Marco Tosatti, more and more a guy to follow in the Italian press for analysis of churchy things, has a piece at La Stampa about Card. Pell and how things are going in the Curia.
I don’t have time to translate the whole thing for you right now, but here is a sample:
How annoying Pell is …
There are those in the Curia who are seeking to de-legitimize the straightforward Australian Cardinal, head of the Secretariat of Finance, underscoring his brusque and direct character. Also, because of his speeches and the Synod on the family. But perhaps there are other motives…
Now that the departure of Cardinal Burke from the Signatura has been formalized, taking power away from one of the most straightforward and independent voices, in the Roman Church, in the Curia they are talking about a slithery maneuver to de-legitimize the Australian Cardinal George Pell, head of the new financial and economic Secretariat. He, like Burke, is someone who does not mince his words.
They became aware of this at the Synod, when the Australian Cardinal forcefully burst out against the secretary [Card. Baldisseri], who was suggesting the hypothesis of voting by raised hands, instead of in secret, on the texts. And he continued to speak even with his microphone turned off [how Reaganesque!] before they turned it back on for him, exclaiming “There has to be transparency! Everyone ought to be able to express himself as he wants!” It was certainly an exchange of opinions that wasn’t very muffled, which reached its apex when, at the suggestion to treat the whole situation with a communiqué through the press office, Pell let fly, “We don’t trust their communication!”, or something similar. At this point, applause erupted, with many of the Synod fathers all speaking together.
[…]
I must dash. Perhaps one of you can finish it, or I can get to it later.
In any event, it doesn’t sound as if this day of the Synod, at least, was replete with boring consensus, except insofar as the Synod Fathers were in angry consensus about how they were being manipulated. My spies from the Synod tell me that it was pretty tense and that there was more than a few voices raised.
So, the knives that were out for Burke are now being sharpened for Card. Pell. Bet on it.
Card. Pell has a tough job. He has to reign in curial financial incompetence and corruption. Not easy. Not one bit.
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I have always been most supportive of “our” Cardinal, speaking as an Australian. I am not one bit surprised that the knives are out for him. He is not one to suffer fools and most certainly he will not be silenced. They cannot send him back to Sydney since his replacement has already taken over there, who is Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP. Archbishop Fisher is a fine replacement for Cardinal Pell since he is cast in much the same mold as Cardinal Pell.
Although “only” a bishop, I am convinced that they are already sawing on the chair of Bishop Anthanasius Schneider too.
He is way to outspoken for their comfort zone.
The Synod sounds like a totally manipulated power play. I saw a post on one (Spanish) website that said that the “final” decisions were offered to the bishops only in Italian – a language many of them do not speak – at the last minute, and they had no time to even make sure that they were voting the way they wanted to vote. I suspect that some things got a majority simply because many bishops didn’t understand them fully.
The statements didn’t get enough of a majority to pass, even though Pope Francis had them published anyway, but I doubt they would have gotten even that much if all of the attendees had really understood them.
This was complete manipulation. And yes, Cdl Pell is probably next on the hit list. But he’s tough and has been through other attempts to take him out. It’s surprising that Americans and English speakers (including some Africans, Slavs and Asians) are resisting, because English speaking countries tend a little bit to papolatry .
Traditionally Catholic countries – not so much. But the liberals moved quickly on them. The Spanish don’t like what’s going on either, but their leaders were among the first to be removed or at least marginalized and they’re powerless now. I think there’s some resistance in France, and who the heck knows what’s going on in Italy?
The other thing that has impressed me is the laity. What has saved France were the tens of thousands of French lay people who showed up at demonstrations a couple of months ago to support true marriage. The deposit of faith may be able to resist the head honchos.
It’s odd, nonetheless, that English speakers should emerge as the defenders of the Faith.
Since the Synod I have made part of daily prayers the intentions of those who courageously stood for the Truth and timelessness of church teaching, in a public manner, specifically:
Cardinals Burke, Pell, Napier, Sarah, Ouelette
Archbishop Leonard of Belgium
Archbishop Gradecki of Poland
Archbishop Chaput.
I respectfully suggest that all faithful Catholics pray for these and other faithful shepherds as we are really in times of great danger to the faith.
JMJ please help us and our true Shepherds.
Great idea: poke the bear, see what happens.
The Cat on the Dovrefjell, anyone?
Call my cynical but:
“He has to reign in curial financial incompetence and corruption” and “He, like Burke, is someone who does not mince his words.”
I wonder how close these two are related. After all, I’m sure there’s plenty of people at the Vatican who liked all that financial corruption.
They turned off the microphone to silence Cardinal Pell? Pell is the Ottaviani of our generation.
Call me crazy (people do when I mention “The Purge”), but it is a repeat performance of Vatican II, exact same “controlling the microphone” playbook, word for word. It’s almost Stalinist/Maoist and so disgusting.
Remember the sickening and needlessly humiliating treatment Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani (head of the Holy Office at that time) received when they shut off his microphone while he was speaking on the third day of the Council? I read somewhere a couple years back that it was Achille Cardinal Lienart of Lille, France who shut off Cardinal Ottaviani’s microphone.
Are you sure Cardinal Pell was at the same synod that Cardinal Dolan attended? There was dissent among the brothers? Come on. Be nice.
This is Cardinal Dolan’s view given at the USCCB Assembly on Monday. The video is Day 1 Morning Session Part 2 and begins at 1:12:44.
http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/usccb-general-assembly/video-on-demand.cfm
Knives out…. what kind of talk is that?
Really Can’t add anything else that has already been said….but yes one by one those in the Hierarchy who are truthful to the teachings of the Church are being ousted…….the hand writing has been on the wall since March 2013….don’t you know it is a replay of VII, and how the liberals created a mess then and continue to do so…..oh Saint J.P.II and Pope Benedict how greatly you are both missed.
Watch and see They will go after Somm. Pontf. next.
God Help us!
Now, that’s an odd story. The Cardinal in New York was quoted recently describing the synod as being so peaceful and boring that he only wished he had been at the contentious synod described in media reports. Perhaps he wasn’t paying attention.
This pope is perplexing, as we all know. He demotes Cardinal Burke, yet promotes Cardinal Pell to financial czar. Other than style, they’re very similar churchmen. In fact, Cardinal Pell has donned the cappa magna, but they haven’t started trotting that out yet.
I today that Robert Mickens, at the Fishwrap, has launched a diatribe as a result of what seems to be Burke Derangement Syndrome. Here are some choice words from his opinion piece: “retrograde shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe,” “the man wearing the long red train,” “weird neo-Tridintine community,” “live practically as if Vatican II never happened,” “re-opened the diocese’s long-shuttered high school seminary.” (That’s bad?) I’ve barely scratched the surface of his nutty.
Yes, they’ll be coming after Pell, too. How long will it be before we see a picture of Pell in cappa in the Fishwrap?
As a citizen of the US, I have been dismayed to watch my Nation fall apart before my very eyes. But I took solace in being Catholic and felt the Church was somewhat stable, at least. My head knows it is, as Jesus has dominion – but He never promised that there wasn’t going to be a bumpy road. Guess I just have to fasten my seat belt and keep praying, and try to keep my heart from jumping out of my throat.
It’s strange that this should come out now. I was thinking to myself just the other day, that it was strange that they had left Cardinal Pell alone. I wouldn’t be shocked to see them turn their attention to Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller as well.
It’s strange that this should come out now. I was thinking to myself just the other day, that it was odd that they had left Cardinal Pell alone. I wouldn’t be shocked to see them turn their attention to Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller as well.
I don’t know how managed to post the same comment twice. Now that takes talent!
Given the financial shenanigans that seem to infect the Istituto per le Opere di Religione it’s not surprising that those who would rather not have their deeds uncovered are starting a whispering campaign. I’m sure that these elements were the ones who made Pope Emeritus Benedict’s tenure so debilitating. We need to pray for the Holy Father, Cardinal Pell and the Council of Cardinals that their important work in bringing transparency to the Vatican bureaucracy may succeed.
What are his powers and authority in his position? Would be nice if he had the ability, and will, to turn of the flow of cash to some of the attackers.
WOW. Just WOW.
Its almost as if as soon as I listen to and read the words of someone I respect and trust, the knives come out against them.
Added to my prayer list.
Unlike with Crdl Burke who clearly was not on “friendly” terms with him from the beggining , PF has publically backed and praised Crdl Pell, as I recalled, back in may when he was attacked as he implemented economic measures at the Vatican that affected the traditional CUria, as Secretary of Finance I believe it is.
Both coming from rugby playing countries, PF used the term Vatican’s resident “rugby player”. and praised his “tenacity”.
http://www.news.com.au/world/pope-francis-backs-cardinal-george-pells-vatican-shakeup/story-fndir2ev-1226904574260om.mx/mundo/ante-criticas-el-papa-defiende-al-nuevo-director-de-finanzas-del-vaticano.html
We shall see.
To paraphrase St. Thomas More, “I am the Pope’s faithful servant, but God’s first.”
Comparisons have been made with what happened at Vat 11. But it won’t be a repeat. For a start at Vat 1 so many Bishops were just not aware of the forces at work, and nor were laity.
Now it’s different. Bishops, priests and laity are following closely what is going on
In particular, a large section of loyal Catholic laity are looking to the hierarchy to hold fast to the Magisterium of the Church, and what’ s more they have a fair idea of what that is.
As well as Cardinals Burke and Pell and there are others. Cardinal Ranjith comes to mind, and there is now an informed and eloquent orthodox lay movement. Names such as de Mattei and Magister for instance. We can all think of individuals such as Voris, Mosebach, Shaw, and others in our favourite blogs. Not a cohesive group by any means but they could easily coalesce, if need be.
It will, in my humble opinion, come down to two major issues. The Real Presence and the Indissolubility of Marriage.
If people in a state of Mortal Sin are allowed to receive Holy Communion, for example divorced and remarried, or co-habitors or if there is any relaxation in the concept of the Indissolubility of the Sacrament of Marriage, in any form, direct or indirect under the guise of false mercy – then it’s war!
The would-be Reformers will be watched closely and continuously by informed Catholics, particularly during the coming year.
Above all, we must reverse this movement to change the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass into a protestant communion service with the right of everyone to the Sacred Host. This is the Trojan Horse the Reformers are using in their drive dissolve belief in the Real Presence and in the Sacrament of Marriage.
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Fr. Benedict Kiely on Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke at National Review.
The Pope’s Unforced Error – His demotion of Cardinal Burke, a loyal but eloquent critic, could turn out to be his greatest mistake.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/392508/popes-unforced-error-benedict-kiely
Reading of “the secretary [Card. Baldisseri], who was suggesting the hypothesis of voting by raised hands, instead of in secret, on the texts” made me think of Cromwell at the Trial of Sir Thomas More in the film of A Man for All Seasons saying, “Considering the evidence, it shouldn’t be necessary for them to retire.”
Traductora’s reporting ” I saw a post on one (Spanish) website that said that the ‘final’ decisions were offered to the bishops only in Italian – a language many of them do not speak – at the last minute, and they had no time to even make sure that they were voting the way they wanted to vote” touches on a number of points I was wondering about.
Cardinal Pell was surely right that, “There has to be transparency! Everyone ought to be able to express himself as he wants!” – but, with electronic voting – within one minute per paragraph and perhaps on a text only offered (in writing? aurally?) in Italian – there was presumably some possibility of privacy and a sort of secrecy (how much in fact, would depend on ‘the electronics’), but who (beyond some technician?) will ever really know what the totals were and indeed whether any Father’s vote was recorded as he intended?
What was a Sedicesimo-Benedictine Synod like? Recountable, scrutinizable paper ballots? A chance for “Everyone […] to be able to express himself as he wants!” – audibly, at sufficient length, but only if he did want to? No need for all this speculation and hearsay because things simply were transparent. and well-documented, and available?
What little I know of recent Synod history!
And he continued to speak even with his microphone turned off
Good luck with that. Have they seen the size of the man? He could out-roar a bull elephant, if he wanted to.
Revelations Chapter 11, everyone. I’m just sayin’.
I wouldn’t mind having a wager on +++Pell slowly loping out on to the balcony after the next conclave…
This goes beyond the synod.
Burke upset his fellow US bishops who bowed down to pro abort big shots. Then he was influencing the appointment of bishops, meaning that maybe only Catholics would get to be bishops.
Similarly, Pell’s “sins” go way beyond defending Catholic dogma: He is busy cleaning up the Vatican banking mess. This is even more dangerous for him, since the bank scandal involves coverups and mafia drug money laundering. IF the bad guys can’t remove him via politics, he is in very real danger of being eliminated. Keep him in your prayers.
LarryW2LJ says: “As a citizen of the US, I have been dismayed to watch my Nation fall apart before my very eyes. But I took solace in being Catholic and felt the Church was somewhat stable, at least.”
Not just in the US, but in the entire West in general, it seems like those of us in the conservative/traditional side of things are currently without a real leader. Pope Francis and Obama are obviously not on “our” side. Europe is full of socialists, far-right kooks, pragmatists like Merkel, or fake conservatives like Cameron and Rajoy. And Canada’s Harper and Australia’s Abbot are simply too “lightweight” in the global stage.
Whenever I look at pictures of Reagan, Thatcher, and St. John Paul II from the 1980s, I almost want to weep. Oh, well…..this too shall pass, Lord.
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PF has backed Crdl Pell back in May when he was under fire:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/pope-backs-his-new-vatican-economy-czar/article/feed/2132185
Turning mics off worked in VII because regular Cardinals and Bishops didn’t have the internet; I think they’re going to have to realize that won’t work again. I don’t think the Powers that Be even care that this will feed a media feeding frenzy about “Division in the Church,” so long as it foments support for “their side.” =-\ This is a Latin American purge with a smile >_<
Fr. Z,
As a sort of footnote cross-reference to this post and your earlier one of 14 October, I just saw this, with quotations from the sermon you mentioned there:
http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/cardinal-pell-promises-no-doctrinal-backflips-at-next-family-synod/
Can you, by any chance, or can anyone else, say if the full text can be found online anywhere?
By the way, when I checked the comments there to see if anyone had linked a full sermon text, I saw someone had linked an August 2013 YouTube loading of a ‘debate’ program with Richard Dawkins and Cardinal Pell, pointing to a certain part near the end of that broadcast where an audience member asks about opposing “giving our gay neighbours marriage rights”.
Part of Cardinal Pell’s answer includes, “For a homosexual couple to have a union, well and good, there’s no reason why that can’t be -” at which point he is cut off by the moderator so he can ask, “Do you believe that homosexuality, since it is not a choice, is part of God’s natural order?”
Part of Cardinal Pell’s answer to that (after a further interjected tendentious moderatorial question) includes,”I don’t think homosexual activity is simply the result of genetic make-up, because we are free – we can control our instincts – and, [“well,”?] like heredity and environment, a lot of this practice is learned, but whatever about it, we’ve got to try to support these people, show compassion – the Catholic Church has a great record there”.
All this is not as clear as it might be – which is not surprising given the evidently hostile as well as artificial broadcast-scheduling-driven context.
But can you, or can anyone, recommend something Cardinal Pell has written about ‘unions’ that is thorough and clear? The possible danger in the broadcast is of unclarity or (apparent?) contradiction with respect to the 2003 CDF “Considerations”:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731_homosexual-unions_en.html