Anglican Blogger- Francis is “destroying the Catholic nature of the Church”

In an extraordinary article posted today on the Archbishop Cranmer blog, perhaps the widest read and most respected Anglican blog on the internet, His Grace suggests that Pope Francis "is destroying the nature of the Church".

He has been prompted to this statement by the decision yesterday of faithful Catholic Deacon Nick Donnelly, to change his handle from "Protect the Pope" to "Protect the Faith". Nick has been "Protect the Pope" since 2010, but following hammer blows to the Church under Pope Francis, and finally his appointing pro-abortion/euthanasia advocates to the Pontifical Academy for Life was the last straw for Nick.

“I set up Protect the Pope to defend Benedict XVI during his state visit to the UK,” Nick tweeted earlier this week. “Vicious attacks in the media. Now the media love Francis.”

His Grace comments:

This destruction [of the Church by the Pope], Deacon Nick avers, is evidenced in the appointment of the pro-choice moral theologian Professor Nigel Biggar to the Pontificia Academia pro Vita. What on earth is a pro-abortion Anglican doing on a body which was founded with the purpose of promoting and defending human life?

You have to admit, it's a fair point! He continues:

It appeared, then, that Deacon Nick Donnelly was just a bit too Catholic for the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales. For as long as Pope Benedict XVI sat upon St Peter’s Throne issuing the occasional motu proprio favouring the old paths (Jer 6:16), Deacon Nick’s commitment to immutable truths and infallible moral law were tolerated, not least because they chimed with the Vatican under Benedict, if not quite with the CBEW. But under Francis, the traditionalists appear to be on the retreat: they are sidelined or censored while those progressive Roman Catholics who advocate a more tolerant approach to priestly celibacy, same-sex unions, abortion or divorce and re-marriage are not merely tolerated but actively promoted.

Deacon Nick was tolerated (just about) by what may be termed the ‘protestant’ bishops of the Roman Catholic Church for as long as Benedict reigned. Since his abdication, the liberals have been doing what liberals, clerical or civil, always do – silencing the opposition and using the levers of the institution to destroy it.

The Church needs more prophetic blogging watchmen like Deacon Nick Donnelly, exposing hypocrisy, challenging double standards and shining a light into its mysterious workings and often impenetrable darkness. And the Church needs more bishops like Michael Campbell who will exhort the faithful into long periods of prayer and reflection, for ‘Protect the Faith’ is the undoubted fruit of this profound reflection. Michael Campbell’s request was for Nick Donnelly “to voluntarily pause from placing new posts on the Protect the Pope site”.

That leaves him free to post to his heart’s content (as the Holy Spirit leads) on a new ‘Protect the Faith’ site. Laudate Dominum!

I doubt the bishops will be pleased with these comments, but they are wise indeed. What sort of organisation stifles dialogue in the name of a false status quo? Why is it that the worst sin today in the Catholic Church is believing and holding to what She actually teaches?

I have experienced this first hand with Machiavellian last minute machinations, recently conspiring to withdraw job offers working at Westminster despite having been offered a position. What these people do not want is to enter into any kind of meaningful discussion, as Our Lord counsels (Matthew 18:15). One can only assume this is because they know well that they are working against the Church, and the last thing they want is to be reminded of it. When I have asked priests why they are teaching contrary to the Catechism in the past, they retreat as fast as possible, explaining how it is far more complicated than I am making it. But after five years of studying theology, I'm fairly capable of following complicated arguments about the faith, in fact I quite enjoy it....certainly much more than I enjoy being patronised!

A lot of people don't seem to realise that there are lots of different people that make up Christ's Church. Quiet, obedient people, and shouty, angry people too.

Nick is just faithful though.

Please keep Nick in your prayers. We need his honest, faithful voice!