More than ever, Pope Francis needs our prayers right now. A huge storm rages over the Vatican, as never before seen in Church history, a growing apostasy or civil war. The core issue is Pope Francis’ blessing of same-sex marriage.
Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, warns same-sex couples that Papal blessings will not save them from God’s judgement (Newsmax, Dec. 21, 2023). In reply, Francis accused protesters of ‘rigid ideologies’.
eastwind journals
January 20, 2024 – Archives tr449
By Bernie V. Lopez, eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com
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Overview – Vatican Politics.
Pope Francis is the first Liberal in a Vatican dominated by Conservatives for centuries. He is the first Jesuit Pope, which essentially leads the Liberals today.
Ironically, the Ultra- Conservative Pope Benedict endorsed the Ultra-Liberal Pope Francis to become the next Pope in frustration over Vatican corruption. Liberals, the minority, and Conservatives, the majority, do not mix. They are like oil and water, since the birth of the Church in a never-ending irreconcilable ‘war’, essentially over dogma, liturgy and, of course, politics.
Upon ascending the throne, Pope Francis cleansed the all-powerful Curia of Conservatives in a sweeping lightning move, a first-ever in Vatican history. Since then, the Conservatives have launched the anti-Pope movement. Our Lady of Fatima prophesied an ‘apostasy’, perceived today as the ongoing Vatican civil war.
The US-led Anti-Pope Protests.
Foreseeing his eventual exit, Pope Francis has lately conducted a flurry of appointments of Bishops and Cardinals with key roles in Vatican affairs. This was perhaps to give the Liberals an edge. For example, in a 2017 consistory, he elevated five prelates to cardinals at Saint Peter’s Basilica (Reuters). This is an ingenious strategy to neutralize the dominance of the ‘deposed’ Conservatives, who still remain the majority.
Leading the anti-Pope movement are the US-led triumvirate – Bishop Carlo Vigano, Bishop Joseph Strickland, and Raymond Cardinal Burke.
Ultra-Conservative Vigano is noted for exposing Vatican financial corruption and for accusing Pope Francis of cover-up of “sexual abuse allegations” against Theodore Cardinal McCarick. Vigano branded Pope Francis as “a false prophet” and “an apostate Pope”. Pope Francis took it in silence, showing no vindictiveness. In truth, many accused Vigano as the cause of the apostasy, not Pope Francis.
Cardinal Burke, another ultra-Conservative, is a legal luminary whose style and approach are medieval. True, Pope Francis “upholds the Church’s doctrine and principles”, but views some provisions “as hampering its mission”. Conservatives like Burke prefer to adhere strictly to law and doctrine “in black and white terms”. (CNN December 15.2023).
Austen Ivereigh, a papal biographer, said “For so long, Cardinal Burke had been calling into question Pope Francis’ authority and his teaching.” Pope Francis pointed out that cardinals have to follow the “oath of obedience to the pope and his successors”. The protests from Conservatives are in truth eroding loyalty of the faithful to the Pope.
Burke lost his ‘apartment privilege’ of up to $5,900 a month when he lost his job in the Church’s central administration.
The issues from Strickland are similar – defiance of the Papacy. He had a clash with Pope Francis on unknown ‘social and theological issues’, but when he dared to question ‘the legitimacy’ of Francis as Pope and accused him of “undermining the Catholic faith on social media”, it was the last straw. He was removed as Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler in Texas after a formal investigation on his leadership deemed him ‘not feasible to continue’ (archgh-org, texas-standard-org nov. 14, 2023).
In truth, Strickland violated the age-old “communion bishops must keep with popes”. Questioning Papal legitimacy is a serious accusation.
In general, except for Burke and Strickland, Pope Francis developed an ingenious strategy of not opposing criticisms frontally, and employing silence as a tool against accusations.
Other Issues
Other issues against Pope Francis include 1) his openness to giving communion to divorced and remarried Catholics, 2) his pastoral welcome to LGBTQ people, 3) his support for the millions of migrants spreading across Europe and America, a ticking time bomb which may explode in the long term, 4) his campaign against “climate change skeptics and ‘irresponsible’ Western lifestyles”, and 5) finally, the mother of all issues, the Synod. It will take a Bible-thick book perhaps to cover the many and complex Synod issues in detail, which may rage long after Pope Francis has gone.
Prayer for Pope Francis
Dear Lord, strengthen Pope Francis, your Vicar on Earth, to weather the ongoing storm raging over the Church. Enlighten and touch with your grace your Church in crisis, and the Cardinals, Bishops and the faithful as actors in this apostasy. Finally, we pray for ourselves at the threshold of the looming era of tribulation prophesied by the Book of Revelation.
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More Inspirational Articles – eastwindjournals.com.
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1) Father Fernando Suarez – www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UP3LHBgtIc.
2) Sr. Raquel Reodica, RVM – www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZcwNimBSg
Download free e-book ‘Healing Stories of Sr. Raquel’ at eastwindjournals.com/2021/08/13/healing-stories-of-sr-raquel-e-book-free-download/).
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Author’s Credentials. Blogger – ex-Columnist (Inquirer) – Healing Ministry – ex-Professor (Ateneo University) – Documentary Producer-Director (freelance, ex-ABS-CBN, ex-TVS Tokyo) – ex-Broadcaster (Radio Veritas) – Facebook “Bernie V. Lopez Eastwind” / Pages “Eastwind Journeys and Journals” and “Mary Queen of Peace”.
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