How Do You Solve a Problem Like Francis?
An atheist pope is destroying the Church
Just to correct the title....No one can "destroy the Church," although Francis is surely giving it the old college try. But that doesn't mean an evil man masquerading as a Catholic can't do incredible damage to the deposit of faith and to the Catholic flock. Past popes did it, not to mention other members of the hierarchy. Just look at England and their pathetic bench of bishops under Henry VIII. Between the bishop apostates and the evil English monarchs and chancellors, the faith almost disappeared from England for centuries.
And yet, the Catholic faith is alive in England today, probably due to the suffering of numerous martyrs who met gruesome fates at Tyburn and other places. Even those wicked monarchs and their assassins couldn't wipe out the faith completely.
We are living in challenging times, times that "try men's souls" to borrow Thomas Paine's quote about the American revolution. The current revolution in the Church inflicts suffering from the top down and has left many Catholics floundering. They need not if they cling to the faith of our fathers over the millennia. Suffering for Christ saves!
Read Zmirak's article and, while you're at it, consider bookmarking The Stream where he writes as a Senior Editor.
And here's another of his illuminating articles about the pope:
Do Christians and Communists Have the Same Goals, as Pope Francis Claims?
Fasten your little barque to the two pillars in St. John Bosco's dream: the Eucharist and devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially her rosary. May each of us do our part to restore and defend the faith. And consider a few Hail Mary's for John Zmirak and the truth tellers at Chronicles and The Stream. Those defending the faith are entitled to our support.
Lord Jesus, silent before your accusers, have mercy on us.
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pillar of the family, pray for us.
Interesting food for thought as to whom to single out to put on trial. All but Pilate were the "Deep State" against Jesus, proving "what goes around, etc."
ReplyDeleteThe difference between the wealth pools for Communism and for the Christian Church is that the main purpose of the latter's wealth collections are to support the families the martyrs leave behind, thus making their decision to refuse to pinch the incense less fraught with worry about what would happen to family. *That* is why the early Christians sold all their things and donated to the Church, why Ananias was *struck dead* for having lied about his contribution. The pooled monies were not just supposed to support the priests, they were supposed to support the widow and children of the man who said, "No" to the incense pinching. Thus, the Church had his back. This was essential for people to know as the persecutions moved forward.
ReplyDeleteNo such care for the family is evidenced by Communism - in fact the reverse. Children are encouraged to rat out their parents.
Mary Ann. Any idea who the artist is who did this painting? It’s very powerful.
ReplyDeleteSorry Andrew, I don't, but i'll see if I can find it.
ReplyDeleteThe painter is a Hungarian of the 19th century, Mihaly Munkacsy. He also did a crucifixion painting and several others with religious themes. He also obviously loved children. He did a number of paintings about welcoming and visiting new babies. I love his work! He lived in the second half of the 19th century and died in 1900. You can check out some of his other paintings at https://www.artrenewal.org/artists/mihaly-munkacsy/696
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