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The abominable new proposal of Cardinal Walter Kasper, to allow 'divorced' and/or 're-married' (oxymoron) Catholics to act as if they're not outside the Church is garnering attention in the media, and even Pope Francis has made comments that sound like he is leaning toward agreeing with this heresy.
In the current April 2014 edition of CFN, John Vennari has two major articles on this topic, the first on page 7 (goes on for 2 pages), and the second on p. 13 (5 pp. long). But this is so big, it's also mentioned in CFNews BRIEFS on p. 12 and pops up in other articles as well. One could almost say, this entire edition is chock full of the topic. And rightly so, because it is a fundamentally consequential concept and principle on the line, if Kasper's latest agenda item gains any steam.
In saner times it would be cause for Kasper to be severely disciplined, perhaps removed and defrocked. But don't hold your breath!
Vennari made an opening salvo on YouTube a few weeks ago about this, in answer to Michael Voris' unwarranted assault on him and two other quasi-traditional authors (Chris Ferrara and Michael Matt). The video is mentioned on p. 17 at the end of the second major article, as follows:
"The first part of this essay is an edited/augmented version [of] a YouTube response to Voris posted on March 19 [Feast of St. Joseph]. The video can be viewed at
www.cfnews.org/noah.htm "
Here is the video, right here. "Traditional Catholics and Noah's Nakedness"
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/embed/DfFMrWHQS-8[/youtube]
The second major article to which this message is appended is headlined, "THE ITERNATIONAL REPORT - Traditional Catholics and Noah's Nakedness - A commentary on Michael Voris' Assault on Traditional Catholic Writers," p. 13 of the April CFN.
If this were another periodical, one might be thinking at this point, "but the next edition is due any day now," but not so with CFN. You won't be getting your May edition until perhaps the second week of May, as CFN is notoriously late in its arrival. And you're not likely to find much of this posted on the CFN website because only select articles go there, and there is no online edition. Apparently, that's an editorial decision that is aimed at promoting subscriptions. But I digress.
This second major article is ostensibly all about "a response -
one response. I have no intention of a prolonged back and forth on the topic" (p. 13). Beyond the video and the vituperations of Voris, however, is the relevant part of this article, found on page 17, that is, the tail end of it (just before the quoted "edited/augmented" essay, above). It has to do with Pope Francis' reaction on record, to Cardinal Kasper's (latest) heresy.
The droll photo of Francis there is captioned:
"Catastrophic: Pope Francis appears to endorse Cardinal Kasper's toxic proposal regarding the Eucharist for divorced and re-married Catholics."Another video by
The American Catholic has the talking head of Raymond Arroyo attempting to address this topic, that is, without being too "uncharitable."
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/embed/llSCDBNPvK4[/youtube]
Here's what I find interesting on p. 17 of CFN:
The one voice absent in the defense of marriage is that of Pope Francis Worse, Pope Francis sent shock waves throught the entire Church when he publicly praised Cardinal Kasper's toxic proposal.
On the February 21 opening of a Consistory meeting at the Paul VI Hall, Francis said,
"Yesterday, before falling asleep, though not to fall asleep,
I read, or re-read, Cardinal Kasper's remarks.
I would like to thank him, because I found a deep theology,
and serene thoughts in theology. It is nice to read serene theology.
It did me well and I had and idea, and excuse me
if I embarrass Your Eminnece, but the idea is:
this is called doing theology while kneeling.
Thank you. Thank you."
[Isn't that interesting? The CFN page continues]:
Rome Reports headlined its story, "Pope Francis Expresses Support for Cardinal Kasper's 'serene theology' on the Family."
This is nothing short of catastrophic. [the bold/red was my idea]
It is the Pope's duty to confirm the traditional teaching of the Church, not to give the impression of undermining immutable truth. In the name of being "pastoral," Francis has incited chaos regarding Catholic dogma on marriage and divorce. It is a deadly and profoundly
unpastoral act.
We can do no better than to quote Father Brian hαɾɾιson on this momentous issue, "Let us make no mistake: Satan is right now shaking the Church to her very foundations over this divorce issue. If anything the confusion is becoming even graver than that over contraception between 1965 and 1968, when Paul VI's seeming vacillation allowed Catholics round the world to anticipate a reversal of perennial Church teaching."
hαɾɾιson warns, "If the present Successor of Peter now keeps silent about divorce and remarriage, thereby tacitly telling the Church and the world that the teaching of Jesus Christ will be up for open debate at a forthcoming Synod of Bishops, one fears a terrible price will soon have to be paid."
No one wants to second-guess the Pope, but Francis is showing colossal irresponsibility in allowing the question about divorce and readmission to the Eucharist to fester, and in giving the impression of endorsing Kasper's destabilization of Marriage.
As the Message of Fatima instructs us, "pray a great deal for the Holy Father." But we are also called upon to defend the truths of the Faith, defend the sacrament of Marriage in this most deadly assault, and publicly resist Francis' wayward approach causing scandal and confusion in the Church worldwide.
[It seems to me conspicuous that such commentators as Fr. hαɾɾιson continue to refer to Francis in such terms as "the present Successor of Peter" when Francis himself pertinaciously insists on nothing more than "bishop of Rome," of course, all out of "humility."]
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