The goal of this article in explaining and analyzing the Church in crisis is to see the weaknesses and help find solutions, not to criticize or demean it. This is a constructive criticism of the Church, which is as human as it is divine, and needs our prayers.
This is a summary of past Eastwind Journals articles on the topic of the Catholic Church in crisis. There are four major catalysts to the Catholic Church in crisis. Only three are covered in this article – 1) the Vatican civil war, 2) global spread of abortion, and 3) the pedophile epidemic. The fourth, not covered, is Satanism.
eastwind journals, November, 6, 2021 (archive tr52)
By Bernie V. Lopez, eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com
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Note. Satanism, the fourth catalyst, is not covered in this article.
The Vatican civil war, labelled in theological jargon is the ‘apostasy’, was prophesied by Our Lady of Fatima. This war between CONSERVATIVES and LIBERALS has been going on for the last few centuries, with the Conservatives dominating the Papacy with their appointed Cardinals. Liberals and Conservatives have always been hopelessly irreconcilable, refusing to compromise.
It was perhaps God’s mysterious ways to choose a Liberal, Pope Francis, for the first time in centuries, to address a momentous event in human history, the pandemic, viewed by some Theologians as the result of the Church crisis, which in turn, is caused by Man’s errant ways. Francis is the first Jesuit Pope in history. Although mostly in the background, the Liberal Jesuits launched the Counter Reformation in response to Luther’s Protestant revolt. The Jesuit head at the Vatican is called the Black Pope.
Ironically, it was a Conservative, Pope Benedict, who chose an ‘enemy’, a Liberal, Pope Francis, as replacement, because he was helpless to police his own ranks, the Conservative Cardinals (see the movie Two Popes). As soon as Francis ascended the throne, he quickly cleansed the Vatican of Conservative Cardinals, triggering the on-going civil war, which is fueling the Church crisis.
The global spread of abortion revolves around vast funds from the U.S. and the U.N. whose battle cry is population control, especially in the Third World, which has the highest population increase. The Catholic anti-abortionists call this the ‘cleansing of the Earth’. These vast funds are spread into poor countries to 1) legalize abortion through Congressional lobbies (majority of nations have legalized abortion), 2) fund the operations of abortion clinics, especially in remote rural areas, and 3) launch workshops to ‘educate’ the masses, offering free condoms.
The ongoing war between anti- and pro-abortionists is reaching fever pitch in the U.S., which has the largest number of abortion cases in the world. The war has evolved into politics with the Democrats and Republicans clawing at each other. Florida and Texas are the pioneers in legalizing the ban on abortion, defying President Biden, who launched a legal counter strike. Even the U.S. Bishops’ Conference is split over the ‘no communion’ for Biden and pro-abortionists, inviting further the Church crisis.
The Pedophile Epidemic involves massive statistics – 216,000 children sexually abused by the clergy since 1950 (BBC, Oct. 5, 2021); 700 ongoing court cases in the six diocese of Illinois; projection of cases in the entire U.S. reaching 5- to 6-digits. The Vatican is in deep crisis, unable to manage the rapid growth, spending billions for court cases.
At the heart of the problem is the irony that when the Church protects its image by transferring pedophiles to remote parishes, they spread the crimes all the more. The cover-up is actually destroying the Church image, not protecting it, when they are exposed in the courts and in the Media. Pope Francis is launching a ‘Pedophilia Summit’ to institute new Church laws to hopefully contain the epidemic.
The clergy has organized the Catholic Whistleblowers to unite and strengthen their resolve, to fight back against retaliations, such as transfers to remote parishes. (NYT, May 20,2021). The Pedophile Epidemic is tearing the Church apart, enhancing the crisis.
The situation seems hopeless, but Jesus promised that the Church will prevail until the end of times, or at his coming. The best the Catholic faithful can do is to pray – for Pope Francis, for both Conservative and Liberal Cardinals, for the pedophile priests and their protectors, and their victims, for the pro-abortionist to mend their ways. It is the faith, forgiveness, love for each other of the faithful that atone for the sins of Mankind, thereby dissipating the Church crisis.
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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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