Don't mention the Devil...

... I did, but I think I got away with it.

 

Anyway, gay people get upset.

Recently both Cardinal Burke and Archbishop Nienstedt mentioned the Devil - the father of lies - in relationship to gay marriage.  Critics rejected their statements and claimed Pope Francis would never make such claims or be so divisive ... 

In an interview, Cardinal Burke stated:

The alarming rapidity of the realization of the homosexual agenda ought to awaken all of us and frighten us with regard to the future of our nation. This is a work of deceit, a lie about the most fundamental aspect of our human nature, our human sexuality, which after life itself defines us. There is only one place these types of lies come from, namely Satan. It is a diabolical situation which is aimed at destroying individuals, families, and eventually our nation. - Source

What the Cardinal said is not that different from Archbishop Nienstedt's statement in an address which drew so much criticism by Catholic dissidents:

Today, many evil forces have set their sights on the dissolution of marriage and the debasing of family life.  Sodomy, abortion, contraception, pornography, the redefinition of marriage, and the denial of objective truth are just some of the forces threatening the stability of our civilization.  The source of these machinations is none other than the Father of Lies.  Satan knows all too well the value that the family contributes to the fabric of a good solid society, as well as the future of God’s work on earth. - Legatus Magazine 

These bishops are not alone however.  Contrary to popular opinion and media spin regarding the popularity of Pope Francis and his alleged 'liberal' POV, as Cardinal, Pope Bergoglio also associated gay marriage with the deceit of the devil:

[Letter of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, to the Carmelite Nuns of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires (June 22, 2010)]

 

 

I write this letter to each one of you in the four Monasteries of Buenos Aires. The Argentine people must face, in the next few weeks, a situation whose result may gravely harm the family. It is the bill on matrimony of persons of the same sex.

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The identity of the family, and its survival, are in jeopardy here: father, mother, and children. The life of so many children who will be discriminated beforehand due to the lack of human maturity that God willed them to have with a father and a mother is in jeopardy. A clear rejection of the law of God, engraved in our hearts, is in jeopardy.

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I recall words of Saint Thérèse when she speaks of the infirmity of her childhood. She says that the envy of the Devil tried to extort her family after her older sister joined the Carmel. Here, the envy of the Devil, through which sin entered the world, is also present, and deceitfully intends to destroy the image of God: man and woman, who receive the mandate to grow, multiply, and conquer the earth."

In fact, the Holy Father has mentioned the Devil rather frequently - it's kind of a Jesuit thing, I think.  Since his election he has not been 'embarrassed' to speak about the Devil's influence upon society and men.  It should be noted, all of the modern Popes have taken the Devil very seriously, thus Pope Francis, Cardinal Burke, and Archbishop Nienstedt are not alone, and very much in step.

To make a long post short, I'll cut to the point and post just a few quotes from Pope Francis on the Devil since his election, as a reminder that the Pope supports his brother Bishops, and Church teaching on faith and morals.

The Evil One is smart. He dupes us into thinking that human justice can save us and save the world. In fact, only God’s justice can save us! And God’s justice revealed itself on the Cross. … - 15 September 2013, Angelus address.

“When one does not profess Jesus Christ, one professes the worldliness of the devil ..." - homily, first Mass as Pope

 On 24 March in St. Peter’s Square, while celebrating World Youth Day, he recalled the fact that a Christian’s joy comes not from owning many possessions but from encountering Jesus, “from knowing that with him we are never alone, even when we come across problems and obstacles in life that seem insurmountable – and there are so many of them! That is when the enemy comes, when the devil comes”. Furthermore, on 4 May, during the morning Mass at Santa Marta, Francis reflected upon the persecution of the Christians, speaking of the “hate of the prince of the world for those who have been saved and redeemed by Jesus”. - Catholic World Report

In the book "On Heaven and Earth," originally published in Spanish in 2010, the then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, said, "I believe that the devil exists" and "his greatest achievement in these times has been to make us believe he doesn't exist."

"His fruits are always destruction: division, hate and slander," he said in the book. - CNS 

Just remember, the Pope is Catholic.



Now back to regular programming... ;-)