Francis Effect - To Proudly Embrace Worldly Corruption

In this Vortex, Michael Voris rightly decries the accommodation of Church leaders to the immoral and anti-God standards of this world.  It's apparent from the video that at the time of its creation, Church Militant had not yet received word that the Boston KofC council pulled out of the now-defiled Boston St Patrick's Day parade.  Their press release is here.  While the council did the right thing, no one can gainsay that they did so willingly.  They got caught with their hand in the cookie jar and they hate it.  I hope it's because many good Knights threatened to withdraw membership and their membership dues.  I have more discussion below the video.



Voris insinuated that Church leaders, e.g., Dolan, are simply dupes of the worldly powers-that-be.  I for one don't believe they are that innocent.  They did not attain their positions by being dunces.  They knew what they wanted and used some considerable smarts to attain it.  Their "jolly-bumpkin" demeanor is simply an act.  They know they're undermining the faith and betraying their God.  They love their cushy situations more than the souls in their charge - and maybe their own.  Pray for them that they truly convert.

Let us now turn our attentions to this US News article, that talks of the Pope's shakeup of Vatican personnel.  At one time, many Catholics seemed to think that the Pope was just a lovable guy who wouldn't harm a fly, what with his clown-nose and all.  Save for a few pollyannas who persist in wearing rose-colored glasses with respect to the pope, that "aw-shucks!" image has been, well, shucked by the pope himself.  The US News article, in its left-wing way, is quite up front about the "madness behind the method" at the Vatican.

All kinds of Catholic left-wing hacks are quoted.  One of them is John Carr, former head of the USCCB social justice division.  He remarked that "personnel is policy".  I don't agree with Carr on most things, but on this point he is spot-on correct.  Commenting on changes regarding American bishops is another progressive, John Gehring of Faith in Publc Life.  He says, "you are going to see some of these Francis bishops really start to change not just the image of the church but the substance of the church and the direction moving ahead."  As you can see from this unabashed declaration, the progressives, emboldened by Pope Francis, are no longer couching their agendas in nuanced language.  "Change the substance"?  What is the "substance" of the church if not her identity as the Mystical Body of Christ entrusted by Him to save souls by proclaiming His eternal and immutable Truths?  While the pope cannot solemnly proclaim error, much deliberate damage can be done under the guise of being "pastoral".

The article talks of changes at the Congregation for Bishops.  Cardinals Raymond Burke and Justin Rigali were removed from that college.  Burke is a champion of orthodoxy.  In their places he installed Cardinal Wuerl and reaffirmed Cardinal Levada - not champions of orthodoxy.  A third left-winger is cited: Michael Sean Winters, dissident hack at the Not-At-All Catholic Reporter.  Says Winters, "instead of two culture warriors and one non-culture warrior, you have two non-culture warriors as the Americans on that congregation".  These are strange times when I find myself agreeing with these progressives, but it's only because they are "letting down their hair" and admitting who they really are.  When we look at the sick, demented worldly culture that now infests western civilization, is it not evident that we need culture warriors?  Both Wuerl and Levada, like Dolan, openly facilitate the infestation of Holy Mother Church with the poison of secular culture.  And no, they aren't simply being wimps.  Witness the draconian treatment meted out to Father Guarnizo at the behest of Cardinal Wuerl and his underlings at the DC chancery.  They moved with great alacrity and purpose as they threw Father Guarnizo under the bus - draconian, but not wimpy.

The article goes on to state how the Pope ushered in Blaise Cupich as Archbishop of Chicago.  Lauding Cupich's "more civil tone on divisive topics like same-sex marriage and birth control", the author somehow forgets to mention that while Bishop of Spokane, he forbade his priests to participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign.  Apparently the pope also played a direct role in the placement of Robert McElroy as Bishop of San Diego.  My blogging colleague at A Blog For Dallas Area Catholics reports on McElroy's dissidence.

Please read the entire US News article.  We must keep our eyes open and prayers forthcoming.