Catholic Pastor Practices Santaria and Exploits "Boyfriend" for Decades?

(Bogota) W Radio Colombia , a radio station in the Spanish media group Prisa ( El Pais, Spanish edition of the Huffington Post ) yesterday reported on the double life from the "Homo-Idyll". The 42 year old Julio César Cardona reported in detail during the interview that for years he has maintained a homosexual [aberrosexual] relationship with a Catholic priest.

For over 20 years he and the priest José Elías Lopera Cárdenas, pastor of Santa Maria de los Angeles, have lived together as a couple in the Archdiocese of Medellin in Colombia. The relationship was "secret", but Cardona's family, friends and other priests are said to have known about them.

After 20 Years and severely burned by "gay pastor" he is shown the door?

Cardona has now gone public, because the pastor showed him the door, to live with another man.

Pastor Lopera seems, according to Cardona's description, to have grown tired and now wants  more youthful sexual playmates. Cardona feels he is being treated unfairly, financially. In a radio interview, he announced that it was his wish  to demand a "bonus" for a "love affair" of  more than 20 years.

Lopera was chaplain at the college, to which Cardona had come when he was 16 years old. There they met each other and had become a "couple".

Special sex games in which Cardona was seriously injured?

The two seem to have preferred special sex games. In one of these "games," a Santeria ritual, an "accident" happened in 2012. Lopera had covered Lopera with a lot of alcohol. It took light and inflicted severe burn injuries. According to W Radio, 40 percent of his skin was affected.

This "blemish" on his body was the reason that Lopera had lost interest in his sex companion and sought at length new partners.

Santeria is a syncretic religion of African animism with Catholic elements, which evolved among the slaves deported to America. It is rejected by the Catholic Church, but pastor Lopera seems to have, besides  to his sexual vices, issues with the faith. In the diocese he is, says Cardona,   "respectable."

Cardona announced that his lawyer had sent a claim for more than 150 million Colombian pesos (approximately 42,000 euros) to Pastor Lopera. These were also brought to the diocesan leadership and the Apostolic Nuncio.

Cardena disclaims moral charges against the pastor or the Church. He just wants money. Pastor Lopera has apparently funded him to study, covered his credit card and gave him a monthly eight million Colombian pesos (about 2,200 euros). With this money Cardona has given his family financial support, which is now also missing this money.

As Cardona announced in the interview,  he is the father of a 20 year old daughter who studies medicine in Medellin. She had sprung from a relationship with a staff member in a rectory.

The interviewer asked where the pastor had so much money to so luxuriously  sponsor Cardona and to pay him the "compensation" now demanded. Cardona explained that Pastor Lopera was highly regarded and receives many donations and contributions, even from the business world. He financed his sexual companions with the parish donations.  The news site KienyKe recalled rumors in the past, according to which pastors Lopera did maintain good contacts with the Drug Lord Pablo Escobar Gaviria and the question of whether he could have anything to do with "the money,"  which the priest had nonetheless gladly received.

Everything a question of money, not of morality?

In other words, if there is a satisfactory financial settlement from the "lover", he will be silent  and "the illustrious priest can resume his usual double life," so says Secretum meum mihi .  Cardona showed  no doubts about the homosexual relationship during the interview, which he explains with uncritical self-awareness and total moral indifference. The case seems to be settled in the gray zone for prostitution. Anyway, gold plays a central role in the whole matter, especially since Cardona does not even seem to be homosexual.

The radio hosts did not attempt to exploit the story  for the debate  which is taking place in Colombia  on the legalization of "gay marriage". The damage to the Church and its rejection of "gay marriage" has created all by itself  the impression of hypocrisy. It's a negative example, which can be availed by critics of the Church  and homosexual [gender ideology] activists.

The interview with Cardona aired on Tuesday. So far, no reactions of diocesan leadership of Medellin have become known.

W Radio explained that they had  also invited Pastor Lopera  to the show, but did not receive a response. The station was even in contact with the diocesan management. They did not want to make any public comment before they had  "closely examined" the case. "You will now listen closely to this program, and then probably to take a position," said Julio Sanchez Cristo, the presenter of W Radio toward Diocese.

Cardona's complaint aired openly  against Lopera could lead to extensive criminal investigations, "including abuse of parish funds, illegal enrichment, pedophilia, deliberate bodily injury. In addition are still investigations that fall under Church law," said KienyKe .

Text: Andreas Becker

Photo: Youtube (screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

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Pope Benedict Breaks Silence and Affirms the Thrice Defined, Infallible Dogma, No Salvation Outside of the Catholic Church

"Council Cast Church and Faithful into a Double Crisis"  - Interview of Benedict XVI

(Rome) Pope Benedict XVI. has broken his silence that he  undertook in connection with his unexpected resignation. Since 2013 he has lived in retirement in the convent, Mater Ecclesiae in the Vatican. Now has given  Avvenire, the daily newspaper of the Italian Bishops' Conference a long interview, which was published in today's issue.

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"Let us allow ourselves to be formed by Christ," is the title of a spiritual interview which addresses faith and theology.  It does not involve daily affairs and church politics.

The interview was conducted by the Belgian Jesuit, Jacques Servais, director of the Casa Balthasar in Rome. Father Servais was under Cardinal Ratzinger from 1985-1990 an official in  the CDF and from 1993-1996, the professor of dogmatic theology at the Institute of John Paul II. in Rome. He has published works on Cardinal Newman, Hans Urs von Balthasar and Adrienne von Speyr.

"Without being bound by salvation even the faith is baseless"

The central question of the interview is: "What is the faith and how does one come to believe?"

Emeritus Benedict XVI. spoke to the Church crisis in the interview:

"The missionaries of the 16th century were convinced that the unbaptized were lost forever. After the Council this conviction was abandoned. This resulted in a deep crisis. Without being bound to salvation the faith is baseless."

On the anthropological aspect of man, technology and love:

"People expect in their hearts that the Good Samaritan comes to their aid. In the hardness of the technological world in which feelings count for nothing, the expectation increases of a saving love that is unselfishly bestowed."

For increasing importance of charity:

"It is a sign of the times that the idea of ​​mercy coming from Sister Faustina  becomes ever more central and more dominant."

Father Servais asked  Benedict XVI. about the justification dispute of Martin Luther and the struggle of St. Francis de Sales, who had followed in the wake of the Apostle Paul  for the pastoral care of as many "infidels" as possible against the "terrible fate being eternally lost."  Benedict XVI. proceeds in his reply in detail on the "development of this dogma" Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus, because since the beginning of modern times, the historical perspectives with respect to the Middle Ages had changed "radically".

By giving the up the Church's necessity for  salvation, the Council sparked a "double crisis"

"Double crisis" of Church and Faith

Thus, with the fact that the Second Vatican Council has "definitely" abandoned the belief  that there is no salvation for unbaptized, the Church and the faith had fallen into a "double crisis".

"On the one hand  it seems to withdraw any motivation a future missionary commitment. Why convince people of accepting the Christian faith, even if they can be saved without it?
But for Christians, the question on the necessity of faith and manner of life was uncertain and problematic. If there are those who can be saved in other ways, it is ultimately not evident why the Christian should be linked to the need of the Christian faith and its morals. But if the faith and salvation are not dependent on each other, the faith is also groundless.
Recently, various attempts have been made ​​to bring to reconciliation the universal need of the Christian faith with the opportunity to save oneself without them."

Rahner's "anonymous Christian" and the "superficiality" of pluralistic theories of religion are not solutions

Benedict XVI. then addresses two of these "attempts", including the thesis of Karl Rahner's "anonymous Christian",  in the being of Christ is synonymous with humanity. "It is true that this hypothesis is intriguing," but it excludes  "the drama of change and renewal, which is central for Christianity."

"Even less acceptable is the solution proposed by the pluralistic religious theories  for all religions, each in their own way, are ways of salvation  and to be considered in this sense, in their effects, as equivalent. The religious criticism, the way it is practiced on the Old Testament and of the primordial church, is much more realistic, concrete and true in its examination of the various religions." The pluralistic religious theories are "superficial" and "is not appropriate to the size of the question." 

Finally, Benedict XVI names a third solution proposed,  that of Henri de Lubac,  "and some other theologians" who had placed their emphasis on the standing substitute that vicarious substitution. So that it may be that  "the problem is not solved completely."  But it would involve a "material intuition", where it is total but "clear", "that we must think about the whole issue."

The complete interview in the Italian original (Avvenire) .

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Avvenire (Screenshot / Vaticanva / OR

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

Professional translation also by the Maike Hickson...

AMDG

Franciscans of the Immaculate: Father Manelli Initiates Criminal Complaint For Slander

Father Alfonso Bruno

(Rome) The Congregation for Religious' struggle against the   Franciscans of the Immaculata  is going into a new round.  On March 2nd, the  legal representatives of the founder and General Superior dismissed by the Vatican, Father Stefano Manelli, has issued a complaint to the state prosecutor of Avellino. 

He founded the Order in the 1970s, it was recognized by the Holy See in 1990, returned to the original Franciscan Rule and also followed Pope Benedict liturgically.   After the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum  he implemented the traditional liturgy internally, while offering the Sacraments in both forms of the Roman Rite for pastoral reasons. Thus the Order was an absolute exception, because it was the only Old Rite religious order of the Congregation for Religious, and not under the Papal Commission of Ecclesia Dei. What appeared to be taken in a special dynamic under Pope Benedict XVI., because the Franciscans of the Immaculata, in contrast to other new ritual orders, was an attractive example of an Old Rite Order  that was also missionary in character, became under Pope Francis, the complete opposite. Now the protective umbrella  of the  Ecclesia-Dei Communities is completely absent.

Slander Campaign Against the Franciscans of the Immaculata

Attorney Enrico Tuccillo lodged a complaint two weeks ago, of slander, and the formation of a criminal organization. In this way the founder is defending himself, in the name of his brothers and sisters against the ongoing "slander campaign," which was directed initially against the men's and subsequently against the women's branch of the order.  On November 4.  2015 the  Corriere della Sera  made an appeal from direct or indirect statements by  "concerned parties" in an article series with various horror  stories about the Franciscans of the Immaculate. Similar slander campaigns have happened in the past already against other religious communities and have mostly had their origins in inner-ecclesiastical conflicts. The mass media has likewise been ever ready themselves  to assist progressive circles.  

The Congregation of Religious reacted with the introduction of an  Apostolic Commissar  to the female order and justified this step just as they did the Commisarate administration of the male branch in July of 2013. The sisters were accused that they  "did not succeed in assimilating the riches of Concilar doctrine and the subsequent papal magisterium in their consecrated life in a reasonable way and to use it in the context of their apostolic life and mission."

The Rebellious Within the Order Against  Pater Manelli are Given a Name 

With the charge,  now the opposition within the Order who have triggered and expedited in collaboration with the Roman Congregation of Religious, against the  Franciscans of the Immaculata, have a name. Rome has not named till today any reasons for the radical clampdown on the blooming religious order,  which from many points of view represent an anomaly among Catholic religious communities. It has been maintained from different sides, that the Congregation for Religious have only reacted based on a petition from members to this Congregation.  The internal opponents of the founder, Father Manelli, have never been officially identified. The letter actually does this. Less believable is that it was the catalyst for the various interventions of the Congregation.  The Order was a thorn in the side of the Congregation and other heads of religious communities for a long time.  Under  Benedict  XVI., who stood fully behind the Franciscans  of the  Immaculata, Cardinal Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Religious, dared not move against the young order. Under  Pope Francis, who makes no bones about his antipathy to the traditional Rite, the playing field was  fundamentally altered.

With Pater Manelli's legal conplaint, the names now lay on the table. That is, "not an easily introduced step, which has become necessary for the protection of many of the Order's brothers and sisters," said Manelli's attorney.

Three Sisters, Six Priests and Two Laity Cited

The complaint is against the three religious sisters or former sisters,  Lattanzi, Turturiello und Lovine, against six priests and two laymen.  Among the priests there is  Pater Alfonso Bruno, who is considered the actual instigator and leader of the uprising against the founder. Father Bruno already belongs to the leadership imposed by the Vatican and was, under the late Apostolic Commissar, Father  Fidenzio Volpi, who as his right hand as General Secretary, actually became the new highest ranking member  of the Order. Also mentioned in the complaint is  Father Alessandro Calloni, who has been the General Delegate of the Order for Italy.

The two laymen are alleged to be guilty of have disseminating  an "anonymous dossier with false contents," to discredit the former leadership, who have a severe vow of poverty,  among the brothers and sisters, the faithful, the Church authorities and especially the media. "It is no accident that the same subjects now have leading positions within the Order," says the complaint.  

"Indeed Impressive and  Striking, but False Evidence"

For example,   Ilaria Turturiello (formerly  Sister Maria Letizia), because she made, "Indeed Impressive and Striking, but False Evidence," alleging abuse she is supposed to have suffered.  She was, according to her, forced by her superior, a niece of the founder, to sexually gratify the owner of a supermarket. The women's superior has in the meantime, filed a counter-complaint for defamation and slander.

The former sister also offered the media the story of a "poor fellow sister", who likewise, she said, knew to tell the questionable horror story, which was gleefully broadcast by some of the media. This "fellow sister" was approached by the media for a quote but she denied Turturiello's claims.

The founder, Manelli, must lay his cards before the judge's table.  

The smear campaign of Corriere della Sera and other media was commented upon then by  Messa in Latino. The traditional  site opposed the harsh and unjust attacks against this Order, "which wasn't guilty of anything" compared to the shortcomings and defects of other orders, where the Congregation for Religious sees  no impulse to intervene:

"The moral of the story? The new message of Rome to Religious Orders appears to say: if you give in to your sexual desires, lie, steal, betray, deny doctrinal truths and dogmas, disturb ecclesiastical order and promote liturgical abuse, it doesn't matter, the main thing is that you do not hit out at the Vatican Council II and the achievements of the post-conciliar epoch."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: Airmaria (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG 

New Map Shows Mass Locations Since Summorum Pontificum

Map of Europe with Mass Locations of the Traditional Mass 

(Rome) The French side ProjectSP5 published a map of Europe which includes the Mass  locations of the traditional Mass.  ProjectSP5 standa for Project Summorum Pontificum. The map highlights the spread of the traditional Rite, which Pope Benedict XVI has restored the traditional Rite again to its official right of residence in the world Church. 

Distinct Geographic Differences 

A glance on the map immediately shows significant geographic differences between the various European states.  Strikingly thick are the Mass locations in France, England and the German language area, less dense are the Catholic nations of Poland, Italy, Dpain and Portugal. Some

Counties, notably Ireland, we're not included.

The traditional Rite is thus more prominently represented in those areas where the Catholic Faith has been historically endangered by great pressure.  That was true for England though the long Anglican state persecution, for France through radical secularization and for the German speaking areas through the Church schism of the 16th century, which separated both the people and the state, and in the last half-century from a protestantizing in progressive Church circles.

Map Documents Counter-Reaction

The "Rheinisch Alliance" from the leading German and French speaking bishops and theologians are in this area and worked a massive influence on the Second Vatican Council. The consequences were an inner-Church break, which has not been resolved and has thrown the Church into a difficult crisis. 

The maps with the Mass locations documented in the same area as the reaction to this development and gives the impression of the vitality of faith and the Church.

The also shows a significant shortcoming. Some Mass locations are missing, others are imprecisely located on the map. . A more precise and comprehensive map, "would be desired and would make the implementation and effect of the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum of  Papst Benedict  XVI",  says the traditional site  Messa in Latino. The project of the French blogger is still a noteworthy beginning.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: ProjectSP5 (Screenshot)

Trans: Tabcred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link...

AMDG 

Father Michael Müller: Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus

Edit: well worth the read!  The more things change... Other Müllers would do well to copy the life of this evangelical giant.

CFN Editor’s Note: Father Michael Müller was one of the most widely read theologians of the 19th Century. He ranks as one of the greatest defenders of the dogma “Outside the Church there is no salvation” in modern times. Father Müller always submitted his works to two Redemptorist theologians and to his religious superiors before publication, thus we are sure of the doctrinal soundness of his teachings. This article, first published in 1875, is one of the finest treatments of the doctrinal truth that Our Lord founded one true Catholic Church, outside of which there is no salvation. Father Muller’s firm writings are desperately needed in our time when this doctrine is denied by those who are the most influential members of our Holy Church. We publish Father Müller’s excellent little Catechism as an antidote to the prevalent religious indifferentism — an indifferentism that is the direct result of what Blessed Pius IX denounced as “Liberal Catholicism”.


1. Do all admit that the Catholic Church is the first and the oldest Church, and, consequently the Church established by Jesus Christ?

That the Catholic Church is the first and oldest and consequently the Church established by Jesus Christ, is and must be admitted by all, because it is a fact clearly proven by Scripture and by history.

2. Who bear witness to this fact?

The Jews and the Gentiles bear witness to it, and even Protestants themselves acknowledge it, because, if asked why they call themselves Protestants, they answer: “Because we protest against the Catholic Church.”

3. What follows from this answer?

That the Catholic Church is older than Protestantism; otherwise they could not have protested against her.

4. If we go still further back and ask the Greek Church how they came into existence, what will be their answer?

The Greek Church must answer: “We began by separating from the Catholic Church in the 9th Century.”

Read on: 
http://www.cfnews.org/page88/files/26129ec0e64e5d421a3c5a909afc23a5-547.html

Pope Francis to Visit Poland During World Youth Day

(Rome) Pope  Francis will participate in World Youth Day XXXI in July. This is according to the press office of the Holy See on Saturday.  

It will be the second World Youth Day of the Pontificate of Pope Francis. The last WYD took place in 2013 the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. This was a few months after the conclave which had chosen Pope Francis. 

As the daily bulletin of the Vatican says,  the Pope will travel to Kraków "with the invitation of the most prominent Polish political representatives and Bishops" from the 27th to 31st of July.  

Polish Episcopate Distanced From Pope Francis' Course

The polish episcopate has distanced itself from the reigning head of the Church. There was steadfast opposition to it during both of the Family Synods in 2014 and 2016.  The eventuality  supported by Pope Francis, Tof admitting ecclesially but civilly married and divorced members to the Sacraments was rejected by the Polish episcopate. 

On the 19th of March Pope Francis will sign the post-synodal document on the Family.  At the time of World Youth Day, his standpoint about the indissolubility of marriage and on homosexuality will be known, just like the reaction of the Polish Church.

Poland is the homeland of Pope John Paul II   (1978-2005). World Youth Day is an initiative which he originated.  The first WYD took place in Rome in 1984, as the Polish Pope introduced the "International Year of Youth."  

Within the closest circle of the Pope's colleagues, and among the most significant papal electors of 2013, the pontificate of John Paul II is viewed as  "restorative turn", to which it maintains an inner distance. 

Kraków: old coronation city and capital of Poland 

Die Wawel-Cathedral of Saint Stanislas and Wenzel 

The visit to Popand is not without tensions. Pope Francis has used pastoral visits to countries which have been critical of his line in order to herd those bishops to his Church course. 

The locations of the  XXXIst World Youth Day will be Kraków, which is the most historical city of Poland. Kraków is in little Poland, and was till 1764, the coronation city of Polish kings and from 1596, capital of the homeland.

The Archbishop of Kraków has been  Stanislaw Kardinal Dziwisz since 2006, the longtime secretary of Pope John Paul II, whose successor,  Nachfolger, Benedikt XVI., named him shortly after his election as Archbishop of Kraków and raised him in 2006 to the cardinal's  rank. In the coming month  Cardinal Dziwisz will reach his 77th year. His emeritus status is soon to come. The Pope may, according to canon law, accept the resignation with all likelihood after World Youth Day.

The organization of WYD is in the hands of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The concrete execution will proceed through a local organization committee. Information on WYD 2016 can be found on the international Internet site  krakow2016.com.

Pope and Youth in Auschwitz?

 On the 4th of March, the Internet site published: Over 225 thousand pilgrims are planning to visit Auschwitz during WYD."  Entrance to the former Nationa Socialist concentration camp, "will only be available to participants in WYD who have booked in advance."  The site recalls the prison camp for Poles from 1940 and the "extermination location for Jews" from 1942. Above all, the martyrdom of two saints, Father Maximilian Maria Kolbe and  Sister Teresia Benedicta a Cruce (popularly Edith Stein), one of the Catholic faithful who converted from Judaism is recalled.

Two popes have visited the memorial of the former KZ of  KZ’s Auschwitz. The WYD site mentions  „at least  1,1Million  people, mostly Jews, but also Poles, Roma, Soviet Prisoners and people of other nationalities,"  who "the Germans destroyed in Auschwitz."

At the Auschwitz visit of John Paul II in 1979, he prayed at the memorial plaque from 1969, which describes "4 million" victims. When Pope Benedict visited in 2006, the plaque from the year 1995 counted the victims with the number 1.5 million. 

After the end of Communist rule, the first free Polish government had corrected the widely exaggerated numbers. In the meantime, the government has corrected the numbers again.  The German Pope avoided any unpleasant mention of the number of victims mistakenly quantified after after the visit of his predecessor. 

As Vatican Speaker Father Federico Lombardi said in January, it is "very likely", that Pope Francis will visit the memorial of Auschwitz in the context of World Youth Day.  In September 2014, the Pope gifted the  organization  Auschwitz-Birkenau 100,000 Euro. It is the custodian of the memorials and museums ( on the number of victims  and the Pope's Foundation  see Papst Franziskus stift Auschwitz-Gedenkstätte 100.000 Euro).

Text: Andreas Becker
Bild: krakow2016

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG

Boston Globe Dumps Crux

Edit: John Allen will never report the real etiologies, goals and malignant personalities behind the sexual abuse scandal.

BOSTON — The Boston Globe has said it will no longer be running its Catholic news site CruxNow.com as of April 1. Vatican analyst and associate Crux editor John L. Allen Jr. says he hopes to continue the site with other partners.

The announcement comes after less than two years of operation for the Catholic site. The Boston Globe cited financial reasons for the decision. It said that Allen is “exploring the possibility of continuing it in some modified form, absent any contribution from the Globe.”

Allen, a longtime Vatican reporter who is widely respected in his field, told CNA that he and Crux Vatican correspondent Ines San Martin will continue the site.

http://m.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-boston-globe-cuts-ties-with-crux-catholic-news-site/#.VuVGSlI8LKD

Church Janitor Destroys Sacrilegious Cathedral Display

Edit: someone at the Cathedral of Saint Cecelia in Omaha Nebraska thought it was a good idea to include mannequins of Mary Poppins, a Buddha for a King and I display and Queen Elizabeth I of England, scourge of the Church. 

Although Mark Kenney, the man who tossed the ridiculous displays out of the cathedral has some sense, neither the pastor, a canon lawyer, a religious educator with a hyphenated name from the nearby Jesuit University, not the approproately named Archbishop George Lucas have any sense.

[Omaha] ...Mark Kenney  returned to Omaha and has worked blue-collar jobs, including the $12-an-hour position that he lost at the cathedral. He now is a custodian at a nursing home. His wife of 32 years is a pharmacy technician, and they care for her 62-year-old sister, who has mental disabilities.

In a letter of termination two days after the festival incident, Gutgsell wrote to Kenney: “None of the florists and none of the volunteers, any number of whom took time off their work or traveled some distance, had the slightest intention or reason to dishonor the Cathedral. You assigned the word ‘desecration’ to the entire project and as a result slandered anyone associated with it.”

Dwayne Ibsen, who provided the costumes, said Kenney tossed out an “Elizabeth I” outfit that had won six awards at national costumer conventions. Insurance companies are assessing the damage to mannequins and costumes, Ibsen said, adding that it appeared to be between $5,000 and $6,000.

http://m.omaha.com/columnists/kelly/kelly-with-a-pair-of-bolt-cutters-and-sense-of/article_6b73936c-9e2b-5ba4-8e19-cc9518c219ca.html?mode=jqm

Please Consider Contacting the Archdiocese about their evil conduct:

The Archdiocese of Omaha

100 N. 62nd St. Omaha, NE 68132

p: 402.558.3100  ·  f: 402.558.3026

AMDG

Papal Critic from the Margins, Who Will Hasten the Restructuring of the US-Episcopate

(Rome)  The Pope who came from the ends of the world was cheered by the old center, but was slowed down by the margins.  Norberto Cardinal Rivera Carrera, Primate of Mexico, unleashed a clearly negative opinion on Pope Francis' speech to the Mexican bishops: "Improvised words and ill-advised."  Rivera's criticism stirred "pandemonium" in the Vatican, said the Vatican expert, Sandro Magister. The "bad adviser" from Mexico is to be promoted by Pope Francis even to a key position in Washington. He is there to put the US episcopate on a Bergoglio course.

Cardinal Rivera's anger over the Pope's plea

The Cardinal was particularly critical about those passages in which the Pope allowed himself to elaborate from the prepared speech to the  left, speaking freely and improvising. Exhorting the bishops to have a duty "to preserve the unity of the Episcopal Community," were particularly offensive.The editorial in the church newspaper Desde la fe of the Archdiocese is not identified by name. Nevertheless, the authorship is attributed to the Archbishop of Mexico City, Norberto Cardinal Rivera Carrera, Primate of the Latin American [Central] country. The unsigned editorials usually  come from the Archbishop. Cardinal Rivera is taking on Pope Francis frontally because of his address, which he held three weeks earlier in the Cathedral of the Mexican capital, to the Bishops of the country. The editorial was also published on the website of the weekly newspaper  and that of the Archdiocese.

The Pope had said: "If you must argue, argue. If you have something to say, say it.  But do it like men, to the face, and as men of God who then go together to pray and try to differ together. And if you have crossed boundaries, then ask forgiveness."  In summary, the Pope said:  "Communion and unity among you: The community is the living form of the Church and the unity of her pastors is the proof of her veracity. It needs no principles, but a community of witnesses of the Lord."

Implied criticism of Cardinal Maradiaga's influence in Rome

Norberto Cardinal Rivera Carrera, Archbishop of Mexico City and Primate of Mexico

Cardinal Rivera waited three weeks, but he would make no friends with the admonition and replicated it obviously after careful consideration: "Did the Pope have any reason to challenge the Mexican bishops like this? What the Pope knows, and he knows it well, is that the Church in Mexico is an atypical case in comparison with the other American states. First numerically: Our country has 81 percent [93 million],  the highest proportion Catholics, and just this makes us different from the other states of the continent because of this broad and well-established Catholic presence ".

Cardinal Rivera's words were unmistakably not only a reference to other Latin American countries, but a dig against Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, who is highly regarded  in Rome by Pope Francis and coordinator of the C9-Cardinal Council to advise the Pope. Maradiaga represents the council of cardinal advisers by papal appointment, of Latin America [Central America] and thus Mexico. [Not sure about this since Mexico isn't part of Central America.] In Honduras, the Catholic share in the population has declined since the tenure of Cardinal Maradiaga  within 20 years from 76 to 47 percent.

But also and especially in Argentina, the nation of former Primate Jorge Mario Bergoglio is also suffering  a massive loss of Catholics underway.

A report of the study center Latinobarometro two years ago pointed out that so far, there are only two exceptions in Latin America that are capable of withstanding the erosion of Catholicism toward free churches under US model: Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

"By no means disinterested counselors"

Cardinal Rivera said in an editorial: "The idea would be absurd that His Holiness ignored the great resistance which the Catholic Church has experienced in Mexico to the expansion of the Protestant charismatic communities  and Pentecostals, who spread unhindered in other countries."

Therefore, the editorialist asks the question: "Are the improvised words of the Holy Father not the consequence of bad advice which was given to him by someone who is close to him? Who has ill-advised the Pope."   And again: "Why try to reduce the work of the Mexican bishops? Luckily the people know their shepherd and go with him in the establishment of the Kingdom of God, whatever the price, which the history of this country shows."

That he can not be a disinterested counselor is hinted by Cardinal Rivera at the end of the editorial. "The hand of discord," intended to give the impression that "these are temptations of the evils of the episcopate."

The complaints and admonition to the papal speech are similar to those which had already been expressed on other occasions and by other bishops, of the Pope, for example, in September 2015, Washington. To the US bishops and in November 2015 in Florence to the Italian Bishops.   In neither case, however, on the other hand, was there raised such a protest as paramount as that in Mexico. In the other countries, rather, there was unanimous thanks for the "jolt" with which the Pope had shaken up old episcopal schemes. The margins of the Church seems to be actually alive.

Mexican criticism sparked   "a pandemonium in" the Vatican

Nuncio Christophe Pierre

Criticism of Pope Francis in the Church newspaper of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, "caused not only pandemonium in the Vatican, but worldwide," said the Vatican expert Sandro Magister.

The Vaticanists and media, who are closest to Santa Marta,  have immediately set themselves in motion to defend the Church's head, "from the Director of the half-official sismografo, Luis Badilla, to the coordinator of the news site Vatican Insider, Andrea Tornielli."

It was Tornielli, who requently goes in and out of Santa Marta, who rightly pointed out the authorship of the editorial as Cardinal Rivera. At the same time he named, amazingly, the Apostolic Nuncio for Mexico, a Frenchman Christophe Pierre, as the "advisor" who had informed  Pope Francis on the Mexican bishops.

Nuncio as "bad advisor"

It is no secret, said Magister also,  that Pope Francis relies on the judgment of Pierre. Therefore, the revelation and thus exposure, of the Pope's confidant, Pierre, by the Pope's confidant, Tornielli, is explained, because Pierre will soon leave Mexico. Pope Francis is calling upon him for  the new post as  apostolic nuncio to the United States. He will take over from Carlo Maria Viganò, who is retiring.

"The Nunciature in Washington is a key position in Bergoglio's strategy," said Magister. The episcopate of the United States is one of the largest and most influential in the world. Above all, it steadfastly refuses to accept the new guidelines, which Francis would impose on it. The episcopate of the United States remains firmly on the line of the pontificates of John Paul II. and Benedict XVI. [Such as it is.]

New nuncio to bring the US episcopate on Bergoglio course

Pope Francis is aware that the Catholic Church in the US is a major obstacle, to put the world church on   another course. Therefore, he aims at  restructuring the staff of the episcopate.  With the appointment of the left outsider, Blaise Cupich  as Archbishop of Chicago and thus one of the most important dioceses of the United States, he has set his clearest signal  to date in this direction. It was taken by many Catholics of the country, but especially by the majority of bishops, with astonishment and horror.

With Francis a new nuncio faithful to Francis it is to be expected that the reports for the selection of episcopal candidates will take on a new dimension Bergoglian. The conversion of the US episcopate should now proceed at an accelerated pace.

The Francophone nuncio in Washington

Msgr. Jean Jadot

Christophe Pierre is the first Frenchman as nuncio in Washington, but only the second francophones in this office.  Before him was the Walloon, Jean Jadot of 1973-1980 who held this position. Jadot is considered a "hero" in the progressive US Catholics, says Magister, because he was responsible for a series of progressive episcopal appointments, including those of [Blessed] Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee and Raymond Hunthausen in Seattle.

Jadot's struggles for an "other" Church was the reason why Pope John Paul II. briefly brought him back to the Vatican after his election  and entrusted him with only a minor supporting role. Jadot was so far the only nuncio to the United States, who has not been awarded the dignity of Cardinal. With Viganò it could, albeit for different reasons, be one of two. "His elevation to cardinal status is far from certain," said Magister.

Text: Il Foglio / Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Desde la fe / Wikicommons (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...

AMDG