Belgium: Archbishop Venerates Our Lady as He’s Attacked by Anarchists

Edit: this isn’t the first time Archbishop Leonard Mutien has been attacked by the disciples of impurity. At another point, he was assaulted by a pie. The effeminate attack was launched against the Archbishop, whose communications director quit in a fit of rage earlier over the comment, because he said that AIDS “was a form of intrinsic justice”. I think now is a good time to point out that the good Archbishop, whom we’ve described in the past as the Lion of Belgium, is still there doing his job, despite a few faithless colleagues and a vicious anti-Catholic press.

What was also interesting about the press coverage from newscom.au is that the journalist accused the Archbishop of kissing a water bottle. It’s just one more of those times when the things Catholics do escape the basic understanding of profane minds. Actually, the Archbishop kisses a plastic image of Our Lady, which had been blasphemed by the Femen anarchists who attacked him with the water within. It’s a particularly touching image to see him so reviled and full of love.

Primate of Belgium Criticizes the Parliament

MPs were taking the right to decide by majority what the difference between men and women are.  A proper political order can but only recognize natural law principles, which must precede the legislation.



(kath.net/KNA)The Belgian Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, has criticized the national parliament. The delegates assumed the right, per majority vote to decide about the meaning of sexuality, the meaninging of the word "marriage" or the difference between man and woman, said the newspaper "La Libre" this Friday on a new book by the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. Leonard called upon Christians to get involved in the political debate. A proper political order recognizes that there are principles of natural law which should precede any legislation. (C) 2012 Catholic News Agency KNA Inc. All rights reserved. Link to kath.net...

Case Against Archbishop Leonard of Belgium Dismissed

Edit: After being asked by the Old Liberals in the Diocese to reisgn, the Archbishop was then sued by a homosexual activist who claimed that he found the Archbishop's statements damaging to him. The court showed some sanity and disagreed.

 

With its references to AIDS, the archbishop of Brussels caused outrage for storms, the action of a lawyer was rejected.

Brussels (kath.net / CBA / red) A court in the Belgian city of Antwerp has dismissed a lawsuit against Archbishop André-Joseph Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels. The appellant did not prove to have been personally harmed by statements of the Belgian Bishops' Conference Chairman or insulted, Belgian media on site reported on Wednesday.  An attorney filed last year against Leonard because of his public statements about AIDS and homosexuality. The lawyer announced that he would appeal the decision to close the case.  Leonard had described AIDS as a consequence of misconduct, a form of 'immanent justice'. The comment had triggered a storm of indignation. Teachers of the Catholic University of Leuven, church newspaper chief editors and representatives of Catholic laity called for his resignation. In protest against Léonard, remarks came the then Speaker of the Belgian Bishops' Conference, Jürgen Mette Penningen. He likened the Archbishop with a ghost rider, holding on despite the warnings about his course from  his navigation system. Advertising  In 2005, Leonard was interviewed by a French journal, "Monseigneur Leonard. Interviews with Louis Mathoux" where they talked about the disease AIDS. In the third  question his interviewer asked whether he thought there was a connection between AIDS and punishment from God.  Leonard had answered: it's just as much from pollution that might cause damage or, something such as alcohol abuse could  cause damage to  ones self, so too dangerous sexual practices (eg, multiple sexual partners and anal sex) lead to diseases such as AIDS. ONLY in this sense does he want to talk about "inherent justice".  Link to kath.net...

A Brussels Archbishop Celebrates the First Gregorian Mass in Forty Years

The Previous Episcopal Conference speaker says this is a 'false signal'

Brussels (kath.net/KAP) The Brussels Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard just celebrated a Mass in the Traditional Rite.  The celebration took place in Brussels with about 500 faithful on Sunday for the occasion of the arrival of the "traditionalist" Society of St. Peter in Benelux-Staaten, as reported by the newspaper "De Standaard".

The Society of St. Peter is recognized by Rome.  Their foundation was an offer to those who were then members of the Society of St. Pius X in opposition to the Second Vatican Council.

The "Standard" reported that it is the first time in four decades that a Belgian Archbishop has celebrated the Old Mass.  The Church Historian and earlier Episcopal Conference Speaker Jürgen Mettepenningen, said that the Liturgy in the Old Rite is a "false signal".  It is a sign for a Church that had been understood as a matter between priest and God.

Link to original, kath.net... 

Related story: at Agneskerk Amsterdam, from Rorate, another Pontifical  Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Coppenhagen and Cardinal Burke in nearby liberal Holland.

First Pontifical High Mass by Primate of Brussels in Forty Years: Rorate

A reader sent Rorate the following significant announcement:

A Pontifical Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop André-Joseph Leonard, Primate of Belgium.

The Mass will take place on the 30th of January at 6:30 p.m. at the Church of Minimes (Minimenstraat 62, 1000 Brussels). In November, he erected in this church a new FSSP mission in Brussels. This will be a unique occasion in Belgium as it will be the first Tridentine Mass celebrated by a Primate of Belgium over 40 years.

Head of Belgian Church Shocks the Worldings: Comparing Victims of Pederasty to Flood Victims

Editor: We've been very defensive of Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard as he's one of the best things that has happened to Belgian society in  years. Expectantly, the crocodile tears shed by the same media that defended Roman Polanski will now raise an angry fist at the Archbishop.  It does this because it despises the Catholic things he defends.  Frankly, it's the same furor of anger that has met the Holy Father who has been pointing an accusing finger at the permissive elements in society that have promoted child sexual abuse, like Kinsey, substantial portions of Belgium's elite society, and all of those academics who've striven for the last decades to erase the idea of good and evil from the minds of people everywhere.

Archbishop Attacked at Mass by homosexual.

Various articles on Media attacks, here.

The following is an article from Catholic Church Conservation:


Le chef de l'Eglise belge choque en comparant pédophilie et inondations

The head of the Belgian Catholic Church, Andre-Joseph Leonard shocked MPs on Wednesday saying that the Belgian Church could compensate victims of pedophile priests, just as it has shown "solidarity with flood victims ".

"The Catholic Church could freely participate with all other sectors of society in the creation of solidarity funds, not because it is legally obliged, but because there is a duty of solidarity with all victims, not only of floods and epidemics, but also sexual abuse, "said the Primate of Belgium.

He spoke in particular cases where the abuser is dead or the actions under statute of limitations, for other cases being for him the responsibility of Justice.

A Correction: Old Mass Behind Closed Doors

In relation to a story we'd translated yesterday from kreuz.net where Father Jean-Pierre was not permitted to say the Immemorial Mass of All Ages publicly in Milan, Father was good enough to correct us about the situation, and we're reprinting it here too:

Two corrections : I am not THE secretary of Archbishop Leonard, but only one of the collaborators to his secretariate. Secondly, it was not in Milan's Cathedral, but in Seregno, 60 km from Milan, after a lecture on Blessed Cardinal Newman.

The Old Mass Only Behind Closed Doors: Milan

Italy [Kreuz.net] Recently Father Jean-Pierre Herman - the Secretary of Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard of Brussels -- wanted to celebrate the Immemorial Mass in Milan's Cathedral.  This is according to the website 'BLOG messalatino.it'.  Father Herman was there for a meeting about Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman and the Liturgy in Milan.  For starters he was forbidden to celebrate the Old Mass in the Cathedral.  Then he contacted the Papal Commission 'Ecclesia Dei'.  They intervened and concluded that the priest could celebrate the Mass behind closed doors within Cathedral with only one altar boy.

Editor: This is +Tettamanzi's watch.

Archbishop Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard Assaulted at Prayer Service

The Archbishop of Brussels was physically assaulted on Monday in Brussels Cathedral -- A Video shows the incident -- Archbishop Leonard has waived any legal steps.

Belgium [kath.net] Scandal in the Belgian Church concerning media reports about André-Joseph Léonard. According to Belgian media, a young man committed assault in the Brussels Cathedral. A Youtube-Video shows how the President of the Belgian Bishops Conference was celebrating Mass while a young attacker attired in black with a Torte and assaulted him. As Kreuz.net reported, the Bishop said with remarkable aplomb, "that torte tastes really good."

According to "Het Nieuwsblad" the madame speaker of the Archbishop reported the attack in the Cathedral. The Archbishop would like to waive his right to making a complaint.

Earlier this week, his liberal and pro-homosexualist spokesman quit in a huff.

Here's an explanation from Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard in the Guardian, and he's not showing any signs of giving up.

Archbishop Mutien of Belgium Threatened by Rabid Homosexuals and the Media

After Archbishop Mutien made some non-controversial statements reflecting Catholic teaching about natural law and the result of sin, a local Attorney, Jean-Marie De Meester, in Belgium accused the Archbishop of "slander" and said he might be under charges for "homophobia". Homosexual radicals have already filed charges against him and it came to nothing earlier this year; talk about bullying. Additionally, the Archbishop's spokesman Juergen Mettepenningen, had a hissy fit and stormed out. This piece of work is already on record for supporting same-sex marriage, so it's not big deal that he's left. Indeed, it's a good thing.

Apparently, Catholic teaching doesn't sell well with the brokers of information in the leftist media, but this man was appointed to the job in July first as the Archbishop's spokesmen. He was an instructor of Systematic Theology at the disgraced University of Louvain, which hasn't been Catholic for years, but has now finally admitted this fact.

The rather mild and neo-conservative Prelate is described as ultra-conservative, haughty and abrasive. It is to be supposed that when your world is defined by Sodomy, you're bound to have poor judgment and leave yourself prone to rash resignations and statements like the following from the Archbishop's "spokesman":

“Archbishop Léonard does not take his leadership duties seriously [i.e, he doesn't agree with you that homosexuals should be able to marry] ,” Mettepenningen added. “But it is above all his surrealist attitude regarding the turmoil stirred up by his remarks that I take too seriously to still support this.”

Photo: from Faith World: here.

We hope that the Lion of Belgium likes a fight.

Belgian Police Investigating Death Threats Against Victims

Cardinal Daneels belongs in prison at the very least for malfeasance. Perhaps this will smoke out the lavender mafia in Belgium?

[BBC] Police investigating claims of child abuse by Belgian clergy have told the BBC they are probing death threats against witnesses and magistrates.

Last month police raided a meeting of Belgium's Catholic bishops as part of their investigation, seizing computers and documents.

They even searched the tomb of at least one cardinal, prompting an angry response from the Vatican.

Read further...BBC...

Green Politician-Priest Promotes Homosexual Nuptials

In the past week, there was some rumpus when Father Germain Dufour, a Capuchin priest in Belgium conducted a sacrilegious and invalid matrimony service on Valentine's Eve. Some people still think that Cardinal Daneels is still running Belgium and were he, we'd be sure that nothing would be done and nothing would be said.

A few weeks after his appointment on 25 January, true to his name, +Leonard, the new Primate of Belgium, has spoken out against the outrage of homosexuality and invited once again the ire of the leftist press and, no doubt, many of his own priests, comparing the condition to the dietary-psychological disorder anorexia.

There's nothing as of yet of any disciplinary action against the Green Party activist and pro-homosexual priest, Fr. Dufour, but we expect it to come soon.

Vocations-Promoting Bishop Made Primate of Belgium

New Archbishop Reveals 3 Pastoral Priorities

By Jesús Colina

BRUSSELS, Belgium, JAN. 21, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Vocations, liturgy and a genuine concern for social issues are the three priorities announced by the new archbishop of Brussels.

Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard spoke of these goals Monday, the day his appointment as the primate of Belgium was made public. The archbishop was accompanied at the press conference by his predecessor, 76-year-old Cardinal Godfried Danneels.

The new archbishop noted that he will soon be 70; the age for retirement according to canon law is 75.

"This means that, on the condition that I maintain the good health I have today, I'll have no more than five years to serve this Archdiocese of Malines-Brussels," said this philosopher and theologian, who was bishop of Namur for almost 20 years.

"You can see, therefore, that I must establish priorities to use the years that in principle I have before me as effectively as possible," he stated.

In virtue of his new office, according to the tradition in Belgium, Archbishop Léonard also becomes president of the episcopal conference and bishop of the dioceses of the Armed Forces.

Worthy of God

The prelate announced first of all that he intends to carry out a systematic visit of the archdiocese to get to know the reality firsthand.

He said he hoped to promote one of the key ideas expressed in Cardinal Danneels' homilies and addresses in the last few weeks: "the importance of an elegant liturgy, faithful to the great tradition of the Church, worthy of God and worthy of the men and women who take part in it."

In his farewells, recalled Archbishop Léonard, his predecessor expressed his hopes "that our Church will be ever more a 'praying' and 'adoring' Church, also explicitly inviting to foster the practice of Eucharistic adoration."

"I would like to commit myself decidedly in this direction," the prelate confirmed.

The other pastoral priority that Archbishop Léonard will promote, following in the footsteps of Cardinal Danneels, is "social concern, especially in the matter of housing. I would like to follow his steps as best I can in this area, as in many others."

Archbishop Leonard then pointed out as a priority "concern for vocations, for all vocations."

"The commitment of so many Christians, men and women, in society and in our parishes and movements is a blessing," stressed the polyglot archbishop, who speaks seven languages.

"But we also need consecrated men and women, as well as priests and deacons," he affirmed.

Archbishop Léonard as bishop of Namur was known for the growth of his seminary: There, 35 of the 71 Belgian seminarians study.

"It is clear that I do not have recipes to awaken or attract vocations to consecrated life or to the priesthood, but I know that the Lord wants to give them to us and I promise to do everything I can to respond to his will," he said.

The archbishop announced on his Web page that, because of his appointment, he has changed his second name, Mutien (which he had adopted when he was appointed bishop of Namur), to Joseph, holy patron of Belgium. Archbishop André-Mutien Léonard will now be called André-Joseph Léonard.

He will take possession of the Primate See on Feb. 28.

[Anita S. Bourdin contributed to this report]


Link to original...

The Lion of Belgium Meets the Jackals

Today, there has been increased criticism of Archbishop Léonard from the Belgian State, rather like the criticism levelled against Fr. Wagner in Linz and one of Holy Father's other appointments in Basque Country Bishop Blasquez in 1995, and more recently in December of 2009.

Sure enough, he's being also criticized by the faculty of Louvain, criticized rather accurately through the years as a center of dissent:

Léonard has beene a controversial figure in Belgium for his critical stands on homosexuality, same-sex marriage and condom use. He has been an outspoken opponent of abortion and euthanasia, both of which are legal in Belgium, and criticised the Catholic universities of Leuven and Louvain for their research into assisted reproduction and embryonic stem cells.

Of course, their allies in the Socialist party were also eager to put in their conerns as well:

The Socialist Party said it “insists that Archbishop Léonard respects democratic decisions taken by the institutions of our country. For the Socialist Party, the rights and duties that people take on democratically take precedence over religious traditions and commandments, without any exception.”

Catholic Culture says this about the demographics of Belgium. We predict the current languishing of the vocations under the leadership of outgoing Cardinal Daneels will become a thing of the past under the new Archbishop's administration.

The nation of 7.8 million is 73% Catholic. It has 3,928 parishes, 6,489 priests, 11,771 sisters, and 201 seminarians. The ratio of seminarians to Catholics makes Belgium one of the world's most "vocation-poor" nations.

Related Articles:

Red Basques Attack Episcopal Pick

Progressive Priests Reject Pope's Pick in Spain

A New Lion for Belgium

Since we first reported this occurence last week from Kreuz.net, Archbishop Leonard is confirmed today since last week's happy rumour that he is to be the new "conservative" Archbishop of Belgium. The Valdosta Blog identifies this as a Seismic Shift.

Hilary White identifies another problem associated with his conservativity will leave him vulnerable to attack along the lines of a homosexual agenda:

Indeed, [Archbishop] Léonard has already fallen foul of the homosexualist activist machinery. In 2008 some homosexualist activist groups in Belgium tried to have him charged under the 2003 anti-discrimination act after the bishop commented that homosexuality is a psycho-social disorder.

While the silent war against the altar goes on in fair Austria against a lone priest, things are at least looking good for the country of Belgium. We like his name and anticipate quite a battle.