Marcello Pera meeting Pope Benedict XVI Posted on 12/28/2019 12:30:10 PM PST by ebb tide
ROME (ChurchMilitant.com) - Italy's leading philosopher and close friend of Pope Benedict XVI is lambasting Pope Francis for "openly going against tradition, doctrine and introducing inexplicable innovations, behaviors and gestures."
Professor Marcello Pera, an atheist and a vocal opponent of postmodernism and cultural relativism, called the Francis pontificate "a scandal in the biblical sense," as "it confuses and makes the faithful fall, it does not bear fruit, and on the contrary, it diminishes them."
As for the foundations of Catholicism, this pontificate is an outrage to reason.Tweet
Vocations and Mass attendance have dropped, fundraising is at an all-time low and audiences at the Angelus in St. Peter's Square have thinned considerably under Pope Francis, as seen in images of papal events, according to the former president of the Italian Senate in comments to La Fede Quotidiana last Thursday.
"As for the foundations of the Catholic faith, this pontificate is an outrage to reason," the former professor of philosophy at the University of Pisa lamented. "But no one, faithful or bishops, says anything, no one has the courage to protest, yet many are doubting [the achievements of this papacy]."
"Let's say clearly that what is happening is very serious. By now a large part of Catholics are resigned, have no awareness and are without enthusiasm, they do not react with the determination that would be necessary," Pera remarked, speaking in Italian.
Addressing the crisis facing Western culture and the precarious future of Europe, the influential intellectual pointed out how Catholic leaders and media are "either silent or have spoken mildly" while Catholicism is being attacked, but would have "ardently defended Muslims and Jews."
"This is not tolerance, but surrender," he said, "to lower one's trousers before secularism and relativism."
"Catholicism has long since degraded; it is losing its cultural and religious battle," he continued. "Catholic authorities are afraid and are a sad sight. The faithful mirror of this situation is at the top."
Senator Pera, who admits to being "an admirer of the writings of Pope Benedict XVI," co-authored the book Without Roots: Europe, Relativism, Christianity, Islam in 2004 with then-Cdl. Joseph Ratzinger.
Marcello Pera meeting Pope Benedict XVI
Calling the former pontiff "a profound theologian and an original thinker," he predicted the Islamization of Europe, if it "went ahead with its relativist culture, with the rejection of its tradition, with its low birth rates, and with indiscriminate immigration."
"Maybe we have already been dealt a blow to the heart and don't notice it. What Pope Ratzinger says in Without Roots comes to mind: The impression today is that Europe resembles the Roman Empire at its fall," he emphasized.
"The problem is that the Church is reduced to a kind of NGO, takes more care of the social, has transformed Greta [Thunberg] into an idol, runs after solidarity, political and social visions to do-goodism, but pastors often forget the salvation of souls, which is their main task," the atheist complained.
A close friend of the Pope Emeritus, Pera said he hadn't spoken to Benedict for some time but could "speculate that he is sorry and alarmed." However, Benedict did not want to and was unable to intervene, as "he has chosen silence and correctly maintains his commitment."
In contrast, Pope Francis seems to have no problem with the crisis engulfing Europe: "He is someone who wants to please, he likes people who like him, he follows the politically correct," said Pera.
He has turned Catholicism into "a Church so outgoing that it can no longer be found anywhere," he added.
He is someone who wants to please, he likes people who like him, he follows the politically correct.Tweet
The philosopher, who has repeatedly warned against the advance of Islam in the West, reiterated his belief that "Islam is not a creed of peace and mercy, as they want us to believe, but calls for oppression."
"With this belief, dialogue is problematic, without first clarifying the fundamental concepts of mutual respect and obedience to the laws of the state and western values," he explained.
In a 2017 interview with Il Mattino, Pera robustly criticized Francis' open-borders policy:
Frankly, I do not get this pope, whatever he says is beyond any rational understanding. I ask myself: Why does he say it? What is the true end of his words? Why does he lack a minimum of realism, that very little that is requested of anyone? The answer I can give myself is only one: The Pope does it because he hates the West, he aspires to destroy it, and he does all he can to reach this end. And he aspires to destroy the Christian tradition, Christianity as it has realized itself historically.
He concluded, "Bergoglio just wants to do politics, the gospel does not matter at all."
The Holy See Press Office has not responded to the interview.
Ping
He concluded, “Bergoglio just wants to do politics, the gospel does not matter at all.”
I singled this out too, but it’s incomplete. He is actively subverting the gospel, not just ignoring it.
Even an Athiest knows his ASSHOLINESS, Pope Francis the Turd, is an ungodly charlatan. Too funny.
How incredibly perverse that an atheist has more respect for Western Civ. and the Holy Roman Catholic Church than the pope himself does.
In the error of Bergoglio, I don’t even know where ursines defecate.
This atheist Professor is more of a respecter of Catholicism than the pretender dope is.
“””a scandal in the biblical sense,” “”
AND “a scandal of biblical proportions”
When Frankie goes, we may have to ask the Holy Spirit to select Donald Trump to drain the Vatican SWAMP next
(sarc, just barely)
“As for the foundations of the Catholic faith, this pontificate is an outrage to reason.”
Very well said. With whom would “an outrage to reason” originate?
Pope Benedict’s resignation still seems questionable to me. IIRC, it was for health reasons. How many years ago was that? What is the state of his health today?
That says it all.
I singled this out too, but it’s incomplete. He is actively subverting the gospel, not just ignoring it.
.............................................
The rotten fruit of the Satan Council (Second Vatican Council, 1962-1965). Has achieved its mission which was to destroy the Church.
Yes I noticed that too.
Since Francis is not the spiritual leader of my Faith, I try to refrain from commenting about him on the threads. It seems that my Catholic friends suffer more than enough embarrassment from him without my comments.
However, the way he insults the Faithful folks who have tried to be good all their lives and adhere to their religion is really hurtful. I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime.
And this “Pachamama” stuff is out-and-out egregious idolatry. I don’t blame people for being outraged.
I honestly don’t know how it’s going to work out, but I am praying for a holy and just conclusion to this craziness.
Jesus is the Reason for this Season, and is the Author and Finisher of our faith. May He Triumph over All!
I believe even the Dalai Lama was utterly baffled at Francis’s position of allowing in countless alien hordes into Europe (and presumably the U.S.) that could threaten our countries’ stability and distinct cultures. The Dalai Lama would know about alien groups willfully flooding into his homeland and turning the dominant Tibetan ethnic group into a minority and oppressed by Chinese invaders.
Well, when the is “utterly baffled” with someone...WOW.
(FTR...the Dalai Lama is not my “spiritual leader either! LOL)
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