeneutic of Continuity

(Rome) On Sunday, the papal electors celebrated  Mass  in their titular churches in Rome and surroundings. Each cardinal is assigned a church in Rome with his elevation to Cardinal, for which he is officially the pastor. Each cardinal thus has a share in the pastoral care of the diocese of Rome, while at the same time it expresses the bond to the pope.

Among the celebrants were two cardinals who enter as candidates in the conclave: Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan in his 6th of the Century titular church of Santi XII Apostoli in Rione Trevi and Odilo Scherer of Sao Paulo, Cardinal in his consecrated titular church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale designed by Bernini in 1678, which served from 1870-1946 as a court orchestra for the Italian royal family. Thus, a situation may repeat itself as in the conclave of 1978 , in which  the two stood facing, the Cardinals Benelli (Florence) and Siri (Genoa) who reprsented opposing Church models. The contrast between the two camps in 2013 is not as accentuated as it was then, yet there are significant differences.

Cardinal Scherer "Eucharistic understanding"

Messa in Latino published some comments on the liturgies of the two. Cardinal Scherer was the "candidate of the Progressive chiselers and the ear of the Roman Curia." One could describe  Scherer  "modus celebrandi as just as careless and at the canonical limit for abuse."  "For example, without the Communion paten, although this could also be prescribed in the rubrics of the Novus Ordo. There is no reason to give it up, at least when a prince of the Church celebrates, because there certainly isn’t a lack of ministers. "

Failure to follow the Church's rules "has consequences: a Host consecrated by the Cardinal slipped from  from his hand and fell on the floor for lack of paten". This could happen to any priest. The consequences which were here caused by the negligent handling of the liturgical rules were serious as the Lord fell into the dust and lay on the ground.  How the celebrant reacts to this situation is in turn revealing regarding his Eucharistic understanding. "Cardinal Scherer picked up the consecrated Host and held it up and ready to go. This, picked up although in such cases any host particles and the ground should be cleaned in a special way, instead of kicking the particles of the body of Our Lord with your feet, allowing let them to easily step on them. “  [Video on Missa in Latino]

Cardinal Scola: Next Pope should (not 50) "great Popes" of the last 150 years follow

The celebration of Cardinal Scola was, however, "always looking, for the Novus Ordo, very solemn and dignified.” Only, "but pardonable negligence, that does not fault the celebrant: Is it possible that in a church in Rome there is not a pink chasuble available, although it was Laetare Sunday?", however, the celebration was similar to the "extremely sympathetic"  American Cardinal Dolan.

Cardinal Scola “captivated" especially through his preaching. In it he said: "Let us pray that the Holy Spirit gives His Church, the man who will follow the traces  of the great popes they presented in the past 150 years."

"150 years and not 50 years, which is remarkable," said Messa in Latino. The Cardinal struck  a wide berth, in which the post-conciliar period accounts for only one-third and also included the papacy of Pius IX. "A cautiously formulated, but solid commitment to the hermeneutic of continuity, which Pope Benedict XVI. taught as the way to Church renewal".

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Photo: Archdiocese of Sao Paulo and Milan

Link to Katholisches...