I have written of my concerns in the past with the German Synodal Process, as well as concerns with other bishops and cardinals and their take on the process. They essentially ignore the oft repeated words of Pope Francis, that in the synodal process there must be a deep listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and charity that keeps us firmly attached to Jesus Christ. Pope Francis has made it clear that the synod on synodality is not about changing long standing Church teaching and is not a democratic or parliamentary process.
In a recent article, my brother bishop, Cardinal Robert McElroy, laid out a vision of the church in the context of synodality calling for “radical inclusion”. According to His Eminence, the Church “contains structures and cultures of exclusion.” He then goes on to speak about categories of people who are systematically excluded from the life of the Church. He speaks about a need for “radical inclusion” that invites all the baptized to participate fully in the life of the Church regardless of his or her relationship with the Church and Jesus Christ.
There is much that could be addressed, but I would like to focus on putting Jesus Christ first and the joy that flows from adhering to the Gospel. Staying attached to Jesus Christ the “vine” is essential, for the Lord tells us, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Similarly, the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us, “Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him Jesus endured the cross…” (Hb 12:1b–2 emphasis mine).
Cardinal McElroy’s reflection paints the Church as an institution that harms due to its incapacity to welcome everyone into full participation in the life of the Church. According to His Eminence, the Church categorically discriminates, but did not Jesus himself put demands on his disciples which distinguished them from those who did not respond to the radical and costly call of the Gospel?
Indeed, in the encounter with the rich young man (cf. Mk 10:17–22), Jesus demands radical discipleship from the young man, and he lets him refuse and walk away. Furthermore, Jesus lays out the cost of discipleship as denying oneself, and even family, for the sake of the Gospel (cf. Lk 9:23–26; Mt 16:24–25; Lk 14:25–27). And, just as he was not received by everyone, he reminded his disciples as he sent them out if people did not receive the message of the Gospel to simply “shake the dust from your feet” (Mt 10:14), not wishing them ill but turning them over to the Lord.
Finally, many disciples left Jesus because of his teaching on the Bread of Life, (cf. Jn 6:66) and he goes even so far as to ask the apostles if they want to leave (cf. Jn 6:67). Jesus never waters down his teaching, nor does he appeal to conscience; he gives testimony to the truth (cf. Jn 18:37). The call Jesus gives is radical, and it goes out to everyone, but is not received by everyone because of the cost of discipleship.
The presentation given by some bishops and cardinals sadly fails to preach the radicality of the Gospel and obscures the true eternal love of the Father for the sinner. Faith in Jesus Christ means a conversion of life that leads to internal peace and everlasting joy—a joy and peace no one can take away from the disciple. We must ponder in our hearts if the real reason for our empty pews is that we have not stayed attached to the vine. Our dropping attendance may be a fulfillment of the promise of Jesus that if we do not stay attached to him, we will wither (cf. Jn 15:1–6). Those Christian communities who have tried inclusion to the exclusion of sin only divide more and their pews are still empty.
I must admit that if I thought the way some of my brothers think, I would have left the Church long ago and joined another Christian community. As a college student I strayed away from the Church. The Catholic faith did not draw me, as my experience was that of confessors yelling at me or trying to talk me out of my sins. The truths of the faith, even the difficult ones, were not presented with charity.
It was only when I read the book in the late 1960’s by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, titled The Cost of Discipleship, that I started my journey back to Christ and eventually the Catholic Church. I began to understand what the Eucharist is and what I had left behind. I wanted the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and his mercy and forgiveness in Confession, and that brought me back to the living out of my faith. It was a call to leave the values of the world behind and to have my heart and mind formed by Jesus (cf. Rm 12:2). Bonhoeffer’s distinction between “cheap grace” and “costly grace” is timely for us today.
Thankfully, the Church I know does radically include the call to every human being in all cultures. Every walk of life—every person in every condition and situation—is invited into the loving embrace of Jesus and the Father, and holy mother Church. Our faith community invites all, no matter what label they’ve chosen, into our community of faith.
But the Church doesn’t stop there. She invites because she loves; and to love is to will the true good of the other. Only God’s love can move us from all the confusing identities of the world, to see that we are not the ones who decide our identity. Rather the Gospel shows that through the Father’s loving plan, each of us can become a beloved daughter or son of the Father, with our identity firmly rooted in Jesus’. Through conversion, a disciple discovers that he or she is not god. God alone determines what is good and evil and, like Christ, the disciple seeks only the will of the Father.
The Church recognizes that someone who lives a particular way, whether it be in willing violation of natural law or some other moral category, is not in communion with the Church. As Pope Francis said so simply during an in-flight interview September 15, 2021: “This is not a penalty: you are outside. Communion is to unite the community.” This is not to condemn the person, but to recognize the truth of their situation and call their immortal soul to something greater.
One of the privileges I have experienced from the very beginning of my priesthood is the invitation to accompany men, women, and children through the pangs of conversion to the wonderful life of grace that is fed by the Eucharist. Yes, the Eucharist is not for the perfect, but it is for those who are in communion. And it is not just spiritual food for all of us who have the need for regular confession, but it is also a sign of unity that belongs to those who are in a state of grace.
The call of Christ to the woman caught in adultery (cf. John 8:11) is the same call Jesus makes to each of us. We are included in his company, but we are also called to turn from sin. Inclusiveness does not and cannot mean that we remain in our sins. This is because Jesus wants us to be happy.
The Holy Father during his weekly Angelus on January 22nd said that “our vices and our sins” are like “anchors that hold us at the shore and prevent us from setting sail…to stay with Jesus, therefore, requires the courage to leave, to set out…to leave what? Our vices and sins.” Yes, we are to invite and include, but not at the expense of leaving others and ourselves mired in sin that separates us from God. The laws of God are laws of a loving Father so his children may live in his joy. The Church needs the courage, and love, to be clear in inviting people to leave their sin. What Jesus offers is better than what the world offers the person in sin, and his grace and power is sufficient to free anyone from the slavery to sin.
Finally, His Eminence makes the frequent claim that our conscience is our ultimate guide. In a certain sense this is true if, as the Catechism teaches very clearly, we first have a well-formed conscience. Conscience is an act of the intellect in judging the morality of past, present, or future actions. The appeal to conscience is not a “get out of jail” card, and it is very dangerous to imply as much. Rather, it is a judgment measured by reality.
Our ultimate guide is not conscience. It is truth! And as we know, Christ is the Truth (cf. Jn 14:6).
While Cardinal McElroy and I have very different visions of the state of the Church, no doubt we both desire happiness for all. His article is a reminder to me that the Church must do more to preach Jesus Christ and the joy of the Gospel—the joy that awaits us after we turn from sin and conform our hearts and minds to Christ. It is a joy under the weight of the cross, no doubt, but it is a joy the world cannot give. It comes from knowing we have become beloved daughters and sons of the Father, and that we are made in the image and likeness of the God who is love (cf. 1 John 4:8).
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Yes, and/but we also read: “Pope Francis has made it clear that the synod on synodality is not about changing long standing Church teaching and is not a democratic or parliamentary process.”
Perhaps His Eminence Cardinal McElroy is playing the game of moving the goal posts? Maybe a “parliamentary process” is the middle of the enlarged field (enlarge your tent!”), with Lumen Gentium and the “hierarchical communion” as one goal post, and the other goal post…well, that’s a synodal plebiscite with all the populist and big-tent novelties he insinuates and now clearly proclaims!
The clear retention, yes, of Church teaching—but ALSO the equally-clear separation of “pastoral” approaches from such teaching. So, to clearly rule out a parliamentary process—does this guideline clearly rule the plebiscite goal post under the enlarged tent? Or not?
Why have a backward parliament when you can have a forward plebiscite?
Again, the timely prescience and relevance of Veritatis Splendor on this very point:
“A separation, or even an opposition [!], is thus established in some cases between the teaching of the precept, which is valid and general, and the norm of the individual conscience, which would in fact make the final decision [no longer a ‘moral judgment’!] about what is good and what is evil. On this basis, an attempt is made [!] to legitimize so-called ‘pastoral’ solutions [!] contrary to the teaching of the Magisterium, and to justify a ‘creative’ hermeneutic according to which the moral conscience is in no way obliged, in every case, by a particular negative precept [thou shalt not!]” (Veritatis Splendor, n. 56).
“They essentially ignore the oft repeated words of Pope Francis, that in the synodal process there must be a deep listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and charity that keeps us firmly attached to Jesus Christ. Pope Francis has made it clear that the synod on synodality is not about changing long standing Church teaching and is not a democratic or parliamentary process.” This is the problem. Pope Francis is the one who made Elroy a cardinal. Francis is the one who put Hollerich in charge of the synod who himself holds heretical views on practicing homosexuality. Francis continues to let the Germans go along their synod. Francis says a few words to the Germans while not stopping them. And he won’t stop them. Francis contradicts himself. He says one thing and then another. With this synod it is clear Francis is intentionally creating a mess, “a toxic nightmare.” Church needs to face reality of what is going on.
Precisely! Very well said!
I feel bad for Archbishop Aquila. He is trying to preserve his institution and pass on the faith it is supposed to represent. Still, at the end of the day, we need to face up to the truth, or truth will take its revenge.
Don’t feel bad for the Archbishop, he understands the battle.
I agree with Archbishop Aquila and disagree with the Cardinal McElroy! Having supported Archbishop Cordileon, Inwas shocked at the choice of a Cardinal who agrees with German bishops and disagrees with the Pope. For the fathful in the pew, It becomes more difficult to support any hierarchy!
And I agree with you JP. It is Francis who starts the Synod process, who appoints gay friendly bishops (in the US: Supich, Tobin, Gregory and McElroy) as cardinals and who not only makes Hollerich a cardinal, but appoints him to a powerful position in the Synod. Thus, what kind of game is the pope playing? Does he think all Catholics have their heads buried in the sand?
The Pope is a peronist: He teaches one thing a day and its exact contrary a few days later. So superficial people can be satisfied. But for everyone who ponders deeper his speeches and his deeds it is easy to understand that his contradictions are leading the Church in a confused and wrong way that a true catholic faithful cannot support.
Here are a few verses against “radical inclusion” which make it clear that McElroy is proposing an anti-Scriptural heresy that would dissolve the faith into nothingness.
Jesus – MT 10:14-15 “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
Jesus – MT 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Jesus – LK 10:10-12 “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
St. Paul – ROM 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.
St. Paul – 1 COR 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Jesus – MT 10:14-15 “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
Jesus – MT 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Jesus – LK 10:10-12 “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
St. Paul – ROM 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.
St. Paul – 1 COR 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
St. Paul – 1 COR 5 11-13 But I now write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a person. For why should I be judging outsiders? Is it not your business to judge those within? God will judge those outside. “Purge the evil person from your midst.”
St. Paul – 2 COR 6:14-16 Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Be′lial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?
St. Paul – EPH 5:6-8 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not associate with them, for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
St. Paul – 2 THES 3:14 If anyone does not obey our word as expressed in this letter, take note of this person not to associate with him, that he may be put to shame.
St. Paul – 2 TIM 3:1-5 But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. Reject them.
St. Paul – TITUS 3: 10-11 After a first and second warning, break off contact with a heretic, realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and stands self-condemned.
St. John – 2 JN 9-11 Anyone who is so “progressive” as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works. Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
Durable Evangelization depends upon the foundational restoration of human thought, maybe more than on a “welcoming” open door and a “field hospital” alone. That is, can the Church’s evangelization happen without Catholic academia, for example, first “walking together (!)” past its adolescent Land o’ Lakes Declaration of the late 1960s?
Benedict makes an important point:
“If one investigates this concept more closely [“the correct relationship between Christianity and the world religions”], however, one encounters something unexpected that—as far as I can tell—is glossed over in almost all the pertinent studies. The Church Fathers found the seeds of the Word, NOT IN THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD, BUT RATHER IN PHILOSOPHY [caps added], that is, in the process of critical reason directed against the (pagan) religions, in the history of progressive reason, and not in the history of religion.” (Ratzinger/Benedict, “On the Way to Jesus Christ,” Ignatius, 2005).
How to evangelize the Incarnation of divinely “radical love” to BOTH the religious AND now the post-religious in an incoherent world? When asked what would be his first action to save his country, a Chinese emperor answered “I will restore the meaning of words.”
Thank you Archbishop Aquila for your words of wisdom.
McElroy may have the tile Eminence; he is anything but. He has shown himself to be a traitor to the teachings of Christ, willing to worship at the altar of the false gods of inclusion and progressivism. He has forsaken his duty to unite the flock around Christ and to guide that flock according to God’s revealed truth. He accepted the cardinal’s red as a commitment that he would rather shed blood than forsake the faith. He should resign or be made to resign immediately. His fellow bishops have a duty to act, not just write columns in a safe space like CWR. Demand that the nuncio call McElroy in and hand him his walking papers. This is a scandal far beyond the McCarrick catastrophe. Without clarity from the bishops, the McElroy scandal will devastate the Church. We are now on the slippery slope.
Pope Francis already knew McElroy’s leanings, and was happy to elevate him to be a cardinal. Thus, complaining to the nuncio, the Vatican, or to Francis himself would do no good.
The slippery slope began ten years ago next month.
Agree
Archbishop Aquila’s exposure of the Christological vacuum of Cardinal McElroy’s appeal brings to mind H. Richard Niebuhr’s gloss on the theology of liberal Protestantism: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”
I used to be somewhat reserved about St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy devotion. I now know that it was divinely inspired and was given as a preparation and protection against a doctrine of FALSE MERCY that would soon worm its way into the Church and become the fulcrum by which Satan will gain maximal leverage before the Day of Judgment. One clue in St. Faustina’s diary as to who might be the false prophet who would preach the destructive counterfeit doctrine is provided by the entry on December 17, 1936. We were warned.
Archange, I looked up the entry you mention, December 17, 1936, but there is no mention whatsoever of a false prophet. Did you mean some other entry?
Thank you for the glimpse of light and breath of fresh air. I needed it.
Praise be to God for a bishop willing to speak truth in charity for the benefit of wayward brother bishops. That Archbishop Aquila garners some of the pope’s words to bolster his point also is worthy of praise. If only the pope would now, with God-like Christian zeal, fully endorse, support, and uncover the (approved-for-millennia doctrinal) STRUCTUREs of truth in charity. The human part of the Church is now so weak and wayward, it needs a small but astonishingly bold step of leadership toward Christ and His teachings. Then the Church would warrant and could receive the regenerative blessings only the Holy Spirit can give.
“..uncover the structures of truth” ? Where have you been for eight years of undermining and destroying the Truth of Christ. “By their fruits you shall know them”
I acknowledge Archbishop Aquila’s desire to love, a love that desires the best for the other, but I challenge his desire to welcome with conditions. I do not believe that “someone who lives a particular way, whether it be in willing violation of natural law or some other moral category, is not in communion with the Church,” in that he seems to equate natural law (the tradition’s finite understanding of the mystery of creation) with “the law of God.” I hope an evolving understanding of creation and the Spirit’s speaking through the synodal process will move us beyond any misplaced certitude in this matter.
How do you guarantee that it is the Holy Spirit speaking in a synodical process? You can’t just make stuff up as you go along.
@Fr. Michael Nicosia
There may be a spirit speaking through what has been produced by the Synodal process so far but it is not the Holy Spirit. Anything that speaks contrary to the Deposit of Faith doesn’t speak in accord with the movement of the Holy Spirit.
There is no such thing as “welcoming without conditions” — that would be anarchy. Even you are adding your own conditions when you hope that the Church will “move us beyond any misplaced certitude in this matter” instead of of having faith and hope in the teachings of the Church as they have been handed down to you. Rather Christ is most decisively conditional and His welcoming is strictly limited to those who would but repent and believe in the Gospel. Our Lord welcomes the repentant sinner, not the recalcitrant sinner nor even the lukewarm. He requires a total commitment to His will and not an iota to one’s own will in contradiction to His own.
The leadership in the Church have a decision to make: Are they going to go along with the world, the flesh, and the devil and coddle and encourage people in their disordered inclinations and attachments, or will the leadership preach Christ the Divine Physician who offers healing from all of our sicknesses?
I do not believe …
With respect, what you believe hardly settles the matter.
What is the meaning of “ECC” following your name? Thanks.
To what “spirit” do you refer? If you are talking about the “Holy Spirit,” you surely know that He comes with gifts and leaves his fruits. What gifts and fruits do you consider the ‘synodal’ Church should expect?
I too was curious about “ECC”. Short answer: “Ecumenical Catholic Communion” (www.stpauldenverecc.com).
“As part of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion,
we are a progressive, all-inclusive community
living and worshiping in the ancient Catholic tradition…Individuals are called forward to assume
the various lay and ordained ministries of the church
out of the diversity of our membership—
male/female/transgendered,
married or in committed unions/single/divorced,
young/old, straight/gay/bi.”
Seems pretty clear to me!
If the “ECC” community ordains its own individuals, the ‘Fr.’ preceding Nicosia’s name does not indicate a priest ordained, trained, or authorized to represent Catholicism by the Magisterium of the RCC. Certainly if Nicosia were once ordained by the RCC sacrament of Holy Orders, he likely has been or ought to be laicized. IOW, the’fr.’could signify anything from “frumpy Frau” to “freeze-dried frogmouth” to “Franciscan Fruit” or some similar odiferous fructiferous cake.
Oh, so he’s not a priest after all! Gotcha. (He only identifies as one, lol)
Ah.I see. Episcopalians.
Father Michael, do you not see how easily and readily you have proved his (God’s) point and followed the old adam and eve and bitten into the fruit of determining good and evil, right and wrong. The Holy Spirit in the New Adam and Eve and Archbishop Aquila, you claim to be deceived and disobedient, you have determined they need to liberalize obediently their understanding to yours. Once again the Holy Spirit in Archbishop witnesses Christ is the Vine and His Sap is the Spirit of Truth, not you – unfortunately in doing this you have made yourself Christ and made Christ beelzebub: Christ is the deceiver, the liar, and you are the Truth and you want the Sheep and Shepherds to ‘hear your voice, not Christ’s’.
You have been deceived by the liar who from the beginning, says to us, “did God really say you have to love within certain conditions, that there is to be holy Obedience to His Tree of the Truth of the Knowledge of good and evil and you cannot decide this for yourself and if you do you will lose Communion with Him Who is Life and Love and will surely die by leaving His Communio, not staying within His Holy Conditions”?? The natural law is nothing else than God’s Eternal Law and Design governing all things – graves sins remove us from abiding in Holy Communion with the Thrice-Holy Communio-Lamb and those within His Conditions of being alive in His Communio.
Blessings and mercies, Father, for ‘God’s Thoughts and Ways are not ours and ours are far from His, as far as the south is from the north, the west from the east…’
from another author and webpage:
Contraception is wrong because it’s a deliberate violation of the design God built into the human race, often referred to as “natural law.” The natural-law purpose of sex is procreation. The pleasure that sexual intercourse provides is an additional blessing from God, intended to offer the possibility of new life while strengthening the bond of intimacy, respect, and love between husband and wife. The loving environment this bond creates is the perfect setting for nurturing children.
But sexual pleasure within marriage becomes unnatural, and even harmful to the spouses, when it is used in a way that deliberately excludes the basic purpose of sex, which is procreation. God’s gift of the sex act, along with its pleasure and intimacy, must not be abused by deliberately frustrating its natural end—procreation.
Scripture
Is contraception a modern invention? Hardly! Birth control has been around for millennia. Scrolls found in Egypt, dating to 1900 B.C., describe ancient methods of birth control that were later practiced in the Roman empire during the apostolic age. Wool that absorbed sperm, poisons that fumigated the uterus, potions, and other methods were used to prevent conception. In some centuries, even condoms were used (though made out of animal skin rather than latex).
The Bible mentions at least one form of contraception specifically and condemns it. Coitus interruptus was used by Onan to avoid fulfilling his duty according to the ancient Jewish law of fathering children for one’s dead brother. “Judah said to Onan, ‘Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also” (Gen. 38:8–10).
The biblical penalty for not giving your brother’s widow children was public humiliation, not death (Deut. 25:7–10). But Onan received death as punishment for his crime. This means his crime was more than simply not fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law. He lost his life because he violated natural law, as Jewish and Christian commentators have always understood. For this reason, certain forms of contraception have historically been known as “Onanism,” after the man who practiced it, just as homosexuality has historically been known as “Sodomy,” after the men of Sodom, who practiced that vice (see Gen. 19).
So was the Church wrong until now or did the Truth change?
Jesus Christ: ” I AM THE TRUTH ” cannot change: truth is not preached anymore.
Is this “Father” Jimmy Martin’s burner account!?!? Your “beliefs” are of little importance here. The ONLY thing that matters is what the Catholic Church teaches about men and women conducting the marital act outside of marriage…that it is a mortal sin and one that we should under no circumstance, condone.
The mandate is quite clear regarding the issue, as declared by Christ Himself:
“Go. From now on sin no more.” John 8:11
Yo, Nicosia guy:
On your proposal that natural law is an insufficiently evolved certitude about creation…the Church Fathers discovered long ago that the natural law was none other than the original and baked-in truth about the created human person…delivered later to Moses as the Ten Commandments! Not so much as something new, but as something forgotten and meriting a reminder.
But, yes, there are always new amnesiacs, sometimes in red hats, who now propose that the synodal “process”(!) will replace the “content” of the Ten Commandments. A passing fantasy, about which this higher reality: “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming” (Psalm 37:12-13).
Misplaced certitud? We have 20 centuries of history, during that time, the church expressed the certitud that Christ thought. In last 60 years, we doubted. We lost faith in the teachings of Christ. Let’s not kid ourselves. If you want to preach inclusion without repentance and change in your personal life, you are preaching for the kingdom of this world. You maybe successful in your LGBT church, but don’t call your self Christian. That is a lie . The truth should make you free.
Today we celebrate Christ presented to the Church, to become its founder, master, and commander. Now pseudo scientific musings, vague ideas of the Holy Spirit’s true intentions yet to be revealed, come from those who find the self revelation of God the Father in Christ the eternal Word rather uncomfortable.
“the Church as an institution that harms due to its incapacity to …full participation”. The Church is fore most the Mystical Body of God Incarnate and the main proclamation of Jesus and the apostles was: Repent and believe in the Gospel! Pope Francis “Communion makes community’ and “Communion is for sinners” is ambiguity and not helpful. “Invite all … fully into the life of the Church…regardless of his relationship with the Church or Jesus Christ” ?? Jesus said: “By their fruits you will know them”
1. Francis declared a few days ago that homosexual acts are sinful but are not a crime.
2. By such a formulation, it seems to many that traditional moral doctrine is being maintained.
3. But, it seems to me that the “sinful but not a crime” formulation is, in fact, a formulation that obscures and undercuts tradtional moral doctrine.
4. Something has gone terribly wrong in the Church since the 1960s.
5. Who or what will save us from this darkness? When can we have our Church back?
Thank God for faithful shepherds like Archbishop Aquila! May he be strengthened and blessed.
Bravo! God bless you Archbishop Aquila!
Who desire the light will know how to get to it, the wage is difficult to afford physically but so easy spiritually if we casted all our loads on Jesus, Am from Islamic background faced different kinds of threats and persecutions but never denied my faith for once because i kept feeding my self from a pure source (the Bible), for sure we need to encourage each others, show unlimited love and do our best to the weak spiritually but saving them is by the Lord’s grace and their own believing & convincing to walk like Jesus, talk like him or afford Hurricanes like he did as he explained to us clearly in (John 16: 1- 4)
All sinners are in our responsibility yet of their acts and says (they are blind & paralyzed from the truth)
Dear Yasir Abdallah:
Blessings upon blessings. It is a joy to read your words. You recognize the purity and simplicity of the Gospel message.
We both have a desire to aid Muslims to know Jesus Christ.
Praise be unto God for what He has done in your heart. My prayers are with you.
Brian Young
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Leviticus & Numbers tell us of God’s detailed instructions to Moses and the Israelites on how to be set apart from the culture of their time in order to be directed toward a relationship with Him through holiness and righteousness, Him who had already saved them from slavery. Likewise, Jesus called his followers to be set apart and, consequently, to expect trials and tribulations and that the world would also hate them because they did not follow the world’s ways.
This Pope is 100% on board with the goals for the Synod on Synodality to which you are objecting. Surely, Sir, you must be aware of that. No one is going to listen to you if you are disingenuous. Tell people the truth about what is going on in the Church: a fish rots from the head down.
“I hope an evolving understanding of creation and the Spirit’s speaking through the synodal process will move us beyond any misplaced certitude in this matter.” Let me guess, Father…you hope “the God of Surprises” will enlighten the participants in the Synod about the “life-affirming” goodness of homosexual sex, right?
The Pope is a peronist: He teaches one thing a day and its exact contrary a few days later. So superficial people can be satisfied. But for everyone who ponders deeper his speeches and his deeds it is easy to understand that his contradictions are leading the Church in a confused and wrong way that a true catholic faithful cannot support.
Not to worry! Cardinal Sarah will be the next successor to Peter’s throne!