Patriarch + Sviatoslav's document repudiates the latest novel Occidental Bergoglio/Fernandez dogmas about Blessings. This is perhaps the most significant theological divergence to arise between Catholics of the East and West since the Fall of Constantinople and today. It means that while Western Catholics are, apparently, obliged slavishly to follow Bergoglio-Fernandez, this burdensome obligation does not rest upon the happier shoulders of Ukrainian, Byzantine Rite, Catholics.
The idea that Blessing may properly be given to those who fully intend to perform or to continue to perform immoral actions without Penance and Absolution, has massive consequences.
Those who intend to persist in genocide may be blessed and encouraged to continue. House-breakers and embezzlers ... rapists and paedophiles ... liars ... murderers ... "Go for it Sunshine" is the message from the Seven Hills.
Bergoglio/Fernandez have opened their door to every conceivable evil. I appreciate that this is all really a smart dodge to find a way around certain aspects of Catholic teaching, particularly in areas of sexual morality; but that, frankly, does not make the policy any less disastrous or any less thoroughly wicked.
Importantly for all of us, His Beatitude makes clear that (whatever may apply within the poor, cowed Latin Churches) Bergoglio/Fernandez pronunciamentos are not part of the teaching of the Universal Catholic Church founded by Jesus of Nazareth.
Some years ago, Fr Aidan Nichols caused outrage among Bergoglio/Fernandez enthusiasts by giving a lecture about what a future pontificate is going to need to do to re-establish Catholic teaching. It is interesting that His Beatitude + Patriarch Sviatoslav ... Lux indeed ex Oriente ... has started to pencil-in where that 'future pontificate' will need to go, and what it will have to do.
Stables ... ... Augean ...
Maybe all this will serve as a wake-up call to the cardinals, even those appointed by PF, that things have gone catastrophically wrong these past ten years. Now Africa has spoken up, it's hard to think that the successors of Murphy O'Connor will be allowed to get away with it a second time.
ReplyDeleteDear Father,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your charitable leadership in this dark hour.
This past Sunday, I attended the Divine Liturgy at St. Volodomyr's Church. The pastor is wonderful, a holy man. I'm Latin Rite, but I like attending the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Liturgy.
What grieves me the most about FS, (and of course, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions), is, what I hope is the unintended temptation offered to priests to just give the little blessing, nothing to worry about, just a bit of incense to the emperor... And if you don't...
It contains the threat of being fired, really. It is worse than the threat of a bully, who will beat you up and steal your wallet, it is the threat of a gang leader who "invites" someone into the gang, but first you have to submit to being beaten almost to death, and then to go and murder someone else. What is the "reward"? You'll be in the gang, and you will be able to get money, etc. But you can never get out of that gang. You are damned.
I have old schoolmates who are priests. It's bad enough to think about this in the abstract, but when I think of my friends who are good, holy priests having to deal with this alone, in the face of a cowardly bishop, I can only describe my reaction as one of perfect anger. I want to protect them, but I can only pray for them, and offer my support.
Exactly. Refuse on conscience' s grounds, or Faith's and become a cancelled priest instantly.
DeleteOn the subject of blessings not being taken lightly, I was reminded of the bit in "Merrily on High" where Fr Stephenson meets an Orthodox priest at an ecumenical gathering, and asks him to bless an icon, this being appropriate in some way. The Orthodox priest gives him back the icon the following morning... looking terribly fatigued, because the Eastern ritual to bless an icon takes several hours and he had been up half the night. "How was I supposed to know that?"
ReplyDeleteWell…as a priest I am not required to bless anyone. If there is no “ purpose of amendment” then I don’t see why any priest should feel compelled to any action. Can you really see a diocesan trying to force clergy to do something against conscience?
ReplyDeleteThe day is coming when they will bring you to a place where you do not want to go.
ReplyDeleteFor St. Peter, this message from Our Lord was a prophesy of his martyrdom.
We are all headed for our own personal journey to a place where we do not want to go.
Compared to the Apostles, we have a pretty quiet journey ahead of us. We will lose friends, reputation, position, and for some of us, employment. Personally, I do not relish what affirming church teaching will do to my professional standing at the bar. And has done, frankly.
But if being called a bigot is the price that I have to pay for the truth, then so be it.
To our priests, I say stand firm. You have my love, my obedience, my respect. You might lose your income, your place in the community, your reputation, but you will be in the garden with Our Lord. YOU will not leave him alone.
His Beatitude Great Archbishop Svyatoslav is not in all aspects perfect, as my Ukrainian priestly friends will delight in explaining to whoever wants to hear it - but in this he is staunchly right. Who knows, maybe we need a Byzantine on the chair of St Peter to right what has been wronged...
ReplyDelete