Refugee Resettlement Watch: What Don't You Understand about Islamic Infiltration?

America is (or was) a Christian country -- a PROTESTANT Christian country. And that is part of the problem today impacting most government decisions. Because protestantism is the religion of individualism beginning with the firebrand that lit the holocaust, Martin Luther.

Thoughts on Schism -- Is it Immanent?

Is it time for the schism yet? Let me check my watch.

A sensible analysis from One Mad Mom 

Schism for Dummies -- Mad Mom brings up the German situation in passing while she tells us what is NOT schism (in case you were worried that being alarmed about the pope makes you schismatic).

Paradigm Shift Chapter Five "Religious Indifferentism, Philosophical Relativism, Theological Evolutionism"

(This is a continuation of an ongoing review of each chapter in the book by Jose Antonio Ureta, "Pope Francis's Paradigm Shift, Continuity or Rupture in the Church")

One of my favorite go to sources is Papal Encyclicals Online.  It allows you to search by Pope or by subject discovering the most wonderful things about our past together as generation upon generation of Roman Catholics.  In just a couple of clicks I found the following quote so pertinent to the subject of this chapter of Paradigm Shift.  It comes from the Letter, Mirari Vos, On Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism, by Pope Gregory XVI, 1832, addressed to “All Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops of the Catholic World.

Fr. Tom on Martin Luther and the Dubia

Would the cardinals get an answer if they
nailed the Dubia to the door?

History may not repeat itself, but it rhymes an awful lot. There is an interesting parallel in the way Church leaders dealt with Luther’s Ninty-Five Theses and the way they are dealing with the dubia concerning the ambiguities aroused by teachings of Pope Francis.

God bless you!

In Christ,

Fr. Thomas Collins
Sacred Heart Church
Covington, VA

As we sadly commemorate the 500th Anniversary of Luther’s posting his famous Ninety-Five Theses, we also need to realize that, due to a combination of pride, greed, and political Intrigue, this effort to discern how to more faithfully conform to the truth of the Gospel eventually led to the disintegration of the Western Church into numerous conflicting Christian denominations. More recently, efforts to discern more clearly how to implement the truth of the Gospel in our society have been expressed not in theses posted on a cathedral door, but in dubia presented to the Holy Father. Sadly, just as Luther’s effort to discern the truth more clearly was aborted by pride, greed and intrigue, it seems that current dubia are being ignored or aborted in order to accommodate the demands of those orchestrating the formation of a New World Order.

Whom Shall I Send?

People today are very wrapped up in a love of comfort. They seek safe spaces where nothing jars their self adjusted definition of right and wrong, or their lazy idea of meeting the challenges of a virtuous life, which often amounts to nothing more than “I’ll just be nice to people and accept them as they are.”

A perfect example of that attitude is this bumper sticker I saw two days ago. Notice the heart and the minor brushstroke symbol of a cross? What about that image says CATHOLIC? Yet this is a Catholic Church sticker.

 

The mission statement below the graphic says:  "Our mission is mercy and love."  I wondered as I sat there at the traffic light staring at the rear end of that car, whatever happened to saving souls?  This is why I believe people have let go of truth for the sake of comfort.  Truth can be painful to a sinner.  Truth can drag us right into the greatest mental conflict of our life when it asks us to give up what we have grown to love for the sake of loving Christ more.  This was in fact what Martin Luther struggled with and in the end, his sin won out.  He went so far as to create a doctrine that would accommodate his sin and push it all off on Jesus.  His idea that it doesn’t really matter what we do, allowed him to get away with anything as long as he “believed in Jesus” as his personal savior.  (For an excellent history of Luther and a clear and concise explanation of his beliefs, read the essay written by Bishop William Adrian, published in The Wanderer in 1967.) 

St. Ignatius of Loyola vs. Martin Luther -- NO CONTEST!

I saw this photo at the Badger Catholic and had to share it. I'm going on my annual 5-day silent retreat using the Spiritual Exercises next week. Our retreat master, Fr. James Buckley is an FSSP priest, so we will have the Tridentine Mass every day. How glorious that will be, especially on the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption. Thanks be to God. I will be praying for all my readers and their families. Please pray for me as well. In the meantime, rejoice at all the saints who fought heresy and error and passed on the authentic Catholic faith with zeal. 

One More Reason I Can't Take Bishop Barron Seriously!

St. John Fisher vigorously fought Luther. He
knew the man was no "mystic of grace."

Bishop Hails Martin Luther as “Mystic of Grace”

Really? 

That's not what historian Michael Davies says. Below is the second part of a lecture series on the great English bishop and martyr, St. John Fisher. Fisher's response to Martin Luther, his heretical contemporary who did so much damage to the Church, shows exactly how arrogant and proud Luther was. How many souls are in hell because of Martin Luther? We'll find out on Judgment Day.

Historians are more credible when they use primary sources. St. John Fisher wrote four books addressing Luther and his heresy.

Thoughts on Ecumenism or When Will Pope Francis Rehabilitate Henry VIII?

Rehabilitate Henry VIII?

• Cardinal Walter Kasper spoke a few days ago at an ecumenical monastery in Bose, Italy at a Conference on justification, the Gospel of grace. Among other things, he said, "the ecumenical program should be formulated in the following terms: an evangelical Catholicism and a Catholic Protestantism." What the heck does that mean? If both faith's compromise we can reunify? Hey, you Catholics give up on the indissolubility of marriage and evil of abortion and the Protestants will give up....um....uh....er...woman clergy? Yeah...don't hold your breath.

• Kasper also said that Catholics and Protestants are part of  "the one and only body of Christ, that is the Church" and ended his talk saying, "If we do not want the Churches to empty even more, we need to focus on the core." Anyone who has followed Cardinal Kasper's convoluted reasoning at the two synods on the family could easily believe he has no core on which to focus. Everything is up for grabs -- and that, essentially describes Protestantism. Empty pews are certainly preferable to empty (non-existent) theology. Kasper and other churchmen of his ilk explain why Jesus lamented, "When I return will I find any faith on the earth?" I don't think Christ will find much at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity headed by Kasper. 

Guest Post: Who are the Hypocrites in the Church?

A square named for Martin Luther? Wish I'd thought of that!
I only gave him a postage stamp.

Editor's note: The Huffington Post loves to quote the pope these days as they did with his comments about hypocrites in the Church. Isn't that interesting? They happily reported on Vatican approval of a square in the city of Rome being named after Martin Luther. They seem especially to love every criticism by Pope Francis of those deplorable rigid Catholics (especially bishops) who cling to Christ's doctrine and tradition. In today's Church one seems to find more mercy for Martin Luther than for the martyrs of England who died clinging to the Mass of the ages. 

Francis Laments Hypocritical Catholics?  

By David Martin

Pope Francis on Thursday suggested that it is better to be an atheist than to be a Catholic who leads a hypocritical double life. At his private morning Mass at his residence, he said, "How many times have we all heard people say 'if that person is a Catholic, it is better to be an atheist'."

Guest Post: Martin Luther: Heretic and Enemy of the Faith!

Martin Luther: Church demolition expert.

Luther Wanted to Renew the Church?

By David Martin

Once again Pope Francis has defied Church teaching and policy to placate those who protest. Speaking to members of an Ecumenical Delegation from Finland on January 19, he said, "The intention of Martin Luther five hundred years ago was to renew the Church, not divide her."

Alas! The pope has praised one whom the Church holds to be a heretic. The fact is that Luther protested the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century because he regarded not God and his rule of law. And whereas he waged his protest under the guise of a reform, there was nothing in the Church that needed reforming other than his unfounded errors. http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo10/l10exdom.htm

Random Thoughts for Monday

Strange isn't it? The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity says that, “Catholics are now able to hear Luther’s challenge for the Church of today, recognizing him as a ‘witness to the gospel.’” (source) But the cardinals who wrote the dubia are in hot water for daring to challenge the conclusions of Pope Francis' confusing and ambiguous exhortation, Amoris Leatitia. Soooo....the heretic takes his place of honor at the Vatican, while the orthodox get the hobnailed boot. We are truly seeing the days predicted by Christ when evil is called good and good is called evil. Pray and keep the faith.

The celebration of the vile Martin Luther makes me think of the recent celebration of the vicious tyrant Fidel Castro by so many "progressives" on the left. Fidel was so wonderful in what he did for Cuba - murdering his own people, summarily executing his enemies, impoverishing the nation, etc. Talk about rewriting history and dumping the unpleasant truth about the man down the memory hole.

Coincidence? Or Warning!

Earthquake in Italy destroys monastery of St. Benedict in Norcia

BEFORE

Guest Post: Pope to Commemorate 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation

Luther in the canon of saints? Great idea! We'll dispense with
the miracle requirement for his admirable Gospel witness! 

By David Martin

In what is being hailed as a milestone in the ongoing progress toward Catholic-Lutheran unity, Pope Francis will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation on October 31, in Lund, Sweden. At 2:00 pm, the pope will participate in an ecumenical prayer service in the Lutheran cathedral in Lund, where he will deliver a sermon aimed at strengthening ecumenical ties between the two religions.

Pope Frances Nixes Christ's Great Commission To Convert All Nations

"Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19

Well, it's official. The pope tells us it's a sin to follow Christ's great commission. Addressing a group of visiting Lutherans standing next to a large statue of the excommunicated monk, the pope responded to a young girl's question about witnessing to her non-believing friends that “It is not licit that you convince them of your faith; proselytism is the strongest poison against the ecumenical path.” Hmm...

Guest Article: German Bishops Hail Arch-Heretic Luther as "Teacher of the Faith"

Luther had an X-rated tongue!

By David Martin

The Catholic bishops of Germany are praising Martin Luther, calling him a "Gospel witness and teacher of the Faith" and lamenting that the Church hasn't given him an "adequate hearing."

In a report released August 9th by the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Gerhard Feige, chairman of the German Bishops' Ecumenical Commission, says the "history of the Reformation has encountered a changeable reception in the Catholic Church, where its event and protagonists were long seen in a negative, derogatory light." The report asserts that theological differences have been "re-evaluated," and that "the Catholic Church may recognize today what was important in the Reformation."

What Exactly is There for Catholics to Celebrate about Martin Luther?

Following the intercommunion with the Lutherans recently at the Vatican, it should come as no surprise that the pontiff will travel to Lund, Sweden in October to open the 500th anniversary year commemorating Martin Luther's revolt against the Church. [Source] Remember that Martin Luther was condemned for heresy and excommunicated. His actions spurred violence throughout Europe and spawned numerous other heretical sects. Many saints arose as they lay down their lives to provide the Mass in places like England and the Netherlands where persecution was rampant. I wonder -- will the commemoration include references to them or would that put a damper on the Luther love fest?