De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

Don’t miss this candid, lively, and extended conversation with Fr. Gerald Murray, Diane Montagna, Edward Pentin, and TCT Editor-in-chief Robert Royal on the recent Vatican document on blessing same-sex “couples” (and the sharp reaction to it around the world), the year of synodality, the cases of Cardinal Burke, Fr. Rupnik, and Cardinal Becciu, Christian persecution, and prospects for the Church in 2024

I have thoroughly read through this very worrying Vatican document which tries to legitimise blessing gay couples by introducing a new theology of blessing. Here is the document with my own comments. Declaration Fiducia Supplicans On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings Presentation This Declaration considers several questions that have come to this Dicastery in recent years. In preparing the document, the Dicastery, as is its practice, consulted experts, undertook a careful drafting process, and discussed the text in the  Congresso  of the Doctrinal Section of the Dicastery. During that time, the document was discussed with the Holy Father. Finally, the text of the Declaration was submitted to the Holy Father for his review, and he approved it with his signature. A plea for authority – it’s like, at the very beginning they know this is going to be deeply problematic, so they have to preface it with credentials; a desperate attempt to give it credibility the text itself...

 

A new post on Rorate caeli from Abp. Héctor Agüer, Emeritus of La Plata, Buenos Aires and written on November 28, 2023 asks why Pope Francis appears to "hate good priests"? He states: Several priests who follow the teachings of Pope Francis with attention have expressed to me their dismay and sorrow because they have recorded how often His Holiness denigrates priests. He has called them “bitter (cod-faced), spinsters, sacramental clerks, ambitious, gossipers, climbers…,” and other denigrating epithets. A lack of justice and charity. [Mark says: I have heard this from quite a number of clergy directly: what comfort, what encouragement do you ever hear from the Holy Father for those workers in the Vineyard? Not much! What works best? Constantly attacking those who you are responsible for leading or constantly building them up and encouraging them?]. There are thousands of priests in the world; among them there are some to whom some of the epithets that Francis’ accusations acc...

  An Open Letter to the Faithful from Bishop Joseph E. Strickland posted on his website and dated 27/11/2023 As I am sure you have heard by now, I have been removed as Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler.  I was asked to meet with the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, and in that meeting I was read a list of the reasons I was being removed.  I would make these reasons available to you if possible; however, I was not given a copy of this list at that time, and I have not been able as of yet to obtain a copy despite my requests. [Mark says: Surely this points to the complete injustice of this situation? It is great that Bishop Strickland is continuing to stand up for Catholics in this way, I could not help but feel the Vatican's removal of him played into his hands. It is like the Lord has a plan to expose the present corruption and confusion and we are seeing it unfold before us! Removing him makes Strickland the true martyr. This is compounded by his own gentle obedienc...

My recent article in the Catholic Herald - See here - was subject to some editing! A paragraph which juxtaposed the promotion of Aparecida by Cardinal Pierre with the stats for Catholic disaffiliation was not included. Here is the full text with links for reference: Recently the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered from November 13-16 for their Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore. There seem to have been two main stories which have emerged from this event. One is the continuing insistence on the pre-eminence of abortion: U.S. bishops approved a voting guide affirming abortion the ‘preeminent priority’, despite resistance from Pope Francis's favoured US prelates, Cardinals Tobin, McElroy and Cupich, who have repeatedly attempted to overturn this . The second story is the open clash between Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the U.S. Military Services, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, and the papal nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre who, two weeks prio...

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