Belgian And German Prelates Promulgate Heresy Unfettered

Last week it was announced that Johan Bonny, Bishop of Antwerp (Belgium) made public his dissidence from Catholic teaching by promulgating his opinion that same-sex couples should be recognized by the Church.  He has gone so far as to hint that these couples should be allowed to adopt children.  This post from Angelqueen has more details.

At the bottom of that post you'll see an equally disgusting quote from the rector of the Catholic University of Leuven, Rik Tors: "Do not underestimate the significance of this. Bonny advocates a change in long-held unshakable principles, something that the dogmatic pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI no bishop could afford to do."

Let's take a look at what Torfs said.  He said that Bonny felt free to mock his own bishop's miter under this pontificate, not being "free" to do so under the previous pontiffs.  There might be truth in that.  Both John Paul II and Benedict XVI upheld the teachings of Jesus Christ and, like true successors to St. Peter, expected the bishops under them to do the same.  I'll emphasize this also; what Torfs stated as being "long-held unshakable principles" are much more than that, as they have originated from God Himself and cannot be flouted without severe consequences, even if those consequences happen only in the afterlife.

The German Bishops' Conference, led by Cardinal Reinhard Marx (a key player in last October's sin-nod) issued an official statement calling for the admission of Catholics who have divorced and remarried without annulment, i.e., those living in adultery (let's call it what it is) to Holy Communion.  In other words, they want to facilitate for those Catholics the sin of sacrilegious Holy Communions.

Vox Cantorus has another quote from Bonny.  Note the theme of allowing polluted secular culture to dictate Church practices - a common theme these days.  The Germans believe they have particular impetus to do so, to increase their revenues from Germany's church-tax.

In September of 2013, the Holy Father excommunicated an Austrilian priest for conducting himself as one after his faculties had been suspended.  They were suspended because he advocated various heretical positions, among them "same-sex marriage".  In light of that, one must wonder why he lets Bonny, Marx et al carry on with their shenanigans while he has sacked Cardinal Burke who is an exemplary champion of the Church.

Cardinal O'Malley Sympathetic To Dissidence Regarding Women Priests

This stunning admission of dissident proclivities was made during a "60 Minutes" interview with Norah O'Donnell.  What else can we call it when he states, "if I were founding a church, you know, I'd love to have women priests. But Christ founded it and what he he has given us is something different."

Let's unpack this, shall we?  We'll first examine Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, an Apostolic Letter written by Pope Saint John Paul II and promulgated on May 22, 1994 - the Feast of Pentecost that year.  To the best of my knowledge, this is the only time the sainted pontiff spoke ex cathedra.  I'll quote the key paragraph from the bottom of this letter where Pope John Paul II invoked infallibility.

"Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful."

I underlined that last phrase for a reason.  In his interview with 60 Minutes, did Cardinal O'Malley definitively hold that judgment?  He did not!  His acknowledgment of it was grudging at best.  This Prince of the Church, in clear dereliction of his sacerdotal duties, makes plain his personal  ambivalence regarding Pope John Paul's declaration and sympathy to those dissenting on the matter of women-priestess wannabees.

In August 2013, Pope Francis reiterated Pope John Paul II's declaration.  Cardinal O'Malley is the lone American among the group of eight cardinals selected to reform the curia.  What he does and says will not be lost on Pope Francis.  The question now is, what will Pope Francis do about this not-so-sly dissent from the Magisterium by Cardinal O'Malley?