PopeWatch: True
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Or, the ism IS true and he’s just awful
What if he’s a heretic? Asking for a friend.
Several times in the past, I have said this pope is the product of the leftist lurch of the Church than the cause of it. I would also say this pontificate would be possible if it weren’t for some of his modern predecessors, especially Paul VI and John Paul II.
Don’t appreciate your comments about Saint John Paul II
Quite frankly, Ezabelle, I don’t care if you don’t appreciate what I say. But I’m simply calling out what I see. And the sad fact is John Paul II helped set the table for much of what we are seeing in the present pontificate. John Paul II’s disastrous treatment of the death penalty, which created confusion that spilled over into the abortion and euthanasia issues, made Francis’ even more disastrous revision of the CCC possible. It was also St. John Paul II who gave us Mahony, Bernadin, and McCarrick. And he was WARNED about McCarrick!!! By the way, he also gave us Bergoglio. And it widely reported then superior general of the Jesuits Fr. Hans Kolvenbach had warned against making Bergoglio a bishop, citing traits on full display from Pope Francis.
Even if we are to grant good faith, his handling of the clerical sex abuse crisis was horrendous. There’s also the Maciel scandal that we still haven’t gotten anywhere near to the bottom of.
There were aspects John Paul II’s pontificate that were stellar and others that were bad. And if we are not willing to recognize when our own backyard needs cleaning, we have no business exhorting our neighbor to do so.
Double standardism is a serious problem in orthodox Catholic circles. I will call it out as long as it continues.If people don’t like it, tough!
Yes, it’s clear you don’t care. But, you’re offending those who have devotion to him.
Don’t expect others to accept your “claims” and keep quiet. You don’t like St John Paul 2 that’s your problem, but I don’t appreciate you continually targeting him and his name needs to be defended. He intervened for me in my life on numerous occasions.
Let’s talk about double standards:
Firstly, St John Paul 2 is recognised as a Saint by the Church. You have to accept that, whether you like that or not. Otherwise, why stop at St John Paul 2, go for every Sainted of the Catholic Church. You are showing double standards by singling him out, because again, you made up your mind that you don’t like him.
Secondly, On one hand you claim it’s not Francis doing alone that is to blame for the current state of the Church but then on the other hand you say “John Paul 2” set the stage. Your claim he deliberately set out to sabotage doctrine and the faith and the Church is false and defamatory. Those clergy you named were snakes. I shared in another post in the comment how a closeted Maronite priest manipulated the diocese, in the Church my family occasionally attends, for years under the nose of the Bishop and his peers and the laity and nobody suspected. It’s easy to fool others if you know how to do it well. So to absolve Francis for his inadequacy but target St John Paul 2 as “setting the stage” for the current Church is double standards.
Your continually targeting of him as the reason for the current pontificate is offensive to his name. You have no way of knowing what he deliberately allowed who didn’t allow. So if you don’t mind, expect me to keep defending him.
To be honest, if we are going to have to accept Saints in the Church to be defamed in the comments of this Blog then its taking things too far and it’s not the Blog for me anymore.
Nowhere do I expect anyone to “keep quiet” regarding any claims I make. It seems to me, Ezabelle, you’re complaining about what I say about St. John Paul II in an attempt to get me to shut up.
First of all, I do not dislike John Paul II. Nothing in any of my criticisms of his pontificate would indicate such. As I point out, there were aspects of his pontificate that were stellar. I also believe did many heroic things. However, I do think he made some tragic blunders and that the cult of personality that surrounded him was bad for him and bad for the Church.
I recognize and accept he is a canonized saint. I also mentioned Pope Paul VI in my initial comment, who is also a canonized saint. Although, think his rushed canonization was not a wise move for a number of reasons. I don’t dispute he was a holy man. I also think the Santo Subito craze that immediately followed his death (something I think Ratzinger/B16 deserves some blame for) smacks of a cult of personality mindset that is harmful to a proper understanding of the veneration of saints.
And just because someone is a canonized saint, his actions are not above criticism.
If you want to argue with what I say, fine. I have no problem with that. But at least take the time to understand my position sufficiently to not so badly mischaracterize it the way you just did.
[…] American Catholic So Long Barbie Stalin – Donald R. McClarey, J.D., at The American Catholic True – Donald R. McClarey, J.D., at The American […]
Whatever. You dislike St John Paul 2, and take every opportunity to make it known. You blame the current state of the Church on St John Paul 2 who set the stage for the leftist leaning of the Church. They are your words.
St John Paul 2 did not knowingly and deliberately appoint snakes to destroy the Church. He was ill-advised and deceived. He admonished the leftist faction of the church and spoke out against it. He was phenomenal in growing the faith, adhering to true Catholic doctrine, despite the challenging cultural, political and social issues he had to work against. He was brave. He loved Our Lady. He spoke out unrelentingly against abortion, contraception, homosexuality. There was no confusion as you claim. I have never met anyone who was confused regarding Catholic teaching before Francis came along. Now everyone is confused. I clearly remember him being mocked and ridiculed by the MSM for his strong stance on life issues. So what if he spoke against the death penalty? That is not going against Catholic teaching. Maybe read up on his background and understand why he was against it.
He had true love for God, the Church and the faithful and was a holy man. That is his legacy. That is what he is remembered for. And now he is a Saint of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We are blessed to have him in our corner in heaven. Blessed.
Peace be yours..both of you. Okay.
I love JPII. I’m here, in this state of reversion because of many saintly people. Jesus Christ, my parents, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Pope JP II, but I’m not phased in the slightest by Greg’s comment. We all come from different experiences and levels of beliefs. Let’s be glad that we will never be the leader of the Holy Catholic Church. Let’s agree on that..yes? Listening for the promptings of the Holy Spirit in order to make a decision on a large purchase is enough for me, Mr. Simpleton. The amount of stress and the forces at work to derail the Catholic Church by Satan’s elite is what pontiff’s face, hence their need for constant prayer. JP II wasn’t perfect and we will never have perfection until the curtain drops on humanity once and for all, so we plod along strengthening each other and helping the lost sheep come to experience the Greatest gift of the son of God coming to earth to enable men to become son’s of God.
Thank you C.S. Lewis.
I love reading both of your comments throughout the months and years on TAC. I do wade out to the deep end of the pool a little more than I should, but I’m trying to be more humble and just READ and LEARN from all of you.
However my pride does win out on many occasions, but this family, TAC is kind. That’s the Catholicity that approaches in the end of life.
A city..a lasting city that we keep walking towards..searching as we make the crest of a new year..with more hills to climb and more challenging times to come.
Let’s walk it in the Joy of each other’s company. Maybe pick up a few hitchhikers along the path, eh.
God bless you both.
God Bless you Philip. I’m not phased by Greg’s comments. I’m phased by Greg’s comment about St John Paul 2. Peace.
Yes…Peace.
Clergy worship continues unabated in our church. God help us. If the next group of mitred corruptocrats declares Francis a saint (and I’m pretty sure they will), does that mean he will then be above criticism as well? I do wish Catholics would just grow up. Not holding my breath, though.
” So what if he spoke against the death penalty?”
Consecrated men and women do not execute capital punishment becasue they are consecrated.
Capital punishment is executed through the power of attorney of the condemned murderer.
St. John Paul II forgave his assassin. I can forgive my assassin. I cannot forgive your assassin without becoming an enabler, an accessory after the fact. Any assassinations done by St. John Paul II’s assassin are on him.
equal Justice.
G. POULIN:
Catholics must concern themselves with the Articles of Faith. The stronger the better.
The first miracle for St John Paul’s canonization was the healing of Sister Marie Pierre from Parkinson’s disease through his intercession. The second miracle healed Floribeth Mora Diaz’s brain injury after an aneurysm left her terminal. These two miracles led to his canonisation. Others will testify to his intercession in their lives, as do I.
Clergy worship continues unabated in our church. God help us.
There are 10,000 Saints in the Catholic Church. 60% were ordained or religious males. That’s your stats. Maybe we can stop the clergy worship by ordaining more Catholic laity. Let’s start with Biden and Pelosi…Or our “Catholic” PM Anthony Albanese who is divorced and living with his “partner” and votes anti-Catholic on issues. Every. Single. Time.