As 800th Anniversary of the Founding of the Dominicans Nears, Birthplace of Thomism is Closed

Empty Halls of the Dominicans

(Rome) The Dominican Order is one of the most glorious orders of the Catholic Church.  Officially recognized as a religious order in 1215, its members devoted themselves to living in poverty as preachers of the Community of Saint Dominic to combat the Cathar heresy and for the conversion of the Cathars. Just before the Order could celebrate its 800th anniversary, one monastery after another must be closed due to shortage of young workers.  Including traditional-worthy  houses in Graz, Florence, and in Friesach the oldest monastery in the German-speaking areas and in Naples even the monastery of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

The monastery in Graz, Austria has been abandoned after 547 years. The history of the monastery was as changeable as the times. Founded in 1466, a move took place in the 16th Century. The oldest Dominican Church is an urban parish church today. The new monastery was lost in the "Cloister Storm" of the Enlightenment and was expropriated in 1807 by the Emperor. The former Dominican monastery now houses a convention center whose premises can be rented. The Dominicans then were referred to a third location in the city and took over the also abolished Augustinian Hermitage at Münzgraben. In 1832 they had to hand it over to the Jesuits, but were able to return in 1857. In 2012  the decision of the South German-Austrian Province of the Order of St. Albert, was made to dissolve the monastery and in the summer of 2013 it was abandoned.

Oldest Dominican Convent in the German Area Only "Pastoral Station"

The oldest Dominican monastery in the German-speaking world, the monastery in Carinthia Friesach,  was founded in 1216 just one year after the order was recognized, has been dissolved in 2010 by the Province of the Order. Friesach still exists as a Dominican pastoral station. In Austria there is thus nothing more than one Dominican monastery, the one in Vienna. In the Province of Southern Germany-Austria also gives you some monastery convents in Freiburg im Breisgau, Munich and Augsburg.

The prestigious convent of Naples was closed. San Domenico Maggior has been  a spiritual center of scholasticism since 1302. St. Thomas Aquinas took the Dominican habit at the age of 19 there in Naples. In this monastery he wrote a large part of his Summa contra Gentiles in 1259, founded a general study in 1272  which is  what we now know as the Faculty of Theology, and in 1274 wrote the third part of the Summa Theologiae.  The  great saint lived till 1274 in the convent of Naples, when he set out for the Council of Lyons. He could not come back because he died on the voyage.

His theology remained in the monastery  and developed from there a positive effect on the church. The Second Vatican Council strongly recommends the Saints as  teachers ( Optatam Totius, No. 16 ) and to follow the footsteps of the Holy ( Gravissimum educationis, No. 10 ). Church law especially recommends following "the doctrine of St. Thomas" to follow (for the formation of clergy Can. 251.3 ).

Monastery of Saint Thomas Aquinas Will be Closed Down - Not an Isolated Case

But now to the monastery where St. Thomas entered, had been formed,  lived and worked, will be abandoned. A similar decision was taken by the provincial chapter of the Order. The monastery church of San Domenico Maggiore, in the historic center is one of the main churches of Naples. The graves of leaders over 800 years are in it. Many artists such as Titian and Caravaggio have designed their interiors. The Monastery was for centuries the seat of the Province of the Order Regni utriusque Siciliae that covered all of Southern Italy and Sicily, equipped with a Faculty of Theology and a rich library. In this monastery renowned theological and philosophical journals were published. It was only 23 years ago that was Philosophical Institute St. Thomas Aquinas was established. "The fact that after 800 years, this center with such a heritage is put to quite an unspectacular  end, is something incredible in itself," says Mauro Faverzani of Corrispondenza Romana .

"A tragic incident, but not an isolated case," said Faverzani. Almost at the same time, the closure of the monastery of San Marco in Florence, it was decided by another Dominican Province, where the Order had been since 1436. Another center of asceticism, of art, of intellectual debate, which housed the co-patron of the St. Antoninus of Florence, as well as Maxim the Greek, whom the Orthodox venerate as a saints, but also Savonarola, Cosimo de 'Medici, Pico della Mirandola and the St. Philip Neri. Part of the monastery, the first renowned library of modern times, which was opened to the public in general, as an apothecary of European importance. Now this monastery is also dissolved, although only recently extensive and costly renovations were performed. The Provincial Government is of the opinion that two convents in Florence (the other is located at the Church of Santa Maria Novella), is a "luxury". However, an abandoned site is to be managed by the future surviving pastoral location. Reference is made to the lack of friars.

In Rome there are also two convents in two monasteries, which are close together, both are only a few brothers. Nevertheless, it holds by the Rule on both, addressed by Fratres ibique habitualiter degentes   (Constitutions No. 260.1).

On "Spirit of the Council" Follows "Bureaucratic Spirit" - Serious   Research Isn't Undertaken

"In order to justify what is unjustifiable,   bureaucratic thinking has also entered into the spiritual realm," said Corrispondenza Romana . In the interviews given by Dominicans in Florence, therefore, is much talk of "reorganization", "rationalization", "redeployment of resources" as they give to themselves  a business mentality. Believers have now directed an appeal to the General Master of the Order, to take back "the legitimate, but spiritually and culturally deadly decision." The General Master will soon visit all three Italian Dominican Provinces.

The Dominican Order was not only the first order, which powerfully inhaled the "spirit of the Council", but also to the first order, but is among the first that spread this "spirit" abroad with enthusiasm. Leading representatives of the Nouvelle Theology came from the Order of Preachers. Declining vocations, empty seminaries and now the shutting down of the monasteries shows how lethal the "Spirit of the Council" is.

Way Out of Crisis is about Return to the Charism of the Founder

The progressive stream carried by the "Spirit of the Council"  in the Church responded to the crisis "both structurally" with the dissolution of cloisters and the closure of the monasteries. A root cause analysis, as to how it could come to such a disastrous development  within 50 years, has not been accomplished . Thus, a serious search is bypassed for a remedy. There are Dominican forces, which show that there is another way and a return to the charism of the Founder is not only possible, but also represents the way out of the crisis. They are isolated in Europe, but stronger in parts of North America.

Text: CR / Giuseppe Nardi
image: Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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Number of Christians Has Quadrupled in Russia Since the End of the Soviet Union

(Moscow), 25 years after the collapse of communism and 23 years after the end of the Soviet Union, the number of Russians who profess to be Christians, quadrupled. The critical  situation of religious freedom remains in some countries of the former Soviet power.

In 1989 it was known  that not more than  17 percent of Russians professed Orthodox Christianity. Since then, it has grown as much as four times. Today, 68 percent of Russians refer to themselves as Russian Orthodox.The most recent ones were released by the independent Levada Center on the 15-18th November of the previous year conducted a survey in 130 cities.

Until a few months before the dissolution of the Soviet Union atheism was regarded as the official state ideology. 75 percent of the population of Russia at that time described themselves as atheists. As early as 1991, that number had fallen to 53 percent. According to the results of the Levada poll today,  not even 19 percent confess as atheists. In third place are professing Muslims, whose number has increased from six percent in 1991 climbing to seven percent in 2013.

Despite the impressive return of Orthodox Christianity, 70 years of state atheism has left strong traces, as the Historian and Political Scientist Andrei Zubov emphasized: "70 years of state atheism can not be overcome in  one day."  The number of Christians actually practicing  is still low. The commitment to Orthodox Christianity is above all cultural and historic in nature.  It is part of Russiandom. The Levada poll found that only four percent of Orthodox Christians attend the Divine Liturgy every Sunday. 17 percent attend the Divine Liturgy only at the high festivals. 35 percent of respondents said that they had never set foot in a church in their lives. Since 1991  83 percent of all respondents said they have never received the Holy Communion, but they are  now considerably fewer, but still 62 percent.

The Russian Orthodox Church has been building years many new churches and have tried  to rechristianize those cites which became "atheist" during the Soviet era. "We are not able to build as many churches as we would like and would need", says the "State Department" of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Religious freedom at risk

While Russia's commitment to Orthodox Christianity is experiencing a renaissance, the free exercise of religion in several Soviet Republics, which are sovereign independent States today, remains underdeveloped. In the name of "national security", Kazakhstan restricted freedom of religion in 2011.  An infringement can be severely punished.  Religious publications are subject to government censorship. The construction of churches is strictly regulated. Bibles and other religious books are confiscated, as well as icons and religious representations. They are what the state classifies as "extremist materials".

The situation in Uzbekistan is even more critical. The population is mainly Muslim, Christians are a minority. Their religious life is subject to a number of limitations. In 2013 Christians complained that reading the Bible is forbidden even in prison. The situation is similar in Turkmenistan.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Tempi

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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False Obedience and the "Rehabilitation" of Teilhard de Chardin in "Osservatore Romano"

(Rome) A few days ago an article appeared in which the attempt was made ​​to rehabilitate the French Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin. The damning verdict of the CDF against the theologian is being played down there and dismissed as "controversial". The article did not appear in  just any old daily newspaper, but in the Osservatore Romano.  What does this have to do with  the question of obedience? Does it follow from this article and its theories  are to be even  represented in the daily paper of the Vatican?

 St. Thomas Aquinas drew a clear line between obedience and disobedience. Rightful obedience as a virtue he defined in the Summa Theologiae (II-II, q. 104-195), but he gives two reasons why one who is obligated to obey his superior might  owe him no obedience. 

The first reason is a statement by an even higher authority.  In  respect to this, the saint refers to Peter Lombard: When the Emperor commands something, but God the contrary, one must obey God, without regard to the Emperor.

The second reason is, if the supervisor commands something of his subordinate  in areas where he may hold him subject. Thomas Aquinas concludes that the people in the inner motives of the will owe obedience to God alone.

The forces that Rouse the New Pontificate

Osservatore Romano published a long essay in its issue of 29 December 2013.  "I study the matter and find the spirit" of Maurizio Gronchi, who attempts the rehabilitation  of the thinking of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and thus seeks to annul the monitem by the CDF against the French Jesuits of 30 June 1962. Basically, there is no obligationof a daily newspaper to "obey" in its position, not even a Catholic newspaper. But with Osservatore Romano , things are a bit different because it is not just any daily newspaper. Based on the instructions of Blessed Pius IX., this is the only daily newspaper that is printed in the Vatican City State.

The chief editor is appointed directly by the Pope. Although the newspaper is not an official organ of the Holy See, but at least semi-official. It comes logically that the opinion expressed is that of the Holy See. Of course, the editors have more room for maneuver in the fields of culture, politics and economy. However, this freedom would be a seduction into error if on the pages of L'Osservatore Romano article were published  things that contradict the faith of the Church, the Magisterium of the Church and tradition.

Rehabilitation Attempt of Teilhard de Chardin Against  the Official Condemnation

In this specific case, it is not just about a purely hypothetical consideration. The article with the rehabilitation of Teilhard de Chardin also has its positive side: it provides the occasion to highlight the limits of obedience. Should anyone think that maybe in the desire for faithful obedience of Pope Francis and the Osservatore Romano, there is need to follow the thesis of the author, then he should also know that he is in this against the 1962 monitum pronounced by Blessed John XXIII. An official admonition that continues to have full force and effect.

The thing is so obvious that the journalist admits it openly and reproduces the admonition of the CDF, but referred to it as "controversial and painful."  But anyone who follows such a judgment, speaks of not just any opinion but opposes in reality the papal Magisterium. The Monitus reads: "Certain works of Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, including some posthumous, are published and can not find the least benevolence. [...] In the philosophical and theological point of view it clearly recognizes that the said works contain dangerous ambiguities and serious errors which offend Catholic doctrine."

The exhortation of the Holy Office dated 30 June 1962 was officially published in the official gazette of the Holy See (Acta Apostolicae Sedis 54, born 1962, pp. 526) published. On 1 July of the same year, and also followed by an annotated publication in L'Osservatore Romano .

"Author on the Road to Apostasy"

Maurizio Gronchi doesn't even like the Magisterium of the Church, who praises  Teilhard de Chardin to the skies, while "even leading the reader to error" ( Corrispondenza Romana ) by citing incomplete judgments against  Jesuit  or torn out of context . According to the author's thought, the Frenchman was not heretical, but had, at best, "some weaknesses and difficulties."  The "dangerous ambiguities and serious errors" is an issue for Gronchi. In an article in the Osservatore Romano,  a document of the Magisterium of the Church, adopted by the Congregation of the Faith, with the approval of the Pope, is referred to as "controversial and painful." "This means that the author is treading the path of apostasy already," says Corrispondenza Romana . In addition to that there is   still the effusive praise for what has been explicitly condemned by the Magisterium.

The author thus lays claim to a wish to correct the Magisterium of the Church, and does so from the sides of the semi-official newspaper of the Vatican. Teihard de Chardin, who denies original sin and the distinction between matter and spirit represents, so says Gronchi, no "serious errors", but only tolerable "weaknesses and difficulties."

How Did the Article Appear in the Osservatore Romano ?

The backgrounds are unclear how it was possible that Gronchi could place his article in L'Osservatore Romano. The fact is that he is an example of where obedience is obligated to "disobedience": Whoever wants to be faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, must reject  the  published thesis of 29 December by Gronchi in the Osservatore Romano. 

Maurizio Gronchi is a priest of the diocese of Pisa, Professor of Christology at the Theological Faculty of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and Consultor the CDF .

Text: CR / Giuseppe Nardi
image: L'Osservatore Romano (Screenshot mounting)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...

Vatican Employees Still Can Become Monsignors

The reduction of the honorary spiritual title decreed by Pope Francis shall not apply to employees of the Roman Curia

Vatican City (kath.net / KNA) The reduction of the honorary spiritual title decreed by Pope Francis shall not apply to employees of the Roman Curia. Vatican Radio reported on Tuesday, citing a notice from the Vatican Secretariat of State. Thus, a priest after five years of service with the Holy See can become an "Honorary Chaplain of His Holiness".

The Pope had severely restricted the award of spiritual honorary titles in the Universal Church and informed the bishops earlier this year. Francis has abolished two from the current three tiers, the "Honorary Prelate of His Holiness" and the "Protonotary Apostolic". Its lowest rank "Honorary Chaplain of His Holiness" will be allowed to be received only by priests who are 65 Years of age. Bearers of this title are commonly styled as "Monsignor." The title "Honorary Chaplain of His Holiness' are usually given to Curia employees after five years if they are 35 at that time and have been priests at least ten years. The title "Honorary Prelate of His Holiness" follows in many cases after a further ten years.

(C) 2013 Catholic News Agency KNA GmbH. All rights reserved.
Kath.net...
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
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Volker Beck Concerned About Pope Francis Being Pre-Vatican II

Volker Beck, the Religio-Political spokesman for the Greens, accusing the Pope in terms of gay marriage is suffering from a "theological relapse' to before Vatican II. His criticism is irrelevant and poorly formulated.

A commentary by John Graf

Berlin (kath.net / jg) Volker Beck, the religio-political spokesperson for the Greens in the German Bundestag, claims that Pope Francis is assuming a "theological backslide" to before the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis had previously referred to a proposed draft law on equality of homosexual couples with married couples in Malta as an "anthropological throwback."

Beck employed the declaration "Dignitatis Humanae" to highlight his opinion, which he characterized as the "central font of the Council on religious freedom". In this the Church is said to provide freedom of conscience emphasized for those who would not follow its teachings. The Church should "stop urging that the secular legislator who is committed to the constitutional precepts of human dignity, freedom and equality, directly or indirectly against homosexuals to adopt the discriminatory sexual teaching of the Church," were Beck's exact words.

His argument can be summarized as follows. The Catholic Church is for religious reasons against the extension of marriage to homosexual couples. Secular legislators are under constitutional obligations that is not compatible with the doctrine of the Church according to Beck's view in the case of gay marriage. The Church has since the Second Vatican Council, the view that in matters of religion, freedom of conscience, the will of the individual is respected. Now, when Pope Francis asserts that the equality of gay marriage with the marriage of heterosexual couples is an "anthropological throwback," he thus makes two errors.

Firstly, he demanded of the society, which - as shown above - is apparently required to accept different principles than is required by the Catholic Church, to accept its teaching.

Pope Francis demands as a representative of a religious community that lay bodies accept a doctrine contrary to its principles. That doesn't serve him.

Secondly, contrary to the Pope of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. This emphasizes the freedom of conscience in religious matters. No one should be forced into religious matters, to act against his conscience. Exactly, however, this is what would be required if the Church would impose its doctrine of society. Since Beck claims Pope Francis has gone back before the Second Vatican Council with this statement, he is probably assuming that the Council would have changed the doctrine of the Church in this issue.

There are a number of glaring errors present in this argument. It's amazing how little a top German politician apparently understands a matter in which he is supposed to represent the position of his party.

The most significant flaw is an assertion that Beck does not explicitly respond. He accuses the Church of disregarding the freedom of conscience in religious matters if they "further prompt governments or parliaments to discriminate against homosexuals." This means, however, that the advocacy of the Church against gay marriage by Beck's view has a purely religious basis. That's not true, as one can read in the "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Same Sex Unions" which had been published by the CDF in 2003. There were a matter that relates to the natural moral law. This is "recognized by right reason," it says in paragraph 6. The Church argued in this matter not only on the basis of divine revelation, but with arguments that are in principle available to all who "seek to promote and protect the common good of society" itself, regardless of their religious beliefs.

If Beck demands that the Church should cease prompting secular legislators to take over their sexual morality, the accusation contained in it is ineffective. Pope Francis has not requested, the sexual teachings of the Church on homosexuality should be the basis for civil law. He has spoken out against the equality of gay marriage with traditional marriage. That would really stand out to anyone who really deals with the statement of the Pope.

The Declaration "Dignitatis Humanae" offers precious little support to Beck's argument. It deals with the human right of free exercise of his religion. This right must be respected by the state legislature (DH 2). In this sense, the sentence is to be understood that in religious matters no one may be forced to act against his conscience. At the same time it insists, "that the highest norm of human life is the divine law itself" and every person has the duty and the right to "seek the truth in matters of religion" (DH 3). The explanation does not want to change, such as Beck seemingly takes the doctrine of the Church, when he speaks of a "back sliding" to before Vatican II. The Council questioned "the sacred tradition and the teaching of the Church, from which it continually brings forth new things that are in line with the old," it says literally in DH 1 Volker Beck's criticism of Pope Francis proves to be unfounded and irrelevant.

He is always noticed as a harsh critic of the Catholic Church. Is he just misinformed, or has he simply no arguments? Direct link to The Considerations Relating to the Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.

Photo: (c) Wikipedia; Mathias Schindler; This file is not licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unsupported license.

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
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Rector of the Lateran University: "Pope Francis Represents a Break With His Predecessors"

(Rome) The Pontifical Lateran University in Rome is often simply translated to be named "Papstuni". Nevertheless, the rector, Bishop Enrico dal Covolo SDB seems to have taken this term a little too literally when he delivered his reading of the mental world of Pope Francis. The rector has made himself known as an enthusiastic supporter of Pope Francis and did so in a just strange and  embarrassing way. Or did he just turn out to be true-careerist?

During a short stay on the South Pacific island of Guam, the rector met in Yona at the Archbishop's Mission Seminary Redemptoris Mater , seminarians, teachers and the leadership of the Catholic Theological Institute for Oceania, which is named after the Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores. Here, Bishop dal Covolo got carried away with   some embarrassing statements.

He professed himself to be "happy" about the new direction which  the Catholic Church has been given by the reigning pope. He was more than willing to accept this "turn" with enthusiasm. "Words that are already in themselves sibylline," said Corrispondenza Romana. Rector dal Covolo  could but thus only be properly carried away in enthusiasm. Statements, which he later also repeated in a television interview to the PNC-Pacific News Center: "I believe that Pope Francis is a type of break from his predecessor's pontificate, a very positive break, because he  has eliminated all the fears of the past in the Church.  I absolutely agree with the changes that Pope Francis is enacting as they correspond exactly to the challenges we have to face today."

The Salesian dal Covolo is not only rector of the prestigious Pontifical Lateran University, but since 1999 a member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, head of the Pontifical International Marian Academy and since 2002, Consultor of the Congregation for  Clergy and the CDF.  In 2010 Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to the Congregation. as the successor of Monsignor Rino Fisichella rector of the Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis. His remarks seemingly against Pope Benedict XVI.  are all the more disconcerting since he appointed him in 2010  as Lenten Preacher and was thus distinguished particularly in the Roman Curia.

"Obviously, there are those in the Vatican who understand the new pontificate as a signal in the direction of Modernism unleashed to  stage a race for the title of,  'progressive of the year'. In these circles,  the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council as a "Council of rupture" has come out. Some feel called to see the figure of Pope Francis as an element of the faction against his predecessors. It would be interesting indeed to know whether the person concerned recognizes himself in such gallops in word and conviction," said Corrispondenza Romana .

Text: CR / Giuseppe Nardi
image: Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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Third Secret of Fatima: Document is "Authentic" -- But is it Compete?

(Rome) In the coming days, the investigation of a handwritten document will be published which is attributed to  Sister Lucia dos Santos. The Third Secret of Fatima, which was was made public as a handwritten document by Pope John Paul II and the then Prefect of the Congregation of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in the Holy Year 2000 is "authentic" and was written by Lucia dos Santos. She was the oldest of the three shepherd children at Fatima, where the Virgin Mary appeared in 1917. The nun died in 2005. Does the document published in 2,000 treat the full Third Secret? 

The   handwritten document extant in 2000 was investigated by the paleographer Maria José Azevedo Santos of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Coimbra. In the document, the seer described the scene  with the "bishop dressed in white" who suffers martyrdom along with many Christians on the summit of a mountain. A prophecy that John Paul II was referring to as the 13 May 1981 assassination attempt perpetrated on him in St. Peter's Square. The Pope wrote about the happy deliverance as the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima.

Paleographer Confirmed Authenticity of the Handwritten Document

Maria José Azevedo Santos gave an interview to  the official publication of the Portuguese pilgrimage site Voz da Fatima which will be released for the next issue on the 13th of January. The Catholic press agency of Portugal has made a preliminary report.

"The Church has no doubt that it is an original document. This is an authentic document, which was written personally by Sister Lucia," said Maria José Azevedo Santos. The scientist had the opportunity to examine the document last September in the archives of the Congregation. The absence of the signature of Sister Lucia takes away nothing of the authenticity of the document. A comparison of this document with the Third Secret with other handwritten texts of the seer and nun leaves no doubt. The scientific conclusion can therefore only be that this document was actually written by Sister Lucia, says the Paleographer.

Critics Don't Doubt the Authenticity, But Completeness

Around the release of the Third Secret in 2000, there have been numerous polemics. However, most critics do not doubt the authenticity of the document, but are of the opinion that it was not published in full, but only a part.

According to the main strand of criticisms, which, however, was also repeatedly rejected by the Vatican, there still  must an additional paper in addition to the published sheet describing the appearance in the words of the Mother of God, with whom she explained the importance of vision to the shepherd children. This also explains the absence of the signature of Sister Lucia, because it's probably located on another sheet at the end of the transcript.

Cardinal Ratzinger: There is No "Official Interpretation" of the Third Secret

As Cardinal Ratzinger explained the contents of the Third Secret in June 2000 at the request of John Paul II to the press, he put value on the finding that there is no "official interpretation" given by the Church suggesting it was Pope Wojtyla himself  as the "bishop dressed in white" who was killed. John Paul II sent the then Secretary of the Congregation of the Faith, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone Curia to Sister Lucia. At that time, the  93 year old  nun had confirmed this interpretation of the Pope's.

Pope Benedict XVI:. Third secret is not yet fulfilled?

A little later, Bishop Kurt Krenn of St. Pölten said that Cardinal Ratzinger, did not share the interpretation of John Paul II relating the vision to himself. In fact,  Pope Benedict XVI then expressed himself very cautiously  on his 2010  Portugal trip, and left open the possibility that the prophecy has not been fulfilled, or at least not completely satisfied.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Voz da Fatima

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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The New Cardinals of Pope Francis -- Essay on a Topography

(Vatican) On 22 February is Pope Francis will create the first cardinals of his pontificate. The announcement of the new cardinals is expected for the end of January. Their number will be about fifteen new members for the Church Senate. The number is derived from the total number set by  Pope Paul VI. of 120 papal electors. The appointments will provide information about the sympathies and direction of the pontificate.

The appointment of cardinals belongs solely to the pope. It is bound by unwritten laws, which are still obligatory.  The first appointments will show whether Pope Francis holds to  the ecclesiastical practices like Pope Benedict XVI. and the other popes did before him. The appointment of cardinals will have a significant influence on the election of his successor to pope.

The Conclave and the Surprises

Pope Names Matteo Ricci and Pedro Arrupe as His Models

Workshopping the Destruction of the Church?

(Rome) The 15 page summary between Pope Francis and the Superiors of a Catholic male religious was developed by Father Antonio Spadaro on November 29th,  the editor  of the Jesuit magazine Civilta Cattolica   published in the new issue of the magazine on Friday.Pope Francis offers two Jesuits  as role models: the Jesuit Matteo Ricci of the first generation and the controversial Father General Pedro Arrupe (1965-1983).

Hardly anything has been leaked so far about the content of the conversation so far. The Union of Superiors General had announced  soon  that a summary by Father Spadaro will follow soon after.  Pope Francis seems to have asked the Superiors for restraint to prevent uncontrolled reproduction of his statements by indiscretions.

Presented to the Pope Before printing

Each issue of Civilta Cattolica is checked prior to publication by the Vatican and provided with a printing license. Father Spadaro, who is not a Superior General, however, had been expressly  called by the Pope to the conversation. In a pontifical mandate, he created the summary, it was sent before printing to the Pope personally for examination and received permission to publish this.

"When the Pope speaks freely and enters into dialogue, his remarks have a wave-like rhythm, which one must follow with care, because it feeds on the living interaction with his interlocutors," as Father Spadaro outlines. Unfortunately, the extensive summary of the Pope's words are not yet available in the German [Or English] version.

Religious Life is Prophetic Discipleship

In addition to the Pope lamenting the "novice trade" in the young churches with many vocations,  in forming of "little monsters", which gave the Pope  "the creeps", the pontiff spoke of the priority of religious life: "It is the prophecy the kingdom, which is not negotiable. The emphasis must be on to prophesy, and do not care to do only going through the motions Of course, the devil shows us his temptations and this is one of them: to act as if you prophets to be without it. But such things can not play. I myself have seen many sad things in this regard. "

The Pope exhorted the Superior Generals: "The Church must be attractive. Wake up the world. Be witness of a different kind of action, of action and of life."  He continued: "It is possible to live differently in this world. We speak of an eschatological view, which has become the meat of values ​​of the Kingdom here on this earth. It's about giving up everything to follow the Lord. No, I do not say radical '. The radical nature of the Gospel concerns not only the religious: it is demanded of all. The religious only follow the Lord in a special way, a prophetic way. I expect this testimony from you. "

Sin Yes, No Corrupt

The pope repeated a formulation that he already mentioned several times, the content is still difficult to understand. The Pope urged the superiors to take the sinner in the seminaries, but not "corrupt": "I'm not talking about the people who recognize themselves as sinners: we are all sinners, but we are not all corrupt. Accept the sinner, but not the corrupt ".

Charism is Always Fit to the Circumstances of Time, Place and People

Regarding the charism of the Founder of each Order, the Pope said: "The charism is always one thing, but as Saint Ignatius said, it must be lived according to place, time and people. The charism is not a bottle of distilled water. One must live powerfully, by reading it culturally anew. "In this context, the Pope called religious to action. It would be better to "make mistakes" than to do  nothing. "We always have to ask for forgiveness and are ashamed of the apostolic failures caused by discouragement. Consider, for example, of the pioneering intuitions of Matteo Ricci which were dropped in his time. " The Pope was referring to the previous failed attempts at the Christianization of China. The Jesuit Matteo Ricci model was distinguished by special adaptability to the Chinese culture and mentality. For this reason it was controversial and was eventually discarded.

Two Jesuits as role models: Matteo Ricci and Superior General Pedro Arrupe

Pope Francis also came to speak about the "periphery", the "edges", a cipher priority of his pontificate: "I am convinced of one thing: the big change in history occurred when the reality came to be considered not from the center but from the edges. "In this context, the Pope mentioned yet another Jesuit, whose activity he cited as an example, the earlier, controversial Superior General, Father Pedro Arrupe, whom John Paul II urged to a premature resignation. Father Arrupe is considered one of the most colorful figures in recent history. Some worship him as a shining example, in the other he is regarded as one of the gravediggers of the Jesuit Order.

Two new documents: about the brothers and the relationship between bishops and religious

In his address the Pope announced that he had two documents in preparation: one on the appeal of the "brothers", that is the religious who are not priests, and the other on the relations between the bishops and religious, with which the document Mutuae relationis  is to be replaced by the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes and Congregation for Bishops of 1978, which Pope Francis describes as "out of date".

2015 Year of Consecrated Life

The Pope also announced that he will proclaim 2015 the Year of Consecrated Life.  An announcement that was greeted with "a long applause," said Father Spadaro. The Pope had then looked and said toJoão Cardinal Bráz de Aviz and Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo with a smile to the Prefect and the Secretary of the Congregation of Religious: "It's their fault, the proposal comes from them, when the two meet, they are dangerous" which brought the General Assembly of the Superiors General to general hilarity, said Father Spadaro. The Brazilian Cardinal Braz de Aviz is a member of the Focolare Movement, Archbishop Carballo is Franciscan.

If the Vatican medicine is worse than the dreaded disease

The Vatican expert Sandro Magister recalls that both recently got into the headlines along with Pope Francis because of the severity with which they placed the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, one of the most flourishing orders of the Catholic Church under provisional administration and banned the Order from celebrating in the Old Rite.

"This matter was not discussed in the talk of 29 November, except perhaps implicitly where Pope Francis said that conflicts in the community are unavoidable: in some ways it must happen if the community is really honest and loyal to relationships. But if the destructive approach of the provisional administration of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is seen - as it transpired from both parties to the conflict - one gets the distinct impression that the Vatican medicine is worse than the dreaded disease," said Master.

Sad State of Attire Among the Superiors General

The Catholic religious tradition is characterized by the diversity of religious charisms, which finds its visible expression in each particular religious robes. The dress code of the Assembly of Superiors General of Catholic Male Religious before Pope Francis, however, offers the dreary sight of utter monotony. Several superiors general seem to regard the habit only as an occasional option.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Don Orione

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Will revise as needed.

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Jesuit Justifies Abortion -- "Neither the Order Nor Rome Intervenes"

(Madrid), the Spanish Jesuit  and Bioethicist Juan  Masiá Clavel has again defended the killing of unborn children. For years, Father Masiá distinguishes between "abortion and abortion" (see separate report Jesuit Justifies Abortion - And What do the Bishops and Rome do  ) "There are situations where it is irresponsible not to perform abortion," the Jesuit wrote on New Year's Day on his blog, which is connected with the Spanish daily El Pais. Critics accuse the Jesuits of being abortion apologists. All knew it, but no one has taken action.

Although Father Masiá is talking about extreme cases,  the context of his Speeches on abortion serve at the same time  for the justification of prenatal infanticide. Thus the criticism of Info Catolica and the Spanish church historian and Catholic blogger Francisco de la Cigoña on the most recent blog entry by Father Masiá. The most recent opinion has taken place at a moment in which the abortion debate has been rekindled in Spain by a government bill. The Jesuit wrote that in the abortion debate two "extreme opposite positions" are in existence in Spain, one can look at neither as the "only valid" view. Thus, the Jesuit is relativizing the Catholic right to life position and places the culture of death with a culture of life as  equivalent and "neutral" on the same level.

"Juan Masiá is still a Catholic Priest and a Member of the Society of Jesus"

"The worst thing is that these statements are not new. They are repeated by the Jesuits for years without anyone contradicting. Quite a few  therefore think that this is the teaching of the Church," said de la Cigoña.

Info Catolica wrote: "As we write on the 2nd of January 2014, and Father Juan Masiá Clavel is still a Catholic priest and member of the Jesuit order."  In the Order and in Rome "it is  known exactly" what Father Masiá does and yet neither the Superior General Father Adolfo Nicolas, or a Roman Pontifical Council [Or even a pontifical commissioner] gets involved. It is time to clarify, so info Catolica whether Masia's position is the Catholic position. If not, then "clear countermeasures" would have to be taken.  "I support the criticism of Luis Fernando Perez Bustamante (Info Catolica) completely. I too have had it with Masiá. And Father Adolfo Nicolas and his inaction, " said de la Cigoña.

Father Juan Masiá is Professor of Ethics at the University of Sophia in Tokyo and a research associate of the Center for Peace of the Japanese section of the interfaith World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) in Tokyo, also known as Religions for Peace (RfP).

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: La cigüeña de la torre

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

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Pope Francis to Order: "No to Novice Trade, Otherwise We Will Form Little Monsters"

Edit: Also reported by Vatican Insider for a contrast.  It's unclear what he means by "novice trade", but it could refer to some orders which are growing, one in particular.  It's somewhat difficult to come to other conclusions looking at the topics for discussion.

(Rome) The Jesuit journal   La Civiltà Cattolica published an address by Pope Francis in its latest issue with the participants of the General Meeting of the Union of Superiors General (USG) of the last 29 November. "You have to form the heart, otherwise we will make little monsters", the Pope said.

At the curial headquarters of the Salesians at the General Meeting in Rome conducted the 82nd Assembly of the Union of Superiors General on 27 - 29 November 2013, 82nd.  Pope Francis personally took part, in contrast to previous general meetings on 29 November.

Pope Francis called on the religious superiors to put an end to the "novice business".  Civiltà Cattolica had published this with a notice to the new edition, which was published on the internet already yesterday.

The Pope on 29 November with 120 representatives of the Catholic Women's Orders. "You have to form the heart, or we will make little monsters. And then, these little monsters form the people of God. That gives me the creeps,"  is how Civiltà Cattolica cited the exhortation of Pope Francis to the Superiors. The quote is part of a detailed conversation between the Pope and the superiors about the challenges of religious life in today's world and the challenges in the Church.

Among the topics covered the Jesuit magazine writes:  "the complexity of life between grace and sin, the Prophetic being in our world; the brotherhood, the indictment of the" novice trade"; hypocrisy and fundamentalism; praise for Pope Benedict XVI. for his fight against child sexual abuse by clergy and the importance of charisms and the pressing challenges; the relationship between the religious and the bishops, the need of tenderness "to caress conflicts," and a jolt to awaken our unfeeling world. "

This edition of the Civilizations of Cattolica with the conversation appeared yesterday. On the Internet, they will be available from 15 clock in Italian, Spanish and English. Father Antonio Spadaro, the editor of the Jesuit magazine was one of the 120 religious superiors, the 29 November were received by Pope Francis. At 15 pages it summarizes the free and spontaneous approach proposed by Pope's address together.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: USG
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

Asia Bibi's Letter to the Pope: "Only God can Free Me" -- The Silence of Amnesty International

(Lahore) Asia Bibi, Pakistan's most famous prisoner has sent   a letter to Pope Francis. The now 43 year old Pakistani Catholic has been in prison since n June 2009 for allegedly insulting Islam. Accused by two Islamic religious leaders of having engaging a  Muslim women in a dispute where she maintained that it was not Mohammed who was the "true prophet" of God, but Jesus Christ, she is the first woman to be sentenced to death in the country on  8 November 2010. Since then, she is held under particularly tight security in prison during her  appeal process. The mother of five children was sentenced under Article 295 (C) of 1986 anti-blasphemy law introduced in the Pakistan Penal Code.

Diplomatic Efforts by the Vatican For Release

In November 2011,  Pope Benedict XVI. appealed publicly to  the Pakistani government to bring an end of discrimination and violence against Christians. For a Christian, the Head of the Church explained: "Today I bring to expression my spiritual closeness especially to Mrs. Asia Bibi and her family members, while I note that she has her full freedom restored  as soon as possible ."  At the same time, the Pope sent Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Pakistan, with a diplomatic mission to Islamabad to secure the release and departure of Asia Bibi. The mission failed because   the Pakistani government feared to release Asia Bibi because of  an Islamist insurgency. The diplomatic efforts of the Catholic side have  not been cancelled since.  Chilly silence prevails, however, from the "Heralds" in the defense of human rights. The abortion lobbyist Amnesty International has barely spent a word for Asia Bibi, while the release of  the extreme left, anti-Church,  action group Pussy Riot, or the oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky will be celebrated as "successes".

Christmas with the family in prison

In her letter to Pope Francis, Asia Bibi offers a personal testimony of faith. She thanked him for the divine grace that she could hold out so long. She also thanked the Holy See for the efforts toward her release. "I hope that every Christian could celebrate Christmas with joy. Like many other prisoners, I have celebrated the birth of our Lord in prison in Multan here in Pakistan. In a special way, she thanked the Catholic school and charity Renaissance Education Foundation, through which it was possible that her husband and her children were allowed to come to Multan for Christmas in the prison, to  celebrate the Solemnity together. "It would have been for me a great pleasure to have celebrated Christmas in the Vatican Basilica to pray together with you. I have confidence in the plans that God has  for me and maybe it will be possible next year."

"Only God Can Free Me"

Asia Bibi thanked all Christians who pray for her and work for her release. She wrote to the Pope about their already four and a half years in prison and  her concerns: "I do not know how long I can hold out. If I'm still alive, it is thanks to the power which was given to me through your prayers. I have met many people who support me and fight for me. So far, unfortunately without success. In this moment I want to entrust myself solely to the mercy of God who can do anything. He alone can free me."

"I Know that You Pray for Me"

In the letter to the Pope, the Pakistani mother speaks  of some of her  daily worries to prison: "This winter is especially hard: my cell is unheated, the door does not protect against the biting cold." "The security measures are inappropriate," since Asia Bibi was moved for security to the prison of Multan, her family has to travel from Lahore, which is a long way. The authorities speak of "necessities", because otherwise they could not protect the lives of prisoners.  Several calls for her death  and a bounty have been offered by Islamist organizations  for the Moslem who murders Asia Bibi.

The thanks and pleading letter to the Pope ends with the best Christmas and New Year wishes. "I know that you pray with all your heart for me. This gives me confidence that my freedom will one day be possible.  I greet you with affection in this hopeful prayer. Asia Bibi, your daughter in the faith. "

Text: Paix Liturgique / Giuseppe Nardi
image: Una Fides
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches....

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Pope Francis Like a "Steam Roller and Decides Everything Himself" --- Curious Request for "Forgiveness"

(Rome) Pope Francis appointed a new Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference on the day before Christmas Eve. Even in the first month of his pontificate, the pope had asked the Italian bishops to draw up new statutes for the Episcopal Conference. While the bishops' conferences choose their own president and even determine their term of office (an exception is Belgium), in Italy the Pope as Bishop of Rome is also automatically chairman of the Bishops' Conference. However, this office, since its introduction by Pius XII, was never exercised by the reigning pope. He appoints a delegate that represents him as chairman. The right of appointment for the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference is to also exercised by the Pope. The Italian bishops called on the new Pope to inform him whether the Chair and the Secretary General should continue to be appointed by the Pope, or whether they want to occupy these offices by election itself. Despite this request, the Pope goes "forward like a steam roller and decides everything himself," said Vaticanist Sandro Magister.

"Steamroller" Francis - Surprise Dismissal of General Secretary

Pope Francis unceremoniously dismissed the previous Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Mariano Crociata and has appointed him as the bishop of the small Diocese of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priveno, which is th equivalent to the pushing him off to an insignificant place off the tracks. Bishop Crociata was appointed in 2008 by Benedict XVI. as Secretary General after he had previously been appointed as the Bishop of Nota.

On 28 December the announcement of the new Secretary-General was accomplished in an "entirely uncharacteristic way," said Magister. To appoint him instead of being in accordance with current regulations, that is, on the Bureau's proposal and after consulting the Permanent Council of the Bishops' Conference, Pope Francis appointed him arbitrarily and without consultation. But he did so with an unusual accessory, as if he were "asking permission" of the priests and faithful of the Diocese of the new Secretary General, the Pope literally said he would "took away" the bishop. This "request for permission" was of course rhetorical, formulated by the Pope in a "daring rhetorical construct" (Sandro Magister) in an open letter to the diocese. Clearly part of the current leadership of the Italian Bishops' Conference, consisting of Archbishop Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa and the Archbishops of Perugia, Potenza and Turin (the General Secretary, also a member of the Presidium, already being discharged), are not among of the most important interlocutors of the Pope.

Pope Asked the Diocese for "Permission" to be able to Appoint the Bishop to General Secretary

The newly appointed Secretary General is Bishop Nunzio Galatino Cassano all'Jonio. The 65-year-old bishop comes from Puglia. His diocese is located in Calabria and, with nearly 100,000 faithful to the smallest of the Apennine Peninsula. It's also unusual in the appointment is that it takes place only after an interim. It seems unclear whether it served as the removal of Bishop Crociata, or whether the did not anticipate Pope making a possible amendment of statutes of the Episcopal Conference, if he wants the bishops to appoint the Secretary-General themselves in the future. In this case, the question remains, why a change was made ​​at this time. Secretary Galatino will remain at his own request a bishop of his diocese.

In his published letter to the diocese, the Pope asked the priests and faithful to permit their bishop "at least for a certain time for an important mission for the Italian Church" to go to Rome. He will, however, continue to be their bishop as the Pope declared that he would spend "a few days on a regular basis" in the diocese.

Pope Francis: "I Ask You to Understand Me ... and to Forgive Me"

"I ask you to understand me ... and to forgive me," the Pope wrote this at the end of the letter, dated 28 December, but it came into force immediately without waiting for a response from them even though the matter was raised in a rhetorical effort to priests and faithful.

The Bishops' Conference noted the unilateral action of the pope with two tight, cool press releases.

Msgr, Galatino was consecrated a bishop on 25 February and took over the management of his diocese. He is Professor of Anthropology at the Faculty of Theology for Southern Italy. In the Episcopal Conference, he was previously responsible for higher theological studies.

Upon his appointment ad interim, Bishop Galatino will undertake the rights, duties and responsibilities of the office of General Secretary, of the Italian Episcopal Conference, yet it is unknown how long the term of office will be, however. Pope Benedict XVI. had appointed Archbishop Bagnasco of Genoa as as his delegate and President of the Bishops Conference in 2007. He chose Bishop Crociata as Secretary General.

With the appointment of the new Secretary-General, a similar pattern can be determined in the Pope's approach in personnel decisions, that were repeatedly employed already in the Roman Curia. Also, the unexpected dismissal of Cardinal Bagnasco's General Secretary appears to be an indicator that the President of the Bishops' Conference may also be dismissed.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 image: Settimo Cielo
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
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Gänswein: Pope Wants to Reform the Faithful, not the Faith

"Absolute Continuity" Between Pope Benedict XVI. to Pope Francis.Munich (kath.net / KNA) Archbishop George Gänswein expected no revolutions in the Vatican under the new Pope. "Pope Francis does not want to reform the faith, but the faithful," the Prefect of the Papal Household said in an interview broadcast on New Year's for Bavarian television. "The special thing is surely that he is a man who can not be put before any carts." He also does not expect that the Vatican "from tomorrow will have a new face," said Gänswein in conversation with journalist Susanne Hornberger.

Francis is a man of great gestures, gradually, however, the substantive elements would come to the fore. Gänswein who is still the private secretary of Benedict XVI. is seeing an "absolute continuity" between the two popes. As evidence, he described the encyclical "Lumen Fidei" (The Light of Faith) by Pope Francis on which Benedict XVI already worked. I've done a lot of preparatory work. Differences were stressed by the Archbishop on the issues of faith and reason and relativism. The results achieved by St. Francis in contrast to Benedict XVI. were in "second line."

In the exclusive interview under the title "On the Way to the Vatican" Gänswein describes the new pope as a "very open, very honest man." In meetings with people he does not make differences between politicians, Church dignitaries and ordinary people. In addition, Francis possesses the great gift that he immediately produces a warm connection in meetings, "the ice breaks away," said the Archbishop. "That takes immediately puts to rest any uncertainty or stage fright."

Link to Kath.net...Link to Kath.net...Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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Abortion Fanatics Attack Midnight Mass in Spain

(Madrid) Leftist abortionists and feminists disrupted a Midnight Mass in Spain on Christmas night to demand "full and free abortion". The incident took place in the parish church of San Felix in Sabadell near Barcelona.

The abortion fanatics wanted to act as Herodians and chose therefore targeted the Creche, in which the birth of Jesus is celebrated. As the antithesis of the happy birth of a child, and specifically of the Redeemer, they demanded "full and free abortion". They interrupted the Sacred Liturgy with a banner and chant. The church vandals and anti-Catholic "action" was videotaped and posted on the Internet. The sacrilege was conducted by  the "Anti-Sexist collective of Sabadell."  The video was published  on the website "Justa Revolta". About 50 pro-abortion invaded the church during the Mass, shouting slogans for abortion and against the Church. The "action" was described by the attackers as a "reaction" to the "capitalist, patriarchal and Catholic offensive."

The Mass was interrupted by the  disruption for fifteen minutes. Even before the arrival of the police the Mass attendees urged the vandals with their placards out of the church. Outside the church, abortion advocates continued with their chants.

Link to Katholisches...

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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