This Papacy - Troubling Incidents Continue To Increase

A few weeks ago, I wrote of "Obvious Questions Regarding This Papacy".  Since then, more questions have surfaced.  First, I recommend to your reading "The Rise Of Bergoglianism" by Christopher Ferrara.  While I look a bit askance at the term "bergoglianism", Ferrara reminds us of some things that should cause us to have great concern for the future of the Church.

I won't rehash what Ferrara wrote, please read for yourselves.  I will mention that Ferrara missed a few things.  For one thing, there was the multi-marriage extravaganza that occurred earlier this month, and the plethora of issues raised with that.  There is the bizarre treatment meted out to Cardinal Burke; see here and here.  There is the rather nauseating appointment of Bishop Blase Cupich as Archbishop of Chicago.  I haven't written about this (yet) but other blogging colleagues have.  See here and here.  There is also the troubling dismissal of Bishop Rogelio Livieres of Paraguay.  He was an opponent of liberation theology (quite the fad in Paraguay) and one who managed to fill his seminaries with numerous vocations.   More troubling is that Pope Francis has refused to receive the bishop when he came to discuss his dismissal, as no reasons had been given to him beforehand.

Then there is the matter of Cardinal Walter Kasper.  He is reputed to be a close friend of Pope Francis' and will most likely wield much influence at the Extraordinary Synod of the Family to be held next month.  He has stated that he favors the allowance of Holy Communion to those Catholics who are divorced and who have civilly remarried without obtaining a Church annulment.  Now mind you, he's not about "changing doctrine", but just "pastoral practice".  Got that?  Gotta love that "pastoral" word - it allows for all sorts of double-talk chicanery.  Kasper had the gall to insinuate that his proposal "was agreed" ahead of time by the Holy Father.  I pray that's presumptuous double-talk for the only other explanation is horrifying.

Kasper is also on record as favoring a "reinterpretation of the Church's ban on contraception".  He says that  "so-called natural family planning, which is promoted by the Church as an alternative to contraception, also has an artificial element", according to the Telegraph.  Read John Kippley's analysis of this statement.  So in addition to a major theological failure, we also have from Kasper a biological gaffe as well.

So Cardinal Kasper wields Vatican influence and Bishop Cupich takes the See of Chicago, while Cardinal Burke and Bishop Livieres have been given the proverbial boot.  It makes sense, and I'm not being sarcastic.  There seems to be a move to marginalize authentic tradition for intellectual and theological slop, and sentimental notions of "mercy" and being "pastoral".

We need to pray for this upcoming Synod.  Again, the Vicar of Christ cannot solemnly promulgate error.  But other sorts of havoc, almost equally damaging, can be visited upon the Church.  I join my friend Carol in stating that this blog also refuses to be silent regarding the increasing number of "elephants in the living room".  We must see clearly in order to pray properly.  We will pray as we sound alarms.