Torchlight Procession in Lourdes
We haven’t had a ‘Light a Candle’ blogpost in a while, but the opening of the Synod is certainly a good time to do so. It is opening with prelates like Cardinals Daneels, Kasper, and Marx lurking in the shadows and threatening Catholic doctrine. With clergy like that inside the Church, faithful Catholics are likely to be more attuned this time to what is really going on. But even if the tricks of the prior Synod session aren’t used again, we might still expect new, non-transparent moves by the father of lies, who doesn’t give up easily. As always, we pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and calling to mind crucial and relevant Scripture is a solid foundation upon which to rest our prayers:
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter said in reply, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’” Matthew 16:15-19 (NAB)
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 (RSV)
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.'” Matthew 28: 18-20 (RSV)
The next step is to keep as informed, as promptly, as possible. Nobody can stay on top of it all, so sharing what we find is important. Please add comments as we go through these next few weeks! Now here are some of the recent stories which may be relevant and useful background:
Swiss bishops confirm existence of Cardinal Daneels’ ‘mafia’ against Benedict XVI:
Why we fear the Ordinary Synod on the Family is being manipulated:
Vatican Fires Gay Priest on Eve of the Synod:
Polish Bishops say 2014 Synod Trivialized essential Church Teachings; hope to avoid repeat
German bishops release new book about the controversial ‘Shadow Council’ in Rome:
Softening Christ’s Teaching on Marriage is Heresy, African Cardinal tells World Meeting of Families
Status Report Day 2
Pope’s Homily Day 3
http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-defends-reports-synod-popes-words-disputed-173143860.html
Day 4: What is level of trust in Fr. Rosica?
http://voxcantor.blogspot.com/2015/10/father-thomas-j-rosica-csb-has-become.html
Day 5: ‘Flawed, Inadequate’: Synod Bishops Skewer Working Document
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/flawed-inadequate-synod-bishops-skewer-working-document/
Day 8: Did Cardinal Dolan write to the Pope about lack of Synod openness?
Mercy to the Repentant!
No New Patches on Old Wineskins!
Tags: Synod 2014-15
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If you read further in the headline of the link -“Vatican Fires Gay Priest on Eve of the Synod,” you find out that the priest just didn’t just have a gay (sam-sex) orienttion, he was involved in a homosexual relationship with a man he said he loved and referred to as his boyfriend. He revealed his homosexual relationship in Italy and Poland as he wanted to make a statement and wanted homosexuals and same-sex relationships represented at the Synod.
Indeed. To use the synod to brag about his sin. Good for the Vatican in firing him.
Fired from his posts, but what about his retaining his priesthood? Should he not be defrocked if he will not renounced his abominable lifestyle? +JMJ
In the article, it states “Despite his dismissal, Charamsa remains a priest, although Lombardi (Rev. Frederico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman) hinted that his superiors could take further action.”
“Charamsa, (Rev./Msgr. Krzysztof Charamsa) 43, initially planned a press conference in front of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith’s office, but moved it to central Rome after the Vatican action. He was joined by his companion, identified only as Eduard.”
He had previously came out as a gay priest involved in a same-sex relationship with the man he loved, who he referred to only as his boyfriend, in Polish and Italian newspapers. “He said he has written a book in Italian and Polish to “lay bare” his experience “in front of all those who want to confront me.”
You can understand why the Vatican fired him from his mid-level job in the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith’s office, when he was planning to hold a press conference there. It would look like support and endorsement of the Vatican for homosexual lifestyle same-sex marriage in the church.
See day 2 status report added to post.
As Diane exhorted, I have seen the day 2 status report added to the post. It is not helpful, in my opinion, that interviewed prelates assert that Cardinal Erdo’s opening speech merely reflects one perspective rather than everyone’s perspective.
Earlier in the day Pope Francis preached mercy. See a report of the Holy Father’s homily here: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/10/06/pope_francis_god_wants_his_ministers_to_be_merciful/1177174
While I do not know all of what Pope Francis said in the aforementioned homily, I am reminded that Saint Paul in his Letter to the Romans wrote: GOD’S KINDNESS IS MEANT TO LEAD YOU TO REPENTANCE.
Yes, Jonah displayed anger when God was merciful to Nineveh. But the Ninevites demonstrated repentance.
Mercy in the face of Christ crucified and risen meets us sinners and by the gracious gift of repentance we acknowledge, confess and turn from our sins with genuine contrition and heartfelt gratitude.
Are Synod participants suggesting mercy might mean something else?
From a priest friend in the Vatican, here is the homily:
““Jonah is initially resistant to God’s will, but eventually learns that he must obey the Lord. The city of Nineveh converts thanks to Jonah’s preaching. It really was a miracle, because in this case he abandons his stubbornness, his rigidity, to obey the will of God, and he did what the Lord commanded him … the story of Jonah and Nineveh unfolds in three chapters: the first is Jonah’s resistance to the mission the Lord entrusts him with; the second is his obedience and the subsequent miracle; in the third chapter, there is resistance to God’s mercy. Those words, ‘Lord, was not this what I said when I was in my country? For you are a merciful and gracious God ‘, and I have done all the work of preaching, I have done my job well, have you forgiven them? The hard heart does allow God’s mercy to enter. It is more important my sermon, my thoughts are more important than the list of commandments that I must observe, everything, everything, everything than God’s mercy. Thus, after the conversion of Nineveh, Jonah, who was not a man who was docile to the Spirit of God, was angry. He even rebuked the Lord … Jesus too was misunderstood because of his mercy. Jesus lived with the Doctors of the Law who did not understand why he did not let the adulteress be stoned, they did not understand why he dined with publicans and sinners. They did not understand mercy … the Responsorial Psalm that we prayed today tells us to wait for the Lord because with the Lord there is mercy, and redemption. In other words, where the Lord is, there is mercy. Remember what St. Ambrose said: ‘Where his ministers are there is rigidity. The rigidity that defies mission, which challenges mercy’ … As we approach the Year of Mercy, let us pray the Lord to help us understand his heart, to understand what ‘mercy’ means, what it means when He says: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifice! … let us often pray with that beautiful sentence: ‘Bestow Your Mercy upon us, because only you understand God’s mercy when it was poured on us, on our sins , our miseries … “
Thank you, JLo, for the text of the Pope’s homily.
I still am left wondering if the Church still exhorts REPENTANCE…..
Peter Herbeck in the October Renewal Ministries newsletter quotes St. Bonaventure who wrote that Saint Franciis weeped for the redeemed who sinned gravely and that he preached wholeheartedly repentance.
May we still believe the whole Gospel!
I have read the report on Day 2 of the Synod. All I can say is that I think we need to pray, as Diane Harris has called us to do. I think we need to call on the Holy Family to intercede for us.
Mary, Jesus, and Joseph, pray for us, Bishops of the Synod and the faithful of the church.
Regarding Repentance and Mercy
The person who has sinned and is truly repentant over having sinned, finds inexplicable joy and a renewed sense of self with God, when they experience mercy and the forgiveness of their sins. That mercy helps to lead that sinner to greater acts of love for God and His church out of response of love he has been shown in mercy.
I think it is important for the faithful to understand first, what “the mark” is, in living a life for God, and what constitutes “missing the mark”, known as sin, before one can understand what wrong they may have committed. Then after understanding and acknowledging the wrong they’ve done, be truly repentant with the desire and resolve to not “miss the mark” again. This understanding of “the mark” and what “missing the mark” is, depends on teaching from the Church, which involves the Synod on the Family, catechesis, and preaching from the pulpit.
I end with a psalm for the Holy Year of Mercy
Psalm 51, 1-19, New American Bible
“For the leader. A psalm of David,
when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;
in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.
Thoroughly wash away my guilt;
and from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my transgressions;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your eyes
So that you are just in your word,
and without reproach in your judgment.
Behold, I was born in guilt,
in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, you desire true sincerity;
and secretly you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will let me hear gladness and joy;
the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins;
blot out all my iniquities.
A clean heart create for me, God;
renew within me a steadfast spirit.
Do not drive me from before your face,
nor take from me your holy spirit.
Restore to me the gladness of your salvation;
uphold me with a willing spirit.
I will teach the wicked your ways,
that sinners may return to you.
Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God,
and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice.
Lord, you will open my lips;
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it;
a burnt offering you would not accept.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.”
Christian, thank you so much for your comment. You have described the experience of many sinners, like myself, who have been graced with that inexplicable joy through Jesus Christ, merciful and forgiving to the repentant.
The Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthians: “I rejoice now, not because you were saddened, but because you were saddened into repentance; for you were saddened in a godly way, so that you did not suffer loss in anything because of us. For godly sorrow produces a salutary repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.” 2Cor.7:9,10
The Prophet Isaiah wrote: ” Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their way,
and sinners their thoughts; Let them turn to the LORD to find mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.” Is. 55:6,7
The Word of God and the Gospel of Salvation itself are the truth which have an inherent transforming and saving power. My confident hope is the Church will love enough to help the unrepentant to perceive the goodness of the Lord Jesus who welcomes all of us to repentance, conversion, changed lives.
Anything less is not good enough!
one of the problems:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/leading-african-cardinal-criticizes-vatican-spokesman-fr.-rosica?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ceb5f76f54-LifeSiteNews_com_US_Headlines_06_19_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0caba610ac-ceb5f76f54-326215702
Can anybody trust Fr. Rosica? The following is very insightful:
http://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/the-vortexgay-press-conferences
The good news is that a new Director of Communications has been chosen by the Holy Father and it is not Fr. Rosica. I had heard that he expected that position. Now if only he is removed from the position of “reporting” on the synod to the English speaking media these weeks of the synod. He is twisting things to his own purposes rather than reporting. He should be removed.