Posted on 10/07/2023 4:52:48 PM PDT by ebb tide
Dear Pope Francis,
I am writing to you in the spirit of parrhesia, a biblical word you have used several times to encourage us to speak freely, boldly, and without fear of disagreement. In your opening speech to the Synod delegates on Wednesday, you said that “everyone needs to express themselves freely.” Please receive the following words freely, not from Rome, but from the peripheries, from a simple parish priest.
My Papa Francesco, I must tell you that you are making my job as a parish priest difficult. I work in one of the declining parishes of San Francisco, California, a city that prides itself in having evolved beyond faith in God. In my city, the faith is openly mocked and attacked, and my parishioners are struggling to believe in Jesus. Most of their family members, friends, and co-workers have abandoned the Christian faith. My parishioners cannot wear a cross or speak the name of Jesus at work for fear of losing their jobs. Our schools teach their children from kindergarten to doubt the natural goodness of their bodies, and to despise marriage and family life. My parishioners are clinging to the simple truths of our faith, especially the Church’s teachings about the human person.
When you promote homosexuality, Holy Father, you hurt me and my parish. When you do not speak clearly, you make my priestly task very difficult. You have said that two men cannot “marry,” and that homosexual acts are wrong, but you also encourage bishops who bless same-sex unions. A female student from my parish, who attends a Jesuit-owned university, “married” another woman according to United States law. She later surgically removed her breasts and uterus to appear like a man. She hates her mother for raising her Catholic, and her mother grieves the loss of her daughter and grandchildren. But this college student points to you, Holy Father. She says you permit blessings for homosexual unions in Germany, and that you favor priests and cardinals who promote homosexual relations. She knows that you have appointed a European cardinal who promotes homosexual unions to lead the Synod.
You are my spiritual father, Papa Francesco. Please know that you are hurting me, and hurting my parish. We need you to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly in a time of great confusion and hurt. We need you to teach the simple truth of the first book of the Bible, that God made us male and female, and for this reason “a man clings to his wife, and the two become one flesh.” If you do not teach this clearly, we parish priests cannot evangelize our people well, and all the people suffer.
Fr. Joseph Illo, Star of the Sea Parish, San Francisco, California, United States of America
Ping
Very sad...and very true. Bergoglio has cut the legs out from any priest opposing the “current thing” now.
A radical leftist Dominican sister in Spain (she’s Argentinian) even popped up and said how thrilled she was that the Pope had “signaled his approval” by appointing a homosexual to the highest position of doctrine and responsibility for vigilance over the clergy. That would be our friend Tucho.
So I really feel terrible for any orthodox priest or bishop, because by his words and his actions, Francis has completely undermined them.
Thank you for posting. Adding Fr. Joseph Illo to my prayers.
It Catholic, but I feel for the Father.
Fr. Joseph Illo soberly and plainly lays the scandalous label on Pope Francis’ ill-considered words.
The evidence mounts, nearly daily, with regard to the intellectual and moral incontinence of our pontiff.
Since Pope Francis refused to answer the dubia in a straight-forward manner, it seems Fr. Altman’s concern about the Pope’s status as a faithful Catholic gains traction. I’m not ready to back Fr. Altman’s play ... yet. But the Pope’s words are seriously concerning. Very seriously.
I feel bad for priests like Fr. Illo. This isn’t what they signed up for in the JP2 era. Not by a mile. They must going through their own personal calvary right now. Is Bergoglio a queer? I don’t know the answer to that. I suspect not. He’s a Marxist atheist dedicated to destroying the Church, and wrapping the Church in the Rainbow Flag is killing two birds with one stone: (1) It’s the surest way to commit institutional suicide; and (2) It grants him personal teflon with the homosexual-leaning mass media.
Father is too respectful to the venal and vicious Francis.
pope, Not Pope. This evil Anti-pope, tool of satan, is NOT the Pope.
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