Conspicuous absence from the recent “shadow council”

You heard about the strange “shadow council” held about the same time that the Pope’s council of the Synod of Bishops was meeting to discuss, inter alia, the upcoming Synod and its MO.  HERE

The “shadow council” was held in Rome, at the Jesuit-run Gregorian University.  There were participants from Germany, (Vichy?) France and Switzerland.   They had weird talks, from weird theologians.

There were no Italians there.

Not even Archbp. Bruno Forte was there, and he did his doctorate in German, speaks German, probably thinks German.   Forte was the one identified last October by the Synod’s chairman Card. Erdö as being the author of the controversial paragraphs in the Synod’s midterm report which were about the very topic of the “shadow council”. HERE and HERE  So, where was Archbp. Forte?

One is driven to ask: What do the Italians know that the others don’t?

In the past we have an example of the Italians leaving their collaboration with the Germans.

I wonder:  Perhaps the Italians have figured out that the Allies are going to win and the Axis is over.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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18 Comments

  1. Max says:

    Re “I wonder: Perhaps the Italians have figured out that the Allies are going to win and the Axis is over.”
    We can only pray, hope and not worry according to St Pio. Still there’s a part praying that the Pope and Magisterium fires these guys; and if that doesn’t stop them, then excommunication. These shadow conspirators are doing what Pope Francis has been railing against all along: subterfuge and back room dealing.
    May God bind them and silence them. Mary intercede for your Church!

  2. ChrisRawlings says:

    The Italians weren’t the only ones missing. The Polish bishops apparently did get an invite, which they (politely?) declined. They would have likely choked on their blintzes hearing that the Theology of Love is now overtaking the Theology of the Body.

  3. Please their little meeting is laughable. We know that Pope Francis isn’t ignorant of what happened in 2014, and knows he has to tow the line at the very least for decorum in the Church, but more likely he is Traditonal in his faith and belief in the Church and he is gradually getting more accustomed to his role as Pope. Even if they tried some shenanigans, synod 2015 will be in favour of Church teaching. You are right Fr Z, the writing is on the wall and it says “you won’t break this doctrine of the Church, liberal scum.”

  4. chantgirl says:

    I just have to shake my head at the monumental waste of time and money that the Synod has been. Is it too much to hope that a Synod on the family deal with issues that most every family faces: high cost of living/education that forces many to delay marriage and childbearing, families becoming domestic churches in a toxic culture, pornography use among the majority of Catholic men, the many post-abortive women sitting in the pew every Sunday, widespread use of contraception, anti-family policies of various govts, the lack of support for families as extended families do not live in close proximity, the outrageous cost of Catholic education that prevents many parents who are generous with childbearing from being able to afford to send their children to Catholic schools, poor catechesis, Catholic universities which deprogram Catholic students and turn them into atheists, marriage prep and the high divorce rate, etc.

    Instead of dealing with the issues that most families are facing, the Synod had to open up debate on settled topics, scandalize the faithful, and lead to expectations of a change in Church doctrine this October. Synod part II, please prove me wrong and do something useful this October.

  5. Thom says:

    Chantgirl, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head.

  6. Robbie says:

    The brazenness of the Germans, especially Marx and Kasper, is really something to behold. Still, let’s not underestimate what is happening. They and their allies are playing to win both in the short term and in the long term. All along, they’ve had a game plan and they’ve followed it to victory after victory. And even when they didn’t win a short term fight (2005 Conclave), they just kept at it figuring they would eventually get another chance.

    I mention this because the conservative/traditionalist side has usually been caught flat footed in these fights. At VII, they were easily outmaneuvered and they were clearly outmaneuvered in the lead up to the 2013 Conclave. Rather than fight on a united front, the conservatives and traditionalists have usually been fractured.

    Marx and Kasper are in it to win it. And even if they suffer a setback this Fall, they’ll keep chugging along. I hope the conservatives and the traditionalists understand this. I hope they’re working on a game plan to push back on this nonsense, but I hope they don’t see this as a one time thing. To quote George W Bush, they need a “strategery” that goes beyond the here and now because the other side certainly does.

  7. asperges says:

    This would never have happened under Benedict. There is no responsible leadership from the top, let’s face facts. This is a most dangerous time for the Church; a great battle is taking place whose outcome is far from certain.

  8. yatzer says:

    Exactly what I was thinking, chantgirl.

  9. kpoterack says:

    Not even Archbp. Bruno Forte was there . . .

    KP: Well, the simple answer is that he can’t bilocate. The good archbishop is a member of the Synod’s Ordinary Council along with Card. Erdo – and a bunch of other good men. So, unless things have changed from last year, he was in the same room with the pope and everyone else – Pell, Dolan, Erdo, Napier, etc.

    Still, I get your point. Why weren’t there any other Italians there?

  10. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    “Perhaps the Italians have figured out that the Allies are going to win and the Axis is over.” Historically, when that happened to the extent it did on 25 July 1943 with Mussolini forced to resign, the Germans simply took over directly – though they also sprang Mussolini from captivity the following 12 September and set up the ‘Republican Fascist Government’, giving the appearance of Italian rule but with Mussolini & co. effectively just taking orders from the Germans.

    Let us hope Italian absence does not include too large an element of complacent (or constrained) acquiescence in the role of German cat’s paw.

  11. juergensen says:

    The German heretics need to man up and admit they’re really Protestants in Catholic garb.

  12. Geoffrey says:

    “This would never have happened under Benedict.”

    Agreed.

  13. DonL says:

    How do you say “pastoral virus” in German?

  14. Imrahil says:

    I think “Pastoralpragmatitis” or “Seelsorgeritis” would be good choices. We like to imagine all these metaphoric illnesses as inflammations, apparently.

  15. Grumpy Beggar says:

    I echo Thom and yatzer ‘s sentiments :

    chantgirl‘s post just cut through all the BS and went right to the heart of the matter. I pray that they do something useful this October too

  16. kpoterack says:

    If you look at the list of bishops who were present – as published by Edward Pentin – there were only nine (9). Of those there were definitely only five (5) 2015 Synod participants: Marx, Koch, and Bode (Germany), Brunin and Pontier (France). Though there were three Swiss bishops present, only one of them will be able to represent Switzerland, as Switzerland is only allowed one (1) bishop delegate, because it has fewer than 25 bishops total. Let’s assume that one (1) of them will represent Switzerland – apparently that information is not available yet. That’s still only a total of six (6) such bishops who will be present at the Synod in the fall.

    I am not saying that we shouldn’t be concerned. I am CERTAINLY not saying that we shouldn’t pray and do whatever we think we are called to do. I just think that it is important to get perspective. It’s the usual suspects and hardly a groundswell.

    Now we know why Bruno Forte wasn’t there, he is a part of the official apparatus and had to be at the pope’s meeting.

    What is interesting to me is, why wasn’t Card. Vignt-Trois at the “shadow council?” He will, again, be a synod delegate for the French, but isn’t on the Ordinary Council – unless he was recently appointed. Maybe he had to be at the pope’s meeting because he will again be a synod president, like he was last year. I don’t know. Maybe he also sees them as the Axis, now, and realizes that he should avoid them.

    And what about Bishop John Paul James? He is another approved French synod delegate. Was he too busy or uninterested because he doesn’t cotton to them? A French resistance fighter?

  17. TomD says:

    I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. . . . Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; (Rom 12:1-2,9, RSV-CE).

    This is the Theology of the Body that is compatible with the notion of the Theology of Love, if only that is what they meant by “love.”

  18. JesusFreak84 says:

    1) Put chantgirl in charge of the Synod! 2) While +Forte’s absence is explainable, I would’ve thought he would’ve sent SOMEONE in his place. I’m also surprised to read that the Poles were even invited, given how gosh-darned ORTHODOX they had the nerve to be last fall =-p

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