I do take this with a grain of salt, as I have never considered Fr. Cantalmessa, who no doubt is very well-intended and loves Christ, to be theologically sound or the shapest tool in the shed. But, his homily leaves readers with the impression that Pope Francis considers the rituals and Liturgy to be 'impediments' and 'debris' and his pontificate will proceed with It's destruction.
We must do everything possible so that the Church may never look like that complicated and cluttered castle described by Kafka, and the message may come out of it as free and joyous as when the messenger began his run. We know what the impediments are that can restrain the messenger: dividing walls, starting with those that separate the various Christian churches from one another, the excess of bureaucracy, the residue of past ceremonials, laws and disputes, now only debris.
Again, it could simply be poor syntax, as we know the corrupt bureaucracy needs to be torn down - but, this is certainly a profoundly disturbing statement - to say the least.
3 comments:
It is almost as if liberals and many conservative Catholics see the Gospel and the Catholic Faith (and all that encompasses it) as 2 different things. They act as if there is the Gospel and then this silly little thing we practice called the Catholic Faith. One pretty traditional priest wrote on his blog when Pope Francis was elected, "Looks like we've got a pope who is actually going to make us start living the Gospel." Really? Because no other pope has preached the Gospel? As if the Catechism (Baltimore, Trent, New Catechism, what have you...) doesn't proclaim the Gospel and instruct how to live it? As if our liturgy isn't a manifestation of Our Lord's command? They have all bought into the lies of Modernism or Protestantism at best. Our dearly beloved Pope Francis included.
rjh
Showing concern for the needs of fellow human beings is admirable. But when you promote the physical well-being of the needs of man over their spiritual needs it is not Jesus Christ, you follow.
Humanism is not Christianity. To be Christian means surrendering all to Christ, abandoning yourself in full humility at His Feet. It means allowing Christ to guide you. It means obedience to His Laws and doing all that you can to show the example of His Love.Today He was betrayed.
rjh and anon - I couldn't agree more with both of you.
Let us hope and pray that when we scratch the surface of those hugs and kisses in St. Peter's Square, he's going to teach, witness, govern and sanctify through fidelity.
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