Recently, in the pages of First Things, Archbp. Chaput of Philadelphia published a theologian’s views of the Instrumentum Laboris for the upcoming Synod of Bishops about “young people”.
A couple points leap out.
First, I note in a piece at LifeSite that, after a tutting Cupich took Chaput to task for daring to display an opinion, now Baldisseri wonders aloud about why Chaput did what he did. A simple answer comes in the form of a tweet:
Maybe the coordinated attempt to humiliate the last 13 prelates who privately and “confidentially” voiced concerns about a synod had something to do with it. (I’m sure +Baldisseri knows nothing about that.) https://t.co/1MnIDWKwIS
— Stephen White (@SWhiteEPPC) October 1, 2018
Once burned…
So far, the best comment about the Instrumentum Laboris:
Papal biographer George Weigel described the working document as “a bloated, tedious door stop…woefully lacking in spiritual or theological insight.”
Also, this popped out from the LifeSite piece:
Among the most controversial clergy to attend is Bishop Felix Genn, a German bishop who last month did not stop a priest under his care from circulating homosexual “love” stories in his diocese. Genn has all been accused of covering up several sex abuse cases.
Where have I seen that name recently?
Bishop Genn of Münster has declared he will not ordain “pre-conciliar clerical types”. In 2017, three priests were ordained in his diocese. In January, the diocesan seminary rector spoke of ‘sleepless nights’ because of the lack of #vocations https://t.co/xmUfqoawgl
— AC Wimmer (@AC_Wimmer) September 28, 2018
Well… there’s an open-minded bishop! Just what they need in a Synod on young people, even as young people in the Church today are turning away from the aging-hippie crap that’s been foisted on them.
And read THIS alarming line up for the Synod. Alarming.
Some people think that this Synod will be, as the last two manifestly were, rigged to go in a certain direction. You will perhaps remember that, in the last Synods, there were clear violations of the rules governing voting, all manner of nonsense was brought out in pressers that wasn’t discussed on the floor, books sent to members were stolen from mail slots (a crime), etc. etc. It got so bad that Edward Pentin wrote a book about it and, in a satirical manner, the legendary “Zuhlio” teamed up the the official parodohymniodist of the blog, to issue a hit single: “Fifty Ways To Rig A Synod”
Speaking of Zuhlio, I received a note from him expressing concern about various corners of the Church, not just the Synod. He was in a nostalgic and more than a little melancholy mood, I think, judging from his new offering.
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I share everyone’s misgivings about the synod. But I would point out that the presence of saints at a synod doesn’t mean the synod itself will be peaceful or that people won’t espouse heresy. St. Antonio Maria Claret had a stroke from the stuff people said at Vatican I, and some of the people who said that stuff (that disagreed, not that espoused heresy) are also acknowledged saints. Didn’t stop the “Old Catholics” and others from splitting off and doing weird stuff.
That said, I think we should all start invoking the intercession of Bl. Laura Vicuña. She was named one of Argentina’s patron saints despite only being a beata. She lived a holy life of precocious closeness to God, but that’s not the heroic virtue part. She was a physical abuse victim because she refused to be raped by her mother’s abusive boyfriend, and refused to condone her mother living with a man without being married. Her mom finally took the kids and got out, but the man caught up and beat Laura to (her eventual death a week later) death in the street, when Laura attempted to flee to the Salesian sisters rather than stick around to get raped. She died just a few weeks before her 13th birthday, so she’s certainly a young person.
(Laura forgave her killer on her deathbed, but he didn’t repent and he and his family were too influential to be prosecuted. He was killed three years later in a fight over a horse race.)
I notice that many other (worthy) Argentinean beati have been made saints by Pope Francis, but not Bl. Laura. Being forced to accompany an irregular union like she was… the reality of that is not pretty.
However, the DC school formerly named for Cardinal Wuerl is contemplating renaming the school for Bl. Laura, which seems a decent idea.
This just in: there will be a special “Bondage and Leather as Seen In Exodus and Kings” forum. Also the Village People will be performing spiritual music. Last, efforts to move the entire conference to either Fire Island or Key West have failed!!
Interesting that the synod is commencing a day after the Feast of the Guardian Angels. I guess they didn’t want to take any chances. Who am I kidding, they don’t believe in angels.
Thank you, Father, for approving my account!
Maybe I can give some insights into the story regarding His Excellency Bishop Felix Genn of Münster (Germany). Since I have some insider knowledge about this Bishop and his diocese, I can say that his comment does not shock me. It is unnecessary, but absolutely in line with his general character.
Genn is ordaining men who lead an openly gay lifestyle, and who even invite other men to their rooms in the seminary. A few years ago, this caused a scandal which resulted in three seminarians being kicked from the seminary (those three were frequenting gay bars and discos, and one even had a boyfriend at that time). Genn knew about this, but action was only taken when one of the three complained to the regent about the other two.
The seminary in Münster today has almost no seminarians, and it has to rent out rooms to students (to pay the bills, as I suspect; though not to theology students; they are expressively unwanted – the reason given for this is they want “scientific variation” and “diversity” in the seminary).
Genn also publicly posited himself on the side of Reinhard Cardinal Marx in the debate about “Communion for All”, basically allowing Protestants and divorced remarried people to receive the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar without prior repentance/conversion.
In January of 2015, Paul Spätling, a priest of the diocese, was discredited by Genn for speaking publicly out against Islam and the “Islamification” of Germany, also criticizing the Turkish President Erdogan. Genn’s reaction was to bring into effect a preaching ban on Spätling.
Recently, an exhibition took place in Münster with the subject of “Peace” (“Frieden”). For this, a banner was hung at the main portal of Münster’s cathedral church, saying: “As-salamu alaikum” (“Peace be with you” in Arabic) with the intent of attracting Muslims, but not to convert them, but to preach a false tolerance and religious relativism.
The theological faculty of the university, which is subjected to the Bishop of Münster (at least concerning the approbation of the staff), is disastrous. It has a gender studies institute, the professors are liberal and protestant (praising Luther for his fight against evil Church, or ridiculing Benedict XVI for Summorum Pontificum, claiming he broke Church Law with it).
I can say with confidence that “klerikale, vorkonziliare Typen” won’t even consider entering Münster’s seminary. There are other dioceses in Germany which are way more attractive and welcoming, and then there is Wigratzbad.
Dear Zuhlio, I ought to be laughing at your brilliance here. Instead, Sondheim’s melancholy notes meld seamlessly with the high Kabuki drama of our present Catholic reality, and I feel like crying. There ought to be saints, indeed! Oh well, maybe next year . . . haven’t we said it all these past years? This is more like an anthem sung by those poor souls who converted to the one, holy, apostolic Church only to find today’s Barnum & Bailey.
Another excellent song from our trusty bard Zuhlio.
The mention of “nostalgia” recalls an essay in the Imaginative Conservative: “Nostalgia for the Future.” I don’t fully agree with the author’s perspective, but it is an interesting essay nonetheless.
http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2017/07/nostalgia-future-antiquity-eternity-oxford-authors-jason-baxter.html
“The experience of nostalgia is a feeling of beauty’s remoteness, but only because it is so far in the future. It is hope.”
Feeling really disillusioned at this moment, I fear this Synod will turn out to be as bad, if not worse, as those on the Family. Disappointed in Pope Francis and despairing at what is happening to the Church. Father, I am offering up my prayers for yourself and and all good and holy priests throughout the world, as well as for the laity. Cannot remember such anger and disillusionment at those supposed to lead us in the faith.
I love Zuhlio and could listen to him sing all day. Maybe next year. Hopeful, since next year is upon us.
I too am concerned with this Synod. As I set in the most non-religious state in these United States, 0ne thing that I have thought about is praying especially for the Bishops from Africa. They seem to be the only ones willing to stand up for the faith and the Gospels. I will pray that they find the courage to fight the westerners and remain steadfast.
I am no longer capable of being alarmed. I expect now that the Synod is an entirely scripted affair. I expect that it will proclaim gay as okay. I expect anything and everything unholy and blasphemous will be engaged in by numerous prelates, because that is what they consistently do. I expect revisions in the Catechism. I expect to see sodomical pseudogamy inflicted upon the Faithful, and even such ceremonies performed at St. Peter’s.
What then is left besides the sign of desolation? Time to go to Confession.
It’s actually not that easy to make me cry. I find this very touching. I did cry.
As dire as these times are for the laity, how much more difficult for the faithful clergy. I cannot imagine.
We just have to hang in there.