Synod 2015: German Bishops Unhappy

Vatican Radio is reporting that the German Group has issued sharp criticism in reaction to the interventions of some of the other Synod Fathers. The Group's Relatio, i.e. the report documenting the work of the Ciculus Germanicus delivered to the plenary session on Tuesday, begins with the words:

The images and comparisons which have been made use of are not only lacking in differentiation and false, but also injurious.

The report went on relate that the Germans felt "great dismay and sadness" upon hearing the statements of certain Synod Fathers regarding the "individuals, content and procedure" of the Synod itself, and wished to clearly distance themselves from what they claimed stood in contradiction to "the Spirit of Accompaniment, the Spirit of the Synod and its fundamental rules."

In other news:

Catholics discover the meaning of Schadenfreude

Archbishop Coleridge: A New Language Free of Jots and Tittles

Archbishop Mark Coleridge

In yesterday's press briefing, Archbishop Mark Coleridge attempted to pass off as Catholic pastoral theology what can only be described as situational ethics in action:

In the case of the divorced and remarried, we're always dealing with sin. There's no news in saying that, so that's just taken for granted. The Church has traditionally spoken of the second union as adulterous, and I understand why, and I understand the teaching and what lies behind it, including the biblical background. But at the same same time, not every case is the same, and that's where a pastoral approach needs to take account of the difference from situation to situation. For instance, just to say that every second marriage or second union - whatever you want to call it - is adulterous is perhaps too sweeping. For instance, a second marriage that is enduring and stable and loving, and where there are children who are cared for is not the same as a couple skulking off to a hotel room for a wicked weekend. So, the rubrik "audultery" in one sense is important, but in another sense it doesn't say enough. And I think what a pastoral approach requires is that we actually enter into what the Synod is calling a "genuine pastoral dialogue of discernment" with these couples. And the start of that is for people like me to actually listen to their story, and not just swamp them with doctrine or Church teaching. That's crucial, obviously, as the overall framework of any kind of dialoge of discernment.

Just in case anyone stands in need of a refresher, let's review the words of Our Lord:

Whosoever [Latin: Quicumque] shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her. (Mark 10:11)

Could the flat contradiction between the words of Our Lord and those spoken by this successor to the Holy Apostles be any clearer? Quicumque doesn't leave any pharisaical loophole for permitting some objectively adulterous relationships, even if they appear to be enduring, stable, loving, and fruitful. Our Lord was very specific and very clear: whosoever, i.e. irrespective of all other considerations. Adultery is an objective sin of a particularly grave sort, as it violates both the Commandment of God and a Holy Sacrament of His Church. No amount of "pastoral attentiveness" can plaster over that incontrovertible fact.

When asked what the Archbishop hoped would result from the Synod, he said:

My hope is that we will move towards, without actually accomplishing it this Synod, a genuinely new pastoral approach. Now, at the heart of this, I think there has to be a whole new language. And here, I think of what's been said about Vatican II: that it was primarily a language event. That it was, therefore, something that was far from cosmetic. And I have in mind what the Bible says, that words create worlds. In other words, a new language that can open new doors that we might not even see at the moment, and can create new possibilities.

This matter of a "new language" is one which deserves more careful attention - particularly in light of the above comments from Archbishop Coleridge. We have been led to believe that the substance of Church teaching is not under attack at the Synod, and will not be changed; that all that is being sought after is simply a new mode of expression. But that is not at all what the Archbishop is describing here. His comment that "words create worlds" is a clear allusion, not only to the first chapter of Genesis, where God literally speaks the substance of the universe into existence, but also to the Word of God, through whom all was created. He is speaking of changing language in order to bring about a substantial change. He even tells us that the change being sought after is "far from cosmetic". He is talking - quite plainly, in fact - of preaching a new Word.

Accordingly, the faithful Catholics of Twitter gave the Archbishop the internet equivalent of a sound thrashing. I confess that I, too, joined in the fray with a few cutting remarks of my own. And I don't regret it one bit.

Today, Archbishop Coleridge took to the diocesan blog in defense of his comments:

The big surprise for me has been the ferocious reaction in some quarters to what I regard as my quite moderate remarks. Twitter has been frothing with invective, which shows what's out there - by which I mean the fear, even the panic this Synod seems to have provoked in some. That sort of thing doesn't look like the Holy Spirit to me - red-eyed joylessness cannot be of God. The impression is that, if you touch the slightest jot or tittle not so much of what the Church teaches but of what her pastoral practice has been or how her truth has been expressed, then the whole edifice built up over 2000 years will come tumbling down. If I believed that, I’d be panicking too and hurling lemon-lipped diatribes this way and that. But I don’t believe it and therefore find myself trusting in the path that’s opening before us, with the abuse rolling like water off a duck's back. Voices of fear, even panic, have also been heard in the Synod Hall and the small groups, but what's clearer to me now is that those voices within have strong links to similar voices without. It's also clear that those voices, clinging desperately to some imagined or ideologised past, cannot point the way into the future. History will have its way, however much we try to cling to illusions of timelessness.

Jot or tittle. Where have I heard that before?

On Bishop Peter Doyle and the Queering of Theology

Vatican Radio just released an audio recording of an interview conducted by Philippa Hitchen with Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton, England. While you can listen to the whole recording here, I'd like to focus your attention to a two-minute section of the interview which dealt with so-called "LGBT" issues. The following is a transcript of that section (emphasis mine):

***

Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton

Vatican Radio (VR): I know that you received correspondence from the LGBT Catholic community in England and Wales sharing their hopes for this Synod with you. What kind of response do you think you can take back to that group?

Bishop Peter Doyle (BD): I have to confess, I'm a little concerned that we don't seem - in the Synod - to have faced up to those issues. So, I'm very concerned for people in that group. It would seem to be that the majority of Synod Fathers are not regarding that as the main issue in their own situation, and the issues have been raised occassionally, but I've been surprised that they've been put into a siding.

VR: Is that because they're too difficult?

BD: I think it's a combination of it being too difficult and also the basic, I suppose, theological anthropology - what I mean by that is that our understanding, from the Scripture, of man and woman... there is no room at the moment for a same-sex relationship. And so, I think they've sort of said - well, they haven't actually said this, but in my heart I wonder if they're saying - "We don't know what to do." Now, that's not going to be very helpful for these good people, and maybe something will come out unexpectedly, but at the moment, it seems to be being parked to one side.

VR: So, a strong sense of denial?

BD: I'm not sure that there's a denial. There may be a denial in some parts of the world, or maybe it's just that they haven't got to that point. I don't think there's a denial in Europe, among the European Bishops or North America, but I just don't think people know what to do or how to respond at the moment.

VR: Would you be wanting to encourage greater theological exploration, as you say, of the anthropology?

BD: Well, I think that has got to happen, hasn't it? I think we can't leave people dangling in the air, and in limbo, and the Lord loves us all, so somehow we've got to find a way of embracing everybody. But it's a real challenge at the moment, and I just don't think we've really begun to deal with it in any serious manner. That would almost need a Synod all it's own, I think. I think it would be really difficult to embrace all these issues that have been brought to us at this Synod now.

***

If that last bit about an "LGTB"-Synod struck you as far-fetched, gentle reader, recall that Bishop Doyle's musings follow immediately upon the heels of Pope Francis' statement that "the journey of synodality is the journey that God wants from his Church in the third millennium" - as if the last 2,000 years of meticulously preserved and vigorously defended orthodoxy were just a warm-up for the heretical free-for-all currently unfolding before us. If they don't get what they want this time around, there's always next year's Synod. It could be a Synod on Technology, and Cardinal Marx & Co. would call for an examination of how advances in medical technology have "deepened" our understanding of the "flexibility" of human sexual identity. A Synod on Geography, you say? Simply unthinkable without discussing the complex tapestry of sexual spaces around the globe. (Think I just made that up? Think again.)

What troubles me most about the Bishop's comments, however, is his openness to a "theological exploration" of an "anthropology" which would "embrace" those in "same-sex relationships". This is Modernist-lingo for "finding a loophole to circumvent the plain and obvious meaning of Sacred Scripture." I suppose we can take some comfort in the fact that they don't feel confident enough to claim outright that Sacred Scripture supports sodomy. But give them time. Can there be any doubt that there is a team of Jesuits working overtime to produce just such a theological abomination?

The Voice of One Crying in the Desert

Pope Francis speaking at the
50th Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops

In his recent address commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis expounded upon the meaning of "synodality" as a "walking together" of the prelature and the laity - a laity which, as Pope Francis repeatedly underscored, is "infallible in matters of faith." That such infallibility is actually predicated upon "acceptance of the Church's teaching on matters of faith and morals, a willingness to follow the commands of God, and courage both to correct one's brothers and sisters, and also to accept correction oneself" went unmentioned by the Holy Father. I suppose mentioning these vital dispositions would automatically render a great deal of the flock voiceless. How many progressives and revolutionaries in the Church actually uphold every de fide doctrine in its true and proper sense? I've yet to meet one. But I digress.

As many of you know, numerous laypersons have been invited by the Synod Fathers to speak as representatives of the "infallible laity" in order to facilitate the "dynamic of listening" (?) so vital to our Catholic Synodal Church. Quite a few of them turned out to be - quelle surprise! - advocates for changing Church discipline regarding the reception of Holy Communion. One presentation, however, stands out as a brilliant example of what an authentic sensus fidei compels any God-fearing Catholic to say in the face of this potentially catastrophic Synod: that of Dr. Anca-Maria Cernea, President of the Association of Catholic Doctors of Bucharest, Romania. She made the following presentation to Pope Francis and the gathered Synod Fathers this past Friday, which I highly recommend to all my readers:

***

Dr. Anca-Maria Cernea

Your Holiness, Synod Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, I represent the Association of Catholic Doctors from Bucharest.

I am from the Romanian Greek Catholic Church. My father was a Christian political leader, who was imprisoned by the communists for 17 years. My parents were engaged to marry, but their wedding took place 17 years later. My mother waited all those years for my father, although she didn't even know if he was still alive. They have been heroically faithful to God and to their engagement. Their example shows that God's grace can overcame terrible social circumstances and material poverty.

We, as Catholic doctors, defending life and family, can see this is, first of all, a spiritual battle. Material poverty and consumerism are not the primary cause of the family crisis. The primary cause of the sexual and cultural revolution is ideological.

Our Lady of Fatima has said that Russia’s errors would spread all over the world. It was first done under a violent form, classical Marxism, by killing tens of millions. Now it’s being done mostly by cultural Marxism. There is continuity from Lenin's sex revolution, through Gramsci and the Frankfurt school, to the current-day gay-rights and gender ideology.

Classical Marxism pretended to redesign society, through violent take-over of property. Now the revolution goes deeper; it pretends to redefine family, sex identity and human nature.

This ideology calls itself progressive. But it is nothing else than the ancient serpent’s offer, for man to take control, to replace God, to arrange salvation here, in this world. It's an error of religious nature, it's Gnosticism. It's the task of the shepherds to recognize it, and warn the flock against this danger.

Seek ye therefore first the Kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

The Church's mission is to save souls. Evil, in this world, comes from sin. Not from income disparity or "climate change". The solution is: Evangelization. Conversion. Not an ever increasing government control. Not a world government. These are nowadays the main agents imposing cultural Marxism to our nations, under the form of population control, reproductive health, gay rights, gender education, and so on. What the world needs nowadays is not limitation of freedom, but real freedom, liberation from sin. Salvation.

Our Church was suppressed by the soviet occupation. But none of our 12 bishops betrayed their communion with the Holy Father. Our Church survived thanks to our bishops’ determination and example in resisting prisons and terror. Our bishops asked the community not to follow the world. Not to cooperate with the communists.

Now we need Rome to tell the world: "Repent of your sins and turn to God for the Kingdom of Heaven is near".

Not only us, the Catholic laity, but also many Christian Orthodox are anxiously praying for this Synod. Because, as they say, if the Catholic Church gives in to the spirit of this world, it is going to be very difficult for all the other Christians to resist it.

Vaticanist Confirms Danneel's Ties to St. Gallen Mafia

The German Edition of Catholic News Agency published an interview with Vaticanist Paul Baade today, in which the latter reveals what knowledge he had of the St. Gallen "Mafia-Club" back in 2005, as well as few interesting details regarding the election of Pope Benedict XVI. The relevant section of the interview is posted below in an original Radical Catholic translation (to be updated if CNA puts out their own English translation):

Vaticanist Paul Baade
(Photo: CNA)

CNA: There's a minor scandal brewing in the background [of the Synod on the Family]: Pope Francis invited former Belgian Archbishop Godfried Danneels, who recently admitted before rolling cameras to having belonged to a kind of "Mafia Club" within the Church, to the Synod.

Baade: Correct. I'm not sure whether it's a minor or a major scandal. But it's certainly mysterious. Because it is indeed the case that Cardinal Danneels covered for a Bishop who had abused his nephew. He also pressured - supposedly - King Baudouin to sign into law a proposed bill on abortion, and to be less fussy on the issue. What advice this Cardinal is supposed to be able to give to a Catholic Synod discussing the "vocation and mission of marriage and the family" is a mystery to many, to put it lightly. In regards to the claim he made last month about being a member of some kind of "Mafia" in the College of Cardinals, I can confirm it from personal experience.

CNA: How do you mean that? Did you have information on this beforehand?

Baade: Yes. In April of 2005, I received a reliable tip according to which, a mere three days after the funeral service for John Paul II, Cardinals Martini of Mailand, Lehmann and Kasper of Germany, Bačkis of Lithuania, van Luyn of Holland, Danneels of Belgium and O'Connor of London met in the so-called Villa Nazareth in Rome with the no longer papabile Cardinal Silvestrini in order to formulate together a secret plan to prevent the election of Joseph Ratzinger. I then wrote an article for WELT, published on 17th April, 2005, referring to the meeting and that it violated the directives of the deceased Pope in the 1996 Instruction Universi Dominici Gregis, which laid down new regulations for the order of succession, including the strict directive that no agreements which could influence the outcome of the election were to be made, either befor or during the conclave. Three days later, Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope by a large majority. The retired Cardinal Meisner of Cologne could tell you how, exactly, that came to pass - if it weren't for the order of secrecy regarding all the proceedings of a conclave. But it is no secret that Meisner was, at the time, the most fervent opponent of this group - and especially of Cardinal Danneels. Now, however, it was not him, the old friend of Joseph Raztinger, who was personally invited to the Synod, but rather the equally retired Godfried Danneels, who is six months older than the Archbishop of Cologne. That's a fact.

On Archbishop Myers and Reductio ad Absurdum

As many of you might have read by now, Newark Archbishop John J. Myers recently instructed via official memorandum the Catholics of his diocese to refrain from seeking Communion if they publicly reject Church teaching and from attending events or supporting individuals in opposition to the same. The letter, distributed to priests last Friday, reads as follows:

Archbishop John J. Myers

Principles to Aid in Preserving and Protecting the Catholic Faith in the Midst of an Increasingly Secular Culture

I. The Church will continue to cherish and welcome her members and invite them to participate in her life to the degree that their personal situation permits them honestly to do so. Catholics must be in a marriage recognized as valid by the Church to receive Holy Communion or the other Sacraments. Non-Catholics and any Catholics who publicly reject Church teaching or discipline, either by public statements or by joining or supporting organizations which do so, are not to receive the Sacraments. They are asked to be honest to themselves and to the Church community.

II. Parishes and other institutions of the Archdiocese should allow use of facilities only to persons and organizations which agree with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and its canonical legislation or, at least, not oppose them.

III. Catholics, especially ministers and others who represent the Church, should not participate in or be present at public religious events or events intended to endorse or support those who reject or ignore Church teaching and Canon Law.

September 22, 2015

+Most Reverend John J. Myers

Metropolitan Archbishop of Newark

You can view a copy of the original document here.

Now, much ink is waiting to spilled over this letter - and spilled it will be, rest assured - but I shall leave this to actual journalists better equipped at dealing with the matter in a more fitting and erudite manner. I wish here only to focus on one reaction I ran across while browsing the interwebs: that of Charles Reid, Professor of Canon Law at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. In a North Jersey newsletter, he is reported to have said:

If Catholics followed the new document to the letter, even a football coach who loudly swears after a close loss or a parent who attends their gay son's wedding would be barred from seeking Communion. And the faithful would have to steer clear of rallies for presidential candidates who disagree with Catholic social doctrine - which includes many Demo­crats, who support abortion rights, and some Republicans, including Governor Christie, a Catholic who supports the death penalty and use of contraception.

In case you missed it, gentle reader, this is supposed to be an example of what's called a reductio ad absurdum or "reduction to absurdity," which is usually accomplished by demonstrating that adopting a given premise would lead - ceteris paribus - to patently absurd results.

Now, if you're like me - and I like to think that you are - chances are good that you find absolutely nothing absurd in the results mentioned by Professor Reid. In fact, they seem like good sense - if not common, then at least possessed of a healthy sensus Catholicus. If you commit a sin, you go to Confession to receive absolution before you go up for Holy Communion. My 8-year-old has this down pat.

The only absurd thing here - besides the fact that Professor Reid has the faculties to teach canon law at a Catholic university bearing the name of St. Thomas Aquinas - is that the good professor finds the idea of barring Catholics, including those who promote contraception and support abortion legislation, from the reception of Holy Communion unthinkable. So unthinkable that he actually uses it do demonstrate a reductio ad absurdum.

Let's review the teaching of the Council of Trent on the subject of receiving Holy Communion worthily:

If any one saith, that faith alone is a sufficient preparation for receiving the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist; let him be anathema. And for fear lest so great a Sacrament may be received unworthily, and so unto death and condemnation, this holy Synod ordains and declares, that sacramental confession, when a confessor may be had, is of necessity to be made beforehand, by those whose conscience is burdened with mortal sin, how contrite even soever they may think themselves. But if any one shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately to assert, or even in public disputation to defend the contrary, he shall be thereupon excommunicated. (Council of Trent, Session 13, Canon 11)

Ouch! A professor of canon law one minute, an excommunicated heretic the next. That's gotta hurt.

Of course, I jest. I don't have the power to declare anyone excommunicated, nor to I wish to see the good professor's immortal soul put into such a deplorable state. But it did get me to thinking....

Perhaps one reason why the progressives always seem to have the upper hand is that the Hegelian dialectic is set up to grind conservative resistance into dust. If the only directional force being exerted is leftward, why be surprised at the continual leftward drift? So, what would happen if we changed things up by proposing something radically conservative - restorationist, even? For example, what would happen if a Cardinal or Bishop at the Synod started proposing that we require penitents to declare their mortal sins publicly before the entire congregation, kneel in the back during the Mass of the Catechumens, and then leave the Church before the start of the Mass of the Faithful? This was a common practice during the early medieval period, after all. If it was good enough for St. Theophilus, it's good enough for us, right? Maybe then the Church's present practice would reveal it's true character: as merciful as possible without overtly condoning sin. Or, conversely, maybe the cilice would make a comeback....

Petition: Synod Walkout

Esteemed Synod Fathers,

We thank you for your witness to and defense of the truth of Matrimony and Family proclaimed by the Church, in fidelity to our Lord Jesus Christ. As the Ordinary Synod on the Family continues its work, confusion and scandal spread among the faithful. Catholics are concerned that some members of this body of apostolic successors, under the guidance of the Pope, are seeking to endorse homosexual relationships, effectively question the indissolubility of marriage, and permit the distribution of the Holy Eucharist to the unrepentant.

The current Instrumentum Laboris contains language in certain sections (§ 122 (52); §§ 124-125 (53); §§ 130-132 (55-56)) that is completely unacceptable from an orthodox Catholic point of view regarding divorce and attempted remarriage, homosexuality, and contraception. We have witnessed with profound sorrow the ongoing development of this crisis, beginning with last year’s extraordinary session in October, 2014, making it difficult to have confidence in the outcome of the Synod.  

The irregular changes to the rules governing the current synodal process practically assure that the existing Instrumentum Laboris will be largely adopted. This revised process also appears to reject openness, transparency, and collegiality, and the committee drafting the final document of the Synod seemingly rejects any substantive input from the Synod fathers. We note with regret that the highly visible and widely adopted filial appeals and open letters have not been acknowledged, and have produced no discernible amendment by the Synod organizers. Several high-ranking Cardinals have brought concerns to the Pope, only to have them summarily dismissed as unworthy of consideration – with unfair accusations against those who are legitimately concerned that their voices will not be heard.

We fear, evidenced by all of the above, that the Ordinary Synod will attempt to recommend changes in teaching and pastoral practice that are contrary to the Gospel of Christ and the constant teaching of the Church on the sacred mystery of Catholic marriage and the nature of human sexuality. This would pose a clear and present danger to souls.

The Code of Canon Law 212 §3 states that the Catholic faithful “have the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church. They have the right also to make their views known to others of Christ's faithful…”  

Therefore, we faithfully request that each and every faithful Catholic bishop at the Synod, having made every effort to resist these attacks on Christ’s teaching, if its direction remains unaltered and those faithful voices remain unheard, do his sacred duty and publicly retire from any further participation in the Synod before its conclusion so as to prevent greater scandal and confusion.

Those bishops who remain as participants, accepting this process and its outcome, must certainly bear responsibility for whatever confusion and sin may result among the Catholic faithful from what would be the disastrous fruits of the Synod.

***

To sign the petition, go to: SYNOD WALKOUT at change.org

Synod 2015: 2nd German Language Group Report (English)

Moderator: Card. SCHÖNBORN, O.P. Christoph

Relator: S.E. Mons. KOCH Heiner

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

We extensively discussed the notions - repeatedly understood as opposites - of mercy and truth, grace and justice, and their theological relationship to one another. In God, they are not opposites: because God is love, justice and mercy become one in God. The mercy of God is the fundamental truth of revelation - one which does not stand opposed to other truths of revelation. Rather, it opens to us their deepest foundation, as it tells us why God revealed Himself in His Son and why Jesus Christ remains in His Church through His Word and His Sacraments for our salvation. The mercy of God thus opens to us the foundation and the goal of the entire work of salvation. The justice of God is His mercy, with which He makes us just.

We also considered the consequences of this interplay for our accompaniment of marriages and families. It precludes a one-sided, deductive hermeneutic which subsumes concrete situations under a general principle. According to Thomas Aquinas and the Council of Trent, fundamental principles are to be applied with prudence and wisdom to the particular, often complex situation - whereby we are concerned not with exceptions to which God's word does not apply, but rather with the question of the fair and equitable application of Jesus' words - for example, His words regarding the indissolubility of marriage - in prudence and wisdom. Thomas Aquinas underscores the necessity of such a concretizing application, for example, where he writes: "To prudence belongs not only the consideration of the reason, but also the application to action, which is the end of the practical reason." (S. Th. II. ii. 47:3: "ad prudentiam pertinet non solum consideratio rationis, sed etiam applicatio ad opus, quae est finis practicae rationis").

Another aspect of our discussion was that spoken of frequently, particularly in the third chapter of the second part, i.e. the gradual leading of people to the Sacrament of Marriage, from non-binding relationships, to cohabiting unmarried couples, to couples married civilly, to those in a valid, sacramental marriage recognized by the Church. To accompany those who find themselves at these various stages is a great pastoral challenge, but also a delight.

It also became clear to us that, in many discussions and observations, we are too static and give the biographical-historical dimension too little thought. Historically, the Church's teaching on marriage has developed and deepened. Initially, it was about humanizing marriage, which manifested in the conviction for monogamy. In the light of the Christian faith, the personal dignity of spouses was better recognized and the imago Dei was clearly perceived in the relationship between husband and wife. In a next step, the ecclesial dimension of marriage was deepened, and it was understood as the domestic church. Finally, the Church became explicitly aware of the sacramentality of marriage. This historic path of deepening is also apparent in the biographies of many individuals today. First, they are touched by the human dimension of marriage; they allow themselves to be convinced of the Christian view of marriage in the habitat [Lebensraum] of the Church and thus find their way to a celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage. Just as the historical development of the ecclesial doctrine required time, so must the Church's pastoral approach allow time for the people of today to mature along their path towards sacramental marriage, and stop acting according the principle of "all or nothing." Here, the notion of a "step-by-step process" (FC §9) towards the present [auf die Gegenwart hin] should be further developed. The foundation for this was laid by John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio: "The Church's pastoral concern will not be limited only to the Christian families closest at hand; it will extend its horizons in harmony with the Heart of Christ, and will show itself to be even more lively for families in general and for those families in particular which are in difficult or irregular situations." (FC §65) The Church thus stands in an inescapable field of tension between a necessary clarity of doctrine regarding marriage and family on the one side and the concrete pastoral task of accompanying and convincing those individuals whose lifestyle correspond only partially with the principles of the Church on the other. With these latter, steps should be taken on the way to the fullness of life found in marriage and family as promised in the Gospel of the family.

Here it is necessary to have a pastoral approach oriented to the individual which equally involves both the normativity of doctrine and the personality of each human being, keeping sight of his capacity for conscience and strengthening his responsibility. "For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged. Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths." (GS §16)

We request that the final version of the text consider two additional aspects:

Every impression that Sacred Scripture only serves as a source of quotes for dogmatic, legal or ethical convictions should be avoided. The Law of the New Covenant is the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the faithful (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1965-66). The written word is to be integrated into the living word residing via the Holy Spirit in the heart of man. This gives Sacred Scripture a broad spiritual power.

Finally, we have struggled with the concept of "natural marriage." In the history of humanity, the natural marriage is always culturally informed. The term "natural marriage" can imply that there is a natural form of human life without such cultural influence. We therefore suggest the formulation: "that marriage founded in creation" [Die in der Schöpfung begründete Ehe].

[Original language: German]

Italian Archbishop Welcomes SSPX

Archbishop Lorenzo Ghizzoni

The French newsletter Riposte Catholique is reporting that Italian Archbishop Lorenzo Ghizzoni of Ravenna and Cervia has authorized a priest of the SSPX to celebrate two Holy Masses on the first and second Sunday of October in his diocese. Once a bitter enemy of all who desired the traditional Mass, Archbishop Lorenzo recently invited Fr. Enrico Doria (SSPX), priest of the Priory Madonna di Loreto, to celebrate the Extraordinary Form with an eye towards satisfying the demands of a stable group of faithful who have been consistently requesting the traditional Mass. Prima Pagina Reggio's Andrea Zambrano suggests that the change of heart is due in large part to Pope Francis' decision to grant the priest of the Society of St. Pius X faculties to validly and licitly absolve from sins during the 'Year of Mercy', set to begin December 8th. It is hoped that the welcome signals a period of increased cooperation between diocesan bishops and the Society.

Germans Ready to Jettison Church Unity

Abbot Jeremias Schröder

At today's Holy See press conference, Abbot Jeremias Schröder, OSB, said the following:

I am from Germany, and it seems to me that, for example, the question of divorced and remarried people - or people who are divorced and who are living again in a stable union with children - is felt very strongly and very broadly in the German Catholic public; it seems to be much less of a concern elsewhere and that seems to an area where maybe regional pastoral solutions could be envisaged. I also have the impression that the understanding of homosexuality - the social acceptance of homosexuality - is culturally very diverse, and that seems to me also to be an area where Bishops' Conferences should be allowed to formulate pastoral responses that are in tune with what can be preached and announced and lived within a given context.

This merely echoes Bishop Franz-Josef Bode's position, as well as Bishop Kurt Koch's remarks to DomRadio.de regarding his expectations for the Synod:

Moreover, I would find it good if the decision in some matters were to be left to the individual Bishops' Conferences. I can't imagine that, given the different perspectives with which I am familiar, all such questions will be answered in Rome. The Vatican is not a pastoral office.

All of this was summarized by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn in the German Language Group Report as follows:

I would like to make an additional remark in regards to the perception and evaluation of varying cultural realities. A synodal document must take proper account of respective cultural peculiarities and differences - especially when dealing with elements of today's cultural reality which are ambivalent or problematic from the perspective of the Church. A differentiated analysis and evaluation is absolutely necessary here in order to contribute to a proper and nuanced ecclesiastical-intercultural exchange.

Thus, as many predicted, it seems that the German faction indeed desires "regional pastoral solutions" - "solutions" which will, of course, result in nothing less than the dissolving of Roman Church unity in matters of faith and morals.

Actually, it only makes sense, doesn't it? We've already destroyed the liturgical unity of the Church by the promulgation of a rite which is celebrated differently, not merely from diocese to diocese, but from priest to priest, and - in some cases - from day to day. Why should it be any different in matters of morals?

Right?

Synod 2015: German Language Group Report (English)

Moderator: Card. SCHÖNBORN, O.P. Christoph

Relator: S.E. Mons. KOCH Heiner

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

In the German group under the leadership of Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, O.P., we deliberated over and worked through the first part of the Instrumentum laboris in a very open and positive atmosphere. The various viewpoints of the participants were enriching and perceived accordingly. In my opinion, the work in this group demonstrates yet once again: Diversity enriches.

The overarching style of the text received unanimous approval. We are also very much in agreement with the order - that is, with the ordering of the three chapters - given in the Instrumentum laboris. It hearkens back to the structure of the documents of earlier Synods and Conferences, which progress from seeing to judging, and finally to acting.

We have also, however, introduced elements which are important to us. Thus, we propose and request the introduction of a section at the start of the first chapter which describes the beauty of marriage and the mission of marriages and families, to take up again the matter of the meditations of Pope Francis. With thankfulness and awe, we observe that marriage is called to participate in the creative power of God and His work of salvation. Marriage is not only a topic germane to the Catholic Faith, but rather manifests itself, in its deepest meaning, as a fundamental desire of man. It reveals itself, far beyond cultural and religious boundaries and above all social transformations, as a remarkable constant. Man longs to be loved and to love. Love is the most all-encompassing and unconditional 'Yes' to another human being - for his own sake, without ulterior motives and without reservation. It is also a basic feature of humanity that love constantly desires to give of itself. In this way, marriage develops in the love felt towards children and other family members. In this way, family grows out of marriage and radiates into society and the Church. The Christian marriage is thus a part of the living Church.

As part of these introductory thoughts, we also propose to thank married couples and families for their tremendous service to one another, to our society and to our Church. We also want to specifically thank those who have remained together through difficulties and have thus become living signs of the fidelity of God.

We would also like for this introduction to mention why it is that we as bishops comment upon the issues of marriage and family: we come from families, live as a family and participate in the life of the family. We concern ourselves with the life of marriage and families in our capacity as shepherds. But we also wish to listen to the circumstances of their lives and their challenges, to accompany and strengthen them with the loving vision of the Gospel.

In another addendum, we would like to take up the topic of kinship as an example. In their respective cultural contexts, the relationships of kin offer many possibilities of support in the rearing of children and in familial cohabitation which go far beyond those of the nuclear family. They are particularly important wherever not only migration, catastrophe and taking flight, but also the effects of labor mobility or the results of broken human relationships have made the life of the nuclear family difficult, complicated or even impossible. It is precisely in such situations that a broad network of kinship proves itself to be a valuable source of aid.

These two examples show how we have adopted the text before us positively, but also tried to develop and supplement it.

I would like to make an additional remark in regards to the perception and evaluation of varying cultural realities. A synodal document must take proper account of respective cultural peculiarities and differences - especially when dealing with elements of today's cultural reality which are ambivalent or problematic from the perspective of the Church. A differentiated analysis and evaluation is absolutely necessary here in order to contribute to a proper and nuanced ecclesiastical-intercultural exchange. I would like to clarify this by way of an example: In the first chapter, individualism is spoken of frequently. As a fundamentally egotistical characteristic, it is, without a doubt, a great danger to the life of man. However, it cannot be allowed to be confused with the individuality of man. Each individual human being is uniquely and magnificently created by God, and each deserves respect and the protection of his personal dignity. Our text speaks often of individualism, but the positive signs of our times, which flow from the respect of the individuality of the human person, are undervalued. If we fail to differentiate our perception, we arrive at divergent evaluations of our society and, as a result, divergent pastoral suggestions. Our group requests that we refrain from putting too much stock in a rather pessimistic perception of our society.

Finally, there is a two-fold problem regarding translation: that of the literal translation of the Italian text and that of the cultural translation of the content.

The German translation follows the Italian text quite closely, which, however, sometimes makes the German text difficult to understand. Reasons for this include the overlong sentences, which require shorter sentences in German. Also, the nested structure presents difficulties. In this regard, shorter sentences and an improved structuring of the content is desired. In the translation of the final texts, good style, easy readability and a clear flow of thoughts should be sought after. The translation should not be strict [interlinear], but rather capture the gist of the original [sinngemäß].

During the composition of the text, attention should be paid to ensuring that ecclesiastical and theological positions are not only internally understandable, but also accessible to the secular environment. This calls for a "cultural translation" - an "inculturation," as it were. This will effect the editing of the entire document as to whether negative-limiting and normative-judgmental language is used (forensic style), or positive language which both develops the Christian position and implicitly reveals which positions are incompatible with the Faith. This includes the willingness (cf. Gaudium et Spes) to seize upon positive developments in society. Perhaps we require a kind of "Hermeneutic of Evagelization" for the overarching style, which then considers the subject under examination "in light of the Gospel."

We look forward to further fraternal collaboration, and we thank everyone for their many efforts towards a harmonious progression and conclusion of the Synod.

[01665-DE.01] [Original language: German]

Charges Dropped Against Swiss Bishop

His Excellence Vitus Bishop Huonder

Giuseppe Gracia, Media and Communications Coordinator for the Diocese of Chur, reported today that the charges of public incitement of violence made against Swiss Bishop Vitus Hounder by homosexual activists have been found without legal merit by the state prosecutor. His communiqué, published on the official webpage of the Diocese, reads as follows:

The state prosecutor for the Canton of Graubünden has issued an order for the withdrawal of prosecution on 8.10.2015 in regards to the charges mades by "Pink Cross" and others. As expected, the accusations made against Bishop Vitus Huonder have thus proven themselves as foundless, and the same is hereby acknowledged with satisfaction. The Diocese of Chur reserves the right to revisit the issue once the legal matter has been formally resolved, at the earliest in ten day's time.

As reported on August 9, the good Bishop had been accused of inciting Catholics to acts of violence against sodomites by homosexual activists due to his having publicly quoted two passages from Sacred Scripture (Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13) which state that homosexual activity is considered an abomination before God.

German Bishop Bode: Let's Keep Things Ambiguous

Bishop Franz-Josef Hermann Bode

On Moday, Bishop Franz-Josef Hermann Bode of Osnabrück, Germany - one of the members of the Circulus Germanicus at the 2015 Synod - expressed his hope that the final document, expected from Pope Francis some time after the conclusion of the Synod in three weeks time, would retain the ambiguous and even duplicitous character of the Instrumentum Laboris by "simply letting things remain juxtaposed." Making things clear - speaking in "black and white" terms, as Bishop Bode described it - would be counterproductive, as it would fail to allow a sufficient degree of differentiation in each individual case.

Readers will recall the bombshell admission by Cardinal Walter Kasper two years ago (L'Osservatore Romano, April 12, 2013) regarding the intentional ambiguities left in the documents of Vatican II:

In many places, [the Council Fathers] had to find compromise formulas, in which, often, the positions of the majority are located immediately next to those of the minority, designed to delimit them. Thus, the conciliar texts themselves have a huge potential for conflict, open the door to a selective reception in either direction.

Bishop Bode justified his hope for a continuation of this policy of ambiguity by doling out progressive catchphrases such as "unity in diversity" and appealing to what he termed "asynchronicities" (Ungleichzeitigkeiten) between various cultures, a rather transparent attempt at whitewashing the widening gulf between faithful Catholics around the world and the general apostasy in the West as the product of differing levels of cultural "development." He finished by offering the most strained of theological foundations:

Our God is not a monad; therefore, our community cannot be monolithic in the sense of a unified party.

Goodbye, Unity of Faith and Morals. Hello, Rainbow of Diversity.

Symposium Proceedings: The Two Shall Become One

A few weeks ago, I announced an international symposium being held in Rome on the creation of Adam and Eve as the foundation of the Catholic doctrine on Holy Marriage. I'm pleased to report that the event took place as planned, and the proceedings of the symposium - which are very good and worthy of wide circulation - are now available for downloading. Click on the titles below to download each file as a PDF.

• A Philosophical Reflection on Marriage and the Family (D. Q. McInerny)
• The Metaphysical Impossibility of Human Evolution (Fr. Chad Ripperger, Ph.D.)
• God, Family and Genetics, Part 1, Part 2 (Dr. J. C. Sanford and Dr. Robert Carter)
• The Perfection of our First Parents According to St. Thomas Aquinas (Fr. Thomas Crean, O.P.)
• Prophets of the Past: Moses and the Mystical Saints and Church Doctors on the Creation of Man (Hugh Owen)
• The Special Creation of Adam and Eve: The Foundation of the Church's Teaching on Holy Marriage (Fr. Thomas Hickey)
• The Fossil Record and the Fall of Darwin's Last Icon (John M. Wynne)
• The Current Marriage Crisis in the Light of the Original Creation and the Code of Canon Law (Bai Macfarlane)
• Male and Female He Created Them: The Divine Origin of Gender (Aurora Restrepo)
• The Two Shall Become One: The Evils of Contraception and the Strengthening of Catholic Marriages through the Correct Teaching of Natural Family Planning (Dr. Francesco Giordiano, STD)

The documents can also be previewed at The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation.

A Synodal Glossary

With the 2015 Synod on the Family upon us, Catholic faithful around the world are braced for the deluge of text about to be ceremoniously dumped upon them. Unfortunately, much of this text will be composed in a dialect not entirely familiar to all readers. To assist in the work of interpreting these texts - such as the English translation of Pope Francis' opening address - the following Synodal Glossary is provided.

(Note: This Synodal Glossary is by no means exhaustive, and may be updated at any point in the future. Also, suggestions for additional entries may be posted below in the comment section.)

deaconess n. (ˈdē-kən-əs) 1. (archaic) a woman charged with administering immersion baptism to nude female catechumens in the early Church [defunct]; cf. Romans 16:1. 2. (modern) a woman given administrative power in the hierarchy of the Church [fantasy].

deposit of faith n. (dĭ-pŏz′ĭt əv fāth) 1. (archaic) The body of revealed truth contained in Sacred Scripture and Holy Tradition proposed by the Church for belief by the faithful. 2. (modern) see > deposit of life 2. 

deposit of life n. (dĭ-pŏz′ĭt əv līf) 1. (archaic) The apostolic life, i.e. that manner of living observed in the Holy Apostles and the Saints of the Church. 2. (modern) a. The manner of living observed in any self-identified 'spiritual' person (see > People of God). b. A source of revelation equal to and possibly surpassing that contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition. 

family n. pl. (făm'ə-lē) 1. (archaic) A group of persons related by marriage or blood and who typically include a father, mother, and their children. 2. (modern) A group of persons sharing a common interest of mutual and/or self-gratification. 

parrhesia n. (pär-hrāzîä) 1. (archaic) The boldness to defend the truth of the Christian faith before secular political and/or pagan religious authorities. 2. (modern) The boldness to speak one's mind, especially when doing so requires contradicting Sacred Scripture or established Church teaching. 

People of God n. (ˈpē-pəl əv ˈgäd) 1. (archaic) The communion of all those made holy by the grace of Christ, esp.: a. The Catholic faithful on earth, the imperfectly justified in purgatory and the perfectly justified in heaven. b. The union of men united by the profession of the same faith and by participation in the same Sacraments under the direction of their lawful pastors especially of the one representative of Christ on earth, the Pope. 2. (modern) All those who self-identify as 'spiritual' but not necessarily 'religious'.

renewal n. (ri-ˈnü-əl) 1. (archaic) a process resulting in a return to an original condition. 2. (modern) a process resulting in something never before seen.

Salus Animarum n. (sä-ləs änē-m'ärəm) lit. "salvation of souls" 1. (archaic) The facilitation of the attainment of the ultimate end of human life, i.e. the beatific vision in heaven. 2. (modern) The facilitation of a feeling of inner peace and self-satisfaction. 

shepherd n. (shĕp′ərd) lit. "herder of sheep" 1. (archaic) One who cares for and guides a group of people, as a minister or teacher. 2. (modern) One who satisfies the desires of those entrusted to his care.

Come Out, Demon of Sodom!

Fr. Krzyztof Charamsa

Make no mistake: this man is the plaything of the Demon of Sodom. To his credit, he has finally dropped the mask and revealed his true intentions, which is nothing less than bringing about the corruption of the moral doctrine of the Church. He's even published a list of demands, a "New Manifesto of Liberation", which details the extent of the corruption he desires. While you condemn his efforts in the harshest of terms - and you should spare nothing in this regard, gentle reader - do not forget to pray for his poor soul, that he may be released from the clutches of this most unclean spirit.

With that being said:

How about the rest of them? Now that this very public proclamation has been made, any sodomite prelates, as well as those sympathetic to their unholy cause, who continue to hide their own perversion while secretly agitating for its acceptance must be called out. It is absolutely imperative that we compel the feculent servants of the Demon of Sodom to emerge from their dens of sin and nail their sullied colors to the mast.

With Fr. Charamsa having just been sacked from his position at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the iron is white-hot. If we ever wanted to draw the Lavender Mafia out from its hiding place and into the light, now is the time.

**UPDATE**

(via Toronto Catholic Witness) Bishop Ryszard Kasyna of Peplin (Gdansk, Poland) has issued a formal canonical warning to Fr. Charamsa: "return to the way of Christ's priesthood." This is generally the first step on the road to dismissal from the clerical state.

**UPDATE**

(via Toronto Catholic Witness) Fr. Dariusz Oko, the priest who wrote the explosive With the Pope against the Homoheresy (2012), which exposed the Homoheresy undermining the Benedictine Papacy, has conducted an interview with Polish news outlet Super Express Poland (se.pl) on the issue of Fr. Krzyztof Charamsa's attempt to pressure the 2015 Synod by "outing" himself as a flaming sodomite in an active homosexual relationship. As to how, exactly, such a priest could not merely finish seminary, but be promoted to such an important position in the Vatican, Fr. Oko had the following to say:

This is, unfortunately, the dark side of the Church. I myself wrote about the homolobby. There were in the Church people like Archbishops Juliusz Paetz and Jozef Wesolowski. It would seem that people of their kind have provided a career for Fr. Charamsa. Those people are very supportive; it is the so-called 'Lavender Mafia'. This sick part of the Church has always existed. Judas among the twelve apostles constituted 8.5 percent. If you convert that to the 30,000 priests in Poland, it turns out that more than 2,500 priests are living badly, like Judases. Charamsa belongs to this group of Judases, of Cains. Betraying the Church, the person places himself above the bishops, theologians, popes, one can even say: above God. Pope Benedict XVI said that genderism is worse than Marxism. Pope Francis said it is like a tsunami, demonic, satanic. Jesus spoke of 'whitewashed tombs', a 'brood of vipers', 'murderers of the prophets'. According to Fr. Charamsa, these words are unacceptable; our language should instead purr sweetly. If someone thinks he knows better than God on how to speak of this, it indicates a madness or possession.

My sentiments exactly.

**UPDATE**

(via El Periódico) Krysztof Charamsa has been officially suspended from priestly ministry. As was to be expected, Charamsa reacted to the dismissal by playing the victim of unfair treatment, saying that he was suspended not for being in an active sodomite relationship, but rather simply for being "gay."

President of the Ghana Bishop's Conference: "Homosexuals Go to Hell"

 by
 Giuseppe Nardi

His Excellence Joseph Bishop Osei-Bonsu

(Accra) Bishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu of Konongo-Mampong in Ghana disagreed with the notion that homosexuals go to heaven. The President of the Ghanaian Bishops' Conference, a descendent of the ancient royal house of Ashanti, is of a very different opinion.

Homosexuality, said Bishop Osei Bonsu, is "not natural." The Ghanian prelate relegated the assertion that some are born homosexual to the realm of "political myth-making," saying that it was invented in order to agitate for "gay rights" and to justify one's actions. Msgr. Osei-Bonsu told Nii Arday Clegg, host of Ghana Radio Starr 103.5 FM's Morning Starr, on Monday:

The Bible clearly tells us, in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that those who practice homosexuality and those who support gay marriage - whether politically, religiously or howsoever - make themselves guilty before God. [...] Gays, lesbians, liars and child molesters and the like do not get into heaven, and the Bible says that very clearly. It is neither a man nor a Bishop who says that they do not go to heaven, but rather the Bibel. It is Sacred Scripture which declares that they do not go to heaven.

(Original: katholisches.info)

Vortex of Plagiarism?

Yesterday, Church Militant's Michael Voris produced a Vortex episode entitled Schismatic Before God treating the issue of the canonical status of the SSPX. It's the second installment in a series focused on the SSPX, and Church Militant's coverage of the matter is scheduled to climax with the release of an in-depth, investigative journalism-style exposé this Friday. Why, exactly, Michael Voris has chosen to write "SSPX♥SCHISM" upon Church Militant's banner is anyone's guess. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I suppose he is concerned with exposing what he sees as a real danger to souls. It's a bit like lecturing on the importance of hand-washing while a chainsaw-wielding lunatic is on the loose, but ... whatever.

As a matter of editorial policy, I try to refrain from publicly engaging the thorny issue of the canonical status of the SSPX on this blog, as my work here is focused on presenting orthodox Catholic educational material from before Second Vatican Council and all the ugliness which transpired in its wake. I try to put into practice what Mr. Michael Matt of The Remnant has been pleading in favor of for some time now: bringing together traditionally-minded Catholics of various stripes for the advance of authentic Catholicism. And judging by the diverse backgrounds of the individuals who have reached out to me in private communication to express their support for what I do here, it's an effective policy.

Nonetheless, here I am, talking about Michael Voris and the SSPX. *sigh*

I will not comment in any way upon the factual accuracy of Mr. Voris' presentation. I really don't want to get into any of that. Why bring it up at all, then? For a completely different reason:

Like any Catholic with his wits about him, I really enjoy listening to the sermons hosted by AudioSancto, as well as its inheritors, Romans10Seventeen, Regina Prophetarum and Luke1128. I like them so much, in fact, that I've listened to many of them several times. They're often so dense that they warrant a second or even a third listening. One such sermon is entitled End Times, and was delivered in two installments towards the end of November 2014. I must have listened to that sermon at least four times now. It's a good one.

Michael Voris must have thought so, too.

Roughly six contiguous paragraphs of Mr. Voris' presentation from yesterday appear to have been lifted - nearly verbatim - from the second installment of that sermon, delivered on 30.11.2014. As far as I can see, no mention is made of this rather extensive and direct borrowing; the transcript lists only Michael Voris, S.T.B. as its author, and there is no indication that Mr. Voris is quoting someone else.

The sizable portion of the text in question is presented below. The audio file containing the original sermon can be found here. The lifted portion begins at 25:20 and runs to about 28:22.

Let's look at two sources. First, St. Augustine, then St. Alphonsus, before looking specifically at Canon 751. 

It is a manifest rule that one ought in no wise secede from the Catholic communion, that is from the body of Christians throughout the world, by the establishment of a separate communion, even on the admission of evil and sacrilegious men. 

Saint Augustine makes perfectly clear that even with evil and sacrilegious men present in the Church - and we certainly have an abundance of those now - we cannot and must not under any circumstances separate ourselves from the unity of the Church. Notice that St. Augustine is not citing canon law, and the reason for this is that schism is essentially a question of moral theology, not a legal question. Schism is not something that comes into being by a legal declaration. 

When speaking of heresy, St. Alphonsus speaks of "heretics before God" - in other words, of someone who is a heretic but has not been legally declared so by a solemn judgment of the Church. The idea here is that the sin of heresy precedes the judgment of the Church that the man actually is a heretic. And even if the Church never got around in a particular case of judging some man, he would still be a heretic before God - and how God views it is all that matters at the end of the day. 

The situation with schism is analogous. We could speak of "schismatics before God" - in other words, of people who are schismatic but have not been legally declared so by a solemn judgment of the Church. The sin of schism precedes the judgment of the Church, just as the evil of murder precedes the judgment of a court. 

If a group or even an individual, while keeping the True Faith, nevertheless voluntarily, knowingly and deliberately separated himself from the unity of the Church by refusing to submit to the authority of the Pope and/or to remain in communion with those who are subject to him, he or they would still be schismatic even if the Church never got around to making a solemn declaration; they would be schismatics before God.  

So schism at its heart, principally and essentially, is a question of moral theology, not of canon law. One notable aspect of the particular evil spirit behind the sin of schism is that it gives the adherents of this sin an impression, which is really an illusion, of purity and piety. It helps them feel holy and good about maintaining doctrinal and moral purity, and at the same time to feel justified in separating themselves from obedience to the Pope or communion with other Catholics, as if they might somehow become tainted by these sort of associations. This is exactly how the schismatic churches of the Orthodox community feel about Rome, for example.

Even a cursory comparison of the text of the transcript provided by Michael Voris and the text spoken on the sermon recording reveals that the two are nearly identical. And yet there is nothing in Mr. Voris' text to indicate that he has borrowed - rather extensively - from someone else's work.

I realize that to suggest that a journalist has committed an act of gross plagiarism is serious business. I do not want to unfairly damage the man's reputation. It is certainly possible that this was an honest oversight on the part of Michael Voris. In fact, given his extensive experience in the field of professional journalism, one is almost bound to assume that the plagiarism was inadvertent rather than gross, and that there was no real intent to deceive. And it might not be his work at all; it is conceivable that the script was prepared by one of the other reporters on the Church Militant staff, and Mr. Voris just read it off the teleprompter. It happens.

Regardless of how it happened, however, the situation needs rectifying. It is, after all, only fitting that the good and holy priests behind projects such as AudioSancto get at least some recognition for their hard work.

*** UPDATE ***

I just received notification from Church Militant that the following has now been added to the transcript in question:

Portions of this script were taken with permission from this sermon.

I understand that changing the actual video recording of the transcript to reflect the fact that a sizable chunk of it was taken from another source would represent some technical difficulty, so I suppose a disclaimer is as good a rectification as we can hope to see.

Event: International Symposium: The Two Shall Become One

In anticipation of the re-opening of the Synod on the Family in October, an international symposium on the creation of Adam and Eve as the foundation of the Catholic doctrine on Holy Marriage will be held on September 26, 2015, at the Centro Congressi Cavour – Via Cavour 50/A (near Termini Station) in Rome. Experts in theology, philosophy, and natural science will demonstrate that the traditional doctrine of the Church on the divine creation of Adam and Eve harmonizes with the best arguments in theology and philosophy, as well as with sound natural science, including the latest findings in biology, genetics, and paleontology.  

At the end of the nineteenth century, the first wave of the modern assault on Holy Marriage began as social revolutionaries attempted to introduce divorce into Catholic countries.  In response to these coordinated attacks on Holy Marriage, Pope Leo XIII exhorted the Bishops and theologians of the Catholic Church to defend the divine institution of Holy Marriage on the foundation of the divine creation of Adam and Eve.  In his encyclical Arcanum he told the Bishops:

The true origin of marriage, venerable brothers, is well known to all. [...] We record what is to all known, and cannot be doubted by any, that God, on the sixth day of creation, having made man from the slime of the earth, and having breathed into his face the breath of life, gave him a companion, whom He miraculously took from the side of Adam when he was locked in sleep. [...] And this union of man and woman [...] even from the beginning manifested chiefly two most excellent properties [...] namely, unity and perpetuity. (Pope Leo XIII, Arcanum, 5)

According to Monsignor Barreiro, long-time director of Human Life International in Rome:

The international symposium will demonstrate the timeless wisdom of Pope Leo XIII’s teaching while exposing the serious errors in theology, philosophy and natural science that beset alternative explanations for the origins of the first human beings.

Participants in the symposium include:

• Fr. Chad Ripperger, Ph.D., Philosophy (formerly professor of Dogmatic Theology at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary)
• D. Q. McInerny, Ph.D., Philosophy (professor of Philosophy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary) 
• Fr. Thomas Hickey, M.A., Theology (Faculty, Holy Apostles Seminary)
• Mr. John Wynne, (author, A Catholic Assessment of Evolution Theory)
• Dr. John Sanford, Ph.D., Plant Genetics (author, Genetic Entropy)
• Bai Macfarlane, (Director, Mary’s Advocates)
• Fr. Francesco Giordano, STD (Director, Human Life International, Rome Office).

For further information in Europe, please contact, Fr. Francesco Giordano, STD, Director, Vita Umana Internazionale, Roma (vuiroma@tin.it); in North America and elsewhere outside of Europe, please contact Hugh Owen (howen@shentel.net).

***

Please visit the Symposium's website to read Cardinal Raymond Burke's letter of welcome to participants. The event will also be streamed live.

Crisis: Where Will the Synod Lead Us?

There's nothing like a strong cup of coffee and an equally strong shot of Catholic doctrine to wake you up in the morning. I just enjoyed both simultaneously.

Portal PCh24.pl released a video yesterday entitled Crisis: Where Will the Synod Lead Us? (Original: Kryzys: Dokąd zaprowadzi nas synod?) which contains strong words from three prominent prelates - Cardinal Raymond Burke, Archbishop Jan Lenga and Bishop Athanasius Schneider - on the issues surrounding the upcoming 2015 Synod. It's well worth your time, so pour yourself a cup and enjoy:

You might think - as do I, gentle reader - that the real coup d'état has already taken place in the recently released marriage annulment reform (can there remain any doubt as to why Cardinal Burke was removed from his post as Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura?), and that the Synod, while it will offer certain factions the opportunity to push for the approval of their perverted views on human sexuality, has been orchestrated to divert attention away from the structural and legal reforms currently being undertaken and to ultimately result in a widespread sigh of relief to the tune of "Crisis averted!" So, seeing as it speaks to eventualities which, in all likelihood, will never materialize, why draw your attention to this video?

To remind you to thank God for the holy priests and bishops who have demonstrated the courage and conviction to stand up for the teachings of Our Lord, Jesus Christ (miserere nobis), in the face of a pernicious heresy, the threat of schism and even apostasy. To remind you that the battle is not lost, and that the situation is not hopeless. To remind you that, come what may, Christ has not and will never abandon His Church.

Of course, you know these things. But it doesn't hurt to be reminded of them now and again.