Afraid to leave the house for church.
Thank God the Church is not a democracy ...
Yet U.S. Catholics act as if it were. Amazing discussions online - not always by stupid people - but more frequently than ever by people with stupid, crackpot ideas and conspiracy theories.
Promoting my blog. So I posted a response to a Fr. Z-1P5 groupie about 1P5's obsession with the disorientation of the Fatima messages and interpretations of the secrets, heavily influenced by dubious LaSalette secrets, Katherine Emmerich's imagination, and the unapproved OL Good Success of Quito claims for the 20th-21st centuries apostasy. (Don't forget that Akita is only kind of approved and doesn't have the same type of canonical recognition as Fatima, Lourdes, Rue du Bac, or official LaSalette.) Because I mentioned photos on my blog, which I could not post at 1P5, demonstrating a consistent facial recognition in a series of photos showing that Sr. Lucia was not replaced by a double, the lady said I was promoting my blog. LOL! I have never, would never, ever, promote this blog. Which is why I refer to it as a dump. This is a web-log, I document things here, for me - you can read it if you want.
It's my blog.
That's like 7 quick takes right there. But I am not finished.
Fr. Z - bless his heart - and I'm not turning on him here - posted excerpts from a Crux article on some critical things Cardinal Maradiaga said against Cardinal Burke. It should never have been published, except for the fact Catholics for whom Maradiaga speaks, also need to know that someone not only speaks for them, but have confidence the Pope is still the head of the Church.
I may not agree with what Maradiaga says about Burke personally, yet it is definitely my experience that what he says definitely can apply to those who have created a sort of cult following, or political party around Cardinal Burke. Again - I'm not criticizing Burke, but some of his following fit the descriptions Maradiaga attribute to the Cardinal. (Those who insist the Vatican, CDF, and the Popes have been lying about the Secret of Fatima are included in this sect.)
A few quick takes from Maradiagito.
“He’s not the magisterium,” Maradiaga said, referring to the authority to issue official teaching. “The Holy Father is the magisterium, and he’s the one who teaches the whole Church. This other [person] speaks only his own thoughts, which don’t merit further comment.That's true - except Cardinal Burke is not speaking his own thoughts, but rather seeks clarity on Catholic teaching. On the other hand, the criticism easily can be applied for the Burke defense team. Some of his followers, as well as Fatimists and several others 'speak only their own thoughts' or the thoughts generated by private revelation and other unreliable sources - accusing the magisterium of being infiltrated by enemies of the Church, and therefore no longer to be trusted. That's crazy.
Maradiagito says it better than I can.
He also has just as much authority to do so as any other Cardinal...
Maradiaga also criticized conservative schools of thought in Catholicism, of which Burke is often seen as a symbol.
“These currents of the Catholic right are persons who seek power and not the truth, and the truth is one,” he said. “If they claim to find some ‘heresy’ in the words of Francis, they’re making a big mistake, because they’re thinking only like men and not as the Lord wants.
“What sense does it have to publish writings against the pope, which don’t damage him but ordinary people? What does a right-wing closed on certain points accomplish? Nothing!
“Ordinary people are with the pope, this is completely clear,” Maradiaga said. “I see that everywhere.Pewsitters with their big pulpits and huge vocis (you know who you are) might think they are launching the tenth crusade but it is the Church, the Pope and the bishops in communion with him - the Magisterium - which is solely responsible for Catholic teaching, defining doctrine and dogma and Canon Law and Scripture, approving or rejecting private revelation, calling a crusade, approving any para-militant movement, and so on. The Catholic blogosterium has no authority, no matter how many degrees from Steubenville or Catholic U or any other distance degree program you got those authoritative and impressive initials after your name from.
Song for this post here.
Blogosteriously unauthorized.
Catholic blogs credit themselves with a great deal of authority, convinced they have influenced a sort of reform of the reform of the reform. No doubt they have influence, which pretty much contributes to the very disorientation they fearfully warn about in spreading their misinterpretations of private revelations.
Read their com-boxes and see the confusion and hostile culture their conspiracy theories and schism inducing gossip generates among ordinary people. Thanks be to God, only a minority of ordinary, faithful Catholics waste their time on Catholic social media gossiping. 'They' need to be careful when they mock and condemn popes, cardinals, and bishops. Just saying.
“The greatest problem, however, is the disorientation that’s created among people when they read affirmations of bishops and cardinals against the Holy Father.” - Cardinal Maradiaga
Catholic Militants
