Posted on 02/14/2013 6:03:38 AM PST by NYer
Nothing brings the kooks out like a conclave.
The Catholic Church is unique in so many ways. In the the silly season that is the weeks leading into a conclave, the Catholic Church is a unique target for its detractors and their cohorts in a willing media.
Barely 48 hours after the announcement of Pope Benedict's retirement and the approach of a new conclave, the progressive kooks have come out of the woodwork. In 2005, after a generation of John Paul II and watching their 70s progressive dreams stall and slowly lose favor, aging dissident Catholics had hope that finally they would have the progressive Pope of their dreams.
Op-ed pages across the country and the globe were filled with impious lectures from those hold neither the tenets of the faith or understand what the Church is telling the world what the Church really needs. Of course, what the world really needs, it turns out, is a Pope just like them. Instead, to their (laughable) shock, they got Joseph Ratzinger.
So again, with the approach of a conclave, the silly season begins again. Just yesterday we had what essentially amounts to anti-Catholic screeds from media institutions and disaffected Catholics on the evils of Ratzinger and patriarchy, and the wonders of condoms and women priests.
CNN gave us this piece of silliness.
The Catholic Church has continued to march backwards under Pope Benedict, seeming at times to be in a state of perpetual denial, whether the issue be that of child abuse, birth control, homosexuality or the role of women.
At the heart of the church there lies a deep chauvinism that seems to have infected the whole edifice.
The resignation sets up a struggle between the staunchest conservatives, in Benedict’s mold, who advocate a smaller church of more fervent believers, and those who believe that the church can broaden its appeal in small but significant ways, like allowing divorced Catholics who remarry without an annulment to receive communion or loosening restrictions on condom use in an effort to prevent AIDS. There are no plausible candidates who would move on issues like ending celibacy for priests, or the ordination of women.Then the NYT times gave op-ed space on this critical day to an unquestioned authority on the Catholic Church, playwright John Patrick Shanley.
POPE BENEDICT XVI quit. Good. He was utterly bereft of charm, tone-deaf and a protector of priests who abused children. He’d been a member of the Hitler Youth. In addition to this woeful résumé, he had no use for women.All this silliness amounts to nothing other than anti-Catholic screeds from a bunch of know-nothings determined to build a Church the re-affirms them in their perversion and who cannot abide one that doesn't.
The Roman Catholic Church, which in so many ways has been a great boon to the City of New York, has been choked and bludgeoned into insignificance by a small group of men based in Italy.
Priests cannot marry. Why? I will tell you why. Priests cannot marry because they would have to marry women. Women cannot be priests.
Why? Women cannot become priests because of a bunch of old men. These old men justify their beliefs with a brace of ridiculous arguments that Jesus would have overturned in a minute. “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” What about that is hard to understand? If you can become a priest, I can become a priest. Period. Equality.
Gotta love it : - )
Is there any other church in the world that gets such scrutiny and publicity?
As far as I’m concerned, if you aren’t Catholic, it’s none of your business.
But, for faithful Catholics, we understand that this “persecution” must come to pass. We also so know this is no where near the crescendo of what will be experienced.
To say to them, “No man is perfect.” Or that Satan weaves his evil even within the church to bring about its downfall is misunderstood.
Most Catholics realize there is a coming of a ‘falling away’ and it will be by progressive ideals and those of weak faith.
Those that stand on the outside and persecute us, don't comprehend it is with a peaceful heart we acknowledge their persecution. For it serves to separate the wheat from the chafe.
There is a special reason the Pope essentially declared a year of forgiveness, his resignation just before lent so the church may wander in the desert and meditate on the choices before her.
Even today's meditation from Deuteronomy 30:15-20 challenges Catholics to contemplate which way we shall choose.
Will we choose the “outside” world and submit to all the noise and weakness of those of little faith? Or will we choose Life to the consternation of the world?
We are living in amazing times and may God give us all the strength to choose Life. Those on the outside looking in on the Catholic faith have little understanding of such matters.
The Catholic Church will soon become a tool of the Beast. It was dealt a serious blow when the priest pedophiles stories broke years ago and its credibilty was damaged which allowed ouside influence to affect its actions and question their leadership. Everything is lining up as indicated in Revelation.
When the self-absorbed “Feel Good Generation” dies, it will be good riddance. What a bunch of immoral misfits they have been.
CC
Well said.
Holy Spirit, guide us and strengthen us, we pray.
The concept of religious truth as objective in the same sense as scientific truth has been dissolving since the "enlightenment," and unfortunately religious people (of every persuasion) continue to unwittingly aid in this process. For most secular people, the concept of "religious freedom" in and of itself implies that there is no objective religious truth, that all religious doctrines are subjective opinions or ever-evolving ethno-cultural folklore. At least when invoking "religious freedom," orthodox religious people need to make clear that their dedication to this concept is for the sake of an uninterfered-with orthodoxy and is not connected to religious subjectivism.
Catholicism has a particular problem, though, because especially since Vatican Council II it appeared to change and reverse itself with regard to several previously non-negotiable positions. To defend these changes from traditionalists while simultaneously defending the concept of unchanging religious Truth from liberals is ultimately a contradictory position--in my humble opinion.
Then there's the fact that this "ultra-conservative" Pope was actually anything but; he simply seems ultra-conservative compared to other post-VII popes. Benedict is well-known to be a life-long evolutionist and rejector of total Biblical inerrancy (one of those formerly non-negotiable positions that have changed) and has written books on Genesis that in former ages would have been considered heretical, even to rejecting (or at least re-defining) "original sin." He is an admirer of Teilhard de Chardin as well.
It is one thing to defend unchanging Objective Religious Truth from liberals who simply cannot wrap their minds around such a thing. But to do so while celebrating a man who holds such positions as an "ultra-conservative" is simply a contradiction.
If you want to truly get the idea of objective religious truth across, then admit that VII was a horrible mistake. And for the record, as a religious traditionalist myself I have no problem with another religion telling me I'm going to hell--so long as they don't personally try to get me there ahead of schedule. This "inclusiveness" and "tolerance" is one reason there's so much confusion about the nature of religious truth today.
Also, I don't have that much of a problem with orthodox Catholics who feel they can't support Israel or Jews, provided they don't blame every evil in existence on an all-powerful Jewish conspiracy or claim that the Jewish G-d (HaShem) is actually (lehavdil) "the devil."
And I especially would continue to object to those traditionalist Catholics who are so anti-Jewish they can't even keep their story consistent. One minute the Jews are "christ-killers," the next they're descendants of eighth century "Khazar" converts who therefore had nothing to do with the death of J*sus. Some of these people are out-and-out nuts. But to simply claim that one must convert to Catholicism to be in obedience to G-d or to avoid hell isn't offensive at all. After all, I have no intention of watering my own beliefs down.
Despite my usual atrocious behavior, I hope this post will be taken in the spirit with which it was offered, however the reader may disagree with me.
Since joining the Hitler youth was mandatory for children in Nazi Germany, I don't see how this is a moral failure. Does Mr. Shanley really expect every 15 year old to become a martyr by refusing to join, thereby having himself (and probably his parents) imprisoned or shot?
No, not quite.
The anti-pope, false prophet, for the Beast arisis from the cardinal ranks in the church.
Threre will be two Popes for a time. One will choose one line of doctrine and the other will choose a different doctrine(likely more secularist/progressive). This anti-pope is the one who causes the ‘great falling away’ and leads the persecution of the true church. He will carry away with 2/3s of the Christians. ~~Saint Hildegard as of May 2012.
http://www.unitypublishing.com/prophecy/HildigardSaint.htm
Interesting things to note regarding this prophecy in conjunction with Malachy:
Peter II is supposed to be black? (black skinned? black heart? black soul?) I think it means what it says...black skinned.
The Tribe of Dan. Will come out of the Tribe of Dan is the AntiChrist and Antipope. History indicates these are the people who populated Ireland, Norway, the Danish...white skinned?
It will very stunning if the newly selected pope is murdered, before he crowned...
One last detail to consider is Anna Catherine Emmerich:
“Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities ... I saw what I believe to be nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound. I also saw the Holy Father - God-fearing and prayerful. Nothing left to be desired in his appearance, but he was weakened by old age and by much suffering. His head was lolling from side to side, and it dropped onto his chest as if he was falling asleep ...Then I saw that everything pertaining to Protestantism was gradually gaining the upper-hand, and the Catholic religion fell into complete decadence. Most priests were lured by the glittering but false knowledge of young school-teachers, and they all contributed to the work of destruction. In those days, Faith will fall very low, and it will be preserved in some places only, in a few cottages and in a few families which God has protected from disasters and wars.
“... As we came nearer, however, the fire abated and we saw the blackened building. We went through a number of magnificent rooms, and we finally reached the Pope. He was sitting in the dark and slept in a large arm chair. He was very ill and weak; he could no longer walk. The ecclesiastics in the inner circle looked insincere and lacking in zeal; I did not like them. I told the Pope of the bishops who are to be appointed soon. I told him also that he must not leave Rome. If he did so, it would be chaos. He thought that the evil was inevitable and he should leave in order to save many things beside himself. He was very much inclined to leave Rome, and he was insistently urged to do so.”
An excellent point. Keep in mind, this is raised by the secular media who are ignorant of facts. Back in April, 2005, shortly after the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy, the same stories circulated. I bookmarked this thread - Ratzinger a Nazi? Don't believe it
Cardinal Bertone's Farewell Address to the Holy Father
"Thank You – Let Us Return to Prayer": For the Last Time, The Pope Leaves the Altar
"Today, We Begin A New Journey" – Liturgically Speaking, B16's Last Word
Vatican releases schedule for Pope's final days
Benedict XVI: Reason’s Revolutionary
Some Interesting Tidbits From Today’s Vatican press conference
Pope Decided to Resign After Cuba Trip, Vatican Advisor Says
Pope Says He's Resigning for the 'Good of Church'
Watch for the Anti-Catholics To Weigh in on the Papal Succession
The challenge Pope Benedict has left for his successor—and for ordinary Catholics
Historian Notes Precedents for Papal Resignation
US Will Have Unprecedented Voice In Electing New Pope
Pope Benedict’s Resignation and St. Corbinian’s Bear
Pope Benedict XVI’s Musical Legacy
Benedict announces resignation and lightning strikes
DHS's curiosity piqued over Pope Benedict XVI's retirement and Catholic Prophecy
Prayers for Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict's Devotion to Saint Celestine Signaled His Resignation from the Papacy
Cardinal Sodano to Pope Benedict: “We have heard you with a sense of loss and almost disbelief”
Pope's resignation invokes sadness, gratitude from US bishops
Pope cites waning strength as reason for resignation
Report: Brother Says Pope Was Considering Resignation for Months
Some Notes About the Upcoming Conclave
An Evangelical Looks at Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict’s Resignation in Historical Context
Virtually unprecedented: papal resignation throughout history
Pope Benedict XVI:a papal timeline
"I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome" [Full Text]
Pope Benedict's Address on Resignation of the See of Rome
POPE BENEDICT XVI WILL RESIGN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, VATICAN PRESS OFFICE TELLS FOX NEWS
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.