CARDINAL ZEN OUR "THOMAS MORE" TODAY! # 3 OF 3
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"The economy does not dominate politics, as happens in the United States." he added, noting that Bejing had embraced environmental politics advocated by Pope Francis. He accused President Trump of being "manipulated" by global oil firms while the Chinese are working for the greater good of the planet. This "charm offensive" by the Vatican ignores a record of human rights abuses in China, while manifesting an anti-American sentiment certainly shared by the Chinese Communist one-party state."
Bishop Sanchez's comments are particularly disheartening in light of the severe new government regulations on churches that went into effect on February 1. An independent Catholic news source in Asia reports that authorities in some regions are banning children and young people from obtaining religious instruction or taking part in Christian church services.
Pope Francis efforts to reach an accommodation with the atheistic Chinese government may be motivated by a sincere desire to save the Church from further marginalization in China, but losing control over the selection of bishops (and, by extension, priests) is a high price to pay. Reportedly, at least two of the seven excommunicated bishops selected by China have had relationships with women and have even fathered children. One wonders how faithful underground Chinese Catholics will receive bishops and priests who have been vetted by the anti-Christian government.
Sandro Magister, who writes for Italy's L'Espresso, describes Pope Francis as a "man of extreme realism who calculates very much the effects of what he says or does." He adds that Pope Francis in order to achieve certain results is "quite ready to play down" concerns expressed by critics that he might otherwise show for "the persecuted and the oppressed." This realism of Pope Francis led Ukrainian Christians to complain that the Vatican has de-emphasized Russian aggression against their country in order to cultivate relations with the Russian Orthodox Church supported by the Kremlin. In 2016, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill signed a harmonious joint declaration in Havana, Cuba. Ukrainian Catholics are wondering at what cost.
EROSION OF TRADITIONAL TEACHINGS:
While Pope Francis tries to open doors with the Chinese government, the Vatican appears to be closing doors for traditionalist within the church. Cardinal Raymond Burke and three other cardinals have been waiting in vain since September 2016 for a response to a private letter requesting clarification from Pope Francis on his suggestion in his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia that the sacraments might be made available to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics who have not received and annulment.
More recently, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, a German prelate and close advisor to Pope Francis, reportedly told the German media that "one must encourage priests" to give liturgical blessings to homosexual unions. His words echoed a similar statement By Bishop Franz-Bode, vice president of the German Bishops' Conference, who is on record as suggesting the possibility of blessing homosexual union, which he described as "positive and good."
This is a strange new world that has been created by the Vatican. Communist China is portrayed as a conveyor of the social gospel, while the evil of human rights abuses in the country is ignored; faithful Chinese bishops are being pushed out in favor of Communist Chinese government-approved bishops; the door is open to communion for divorced and remarried Catholic who have not obtained annulments; and some bishops are apparently advocating liturgical blessings for homosexual unions. Pope Francis denounces those who want to stem the flood of immigrants into Europe as sinners, even as Western culture in Europe is being destroyed. Catholics worldwide are asking: What's next?
EMERITUS POPE BENEDICT HAS A MESSAGE: (Co-Workers of the Truth, July 29th))
"What are the qualifications of the Christian philosopher? the Christian scholar? James mentioned several, .... He says that true wisdom - the wisdom that comes from above - is first of all "pure" (James 3:17), which can also be translated "chaste", "immaculate", "undefiled". It is consequently, also peace-able and peacemaking ....It need hardly be pointed out how to aptly that relates to us today. It is natural and necessary for theologians to discuss. But when theological discussion ceases to be striving for truth and becomes, instead, a struggle for power in the Church, then the nature of theology has been radically falsified; it introduces party politics into the Church....George H. Kubeck
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