Category Archives: Francis

QUAERITUR: Is there something wrong in Rome?

At The Catholic Thing today, my friend Dr. Robert Royal asks the elephantine – nay, rather, mastodontic question: Is there something wrong in Rome? The obvious answer is YES. Only a fool or fanatical ideologue (in the real sense) would … Read More

Posted in Francis, SESSIUNCULA, The Coming Storm, The Drill |
8 Comments

CWR’s Carl Olson nails it

At CWR, Carl Olson took on some words of Francis to Portuguese Jesuits – we saw something about that elsewhere – published in La Civiltà Cattolica especially about US “backwardists” and we poor benighted American’s and “ideology”.   Thus, he demonstrates … Read More

Posted in Francis, The Drill | Tagged , ,
8 Comments

Laudato si’ Part II

If you were worried that, with all the talk about synodality {“walking together-ty”) the world’s real pressing matters weren’t being addressed, never fear! From ANSA: Il Papa sta scrivendo una seconda parte della Laudato si’ Io sto scrivendo una seconda … Read More

Posted in Francis | Tagged
9 Comments

Francis gives more advice

Francis has said some puzzling things over the years.   Recently, he has peppered the Church with a few more of his insights, whose depths defy easy exploration. One of them prompted Anthony Esolen (who has a new translation of Augustine’s Confessions coming … Read More

Posted in Francis, What are they REALLY saying? |
11 Comments

INTERVIEW: One of my profs in Rome Dr. John Rist with Ed Pentin: The Catholic Church Could Be Facing a Crisis Worse Than the Arian Controversy of the 4th Century

Ed Pentin, surely Rome’s best English language commentator on Church matters these days, has an interview with Dr. John Rist, a professor at Cambridge and also in Rome at my school, the Patristic Instititute Augustinianum.  I had several courses from … Read More

Posted in Francis, Hard-Identity Catholicism | Tagged
7 Comments

May I recommend some reading?

May I recommend reading this from Andrea Gagliarducci, puts out am internet column every Monday on things “Vatican”? This week he covers the removal of Archbp. Georg Gaenswein from the Vatican. Pope Francis, a break with the past Sample… Pope … Read More

Posted in Benedict XVI, Francis | Tagged
7 Comments

Two things: Part 3 of Bp. Huonder’s VIDEO and what Francis said to Jesuits in Hungary.

Two things. First, Swiss Bishop Vitus Huonder has released the third in a series of videos about the undeniable crisis in the Church. It is in German with subtitles. Put down or put aside other things. Click. Fold your hands and watch this … Read More

Posted in Francis, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, Vatican II | Tagged
16 Comments

ASK FATHER: I don’t believe Francis is really the Pope. Is it a sin to go to Mass where his name is mentioned?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I have read your blog on and off for years but recently began reading regularly. I always find your writing edifying and informative. I will try to keep my question/concern short and to the point. I … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Francis, Our Catholic Identity |
16 Comments

1 Sept: On the anniversary of a very creepy thing, two very creepy things happened

Sometimes coincidences are just coincidences. Sometimes they aren’t. Yesterday, 1 September, on the anniversary of a very creepy thing, two very creepy things happened. 1- Francis gave a speech to the world’s bishops, more an more reduced to “branch managers” … Read More

Posted in Francis, Our Catholic Identity, Pò sì jiù, SESSIUNCULA, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, What are they REALLY saying? | Tagged ,
29 Comments

“Crazy” rumor about what Francis might do during the August consistory

Church news, especially having to do with the papacy, has lately become a hybrid between a long-delayed forensic autopsy and Fawlty Towers, sickeningly hilarious. Yesterday, I saw this tweet from Damian Thompson. Crazy rumour in Rome that at his August … Read More

Posted in Benedict XVI, Francis, The Coming Storm, The Drill | Tagged ,
29 Comments

Hard prophecy from St. Francis of Assisi

UPDATE: NB: After the The Great Roman™ saw this he offered: That I recall it was not included in the Franciscan Sources and it is believed to have been written at the time of Boniface VIII who suppressed a Franciscan … Read More

Posted in Francis, Saints: Stories & Symbols, The future and our choices | Tagged
22 Comments

Invoking “Grandmother of the West”….? What is THAT all about?

SERIOUS PREAMBLE No demon has a real name.  That’s part of their punishment.  They really want a name and identity.   Invocation of a false god or spirit allows demons to step up and be recognized, take the name and get … Read More

Posted in Francis, The Drill | Tagged
29 Comments

Francis’ NEW “Desiderio desideravi” an Apostolic Letter “on the liturgical formation of the people of God” – an attempt to explain Traditionis custodes, to calm the storm

BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE… I urge those of you who are on the “trad” side of things (whether “mad, sad or glad”) not to run around with your hair on fire over this Letter which will  – unsurprisingly – contain some … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Francis, The Drill, Traditionis custodes | Tagged , ,
32 Comments

“Restorers”! “Against the Council”! “MAKE IT take root”! What are they really saying?

It strikes me that relative newcomer around the Holy See Press sector, listed as CNA‘s “senior Rome correspondent” – which as I get older strikes me as amusing – Hannah Brockhaus should rethink her priorities. Francis had an audience with … Read More

Posted in Francis, Just Too Cool, Liberals, New catholic Red Guards, The Drill, The future and our choices, Vatican II | Tagged , ,
26 Comments

FRANCIS (I’m not making this up) says that lace… lace… is against the Council and the Church. Lace.

From Vatican News: “Pope to Sicilian priests: ‘Embrace bitterness with tenderness’” Do they hear themselves? No. They are the masters of shouting down a well. Francis spoke to Sicilian priests. He said… I am not making this up… I don’t … Read More

Posted in Francis, You must be joking! | Tagged
34 Comments

Francis talks about globalization of education, “new humanism”, attacks “guardians of tradition”, gets Aeneas wrong.

Above… Aeneas rescuing his family (not so much his wife) and household gods from the sack of Troy.  Leonello Spada Who was Vincent of Lérins?  He was a Gaul and writer who died about 445.  His work Commonitorium is a … Read More

Posted in Francis, Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, What are they REALLY saying? | Tagged , , , ,
22 Comments

Okay… so now it’s “humanity” and not Russia and Ukraine – UPDATED: TEXT OF THE CONSECRATION

UPDATE 25 March 2022: The consecration took place today in St. Peter’s Basilica. Below, I wondered if the puzzling aspects of the text were intended to separate this act from the requestion of Our Lady of Fatima, to make it … Read More

Posted in Francis |
69 Comments

MAGISTER: A memo for Cardinals about the next conclave

Somewhere out there in the interwebs I remember seeing a site that chronicled the “events” of the Francis era. This isn’t quite on that scale, but it is … illuminating. Seeing bits and pieces over time is one thing. Seeing … Read More

Posted in Francis, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged ,
3 Comments

Francis sacks a bishop in Puerto Rico for …. why?

I read first at Rorate that a 57 year old bishop of the Diocese of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, was summarily removed from the diocese by Francis the Merciful, first of his name. He was asked to resign. He refused. He … Read More

Posted in Francis | Tagged
23 Comments

Thoughts on Francis’ claim that non-vernacular readings are “laughing at the Word of God”

Fr. John Hunwicke’s blog is a constant source of fascinating details, amusing invective, and inverting insight. Those first two may be obvious, but what do I mean by “inverting insight”? I mean that Fr. H has a keen ability to … Read More

Posted in Fr. Z KUDOS, Francis, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Save The Liturgy - Save The World, Traditionis custodes, What are they REALLY saying? | Tagged , ,
29 Comments