Yucking it up for a better world

Yucking it up for a better world

For the fifth time in his two-year papacy Pope Francis has met with the President of Argentina.  This Latin American socialist is a woman whose enemies mysteriously die before they can testify against her, but we are supposed to believe that she and Pope Francis have nothing political to discuss.

Are they talking about Jesus for an hour and a half?

The Vatican’s protocol officer is denying reports that a meeting between Pope Francis and Argentina’s president had a political tone.

Guillermo Karcher told local Rosario 3 radio on Monday that the criticism against Francis was “disrespectful.” He said Sunday’s meeting of the Argentine-born pope with President Cristina Fernandez was far from political.

One of the things I find most upsetting about Pope Francis is this idea that his politicized and twisted understanding of Christian doctrine is not ideological, nor is it political.  The Communists stole our flag, he boldly proclaims, as if that thieving and murderous ideology were just a misnamed Christianity with an atheistic tinge.

The Pope is entirely ideological himself, if the word means opting for power politics over truth.  Francis doesn’t sound very Catholic.  He doesn’t act very faithful.  He is the least pope-like pope perhaps ever.  The only thing he truly can be said to be is political, a sort of Leftist political agitator in the role of Pope.

Yet we are supposed to all agree that all his activism is just the work of God.  He even warns the world’s bishops not be to exactly the way he constantly is, as if He were the only one anointed to promote a thousand destructive and unjust causes in the name of Christ.

That’s why it’s so important to his proponents in the Obama-Pelosi-Castro circles and in the world-wide media that the Pope’s words be given the air of sanctity, that they be treated as something ‘far from political.’  Meanwhile the Vatican is packed with leftist hacks posing as bishops who apologize for the UN, insult faithful Catholics, and can scarcely utter a propagandist’s prayer.  Global Warming is now Catholic doctrine and there is no room for dissent.  As the Vatican’s Margaret Archer asserts, “I am appointed by the Pope” and “that leaves you out in the cold!”

It seems Fernandez does have something to promote in meeting with the Pope at this time.

Fernandez is now in her second term and is not running in October elections because a third consecutive mandate is not allowed. But she remains active in the campaign, and is backing some candidates.

Opposition lawmaker Elisa Carrio was among those criticizing the meeting.

Sounds like Pope Francis has landed once again squarely on the wrong side of that political game.  Why do all these people-first people never side with the people?

That is not something for humble Catholic lay people to determine.  It’s enough that we’re not disrespectful, that we don’t criticize the Pope, or dare to call his FrancisChurch political.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not repentance, Confession, and Jesus all rolled into one

Repentance, Confession, and Jesus all rolled into one?

In honor of Corpus Christi, Pope Francis spoke about the Holy Eucharist.  As usual he said some uplifting things but, true to form, some of the things he said were unsettling, some were disturbing, and some were jarring.

We are accustomed to being wary now.  We can’t just assume Pope Francis is presenting us with Catholicism when he speaks, can we?

The Eucharist is the seal of God’s covenant, uniting Christians and giving them the strength to bring God’s love to others, even when faith carries a high price, Pope Francis has said.

The Eucharist does give us strength to love others, even when faith carries a high price, but is it really a ‘seal of God’s covenant?’  I thought it was God Himself.

Does Communion unite Christians with each other, or does receiving Him unite us all with Christ?

Celebrating the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ with an evening Mass outside Rome’s Basilica of St John Lateran, Pope Francis said the church and its members will never cease being in awe of the Eucharist.

Is this not something we can take as a given, since God is awesome?

Pope Francis asked the faithful as they walked through the city with the Eucharist to remember “our many brothers and sisters who do not have the freedom to express their faith in the Lord Jesus”.

This is true.  The freedom to process through the streets is a great and necessary thing.  I wish more of us felt free and willing to do so.

“Let us be united with them; let us sing with them, praise with them, adore with them,” he said. “And, in our hearts, let us venerate those brothers and sisters who were asked to sacrifice their lives out of fidelity to Christ. May their blood, united to the Lord’s, be a pledge of peace and reconciliation for the whole world.”

The Pope has made it clear before that by ‘martyrs’ he means anyone killed for professing Christ, not just Catholics.  The vast majority of those murdered for Christianity lately are not Roman Catholics.  Is their blood united to the Lord’s?  How much heresy and sin would a murdered ‘christian’ have to embrace before there was some disunity?

How can the deaths of Christians at the hands of Muslims be “pledges of peace and reconciliation for the whole world?”  A death is not a pledge.  Are peace and reconciliation God’s goals in a world full of sin and evil?  Perhaps first He wants faith and obedience.

I would imagine those killed might hope someone would pledge to defeat ISIS through military campaigns, because they know first-hand that it would bring peace and safety for others like themselves.  Most people brave and faithful enough to die for the name of Christ also know what peace really entails.

The Eucharist, he said, “sanctifies us, purifies us and unites us in a marvellous communion with God. In that way we learn that the Eucharist is not a prize for the good, but strength for the weak; for sinners it is pardon; it is the viaticum that helps us move forward, to walk.”

Does the Eucharist purify us?  What if we aren’t repentant?  What if we haven’t made a good Confession?  What good Catholic would consider the Eucharist his ‘prize’ anyway?  Why does the Pope employ strawmen?

Is the Eucharist pardon for the sinner?  Are the Last Rites administered without Confession?  Holy Communion is certainly a manifestation of God’s Mercy since He comes to us and heals us, giving us strength.  But it’s dangerous, particularly now, to give the impression that Communion is a time for forgiveness of sins.  That is what happens for the repentant sinner during Confession. Then, purified through the mercy of God and his Church, the good person can be strengthened and healed by union with Our Lord Himself.

Union with God entails a certain effort on our part, because God is holy.

 

 

 

 

The keys to the Kingdom of Heaven

The keys to the Kingdom of Heaven

At Patheos the Crescat is one of many who responded to the Anchoress’s call when she asked people why they stay Catholic.

The question of why we remain Catholic has been asked of the Patheos writers, in response to Pew Report stating our numbers are dwindling.

I’m not much for big word-y words, preferring to keep it straightforward.

I’m Catholic and plan to remain so until I die and my big fat Catholic soul flies off to Catholic Heaven – the part of Heaven where the alcohol and fireworks are kept in ample supply. The existence of Catholic Heaven has been well documented.

If I didn’t leave the Church amidst scandal or liturgical abuse it stands to reason that there’s not much that would make me go. Not even other Catholics.

On the other side of the coin, I don’t stay simply because I love my priests and think they are awesome guys. I don’t stay for the art, the architecture, the traditions, or even the awesome nuns.

You can’t base decisions like that on such superficial reasons.

As awesome as I think the Catholic Church is; with Her brains, beauty and generous nature, that is not why I choose to remain a Catholic. It’s not the beer nor the bacon.

I remain Catholic because the Church is Truth.

I’ve seen the Truth. I’ve experienced it firsthand. I’ve been baptized in the Truth. Confirmed in it. I’ve tasted and drank the Truth. I’ve Adored it and received graces and forgiveness from the Truth.

I have looked plainly and unflinchingly at the Truth and to leave the Church would be to turn my back on all that I know, believe, and have experienced.

To leave the Church is to embrace Hell.

Amen. The end.

This is a good answer.  It reminds me of St. Peter.  The Church has unity in itself.  The truth is complete.  It has a life of its own.  Partial truth is just false and morbid.

How long must we endure all this blather about being part in and part out of the Church, about an ‘ecumenism of blood’ in the name of Jesus, and how the Devil knows all Christians are one?  It doesn’t stand to reason.  It is killing souls.

Let the heretics pray Our Lord will have mercy above and beyond the truth He has revealed. Let them try to make sense out of confusion, and integrate sins using false faith.  If our own voice doesn’t ring clear how will they hear it and be saved?

Katrina Fernandez makes the sacrifices and pays the price to be united to the Church.  She’s no fool and sees the difference between black and white.  You have to take the long view and see the ends of things to understand.