Good news:
On the heels of one controversial Vatican article alleging an “ecumenism of hate” between conservative Evangelicals and Catholics in America, another potential eyebrow-raiser emerged Saturday claiming that the “main obstacle” to implementing Pope Francis’s vision is “closure, if not hostility” from “a good part of the clergy, at levels both high and low.”
The term “high and low” suggests the author had in mind clergy ranging from senior bishops to ordinary parish priests.
“The clergy is holding the people back, who should instead be accompanied in this extraordinary moment,” said the article by Italian Father Giulio Cirignano, a native of Florence and a longtime Scripture scholar at the Theological Faculty of Central Italy.
The piece appeared in the weekend edition of L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, under the headline of “The Conversion Asked by Pope Francis: Habit is not Fidelity.”
It comes a little over a week after the publication of an essay by Italian Jesuit Fr. Antonio Spadaro and Argentine Protestant Marcelo Figueroa, two close friends of Pope Francis, in the Jesuit-edited journal La Civilità Cattolica. In it, Spadaro and Figueroa described what they see was a “Manichean vision” underlying growing closeness in America between Evangelicals and “Catholic Integralists.”
Cirignano’s piece didn’t focus on the United States, and appeared to be more concerned with Italian realities, though he didn’t specify which country or region he was addressing.
“The main obstacle that stands in the way of the conversion that Pope Francis wants to bring to the Church is constituted, in some measure, by the attitude of a good part of the clergy, at levels high and low … an attitude, at times, of closure if not hostility,” Cirignano wrote.
Go here to read the rest. The faithful laity should rally around such clergy following the time tested policy of Catholics in regard to bad Popes: outlast them.
The real hostility comes from post Vatican II liberal progressive clerics against traditional orthodox Catholic laity. Let me give an example. Back in January or so I began attending a Bible stuudy at a local Catholic parish. During the study as the instructor asked questions, the people sitting around the table could not answer. That’s typical of the average Catholic nowadays – bone ignorant of Scripture. So of course I would answer, and since the class was on a New Testament book, I would cite the origiinal Greek or maybe something St. John Chrysostom wrote on the subject (yes, he’s one of my favorite writers on Sacred Scripture). Eventually, even though others could not respond, I was told to “muzzle” it. My answers didn’t fit the liberal progressive social justice, common good, peace at any price paradigm. So I left and I shall never turn back. Screw Novus Ordo and this sickening, weak-kneed, ignorant liberalism.
This Pope has an agenda, that is certain, but because it is incoherent it
lacks the attractiveness of truth. Who could be won over to such a view
of man, God and the Church? Who would give their life to spreading such
a mess of pottage? Perhaps a careerist, looking to please superiors, but
no sincere Catholic would hitch his wagon to such bilge. I imagine that’s
why this Pope is so authoritarian, so brutal with those who aren’t on board–
he cannot persuade, he can only coerce.
The dismantling of the FFI, the chicanery used to advance his predetermined
agenda behind the Synod on the Family, the (deliberately) ambiguous language
of Amoris Laetitia and the refusal to answer the Dubia, the
gutting of the Pontifical Academy for Life, the sidelining of the CDF, the
abrupt and often deliberately humiliating dismissals of orthodox prelates
from Burke to Muller— all of these are the acts of a man who cannot persuade
with truth and reason. Instead he must advance his agenda with confusion,
ambiguity, behind-the-scenes manipulations, and appeals to his own authority.
No wonder there are people are “closed” to Francis’ agenda– good men will
always resist coercion, and as I said earlier, Francis cannot persuade, he can
only coerce.
@LQC-have you the opportunity to attend Liturgy at a Byzantine Rite parish? Or are you able to assist at a Tridentine Mass?
Good answer Clinton!
( that’s what the family team says on “family Feud”) I think you nailed it.
Hostility towards the devil inspired “vision” of a Marxist church based on the ‘Brotherhood of Man for Peace and Prosperity’ is most welcome news. All means and efforts of resisting the Pope’s modernistic agenda should be supported. I’m sure that blogs such as American Catholic are helping keep this devil at bay.
Razz: 😀 🙂 😎 and Hallelujia to all of you! I am so heartened that pastors and princes and people in the pews are saying Phooey.
Was that command “outlast them” or “outcast them”?
This article gives me a lot of hope because I have felt in a minority in my area in believing the Pope is leading the church in a wrong direction. The Pope should be celebrating the coming together of conservative Christians and faithful Catholics and that direction should be encouraged. I wish I had some of those clergy near by to rally around. Perhaps they are here but hidden. Most of the teaching I see around me is very superficial and the clergy tend to avoid the crucial issues of our times. That in itself leaves the sheep to wander for there is no guide. This article tells me the “sense of the faithful” is alive and well.