Pope Francis visited the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major on Monday,
after his arrival at Rome’s Ciampino Airport.
The Pope had just concluded a 10-day Apostolic Voyage
to Cuba and the United States. - Source
The return home interview here.
Craziness ensues ...
I've purposely ignored all the conspiracy stories while the pope was here. I've tried to read normal reports and avoided the radicals online.
You heard about Cardinal Daneels, right? A friend sent me an inquiry regarding the story - I had seen the headlines of course, but never read the story. Until my friend asked about it. As soon as I saw Ann Barnhardt did a post on it - I didn't need to read any more. Though I noted today the authors of the book on Danneels retracted comments on the mafia plot to oust Benedict and elect Francis.
Seriously people, we have got to get a life. These conversations are insane. Obviously some of the people writing these stories have serious mental illness, or are simply agitators and contentious fear mongers. Nut cases. You know, things haven't been this nuts since the Bayside claims that Paul VI had a double, and later, the conspiract theories that JPI was murdered. You people keep digging up and following false mystics and conspiracy theories as if they are Catholic teaching. It's not.
As Mark Shea put it:
As Francis’ spectacularly successful visit drives reactionaries into shrieks of hysterics beyond the pitch of human hearing, St. Blogs is ringing with disinterred rumors that a Sinister Liberal Conspiracy forced Benedict out and replaced him with the invalidly elected antipope Francis.
This is the latest buzz from the Conspiracy Theorists of St. Blogs and the not-at-all crazy Right Wing Noise Machine. A New Hope is kindled! Francis haters around St. Blogs from One Peter Five to Roarhate Daily are abuzz with excitement and helpfully suggesting that it’s a whole new ball game! Francis may well be an antipope (they hopefully offer without having the stones to come out and say it) and we can ignore him (which they are already trying to do anyway), the Church is saved from him, etc.
Good news. You don’t have to worry about absurd rumors like this. Indeed, you don’t have to worry about it even if Danneels really has made the claims attributed to him (which is by no means proven). He can either honestly or dishonestly take the credit for Benedict’s resignation. But the reality is that the most expert theologian on planet earth has made it clear that Benedict’s resignation was freely undertaken. (Pope Benedict himself.) - Mark Shea
Get a hobby or something.
Very seriously, I don’t want to go back to the way it was before Pope Francis came to America. We need to move forward.
I'm curious. Do you consider Raymond Cardinal Burke, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Cardinal Muller, Archbishop Napier, etc. all of whom are expressing concerns about what's happening in the Church, among the nutters? I think anyone who is not concerned is ignoring a tsunami of evidence that something is wrong. I want to get Edward Pentin's new book, The Rigging of a Vatican Synod? In the meantime, Austin Ruse has a good article about the upcoming synod on the family. I hope everyone is praying hard for that. It has the potential to do as much damage to the Church as the distortion of Vatican II which so often claimed aberrations as "in the spirit of Vatican II." I'm wondering whether we'll hear about the "spirit of the synod." As for bizarro, one just has to look at pro-abort PA Democrat Rep Bob Brady's snitching the pope's water glass and serving it to his family as if it were the Chalice with Christ's blood. And Danneels never said the "mafia" group wasn't real and didn't network to promote the cause of Bergoglio. He said they had disbanded by the time the second conclave occurred and did not lobby at that event. And note that it was an authorized biography. Presumably Danneels participated in the writing.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crisismagazine.com/2015/the-africans-will-save-the-synod-the-church-and-the-world
OMGosh, Mary Ann - that water drinking thingie was beyond weird.
DeleteI love the prelates you mention - Raymond Cardinal Burke, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Cardinal Muller, Archbishop Napier.
DeleteTerry - you were doing great until you quoted Shea. I pay about as much attention to him as I pay to any of the others.
ReplyDeleteI miss 3rd Rock From the Sun. Remember when they killed the jello?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E8AXOwYcoU
I second that emotion (of the first two sentences -- never saw that TV show).
DeleteI like Mark Shea.
DeleteI miss 3rd Rock.
If anybody is trying to use to Cardinal Daneels story to de-legitimize Pope Francis's papacy, then yes, those people are crazy.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I believe the story is completely newsworthy in and of itself. The National Catholic Register has even been covering it. The fact that a Cardinal is admitting to politicking for the last pope is no small matter. This is a very grave situation...one which should result in his excommunication. Not only that, but those Cardinals who are allegedly involved now hold prominent positions in the upcoming synod. This is an entirely legitimate story. Somebody needs to crack some skulls.
Amen
DeleteThe Daneels story may be news-worthy but it isn't my concern.
DeleteI hope to be more concerned about the precautions of the saints:
"Take warning from the example of Lot's wife who, because she was disturbed at the destruction of Sodom, turned back to look at it. God punished her for this, and she was 'turned into a pillar of salt' (Genesis 19.26). This teaches you that it is the will of God, even if you were living among devils, you should so live as not to turn back in thought to consider what they are doing, but forget them utterly. You are to keep your soul wholly to God, and not to suffer the thought of this or that to disturb you." - John of the Cross
Remember,
"What the devil can't do himself he does by using other people. He takes up his position on the tongues and in the hearts of his servants and before their mind's eye. He makes them see what doesn't exist. So they conceive within their hearts all sorts of evil thoughts and resentments regarding their neighbors - often regarding those they most love." - S. Catherine of Siena
Meh ... An even better story and one that puts it all in the light of truth is Phil Lawler's piece. I may not always agree with him but imo he can be trusted as can Dr. Jeff Mirus, to speak/write the truth in a balanced and fair Catholic faithful way.
Deletehttp://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=1115
These are a few blogs I consider poisonous gossip-mongers:
ReplyDeleteVox Cantoris
Pat Archbold
Carol McKinley
Ann Barnhardt
and a few others they link to.
Other blogs by people with admitted mental health issues or who give indications of it, I simply avoid.
This type of conspiracy chatter and traditionalist extremism has plagued me my entire adult life - since my return to the sacraments. This constant vitriol and suspicion and requirement to check the papers of all who profess to be Catholic. The constant repetition of false visionaries and reinterpretation of Fatima and pulling out ancient encyclicals to bang over people's heads. Today Medugorje is very near to be being discredited, The Locutions to the World lady is backtracking and saying the time of collapse has been put back. The fake prophets are falling - yet doomsayers are repeating their warnings. Even the politicians who promise an end to abortion if we elect them - and when we do - nothing happens - let it all fall to pieces.
Who cares if the economy collapses? Who cares about predicting the future? Why do we waste our time worrying about the Synod? Defaming people who went to see the pope or did the readings? Pray - yes - but working ourselves up over this stuff? To what end?
How can we keep doing this? Why? Just to taunt and drive OCD people nuts? To heap guilt upon the guilty? To shame the shameful?
I don't get it.
LarryD once said my blog is littered with road kill - I laughed so hard because it's true. My entire life is too.
Nutcases have come and gone. Doomsayers predicting the Ball of Redemption - aged, infirm, some dead now - I hope they saw it before they died - just like Joey Lomangino and Padre Pio before they died, huh? Who taught people to believe this crap? To talk this crap?
The Pope spoke about salvation. The Pope came preaching Jesus Christ. The Pope came to teach us about mercy. I need mercy. I need salvation. My fear and trembling is before God - not the Catholic blogosphere.
Sorry - I'm tired of it.
Terry,
DeleteThank you for your candor. I am of the opinion that if I keep my busy body self online amid the scandal promoters, well, I will miss the Lord's subtle presence pass before me and therefore miss out on grace and renewed hope in Christ Jesus to lift us all up and out from the harrowing pit of discord, self-righteousness and pride.
May Mary, Mother of the Church, help us along the road of repentance and sanctification.
Terry,
DeleteI'd include Shea on that list of bloggers to be avoided. He may very well be a very, very nice man, a great person to live next door to, but sometimes he gives the impression that he's more interested in putting down people who disagree with him than he is trying to win their support (or at least respect). Perhaps he doesn't mean it (who am I to judge his motives), but I think he's the absolutely worst possible advocate for the Pope. He doesn't grant best intentions to people who disagree with him, he doesn't allow for the possibility that they may have a point, he is for so many people a near occasion of sin. And I agree with you that in that case, one should just avoid him - but how can one be an effective proselytizer when they antagonize so many people?
I've said this before, but perhaps the man just isn't meant to be a blogger. Maybe he should stick to apologetics, and get rid of the combox.
Mitchell - I know how you feel about him. I love you both!
DeleteThanks, Terry - that means a lot!
DeleteI read on FOX news about the menu that was whipped up for our Papa while he was in New York. Some yummy eats were on that menu. The main cook says that:
ReplyDelete"After lunch, Francis strolled into the kitchen, thanked Bastianich, restaurateur Angelo Vivolo and their kitchen crew, and asked if he could share an espresso with them. The pope ended by giving each a rosary and a blessing.
"Our eyes swelled with tears," Bastianich said."
Viva il Papa! And many blessings to all who made the trip happen. ^^
We love him so much, huh?
DeleteNot just us, dear Terry but many do and more now after having met him. I have watched lots of YouTube videos since Papa arrived and wow .. the people are just so happy. I am happy. May we all come to Christ in an even more powerful way as a result of our Holy Father's witness and joy.
DeleteI know! I can't get over the positive response which dominates. God bless Yaya!
DeleteGuess what Terry? You know how some try and prop Cardinal Burke against our Holy Father? Well read this and smile. I sure did. ^^
DeleteHe’s back: Cardinal Burke reappointed to the Curia
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2015/09/hes-back-cardinal-burke-reappointed-to-the-curia/
Yaya, so they were just on a break?
DeleteOnly God knows. ;p
DeleteI like Shea too. He is often a jerk in how he expresses himself. It used to really bother me, to the point of not reading him. And I read him almost daily. I now read him occasionally, but I see him differently. His writing is a great test of adherence to ideology. He taught me that if I get offended when someone insults my politics or preferences (which he does), then I'm identifying myself with those politics and preferences. I should never do that. My politics tend to be conservative, but I don't want to identify myself as a Conservative and get upset when, for example, Mark Shea (or anyone) talks smack about how Conservatives really aren't pro-life because they want to kill prisoners and make the ones they don't kill eat glue sandwiches in solitary confinement with no chance of parole. And they hate the poors. I don't get upset because I realize he's not talking about me. I don't believe those things. If he wants to set up straw men and knock them down, who cares? It's not my identity.
ReplyDeleteOne identity I do own is Catholic, which is why I can't read any of the blogs Terry mentioned. (Terry, I think you left off one. Starts with R, ends with orare Caeli :) ) They attack the Church. They attack her priests and bishops. They don't critique in charity--they attack. Just like a man can commit adultery in his heart without ever touching anyone other than his wife, you can do the same with schism (which is really just ecclesiastical adultery). They make me angry, so I don't read them. (Also, there is absolutely nothing to learn from them that can't be learned elsewhere, assuming it's worth learning.)
Anyway, let us all learn what makes us angry and use it as a divining rod to point the way to the areas we're not properly detached from. Detachment, detachment, detachment. Better now than later!
That first sentence wasn't a typo. I think I left out the part about liking what he has to say on a lot of things. Just got focused on the reactions he provokes. Viva Shea!
DeleteI liked what you had to say and I say thank you. ^^ I have always liked Mr. Shea as well.
DeleteYou nailed it Terry. A lot of gossipy and judgemental blogging. A lot of doom and gloom. I still worry a bit about our crazy world. We have the year of mercy coming up, then what? If you believe in the revelations to St. Faustiana you gotta be thinking : "the day of justice ".
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this kind of thinking keeps me on a decent spiritual path. Without that fear of judgement, death, chastisement, I start to slide. I suspect that many folks use some of the private revelation, and doom and gloom blogs as a crutch. When we're scared we get up early for daily mass and prayers.
Pope Francis reminds me that love and not fear is the better path....what a blessing.
If in your title you maybe meant Aretha Franklin, yes, she sang. Puccini twisted.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/MikeyoMemeCentral/photos/a.1154030361292708.1073741828.1154026971293047/1189877057708038/?type=3&theater