Walt is looking forward to an eyeball-to-eyeball with Agent 9, who is enroute from the northwest frontier. They will have many things to talk about, including the resignation from his position as Vatican Secretary of State of the despised Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone.
Just today, the Catholic News Agency passes on the revelation of an unnamed Vatican insider that The Man Who Would Be Pope resigned earlier than expected, because he resented the fact that other Vatican officials did not defend him against the criticism of (among others) Francesca Cahouqui, the hottie recently appointed by Pope Francis to a top Vatican PR job.
Further reading: "The new face of the Vatican -- mulier iucunda intellegensque" and "Sandro Magister on the Pope's two super-embarrassing appointments"
Cardinal Bertone was expected to resign in September or even October. But over lunch with the Pope at Castel Gondolfo on August 15th, he told the Holy Father he was quitting immediately. His resignation was formally announced on August 31st, and will take effect on October 15th.
Why the hurry? According to the anonymous source cited by CNA, Cardinal Bertone was miffed that Fruity Francesca said on her Twitter account that he was corrupt. Imagine that! Actually she said a great deal more, not just about Bertone but the whole rotten Vatican power structure. Her account has since been, errr, closed.
What burned Bertone's episcopal ring, apparently, was that none of his colleagues at the Vatican -- not even his old friend and mentor Cardinal Sodano (who was also lunching with the Pope) responded to the charges of corruption and incompetence. Shortly after his resignation was announced, Bertone denounced the “mix of crows and vipers” who generated critical stories about his leadership.
Showing posts with label Sodano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sodano. Show all posts
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Why Pope Francis consecrated his Pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima
Just over a month ago, Walt predicted (as did many traditional and "mainstream" Catholic bloggers) that Pope Francis would finally do something concrete to honour the request of Our Lady of Fatima for the Consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart. See "Pope Francis to move on Third Secret of Fatima?"
What the Blessed Virgin asked for is not difficult or expensive. She told the late Sister Lucia that a simple prayer for the conversion of Russia, by name, would suffice. The ceremony should take about five minutes, or ten minutes, tops. But it must be done publicly and solemnly, by the Pope, with all the other bishops joining him in their own dioceses at the same time.
You would think that would be simple enough to do, and worth doing considering the benefits promised by Our Lady -- a period of peace of prosperity and the salvation of millions who would otherwise perish. But no pope, from Pius XII through Benedict XVI has had the, errr, gumption to do it in the way Our Lady asked.
A couple of popes have come close. Pius XII and John Paul II both consecrated "the world". But they knew -- and Sister Lucia said -- that wasn't enough. All the bishops must join in, and Russia must be mentioned by name! But this runs contrary to the ostpolitik -- friendly dialogue with the Church's Communist enemies -- promoted by Cardinals Casaroli, Sodano and Bertone, former Vatican secretaries of state.
Even worse (for them), heeding the Blessed Virgin's warning in the Third Secret of Fatima would precipitate a cleansing of the Church, a dismissal from power of the Freemasons, apostates and heretics who now hold high offices in the hierarchy, and a much-needed correction of the numerous errors of Vatican II. The Message of Fatima is therefore bad news to the liberals, apostates and heretics who now hold high offices in the hierarchy.
That's why those "fallen stars" (see Chapter 12 of the Apocalypse), led by the disgraced Bertone, have been campaigning for years to consign the Message of Fatima to the dustbin of history. They characterize Our Lady's prophecies as "old news", and Her vision of "the bishop clothed in white" as referring to the attempted assassination of John Paul II -- over and done with. But Benedict XVI, who read the Third Secret, said the Message is even more relevant now than before.
We do not know if Pope Francis has yet read the text of the Third Secret -- the words of Our Lady which the Vatican still refuses to reveal to us. But it is evident the Holy Father believes in the need for repentance and reform to which the Blessed Virgin calls us. That is why, within weeks following his election, the Pope asked the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon -- twice -- to consecrate his new papacy to Our Lady of Fatima.
And, even though Cardinal Policarpo is thought to be in the "modernist" camp of Cardinal Bertone, the prelate did what the Pope asked. Addressing the Portuguese bishops in their 181st Plenary Assembly, he announced the Pope’s request for this consecration and he expressed his own desire that “all the episcopal conference [would join] itself to the realization of this request.” The Portuguese bishops accordingly decided to make this collegial act at the conclusion of the Mass of the International Anniversary Pilgrimage on May 13th, the 96th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.
The international pilgrimage was presided over by Archbishop Orani Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro, and drew crowds of well over half a million during the two-day celebrations, with more than 37,000 pilgrims walking to the holy site from various places in the Iberian peninsula. 37 bishops and 290 priests also participated.
At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Policarpo led the bishops in consecrating Pope Francis' pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. The prayer of consecration began thus:
“Most Holy Virgin, we, the Bishops of Portugal and this crowd of pilgrims, stand at Your feet, on the 96th anniversary of Your apparition to the little shepherds, in this Cova da Iria, to fulfill the clearly expressed wish of Pope Francis to consecrate to You, Virgin of Fatima, his ministry of Bishop of Rome and Universal Shepherd.”
The Cardinal went on in this prayer of consecration (lasting about six minutes) to ask Our Lady of Fatima for all the graces of discernment and courage that the Holy Father will need to “overcome, in charity, the trials that the renovation of the Church will bring him.”
The text of the consecration prayer needs to be read carefully, with full attention to the exact words used, and to the words that were not said.
Notice that Cardinal Policarpo made no mention of the specific content of the Fatima Message and Our Lady’s requests. The impression the Cardinal gave was that Fatima was a call to prayer as a means of "conversion". But whose conversion? What sort of prayer? And why would it take an apparition of Our Lady and a spectacular public miracle -- the Miracle of the Sun -- to get only a general exhortation to pray? Surely the Blessed Virgin wants more of us, and of the leaders of the Church!
Nor did Cardinal Policarpo mention the Consecration of Russia as a condition for the conversion of that nation and the ensuing period of world peace. Russia is most assuredly not converted and world peace seems a present impossibility, barring a miracle. But it is precisely such a miracle that Our Lady has promised, if Her conditions are met.
But that's what Heaven wants. The Pope and the bishops, together, must consecrate Russia, by name, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Nothing less will do. Let us pray that this month's consecration of the papacy of Pope Francis is a first step in that direction.
We can be encouraged by the sense of urgency implicit in Pope Francis' having asked for the consecration of his papacy not just once, but twice. Presumably this was to ensure that Cardinal Policarpo would actually do it! And the Holy Father asked not just for consecration to Our Lady, but to Our Lady of Fatima!
What could have prompted Pope Francis to take such drastic action? (I have chosen the words carefully. the Pope's request was certainly drastic compared with the timid efforts of his predecessors.) Walt is convinced that the Holy Father must have read the Third Secret before he telephoned Cardinal Policarpo. And obviously he believes Our Lady's warning. So should we!
Further reading: “The Unsinkable Message of Fatima” by Christopher A. Ferrara, Esquire.
What the Blessed Virgin asked for is not difficult or expensive. She told the late Sister Lucia that a simple prayer for the conversion of Russia, by name, would suffice. The ceremony should take about five minutes, or ten minutes, tops. But it must be done publicly and solemnly, by the Pope, with all the other bishops joining him in their own dioceses at the same time.
You would think that would be simple enough to do, and worth doing considering the benefits promised by Our Lady -- a period of peace of prosperity and the salvation of millions who would otherwise perish. But no pope, from Pius XII through Benedict XVI has had the, errr, gumption to do it in the way Our Lady asked.
A couple of popes have come close. Pius XII and John Paul II both consecrated "the world". But they knew -- and Sister Lucia said -- that wasn't enough. All the bishops must join in, and Russia must be mentioned by name! But this runs contrary to the ostpolitik -- friendly dialogue with the Church's Communist enemies -- promoted by Cardinals Casaroli, Sodano and Bertone, former Vatican secretaries of state.
Even worse (for them), heeding the Blessed Virgin's warning in the Third Secret of Fatima would precipitate a cleansing of the Church, a dismissal from power of the Freemasons, apostates and heretics who now hold high offices in the hierarchy, and a much-needed correction of the numerous errors of Vatican II. The Message of Fatima is therefore bad news to the liberals, apostates and heretics who now hold high offices in the hierarchy.
That's why those "fallen stars" (see Chapter 12 of the Apocalypse), led by the disgraced Bertone, have been campaigning for years to consign the Message of Fatima to the dustbin of history. They characterize Our Lady's prophecies as "old news", and Her vision of "the bishop clothed in white" as referring to the attempted assassination of John Paul II -- over and done with. But Benedict XVI, who read the Third Secret, said the Message is even more relevant now than before.
We do not know if Pope Francis has yet read the text of the Third Secret -- the words of Our Lady which the Vatican still refuses to reveal to us. But it is evident the Holy Father believes in the need for repentance and reform to which the Blessed Virgin calls us. That is why, within weeks following his election, the Pope asked the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon -- twice -- to consecrate his new papacy to Our Lady of Fatima.
And, even though Cardinal Policarpo is thought to be in the "modernist" camp of Cardinal Bertone, the prelate did what the Pope asked. Addressing the Portuguese bishops in their 181st Plenary Assembly, he announced the Pope’s request for this consecration and he expressed his own desire that “all the episcopal conference [would join] itself to the realization of this request.” The Portuguese bishops accordingly decided to make this collegial act at the conclusion of the Mass of the International Anniversary Pilgrimage on May 13th, the 96th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.
The international pilgrimage was presided over by Archbishop Orani Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro, and drew crowds of well over half a million during the two-day celebrations, with more than 37,000 pilgrims walking to the holy site from various places in the Iberian peninsula. 37 bishops and 290 priests also participated.
At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Policarpo led the bishops in consecrating Pope Francis' pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. The prayer of consecration began thus:
“Most Holy Virgin, we, the Bishops of Portugal and this crowd of pilgrims, stand at Your feet, on the 96th anniversary of Your apparition to the little shepherds, in this Cova da Iria, to fulfill the clearly expressed wish of Pope Francis to consecrate to You, Virgin of Fatima, his ministry of Bishop of Rome and Universal Shepherd.”
The Cardinal went on in this prayer of consecration (lasting about six minutes) to ask Our Lady of Fatima for all the graces of discernment and courage that the Holy Father will need to “overcome, in charity, the trials that the renovation of the Church will bring him.”
The text of the consecration prayer needs to be read carefully, with full attention to the exact words used, and to the words that were not said.
Notice that Cardinal Policarpo made no mention of the specific content of the Fatima Message and Our Lady’s requests. The impression the Cardinal gave was that Fatima was a call to prayer as a means of "conversion". But whose conversion? What sort of prayer? And why would it take an apparition of Our Lady and a spectacular public miracle -- the Miracle of the Sun -- to get only a general exhortation to pray? Surely the Blessed Virgin wants more of us, and of the leaders of the Church!
Nor did Cardinal Policarpo mention the Consecration of Russia as a condition for the conversion of that nation and the ensuing period of world peace. Russia is most assuredly not converted and world peace seems a present impossibility, barring a miracle. But it is precisely such a miracle that Our Lady has promised, if Her conditions are met.
But that's what Heaven wants. The Pope and the bishops, together, must consecrate Russia, by name, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Nothing less will do. Let us pray that this month's consecration of the papacy of Pope Francis is a first step in that direction.
We can be encouraged by the sense of urgency implicit in Pope Francis' having asked for the consecration of his papacy not just once, but twice. Presumably this was to ensure that Cardinal Policarpo would actually do it! And the Holy Father asked not just for consecration to Our Lady, but to Our Lady of Fatima!
What could have prompted Pope Francis to take such drastic action? (I have chosen the words carefully. the Pope's request was certainly drastic compared with the timid efforts of his predecessors.) Walt is convinced that the Holy Father must have read the Third Secret before he telephoned Cardinal Policarpo. And obviously he believes Our Lady's warning. So should we!
Further reading: “The Unsinkable Message of Fatima” by Christopher A. Ferrara, Esquire.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Pope Francis to move on Third Secret of Fatima?
Fatima experts, such as Walt's old buddy Christopher A. Ferrara, Esquire, believe that the Third Secret foretells the apostasy and corruption which stain the mainstream Roman Catholic Church today. We can call the collapse of the Church and the departure from the True Faith the poisoned fruits of Vatican II. But Pope John XXIII, who instigated the Council, read the secret and in his wisdom (?) set it aside, saying the Blessed Virgin must have been talking about somebody else or some other time.
That's been the Vatican party line ever since. We've seen more than half a century of lies and cover-ups orchestrated by the Vatican Secretaries of State, notably Cardinals Casaroli, Sodano and the evil Bertone. And all of the post-Conciliar popes have toed the line. That includes Paul VI, who famously said that, through Vatican II, "the smoke of Satan has entered the Church"...but did nothing about it.
The Message of Fatima does not just concern the ruination of the Church. Our Lady warned of wars and other catastrophes -- manmade and natural -- which would result in the annihilation of millions of souls. Unless, that is, the Pope (in union with all of the bishops, acting together at the same time) fulfilled a very simple request. She asks them to consecrate Russia (specifically) to Her Immaculate Heart. If that is done, She promises, Russia will be converted to the Faith and become an instrument of peace.
Because of the Vatican's policy of Ostpolitik (devised by the Secretariat of State, not by any pope), not one of the popes who have known of Our Lady's request have dared to do as She asks. During World War II, Pius XII attempted a consecration of "the world". John Paul II performed another act of consecration of the world in 1984, but on 25 March of that year admitted in a prayer to the Blessed Virgin that the consecration of Russia remained undone.
Fast forward to 26 June 2000, when the then Secretary of State, Cardinal Sodano, released his "interpretation" of the Third Secret of Fatima, with an introduction by Cardinal Bertone. Cardinal Ratzinger (as he then was) followed Sodano in pronouncing the Fatima prophecy "a thing of the past". The intent of this tale about "the bishop dressed in white" was clearly (in Mr. Ferrara's words) "to consign Fatima to the dustbin of history".
Strangely enough, after he became Benedict XVI, Pope Ratzinger reversed himself. On 11 May 2010, en route to Portugal for a visit to the Fatima shrine, the Holy Father rejected "the universally disbelieved Sodano/Bertone 'interpretation'". (Ferrara's words)
Rather, said Benedict, the Third Secret prophesies what is happening in the Church today, and predicts future events in the Church which are still developing day by day. "The greatest persecution of the Church does not come from enemies outside, but arises from sin in the Church." Sin in the Church... the smoke of Satan... just as Paul VI said!
Not three years later, Benedict XVI found himself physically and mentally incapable of resisting the enemies with in the Church any longer, and threw the torch to whoever might be his successor. Perhaps it was through divine intervention that Cardinal Bergoglio was chosen, for it turns out that Pope Francis is a friend of Our Lady of Fatima. One of his first acts, the day after his election, was to go to pray at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
We do not know what the Pope said to the Blessed Virgin or what She made him understand. But this week we learn, from Vatican Insider (written by leading Vaticanista Andrea Tornielli) that the Holy Father has asked José Cardinal Policarpo, Archbishop of Lisbon, to dedicate his pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima!
Cardinal Policarpo confirmed the Pope’s request at a meeting of the Portuguese bishops’ conference. He said that the Pontiff had twice asked him to make the consecration. The cardinal suggested that the entire bishops’ conference could join in the act of consecration.
This is an extremely significant move by the Holy Father. It shows that he believes in the Fatima Message, and acknowledges the correctness of what Benedict XVI said, that the Message of Fatima is still valid today. (Tornielli says the prophecy could apply not only to the Church's struggle against the totalitarian regimes of the East, but the paedophilia scandal as well.)
What will be Pope Francis' next step? Could it be that he will finally command all the world's bishops to join him in the Act of Consecration of Russia that Our Lady of Fatima requested? Let us pray so, because that is Heaven's Key to World Peace.
Further reading: "A Prelude to the Consecration of Russia?" by Christopher A. Ferrara, Esquire.
Recommended blog: Fr. West's Catholic Blog, and in particular "Queen Esther and Our Lady of Fatima - Homily for Thursday of the First Week of Lent"
Monday, February 11, 2013
Walt tells you who the next Pope won't be
Will the next Pope be Catholic? By that I mean, someone who holds to the Traditional Faith, given to us by Jesus Christ, while He was here on earth with us, and handed down to us by His apostles through Holy Mother Church.
If someone who keeps the Faith is to become Pope -- as Walt hopes and earnestly prays -- that would exclude the Great Pretender, the prelate who likes to think of himself as "Deputy Pope" and "prime minister of the Church". That would be Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, perhaps the most reviled man in the curia.
Speculation is rife as to the reasoning behind Pope Ratzinger's decision to resign. The Holy Father said that he no longer had the mental and physical strength which he believes the position requires. And it is reported this morning that he told a German journalist two years ago that he would resign if he no longer felt he could carry on.
In this, one can see the Holy Father's wish to avoid the sad and sorry spectacle of Pope John Paul II, who, in the last years of his pontificate, objectively appeared to have lost some of his faculties. If JPII had been your grandfather, you'd have put him in a home! It was painful to watch him die in office, but he was determined, it seems, to carry on to the end.
But his doing so had grave consequences for his papacy and for Holy Mother Church. Some of the things he said and did, in those last years, caused many believers -- not just traditionalists either -- to question whether the pope had taken leave of his senses. I refer to the travesty of the syncretic sacrilege at Assisi, and JPII's whimsical decision to add a fourth set of Mysteries to the Holy Rosary given to us by Our Lady.
The older and more "out of it" John Paul got, the worse things became. Questions were rightly asked about who was really running the Church! The answer is that even though the pope was Polish, the powers behind the throne were the Secretaries of State: Cardinals Casaroli, Sodano and Bertone -- every one an Italian, every one a modernist, and every one behaving as if he, not the pope, was the real Vicar of Christ.
That's why Bertone will not be elected at the conclave to be held next month. There is recognition -- at last -- that the decisions made and directions taken in the last two or three decades have been not just wrong but disastrously wrong.
When John Paul II was elevated to the papacy, there was a glimmer of hope that the suicidal errors of Vatican II might be undone, and the Church set back on Her true and traditional course. But any ideas JPII may have had along those lines were thwarted by his "prime ministers" and a Roman curia rotten with Freemasons, protestants, and -- yes -- apostates.
Walt predicts that, although the Italians will lobby strenuously to have one of their own "restored to power", prelates from the Third World will campaign successfully to have not just a non-Italian but a non-European pope, for the first time in history. Lifetime pct .987.
"I declare that I renounce the ministry of the Bishop of Rome". Click here to read the English translation of Pope Benedict's statement (read in Latin).
Further reading: Fr. Divo Barsotti's criticisms of Vatican Council II. If you want to understand why I call the direction of the modern Church "suicidal", don't fail to read this! I'm no theologian, but Father Barsotti certainly was.
If someone who keeps the Faith is to become Pope -- as Walt hopes and earnestly prays -- that would exclude the Great Pretender, the prelate who likes to think of himself as "Deputy Pope" and "prime minister of the Church". That would be Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, perhaps the most reviled man in the curia.
Speculation is rife as to the reasoning behind Pope Ratzinger's decision to resign. The Holy Father said that he no longer had the mental and physical strength which he believes the position requires. And it is reported this morning that he told a German journalist two years ago that he would resign if he no longer felt he could carry on.
In this, one can see the Holy Father's wish to avoid the sad and sorry spectacle of Pope John Paul II, who, in the last years of his pontificate, objectively appeared to have lost some of his faculties. If JPII had been your grandfather, you'd have put him in a home! It was painful to watch him die in office, but he was determined, it seems, to carry on to the end.
But his doing so had grave consequences for his papacy and for Holy Mother Church. Some of the things he said and did, in those last years, caused many believers -- not just traditionalists either -- to question whether the pope had taken leave of his senses. I refer to the travesty of the syncretic sacrilege at Assisi, and JPII's whimsical decision to add a fourth set of Mysteries to the Holy Rosary given to us by Our Lady.
The older and more "out of it" John Paul got, the worse things became. Questions were rightly asked about who was really running the Church! The answer is that even though the pope was Polish, the powers behind the throne were the Secretaries of State: Cardinals Casaroli, Sodano and Bertone -- every one an Italian, every one a modernist, and every one behaving as if he, not the pope, was the real Vicar of Christ.
That's why Bertone will not be elected at the conclave to be held next month. There is recognition -- at last -- that the decisions made and directions taken in the last two or three decades have been not just wrong but disastrously wrong.
When John Paul II was elevated to the papacy, there was a glimmer of hope that the suicidal errors of Vatican II might be undone, and the Church set back on Her true and traditional course. But any ideas JPII may have had along those lines were thwarted by his "prime ministers" and a Roman curia rotten with Freemasons, protestants, and -- yes -- apostates.
Walt predicts that, although the Italians will lobby strenuously to have one of their own "restored to power", prelates from the Third World will campaign successfully to have not just a non-Italian but a non-European pope, for the first time in history. Lifetime pct .987.
"I declare that I renounce the ministry of the Bishop of Rome". Click here to read the English translation of Pope Benedict's statement (read in Latin).
Further reading: Fr. Divo Barsotti's criticisms of Vatican Council II. If you want to understand why I call the direction of the modern Church "suicidal", don't fail to read this! I'm no theologian, but Father Barsotti certainly was.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Bertone... it's Bertone!
A reader asks why Walt didn't name the cardinal suspected of being behind the plot against Pope Benedict XVI. Please, dear reader, don't just read the lines. Read between the lines! Or if all else fails, read the labels at the bottom of each post!
The cardinal I described [clearly enough! Ed.] is none other than Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, the heir to Cardinal Sodano and chief mover behind the campaign to prevent the faithful knowing the Third Secret of Fatima.
Today, AP speaks of reports "that an Italian cardinal may be involved in a power struggle involving leaked documents, corruption and intrigue.
"Leading Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and Il Messaggero reported Monday that the pope’s butler – arrested three days ago for allegedly feeding documents to Italian journalists – clearly did not act alone, and that an unidentified cardinal is suspected of playing a major role in the scandal."
It's Bertone. You read it here first. Lifetime pct .989.
The cardinal I described [clearly enough! Ed.] is none other than Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, the heir to Cardinal Sodano and chief mover behind the campaign to prevent the faithful knowing the Third Secret of Fatima.
Today, AP speaks of reports "that an Italian cardinal may be involved in a power struggle involving leaked documents, corruption and intrigue.
"Leading Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and Il Messaggero reported Monday that the pope’s butler – arrested three days ago for allegedly feeding documents to Italian journalists – clearly did not act alone, and that an unidentified cardinal is suspected of playing a major role in the scandal."
It's Bertone. You read it here first. Lifetime pct .989.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Communist Chinese persecution of Catholic Church intensifies
In my previous post I explained the historical reasons -- relating to Vatican II and the 1962 Vatican-Moscow agreement -- behind the Church's fight against godless Communism. And at the end of the piece, I referred you to three previous posts on the topic of the Communist Chinese government's persecution of the underground Catholic Church in China.
Thousands of Roman Catholic bishops, priests and laypeople have been arrested, imprisoned, tortured, even executed, because of their persistent refusal to join the "official" (state-run) Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
Atila Sinke Guimarães called the persescution of the Church and the faithful in China one of "the shameful and disastrous consequences of the present day Vatican Ostpolitik, which one can see is alive and active." His article was written in October, 2005, and the situation has worsened steadily since then, especially this year.
It was only a year ago that the likes of Cardinal Bertone -- successor to Cardinals Sodano and Casaroli -- were predicting a great breakthrough, the exchange of ambassadors and cordial diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Beijing. Today, relations between the world's largest country and the world's largest church are as bad as they've been at any time since the Communists seized power in 1949.
In mid-July, the schismatic and heretical CPCA (which is not recognized by the Vatican) consecrated a new "bishop" for the diocese of Shantou, in a ceremony which four bishops of the underground Church, still loyal to Rome, were forced to attend after being abducted by the police. According to AsiaNews, one bishop was "seen sobbing as he was dragged from his home".
The news gets worse. This forced "recognition" of the CPCA was not a one-time thing. In fact, this was the third time in eight months that the Communist-controlled CPCA has installed a new "bishop" without the consent of Rome. Better to say, in defiance of Rome!
The Holy See has responded by declaring that the new "bishop" and the one appointed by the CPCA in similar circumstances in June were ipso facto excommunicated.
To most traditional Catholics, particularly Joseph Cardinal Zen, archbishop emeritus of Hong Kong, the imboglio confirms the lunacy of attempting to appease and co-operate with a Communist régime. To abandon the fight against Communism is to say that the thousands of Chinese Catholics who gave up their freedom and often their lives for the sake of fidelity to the Roman Church were wrong, and that their sacrifices were for naught.
Here's how Atila Sinke Guimarães puts it:
First, regarding the faithful “underground” Catholic Church, the Vatican seems to be punishing it. In effect, for 55 years those Prelates and Catholics endured every kind of physical and moral suffering because they refused to adhere to the “Patriotic Catholic Association,” directed by the Communist Party. This “underground” Church represented heroism and faithfulness to Rome; the “patriot” church represented cowardice and treason.
When Benedict XVI invited both the persecutor and persecuted bishops to attend the [2005] Synod, he implied that the two were equal in the eyes of Rome. This fact sends a strong message to the “underground Church” to change its attitude: it should give up its opposition to the Communist government, which it should accept and support. It also suggests that Catholics end their fight against the “Patriotic Catholic Association.”
This is what Benedict XVI is signifying to the heroic eight million Chinese Catholics of the catacombs. They should deny their glorious past of martyrdom and fidelity to the Pope because a Pope orders them to do so.
Bookmark: For the latest facts on the Communist Chinese persecution of Catholics and other Christians, bookmark AsiaNews. Today's leading article is: "Tianshui: police arrest dozens of underground priests and lay faithful".
Thousands of Roman Catholic bishops, priests and laypeople have been arrested, imprisoned, tortured, even executed, because of their persistent refusal to join the "official" (state-run) Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
Atila Sinke Guimarães called the persescution of the Church and the faithful in China one of "the shameful and disastrous consequences of the present day Vatican Ostpolitik, which one can see is alive and active." His article was written in October, 2005, and the situation has worsened steadily since then, especially this year.
It was only a year ago that the likes of Cardinal Bertone -- successor to Cardinals Sodano and Casaroli -- were predicting a great breakthrough, the exchange of ambassadors and cordial diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Beijing. Today, relations between the world's largest country and the world's largest church are as bad as they've been at any time since the Communists seized power in 1949.
In mid-July, the schismatic and heretical CPCA (which is not recognized by the Vatican) consecrated a new "bishop" for the diocese of Shantou, in a ceremony which four bishops of the underground Church, still loyal to Rome, were forced to attend after being abducted by the police. According to AsiaNews, one bishop was "seen sobbing as he was dragged from his home".
The news gets worse. This forced "recognition" of the CPCA was not a one-time thing. In fact, this was the third time in eight months that the Communist-controlled CPCA has installed a new "bishop" without the consent of Rome. Better to say, in defiance of Rome!
The Holy See has responded by declaring that the new "bishop" and the one appointed by the CPCA in similar circumstances in June were ipso facto excommunicated.
To most traditional Catholics, particularly Joseph Cardinal Zen, archbishop emeritus of Hong Kong, the imboglio confirms the lunacy of attempting to appease and co-operate with a Communist régime. To abandon the fight against Communism is to say that the thousands of Chinese Catholics who gave up their freedom and often their lives for the sake of fidelity to the Roman Church were wrong, and that their sacrifices were for naught.
Here's how Atila Sinke Guimarães puts it:
First, regarding the faithful “underground” Catholic Church, the Vatican seems to be punishing it. In effect, for 55 years those Prelates and Catholics endured every kind of physical and moral suffering because they refused to adhere to the “Patriotic Catholic Association,” directed by the Communist Party. This “underground” Church represented heroism and faithfulness to Rome; the “patriot” church represented cowardice and treason.
When Benedict XVI invited both the persecutor and persecuted bishops to attend the [2005] Synod, he implied that the two were equal in the eyes of Rome. This fact sends a strong message to the “underground Church” to change its attitude: it should give up its opposition to the Communist government, which it should accept and support. It also suggests that Catholics end their fight against the “Patriotic Catholic Association.”
This is what Benedict XVI is signifying to the heroic eight million Chinese Catholics of the catacombs. They should deny their glorious past of martyrdom and fidelity to the Pope because a Pope orders them to do so.
Bookmark: For the latest facts on the Communist Chinese persecution of Catholics and other Christians, bookmark AsiaNews. Today's leading article is: "Tianshui: police arrest dozens of underground priests and lay faithful".
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Zen and the maintenance of the Faith - the REAL Catholic Church in China
Freedom of religion is "guaranteed" in the constitution of the People's Republic of China. Yes, Chinese are free to worship any God they please in any way they please...as long as the Communist government approves.
Let it be remembered that China is a totalitarian, Communist-ruled state. And the official religion of Communism is atheism. Good Communists believe in the Party, not in God. And let it be remembered too that good Catholics cannot be good Communists. The two creeds are antithetical. Man cannot serve two masters. It is still a sin for a Catholic to belong to the Communist Party or any secret society such as the Freemasons.
Thus Chinese Catholics were impaled on the horns of a dilemma when the Communists usurped power in 1949. The new government also needed to figure out a way to co-opt all the troublesome people -- especially the Catholic clergy -- who owed allegiance to Rome rather than Beijing.
Their solution was to set up a schismatic, puppet "church", the Catholic Patriotic Association, and put heavy pressure on Chinese bishops, priests and laypeople to join. Many did, but many did not. Those who stayed in the "underground Church" were rewarded for their steadfastness with ostracism, persecution, imprisonment, torture and even death. Don't let anyone tell you that there are no Catholic martyrs in the 21st century. Several bishops and priests, and uncounted laypeople have died in Chinese Communist prisons.
Meanwhile, the Vatican, under the aegis of Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano and his successor, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has pursued a policy of "Ostpolitik" -- "making nice" with the Communists and their lapdog bishops and priests in hopes of "normalizing" relations between two institutions which are diametrically opposed.
Part of this delusional attempt to reconcile with the Chinese Communists was a letter written (or at least signed) by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. In this much misunderstood document, the Pope appeared to encourage members of the underground Church to attend CPA "masses" and recognize the leadership of Beijing-appointed bishops and priests. To say that this letter caused confusion and distress in the underground community is a gross understatement.
For a good account of what the Pope's letter was really all about, click here to read "Latest Vatican Pronouncement on China: Statement of Support or Start of a Sellout", by noted Catholic commentator James W. Bannister.
Not long before the Pope's letter appeared, the Archbishop of Hong Kong, Joseph Zen, was elevated to the rank of cardinal, and given a special mission to "bridge the gap" between the Holy See and Beijing, between the real Roman Catholic Church in China and the CPA.
Imagine the consternation in the Vatican Secretariat of State when Cardinal Zen, rather than toeing the party line, turned out to be a tireless champion for religious freedom! Cardinal Zen, now bishop emeritus, persists in preaching that being Catholic allows one to be truly patriotic and anyone who opposes their faith to serve the homeland (as the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party insists) is guilty of sophistry.
On June 29th, Cardinal Zen published yet another letter highly critical of the Vatican's attempts at rapprochement with Beijing, and Beijing's attempts to bring the Chinese Church under its complete control and suppress all who dissent.
He exhorts Chinese Catholic leaders -- especially those of the "official" church recognized by the government -- to be more courageous in resisting compromise, and especially in rejecting the claims to authority made by the CPA.
Cardinal Zen's letter concludes thus:
We must pray that the leaders of our Nation come to understand that a free Catholic Church is no threat to our country. On the contrary, if we are allowed to live happily our faith, we can contribute more to the welfare and all-round progress of our people....
On this journey of faith, we have been promised both tribulations and consolations. Our companions and models are the Saints and especially the glorious Martyrs.
Mary, Help of Christians, our Heavenly Mother and the Star of Hope, to whom the Pope has entrusted our Church, will lead us to peaceful victory."
You can read the full text of the prelate's letter in "Cardinal Zen: The Church in China two years after the Pope's Letter".
Let it be remembered that China is a totalitarian, Communist-ruled state. And the official religion of Communism is atheism. Good Communists believe in the Party, not in God. And let it be remembered too that good Catholics cannot be good Communists. The two creeds are antithetical. Man cannot serve two masters. It is still a sin for a Catholic to belong to the Communist Party or any secret society such as the Freemasons.
Thus Chinese Catholics were impaled on the horns of a dilemma when the Communists usurped power in 1949. The new government also needed to figure out a way to co-opt all the troublesome people -- especially the Catholic clergy -- who owed allegiance to Rome rather than Beijing.
Their solution was to set up a schismatic, puppet "church", the Catholic Patriotic Association, and put heavy pressure on Chinese bishops, priests and laypeople to join. Many did, but many did not. Those who stayed in the "underground Church" were rewarded for their steadfastness with ostracism, persecution, imprisonment, torture and even death. Don't let anyone tell you that there are no Catholic martyrs in the 21st century. Several bishops and priests, and uncounted laypeople have died in Chinese Communist prisons.
Meanwhile, the Vatican, under the aegis of Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano and his successor, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has pursued a policy of "Ostpolitik" -- "making nice" with the Communists and their lapdog bishops and priests in hopes of "normalizing" relations between two institutions which are diametrically opposed.
Part of this delusional attempt to reconcile with the Chinese Communists was a letter written (or at least signed) by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. In this much misunderstood document, the Pope appeared to encourage members of the underground Church to attend CPA "masses" and recognize the leadership of Beijing-appointed bishops and priests. To say that this letter caused confusion and distress in the underground community is a gross understatement.
For a good account of what the Pope's letter was really all about, click here to read "Latest Vatican Pronouncement on China: Statement of Support or Start of a Sellout", by noted Catholic commentator James W. Bannister.
Not long before the Pope's letter appeared, the Archbishop of Hong Kong, Joseph Zen, was elevated to the rank of cardinal, and given a special mission to "bridge the gap" between the Holy See and Beijing, between the real Roman Catholic Church in China and the CPA.
Imagine the consternation in the Vatican Secretariat of State when Cardinal Zen, rather than toeing the party line, turned out to be a tireless champion for religious freedom! Cardinal Zen, now bishop emeritus, persists in preaching that being Catholic allows one to be truly patriotic and anyone who opposes their faith to serve the homeland (as the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party insists) is guilty of sophistry.
On June 29th, Cardinal Zen published yet another letter highly critical of the Vatican's attempts at rapprochement with Beijing, and Beijing's attempts to bring the Chinese Church under its complete control and suppress all who dissent.
He exhorts Chinese Catholic leaders -- especially those of the "official" church recognized by the government -- to be more courageous in resisting compromise, and especially in rejecting the claims to authority made by the CPA.
Cardinal Zen's letter concludes thus:
We must pray that the leaders of our Nation come to understand that a free Catholic Church is no threat to our country. On the contrary, if we are allowed to live happily our faith, we can contribute more to the welfare and all-round progress of our people....
On this journey of faith, we have been promised both tribulations and consolations. Our companions and models are the Saints and especially the glorious Martyrs.
Mary, Help of Christians, our Heavenly Mother and the Star of Hope, to whom the Pope has entrusted our Church, will lead us to peaceful victory."
You can read the full text of the prelate's letter in "Cardinal Zen: The Church in China two years after the Pope's Letter".
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