We’ve see this movie before, and it ain’t The Bells of St. Mary!

The Fishwrap (aka National Schismatic Reporter) is having a spittle-flecked nutty about the upcoming Synod’s Instrumentum Laboris.  Ho hum.

They are, I think, afraid that the Synod is not going to relax the “rules” (read: doctrine) about Communion for the remarried without declarations of nullity, inter alia. They see that support for the Kasperite position is falling away and they are scared.  We have had indications that His Holiness himself, and some of the left-leaning power brokers near him, are moving away from the untenable proposal: “tolerated but not accepted”.

People have asked me what I think is going on, what is going to happen.

As the Kasperite position crumbles watch what will happen on the catholic Left.  They will start whipping up fear among bishops whom they think desire the Kasperite Non-Solution.

They will work to create the same sort of rebellion among priests and bishops that the catholic Left did around the time of Humane vitae.  They will stir mutiny against the Church’s clear doctrine and against ecclesial authority.  What they want is that when the Holy Father upholds the Church’s teaching, as many priests as possible, and bishops with them, will criticize the Pope and will ignore the the Church’s doctrine and law when dealing with the divorced and remarried.  Just as liberals told people, after Humanae vitae, to go ahead and contracept as they pleased, so too they will tell the remarried to do as they please and receive Communion.  Then they, in defiance fueled by what they will claim is compassion and mercy, will stop submitting marriage cases to diocesan tribunals.

Anyone who upholds the Church’s doctrine (who won’t give a pass to adultery, etc.), will be vilified by the Left as being against mercy, lacking in compassion.

We’ve see this movie before, and it ain’t The Bells of St. Mary!

Humanae vitae: The Sequel

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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

  1. jfk03 says:

    “Tolerated but not accepted” = “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”

  2. McCall1981 says:

    I laughed when I saw that the opinion piece at NcR by Fr. Thomas Reese is called “Synod working paper is boring and joyless”.

    It sounds like a spoiled, angsty teenager complaining that their parents just don’t understand.

  3. Diane at Te Deum Laudamus says:

    I have felt since this was first announced that the Holy Father was trying to bring into the light what had been brewing in the darkness of a cellar. By flushing out those positions contrary to the faith in an official way, the Pope accomplishes a number of things.

    Aside from the obvious clarity for everyone, those with alternative positions have a chance to be on record, and those positions contrary to Magisterial teaching can be addressed in a more official way.

    Be assured that while there are some bishops advocating or defending things not in harmony with the Gospel, there are those who clearly see it that way, but perhaps a not insignificant number who are not sure what to believe. This will help them discern better.

    Over all, I never felt this Synod was bad for the Church. Sometimes a mother needs to let her wayward son say what he must before it is effective to make the correction. She hopes the wayward son accepts her correction, but if he doesn’t, she at least mitigates the damage caused to the other siblings now that they have heard both sides, with her.

  4. Cathy says:

    Diane, I agree. Prior, and subsequent to the issuance of Humanae Vitae there was open dissent against the Church’s teaching on birth control. Giving an open platform to the dissenters did not change the Church’s teaching. Humanae Vitae is a great spiritual work of mercy.

  5. Priam1184 says:

    Whatever rebellion these people think that they are concocting (and I agree with Father they are concocting one) there is no way that it can have anything like the same impact that the revolt over Humanae Vitae had in 1968. First of all, the rebels of ’68 (or their descendants) are largely running the show in Catholic institutions now, at least in the Western world, and they make their dissent from Church Teaching and the Holy Father a very public and very regular thing: so who exactly are they going to rebel against. And the priests and bishops who oppose the teaching have probably been ignoring it for decades now so what are they going to do after the Synod that is any different than what they have already been doing for years now?

    Rebellion and revolution (what is there to rebel against anymore?) don’t have the same cachet that they had 50 years ago. That’s right Baby Boomers! It has been half a century now, it ain’t the age of Aquarius anymore, and you aren’t on the cutting edge; you ARE the establishment of a very screwed up world and you are old and far gone into gray now. The clock is ticking on your mortality so you had better start examining your consciences. So if you are planning what you think will be some great revolt against Francis after the Synod on the Family then go for it: we are ready for you.

  6. Peg Demetris says:

    Father Z – I believe you are 100% CORRECT that “Something Wicked This Way Comes”. So much so, I TOO have seen this movie! Stand FIRM in the Faith!

  7. Magash says:

    Priam,
    I tend to agree with you. I would take it even further. Many devote Catholic was actually deceived when it came to Humanae Vitae. Remember in those days people were fairly far from being able to actually follow what the Holy See was saying. Most people received news on Humanae Vitae from people they trusted; their priest, bishop or a religious sister. It was not like today where it was possible to easily get an official translation of a Vatican document 24/7 (except in the case of a certain document which only seemed to be available in a Slavic dialect, but I digress). The faithful had no way of knowing that some sisters, priests and bishops were dissidents seeking to undermine the Magisterium of the Church. So well did they do their job that just recently I had a discussion with a Professed Secular Franciscan who trotted out the dissident theologian talking points of why Humanae Vitae was not a binding document. Talking points that I easily refuted, but which I am sure many faithful Catholics 55 years ago would not have had the information so easily refute.
    As Priam stated, the 1960’s are gone. Those who are faithful to the Magisterium will not be easily fooled today. The only ones who will buy the dissident dog and pony show are those who have already made up their minds to ignore Church teaching anyway.

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