Was Steve Bannon behind the campaign smear against Pope Francis?
It's all over Internet today. I saw it first at the NYT. So listen, I don't know how true everything about the Bannon-Burke friendship is - but the possibility that somehow Bannon is out to undermine Pope Francis makes sense.
I'm convinced papering Rome with anti-papist posters was financed by anti-Catholic entities. Was it Bannon? He is reportedly anti-Francis? So maybe there is a connection?
More intrigue.
Even if the secular reports are skewed against Bannon and Trump - it demonstrates that the anti-papist propaganda probably has a secular component, and is most likely financed by anti-Catholic/anti-Papist principals. The smear campaign against the Pope, signed by the poster campaign in Rome, reminds me of the Masonic picketing and leaflet drop St. Maximilian Kolbe witnessed while studying in Rome - which moved him to form the MMI. It is not something faithful Catholics would support.
If there is a perception that Cardinal Burke is allied with political ideologues such as Steve Bannon and other political persons or entities, it is no wonder that the Pope would lighten the duties of Cardinal Burke to protect him from being manipulated by enemies of the Church. No doubt Cardinal Burke is a holy man, but even holy men can be deceived and manipulated. St. John Paul II is a great example of that - considering his endorsement of Marcial Maciel Degollado.
The Bannon connection might be propaganda as well.
Of course, these stories that are circulating in secular media and may simply be part of the 'Never Trump' campaign as well as some other offensive against the Church; albeit taking advantage of Cardinal Burke's high profile and criticism of Pope Francis to give the impression their opposition remains loyal to the Papal office.
That said, it's definitely gossip, innuendo and speculation pretty much intended to discredit the Holy Father and divide Catholics even more. It's unfortunate that such eminent Churchmen should be involved - wittingly or unwittingly. It's difficult to know for sure, therefore it's important to avoid giving much credence to reports against the Church, the Pope, and the hierarchy - especially from secular and social media.
Priests and bishops: Avoid politics in and outside the Church - and definitely, refuse all honors, titles, and awards. Those who flatter you deceive you.
[Oh. I may be wrong.]
What do they (if true) hope to gain by smearing the Holy Father? He is honored/loved by so many millions more than the minority who keep talking, smearing, gossiping, dishonoring, propping themselves up as better Catholics, misinforming, etc ... where is the concern for the world? The conversion of our poor souls? Why are we chattering to the point of distraction while the devil gains and gains and gains at every turn?
ReplyDeleteI bet when the bombs drop they will not discriminate as to who supports our Holy Father or Trump or the so-called muslim ban.
We are all in lumped together so we best keep praying together.
You are right.
DeleteI am a faithful Catholic. I go to daily Mass. I pray the rosary daily. I make a daily Holy Hour. I go to confession weekly. I pray the divine office. I work hard, I pray hard. I also think the Pope is not who many think he is. It is clear to me that he is purposely sowing division by not answering simple questions. I have a hunch, at least judging by his actions, that he may very well be connected to George Sorros and those pushing the liberal political agenda. You talk about Burke and his political connections. What about Pope Francis and his political connections? He has ALOT of them, and they are mostly with Masons, with socialists, and with promoters of population control, abortion, and contraception. If you are calling for an examination of the political connections of those in high places in the Church be careful what you ask for, because you might just find that the man who sits on the Throne of Peter is a masonic anti-Catholic new world order kind of guy. Be careful. We live in evil times...at least that is the sense I am getting in my prayer, and from the holy monks, nuns and clerics that I know.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good man - I mean that! I just hope you're wrong about the Holy Father though. I have no idea about the political connections of any of them, nor their intentions, I was just speculating and wondering out loud. The one thing I was serious about and what made me think there is something shady going on with the posters is that it reminded me of St. Max's experience as a student in Rome, and the very fact that there are dark forces committed to destabilizing the Church and dividing believers. The rest is my 'crackpot' theories.
DeleteWell I can agree with you about evil times, but we have different perceptions about who is evil and who is positive. Never mind though because in the end Mary's Immaculate Heart will triumph.
ReplyDelete@wh,
DeleteI agree. Our Lady's Immaculate heart will triumph in end so we must hold fast to the glory that lies before us much like our Lord Jesus Christ did when he walked Calvary. He never doubted, he trusted, prayed, never lost hope and above, HE LOVED.
In the words of the great Saint Paul, "Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross."
Hebrews 12:2
I will hope against hope and trust in what our Lord Jesus has given us in Papa Francis. I will continue to pray even when I might falter. (many times over too)
Walgreens called, your haldol is ready for pickup. What?
ReplyDeleteHaldol, the anti-psychotic that makes folks even more crazy? I should know because we use it lots where I work. >X<
DeleteNan gets the award for Best Comment! I'm laughing so hard.
DeleteYour blog is the perfect place for my crackpot sense of humor.
DeleteYaya, mom worked as an OT in psych and thrived on it. Grandma was on haldol and carried her fur stole and hummel in a tote bag so nobody would steal them. I have the slipper chair with the storage place under the seat (for dirty lingerie?) where she would hide it. Then she draped the dead rat scarf across as a decoy.
"They smile at your face, but behind your back they hiss:
ReplyDelete"What's a sweetheart like you doin' in a dump like this?"
Bannon-Burke versus Pope Francis is just the kindof rubbishy nonsense current USA Catholics these days seem to gobble up, even on this blog I am sad to say. But: don't listen to me, I'm not from your continent. We outsiders are just observing your craziness from afar.http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=1202
ReplyDeletehttp://insidethevatican.com/news/newsflash/letter-8-2017-new-york-times-steve-bannon
Perhaps the readers of this august blog would like to spend some time reading
the following and more objective, calm analyses of the NYT's piece.
http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=1202
http://insidethevatican.com/news/newsflash/letter-8-2017-new-york-times-steve-bannon
I bet the US does appear very crazy from your vantage point. It's crazy here - for sure. I read the calmer takes on the Bannon thing and pretty much agree the connecting of dots to Burke and the Vatican is a bit of a stretch, as far as influencing Catholic teaching or acceptance/rejection of the pope, and so on.
DeleteWhat do people from your side of the globe think of Cardinal Burke?
Sorry for the doubling in my little contribution from Africa.
ReplyDeleteTechnology here not always working properly, or perhaps I am Just Too OLD.
It is a tactic we have come to expect from our current politicians who hold office. Our crop of divorced,(some remarried) and vocal Republican politicians like Bannon, Gingrich and others have strong opinions about many things Catholic and how to impose on others. They also have a strong anti- Francis bias. The whole crowd remind me of how Peronist loved the threatee of the Church, the rule of authority and obedience but not so much the social gospel.
DeleteExcellent point WH! The Peronist loved the theater of the Church - the 'splendor and glory' but not the social gospel. That is so right on!
DeleteHi Terry. You asked what people in Africa thinks of Cardinal Burke. I can't really answer this question because I've never heard anyone around here discussing him. Also, we do not have the same type of "culture wars" in my part of Africa. Just severe corruption in government and this is what get people fired up. Corruption in many African governments make the Vatican's flaws appear like the innocence of Sunday School kids. Thanks WH for your reply. Yes, it seems tome ( from afar but reading and watching TV) that you are right.
ReplyDelete