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| Pope Francis hints at new ‘understanding’ of papacy during meeting with Anglican leaders |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-05-2024, 06:25 AM - Forum: Pope Francis
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Pope Francis hints at new ‘understanding’ of papacy during meeting with Anglican leaders
The Pontiff’s speech to the Anglicans held a revolutionary possibility: namely, a decision by Francis to use the papacy itself as an
![[Image: francis-welby.jpg]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/francis-welby.jpg)
Pope Francis greets Canterbury's Justin Welby, May 2, 2024.
Vatican Media/Facebook
May 3, 2024
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis hosted leaders from the Anglican Communion at the Vatican Thursday, and while speaking about the “controversial” role of the papacy, the Pontiff raised the possibility of a new “understanding” that could result from ecumenical relations and the Synod on Synodality.
On the morning of May 2, members of the Anglican Communion Primates’ meeting met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, in what the Anglicans described as the “highlight” of their 5-day gathering in Rome.
The Pontiff’s speech to the Anglicans held a revolutionary possibility: namely, a decision by Francis, effected by the Synod on Synodality, to use the papacy itself as an ecumenical bargaining tool, in a manner which could – at least on paper – appear to undermine the authority wielded by the Pope.
Anglican Primates in Rome
The Primates’ gathering drew Anglican leaders from across the globe to Rome for the first time. There they held a series of meetings, made visits to Catholic shrines across the city, and also met with Pope Francis and Cardinal Mario Grech – the general secretary of the Synod of Bishops. Their high-level gathering was billed to aid “unity” amongst the various Anglican bodies throughout the world, although, as noted below, such “unity” is a serious point of contention given the dissent in the Anglican body over same-sex blessings.
Addressing the assembled Primates, Francis thanked the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby for his continued collaboration with the Pope and his “fraternal cooperation on behalf of the Gospel.”
“The Lord calls each of us to be a builder of unity and, even if we are not yet one, our imperfect communion must not prevent us from walking together,” stated Francis, echoing themes he has used in the not infrequent ecumenical gatherings he attends alongside Welby.
Francis also gave an honorable mention to the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), which has – he stated – “made great efforts to overcome various obstacles that stand in the way of unity.”
This has been effected, said Francis, by the acknowledgement that “the communion already shared is grounded in faith in God our Father, in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit; our common baptism into Christ; our sharing of the Holy Scriptures, of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds; the Chalcedonian definition and the teaching of the Fathers; our common Christian inheritance for many centuries.”
The Papacy: a ‘controversial and divisive issue’
Most notable in the Pope’s speech was the description he gave of his own office. Thanking the Anglican Primates for meeting in Rome, Francis declared, “I realize that the role of the Bishop of Rome is still a controversial and divisive issue among Christians.”
Continuing, Francis appeared to suggest that a new understanding of the Papacy could be developed which would prove more acceptable to Anglicans, given the Anglican opposition to papal primacy.
He quoted from Pope Gregory the Great’s description of the Pope as “servant of the servants of God,” and John Paul II’s own statement in his ecumenical encyclical Ut Unum Sint, in which the Polish pope said: “his designation is the best possible safeguard against the risk of separating power (and in particular the primacy) from ministry. Such a separation would contradict the very meaning of power according to the Gospel: ‘I am among you as one who serves’.”
Hinting at possible changes of understanding to the papacy, Francis stated that “for this reason, it is necessary to engage in ‘a patient and fraternal dialogue on this subject, a dialogue in which, leaving useless controversies behind,’ strives to understand how the Petrine ministry can develops as a service of love for all.”
He praised the work of the ARCIC group, noting that “positive results have been achieved in the various ecumenical dialogues on the question of primacy as a ‘gift to be shared.’”
![[Image: 438855691_955753306555873_4591034221169272477_n.jpg]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/438855691_955753306555873_4591034221169272477_n.jpg)
Pope Francis praying with Anglican leaders in the Vatican. May 2, 2024
Synod on Synodality to rewrite the Papacy?
Not content with committing to a “dialogue” on the papacy, Francis stated that he hoped the multi-year Synod on Synodality would lead to “a better understanding of the role of the Bishop of Rome.”
The Synod is due to conclude this October, with the second month-long gathering of bishops, priests, laity and ecumenical representatives all taking part in the Vatican’s meeting. While the ecumenical representatives do not have voting powers, they participate in the rest of the month’s activities.
Among the 2023 Synod meeting was an Anglican prelate, and Francis expressed his happiness in anticipating “further ecumenical participation in the session to be held this autumn.”
“I pray that a better understanding of the role of the Bishop of Rome will be among the fruits of the Synod,” he said. “The Synthesis Report at the end of the first session called for a deeper study of the link between synodality and primacy at various levels: local, regional and universal.”
He also pointed to the work of the ARCIC group as a “helpful resource” in the desired new understanding of the papacy.
Indeed, both the Catholic-Anglican ecumenical work groups and the Synod on Synodality were also highlighted by the Anglican Primates themselves during a May 2 press conference about their week in Rome. Responding to this correspondent’s inquiry about what a new understanding of the papacy might look like in practice, the Anglican primate of the Church of Canada, Linda Nicholls, said that the “question is being addressed through the work of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission.”
“There certainly has been conversation about the Petrine Ministry in the work of ARCIC 2 in the gift of authority. That has been received by some and not by others,” she added.
READ: Anglican Church of Canada publishes ‘blessing over the process of gender transition’
Nicholls stated that the question of the papacy “continues to be wrestled with, partly because it’s challenging to separate the practice of a particular person in the seat of the Bishop of Rome from the overall iconic nature of the Petrine Ministry within the whole of the Christian community because of its historical significance.”
She also queried if “a renewed Petrine Ministry might be something that would help to draw together the unity of the church, and I mean the whole church,” implying both Catholics and Anglicans.
The issue “is still very live in ecumenical circles,” she added.
Papal alliance with Anglicans
Anglicans, particularly those of the Church of England, have enjoyed a notably closer relationship with the Holy See in recent years, as especially evidenced by the close friendship between Francis and Justin Welby. Recent events in just the last 18 months include
- Welby joining Francis on an ecumenical “pilgrimage of peace” to South Sudan in February 2023.
- Francis giving a relic of the True Cross to King Charles III – head of the Church of England – to mark his coronation.
- Francis inviting Welby to take a place of honor at the ecumenical prayer vigil held on the eve of the Synod on Synodality last October.
- Francis giving direct permission for Welby to offer an Anglican eucharist service in a Catholic basilica in Rome this January.
- Francis and Welby commissioning pairs of Anglican and Catholic prelates in Rome in January, on the second such occasion.
Francis regularly remarks on how he and Welby have a similar duty and experience since they both began their respective roles in spring 2013.
READ: Freemason Anglican bishop celebrates ‘Mass’ in papal basilica with Protestant clergy
Indeed, increasingly it appears that Francis is one of Welby’s more loyal supporters – to the extent that he is prepared to somehow manipulate the understanding of the papacy to achieve further union – while many in the Anglican communion internationally have turned their back on the Anglican churchman.
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Pope Francis and Justin Welby, May 2, 2024
In April 2023, Anglican bishops throughout the world declared their communion with the Anglican Church of England to be “broken” over the latter’s support of same-sex “marriage” and its official approval of a liturgical rite of blessing for same-sex unions. The statement was issued by 1,300 delegates, representing an estimated 85% of the world’s Anglicans.
Such disunity was a key feature of the May 2 press conference, with journalists linked to the Anglican community pressing for details about how many primates refused to attend the gathering in a protest of conscience.
While Welby’s term as Archbishop of Canterbury is soon to end, Pope Francis appears set to continue a potentially revolutionary understanding of the papal office through the dual means of ecumenical working groups and the Synod on Synodality.
With the Synod’s already clear focus on “listening,” rather than on hierarchical teaching and structure, along with a new-found prominence given to lay voices and roles in governance, a potential revolution in the concept of the papacy is not unlikely to emerge from the October 2024 Synod meetings.
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| Holy Mass in Pennsylvania [Pittsburgh area] - May 7, 2024 |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-04-2024, 07:11 AM - Forum: May 2024
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Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Feast of St. Stanislaus
Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Time: Confessions - 8:00 AM
Holy Mass - 8:30 AM
Location: 156 Upland Drive
New Castle, PA 16105 [Pittsburgh area]
Contact: Ned 814-315-7300
Priest: Rev. Fr. David Hewko
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| Fr. Altamira 2016: Concerns re Bp. Williamson |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-03-2024, 08:04 AM - Forum: True vs. False Resistance
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While we sadly note that Fr. Altamira, since the writing of these letters has since been 'consecrated' a bishop in the Thuc line (which is considered doubtful), the content has been repeated by others over the years regarding the confusion and concerns about what Bp. Williamson publicly writes and speaks of regarding the Conciliar Church and New Mass and New Mass 'Miracles.'
The Catacombs has repeatedly echoed the good priests who have not been afraid to warn against the errors promoted by Bp. Williamson on these topics as they are an acceptance of error. Indeed, we have quoted the 'traditional' words of Bp. Williamson condemning the New Mass many years ago and compared that to the 'new' Bp. Williamson allowing for it. And this change of orthodoxy has gone so far that Bp. Williamson refuses Holy Oils to priests who do not accept the New Mass 'miracles'. How low things have fallen!
We earnestly pray for a return to true tradition for all the bishops and priests who have compromised and thus have created an environment of confusion for souls.
The following links were forwarded to me by a good friend in Australia.
From TIA [adapted] | February 5, 2016
Editor Note: ... a reader sent TIA a recent letter by a priest of this split, Fr. Fernando Altamira, addressed to Bishop Jean-Marie Faure, the priest consecrated a bishop by Williamson in March 2015 in Brazil. The letter is self explanatory. It reveals that at least one split is taking place inside of the split. It is not a good sign. Our Lord warned us: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined.” (Mt 12:25)
TIA reproduces this letter as we received it, without any changes, solely to provide information for our readers. We do not agree either with several points of its general lines, such as accepting as normal the “episcopal consecration” of Fr. Faure by Bishop Williamson, or with some particular views, such as accepting sede-vacantism as a well founded hypothesis.
______________________
TIA,
I saw this posted on other forums and thought it would be interesting to share what one R&R [recognize and resist] priest has to say.
C.M.
Letter from Fr. Altamira to Bishop Faure
Dear Bishop Faure (cc. Bp. Williamson), dear Fathers,
Permit me to speak frankly to you: it seems to me that we are not showing ourselves to be honest, either with ourselves or with the faithful.
We are doing what Bishop Fellay does and we will provoke the same consequences. In the current situation of the crisis in the Church and the “crisis in the Resistance,” there is not a lot left and what is left is ill.
What’s more, our comrades who are still in the SSPX (priests and brothers), seeing the way we are, will never join us. One of them said: if we do something (against Bishop Fellay), we won’t come over to the Resistance.
Bishop Fellay and his group continue and will continue to laugh at us. The fact that we are the way we are is the best thing that could have happened to him.
On the subject of Bishop Williamson:
Some (four) have tried to defend Bishop Williamson and his words about the New Mass (USA, Eleison Comments, etc).
I have the impression that we are not showing ourselves to be honest: if Bishop Fellay had said those things, we would have criticised him roundly. But it’s Bishop Williamson who said them: “So let’s not say anything, we have to defend him.” Please excuse me if I speak frankly, but what we’re doing is shameful, we’re the laughing stock of the world.
Bishop Faure defends Bishop Williamson with insistence (in his declarations on his trip to Mexico, in emails, etc.)
Bishop Faure affirms that there is no error in the Eleison Comments, which is debatable.
It is more serious if one takes into consideration the words of Bishop Williamson in the USA (if anyone wants to listen to it again, here’s the link. I don’t approve of the mocking style, but the information is exact) I will merely remark that, from a moral point of view, what Bishop Williamson said to this lady is unacceptable.
Even more serious if one takes equally into consideration the other information concerning Bishop Williamson (the “Nazi” business, the reintegration into the apostolate of Fr. X, his words to several priests of the SSPX, etc.
Another argument of Bishop Faure to try to defend Bishop Williamson’s miracles in the New Mass is the fact that God can work outside the Catholic Church, and that God has made miracles among certain sacrileges.
But that’s a sophism since, if God permits a miracle, for example, in a false religion, from all evidence it doesn’t serve as a guarantee of what is false or evil, but will be against all that.
The same goes for a miracle in the case of a sacrilege, with hosts, it is always against the sacrilege, never in its favour.
However, the “miracles” put forth by Bishop Williamson clearly favour the new Mass, including the “fruits”: thus, the “great” national sanctuary in Poland… at the service of the false religion of the Council.
Dear colleagues: I believe that it is time to cease trying to look for arguments to defend what is indefensible. Otherwise, we could incur a divine curse. “The Eleison Comments and declarations in the USA are only ambiguous”: isn’t that funny: that’s exactly what Bishop Fellay does.
Dom Tomas said more or less the same thing to defend Bishop Williamson.
Fr. Cardozo has already written two articles against this subject of so-called miracles of the New Mass. [Here is one - The Catacombs]
And that’s without even getting to the subject of the risk of invalidity of the modern episcopacy and priesthood. On this subject, and quite logically, Bishop Williamson endorses the thesis of their validity.
And all this without forgetting the other problems which we have (re-read the letter “The same causes will produce the same effects”).
I imagine that you have already seen the abberant video of Francis about his intention for 2016 and the different religions:
Faced with the scandals and heresies of Francis:
1. Surrendering to False Rome. Bp. Fellay: I’m going to Rome. Bp. Williamson: I’m going to Rome. Bishop Faure: I’m going to Rome.
2. Agreement. Bp. Fellay: I want an agreement. Bp. Williamson: A canonical regularisation or a juridical status would be desirable, of course. Bp. Faure:…?
3. Francis. We criticise Bp. Fellay because, publicly, he doesn’t say anything, or almost, about Francis. Bp. Williamson: same thing. Bp. Faure: same thing.
4. We deny the theological and factual possibility of sedevacantism. And this, against good theology which speaks of the possibility. And we evoke the possibility of making sermons against sedevacantism, which is absurd: you can’t make sermons against facts which are possible.
5. Fr. Altamira is a sedevacantist. That’s not true: I pray for Francis, sub conditione. But I do not exclude nor put to one side colleagues who refuse to do so, be they in France or Spanish-speaking America. And even less so after such a video.
Dear colleagues: Permit me to share with you my opinion, in all simplicity: we need to change course. We are acting like Bp. Fellay and his group. He will destroy the SSPX. And we, we are doing the same to the Resistance, almost before it has been born (and the same goes for the USML).
“The interests of the group are more important than the truth, the priests of the Resistance who refuse are put to one side, isolated, marginalised, they find themselves alone.”
If we continue to act thus, the risk is great that God will leave us and withdraw his blessing. Pray God that some of you decide to act in the face of this situation, to resolve it.
I fraternally greet you in Jesus and Mary (Sunday 10th January)
Fr. Altamira
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| House passes antisemitism bill in which citing certain passages of Scripture would be punished |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-02-2024, 09:29 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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Gaetz dubs House antisemitism bill a ‘ridiculous hate speech bill’
The Hill [adapted] | May 1, 2024
The House approved a bill that aims to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests taking place at U.S. universities across the country. Gaetz voiced his opposition to the bill ahead of the vote, saying that some excerpts of the Bible would meet this bill’s definition of antisemitism.
“This evening, I will vote AGAINST the ridiculous hate speech bill called the ‘Antisemitism Awareness Act,'” he wrote on social media platform X.
“Antisemitism is wrong, but this legislation is written without regard for the Constitution, common sense, or even the common understanding of the meaning of words. The Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of this bill!” he continued.
The bill, if enacted, would require the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing antidiscrimination laws.
Gaetz said that one of the examples of IHRA’s definition of antisemitism includes “claims of Jews killing Jesus.” He then pointed to excerpts from the Bible to back his argument, suggesting that the religious text would fall under the definition.
“The Bible is clear. There is no myth or controversy on this. Therefore, I will not support this bill,” he added on X.
The IHRA defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews” and says “Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The bill would also cover contemporary examples of antisemitism identified by IHRA, including “using the symbols and messages associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) made a similar argument Wednesday about the legislation, saying she would oppose the bill because it would define antisemitic behavior to include remarks about Jews killing Jesus. The Georgia Republican said in a social media post that the bill “could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews.”
Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) took aim at Greene for opposing the bill and her rationale for doing so during a joint appearance on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” Wednesday.
Both lawmakers, who introduced the bill last year, said that the bill would not make believing in the Gospel illegal. The bill passed the House Wednesday in a 320-91 vote to send to the Senate for consideration.
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| Muslims call to make Germany a ‘caliphate’ at large demonstration in Hamburg |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-01-2024, 05:32 AM - Forum: Global News
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Muslims call to make Germany a ‘caliphate’ at large demonstration in Hamburg
Several Muslim participants held signs reading ‘Caliphate is the solution’ at an Islamist demonstration in the St. Georg district of Hamburg, and cries of ‘Allahu Akabar’ were heard from the crowd.
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Muslim demonstration in Hamburg, Germany
@jreichelt/X
Apr 30, 2024
HAMBURG, Germany (LifeSiteNews) — Muslims called for the erection of an Islamic caliphate in Germany during a demonstration in Hamburg.
On Saturday, April 27, over 1,000 Muslims gathered for a demonstration against “Islamophobic media coverage” under the motto “Do not obey the liars” in the St. Georg district of Hamburg. Several participants held up signs reading “Caliphate is the solution.” The battle cry “Stop the dictatorship of values,” an apparent sign of rejection of the current German state, was chanted by the speakers and the crowd, accompanied by cries of “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is greater). Some participants waved flags showing the Shahada, the Islamic creed.
The group that called for the rally, “Muslim Interaktiv,” has close ties with the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has been banned in Germany since 2003. Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Islamic group that has demanded the establishment of a global caliphate.
The leader of “Muslim Interaktiv” is 25-year-old Joe Adade Boateng, who calls himself Raheem Boateng and acts as an Islamic influencer on social media. According to local newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt, Boateng is studying to be a teacher at Hamburg University.
The speakers and participants criticized the way the German mainstream media covers the conflict in the Middle East and the German government’s support for Israel, saying that it leads to the death of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The demonstration was condemned by German politicians across the political spectrum.
“Seeing such an Islamist demonstration on our streets is hard to bear. It is good that the Hamburg police have counteracted criminal acts with a large contingent,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told the Tagesspiegel. She stressed that Islamist groups that call for such demonstrations would be surveilled by state authorities.
The domestic policy spokesperson for the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Gottfried Curio, lamented “the increasing activity of the Islamist extremist group ‘Muslim Interaktiv,’” which is taking place “completely without interference from the German authorities” in Hamburg.
“As the rampant Islamist street-extremism shows, there is an urgent need to return to a zero-tolerance policy here; an overdue ban of the group ‘Muslim Interaktiv’ would be a necessary first step,” Curio added.
Islam has been the fastest-growing religion in Germany for years, primarily due to mass migration from countries in the Middle East and North Africa and higher birth rates among these groups. According to a study by Germany’s interior ministry, between 5.3 and 5.6 million Muslims lived in Germany in 2020, which amounts to around 6.4 to 6.7 percent of the population.
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| German laywomen demand ‘female deacons’ at cathedral liturgy with clown dance |
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Posted by: Stone - 05-01-2024, 05:12 AM - Forum: Vatican II and the Fruits of Modernism
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German laywomen demand ‘female deacons’ at cathedral liturgy with clown dance
Heretical German Catholic women called for ordination of ‘non-male people,’ including ‘intersex, trans, and non-binary people,’ at a women-led Liturgy of the Word in Speyer Cathedral where one woman danced as a clown.
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Women-led Liturgy of the Word with dancing clown at Speyer Cathedral
X screenshot
Apr 30, 2024
SPEYER, Germany (LifeSiteNews) — Catholic laywomen demanded that the Church allow “female deacons” during a women-led church service in Speyer Cathedral that featured a dancing clown.
On February 29, representatives of Catholic women’s organizations and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), a prominent lay group, hosted a Liturgy of the Word in the Cathedral of the Diocese of Speyer in the context of the nationwide “Day of the Deaconess.” According to the organizers, more than 350 people attended the service, most of them women.
The liturgy was led by women, according to a report from katholisch.de, including one dressed as a clown.
The laywomen called on the Church hierarchy to open the sacrament of Holy Orders to women, despite the Catholic Church’s dogmatic teaching that only men can be ordained.
According to katholisch.de, at one point during the service, the woman dressed as a clown danced in front of the altar, raising her hands in the air while singing, “Come to God. He will revive you.”
“The abundance of gifts and vocations of women given by God must finally be recognized in the Roman Catholic Church,” said Ulrike Göken-Huismann, one of the leaders of the Catholic Women’s Community of Germany (kfd), calling for ordination of “non-male people.”
It is “incomprehensible and no longer understandable that the decision-makers in our church have remained inactive for so long,” she claimed. “It is a form of abuse of power when non-male people remain excluded because of their gender.”
The women who organized the event did not only subscribe to feminism but also gnostic gender ideology. Ute Zeilmann, vice president of the Catholic German Women’s Association (KDFB), lamented that, in addition to women, so-called “intersex, trans, and non-binary people” are also barred from becoming deacons and priests.
READ: German prelate commissions 13 female ‘deacons in the spirit’ with support of bishops’ conference head
In March, the head of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, welcomed the idea of “female deacons,” saying that it would be “wonderful” if he could ordain women to the diaconate.
Bätzing, who has rejected Church teaching on numerous subjects without sanction from Pope Francis or the Vatican, wrongly claimed it would not distort the nature of the Church “if women were to exercise leadership, responsibility and decision-making in it on an equal footing with men.”
[Article continues here.]
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| Holy Mass in Ontario - May 12, 2024 |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-30-2024, 11:19 AM - Forum: May 2024
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Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension
Date: Sunday, May 12, 2024
Time: Confessions - 6:00 PM
Holy Mass - 6:30 PM
Location: Barry's Bay area, Ontario - contact number below for details
Contact: 315-391-7575
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| Holy Mass in Ontario [St. Catharines area] |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-30-2024, 11:15 AM - Forum: May 2024
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Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension
Date: Sunday, May 12, 2024
Time: Confessions - 9:00 AM
Holy Mass - 9:30 AM
Location: Glenridge Lawn Bowling Club
84 Glen Morris Dr.
St. Catharine's, Ontario
Contact: (905) 682-3444
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| Holy Mass in Kentucky [Owensboro area] - May 5, 2024 |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-30-2024, 11:02 AM - Forum: May 2024
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Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Fifth Sunday after Easter
Date: Sunday, May 5, 2024
Time: Confessions - 9:30 AM
Holy Mass - 10:00 AM
Location: 12339 State Highway 69
Reynold's Station, KY 42368
Contact: (270) 903-8002
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| Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-29-2024, 05:08 AM - Forum: Resources Online
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Humility of Heart
by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo
Taken from here.
Translation by Herbert Cardinal Vaughn,
Archbishop of Westminister, England 1903
TAN BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS
Preface
THESE "Thoughts and Sentiments on Humility" were written by Cardinal Herbert Vaughan during the last months of his life. Being ordered by his medical advisers out of London, the Cardinal went to Derwent, where, as the guest of Lord and Lady Edmund Talbot, he found that perfect freedom and multitude of peace of which he had long felt the need.
It was while reposing his soul in quiet prayer and feasting his sight on the fine scenery of this ideal spot among the moorlands of Derbyshire, that the thought came to him of translating, while yet there was time, Father Cajetan's treatise on Humility.
For more than thirty years Cardinal Vaughan had known and studied that work, and it is scarcely an exaggeration to say he had made it during the last fourteen years of his life his constant companion, his vade mecum.
What lessons it had taught him, what sights it had shown him, what stories it had told him, those only know to whom he revealed his inmost soul. However even those who knew the Cardinal less intimately could scarcely fail to realize in their dealings with him that they were treating with a man whose growing characteristic was humility of heart. A more truly humble man I have seldom, if ever, come across. It was the humility of a child, it was so sweet and simple, and yet so strong and saint-like-----may I not even venture to say, Christ-like?
It was the sort of humility that could not go wrong, for it was founded on truth. It was truth. Does not St. Bernard remind us that "Humility is Truth"? It is a truth which, inasmuch as it is a home-thrusting truth, none of us can afford to ignore. It is the truth all about oneself in one's triple alliance with God, with one's neighbor, with one's own soul.
Humility may not inappropriately be called the starting post in that race for Heaven of which the Apostle speaks. It is the terminus a quo in the spiritual life. It is the first of the many lessons set before us in the school of sanctity-----a difficult lesson, I grant you, and one which nature seeks to shirk or to put off indefinitely, but for the man who means to graduate for Heaven there is no escape from it.
Accordingly our Divine Master, who is not exacting, reminds all His would-be followers, without distinction, that they must learn this lesson, get it well by heart, and into the heart; for Humility is the alphabet out of which every other virtue is formed and built up. It is the soil of the garden of the soul, "the good ground" on which the Divine Sower goes forth to sow His seed. It is in the school of Christ, and from the lips of Christ Himself that we must learn Humility. "Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart." By following the Master Himself, by studying His Own Heart, we have to acquire, to appreciate and to practice this first, this vital, this vitalizing, energizing virtue, without which no man can hope to make any progress at all on the Royal Road heavenward.
So all-important for us creatures is the acquisition of Humility that our Divine Lord became man in order to put before us in His own person this great object-lesson in its most attractive beauty. "He humbled Himself"; "He emptied Himself"; He became the humblest of the humble; because, as St. Augustine points out, the "Divine Master was unwilling to teach what He Himself was not; He was unwilling to command what He Himself did not practice."
With our dear and blessed Lord as our great example of Humility, we may well, one and all of us, set about the practicing, with some hope of success, this indispensable virtue-----this maximum bonum, as St. Thomas calls it.
To his own soul Cardinal Vaughan found so much benefit from the cultivation in it of Humility, that he resolved, at no small cost to himself, in the feeble state in which he then was, to gird himself and to go forth sowing broadcast, into the soil of the hearts of the laity as well as of clergy, this despised little mustard seed of which men speak so much but know so little.
It was Padre Gaetano's work on Humility that had been the instrument, in God's hand, of helping the Cardinal. Accordingly in his zeal for souls he proposed to put it into English, so as to bring the work within the reach of all such as care for the health, growth and strength, of their own individual souls in solid virtue.
That the Cardinal has left us a precious legacy in this treatise on Humility will, I feel sure, be the verdict of all who study, or who only peruse these pages, done into English from the Italian of the devout Minor Capuchin whose death occurred over two centuries ago.
Between the covers of this unpretending volume there is nourishment for all who "hunger and thirst after justice"-----for the proficient in spiritual life as well as for the beginner-----Humility, as it were, holding in itself all those elements that are needed to build up the strong Christian man. In it the soul will find a sovereign remedy for its many ills, a matchless balm for its many wounds, while a soul-beauty all is own will spring up in all who shall learn how to use it wisely under the guidance of the Holy Spirit." He who is truly humble," says St. Bernard, "knows how to convert all his humiliations into humility," while out of humility God can raise a soul to what otherwise might be, giddy heights of sanctity. If anyone should need a proof of this statement I will refer him to any chapter in the life of any Saint in our Calendar. For a moment gaze into the face of "the Woman clothed with the Sun" and remember the words, "Respexit humilitatem ancillae suae." The height of Mary's sanctity is gauged by the depth of her humility: "Exaltavit humiles."
To the Clergy and Ladies of Charity, to whom the Cardinal dedicates these "Thoughts and Sentiments," this volume will come with very special meaning. It enshrines the last words of a great Churchman, of a truly spiritual man, while it conveys a special message from the Cardinal's heart to all readers.
This treatise is a sort of last will and testament of Cardinal Vaughan, bequeathed to those with whom he was most intimately associated in work for the good of souls. It is a legacy from one who made Humility a life-long study, and who had more opportunities than most of us know of making tremendous strides in it, through the humiliations which he welcomed as most precious opportunities offered him by God for the salvation and sanctification of his soul. May he rest in peace.
BERNARD VAUGHAN, S.J.
Derwent Hall
August 8, 1905.
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| Canadian municipality now requires a QR code to enter or leave |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-28-2024, 06:35 AM - Forum: Global News
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Canadian municipality now requires a QR code
Îles-de-la-Madeleine in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has become the first municipality in Canada to officially require a QR code to enter and leave.
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TCS WIRE [slightly adapted] | April 25, 2024
A Canadian town in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has become the first municipality in the country to officially require a QR code to enter and leave.
Officials say that the requirement of a QR code to enter or leave the archipelago Îles-de-la-Madeleine will only be for tourists, while residents will be required to show their driver’s licence to enter or leave.
The decision to require a QR code and identification for the municipality’s 12,000+ residents came after the municipal government announced they would begin charging all visitors who come to Îles-de-la-Madeleine $30, something which hasn’t gone down well with the locals or their family members who visit them.
Of the many concerns, one that officials sought to address was ensuring that visitors had paid their fees before leaving, hence the introduction of a mandatory QR code to leave the islands. If you don’t pay, you can’t get the QR code and won’t be able to leave.
This was initially intended for residents, too, but following an outpour of criticism, officials backed down and now say that residents only have to show their driver’s licence.
Residents, however, aren’t happy about this either, saying it’s absolutely ludicrous to have to prove their identity whenever they want to leave their homes and go to other places within their own country.
Many have also stated that this is an attack on their Charter Rights, which officials have denied.
“This will be the first time in Canada that we will have to show a driver’s license to leave a municipality,” one woman said at a municipal council meeting, adding that this infringes on her freedom of movement.
Despite concerns, Antonin Valiquette, the mayor of Îles-de-la-Madeleine, says that the QR code and driver’s license requirements are legal and that his biggest concern now is fighting “disinformation”.
“Combating disinformation among the citizens for whom the members of the municipal council and I work is what is important,” Valiquette said.
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| Dom Guéranger: Who Are the Infidels & the Heretics? |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-28-2024, 05:08 AM - Forum: Church Doctrine & Teaching
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Who Are the Infidels & the Heretics?
Dom Guéranger , The Liturgical Year, Vol 8, Paschal Time, Book II, Monday of the Fourth Week.
TIA | April 27, 2024
The great French Benedictine Abbot Dom Prosper Guéranger provides us a simple definition of infidel and heretic, words sadly missing from our Catholic vocabulary today, and often misunderstood. The infidel is the man who does not know the Catholic Faith. The heretic is one who deviates, even in the slightest matter, from the teaching of the Magisterium. It seems to us very important to know and understand that both are placed outside the Catholic Church and salvation, even should they be in the highest cubicles of the Church.
Dom Prosper Guéranger
O holy Word of God! O holy Revelation! Through thee are we admitted into divine Mysteries, which human Reason could never reach. We love thee, and are resolved to be submissive to thee. It is thou that givest rise to the grand virtue, without which it is impossible to please God (Heb 6: 6); the virtue which commences the work of man's salvation, and without which this work could neither be continued nor finished. This virtue is Faith.
It makes our reason bow down to the Word of God. There comes from its divine obscurity a light far more glorious than are all the conclusions of reason, how great soever may be their evidence. This virtue is to be the bond of union in the new society, which Our Lord is now organising. To become a member of this society, man must begin by believing; that he may continue to be a member. He must never, not even for one moment, waver in his faith.
We shall soon be hearing Our Lord saying these words: He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be condemned. (Mk 16:16) The more clearly to express the necessity of Faith, the members of the Church are to be called by the beautiful name of the Faithful: they who do not believe, are to be called Infidels.
Faith, then, being the first link of the supernatural union between man and God, it follows that this union ceases when Faith is broken, that is, denied; and that he, who after having once been thus united to God breaks the link by rejecting the word of God, and substituting error in its place, commits one of the greatest of crimes. Such a one will be called a Heretic, that is, one who separates himself; and the Faithful will tremble at his apostacy.
Even were his rebellion to the Revealed Word to fall upon only one article, still he commits enormous blasphemy; for he either separates himself from God as being a deceiver, or he implies that his own created, weak, and limited reason is superior to eternal and infinite Truth.
As time goes on, Heresies will rise up, each attacking some dogma or other; so that scarcely one truth will be left unassailed... and that time is our own…
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| 'You have to get off your sofa' - Young French Catholics restore wayside crucifixes |
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Posted by: Stone - 04-27-2024, 05:34 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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As we all know, sometimes the good Lord draws straight with crooked lines....
'You have to get off your sofa' - Young French Catholics restore wayside crucifixes
The Pillar | April 19, 2024
It’s clear by now that something interesting is stirring in France, the country once known as “the eldest daughter of the Church.”
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Members of SOS Calvaires erect a cross. Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
At this year’s Easter Vigil there was a 30% rise in the number of adult baptisms, with more than 7,000 people receiving the sacrament — the highest figure since the French bishops’ conference began tabulating the data more than 20 years ago.
This week, the organizers of the annual Pentecost pilgrimage to Chartres closed registration for its adult “chapters” more than a month before the event, which is expected to set a new attendance record in 2024.
And this December, the world’s eyes will turn to Paris for the reopening for worship of Notre-Dame Cathedral, five years after it was almost destroyed by fire — a fitting image, perhaps, of a new French Catholic revival.
There are other signs of renewal, too. One is the growth of SOS Calvaires, an organization bringing together volunteers across the country to restore wayside crucifixes (known in France as “calvaires”).
The association’s director general is the youthful, mustachioed, and eloquent Alexandre Caillé. In an email interview with The Pillar, he explained why young people are drawn to SOS Calvaires, what it’s like to restore roadside crosses, and the group’s intriguing projects outside of France.
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Alexandre Caillé, director general of SOS Calvaires, at work. Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
For those who live in Catholic-majority countries, wayside crosses are a part of everyday life. But could you explain what they are for people who are not familiar with the tradition?
A calvary is a cross found on the side of a road, at a crossroads, or near a field. Each cross has a meaning. A cross can be placed to pray, to give thanks for a cure, or for a soldier who has returned alive from war, to ask for protection over a village or a good harvest in the fields...
There is always a reason for the presence of a cross (or a statue or an oratory) in our countryside.
Most of the calvaries we see in France date from the 19th century. But some are much older, even if many were destroyed during the French Revolution.
![[Image: https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.ama...0x600.jpeg]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3700ddc7-9c0c-4e0f-873e-cf6ac7c0c2eb_900x600.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
What was the inspiration for the creation of SOS Calvaires and how is it funded?
The association was founded in 1987 by a gentleman who wanted to restore a small abandoned chapel with some friends. Once the renovation was complete, they didn’t want to leave it there. Seeing all this Christian heritage falling into ruins, they founded the association to restore the crosses, statues, and oratories that were falling into disrepair.
The restoration work is made possible by donations from private individuals.
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Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
SOS Calvaires now has 300 members in 65 branches across France. How has it achieved this growth when so many organizations are shrinking? And why does it attract so many young members?
I think the association attracts quite a few young members because, first of all, the association office is run by a young, dynamic, and committed team.
We also owe the development of our association to the people who have taken on the role of branch manager and who are a real link for us.
Finally, I think that in today’s society, young people are looking for a sense of meaning, a sense of being rooted and anchored in our territories. In fact, we now have 85 branches throughout France and almost 4,000 volunteers working to restore this unique heritage.
What does it feel like to be part of a team restoring a wayside cross? Is it a spiritual experience, or is it just hard physical work?
Young people today are demanding this kind of effort. It’s what they expect, despite what you might think. They need an ideal, strong values, challenges.
Restoring a calvary is an adventure. First of all, you have to get up from your sofa, go out into the cold and rain to rub stones, pull out brambles, and bring a part of your history back to life. Not everyone does it.
This work can be difficult and physically demanding. For some, it can also be a truly spiritual experience, a discovery or rediscovery of the history of the Cross and the Christian religion associated with this powerful symbol. For others, it’s a prayer. An act of charity, a gift of self for the common good, but above all for God.
![[Image: https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.ama...0x800.jpeg]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fd1ed43-6350-489c-98b4-92efb2aac42a_600x800.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
SOS Calvaires has attracted a lot of media attention in France. It’s also received support from perhaps unexpected people, such as the YouTuber Baptiste Marchais. Why do you think it has captured people’s imaginations?
Restoring our heritage is increasingly popular. It’s something unusual, something out of the ordinary, something that requires effort. It’s appealing.
In fact, we were contacted by this YouTuber a few years ago now. We were happy to share this unique experience of straightening a large cross between two roads. We knew that this YouTuber was going to generate publicity and show a lot of people the work of the association.
His video played a big part in the sudden growth of our association, with requests to set up new branches, and so on.
![[Image: https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.ama...9x600.jpeg]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73499e6f-98cf-478f-9bb6-36c8bf7d7511_899x600.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
In 2023, SOS Calvaires teams erected five Celtic crosses at five major Irish Christian sites. Will there be further initiatives outside France?
The installation of five Celtic crosses in Ireland was an exceptional event. A year earlier, we had also erected a khatchkar [cross-stone] in Armenia. These small missions abroad were special occasions.
In the future, we’d like to set up international branches, for example in Luxembourg or Spain. But for the moment, we’re concentrating on France. There will certainly be other special projects abroad.
![[Image: https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.ama...00x600.png]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5a392bfa-01b9-4859-bbb6-f32c23d21aa9_900x600.png)
Photo courtesy of SOS Calvaires.
Why is it important that SOS Calvaires is an apolitical association, not linked to any Catholic movement?
The mission of our association is to bring together as many people as possible around the cross, whatever their age, social level, religious beliefs, or political ideas. It’s a heritage that belongs to everyone and is part of our daily lives.
Obviously, heritage is not part of politics per se. It is an inheritance from our ancestors that we must preserve, honor, and pass on to future generations.
It is also important that our association is not attached to any particular Catholic movement, because our aim is to restore and safeguard this unique Christian heritage, with as many people as possible and for as many people as possible, without separating different religious movements.
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