Shot Across the Bow for Cardinal Pell -- Non-Bergoglians Have a Difficult Situation in the Roman Curia

Cardinal George Pell and Cardinal Raymond Burke Have a Difficult
Situation in Rome

(Rome) Some heads of dicasteries of the Roman Curia have been removed by Pope Francis after his election to office. Others were left in office, but in fact isolated.  Cardinal Pell is also under constant pressure.

The Dismissal of "Ratzingerians"

With the dismissals, it was not to questions of competence, but a directional decision. It touches on each convinced "Ratzingerianer", a cipher, which is shorthand encapsulating  a faithful understanding of the Church.

First, the Italian Cardinal Mauro Piacenza was replaced as Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, and at only 70 year of age shoved off for the honorary management of the universal Church but completely insignificant post of Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary. In 2010 Cardinal Piacenza had assisted Pope Benedict XVI.  to raise the Curé of Ars, St. John Mary Vianney as a model and patron of priests.  It was an attempt that failed however, owing to violent resistance among the high clergy who rejected a 'pre-conciliar'  priestly style as "backward-looking."  Even the reigning Pope would not warm up to this priest model, replacing Cardinal Piacenza by a man of his choice.

The Catalan Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments , was considered a "little Ratzinger". His rejection of the "new Mercy" by Cardinal Walter Kasper, he had already announced at the cardinal consistory in February, 2014. As a head of a Dicastry, Cardinal Cañizares would have been an ex officio member of the Bishops' Synod on marriage and the family. However, Pope Francis appointed him shortly before the start of Synod 2014 as Archbishop of Valencia. His inauguration in Spain took place before the Synod opening day.

Immediately after the Synod was the American Cardinal Raymond Burke, who had, since 2008 been Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura and President of the Supreme Court of the Vatican State, had been literally chased from office.. Under Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Burke had a decisive influence on the appointment of bishops in the United States. Appointments, which created a healthy episcopate, in their orientation but found the reluctance of Pope Francis. In December 2013 he removed Cardinal Burke from the Congregation for Bishops and from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. 

The real clash of opposing positions, however, would  only be to follow. Cardinal Burke, a brilliant canon lawyer, was the spokesman for the defense of Catholic marriage and morality against the Kasper theses at the Synod of Bishops, 2014.  He hinted at tampering on a grand scale with which the Synod of Bishops was canted in a progressive direction. He was so outraged that there could be such a thing in the Church, he hinted that the manipulation was carried out by papal support. Shortly before the start of the Synod, an anthology to defend the marriage sacrament and the natural family appeared at the initiative of Cardinal Burke  with contributions by five well-known cardinals. The annoyance was so great that loud rumors began to circulate, Pope Francis cherished the intention to remove the cardinal from Rome in the papal environs. The threat would be a shot across the bow of Cardinal Burke to hold back at the Synod of Bishops. However, the US cardinal would not to be intimidated. Less than three weeks after the end of the Synod, Pope Francis acted on his threat and removed Cardinal Burke from the Roman Curia. As Cardinal Patronus of the Sovereign Military Order, the  Cardinal has no more influence on the leadership of the Church. Above all, he was therefore excluded from participating in the Synod of Bishops, 2015. The deposition can also be seen in connection with the provisional administration of the traditional Order of Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. In a regular trial would be the case ended up as a last instance on the table by Cardinal Burke. It was a probability that they obviously did not want to risk in the papal circle.

The interventions involved the central areas clergy, liturgy and sacraments and the Supreme Court. With the appointment of Cardinal Robert Sarah, succeeding Cardinal Cañizares, Pope Francis barely reached what he had intended. Cardinal Sarah developed the new office to become one of the most famous and outstanding cardinal figures. The integration of Africa into the "Latin American Agenda" has so far failed miserably. The African Synod was valuable during the Synod of Bishops in 2015 with an energetic resistance against the "liberal Kasperians" ( Messa in Latino ).

The Marginalization of the Remaining "Ratzingerian"

The depositions of leading Church representatives will have disciplined others who do not want to suffer the same fate. Pope Francis is considered an expert strategist. Too many personal interventions have made a reconstruction of the Church obvious. The "right" dosage protects an open flank. The dicastry  heads, with an unspoilt understanding of the church have little in common with Pope Francis, are ignored and marginalized by it. This concerns two more of the nine Curial Congregations: the Congregation of Faith and the Congregation for Bishops. Faith Prefect Cardinal Gerhard Müller and Bishop Prefect Cardinal Marc Ouellet were indeed left by Francis in office and dignity, but isolated. See:

At Cardinal Müller:  Pope Francis and the marginalization of the CDF
to Cardinal Ouellet: Pope Francis and the appointment of bishops: "He is looking for the most progressive candidate"

This has the optical advantage that the Roman Curia seems "balanced" from the outside and more parts of the Church in Rome could feel somehow represented. It does not match the actual internal power relations. Pope Francis rules autocratically.

Cardinal George Pell: Dismissal from Australia

Another cardinal not trusted by Pope Francis. The Australian Cardinal George Pell is for  the pope's progressive entourage, "the other side."  When Pope Francis announced a month after his election, the establishment of a Cardinal Council  that should assist in the reform of the Roman Curia and the guidance of the universal Church, he adopted a geographical key.  Each continent should be represented by one Cardinal in the new body. Cardinal Pell was at this time the only Cardinal of Oceania and slipped inevitably into the so-called C8 Council of cardinal advisers (today C9 council of cardinal advisers). It was an unintentional "glitch" like the successor of Cardinal Cañizares. 

Cardinal Pell was appointed in February 2014 even to the Roman Curia and appointed Prefect of the newly established Economic Secretariat. Actually an appreciation. First, the new dicastery existed only on paper, while Pope Francis had received the opportunity to restructure the Australian episcopate. Cardinal Pell was the dominant figure on the fifth continent because of his personality and his rank. Francis rejected all three proposed candidates for the successor of the Archbishop of Sydney, which had been suggested to him by the competent Cardinal Ouellet and Congregation of Bishops in consultation with Cardinal Pell. The Pope appointed a candidate of his choice. How this came about, was, as in other cases, completely opaque. According to the Canadian religious experts Alain Pronkin  Pope Francis seeks the most "progressive candidates".  He does not rely on the competent institutions, but to the recommendations of personal confidants.

There was puzzlement in Rome about the appointment of Cardinal Pell to the Curia. The most credible explanation seems that Pope Francis thus, made the same attempt as that made by the Pope John Paul II with Walter Kasper:  Push back his influence in the home country by transportation and involve him in the papal agenda. But the Australian cardinal moved to Rome not of his convictions and proved in the Synod of Bishops as very staunch defender of Catholic marriage and morality.  At the Synod in 2014, he continued his defense against the Kasper theses, although his microphone  had been turned off by the Synod  against the rules of procedure.  About his situation it was said: "Some get dirty." Cardinal Burke called out the "dirty game" publicly and was promptly punished.

Again and again, therefore, there was of papal displeasure against Cardinal Pell's speech, or of "maneuvers" to remove him from Rome. There is also concern is also on the side of the Cardinal himself and reflects a general uncertainty in the Roman Curia. Whoever does not belong to the progressively aligned, narrow court of the Pope, spends his time in Rome  with some trepidation.

The PricecaterhouseCoopers action

Yesterday it was announced that the contract for the audit of the Holy See by the company PricecaterhouseCoopers was to be "suspend." The accounting firm founded in 1865, headquartered in Frankfurt had taken over the external Audit of the Holy See and of Vatican City, as well as its tax advice. The relevant negotiations  were handled by Pope Francis' Economic Council, headed by Cardinal Reinhard Marx as project coordinator. The commissioning of the Frankfurt-based company was announced last December 5, 2015. The duration of the contract relates to a period of three years. The order volume amounts to three million euros. The contract with PricecaterhouseCoopers was signed by Cardinal Pell as the competent prefect.

On the 20th and 23rd of February, the Cardinal had informed all Vatican offices that are subjected to investigation. Therein, the chief officers were informed that PricecaterhouseCoopers itself will be put in touch with them and that they would issue a permit that the auditors can talk to all competent managers of offices and which includes cooperating with them.

In recent days, the State Department suddenly issued a contrary order. All Vatican offices received a letter from Cardinal Secretary of State Parolin and his substitutes curia Archbishop Becciu that the Audit is "suspended." "A decision that can not be done without the consent of the pope," said Vatican Insider .

This involves neither  PricewaterhouseCoopers nor  their work. It isn't related to the "resistance" of some offices, wishing to avoid supervision. It involves "only" formal legal aspects.

Since last year, after a start-up time, the statutes were adopted for the Secretariat of the Economy and the Economic Council, the formal conclusion of the award of the contract does not comply with the intended procedure. This gap must be closed in accordance with the statutes and newly awarded the contract. He promulgated again PricewaterhouseCoopers. The measure would be to "rehabilitate" only formal errors   that might otherwise give rise to legal complaints.

"Message to Cardinal Pell, who has the last word"

The details of this "strange" operation remain opaque. The C9 Council of cardinal advisers (to which Pell belongs) had been expressly discussed concerning orders to external firms  just as Cardinal Secretary of State Parolin and Cardinal Coordinator of the Economic Council Marx.  All the more astonishing is the intervention of the State Secretariat.

The situation this causes is embarrassing  only for Cardinal Pell. He has signed the contract with the consent and on behalf of other, at least this suggests it. Worse  there is the impression he is not capable of leading his office and -- even worse -- not contractible.  Now there is the impression that he was unable to perform his duties.

Therefore Pell let it be known by a spokesman for the Economic Secretariat, "to be somewhat surprised" by the letter of the State Secretariat. But he was convinced that the "work of PricewaterhouseCoopers will continue soon."

The Vatican expert Edward Pentin ( National Catholic Register ) sees in the whole operation a "message" to Cardinal Pell.  Apparently they wanted to give him to understand who's boss. He certainly did not.

Yesterday, Cardinal Pell was received by Pope Francis. It is to be assumed that the audience is in direct connection with these events. The moral of the story: Curia staff, the highest ranking that do not belong to Pope Francis' alignment [Chaotic Evil?], have a tough time at the Roman Curia.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi 
Image: hawaiicatholicherald (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

French Bishops Helpless Against the Onslaught of Cultural Marxism and Its Islamic Allies in Their Own Schools

Edit: interesting article from tiberge at Gallia Watch and largely missing from the English media. He is also covering the enormous Nuit demonstrations happening in France lately, advocating immigration in the spirit of 1968:

A reader sent this article from Riposte-Catholique by Guy Rouvrais about the Islamization of Catholic Schools in France. 

The bishops of France, meeting in Lourdes the other week, examined the presence of Islam in France. "This question of Islam no longer involves only a few persons engaged in the dialogue, but targets all communities," explained a spokesman. Until recently, Islam was only a topic of dialogue between Catholic specialists and compliant Muslim interlocutors, more intellectual than mystical. This was all in strict accordance with Vatican II's notion of dialogue, that was expressed in these glowing terms: "…Muslims, who adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God."

But today, this irenic vision in no longer current. Our whole society is concerned about the rise of Islam, and it is no longer a matter of dialogue but one of self-defense. Against Islamist terrorists, of course, but also, doctrinally, against the others who, though called "moderate", never stop turning Christians into Muslims. The former being unable to respond to the objections of the latter. Such is the observation of bishop Dubost: "When the Muslims speak to their Christian buddies about their "three gods", referring to the Trinity, many don't know how to respond… What do we propose to the faithful to help them to live and explain the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Trinity?" We must first admit the failure of the catechism when the teaching of the Catholic doctrine is reduced to the barest minimum because of humanitarian considerations, which is not the case in the Koranic schools. 

 Continue reading here....

China: Wife of an Underground Protestant Pastor Buried Alive During Demolition of Church

  (Beijing) Ding Cumei is the wife of Protestant underground pastor Li Jiangog.  The couple was desperate to prevent the destruction of their official Church in the People's Republic of China. One of the workers had been given instructions: "Bury them. I'll take responsibility."  The pastor's wife died under the rubble of the church demolished by demolition excavators. Her husband was still able to get out of the rubble.

The gruesome murder took place last April 14 in Zhumadian, Henan Province. Local police arrested two construction workers. Details were not disclosed. The authorities seem to want to avoid any "damaged image" by a cover-up of the bloody incident.

Pastor Li Jiangong and his wife Ding saw the excavator roll in, which had been commissioned by the government to tear down their church. An investor had expressed an interest for the land on which the church stood.

The couple stood against the demolition excavators. A worker  ordered his team "to bury" them. .According to eyewitnesses, the backhoe operator had pushed the couple into a pit which was then filled with demolition material and earth. Pastor Li was able to free himself, but could not come to the rescue of his wife. 

Ever since the Communist authorities launched an anti-Christianity campaign in 2013 of "urban cleansing" and "economic improvement", 1,700 Christian symbols and dozens of churches have been destroyed just in Zhejiang Province. Church destruction also occurred in the provinces of Hebei, Hubei and Henan. In spring 2013 Xia Baolong, the Communist Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province, declared that there are "too many crosses."

Christians see a Kulturkampf of the communist regime against Christianity which has  experienced significant growth by conversions in the region.

Text: Asianews / Giuseppe Nardi 
Image: Difesa del Popolo (screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

LInk to Katholisches....

AMDG

New York Archdiocese Commits Sin of Calumny Against Journalist

Edit: they're so incredibly dirty and evil, but they are believed to be good by millions of more or less decent people. 

We've always thought highly of Voris' work, even if he does borrow liberally from us.

TRANSCRIPT

If you have children around, you may want to view this first before them.

As you probably know, the apostolate has been somewhat silent this week publicly.  That’s because a situation has developed that I must fill you in on. It involves the sins of my past life all committed prior to my reversion to the Catholic faith. We have on very good authority from various sources that the New York archdiocese is collecting and preparing to quietly filter out details of my past life with the aim of publicly discrediting me, this apostolate and the work here.

I have never made a secret that my life prior to my reversion was extremely sinful. I have said many times — in public — that I was in a state of mortal sin, and had I died, I would have been damned. I also revealed these sins were of a sexual nature and that they occurred over a prolonged period of time. I did not reveal the specific nature or details of the sins, because when I returned home to the Church, I did not think that a full public confession of details was necessary in order to start proclaiming the great mercy of God.

Perhaps that was a wrong assessment. I don't seriously know. Perhaps along these years I should have been revealing of greater detail. That, I now think so, but more on that in a moment.

http://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/limiting-god

Really, No Women's Preaching -- Osservatore Romano Makes (Half) Step Back

The False Prophet Takes a Half-Step Back

(Rome) In the March issue of the women's supplement Donne Chiesa Mondo of the Osservatore Romano the demand for women preaching was levied. If not women priests, then at least women preachers was the slogan.

AD 

HERE YOU CAN ADVERTISE »

In the current edition of the Osservatore Romano, a step was taken back. It does not come from some "conservative" side, but from that progressive milieu that dominated the content of the March women's supplement.

Woman's Supplement to the Osservatore Romano creating confusion

The "Prior" of Bose, Enzo Bianchi, whom Msgr. Antonio Livi has  called a "false prophet," writes on page 4 that which "may possibly have given rise to confusion" in the March Supplement. It "had no intention to contradict the current discipline".

Bianchi himself was one of the main causes of confusion with his contribution to the March supplement. He named the same "three conditions" for the "lay preaching of men and women". The "conditions" are to be understood not as a limitation, but as a justification of lay preaching.

A month late, Bianchi   now offers what ecclesiastical discipline states.

The Code of Canon Law of 1983 (Canon 767.1), the common instruction of eight dicasteries on some questions regarding the participation of the laity in the ministry of priests in 1997, the instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum of 2004, the Homiletic Directorate of 2014 to name  the recent rules, affirm an unequivocal ban on lay preaching, as it has always been considered. During the Mass, only a priest, and possibly a deacon, may preach.

Only half a step backward

Does this make things right? Hardly likely. Bianchi was apparently called off by someone. There are rumors circulating that Pope Francis, although Bianchi is neither a priest, nor deacon, nor a monk, but a layman, could raise him in the cardinal's state in Rome.

The step back is therefore only of a tactical nature, as Bianchi himself has  hinted in his justification.

"The monthly articles had no intention to contradict  the current discipline but dare to ask with great respect, the question of whether it would be possible that the theological search and the rules of the Church might be represented, to allow lay men and women in future positions of trust for this ministry.

The emphasis in the first part of "current", not perpetual discipline. What applies merely to "present," may tomorrow be changed. This is where Bianchi aims lie. What is his goal, even though he is "currently" subject, he says "with great respect", rather bluntly.

As things will continue  with the women's supplement, and generally, with the Osservatore Romano, seems to be in limbo. The semi-official daily newspaper of the Pope sells few copies and is therefore constantly in the red.

The newly erected Communications Secretariat by Pope Francis  is planning drastic cuts. Currently,  Osservatore Romano appears in print in several languages.  The cost of such expenditure should be reduced. Work is underway to relocate the emphasis of the online edition. The prefect of the Communication Secretariat, Msgr. Dario Viganò never belonged to the Osservatore Romano which might be of some importance in the shift in emphasis in the reorganization of the means of the Vatican's communication.

The issue of thematic focus is so however not answered.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Il Timone
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

Are There Still Heretics and Heresies in the Church? -- Dissident Group Complains to the CDF

Offices of the CDF

(Rome) A group of Catholic theologians, bishops, priests and nuns, a total of 15 people, has asked the Roman Congregation for  "more transparency," Vatican Radio reported.

The authority should ignore "anonymous denunciations"  in the future, reads the letter released today. Furthermore, all those whose writings are studied, should know exactly of what they are accused and who conducts the investigation. Also, the same persons ought not to be the prosecutor, investigator and judge. The 15 signatories come from Australia, the USA, Ireland or Spain and have been criticized on their own account for their works by the CDF. As justification for their current letter, they say they had written proposals at the end of February  to Rome, but received no reply.

"The  CDF which goes back to the 16th century is the oldest and highest in dogmatic questions, highest Vatican curial authority. Its task is to promote and protect the teaching of the Catholic Church, as in the Apostolic Constitution, 'Pastor Bonus.' The "Department of the Doctrine" observes theological research and checks whether individual content is compatible with the principles of the Catholic faith. The experts of the CDF evaluate works nominated by local church authorities with the same object.. If necessary, the CDF tries to clarify any problems in exchange with the author,", says Vatican Radio .

The problem in the Church, however, is not a lack of transparency by the CDF, but heretics, dissenters and the disobedient. They want to keep neither to the ecclesiastical doctrine nor to ecclesiastical discipline and then complain about it even when they are held accountable to it. It's an attitude which has an anarchic underlying basis. Each party and each club has a statutory objective, a purpose and a system. According to these ideas the Catholic Church should do no less than give free rein.

The problem is rather that there is no real point in the Church, to which Catholics, clergy and laity, can lodge complaints against everyday violations of the Catholic doctrine and order. An authority that reliably handles the input and power of decision.

After letters to the competent bishop remain unanswered, or letters to other places show no effect, many of the faithful give up.

In German-speaking countries,  several hundred priests and deacons have signed a Call to Disobedience. There are no real consequences known. The words "heretic" and "heresy" are avoided. It no longer exists in the current language of the Church, in fact. Therefore the result is the uncertainty in dealing with heretics and heresies, who and complain even if at some point someone puts them in their place.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Wikicommons

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches....

AMDG

Pope Francis and the Appointment of Bishops: "He Looks For the Most Progressive Candidates"

Pope Francis and Cardinal Ouellet shortly before the Conclave
of 2013 on St. Peter's Square

(Rome) Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the Roman faith prefect is not the only cardinal who is marginalized by Pope Francis (see Pope Francis and the Marginalization of the CDF). This also applies to another "Ratzingerian", the French-Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect the Congregation for Bishops. 

In his first interview with the atheist Eugenio Scalfari on the October 1, 2013 for the daily newspaper La Repubblica,  Pope Francis said, looking at some members of the Roman Curia: "the court is the leprosy of the papacy ".

But Francis seems "to fight the leper and not the leprosy," said Secretum meum mihi . The daily newspaper Le Journal de Montréal headline in yesterday's edition: "Cardinal Ouellet no longer has the ear of the Pope".  Cardinal Ouellet is responsible, as prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, for the appointment of bishops. His dicastery is preparing the appointment of bishops by the pope, is collecting the necessary information and recommends candidates.

Pope Francis "throws Ouellet's recommendations in the trash"

Under Pope Francis, things have fundamentally changed: "Pope Francis has thrown his recommendations for the appointment of new bishops into the trash," said the French-Canadian newspaper.

"It is worrying because it is the task of Cardinal Ouellet in Rome to propose in the Pope's name, but he ignores them and decides on all other candidates," said Quebec Religion specialist Alain Pronkin.

The French daily La Croix reported a few days ago that "it has already happened, that Pope Francis rejected all three names submitted to him by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, [...] and even sought out others for direction. "

According to the weekly magazine L'Espresso that was the case, for example, in the replacement of three important Sees: Chicago, Madrid and Sydney.

The appointments for Francis are not only a question of suitability, but a question of direction. The real revolution of Pope Francis is done by appointment .

Pope Francis looking for "the most progressive candidate"

According to Le Journal de Montréal , it was even "very rare" that the Pope follows the recommendations of the Cardinal, although that is his task and Cardinal Ouellet, through his staff, has the best overview of the situation in a diocese.

However, the Pope uses his own channels, not the official, but informal, and which may also come about by accident. According to Alain Pronkin, Pope Francis is looking for the "progressive candidates". For this he has to rely on recommendations. What he rejects with Cardinal Ouellet are accepted from among the Pope's confidants. In other words, the belief and understanding of the Church by Cardinal Ouellet, a Ratzingerianer, displeases the pope.

"A concrete example: The Pope believes in the fact that the divorced and remarried can receive Communion, while Cardinal Ouellet, however, expressed his rejection of this," said Alain Pronkin.

The same applies to the issue of homosexuality.

For this reason, Francis shuns everything that is presented to him by Cardinal Ouellet and relies instead on labile random recommendations.

Recommendation by a progressive confidant enough to be Bishop

This was not quite by chance. The Pope operates by information obtained from part of the Jesuit Order.  What is decisive for Francis is the progressive attitude of the candidates who must be confirmed to him by a confidant. That is enough. The Pope then needs no dossiers and reports, as they are presented to him by the Congregation for Bishops. A person's recommendation of trust is sufficient to make someone a bishop.

The archdiocesan chair of Chicago is one of the most influential in the US.  and Pope Francis rejected all three candidates that were presented to him by Cardinal Ouellet,  in collaboration with the Apostolic Nuncio and the former Archbishop Cardinal Francis George. Instead, he appointed Bishop Blaise Cupich, who was regarded as one of the biggest outsiders in the episcopate of the United States because of his progressive views. Thus, Francis not only drove a splinter, but a real stake into the heart of the Catholic Church in the United States. Archbishop Cupich has already called for the communion for divorced and remarried and the acceptance of homosexuality.

Shortly before his death, Cardinal George wrote about the Synod of Bishops in Rome:

"The pope has said he wants to see on every question, and so it happened, so he got what he wanted, and now he has to fix it. [...] This raises the question of why he does not clarify these things himself. Why is it necessary that apologists have the burden to find the best interpretation? He has not realized the consequences of some of his statements, or even his actions? Does he not realize the impact? "

As is known,  the post-synodal Letter of Amoris Laetitia did not receive papal clarification, for the "apologists" are busy again on the road, "to find the best interpretation".

Appointments: Here the "revolution" Francis performs most effectively

Pope Francis has been working meticulously on a new personnel network on the decision-making level, which should lead the Church structurally well beyond his death in a particular direction. Maybe his personal policy, which is usually revealed very quietly, revealed even in the most important field of activity in which he transposes his vision of the Church vision. Here his "revolution" is at its most enduring.

According to Pronkin, Cardinal Ouellet could soon be replaced by Pope Francis. The French Canadian, says Pronkin, would not be the first high Curia employee who would deposed because of his criticism of the papal course. However, Francis had found a way to make the appointments himself, although the competent Congregation is in the hands of persons whose convictions he rejects. The informal, semi-clandestine appointments to official bodies in the  past is not only a temporary solution, but probably corresponds to the disposition of the Pope and his aversion to rules and laws. [Or he doesn't want to spend the political capital to get rid of him, when he can do the job himself.]

There have been advantages for the "revolution" of episcopal appointments that a Ratzingerianer still officially stands at the head of the Congregation for Bishops. It maintains the impression in the Church  that there is a balancing counterweight, but one  that does not exist in reality. [There were still very, very bad appointments under Benedict.]

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: MiL (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Pope Francis and the Marginalization of the CDF

There is an Ocean Between them Both

(Rome) In his first interview with the a theist Eugenio Scalfari, published on October 1, 2013 in the daily newspaper La Repubblica,  Pope Francis said overlooking some members of the Roman Curia: "The court is the leprosy of the papacy". But Francis seems  "to be fighting not the leprosy but the leper," said Secretum meum mihi . The daily Il Foglio headline in yesterday's edition of the first page: "Müller Besieged".

Schönborn instead of Müller

The distance that exists between the Pope and the Cardinal Prefect of the Faith, Gerhard Müller, is recognized "by all". "The cold was obviously" felt by the exclusion of German Cardinal from the presentation of the post-synodal letter Amoris Laetitia, although the entire discussion since two and a half years touched on his area of responsibility, of doctrine. While Pope Francis stuck with  the German-speaking countries to present the ​​Exhortation,   it was the Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn.

This was not only a form of neglect, but even more as a security measure. Cardinal Müller would Amoris Laetitia would have left an impression, that the pope wouldn't have wanted after all the effort expended to "Catholicize" divorce.

Since the intended camouflaged "openings"  were packaged in footnotes, the presentation was crucial to for effect. Recommendations were issued  ahead to all dioceses. Thus it was clear that the most important, the Roman presentation, was to be prepared with great care.

The main part fell to Vienna's archbishop who was to explain the substantive significance of writing.  There was no trace of Cardinal Müller. Thus it was already, during the double-synod. Think of the human resources policy at the daily press conference. The one-sidedness with which the the Kasperians were represented, only lef  the synod members shaking their heads.

Diametrically opposite positions

Although the controversial questions about divorce, remarriage and communion for divorced and remarried directly affect the Doctrine of the Faith, the prefect of the doctrinal congregation remained disregarded in all media-moments, where this would be communicated by the Church to the world public.

"The fact is that the Cardinal and Francis represented diametrically opposed lines on the subject," said Matteo Matzuzzi in Il Foglio . It was sufficient "to compare the Cardinal's writings with Bergoglio's speeches." While Müller emphasized the need to reaffirm "healthy" cornerstones of the Church's teaching, Francis speaks constantly of a charity that goes beyond the law.

The contrary positions in paragraph 311 of Amoris Laetitia are clear where Pope Francis writes:

"It is, for instance, true that mercy justice and the truth does not exclude each other, but above all we need to explain that  charity is the fullness of justice and the most brilliant expression of God's truth.Thus, one should always bear in mind that all theological terms are unreasonable, that ultimately call into question God's omnipotence itself and especially his mercy.''

Faith Prefect Müller had already given his answer in autumn 2013 to the Daily Mail anticipating that by 23 October of the same year, what Osservatore Romano would say:

"Because the whole sacramental order is a work of divine mercy, and can not be reversed with reference to the same. Through the factually inaccurate emphasis on  charity, there is also the risk of trivializing the image of God, that God can do nothing else than to forgive. For the mystery of God,  besides His charity, is included his holiness and justice. If one omits these attributes of God and sin is not serious, then his mercy can not be ultimately conveyed to His people. Jesus met the adulteress with great compassion, he also said, however: ' Go and sin henceforth no more ' (John 8:11). The mercy of God is no dispensation from the Commandments of God and the teachings of the Church. Rather, it needs the power of grace to meet them, and rise again after the fall and to a life of perfection in the image of the heavenly Father."

None of this can be found in Amoris laetitia .

Corrections of the CDF were disregarded

Pope Francis indeed had sent the draft in accordance with Vatican tradition to the CDF for correction. However, only some of the numerous points elaborated under Muller's  correction proposals were considered by the Pope. Pope Francis leaves the structures and the people in place, where they would work diligently, but then ignored them. An efficient form of integrating an opponent in an unassailable manner and at  the same time leaving him in the dark.

This marginalization of the CDF in the preparation and the presentation of a papal document anticipated with such tension  concerns not only the post-synodal letter.

"This means that more is going on beyond the Tiber, of a potential, if not immediate change at the top of the Congregation," said Matzuzzi. Rumor is heard that Müller could vacate given his exclusion from the field.

Such flight from responsibility may, may only be ascribed to the German cardinal by someone not familiar with him. Müller knows precisely, because of his opposition, just how important his resistance at the Vatican is, to prevent the court formed by Francis from completely taking over possession of the Church.

Schönborn "is a great theologian" - and Kasper "does theology on its knees"

On the return flight from the island of Lesbos,  Francis openly said: Schönborn "is a great theologian".To confirm this statement, the Pope added: "He is a member of the CDF". [LOL]

Cardinal Müller is not only a member, but the head of the CDF. But for him Francis had no comparable praise left. Quite the contrary: Such praise was already, but for a different German, for Ratzinger's  old opponent, Walter Cardinal Kasper, who in the opinion of the pope, did  "theology on its knees." [Or brings theology to its knees.]  Kasper and Schönborn are both ready to give Communion to  the divorced and remarried. In Vienna it was already a practice for "15 years," about which the Austrian Archbishop had informed the public at the presentation of Amoris Laetitia in Rome. That explains why Schönborn and not Müller was determined for this task.

Cardinal Schönborn is currently, particularly in the favor of this Pope. It's a favor that can change rapidly depending on the area and moment. Nevertheless, Vienna's archbishop is allowed to be seen as the winner of the Synod of Bishops. Cardinal Kasper threw out the net, Cardinal Schönborn took the fish ashore. With his diplomatic skills he helped Pope Francis in the final phase of the Synod of Bishops from the jaws of defeat, as he looked set to be a minority in the final vote.  It's a public betrayal, which has not as yet ever been seen  in the Church's history, certainly, it's the most recent.

Schönborn offered a compromise, which Cardinal Müller at the end, in order to avoid a split in the Church, but he did not conceal his doubts about the ambiguous formulations. Synod members registered  Kasper's obvious satisfaction at each consent Müller gave to controversial paragraphs.

Where does the pontificate of Francis run now?

In his latest book, Müller put his position  unambiguously and thus directly to address clergy and laity. It's a more direct exercise of office since Pope Francis has left him in the void in Rome. Müller made more than just an important clarification in his book. One of them is:

"We Catholics have no reason to celebrate October 31, 1517."

Although Pope Francis does not mention his disapproval,  the attitude of the Pope on another front is unmistakable. Francis will fly on the next 31 October to  Stockholm in order to participate in an ecumenical commemoration of the Reformation. [Protestant Revolt]

But the front between Reformation and divorce is perhaps not so different. The papal Reformation commemoration and the first step towards recognition of divorce are connected by a common thread: Protestantism. Since the German Cardinal Müller is particularly sensitive in this regard and has already posed the question what the actually is the intended course Rome is taking  for the past three years.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Vatican.va/OR (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Edit: they're both liberation theology enthusiasts from different camps in Latin America, and it's surprising to seem them at each other's throats now.

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG