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| Fr. Hewko: Bishop Schneider's Commentary on the Validity of Francis as Pope |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-21-2023, 02:14 PM - Forum: Sedevacantism
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Fr. Hewko references the following Commentary by Bishop Schneider:
On the Validity of the Pontificate of Pope Francis
![[Image: d3d86f2f48540c3d2981a4a3a34044b0_L.jpg]](https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/media/k2/items/cache/d3d86f2f48540c3d2981a4a3a34044b0_L.jpg)
The Remnant Magazine | September 18, 2023
There is no authority to declare or consider an elected and generally accepted Pope as an invalid Pope. The constant practice of the Church makes it evident that even in the case of an invalid election this invalid election will be de facto healed through the general acceptance of the new elected by the overwhelming majority of the cardinals and bishops.
Even in the case of a heretical pope he will not lose his office automatically and there is no body within the Church to declare him deposed because of heresy. Such actions would come close to a kind of a heresy of conciliarism or episcopalism. The heresy of conciliarism or episcopalism says basically that there is a body within the Church (Ecumenical Council, Synod, College of Cardinals, College of Bishops), which can issue a legally binding judgment over the Pope.
The theory of the automatic loss of the papacy due to heresy remains only an opinion, and even St. Robert Bellarmin noticed this and did not present it as a teaching of the Magisterium itself. The perennial papal Magisterium never taught such an option. In 1917, when the Code of Canon Law (Codex Iuris Canonici) came into force, the Magisterium of the Church eliminated from the new legislation the remark of the Decretum Gratiani in the old Corpus Iuris Canonici, which stated, that a Pope, who deviates from right doctrine, can be deposed. Never in history the Magisterium of the Church did admit any canonical procedures of deposition of a heretical pope. The Church has no power over the pope formally or judicially.
The surer Catholic tradition says, that in the case of a heretical pope, the members of the Church can avoid him, resist him, refuse to obey him, all of which can be done without requiring a theory or opinion, that says that a heretical pope automatically loses his office or can be deposed consequently.
Therefore being it so, we must follow the surer way (via tutior) and abstain from defending the merely opinion of theologians (even be them Saints like St. Robert Bellarmin), which says that a heretical pope automatically loses his office or can be deposed by the Church therefore.
The pope cannot commit heresy when he speaks ex cathedra, this is a dogma of faith. In his teaching outside of ex cathedra statements, however, he can commit doctrinal ambiguities, errors and even heresies. And since the pope is not identical with the entire Church, the Church is stronger than a singular erring or heretical Pope. In such a case one should respectfully correct him (avoiding purely human anger and disrespectful language), resist him as one would resist a bad father of a family. Yet, the members of a family cannot declare their evil father deposed from the fatherhood. They can correct him, refuse to obey him, separate themselves from him, but they cannot declare him deposed.
Good Catholics know the truth and must proclaim it, offer reparation for the errors of an erring Pope. Since the case of a heretical pope is humanly irresolvable, we must implore with supernatural faith a Divine intervention, because that singular erring Pope is not eternal, but temporal, and the Church is not in our hands, but in the almighty hands of God.
We must have enough supernatural faith, trust, humility, spirit of the Cross in order to endure such an extraordinary trial. In such relatively short situations (in comparison to 2000 years) we must not yield to a too human reaction and to an easy solution (declaring the invalidity of his pontificate), but must keep sobriety (keep a cool head) and at the same time a true supernatural view and trust in Divine intervention and in the indestructibility of the Church.
+ Athanasius Schneider
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| Biden unveils massive govt work program to fight global warming |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-21-2023, 06:59 AM - Forum: General Commentary
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Biden unveils massive govt work program to fight global warming
Biden's climate corps will hire 'diverse generation' of 20,000 Americans to 'tackle climate change'; no work experience required
Fox News | September 20, 2023
President Biden is planning to sign an executive order Wednesday to establish a federal workforce training and service initiative as part of his administration's efforts to fight climate change.
Biden's so-called American Climate Corps will, according to the White House, mobilize "a new, diverse generation" of more than 20,000 Americans who will be trained and put to work on conservation, clean energy and environmental justice projects. The ultimate goal of the program is to pave the way for members of the corps to find jobs in the public and private sector.
"The American Climate Corps is a new initiative that will… work on a wide range of projects that tackle climate change — including restoring coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges and flooding, deploying clean energy, managing forests to improve health and prevent catastrophic wildfires, implementing energy efficient solutions to cut energy bills for hardworking families, and more," the White House said.
"All American Climate Corps programs will be paid experiences that adhere to a common set of programmatic standards, and provide pathways to high-quality employment opportunities in the public and private sectors," it continued.
The White House added that no prior experience is required for climate corps applicants.
In addition, the White House announced that, in conjunction with the federal effort, five states — Arizona, Utah, Minnesota, North Carolina and Maryland — are moving forward with their own climate corps.
Those state groups will work with the American Climate Corps as "implementing collaborators to ensure young people across the country are serving their communities, while participating in paid opportunities and working on projects to tackle climate change."
"Today’s historic action to put an American Climate Corps into motion is a clear demonstration that the Biden administration knows there are more ways they can leverage executive power to lead an all out mobilization of our government and society to stop the climate crisis," said Sunrise Movement Executive Director Varshini Prakash, who joined the White House on a press call for the announcement.
"Young people everywhere should feel empowered by this victory and continue demanding the change we need," Prakash continued. "We’re often asked how President Biden can win the support and enthusiasm of young people. He's gotten our attention. Keep going."
The announcement Wednesday comes days after the Sunrise Movement led a coalition letter of more than 50 environmental activist groups calling on Biden to establish a climate corps.
And it also comes shortly after Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., penned a letter alongside dozens of fellow Democratic lawmakers to the president, similarly calling for the immediate establishment of a climate corps. The pair also reintroduced their Civilian Climate Corps for Jobs and Justice Act.
"As members of Congress who have led on various legislative proposals for Civilian Climate and Conservation Corps, we support your administration in taking executive action and will continue to fight for additional resources from Congress," they wrote.
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| Why do the good suffer? – Fr.M.Kolbe |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-21-2023, 05:57 AM - Forum: Resources Online
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Why do the good suffer?
by Fr. M. Kolbe
Taken from here.
The day before yesterday someone asked me this question:
“The good usually suffer and the bad often do well. Where is the justice here?”
– The Lord God is infinitely just?
– He is.
– Otherwise He would not be God. – So the Lord of God for every
good deed He rewards and every evil deed He punishes. No deed, no word, no thought escapes His judgement.
– Is there a man in the world even the worst who would never do anything good?
– There is no such person.
– After all, everyone sometimes does his duty well, or shows mercy to his neighbour, or does something else good. If this man lives so badly that he deserves hell after death, when will the Lord God pay him some good for it… When?
– In that world.
– But there only hell awaits him.
– So here on earth
– Then is there any man even the best, who would never do anything wrong?
– There is no such man.
– Rightly, even a righteous person “seven times a day” falls. So if the Lord God wants to shorten the time in purgatory, or to give someone heaven at once, where will the levelling of accounts take place?
– Aha, that’s right…
– Exactly, the Lord God shows a special love to those whom He is already punishing in this world, because in Purgatory there is only punishment and long and heavy punishment, and in this world by voluntarily accepting crosses we deserve even greater glory in Heaven; hence the proverb “Whom God loves, He scourges”.
– So there is nothing to envy those bad people who are doing well; yes, they should be very afraid, because perhaps this is the payment for the little good they have done in life.
Knight of the Immaculate, February 1924
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| Go Fund Me for Family Whose Young Mother Passed Away September 17, 2023 |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-19-2023, 10:07 AM - Forum: Appeals for Prayer
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In your charity, please consider helping the family of Mary O'Brien, who passed away at age 31,
leaving behind a husband and three young children.
From the GoFundMe page:
Quote:Mary O'Brien (31), beloved wife of Timothy O’Brien and mother to three young children, passed away on September 17th. Mary lived out every day the Gospel of love of God and neighbor in her selfless and wholehearted dedication to her family and each and every person she met. To be in Mary’s presence was to be in the presence of someone whose whole life was a joy. And she never failed to share that joy, be it through a kind word, a helping hand, or her happy smile.
Married since 2018, Timothy and Mary had recently relocated their family from Connecticut to rural New Hampshire in August 2023. Just weeks after moving into their new home, Mary suffered a sudden and catastrophic stroke on September 14th. She was airlifted to Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston, where she received treatment in the following days. Timothy never left her side in those hours until her passing from this world to the next, ensuring that she received the Last Rites and abiding by her to the end.
We ask that you lend support to the O'Brien family in this time of tragedy. Your aid will assist in payment of the extensive medical bills and ensure support for their children—Timothy (3), Jehanne (2), and Louise (10 months).
Mary set a beautiful example of storing up treasure in heaven; in death as in life, she is an inspiration to all of us to do the same. Thank you for your support and please know of our gratitude and prayers for you and your loved ones in return.
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| St. Alphonsus Liguori: Daily Meditations for Sixteenth Week after Pentecost |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-19-2023, 09:01 AM - Forum: Pentecost
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(Ep. Ephesians iii. 13-21)
Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Jesus, knowing that the hour of His death was at hand, wished to leave men the greatest proof of His love by leaving us Himself in the Holy Eucharist. He loved them unto the end. That is "with an extreme affection," says St. John Chrysostom.
I.
Jesus, knowing that his hour was come ... having loved his own ... he loved them unto the end (Jo. xiii. 1). Let us consider the love of Jesus Christ in leaving us Himself in the Most Holy Eucharist: He loved them unto the end. That is, according to St. John Chrysostom, "with an extreme affection."
St. Bernardine of Sienna says that the tokens of love which are given at death make a more lasting impression on the mind, and are more highly esteemed. But, whilst others leave a ring, or a piece of money, as a mark of their affection, Jesus has left us His entire Self in this Sacrament of love.
And when did Jesus Christ institute this Sacrament? He instituted it, as the Apostle has remarked, on the night before His Passion. The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: this is my body (1 Cor. xi. 23-24). Thus, at the very time that men were preparing to put Him to death, our loving Redeemer resolved to bestow upon us this gift. Jesus Christ, then, was not content with giving His life for us on a Cross: He wished also, before His death, to pour out, as the Council of Trent says, all the riches of His love, by leaving Himself as our food in the Holy Communion. "He, as it were, poured out the riches of His love towards man." If Faith had not taught it, who could ever imagine that a God would become Man, and the food of His own creatures? When Jesus Christ revealed to His followers this Sacrament which He intended to leave us, St. John says that they could not bring themselves to believe it, and many departed from Him, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? ... This saying is hard, and who can hear it? (Jo. vi. 53-61). But what men could not imagine, the great love of Jesus Christ has invented and effected. Take ye and eat: this is my body (1 Cor. xi. 24). These words He addressed to His Apostles on the night before He suffered, and He now, after His death, addresses them to us.
II.
How highly honoured, says St. Francis de Sales, would that man feel to whom a prince sent from his table a portion of what he had on his own plate! But Jesus gives us not a portion of His own food but His entire Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Altar. "He gave you all," says St. John Chrysostom, reproving our ingratitude: "He left nothing for Himself." And St. Thomas teaches that in the Eucharist God has given us all that He is and all that He has. Justly, then, has the same saint called the Eucharist "a Sacrament of love, a pledge of love." It is a Sacrament of love, because it was pure love that induced Jesus Christ to give us this gift and pledge of love; for He wished that, should a doubt of His having loved us ever enter into our minds, we should have in this Sacrament a pledge of His love. St. Bernard calls this Sacrament "Love of loves." By His Incarnation the Lord has given Himself to all men in general; but, in this Sacrament He has given Himself to each of us in particular, to make us understand the special love He entertains for each of us.
Oh, how ardently does Jesus Christ desire to come to our souls in the Holy Communion! This vehement desire He expressed at the time of the institution of this Sacrament, when He said to the Apostles: With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you (Luke xxii. 15). St. Laurence Justinian says that these words proceeded from the enamoured Heart of Jesus Christ, Who by such tender expressions, wished to show us the ardent love with which He loved us. "This is the voice of the most burning charity." And, to induce us to receive Him frequently in the Holy Communion, He promises eternal life -- that is, the kingdom of Heaven -- to those who eat His Flesh. He that eateth this bread shall live forever (Jo. vi. 59). On the other hand, He threatens to deprive us of His grace and Paradise if we neglect Communion. Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you (Jo. vi. 54). These promises and these threats all sprung from a burning desire to come to us in this Sacrament.
Spiritual Reading
"THE CHARITY OF CHRIST"
Why does Jesus so ardently desire that we should receive Him in the Holy Communion? It is because He takes delight in being united with each of us. By Holy Communion, Jesus is really united to our soul and to our body, and we are then united to Jesus. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him (Jo. vi. 57). Thus, after Communion, we are, says St. John Chrysostom, one body and one flesh with Jesus Christ. Hence St. Laurence Justinian exclaims " Oh, how wonderful is Thy love, O Lord Jesus, Who hast wished to incorporate us in such a manner with Thy Body that we should have one heart and one soul inseparably united with Thee!" Thus, to every soul that receives the Eucharist, the Lord says what He once said to His beloved servant Margaret of Ypres -- "Behold, my daughter, the close union made between me and Thee! Love Me, then, and let us remain forever united in love; let us nevermore be separated." This union between Jesus Christ and us is, according to St. John Chrysostom, the effect of the Charity of Christ towards us.
But, O Lord, such intimate union with man is not suited to Thy Divine majesty. But love seeks not reason; it goes not where it should, but where it is drawn. St. Bernardine of Sienna says that, in giving Himself for our food, Jesus Christ loved us to the last degree; because He united Himself entirely to us, as food is united to those who eat it. The same doctrine has been beautifully expressed by St. Francis de Sales: "No action of the Saviour can be more loving or more tender than the institution of the Holy Eucharist, in which Jesus, as it were, annihilates Himself, and takes the form of food, to unite Himself to the souls and bodies of His faithful servants."
Hence there is nothing from which we can draw so much fruit as the Holy Communion. St. Denis teaches that the Most Holy Sacrament has greater efficacy to sanctify souls than all other spiritual means. St. Vincent Ferrer says that a soul derives more profit from one Communion than from fasting for a week on bread and water. The Eucharist is, according to the holy Council of Trent, a medicine which delivers us from daily faults, and preserves us from mortal sins. Jesus Himself has said that they who eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, which is the Fountain of life, shall receive permanently the life of grace. He that eateth me, the same shall also live by me (Jo. vi. 58). Innocent III teaches that by the Passion Jesus Christ delivers us from the sins we have committed, and by the Eucharist saves us from committing others. According to St. John Chrysostom, the Holy Communion inflames us with the fire of Divine love, and makes us objects of terror to the devil. "The Eucharist is a fire which inflames us, so that, like lions breathing fire, we may retire from the altar, being made terrible to the devil." In explaining the words of the Spouse in the Canticles: He brought me into the cellar of wine; He set in order charity in me (Cant. ii. 4), St. Gregory says that the Communion is this cellar of wine in which the soul is so inebriated with Divine Charity that she forgets and loses sight of all earthly things.
Some will say: "I do not communicate often; because I am cold in Divine love." In answer to them Gerson asks: Will you, then, because you feel cold, remove from the fire? When you are tepid you should more frequently approach this Sacrament. St. Bonaventure says: "Trusting in the mercy of God, though you feel tepid, approach: let him who thinks himself unworthy reflect that the more infirm he feels himself, the more he requires a physician." And St. Francis de Sales writes: "Two sorts of persons ought to communicate often: the perfect, in order to persevere in holiness; and the imperfect, to arrive at perfection."
Evening Meditation
CONSIDERATIONS ON THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST
I.
In resisting our enemies in our spiritual combats it is of the very greatest benefit to anticipate them in our meditations, by preparing ourselves to do violence to them to our utmost power, on all occasions when they may suddenly come upon us. Thus the Saints have been able to preserve the greatest mildness, or at least not to reply by a single word, and not to be disturbed, when they met with a great trial, a violent persecution, a severe pang in body or in mind, the loss of property of great value, the death of a much-loved relative. Such victories are ordinarily not acquired by anyone without the aid of long discipline, without frequenting Sacraments, and a continual exercise of Meditation, Spiritual Reading, and Prayer. Therefore these victories are with difficulty obtained by those who have not taken great heed to avoid dangerous occasions, or who are attached to the vanities or pleasures of the world, and practise very little mortification of the senses; by those, in a word, who live a soft and easy life. St. Augustine says that in the spiritual life, "first pleasures are to be conquered, then pains"; meaning that a person who is given to seeking the pleasures of the senses will scarcely resist a strong passion or a temptation which assails him; a man who loves the esteem of the world will scarcely endure a grave affront without losing the grace of God.
It is true that we must look for all our strength to live sinless lives, and to do good works, not from ourselves, but from the grace of Jesus Christ; but we must take great care not to make ourselves weaker than we are by nature, through our own fault. The defects of which we take no account will cause the Divine light to fail, and the devil will become stronger against us. For example, a desire to make a parade of our learning or our rank, or vanity in dress; the seeking of any superfluous pleasure; resentment at every inattentive word or action; a wish to please everyone though to our spiritual loss; neglect of works of piety through the fear of man; little acts of disobedience towards our Superiors; little murmurings; trifling but cherished aversions; trivial falsehoods; slight attacks upon our neighbour; loss of time in gossip; or the indulgence of curiosity -- in a word, every attachment to earthly things, and every act of inordinate self-love, can help our enemy to drag us over some precipice; or, at least deprive us of that abundance of Divine help without which we may find ourselves in utter spiritual ruin.
II.
We grieve when we find ourselves so dry in spirit and desolate in prayer, in our Communions, and in all our devout exercises; but how can God give us to enjoy His presence and loving visits while we are niggardly and inattentive to Him? He that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly (2 Cor. ix. 6). If we cause Him so much displeasure, how can we expect to enjoy His heavenly consolations? If we do not detach ourselves from everything earthly, we shall never wholly belong to Jesus Christ, and where shall we look for protection? Jesus, by His humility, merited for us the grace of conquering pride; and by His poverty He merited strength for us to despise earthly goods; and by His patience, constancy in overcoming slights and injuries. "What pride," writes St. Augustine, "could have been healed, if not healed by the humility of the Son of God? What avarice, except by the poverty of Christ? What anger, except by the Saviour's patience?" But if we are cold in the love of Jesus Christ, and neglect to pray continually to Him to help us, and nourish in our hearts any earthly affection, with difficulty shall we persevere in a holy life. Let us pray. Let us pray always. With prayer we shall obtain everything.
O Saviour of the world, Thou art my only hope! By the merits of Thy Passion, deliver me from every impure desire which may hinder me from loving Thee as I ought. May I be stripped of all desires that savour of the world; grant that the only object of my desires may be Thyself, Who art the sovereign Good, and the only Good that is worthy of love. By Thy sacred Wounds heal my infirmities; give me grace to keep far from my heart every love which is not for Thee Who deservest all my love. O Jesus, my Love, Thou art my hope! O sweet words! sweet consolation -- Jesus, my Love! Thou art my hope!
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| Abortion chatbot Charley helps women end their pregnancies |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-19-2023, 08:21 AM - Forum: Abortion
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Abortion chatbot Charley helps women end their pregnancies: 'Let's get started'
Chatbot was co-founded by ex-Planned Parenthood leadership — Fox News Digital spoke to the company and to doctors
Fox News [slightly adapted] | September 19, 2023
For those women who are considering terminating their pregnancies, a new chatbot called Charley aims to help them start the process of getting an abortion.
The chatbot, which launched on Sept. 12, is available on Charley’s website, greeting visitors with the message, "Need an abortion? Let’s get started."
On its website, Charley is described as "designed by abortion experts, made for abortion seekers."
One of its co-founders is Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood. Richards "oversees legal, political, and policy matters and leads fundraising efforts" for Charley, according to the chatbot’s website.
Another co-founder is Tom Subak, former chief strategy officer at Planned Parenthood.
![[Image: charley-chatbot-split-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1]](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/09/1440/810/charley-chatbot-split-2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
A new chatbot called Charley aims to help women start the process of getting an abortion. (Charley/iStock)
Charley isn’t an app — it lives online, on its own website.
While individuals can freely visit the site, the company is also seeking medical providers who will agree to embed the chatbot directly on their own websites, "to meet abortion seekers wherever they are online," said Nicole Cushman, Charley’s New York-based content manager, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Cushman, who has held leadership positions at Planned Parenthood, said the idea for the chatbot came about after Roe v. Wade was overturned — with the goal of "improving people’s online search experience."
"Our research showed that people were turning primarily to Google for information about abortion options in the post-Roe landscape, and that it was very challenging for abortion seekers to connect to available options," she said.
People "were ending up in an endless Google loop."
"This was particularly the case if they were living in a state with an abortion ban or restriction — they were ending up in an endless Google loop."
![[Image: Cecile-Richards-Headshot._001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1]](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/09/1440/810/Cecile-Richards-Headshot._001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
One of Charley's co-founders is Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood. The company is seeking medical providers who will agree to embed the chatbot directly on their own websites. (Charley)
Charley’s creators envisioned a "simple, effective way to pull together information from a range of sources" and "cut through the confusion," Cushman told Fox News Digital.
How Charley works
Unlike large language models like ChatGPT, Charley doesn’t allow people to type questions. Instead, the chatbot uses a "decision tree" format that guides visitors through a series of pre-written prompts, including the desired type of abortion and the date of their last menstrual period.
It also asks for a zip code to determine the specific abortion laws in the visitor’s state of residence.
For example, when Fox News Digital entered a zip code in Ohio, the response was: "Currently, abortion care is legal in Ohio, but only up to 22 weeks. This means that, if you act quickly, you‘ll be able to get abortion care in your state. If you need more time or can’t get an appointment before then, you may still have options in another state."
For abortion seekers under 18 years of age, Charley notifies them whether state law requires a parent’s permission to get an abortion — and also offers assistance for minors to ask a judge for permission to get the procedure on their own.
At the end of the series of questions, the chatbot provides a summary of expected costs, alternate funding options and a directory of resources to find an abortion provider.
"Those resources might include a link to a directory to locate the nearest clinic, a link to telehealth providers — or help lines for legal, medical, financial or emotional support," Cushman told Fox News Digital.
"Our research showed that people were turning primarily to Google for information about abortion options."
The pre-scripted information provided by the chatbot was developed by a team of "medical and legal experts," she added.
Potential risks of the abortion chatbot
Charley is designed as a "triage solution" to provide information and education so that people can make "an informed decision" about their next steps, Cushman said.
"For some people, the next best step may be to make an appointment to see a provider in person, or to call a hotline for more direct support," she noted.
"There’s no harm in chatting with Charley, but it’s not the end of their journey," she also said.
![[Image: Tom-Subak-Headshot.jpg?ve=1&tl=1]](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/09/1440/810/Tom-Subak-Headshot.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Tom Subak, former chief strategy officer at Planned Parenthood, is also a co-founder of Charley. Security and privacy has been an area of "heightened concern" among people searching for abortion care online, a content manager from the company shared with Fox News Digital. (Charley)
At some points during the chat, Charley may quickly hand off the visitor to an external resource — for example, if she is experiencing a medical emergency or potential pregnancy complications, Cushman noted.
She also said, however, that not all pregnant women require in-person care before seeking an abortion.
[...]
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| Archbishop Viganò urges Bishop Strickland to exercise his episcopate ‘to the point of heroism’ |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-18-2023, 09:31 AM - Forum: Archbishop Viganò
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Archbishop Viganò urges Bishop Strickland to exercise his episcopate ‘to the point of heroism’
‘Our Lord will judge us, not those who abuse their power to destroy the Church and persecute Her good Pastors,’ Archbishop Viganò said in an X post about Bishop Strickland.
![[Image: Carlo-Maria-Vigano_3-810x500.jpg]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Carlo-Maria-Vigano_3-810x500.jpg)
LifeSiteNews
Sep 15, 2023
(LifeSiteNews) — Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò took to social media on Thursday to encourage Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, to continue his “heroic” ministry despite reports that the latter will soon be asked to resign from his position by Pope Francis.
“Eleven years ago, on this very day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I had the honor of informing Msgr. Strickland – as I was then Apostolic Nuncio to the United States – that Benedict XVI had appointed him Bishop of Tyler,” Archbishop Viganò posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“The time has come to rediscover the sense of the ‘fullness of the Sacred Order’ by exercising the Episcopate to the point of heroism: Our Lord will judge us, not those who abuse their power to destroy the Church and persecute Her good Pastors,” continued the archbishop.
Keeping his comments brief, Archbishop Viganò concluded his words of encouragement with a quote from Scripture: “Proclaim the Word, insist at the proper and untimely time, admonish, rebuke, exhort with all magnanimity and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2).
Archbishop Viganò’s defense of his brother bishop comes just three days after The Pillar reported that Francis met with Vatican officials last weekend to float the idea of requesting the outspoken prelate’s resignation as bishop of his Texas diocese.
Bishop Strickland and his diocese have been the subject of much scrutiny among the Catholic media ever since it was revealed that he was subject to an apostolic visitation in June 2023. His visitation was conducted by two retired bishops: Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, New Jersey, and former Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona.
Bishop Strickland, 64, is well known among LifeSite readers for his unequivocal defense of Catholic teaching, teaching that is often cast in confusion by papal statements or messages.
The Tyler bishop’s more public positions on moral and doctrinal issues include urging Francis to deny Holy Communion to former U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi over her support of legal abortion, accusing the pope of a “program of undermining the Deposit of Faith,” and condemning the prominent pro-LGBT “blasphemy” of Father James Martin, S.J.
He has also been notably forthright on moral controversies in U.S. politics and culture, including the Biden administration’s spying on Catholics and public displays by self-described “Satanic” groups. This summer, he spoke at a protest against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ hosting an anti-Catholic drag queen troupe called the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” who style themselves as grotesque nuns.
But the apostolic visitation is believed to have been particularly prompted by a May 13 X post in which he explicitly stated: “I reject his [Pope Francis’] program of undermining the Deposit of Faith.”
READ: Bishop Schneider: Future popes will thank Bishop Strickland for his fidelity to the Catholic faith
Bishop Strickland has received support from other prominent bishops in addition to Archbishop Viganò since the news that he may be asked to resign broke, including a personal letter of commendation from Bishop Athanasius Schneider that LifeSiteNews published in full earlier this week.
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| Bishop Williamson continues to 'prophesy ' the demise of the [Fake] Resistance |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-17-2023, 08:43 AM - Forum: True vs. False Resistance
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The following recent Eleison Comments (Bishop Williamson's blog) seems to contain an interesting premonition or perhaps a 'prophesy' so to speak on future events.
The Bishop has long been known to discourage any organized opposition to the errors of Rome (and the SSPX) and to whine about the ultimate demise of the Resistance. At the very least, this latest EC continues this defeatist mentality, which of course, goes against the sensus fidei of any Catholic heart. Catholic history, from it's very first days has been filled with the accounts of millions of souls fighting for the Faith, from the very first martyr to the more 'recent' English martyrs, the Vendée, the Cristeros, etc., this defeatism from the Bishop doesn't sit well with those who understand this battle is spiritual and thus, eternal. It is truly a defense of Christ the King Himself.
Some might recall the following statements by Bishop Williamson, painful to Catholic eyes and ears:
- Congregations and seminaries are not needed today. They are outdated. God does not want(!) there to be a structure or congregation for the Resistance.
- Seminarians who are ready for ordination should not be ordained, because there is no structure or congregation for them to be ordained into.
- We shouldn’t try to get priests to work together. It’s bound to fail, so it’s better not to attempt it at all.
Hardly the words of a great defender of the Faith, unfortunately. If there are no seminaries, then there are no future priests, no future bishops, and certainly fewer and fewer Sacraments for the faithful.
Here are more disturbing words of Bishop Williamson in the same vein:
- "The resistant groups, the resistants - a - n - t - s - and I very much prefer the expression resistants to the expression resistance … I very much believe in the resistants, I’m not sure I believe in the Resistance." (Bishop Williamson conference, Post Falls, Idaho, USA, June 2014)
- “That is why, in my opinion, “What cannot be cured must be endured.” And that is why, right now, I envisage [as a Catholic Bishop] being little more than father, adviser and friend for any souls calling for a bishop’s leadership and support..” (Bishop Williamson, EC #307)
- “Even if all the laity want to obey me, even if all the priests want to obey me, […] can you imagine that commanding resistant priests is like trying to herd cats? Can you imagine, is it unimaginable? In which case, is it worth trying if it’s bound to fail? It may be better not to attempt than to attempt and fail…” (Bishop Williamson, Post Falls, ID (USA), 1st June, 2014)
- "And so I don't think we need to be too concerned to bring souls towards us because people just don't understand today. They don't have ears to hear." (Bishop Williamson, Banquet speech after consecrating Bishop
Zendejas, May 12, 2017, youtube.com/watch?v=hetZgRGZafA ).
- "Many souls today are likewise unfit to hear the truth." (Bishop Williamson, EC #513)
- "Therefore, it seems to me, if James is convinced that to save his soul he must stay in the Newchurch, I need not hammer him to get out of it. If Clare is persuaded that there is no grave problem within the Society of St. Pius X, I need not ram down her throat why there is. And if John can see no way to keep the Faith without believing that the See of Rome is vacant, I need urge upon him no more than that that belief is not obligatory." (Bishop Williamson, EC #348)
These last two comments are more worthy of Pope Francis and his stance on evangelization than a traditional Catholic bishop.
But I digress. Here is the latest EC, bemoaning the upcoming 'demise' of the Resistance:
Quote:CLEAR-SIGHTED RESISTANT
ELEISON COMMENTS DCCCXLIII (Sept. 2, 2023)
The so-called movement of “Resistance” inside today’s Catholic Church is a poor affair, humanly speaking, but it may yet be the will of God, given the unprecedented state of chaos in which Church and world find themselves today. If we say that this “Resistance” consists in a loose and unstructured union of priests mostly coming from inside the Society of St Pius X, who quit the SSPX of their own accord or were thrown out by its Superiors because they would not go along with the Society’s re-orientation at its General Chapter of 2012, then we can ask, what have these “Resistant” priests achieved since 2012 ?
Humanly speaking, the answer must be, not very much. Normal features of any Catholic organisation are structure, Superiors and subjects, internal obedience to those Superiors and external obedience to local Catholic authorities and to Rome. And up till now the “Resistance” priests seem to have achieved none of these things, as its enemies do not fail to point out. Nor can the “Resistance” boast that it is convincing many souls that it it has the true solution to the problems being left unsolved by the Newchurch or the Newsociety. Many souls may be attracted for a while to the “Resistance” by the arguments of Truth which it presents, but rather fewer will permanently stay, often due to the seeming lack of Authority behind those arguments. Catholics need their Catholic Pope, and many, destabilised without him, follow his shadow.
Then if the “Resistance” is not heeded in principle and barely followed in practice, what use is it? Here are two quotes from the Passion of Our Lord. To Pharisees rebuking him for the noise being made by His disciples, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke XIX,40). The “Resistance” is trampled upon, like stones in the street, but it is crying out, to save stones the trouble ! And to Pontius Pilate asking Him if He is a king, “For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth, hears my voice” (Jn. XVIII, 37). The “Resistance” is telling vital truth no longer told by the SSPX, for instance, today’s Roman officials have lost the Faith.
Here follows what one member of the “Resistance” writes about it. One might wish there were many other members who saw the reality so clearly. Otherwise they risk playing children’s games, somewhat like the SSPX Capitulants in 2012 – and 2006 and 1994…
In effect, one cannot be “optimistic” as to what is going on here, either with regard to a certain priest in particular, or with regard to the “Resistance” in general. The Devil is working double overtime to bring down the last bastions of Tradition. We need to ask God for ourselves to keep a cool head. Nicolas Gomez Davila (1913-1994) would say, “Since everything being constructed today automatically passes over to the enemy, let us hope, before constructing anything, that time brings us materials that do not betray.” May God grant us patience, common sense and good humour.
In other words, as the official Catholic Church passed over to the enemy at Vatican II; as the Society of St Pius X passed over to the enemy at its General Chapter of 2012; so there is every possibility, if not likelihood, of the “Resistance” in turn passing over to the enemy, even if that can hardly happen officially, because the “Resistance” has so little official about it. One may wonder if here is not exactly why the Lord God has allowed the “Resistance” to come into existence with so little structure or organisation. [emphasis - The Catacombs]
In any case, bravo to the Columbian philosopher, who never went to any “university”. And bravo to the “Resistance” member who quotes him. Neither of them are playing children’s games.
As St Paul says, “When I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (I Cor. XIII, 11). One may ask, are there any men left?
Kyrie eleison
May Bishop Williamson undo much of the damage he has inflicted on those good souls trying to fight the errors of Vatican II and now the SSPX and encourage the fight for the Faith, rather than limply commenting on the 'helplessness' of the situation.
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| Pope Francis to address pro-abortion Clinton Foundation conference on ‘climate change’ |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-15-2023, 06:12 AM - Forum: Pope Francis
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The alliances with globalism continue....
Pope Francis to address pro-abortion Clinton Foundation conference on ‘climate change’
Pope Francis will kick off the 2023 Clinton Global Initiative two-day conference September 18, by holding a 'special conversation' with former President Clinton.
![[Image: clinton-pope-810x500.jpg]](https://www.lifesitenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/clinton-pope-810x500.jpg)
Bill Clinton greets Pope Francis, July 2023.
Clinton Twitter screenshot
Sep 14, 2023
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) –– Pope Francis is to address the Clinton Global Initiative conference via video link next week in a “special conversation” with President Bill Clinton, in a discussion including “climate change, the refugee crisis, the welfare of children.”
Announced by the Vatican September 14, details of the pope’s involvement with the Clinton family endeavors were revealed. Pope Francis will kick off the 2023 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) two-day conference September 18, by holding what was described as a “special conversation” with former President Clinton.
The press bulletin read:
Quote:Today, President Bill Clinton, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton announced programming and participants for next week’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2023 Meeting, to be held September 18-19 in New York City.
CGI 2023 will begin Monday at 9:15 AM ET with a special conversation between President Clinton and His Holiness Pope Francis via remote link, on what it takes to keep going on the most pressing global challenges of our time like climate change, the refugee crisis, the welfare of children, and the mission and projects of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital.
Pope Francis recently met with Bill Clinton in an un-announced private visit at the Vatican on July 5, at which the two men reportedly spoke about “peace.”
READ: Pope Francis receives Bill Clinton and George Soros’ son in private Vatican visit
The 75-year-old Clinton is famous for his adulterous sexual affair with a young White House intern and subsequent impeachment for perjury and obstruction of justice, as well as his adamant support of abortion and same-sex “marriage.”
Greeting the former president warmly, Francis presented him with a statue made at the Vatican which “symbolizes the work for peace,” according to the Pontiff.
While the Pope is providing the opening keynote address at the CGI conference, other speakers and participants include notable left-wing or pro-abortion politicians and advocates. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer will be in attendance.
Former U.K. Prime Minister and staunch advocate of globalist policies Tony Blair will attend, as will the pro-abortion former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
But other participants previously announced as attending include:
- Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO, who Pope Francis secretly received twice in 2022
- Actors Orlando Bloom and Matt Damon
- Kathy Hochul: New York’s pro-abortion governor
- “Qween Jean” a trans-“rights” activist, and founder and executive director of Black Trans Liberation
Among the many sponsors of the 2023 CGI conference are the Rockefeller Foundation and Pfizer Inc.
READ: Close Clinton friend arrested for allegedly running global pedophilia, sex trafficking ring
The CGI conference was established by Bill Clinton in 2005, in order to gather “global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, inclusive economic growth, and health equity.”
The CGI website claims that conferences have “made a difference in the lives of more than 435 million people in more than 180 countries.”
The Pope and the Vatican are not without a past relationship with the Clinton dynasty.
According to Henry Sire, author of the groundbreaking biography of Pope Francis The Dictator Pope, Francis reportedly even donated to Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign by pulling money from Peter’s Pence collection. While some rejected this claim as hearsay, Sire told LifeSite in 2017 that the details came from a contact in the Vatican and that “the allegation is quite well known to journalists.”
During the COVID-19 years of restriction, the Vatican hosted Chelsea Clinton – Bill and Hilary’s daughter and vice-chair of the Clinton Foundation – along with with CEOs of abortion-tainted vaccine companies Pfizer and Moderna, the director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Pope Francis closed the conference by granting the participants a private, virtual “audience.”
READ: Vatican hosting Fauci, Chelsea Clinton, Pfizer CEO, Big Tech oligarchs at ‘health’ conference
But the CGI conference includes – not unexpectedly, given its naming after the Clintons – strong support for abortion and contraception. Among its endeavors is the “Clinton Health Access Initiative” (CHAI). This works across the world, allowing some 125 countries to have access to specially reduced “medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, devices, or other life-saving health products and services.”
One of the CHAI’s programs is the “Women and Children’s Health,” which – employing oft-used contraceptive style language, ensures that “women have access to the tools they need to safely plan their families to improve health outcomes and economic well-being.”
CHAI boasts of its work to offer “simple and effective interventions…to prevent unintended pregnancies, treat pregnancy and labor complications and save the lives of newborns.”
The CHAI continues:
Quote:CHAI has developed an integrated maternal, newborn, and reproductive health strategy to dramatically reduce unintended pregnancies, maternal and neonatal deaths, and stillbirths. This approach begins with reaching adolescents and women to ensure they receive reproductive health education and have access to a range of effective and affordable contraceptive methods.
We continue to support women through their reproductive years to ensure every woman can avoid unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections; space and limit births; have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth; and see her newborn thrive from birth to childhood.
The Clinton’s program was first used in Ethiopia, before being then “tested at scale in Nigeria.” Following an even wider roll-out of the contraceptive program, CHAI reported how they saw a “251% increase in average monthly use of contraceptive implants in two years across Cameroon, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia.”
They also lauded a 50% price reduction in “contraceptive implants” due to “a volume guarantee in 69 countries.”
The CHAI’s consistent work to reduce the amount of babies born appears to align with a goal expressed in a letter sent by Bill, Hilary and Chelsea Clinton in July, promoting the upcoming conference. They referred to how the September conference would address “what we can do, not what we can’t,” along with working to “turn the tide on even our most stubborn challenges” – challenges which appear to include pregnancies.
Notwithstanding this promotion of contraception, the CGI conference invites support for their work with a quotation from Bill Clinton: “We cannot build our own future without helping others build theirs.”
This story is developing…
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| St. Irenaeus: The Proof of Apostolic Preaching |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-14-2023, 08:47 AM - Forum: Fathers of the Church
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Irenaeus: The Proof of the Apostolic Preaching
Taken from here - slightly adapted]
![[Image: ?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3...ipo=images]](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.1t6R5DyVFPrQb07IBKmI1AAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=ec7547214a84813a2b977cca4a45c42cb4cb15b451efc3cb7d33c24461dac5e0&ipo=images)
Preface to the Online Edition
This important and interesting work was discovered only in 1904, in an Armenian translation, and the first English translation was published in London and New York in 1920. This is the translation that follows. The translator was J. Armitage Robinson. A modern translation, which is highly recommended, exists in the Ancient Christian Writers series. Robinson titled his version, "Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching" but the ACW uses the title "Proof of the Apostolic Preaching", which has been adopted here.
The CCEL began to scan this volume a long time ago, but few seem to have been aware of it and progress has apparently stopped. Furthermore the format of the version that they are making breaks the text up into a multitude of pages, making it hard to read or reference. I have therefore scanned the text with abbreviated notes and placed it here, in order to promote interest in this little known work.*
I have omitted the long introductory essay by the translator on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Justin and Irenaeus. I have also omitted most of the footnotes. The majority of these indicate passages in the Adversus Haereses where Irenaeus quotes the same passage of scripture. The manuscript text was in Armenian. None of the footnotes include any of this -- no doubt SPCK's compositors wisely objected -- but Robinson compensates by quoting the AH in Latin, and at least one chunk of Greek on every page, usually from the Old Testament. All this I have omitted, leaving a series of dots where the Greek was. Finally I have moved the marginal scripture references into the footnotes, and omitted the indices. No doubt all these things will be present in the CCEL edition.
Roger PEARSE
20th September 2003
* Postscript, 4th October 2003. I've had a note from my friends at the CCEL to the effect that their version has been updated, and the table of contents can be accessed here. The main text, together with the latter part of the introduction, is here, and the myriad little pages seem to have gone. The new version appears to include all the material. Nevertheless, I think the format I have here will still be useful.
THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING
1. Knowing, my beloved Marcianus, your desire to walk in godliness, which alone leads man to life eternal, I rejoice with you and make my prayer that you may preserve your faith entire and so be pleasing to God who made you. Would that it were possible for us to be always together, to help each other and to lighten the labour of our earthly life by continual discourse together on the things that profit.1 But, since at this present time we are parted from one another in the body, yet according to our power we will not fail to speak with you a little by writing, and to show forth in brief the preaching of the truth for the confirmation of your faith.2 We send you as it were a manual of essentials,3 that by little you may attain to much, learning in short space all the members of the body of the truth, and receiving in brief the demonstration of the things of God. So shall it be fruitful to your own salvation, and you shall put to shame all who inculcate falsehood, and bring with all confidence our sound and pure teaching to everyone who desires to understand it. For one is the way leading upwards for all who see, lightened with heavenly light: but many and dark and contrary are the ways of them that see not. This way leads to the kingdom of heaven, uniting man to God: but those ways bring down to death, separating man from God. Wherefore it is needful for you and for all who care for their own salvation to make your course unswerving, firm and sure by means of faith, that you falter not, nor be retarded and detained in material desires, nor turn aside and wander from the right.
2. Now, since man is a living being compounded of soul and flesh, he must needs exist by both of these: and, whereas from both of them offences come, purity of the flesh is the restraining abstinence from all shameful things and all unrighteous deeds, and purity of the soul is the keeping faith towards God entire, neither adding thereto nor diminishing therefrom. For godliness is obscured and dulled by the soiling and the staining of the flesh, and is broken and polluted and no more entire, if falsehood enter into the soul: but it will keep itself in its. beauty and its measure, when truth is constant in the soul4 and purity in the flesh. For what profit is it to know the truth in words, and to pollute the flesh and perform the works of evil? Or what profit can purity of the flesh bring, if truth be not in the soul? For these rejoice with one another, and are united and allied to bring man face to face with God. Wherefore the Holy Spirit says by David: Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly:8 that is, the counsel of the nations which know not God: for those are ungodly who worship not the God that truly is. And therefore the Word says to Moses: I am He that is 9 but they that worship not the God that is, these are the ungodly. And hath not stood in the way of sinners: but sinners are those who have the knowledge of God and keep not His commandments; that is, disdainful scorners. And hath not sat in the seat of the pestilential:6 now the pestilential are those who by wicked and perverse doctrines corrupt not themselves only, but others also. For the seat is a symbol of teaching. Such then are all heretics: they sit in the seats of the pestilential, and those are corrupted who receive the venom of their doctrine.
3. Now, that we may not suffer ought of this kind, we must needs hold the rule of the faith without deviation,7 and do the commandments of God, believing in God and fearing Him as Lord and loving Him as Father. Now this doing is produced by faith: for Isaiah says: If ye believe not, neither shall ye understand.10 And faith is produced by the truth; for faith rests on things that truly are. For in things that are, as they are, we believe; and believing in things that are, as they ever are, we keep firm our confidence in them. Since then faith is the perpetuation of our salvation, we must needs bestow much pains on the maintenance thereof, in order that we may have a true comprehension of the things that are. Now faith occasions this for us; even as the Elders, the disciples of the Apostles, have handed down to us. First of all it bids us bear in mind that we have received baptism for the remission of sins, in the name of God the Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was incarnate and died and rose again, and in the Holy Spirit of God. And that this baptism is the seal of eternal life, and is the new birth unto God, that we should no longer be the sons of mortal men, but of the eternal and perpetual God; and that what is everlasting and continuing is made God;11 and is over all things that are made, and all things are put under Him; |73 and all the things that are put under Him are made His own; for God is not ruler and Lord over the things of another, but over His own;12 and all things are God's; and therefore God is Almighty, and all things are of God.
4. For it is necessary that things that are made should have the beginning of their making from some great cause; and the beginning of all things is God. For He Himself was not made by any, and by Him all things were made. And therefore it is right first of all to believe that there is One God, the Father, who made and fashioned all things, and made what was not that it should be, and who, containing all things, alone is uncontained.13 Now among all things is this world of ours, and in the world is man: so then this world also was formed by God.
5. Thus then there is shown forth 14 One God, the Father, not made, invisible, creator of all things; above whom there is no other God, and after whom there is no other God.15 And, since God is rational, |74 therefore by (the) Word He created the things that were made;16 and God is Spirit, and by (the) Spirit He adorned all things: as also the prophet says: By the word of the Lord were the heavens established, and by his spirit all their power.17 Since then the Word establishes, that is to say, gives body 18 and grants the reality of being, and the Spirit gives order and form to the diversity of the powers; rightly and fittingly is the Word called the Son, and the Spirit the Wisdom of God. Well also does Paul His apostle say: One God, the Father, who is over all and through all and in us all.19 For over all is the Father; and through all is the Son, for through Him all things were made by the Father; and in us all is the Spirit, who cries Abba Father,20 and fashions man into the likeness of God.4 Now the Spirit shows forth the Word, and therefore the prophets announced the Son of God; and the Word utters the Spirit, and therefore is Himself the announcer of the prophets, and leads and draws man to the Father.
6. This then is the order of the rule of our faith, and the foundation of the building, and the stability of our conversation: God, the Father, not made, not material, invisible; one God, the creator of all things: this is the first point21 of our faith. The second point is: The Word of God, Son of God, Christ Jesus our Lord, who was manifested to the prophets according to the form of their prophesying and according to the method of the dispensation of the Father:22 through whom all things were made; who also at the end of the times, to complete and gather up23 all things, was made man among men, visible and tangible,24 in order to abolish death and show forth life and produce a community of union between God and man. And the third point is: The Holy Spirit, through whom the prophets prophesied, and the fathers learned the things of God, and the righteous were led forth into the way of righteousness; and who in the end of the times was poured out in a new way upon mankind in all the earth, renewing man unto God.
7. And for this reason the baptism of our regeneration proceeds through these three points: God the Father bestowing on us regeneration through His Son by the Holy Spirit. For as many as carry (in them) the Spirit of God are led to the Word, that is to the Son; and the Son brings them to the Father; and the Father causes them to possess incorruption. Without the Spirit it is not possible to behold the Word of God, nor without the Son can any draw near to the Father: for the knowledge of the Father is the Son, and the knowledge of the Son of God is through the Holy Spirit; and, according to the good pleasure of the Father, the Son ministers and dispenses the Spirit to whomsoever the Father wills and as He wills.
8. And by the Spirit the Father is called Most High and Almighty and Lord of hosts; that we may learn concerning God that He it is who is creator of heaven and earth and all the world, and maker of angels and men, and Lord of all, through whom all things exist and by whom all things are sustained; merciful, compassionate and very tender, good, just, the God of all, both of Jews and of Gentiles, and of them that believe. To them that believe He is as Father, for in the end of the times He opened up the covenant of adoption; but to the Jews as Lord and Lawgiver, for in the intermediate times, when man forgat God and departed and revolted from Him, He brought them into subjection by the Law, that they might learn that they had for Lord the maker and creator, who also gives the breath of life, and whom we ought to worship day and night: and to the Gentiles as maker and creator and almighty: and to all alike sustainer and nourisher and king and judge; for none shall escape and be delivered from His judgment, neither Jew nor Gentile, nor believer that has sinned, nor angel: but they who now reject His goodness shall know His power in judgment, according to that which the blessed apostle says: Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance; but according to thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who shall render to every man according to his works.25 This is He who is called in the Law the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of the living; although the sublimity and greatness of this God is unspeakable.
9. Now this world is encompassed by seven heavens,26 in which dwell powers and angels and archangels, doing service to God, the Almighty and Maker of all things: not as though He was in need, but that they may not be idle and unprofitable and ineffectual.27 Wherefore also the Spirit of God is manifold in (His) indwelling,28 and in seven forms of service 29 is He reckoned by the prophet Isaiah, as resting on the Son of God, that is the Word, in His coming as man. The Spirit of God, he says, shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, (the Spirit of knowledge) and of godliness; the Spirit of the fear of God shall fill him.30 Now the heaven which is first from above,31 and encompasses the rest, is (that of) wisdom; and the |79 second from it, of understanding; and the third, of counsel; and the fourth, reckoned from above, (is that) of might; and the fifth, of knowledge; and the sixth, of godliness; and the seventh, this firmament of ours, is full of the fear of that Spirit which gives light to the heavens. For, as the pattern (of this), Moses received the seven-branched candlestick, that shined continually in the holy place; for as a pattern of the heavens he received this service, according to that which the Word spake unto him: Thou shalt make (it) according to all the pattern of the things which thou hast seen in the mount.32
10. Now this God is glorified by His Word who is His Son continually,33 and by the Holy Spirit who is the Wisdom of the Father of all: and the power(s) of these, (namely) of the Word and Wisdom, which are called Cherubim and Seraphim,34 with unceasing voices glorify God; and every created thing that is in the heavens offers glory to God the Father of all.35 He by His Word has created the whole world, and in the world are the angels; and to all the world He has given laws wherein each several thing should abide, and according to that which is determined by God should not pass their bounds, each fulfilling his appointed task.
11. But man He formed with His own hands,36 taking from the earth that which was purest and finest, and mingling in measure His own power with the earth. For He traced His own form on the formation,37 that that which should 'be seen should be of divine form: for (as) the image of God was man formed and set on the earth. And that he might become living, He breathed on his face the breath of life; that both for the breath and for the formation man should be like unto God. Moreover he was free and self-controlled, being made by God for this end, that he might rule all those things that were upon the earth. And this great created world, prepared by God before the formation of man, was given to man as his place, containing all things within itself.38 And there were in this place also with (their) tasks the |81 servants of that God who formed all things; and the steward, who was set over all his fellow-servants received this place. Now the servants were angels, and the steward was the archangel.39
12. Now, having made man lord of the earth and all things in it, He secretly appointed him lord also of those who were servants in it. They however were in their perfection; but the lord, that is, man, was (but) small; for he was a child; and it was necessary that he should grow, and so come to (his) perfection. And, that he might have his nourishment and growth with festive and dainty meats, He prepared him a place better than this world,40 excelling in air, beauty, light, food, plants, |82 fruit, water, and all other necessaries of life: and its name is Paradise. And so fair and good was this Paradise, that the Word of God continually resorted thither, and walked and talked with the man, figuring beforehand the things that should be in the future, (namely) that He should dwell with him and talk with him, and should be with men, teaching them righteousness. But man was a child, not yet having his understanding perfected; wherefore also he was easily led astray by the deceiver.
13. And, whilst man dwelt in Paradise, God brought before him all living things and commanded him to give names to them all; and whatsoever Adam called a living soul, that was its name.41 And He determined also to make a helper for the man: for thus God said, It is not good for the man to be alone: let us make for him a helper meet for him.42 For among all the other living things there was not found a helper equal and comparable and like to Adam. But God Himself cast a trance upon Adam and made him sleep;43 and, that work might be accomplished from work, since there was no sleep in Paradise, this was brought upon Adam by the will of God; and God took one of Adam's ribs and filled up the flesh in its place, and the rib which He took He builded into a woman; 44 and so He brought her to Adam; and he seeing (her) said: This is now bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken from her husband.
14. And Adam and Eve----for that is the name of the woman----were naked, and were not ashamed;45 for there was in them an innocent and childlike mind, and it was not possible for them to conceive and understand anything of that which by wickedness through lusts and shameful desires is born in the soul. For they were at that time entire, preserving their own nature; since they had the breath of life which was breathed on their creation: and, while this breath remains in its place and power, it has no comprehension and understanding of things that are base. And therefore they were not ashamed, kissing and embracing each other in purity after the manner of children.
15. But, lest man should conceive thoughts too high, and be exalted and uplifted, as though he had no lord, because of the authority and freedom granted to him, and so should transgress against his maker God, overpassing his measure, and entertain selfish imaginings of pride in opposition to God; a law was given to him by God, in order that he might perceive that he had as lord the Lord of all. And He set him certain limitations, so that, if he should keep the commandment of God, he should ever remain such as he was, that is to say, immortal; but, if he should not keep it, he should become mortal and be dissolved to earth from whence his formation had been taken. Now the commandment was this: Of every tree that is in the Paradise thou shalt freely eat; but of that tree alone from which is the knowledge of good and evil, of it thou shalt not eat; for in the day thou eatest, thou shalt surely die.46
16. This commandment the man kept not, but was disobedient to God, being led astray by the angel who, for the great gifts of God which He had given to man, was envious and jealous of him,47 and both brought himself to nought and made man sinful, persuading him to disobey the commandment of God. So the angel, becoming by his falsehood the author and originator of sin, himself was struck down, having offended against God, and man he caused to be cast out from Paradise. And, because through the guidance of his disposition he apostatized and departed from God, he was called Satan, according to the Hebrew word; that is, Apostate: 48 but he is also called Slanderer. Now God cursed the serpent which carried and conveyed the Slanderer; and this malediction came on the beast himself and on the angel hidden and concealed in him, even on Satan; and man He put away from His presence, removing him and making him to dwell on the way to Paradise 49 at that time; because Paradise receiveth not the sinful.
17. And when they were put out of Paradise, Adam and his wife Eve fell into many troubles of anxious grief, going about with sorrow and toil and lamentation in this world. For under the beams of this sun man tilled the earth, and it put forth thorns and thistles, the punishment of sin. Then was fulfilled that which was written: Adam knew his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain;50 and after him she bare Abel, Now the apostate angel, who led man into disobedience and made him sinful and caused his expulsion from Paradise, not content with the first evil, wrought a second on the brothers; for filling Cain with his spirit he made him a fratricide. And so Abel died, slain by his brother; signifying thenceforth that certain should be persecuted and oppressed and slain, the unrighteous slaying and persecuting the righteous. And upon this God was angered yet more, and cursed Cain; and it came to pass that everyone of that race in successive generations was made like to the begetter. And God raised up another son to Adam, instead of Abel who was slain.51
18. And for a very long while wickedness extended and spread, and reached and laid hold upon the whole race of mankind, until a very small seed of righteousness remained among them: and illicit unions took place upon the earth, since angels were united with the daughters of the race of mankind; and they bore to them sons who for their exceeding greatness were called giants. And the angels brought as presents to their wives teachings of wickedness,52 in that they brought |86 them the virtues of roots and herbs, dyeing in colours and cosmetics, the discovery of rare substances, love-potions, aversions, amours, concupiscence, constraints of love, spells of bewitchment, and all sorcery and idolatry hateful to God; by the entry of which things into the world evil extended and spread, while righteousness was diminished and enfeebled.
19. Until judgment came upon the world from God by means of a flood, in the tenth generation from the first-formed (man); Noah alone being found righteous. And he for his righteousness was himself delivered, and his wife and his three sons, and the three wives of his sons, being shut up in the ark. And when destruction came upon all, both man and also animals, that were upon the earth, that which was preserved in the ark escaped. Now the three sons of Noah were Shem, Ham and Japheth, from whom again the race was multiplied: for these were the beginning of mankind after the flood.
20. Now of these one fell under a curse, and the two (others) inherited a blessing by reason of their works. For the younger of them,53 who was called Ham, having mocked his father, and having been condemned of the sin of impiety because of his outrage and unrighteousness against his father, received a curse; and all the posterity that came of him he involved in the curse; whence it came about that his whole race after him were accursed, and in sins they increased and multiplied. But Shem and Japheth, his brothers, because of their piety towards their father obtained a blessing. Now the curse of Ham, wherewith his father Noah cursed him, is this: Cursed be Ham the child; 54 a servant shall he be unto his brethren.55 This having come upon his race, he begat many descendants upon the earth, (even) for fourteen generations, growing up in a wild condition; and then his race was cut off by God, being delivered up to judgment. For the Canaanites and Hittites and Peresites and Hivites and Amorites and Jebusites and Gergasites and Sodomites, the Arabians also and the dwellers in Phoenicia, all the Egyptians and the Libyans,56 are of the posterity of Ham, who have fallen under the curse; for the curse is of long duration over the ungodly.
[To be continued]
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| G20 Announces Plan To Impose Digital Currencies And IDs Worldwide |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-14-2023, 06:59 AM - Forum: Socialism & Communism
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G20 Announces Plan To Impose Digital Currencies And IDs Worldwide
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes leaders during opening session of the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi, on Sept. 9, 2023. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
ZH | SEP 14, 2023
Authored by Bryan Jung via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
The Group of 20 leaders have agreed to a plan to eventually impose digital currencies and digital IDs on their respective populations, despite fears that governments will use them to monitor their peoples' spending and crush dissent.
The G20, which is currently under India’s presidency, adopted a final declaration on the subject over the weekend in New Delhi.
The meeting, which included the world’s leading economies, announced last week that they had agreed to build the necessary infrastructure to implement digital currencies and IDs.
The group said that discussions were already underway to create international regulations for cryptocurrencies, but claimed that there was “no talk of banning cryptocurrency” at the summit.
Many critics are concerned that governments and central banks will eventually regulate cryptocurrencies and then immediately replace them with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which lack similar privacy and security.
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that discussions were underway to build a global framework to regulate crypto assets since they believe cryptocurrencies can not be regulated efficiently without total international cooperation.
“India’s [G20] presidency has put on the table key issues related to regulating or understanding that there should be a framework for handling issues related to crypto assets,” Ms. Sitharaman said before the G20 gathering.
The top items discussed at the New Delhi summit included “building Digital Public Infrastructure, Digital Economy, Cryptoassets, [Central Bank Digital Currencies].”
Gita Gopinath, the International Monetary Fund's first deputy managing director, said in a video posted on X that the G20 "helped shape a global perspective on how policymakers should deal with crypto assets."
She also assured Business Today that there was "no talk of banning cryptocurrencies, indicating a global consensus against such measures" in the discussions.
However, some of the suggestions call for additional policing of cryptocurrencies, which are decentralized and do not operate under central banks' control.
Critics say that these proposals could allow government authorities to impose a social credit score system and decide how their citizens can spend their money.
European Commission Chief Reemphasizes Need for Digital IDs
At the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for an international regulatory body for artificial intelligence (AI), digital ID systems similar to coronavirus vaccine passports and advocated for global cooperation to address the challenges presented by AI.
She called for the United Nations to have a role in AI regulation and called the European Union's COVID-19 digital certificate a perfect model for digital public infrastructures (DPI), which would include digital IDs.
“Many of you are familiar with the COVID-19 digital certificate. The EU developed it for itself. The model was so functional and so trusted that 51 countries on four continents adopted it for free,” said President von der Leyen.
“Today, the WHO uses it as a global standard to facilitate mobility in times of health threats. I want to thank Dr. Tedros again for the excellent cooperation," she said, referring to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The European Union is currently trying to introduce a bloc-wide “digital identity” app that would consolidate various personal information, including passports, driver’s licenses, and medical history.
"The future is digital. I passed two messages to the G20. We should establish a framework for safe, responsible AI, with a similar body as the IPCC for climate. Digital public infrastructures are an accelerator of growth. They must be trusted, interoperable & open to all," said President von der Leyen in a post on social media. The IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Public Support Lacking
The Cato Institute 2023 CBDC National Survey from May found that only 16 percent of Americans support the adoption of a CBDC. At least 68 percent of respondents said they would oppose CBDCs if the government started to monitor their purchases.
Most Democrats and Republicans reported concern that the government could control what people spend their money on and potentially turn off access to their bank accounts.
Governments Prepare Way for CBDCs
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva praised her Indian counterparts via X (formerly Twitter) for leading the way in "setting up a road map for crypto regulations."
She said the IMF was also "contributing to proposals for a comprehensive policy framework."
In a separate press statement, Ms. Georgieva said, "more work lies ahead, including in the realm of digital money and crypto assets."
"To this end, the G20 has tasked relevant institutions to improve regulation and supervision of crypto asset—the IMF is contributing to proposals for a comprehensive policy framework—and advance the debate on how central bank digital currencies could impact the global economy and financial system," she added.
The IMF chief suggested that rather than recognize cryptocurrency assets as legal tender, governments should instead create licensing and registration processes for crypto asset issuers and focus on treating their activities similarly.
Several major economies, including Japan and Russia, will roll out their pilot CBDCs this year.
Nigeria launched eNaira, the world's first issued CBDC, but it has proved unpopular.
Less than 0.5 percent of citizens have said they had used the digital currency, and government efforts to encourage its use have failed.
'The India Stack'
Meanwhile, the World Bank also praised India’s use of digital public infrastructure to “enhance financial inclusion” and delivery of public goods and services in a report written for the G20 summit.
The nation's India Stack DPI system, which comprises the Aadhaar digital ID and the interoperable UPI digital payments platform, has been cited as an example in the report.
The G20 believes that DPIs can serve people not just in the financial sector, but also in the domains of health, education, and social welfare.
“The India Stack exemplifies this approach, combining digital ID, interoperable payments, a digital credentials ledger, and account aggregation. In just six years, it has achieved a remarkable 80 percent financial inclusion rate-a feat that would have taken nearly five decades without a DPI approach,” said Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who wrote the foreword to the report.
The queen is the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) and was one of the speakers at the IMF's World Bank annual meeting in Washington last year.
“If designed properly, CBDCs could hold great promise to support a digital financial system that works for everyone. But that is an important ‘if,’” Queen Maxima said, adding, “If designed and implemented with inclusion in mind, CBDCs could offer many options to expand access to the unbanked and to serve the vulnerable and the poor."
However, her statements in support of the plan have come under criticism by some in the debate over digitalization in the Netherlands for violating the norm regarding the role of the Dutch monarchy in politics.
“Maxima openly advocates for programmable money; power in central banks, without parliamentary accountability,” said Dutch financial journalist Arno Wellens via X, calling the queen “an unelected official who is outside politics under [Dutch] constitutional law,” and said her statements were "a serious attack on democracy."
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| Cardinal Müller: "False prophets claim they will turn the Church into an Aid Organizatio |
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Posted by: Stone - 09-14-2023, 05:38 AM - Forum: Vatican II and the Fruits of Modernism
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NB: Cardinal Müller is a 'conservative' Novus Ordo cardinal. He still believes and promotes Vatican II. And because he isn't a 'progressive' Novus Ordo cardinal, he often garners approval amongst traditional groups. But his words must be approached with caution. He says things pleasing to both traditionalists and pleasing to Conciliarists (as he does below, both warning against the Synod AND advocating reading and studying Vatican II texts for guidance). - The Catacombs
Cardinal Müller Interviewed: "False prophets claim they will turn the Church into an Aid Organization for the 2030 Agenda."
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By: Cardinal Gerhard Müller and InfoVaticana
The final phase of the Synod of Synodality is approaching and will begin this October. Among the 400 participants (cardinals, bishops, lay people and religious) will be the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Gerhard Müller.
Since the Vatican has announced that journalists will only have access to the information that they themselves provide, we wanted to talk to the German cardinal about this upcoming ecclesial event that has a large part of the Church on tenterhooks.
As you will see throughout the interview (done in writing as the Cardinal is in Poland this week), Müller tackles the questions raised without shying away from them and gets to the heart of the matter.
Interview with Cardinal Müller
Q-This coming October, the final phase of the Synod on Synodality will begin. How are you approaching it?
Cardinal Müller: I pray that all this will be a blessing and not a harm to the Church. I am also committed to theological clarity so that a Clairch gathered around Christ doesn't become a political dance around the golden calf of the agnostic spirit of the age.
Q- Pope Francis included you in the list of participants who will have a say in the Synod. How did you receive the news?
A-I want to do the best I can for the good of the Church, for which I have dedicated all my life, thought and work until now.
Q-Have you thought about the message you are going to deliver during the Assembly?
A- Above all I would like to say, in view of the many disappointments of the young people of Lisbon: a Church that does not believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is no longer the Church of Jesus Christ. Each participant should first study the first chapter of Lumen Gentium, which deals with the mystery of the Church in the Triune God's plan of salvation. The Church is not the playground of the ideologues of "godless humanism", nor of strategists of the blocked party.
God's universal will to save, which we encounter in Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, and which is realized historically and eschatologically, is the future program of His Church and not the Great Reset of the atheist-globalist "elite" of billionaire bankers who hide their ruthless personal enrichment behind the mask of philanthropy.
Q-What do you think of the move to make it unacceptable for journalists to follow what is happening [in the Synod] live?
A-I don't know the intention behind this measure, but 450 participants will certainly not keep things under wraps. Many will exploit journalists for their own benefit or vice versa. This is the great hour of manipulation, of propaganda of an agenda that does more harm than good to the Church.
Q-There are some voices that have criticized the presence of the laity in this synodal Assembly.
A-The bishops participate in their office by exercising collegial responsibility for the whole Church together with the Pope. If the laity participate in it with the right to vote, then it is no longer a synod of bishops or an ecclesiastical conference and does not have the apostolic teaching authority of the episcopal college. To speak of a Third Vatican Council can only occur to an ignorant person, because from the outset a Roman Synod of Bishops is not an ecumenical council — which the Pope could not subsequently declare without ignoring the divine right of the bishops to a Vatican Council III, that could found a new Church surpassing or completing the one supposedly stagnated at Vatican Council II.
Whenever populist effects tip the balance towards such spontaneous decisions, the sacramental nature of the Church and its mission is obscured, even if subsequent attempts are made to justify it through the common priesthood of all believers, and to eliminate the substantial difference between it and the priesthood of sacramental ordination (Lumen Gentium 10).
Q-Are there more and more bishops and faithful expressing concern about what might happen during this Synod?
A-Yes, the false prophets (nebulous ideologues) who present themselves as progressives have announced that they will turn the Catholic Church into an aid organization for the 2030 Agenda. In their opinion, only a Church without Christ fits into a world without God. Many young people returned from Lisbon disappointed that the focus was no longer on salvation in Christ, but on a worldly doctrine of salvation. Apparently, there are even bishops who no longer believe in God as the origin and end of man and the Savior of the world, but who, in a pan naturalistic or pantheistic way, consider the so-called Mother Earth as the beginning of existence, and climate neutrality as the goal of planet earth.
Q-Do you think that changes in matters of faith and doctrine can be approved, as some groups and movements within the Church claim?
A-No one on earth can change, add to, or take away from the Word of God. As successors of the apostles, the Pope and the bishops must teach the people what the earthly and Risen Christ, the only Teacher, has commanded them to do. And it is only in this sense that the promise that the heavenly host and the Head of His body always remain with his disciples (Mt 28:19). People confuse — not surprisingly, given the lack of basic theological education even among bishops — the content of faith and its unsurpassable fullness in Christ, with the progressive theological reflection and growth of the Church's understanding of faith throughout the ecclesiastical tradition (Dei Verbum 8-10). The infallibility of the Magisterium extends only to the preservation and faithful interpretation of the mystery of faith entrusted once and for all to the Church (depositum fidei [deposit of faith] or sound doctrine, the teaching of the Apostles). The Pope and the bishops do not receive a new revelation (Lumen Gentium 25, Dei Verbum 10.)
To bless the immoral behavior of persons of the same or opposite sex is a direct contradiction of God's Word and will; it is a gravely sinful blasphemy.
Q-What would happen if, for example, the Synodal Assembly approved the blessing of homosexual couples, a change in sexual morality, the elimination of the obligatory nature of priestly celibacy or allowing the female diaconate?
Would you accept it?
A- Priestly celibacy must be removed from this list, since the connection of the sacrament of Holy Orders with the charism of voluntary renunciation of marriage is not dogmatically necessary, although this ancient tradition of the Latin Church cannot be arbitrarily abolished with the stroke of a pen, as the Council Fathers expressly underlined at the Vatican Council (Presbyterorum Ordines, 16). And the noisy agitators are rarely concerned with priestless communities being saved, but rather with attacking this evangelical advice, which they consider anachronistic or even inhumane in a sexually enlightened age. To bless the immoral behavior of persons of the same or opposite sex is a direct contradiction of God's Word and will; it is a gravely sinful blasphemy. The sacrament of Holy Orders at the levels of episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate can provide divine power.
Only a baptized man whose vocation has been verified by the Church as to its authenticity can receive the right. Such demands that receive a majority vote would be obsolete a priori. Nor could they be implemented in canon law by the whole college of bishops with the Pope or by the Pope alone because they contradict [divine] Revelation and the clear confession of the Church.
The formal authority of the Pope cannot be separated from the substantive connection with Holy Scripture, Apostolic Tradition and the dogmatic decisions of the Magisterium that preceded him. Otherwise, as Luther misunderstood the papacy, he would put himself in the place of God, who is the sole author of His revealed truth, instead of simply witnessing faithfully, in the authority of Christ, to the revealed faith in an unabridged and unadulterated manner and presenting it authentically to the Church.
In such an extreme situation, from which God can save us, every ecclesiastical official would lose his authority and no Catholic would be obliged any longer to religiously obey a heretical or schismatic bishop (Lumen Gentium 25; cf. the bishops' reply to Bismarck's misinterpretation of Vatican I, 1875).
Q-Do you think that enough is being done in the Church clearly to defend the truths that are under discussion today?
A- Unfortunately not. One's sacred task is to proclaim the truth of the Gospel boldly inside and outside the Church. Even Paul once openly opposed Peter's ambiguous behavior (Gal 2), without, of course, questioning his Christ-established primacy.
We must not allow ourselves to be intimidated within the Church or seduced by the prospect of a race for good behavior desired from above. Bishops and priests are appointed directly by Christ, which the respective superiors in the hierarchy must consider. However, they are in community with each other, which includes religious obedience in matters of faith and canonical obedience in the governance of the Church. But this does not exempt anyone from his conscientious responsibility directly to Christ, the Shepherd and Teacher, whose authority sanctifies, teaches, and guides believers.
A strict distinction must also be made between the Pope's relationship with his nuncios and Vatican employees and the Pope's collegial relationship with the bishops, who are not his subordinates but his brothers in the same apostolic office.
Q-What role should the Pope play at this time?
A-Throughout the Church's history, whenever popes have felt or behaved like politicians, things have gone wrong. In politics it is about the power of the people over the people, in the Church of Christ it is about serving the eternal salvation of men, to which the Lord has called men to be his apostles. The Pope is seated on the Chair of Peter. And the way Simon Peter is presented in the New Testament, with all his ups and downs, should be a strengthening and a warning to every Pope. In the Upper Room, before his Passion, Jesus says to Peter: When you are converted, strengthen your brethren (Lk 22:32), that is, in the faith of Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16.16). Only in this way is he the rock on which Jesus builds his Church, over which the gates of hell will not prevail.
Translation by Diane Montagna
Original Spanish version HERE
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