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Note: The following is significantly longer than
our usual papal bios for the reasons indicated below. It is in large part
derived from notes we have made from many sources during the long years of
Francis' pontificate. We may have taken some liberties with quotations
(especially with punctuation/capitalization & combining paragraphs). For
expediency & compactness, items may not be attributed below, however, it may be
possible to find additional detail online for those who may be interested.
+ + +
After Pope Benedict XVI surprisingly resigned in
2013 (the first papal resignation in about 600 years), the Argentinean Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio (age 76) was elected to the papacy. The first
pope from the Jesuit Order, he was also the first to take the name Francis.
Observers noted that lightning struck the dome of St. Peter's twice on February
11, 2013, the same day that Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation
(according to an online source, the first strike was recorded at approximately
5:55 p.m. local time, and the second strike followed shortly after, around 6:00
p.m., just a few hours after his announcement) – a divine harbinger of what was
to come with the subsequent pope? Pope Francis himself 'joked' with the
Cardinals after his election, reportedly saying, "May God forgive you for what
you've done." Indeed.
The "revolutionary pope" reigned for a little over
12 years, seemingly wanting to remake the Church in his own image. On one hand,
Pope Francis appeared to embrace charity towards the earthly needs of the poor –
including showing concern for the temporal needs of the homeless – and he also
showed some concern for spiritual needs by making various concessions to the
traditionalist SSPX society (e.g. regarding confessions, marriages), but on the
other hand he has been described as a "modernist
wrecking ball" in the Church who "openly profess[ed] doctrines against the faith
and morals." Under his unprecedented papacy, "the institutions of the Church
have continued to crumble and the practice of the faith of the Roman Catholic
Church has continued its radical decline." It is thought that many have left the
Church under his pontificate (one critic states that "The number of Catholics,
especially conservative ones, who left the Church under Francis is no doubt
astonishingly high"). Critics say Pope Francis may be "the worst [Pope] in
history." [Note: Click
here for related user-submitted article: "Is Pope Francis The Worst Pope
Ever?"]
Among other things, the Jesuit pope (dubbed "the
Franciscan scourge" by critics) was known for his many novelties and shocking
statements. For example...
* He insinuated that Christ's miracle of the
multiplication of the loaves was not a true miracle ("Here's the miracle, that
it is more a sharing than a multiplying")
* He said that God is not Catholic, despite the
Catholic Church being founded directly by Christ, the God-Man ("I believe in
God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God.")
* He said that the Church founded by Christ, is "a
contamination of light" ("The life of the Church is
– I will use a rather strong word – a contamination of light...")
* He scandalously implied that Christ is not truly
found in the
Holy Eucharist ("Where do you think God is found? In church? No, He's found
in your weaknesses.")
* He offensively (and mistakenly) said that "There
is always confusion and disorder (!) with the power of the
Holy Spirit but we must not be afraid because it is a beautiful sign"
* Despite Church teaching on the indissolubility of
marriage, Pope Francis said that "the great majority" of sacramental
marriages are invalid (after an outcry, this was later 'walked back' from "the
great majority" of marriages to "a portion" of marriages)
* He spoke offensively of the immaculate,
absolutely sinless
Blessed Virgin Mary, saying: "Our Lady was human! And perhaps she even had
the desire to say: 'Lies! I was deceived!'" As if the Holy Mother of Jesus would
think the
Angel Gabriel or
God could lie to her or deceive her! He also offensively implied that the
spotless, singularly privileged & holy Mother of God has 'defects' ("The Church
and the Virgin Mary are mothers…All mothers have defects")
* He appallingly said that, "pagan blood runs
through the veins of
Jesus"!
* He disturbingly said that the Holy Spirit
"creates all the differences among the Churches, almost as if he were an Apostle
of Babel"
The Pope, who preferred a Church "which is bruised, hurting and dirty", also
made inappropriate (arguably blasphemous) jokes, for example...
* saying "Whisky is the real holy water"
* saying "I am the
devil!"
* saying "This Holy Spirit is a disaster (!)
because He never tires of being creative!"
* saying that persons of the
Holy Trinity – who truly enjoy absolute & infinite unity – are "all arguing
behind closed doors, but on the outside they give the picture of unity"
Pope Francis strangely referred to "God spray" and
at various times called the unchangeable God the "God of surprises". There are
also some quotes allegedly from Pope Francis that are so highly offensive we
won't include them on this site to avoid further scandal. Interested parties can
look them up online if they somehow find it appropriate.
Pope Francis was also known to make questionable
statements (such as telling Catholics to "scold the Lord") that appear to
obscure the necessity of maintaining
fear of the Lord that is so highly praised in
Holy Scripture...
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
(Prov. 1:7, Prov. 9:10, etc.)
"The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of
the honourable, and of the poor." (Ecclus. 10:25)
"Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of
the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown." (Ecclus. 27:4)
"The fear of God is a paradise of blessings; its
canopy, all that is glorious." (Sirach 40:27)
"...fear God" (St. Peter, 1 Pt. 2:17)
"[The angel] said in a loud voice, "Fear God and
give him glory..." (Apoc./Rv. 14:7)
And although Jesus warns repeatedly of
Hell/eternal damnation, and we are told in Holy Scripture that...
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is
wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through
it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mt. 7:13-14)
"Many are invited, but few are chosen." (Our Lord
Jesus Christ, Mt. 22:14)
"Someone asked [Jesus], 'Lord, will only a few
people be saved?' He answered them, 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.'"
(Lk. 13:23-24)
"For it is time for the judgment to begin with the
household of God; if it begins with us, how will it end for those who fail to
obey the gospel of God? 'And if the righteous one is barely saved, where will
the godless and the sinner appear?'" (St. Peter, 1 Pt. 4:17-18)
...and as
Saints tell us...
"Fear the day of judgement." (St. Benedict)
and that...
"We know that we shall all stand before the
tribunal of Christ, so that each may receive in accord with those things he did
in the body, whether good or evil..." (St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church)
Yet, Pope Francis says to "Never fear the final
judgment, because Christ will always be at our side."
Pope Francis was also known for speaking off the
cuff ("no Pope has ever given the media so many statements to exploit, and in so
little time"). It is even charged that his words provided "a sword for those
critical of the Church's moral teachings on life and of the purpose of human
sexuality."
Critics note that Pope Francis' 'soft-on-sin'
statements may encourage
sin and impede forgiveness (due to the lack of necessary repentance). Note
particularly Pope Francis' scandalous statements regarding the grave sins of...
[Note: In contrast to Pope
Francis' shocking remarks, we have included a doctrinally appropriate Catholic
statement underneath each item below in purple for educational/reminder
purposes.]
*
abortion
"The woman who destroys voluntarily
a fetus incurs the pain of murder." (St. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church)
* cohabitation/concubineage
"Lastly, since We well know that
none should be excluded from Our charity, We commend, venerable brothers, to
your fidelity and piety those unhappy persons who, carried away by the heat of
passion, and being utterly indifferent to their salvation, live wickedly
together without the bond of lawful marriage. Let your utmost care be exercised
in bringing such persons back to their duty; and, both by your own efforts and
by those of good men who will consent to help you, strive by every means that
they may see how wrongly they have acted; that they may do penance; and that
they may be induced to enter into a lawful marriage according to the Catholic
rite." (Pope Leo XIII) [Note: Entering lawful marriage of course assumes such
a marriage is possible, appropriate, spiritually beneficial, etc. – yet
regardless of any possible future marriage, the sin must cease.]
*
contraception
"[A]ny use whatsoever of matrimony
exercised in such a way that the act is deliberately frustrated in its natural
power to generate life is an offense against the law of God and of nature, and
those who indulge in such are branded with the guilt of a grave sin." (Pope Pius
XI)
*
divorce / 'remarriage'
"Everyone who divorces his wife and
marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from
her husband commits adultery." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lk. 16:18)
*
homosexual acts
"You shall not lie with a male as
with a woman; such a thing is an abomination." (Lev. 18:22)
* same sex 'marriage'
"It's impossible for the Catholic
faith and support for putting homosexual unions on equal footing with marriage
to coexist in one's conscience - the two contradict each other." (Cardinal Carlo
Caffarra) [Recall that: 1-marriage is designed for procreation, yet
homosexuals can NEVER procreate in same-sex unions, 2-Scripture is clear that
marriage is only between a man and woman, 3-Holy Scripture also tells us that
those who engage in such acts (and remain unrepentant) will NOT be allowed into
heaven (see 1 Cor. 6:9-10) and that those who participated in such acts "serve
as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire" (see Jude 1:7).
Scripture also recounts the events of Sodom and Gomorrah where God destroyed the
city in punishment over this "wicked thing" (see Genesis, chapter 19).]
While it is true that all sins can be forgiven for
those truly repentant, it is likewise true that...
"[T]he wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23)
"If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge
of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins but a fearful prospect
of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries." (Heb.
10:26-27)
"Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit
the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals nor thieves nor the
greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of
God." (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
"But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved,
murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every
sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second
death." (Apoc./Rv. 21:8)
His scandalous words & actions further assisted
sedevacantists, who refuse to consider him a legitimate pope. Some even refer to
Pope Francis' "betrayal" of the faith.
Pope Francis also hurled many insults against
faithful Catholics and mistreated
traditional members of the flock who "felt targeted and persecuted by him."
Concerning the 'papal invectives', it was noted that his remarks "demonstrate a
pattern of verbal assaults on orthodox Catholics so well established that a list
titled 'The Pope Francis Little Book of Insults' was compiled in recent years."
So much for pastoral practices & calls for unity!
Critics have boldly charged that Pope Francis...
* "does not like the Catholic Church, or Catholics,
the real ones, anyway, whom he constantly abuses"
* is an "enemy of Tradition and an enemy of those
he considers traditionalists"
* is a "non-Catholic pope"
* is "literally a font of error"
* is a "dictator pope" with a "very authoritarian
streak" ["His dictatorial behavior has shocked the sensus fidei (sense of the
faith) of millions of Catholics and (has) legitimately drawn reaction and
resistance from dozens of prelates and hundreds of intellectuals and lay leaders
worldwide"]
* is a "radical reformist pope"
* is an "enemy of the Faith"
* "behaves like a true despot" ["No aspect of
doctrine, no previously recognized right or institution is free from a potential
change dictated by Francis. Francis routinely disregards canon law. He routinely
disavows the decisions and statements of his own subordinates. Thus, the Church
becomes totally lawless: the only doctrine, the only law of the Roman Catholic
Church is what Francis wills at any one time. The only ruling principle is
loyalty to him as a leader. The pope constantly exercises an unlimited,
arbitrary authority. He has set aside all customs and traditions restraining in
one way or another the pope's absolute freedom of choice in appointments (and
dismissals) within the Church."]
* "is ideologically committed to the total attack
on Catholic faith and practice"
The "doctrine-less, rule-hating, name-calling" Pope
Francis has been accused of...
* engaging in "constant public attacks on members
of the faithful"
* unjustly attempting to silence critics (It has
been said that "What happened to certain bishops during the Arian crisis in the
fourth century, who were deposed and exiled only because they intrepidly
preached the traditional Catholic Faith, is again happening in our day" and that
"Under Pope Francis, the Vatican is systematically silencing, eliminating, and
replacing critics of the Pope's views")
* expounding "blatant departures from prior
teaching on faith and morals"
* causing "great confusion, chaos, even scandal" (a
well known traditional writer charged that if Pope Francis "has not caused
'imminent danger of scandal concerning the faith,' then words have lost their
meaning")
* committing "an error almost every time he opens
his mouth to speak, earning the world's applause for his cavalier disregard of
orthodoxy and traditional disciplines of Apostolic origin"
* issuing writings that are "catastrophic",
ambiguous ("doctrinal ambiguities as never before seen in the history of the
Church"), "an embarrassment", and "whose immense output of heterodoxy and plain
nonsense would fill a book"
* committing "ongoing abuses of papal power"
* provoking "dissent, disorder and division
throughout the Church like no other
Pope in
Church history"
One critic stated that "No pope in modern times has
sowed this much confusion in the Chair of
St. Peter." It was also noted that Pope Francis' "ambiguous speeches and
especially his papal writings have turned cardinal against cardinal, bishop
against bishop, and lay-faithful against lay-faithful."
Even more strongly it was alleged that, "With every
passing day, it is becoming ever more clear that those who take the ramblings of
Pope Francis to heart, whether they come in the form of a sermon, a speech, an
interview, or even an encyclical letter, are certain to lose the Catholic faith.
It's not a question of if, but when."
In fact, some of Francis' shocking statements have
caused Catholics to charge the Pope with
heresy. Francis himself said he felt "like saying something that may sound
controversial, or even heretical, perhaps." In fact, serious allegations of
heresy were leveled against Pope Francis (some of which included various notable
signatories). As some headlines read...
* "Letter signed by more than 1,500 accuses Pope
Francis of the 'canonical delict of heresy'"
* "Theologians accuse pope of heresy" ("A group of
nineteen Catholics, including some prominent academics, have published an open
letter to the bishops of the world accusing Pope Francis of heresy")
* "Pope Francis as Public Heretic: The Evidence
Leaves No Doubt"
One well-known
pro-life leader charged Pope Francis with spouting "heresy that flies in the
face of Jesus Christ."
Another boldly charged that "Pope Francis is a
public and notorious heretic through notoriety of fact" who has "separated
himself from the Church through his heresy and...[should be shunned] as a
heretic."
Other relevant comments...
* "Francis has steadfastly refused to answer nearly
everyone who has fairly criticized him and then positively begged him for a
response"
* "Two of the four so-called 'dubia Cardinals' have
actually died waiting for Francis to answer their request for clarification of
Amoris Laetitia..."
* "After 2 years, the 25-page Filial Correction
signed by 40 Catholic clergy and lay scholars and delivered to Pope Francis is
still being ignored by the Holy Father – a letter, by the way, which was signed
by influential Catholics in good standing who hail from 20 different countries"
Ultimately, Pope Francis failed to explain or
withdraw seemingly heretical statements even when he was called upon to do so.
One critic charges that "the response of Pope Francis [to the cardinals who
presented the dubia] mean that he has been officially advised of the doctrine of
the Church, and that he has knowingly, publicly, and repeatedly denied that
doctrine. This establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that he has repudiated the
Catholic faith and is guilty of the public crime of heresy."
A former chief of staff for the U.S. Bishops'
committee on doctrine "has written to Pope Francis saying his pontificate is
marked by 'chronic confusion' and warning that teaching with a 'seemingly
intentional lack of clarity risks sinning against the Holy Spirit.'"
He said that he wrote the letter "After praying in
front of the Blessed Sacrament, including at the tomb of Peter, on a visit to
Rome, and struggling internally whether to write it, he gave God an
ultimatum to give him a clear sign" (which he said he received) and said that
the letter "expresses the concerns of many more people than just [him], ordinary
people who've come to [him] with their questions and apprehensions."
His letter, which was presented to Pope Francis,
contained statements such as the following...
* "your guidance at times seems intentionally
ambiguous"
* "To teach with such a seemingly intentional lack
of clarity inevitably risks sinning against the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of
truth. The Holy Spirit is given to the Church, and particularly to yourself, to
dispel error, not to foster it."
* "... you seem to censor and even mock those who
interpret Chapter 8 of Amoris Laetitia in accord with Church tradition as
Pharisaic stone-throwers who embody a merciless rigorism. This kind of calumny
is alien to the nature of the Petrine ministry. Some of your advisors
regrettably seem to engage in similar actions. Such behavior gives the
impression that your views cannot survive theological scrutiny, and so must be
sustained by ad hominem arguments."
* "...too often your manner seems to demean the
importance of Church doctrine."
* "Those who devalue the doctrines of the Church
separate themselves from Jesus, the author of truth. What they then possess, and
can only possess, is an ideology – one that conforms to the world of sin and
death."
* "...faithful Catholics can only be disconcerted
by your choice of some bishops, men who seem not merely open to those who hold
views counter to Christian belief but who support and even defend them. What
scandalizes believers, and even some fellow bishops, is not only your having
appointed such men to be shepherds of the Church, but that you also seem silent
in the face of their teaching and pastoral practice."
* "...you are commissioned by the Lord himself to
promote and strengthen [the Church's] unity. But your actions and words too
often seem intent on doing the opposite."
* "Bishops are quick learners, and what many have
learned from your pontificate is not that you are open to criticism, but that
you resent it. Many bishops are silent because they desire to be loyal to you,
and so they do not express – at least publicly; privately is another matter –
the concerns that your pontificate raises. Many fear that if they speak their
mind, they will be marginalized or worse."
He noted that "...many of the faithful, who embody
the sensus fidelium (sense of the faithful), are losing confidence in their supreme shepherd."
The priest who wrote the above referenced letter
was a member of the International Theological Commission, and was described as
"a prolific author and highly accomplished theologian, having taught at numerous
universities in the United States, as well as Oxford and Rome, at the Pontifical
Gregorian University." As indicated above, he had told the Pope, "Many fear
that if they speak their mind, they will be marginalized or worse." After his
letter was presented to Pope Francis, the priest who wrote the letter was later
asked to resign from the USCCB, for which he did resign.
Another priest, a media advisor to the Vatican
stated that, "Pope Francis breaks Catholic traditions whenever he wants" and
that "Our Church has indeed entered a new phase. With the advent of this first
Jesuit pope, it is openly ruled by an individual rather than by the authority of
Scripture alone or even its own dictates of tradition plus Scripture."
A well-known monsignor, who was "a former consultor
to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith" under Benedict XVI, has
"warned that the current pontificate is issuing statements that are generating
'heresies, schisms, and controversies of various kinds' and that the Holy Father
should issue a profession of faith to restore unity in the Church." The
monsignor also pointed out that "the tendency of this pontificate to be silent
in the face of criticism, or refuse to engage the charges of heresy or apostasy,
bring to mind St. Pius X's warning in his 1907 encyclical
Pascendi dominici gregis: That never 'clearly confessing one's own heresy'
is 'typical behaviour of the modernists, because in this way they can hide
themselves within the Church.'" There was even talk of examining the "juridical
validity" of Pope Benedict's XVI's resignation, as an "in-depth study" of his
resignation could help to "overcome problems that today seem insurmountable to
us."
Laity also expressed disapproval of Pope Francis.
For example, a hash tag #PasMonPape (which translates as "not my Pope") at one
point trended #1 in
France.
Some hoped Francis would be declared "manifestly
unfit to be Pope", while others charged that "the good of the Church demands,
and urgently so, that Pope Francis be subjected to a formal proceeding in order
to determine whether or not he holds the Catholic faith."
Critics also stated that his pontificate...
* caused "devastation"
* was "so lacking in genuine Catholic character"
* "emboldens the Church's enemies and undercuts her
friends and most loyal members"
* was "a veritable program of pandering to the
spirit of the age" with "innumerable" scandals
* put forth "persistent abuse of Sacred Scripture"
* has caused "enormous harm"
* was "dreadful" and "cruel"
* was "dangerous to souls"
* was "frightening" with an "almost daily scandal"
that may be looked on with "horror"
* was "strange, surreal, disquieting and painful
for Catholics"
* was a "mockery of a papacy"
* was a "tyrannical regime"
* "has seemed to many to be powered more by
personal prejudices and the settling of scores than by a concern for the
salvation of souls"
As summed up by a critical Catholic writer: "His
pontificate has been an unending series of clerical and financial scandals,
doctrinal chaos, globalist-environmentalist collusion, ecumenical-interreligious
error, and ecclesiological rupture in the area of liturgy."
One 'well-respected priest' said of Pope Francis'
comments that it's "mind-boggling stuff of nightmare", others have referred to his
"blatantly erroneous teachings and egregiously unpastoral actions", while some
critics allege that...
* "no pontificate, no period, has been more
destructive and dangerous to the Faith"
* Pope Francis "hates the Catholic faith"
* His "entire bizarre pontificate has given rise to
a situation the Church has never seen before: an occupant of the Chair of Peter
whose remarks, pronouncements and decisions are blows to the Church's integrity
against which the faithful must constantly guard themselves."
* "His action seeks to violate the Sacred Deposit
of Faith and to disfigure the Catholic Face of the Bride of Christ by word and
action"
* Pope Francis is a "threat to the Church"
A cardinal (who was "often described as the
Vatican's third-ranked official") reportedly wrote an anonymous memo that was
published on a Vatican blog under a pseudonym which stated that Pope Francis was
often "politically correct", and accused the Pope of staying silent on moral
issues. He boldly asserted that...
"Commentators of every school, if for different
reasons... agree that this pontificate [of Pope Francis] is a disaster in many
or most respects; a catastrophe"
A recent article claimed that Pope Francis "could
easily be mistaken as Joe Biden in a white cossack [cassock] and skull cap".
In fact, many Catholics – including some previously
silent on papal abuses – have spoken out against Pope Francis' various wrongs.
Even a senior Vatican official warned that, "This pontificate poses serious
risks for the integrity of Catholic teaching in faith and morals."
As a recent headline stated: "Is the Pope Catholic?
A joke question becomes a serious one"
Concerning those who oppose Pope Francis, there
have been...
* dismissals of critics
* ignoring of criticism
* a 'taking over of a religious order'
* censorship (e.g. blocking access to a website where
visitors could have gone to sign a petition accusing Pope Francis of heresy)
* etc.
With good reason, Pope Francis has been charged by
Catholics with neglect with respect to his duty to defend the Church's teaching.
Enemies of the Church & secular media, however, extol the former Pope's "transformative
papacy (supposedly) marked by inclusivity, reform and advocacy for (his
preferred groups of ) the marginalized", and praise Pope Francis...
* "every conceivable constituency of the Church's
enemies, both internal and external, is hailing Pope Francis"
* Pope Francis has "delighted the Church's enemies"
* "He does not seem to mind that the most vengeful
and sarcastic critics of the Church applaud him"
In contrast to our leader, Christ, who was
crucified and warned us that...
"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me
first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because
you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the
world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his
master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." (Our Lord Jesus
Christ, Jn. 15:18-20)
...this 'friend-of-the-world' Pope Francis...
* was named 'Person of the Year' by a 'gay rights'
magazine
* was named 'Person of the Year' by the
left/liberal-leaning Time Magazine
* made the cover of the 'liberally biased' Rolling
Stone magazine
* was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by
the liberal Joe Biden
And despite attempts by the press to assure the
world that Pope Francis promoted unity in the Church, his record is undeniable.
For example, Pope Francis scandalized many members
of the Church by his...
* allowing the Blessed Sacrament to be offered sacrilegiously to public
adulterers, in violation of Church law...
[Note: For more on Amoris Laetitia, see
here.]
"Can. 915 Those upon whom the penalty of
excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who
obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy
communion." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
...and contrary to Holy Scripture...
"Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup
of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord."
(St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11:27)
Remember it is Church teaching that...
"No one who has a mortal sin on his conscience
shall dare receive the Holy Eucharist before making a sacramental confession,
regardless of how contrite he may think he is. This holy council declares that
this custom is to be kept forever by all Christians [Catholics]." (Council of
Trent)
"He who goes to Communion in mortal sin receives
Jesus Christ but not His grace; moreover, he commits a sacrilege and renders
himself deserving of sentence of damnation." (Catechism of St. Pius X)
"He who receives Communion in mortal sin receives
the Body and Blood of Christ, but does not receive His grace, and he commits a
great sacrilege." (Baltimore Catechism)
In fact, couldn't it be argued that Pope
Francis' teaching could potentially make the pontiff liable to excommunication
(as those intentionally continuing in mortally sinful situations cannot rightly receive absolution in the sacrament of Penance)...?
"Can. 11. If anyone says that faith alone is sufficient preparation for
receiving the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist: let him be anathema. And
that so great a Sacrament may not be unworthily received, and therefore unto
death and condemnation, this holy Council ordains and declares that sacramental
confession must necessarily be made beforehand by those whose conscience is
burdened by mortal sin, however contrite they may consider themselves. If anyone
moreover teaches the contrary or preaches or obstinately asserts, or even
publicly by disputation shall presume to defend the contrary, by that fact
itself he is excommunicated." (Council of Trent, 1551 A.D.)
* condemnation of proselytism – calling it "solemn
nonsense" and "a grave sin", even though Jesus specifically charges the Apostles
to "make disciples of all nations"...
"Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.'" (Mt. 28:18-20)
* liberal meddling in international affairs outside
his competence ("We remain puzzled by the behavior of this ideologically charged
Pope, whose mission seems to be one of advancing secular agendas of the left
rather than guiding the Catholic Church in Her sacred mission")
Pope Francis furthermore...
* criticized those who want to follow Church
doctrine as it has always been held in the Church
* silenced critics (he has "demoted and silenced
high-ranking voices of orthodoxy within the Church")
* advocated for blessing members of homosexual
couples (persons engaging in a
sin crying out to heaven)
* downplayed the evils of
abortion,
contraception,
divorce,
homosexual acts,
transgenderism, etc.
* supported immoral 'vaccines',
even mandating Vatican employees take the experimental Covid-19 jab ("Pope
Francis, then, showed flagrant disregard for the Church's moral teaching, for
the Church's law, and for the just exercise of temporal coercion to the point of
threatening people with loss of employment if they didn't take experimental
medicines of malign origin")
* criticized faithful
priests for having (soul-saving!)
Masses &
confessions during Covid. One site reported...
"Pope Francis had sharp words last weekend for 'disobedient' priests who
continued to say public Mass for the faithful and to hear confessions during the
coronavirus lockdown, accusing them of behaving like 'adolescents.'"
* allegedly denied
eternal punishment
* made 'scandalous' appointments
* promoted
religious indifferentism
* was critical of (life-saving!) air-conditioning
and wanted to add 'ecological sins' to the Catechism
* was 'feminist-friendly'
(One headline read: "Is Pope Francis the First Feminist Pope?")
* attempted to undo the good work of Pope Benedict
XVI
* ignored concerns brought to him by cardinals
* was 'criminal friendly', but not 'victim
friendly' as he wanted to forbid the death penalty/capital punishment (try
here for more on this topic) and also condemned life sentences/life
imprisonment
* threatened national security (One headline read: "Pope says migrants' rights
should override national security concerns") [Note: For user-article on illegal immigration, try
here]
* is accused of 'throwing Chinese Catholics under the bus' (One Cardinal stated
that the "Vatican is ready to surrender to the
Chinese communist party")
* persecuted tradition-minded priests, including
those who wear cassocks ("Clericalism has a direct consequence in
rigidity. Have you never seen young priests all stiff in black cassocks and hats
in the shape of the planet Saturn on their heads? Behind all the rigid
clericalism there are serious problems.")
* engaged in 'tyranny' against the
tradition-friendly Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
Pope Francis perhaps relished being regarded as a
'humble pope', but critics claim there are "ostentatious demonstrations of
'humility'" by one who "is self-indulgent enough" with his words and who feels
entitled to change Church teaching 'on his whim' (as if that were possible!).
One noted the "laughable notion that recreating the Petrine Office in one's own
image and likeness is a mark of 'humility'". The 'humble pope' wanted to
"radically alter the Catholic Church", and even attempted to tamper with/change
the Lord's prayer. One critic noted that, "Under Francis, tradition, canon law,
custom, and even the words of the Scriptures themselves have only relative
value. Francis generally does not repudiate these authorities, but simply
disregards them or renders them irrelevant." Does that sound like humility?
One critic noted that "The culture of the Catholic
Church under Francis has been rightly described as Orwellian. The great advocate
of dialogue never communicates with those who question his policies or who are
the recipient of his attacks. Effeminate rhetoric (tenderness; accompaniment)
contrasts with brusque commands and coarse denunciations. Advocacy of a
'synodal' church proceeds hand-in-hand with extreme centralization. The apostle
of unity within the Church excludes whole sections of believers without a second
thought. Truly the regime of Francis can be called totalitarian ultramontanism!"
Critics also note his "many explosively disturbing
statements" and lament that his approach to the faith "is bound to diminish the
Church's presence as a moral force in society" and is "detrimental to the
Church's main ministry, the saving of souls." Called "famous for his
inconsistency", critics have noted the "unintelligibility of his addresses and
homilies", his "coarse, demagogical, and ambiguous expressions", and claim that
the messages of Pope Francis "have been afflicted by a confounding incoherence
his entire papacy."
Despite the fact that popes are charged with
protecting tradition, Pope Francis "waged a satanic war" against tradition. Even
a secular headline noted: "Pope Speaks Against Catholic Traditions". Another
blithely reports: "Conservatism is suicidal, Pope tells '60 Minutes'". Pope
Francis had "an unprecedented disdain" and "an open contempt" for Church
traditions. He was called a "sworn enemy of the
Traditional Mass" and even tried to reign in the ever-increasing popularity
of this reverent pre-Vatican
II Mass which has been celebrated since time immemorial.
[Note: More information on the Traditional Mass can be found
here.] He also unfairly...
* criticized faithful tradition-minded Catholics
for being "too rigid"
* demoted & removed conservative prelates
arbitrarily, even without proper procedures
* 'dismembered' a conservative leaning religious
institute
* persecuted & publicly denounced tradition-loving
Catholics, even banishing them from churches
* attempted to "extinguish the priest's right to
offer the traditional Mass, or to deprive him of the full panoply of the
spiritual resources of tradition" (which "can have only an infernal origin it
could never be of the Spirit of God. For this is what an enemy of Christ and His
Church would do. No one but an enemy would seek to outlaw this consolidator of
priestly identity, this font of fervent prayer, this haven of refreshment and
copious graces for the soul")
* tried to suppress the traditional Mass, even
going so far as to forbid parishes from including Mass times in their bulletins
[Note: For Traditionis Custodes information, try
here.]
* pursued unwarranted Apostolic Visitations to
'target tradition-friendly religious'
One well-known traditionalist publication stated
that, "Francis is willing to tolerate almost everything other than actual
Catholicism. Other than his sympathies for those who are marginalized, perhaps
the most dominant theme in his autobiography is his marginalization of those who
believe what the Church had always taught prior to Vatican II."
In his anti-traditionalist 'crusade', Pope Francis
"attacks that which he is supposed to defend!"
In contrast, Pope Francis 'supported, protected,
and promoted' prelates "who in their lives have shown themselves to have a clear
disrespect for the Church's faith and morals."
If only he condemned serious sins committed by
Catholics as much as he condemned Catholics trying not to sin!
Other charges against Pope Francis include...
* Pope Francis "wages war almost daily against the
common good"
* "In Bergoglio's [tenure as Pope Francis] the four
marks that set the Catholic Church apart from every other religion on the
face of the earth, namely that she is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, have
become obscured and even undermined"
* Pope Francis "has watered down Church teaching on
marriage, sexuality and confession. He has suppressed the Mass that every
canonized saint in Heaven attended and participated in. His attacks on
traditional theology and liturgy are the opposite of what he is supposed to do -
which is to preserve them"
As Archbishop Vigano (who was later excommunicated
for schism, as he would go on to 'publicly [reject] the authority of Pope
Francis and the legitimacy of his papacy') had stated...
"And when [Pope Francis] speaks, the faithful are
almost always scandalized and disoriented, because his words are the exact
opposite of what they expect to hear from the Vicar of Christ. He asks for
obedience to his own authority even as he uses it to destroy the papacy and the
Church, contradicting all of his predecessors, none excluded."
Furthermore...
* Pope Francis scandalously "has allowed St.
Peter's Basilica, a sacred Church building, to be desecrated by an occult light
show projected on its facade. He has allowed sexually provocative dance troupes
to perform on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica. He has allowed the desecration
of the Sistine Chapel by renting it out to the Porsche car company for a
corporate event and has allowed it to be used as a venue for U2's guitarist 'The
Edge.'"
* Pope Francis reportedly encouraged an Italian sportsman to stop making the
Sign of the Cross on the field, even though making the Sign of the Cross is
a "great means of protection"...
"Let us make the Sign of the Cross with trust in its power. It is the great
means of protection, a sign for believers and a dread to evil spirits." (St.
Cyril, Doctor of the Church, 386 A.D.)
* Pope Francis also seemingly critiqued an altar
boy's piety, saying to the youth about the boy's prayerful posture, "Are
your hands bound together?" and "It seems like they're stuck"
* Pope Francis has been criticized for scandalous
inaction/silence, scandalous actions and scandalous statements
* There was a synod on the family under his
leadership that "quite predictably devolved into an attack on the family"
* Pope Francis has been criticized by pro-life
leaders for various scandalous actions/statements, including his awards to,
appointments of, and praise for abortion supporters. He was even publicly
thanked in a tweet by an abortion/'reproductive rights' advocacy group.
He 'completely revamped' the Pontifical Academy for
Life, "causing considerable concern" and his words/actions...
* may have promoted
contraception
* may have unbelievingly 'put caring for migrants
and opposing abortion on equal footing' [Note: Try
here for user-article on illegal immigration. Try
here for information on abortion.]
* caused offense to faithful Catholics due to his "rabbitgate"
remarks
* caused pro-lifers to accuse Pope Francis of
undermining them (One headline reads: "Pro-life leaders from 13 countries accuse
Pope Francis of failing to uphold Church teaching". It states that: "Leaders
of pro-life organisations from across the world have signed a letter accusing
Church leaders, including Pope Francis, of undermining their movement through
ambiguous statements and actions contrary to Catholic teaching")
Signatories to the above referenced
letter...
"say that in recent years that teaching has increasingly been replaced by
ambiguity, and even by doctrines directly contrary to the teaching of Christ and
the precepts of the natural law"
And they say they...
"must ceaselessly demand that our priests and bishops teach the fullness of the
Church's doctrine and do not collaborate, even for a moment, in the
dissemination of errors that are tragically being spread by His Holiness Pope
Francis and by many other senior members of the hierarchy. If we fail to take
this stand we will be failing in our duty to the weak and vulnerable children
that we have pledged to protect."
* Pope Francis has been criticized for various
factually incorrect statements (e.g. "authentic Islam and the proper reading of
the Koran are opposed to every form of violence")
* Pope Francis has been criticized for the
scandalous Pachamama (pagan fertility-idol / 'pagan goddess' / 'Incan goddess of
fertility') worship at the Vatican ("Both the native American participants in
the ceremony and the pope were well aware that this is a pagan symbol. It was a
truly pagan ritual: candles were lit, prostrations were made, true religious
worship was being performed, and that goes against the first
commandment of
God... For the first time in the history of the Church, a pagan idol was
publicly worshipped in Rome, at the tomb of St. Peter, on the ground soaked with
the blood of the martyrs, in the presence of the pope")
Not to mention Pope Francis' "public affirmations
of homosexuality, his support for communist regimes, his throw-them
under-the-bus treatment of Chinese Catholics, his critical remarks on the
'breeding' habits of large families, his corruption of curial offices, his
mishandling of abuse cases (especially when his friends are involved), his
invitations to outspoken pro-abortion and population control fanatics to be
curial advisors, and his attempt to wipe the ancient apostolic Roman Rite off
the face of the planet – to name but a few on a much longer list".
Also, Pope Francis has been known to say various
things impossible to reconcile with Catholic dogma. For example...
[Note: Once again we have
included a doctrinally appropriate Catholic statement(s) underneath each item
below in purple for educational/reminder purposes.]
* supposedly finding hope for salvation
for an atheist
"Since, then, without faith it is
impossible to please God and reach the fellowship of his sons and daughters, it
follows that no one can ever achieve justification without it, neither can
anyone attain eternal life unless he or she perseveres in it to the end." (First
Vatican Council)
* allowing Holy Communion to be given to
persons in invalid marriages
"Can. 915 Those upon whom the
penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others
who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy
communion." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Therefore whoever eats the bread
or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and
blood of the Lord." (St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11:27)
"He who goes to Communion in mortal
sin receives Jesus Christ but not His grace; moreover, he commits a sacrilege
and renders himself deserving of sentence of damnation." (Catechism of St. Pius
X)
"He who receives Communion in
mortal sin receives the Body and Blood of Christ, but does not receive His
grace, and he commits a great sacrilege." (Baltimore Catechism)
* apparently denying hell/eternal
punishment
"Moreover, if anyone without
repentance dies in mortal sin, without a doubt he is tortured forever by the
flames of eternal hell." (Council of Lyons / Pope Innocent IV, 1254 A.D.)
"Those are punished in hell who die
in mortal sin; they are deprived of the vision of God and suffer dreadful
torments, especially that of fire, for all eternity." (Baltimore Catechism)
"But it remains unquestionably true
that just as there is no end of joy for the good, so too there will be no end of
torment for the wicked." (Pope St. Gregory I the Great, Doctor of the Church,
6th century A.D.)
"Can. 9. If anyone says or holds
that the punishment of the demons and of impious men is temporary, and that it
will have an end at some time, that is to say, there will be a complete
restoration of the demons or of impious men, let him be anathema." (Pope
Vigilius, Canons Against Origen, 543 A.D.)
* claiming 'everything' will be saved
"Enter through the narrow gate; for
the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who
enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that
leads to life. And those who find it are few." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mt.
7:13-14)
* claiming that God (who is Truth!)
'wills' the existence of different religions (which, besides the Catholic faith,
are all false)
"That all, therefore, might know
which was the Catholic Church, the Fathers, guided by the Spirit of God, added
to the Creed the word Apostolic. For the Holy Ghost, who presides over the
Church, governs her by no other ministers than those of Apostolic succession.
This Spirit, first imparted to the Apostles, has by the infinite goodness of God
always continued in the Church. And just as this one Church cannot err in faith
or morals, since it is guided by the Holy Ghost; so on the contrary, all other
societies abrogating to themselves the name of church, must necessarily, because
guided by the spirit of the devil, be sunk in the most pernicious errors, both
doctrinal and moral." (Catechism of the Council of Trent)
"Whoever is not with me is against
me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mt.
12:30)
"Do they actually think that Christ
is with them in their gatherings, when they gather outside the Church of
Christ?" (St. Cyprian of Carthage)
Pope Francis is also famously quoted as saying...
* "who am I to judge?" about homosexual
priests [Reminder: "Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents
homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that
'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.' They are contrary to the natural
law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a
genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be
approved." (Catechism of the Catholic Church) Remember further that priests act
'in Persona Christi' ('in the Person of Christ') and therefore homosexual
tendencies are a "counterindication to the call to the holy Orders". It was also
observed that, "The Pope who
cannot judge (objectively sinful) homosexual clergy somehow manages...to make
sweeping judgments about the internal workings of faithful priests."]
* that the "most serious of the evils that afflict the world these days are
youth unemployment and the loneliness of the old", even though unemployment and
loneliness wouldn't generally even be sins, and serious sins ran rampant
during his pontificate (including abortion, contraception, fornication, etc.). [Remember that sin is rightly called the 'greatest evil in the world'. "We
should have contrition for mortal sin because it is the greatest of all evils,
gravely offends God, keeps us out of heaven, and condemns us forever to hell."
(Baltimore Catechism)]
* that he wants the youth to "Make a mess!" [Even if Pope Francis' intended
meaning was not completely intolerable, it seems nevertheless appropriate to
remember that God "is not the God of disorder but of peace." (1 Cor. 14:33)]
* that he wants priests to be "shepherds with the smell of the sheep"
– the initial repugnance of the statement
aside, his intention of having priests close to the people may have value, yet
priests should rightly be above the laity & an example to them, 'taking pains to
demonstrate the greatness and holiness of their priestly office', not priests
"who imbibe opinions and follow a mode of life even in dress and the care of
their person alien to both their dignity and their mission" but, again, to serve
as excellent examples to the flock...
"Now, however, as you know, nothing instructs others more in piety and the
service of God than the lives and example of those who have dedicated themselves
to the divine ministry. Therefore labor so that all who are called to the
vineyard of the Lord, mindful of their proper vocation and office, abstain
entirely from things forbidden to clerics and from things that are not proper
for them. Then they may be an example for the faithful in word, in their
dealings with others, in love, in faith, and in chastity. They must wear a
clerical habit appropriate to their order and dignity, and they must perform
their ministry piously and reverently. Further they must administer to the
faithful, with fitting piety and reverence, the holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
With it all true justice begins; or if already begun, is increased; or if
already lost, is recovered. They should be devoted to prayer and study,
especially sacred studies, and under your guidance let them zealously serve the
salvation of souls." (Bl. Pope Pius IX)
"There is nothing that continually instructs others unto piety, and the service
of God, more than the life and example of those who have dedicated themselves to
the divine ministry. For as they are seen to be raised to a higher position,
above the things of this world, others fix their eyes upon them as upon a
mirror, and derive from them what they are to imitate. Wherefore clerics called
to have the Lord for their portion, ought by all means so to regulate their
whole life and conversation, as that in their dress, comportment, gait,
discourse, and all things else, nothing appear but what is grave, regulated, and
replete with religiousness; avoiding even slight faults, which in them would be
most grievous; that so their actions may impress all with veneration. Whereas,
therefore, the more useful and decorous these things are for the Church of God,
the more carefully also are they to be attended to; the holy Synod ordains, that
those things which have been heretofore copiously and wholesomely enacted by
sovereign pontiffs and sacred councils, - relative to the life, propriety of
conduct, dress, and learning of clerics, and also touching the luxuriousness,
feastings, dances, gambling, sports, and all sorts of crime whatever, as also
the secular employments, to be by them shunned, - the same shall be henceforth
observed, under the same penalties, or greater, to be imposed at the discretion
of the Ordinary; nor shall any appeal suspend the execution hereof, as relating
to the correction of manners. But if anything of the above shall be found to
have fallen into desuetude, they shall make it their care that it be brought
again into use as soon as possible, and be accurately observed by all; any
customs to the contrary notwithstanding; lest they themselves may have, God
being the avenger, to pay the penalty deserved by their neglect of the
correction of those subject to them." (Council of Trent)
* that weapons manufacturers are "hypocrites" if they call themselves
Christians, even though self-defense is a basic & inalienable human right [Note: Even the Catechism of the Catholic Church references a "right to collective
and personal self-defense"]
And Pope Francis disturbingly...
* "calls on governments for 'legitimate
redistribution' of wealth to the poor"
[Reminder: "Whether considered as a doctrine, or an historical fact, or a
movement, Socialism, if it remains truly Socialism... cannot be reconciled with
the teachings of the Catholic Church because its concept of society itself is
utterly foreign to Christian truth... (N)o one can be at the same time a good
Catholic and a true socialist." (Pope Pius XI)
* "washes the feet of men, women, and a
'transgender' person...for Holy Thursday at the Roman prison Regina Coeli"
[breaking the Mandatum tradition of washing the feet of 12 MEN, which
corresponds to Jesus' washing of the (male!) Apostles' feet on Holy Thursday]
* said "How I wish that Christians could kneel in
veneration when a poor person enters the
church" – oddly, the pope who wanted
kneeling in veneration of poor humans has been criticized for not kneeling
in front of the
Holy Eucharist (apparently this has been attributed to 'bad knees', but as
one person pointed out, 'his bad knees have not prevented him from kneeling
before Muslim prisoners to kiss & wash their feet, or previously to receive a
'blessing' from a heretic')
* implied there is no such thing as just war,
contrary to constant Church teaching
* puts secular concerns over dogma ("he cares about
poor, hates dogma")
* declared an individual a 'Doctor
of the Church' who reportedly lived outside communion with Rome and may have
held heretical views (for more on heresy, click
here)
Under the leadership of the highly
ecumenical Pope Francis, there was/were reportedly...
* conversions being discouraged
* a gift of relics of St. Peter's bones given to a member of the schismatic 'Orthodox' Church
* praise effectively being given to
false religions (e.g. by falsely saying God willed them 'in His wisdom')
* praise for Luther, the arch-heretic founder of
Protestantism (e.g. calling the former-Catholic priest who condemned Catholic
doctrines a "witness to the gospel", placing Luther – a man whose doctrine was
approved by Satan – on a Vatican postage stamp & allowing his statue in the
Vatican)
There was also a papal prayer intentions video that
contained a Buddha statue, a Menorah, and Muslim prayer beads next to a baby
Jesus figurine.
Note: For condemnations of religious
indifferentism, click
here. For information on the importance of being Catholic for salvation,
click
here.
His papacy was also punctuated with blunders and
potentially foreboding signs. Consider these reports...
* "Vatican Recalls Pope Francis Medals After Jesus'
Name Misspelled"
* "Fragments from the ceiling of St Peter's
Basilica fell to the ground during a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the
afternoon of 4 October." [Note: October 4th (10/4) is St. Francis' feast day,
the Pope's namesake.]
* "Broken Papal Staff Fixed with Tape During
Sarajevo Mass" [Note: An Italian site states, "This is the first time ever
that a Pope's pastoral staff has been seen with tape wrapped around it"]
There was also the inappropriate behavior. For
example, his "small but telling gestures as wearing a clown nose, jumping up to
catch a baseball tossed at him from the crowd (causing his skull cap to fly
off), and the placement of [a] World Youth Day beach ball on the historic Marian
altar in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major immediately next to the tabernacle
(before which Francis made no gesture of reverence), held in place with a World
Youth Day T-shirt because the beach ball kept rolling away."
At the end of his papacy, there is concern for the
future since Pope Francis stacked the cardinals with "staunch leftists", raising
fears that the next pope may not provide the hoped for relief – Pope Francis has
been charged with making "outrageously political and ideological"
appointments. One political site claimed that Pope Francis...
"is a 'master strategist' who achieves his agenda 'by stealth and cunning,'
according to the diplomatic observer."
And, as 'one of Pope Francis' closest advisers'
stated, Pope Francis "is aiming at reform that is irreversible" and that...
"The pope goes slow because he wants to be sure that the changes have a deep
impact. The slow pace is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the changes.
He knows there are those hoping that the next pope will turn everything back
around. If you go slowly it's more difficult to turn things back."
Yet, an 'ironically good thing' about Pope
Francis's disastrous pontificate is what he was named 'Man of the Year' for by a
traditionalist newspaper. Because "Although he certainly did not intend this,
Francis is showing the Catholic world the final outcome of a trajectory that
began with the [Second Vatican] Council's problematical texts—the likes of which
no ecumenical council had ever propounded—and proceeded with the destruction of
the Roman Rite, the ecclesial paralysis caused by the viruses of 'ecumenism,'
'dialogue,' and 'interreligious dialogue,' and the introduction of one
unheard-of novelty after another, from
Communion in the hand to
altar girls, all accompanied by a rapid collapse of religious vocations and
the spreading apostasy of the lay faithful." In other words, he went so far off
the rails that the issues stemming from
Vatican II – issues that have been a cancer in the Church – can no longer be
so easily ignored. As the priest mentioned above noted in his letter to Pope Francis...
"Ironically, your pontificate has given those who hold harmful theological and
pastoral views the license and confidence to come into the light and expose
their previously hidden darkness."
That is potentially a good thing since it would be
much more difficult to resolve the situation otherwise.
And now, at the "merciful end" of Pope Francis'
pontificate in 2025, we would like to finish with a few final points...
1. As stated by a Catholic layperson, "When I tell
friends that I consider this papacy a disaster, I notice that more often than
not, they feel oddly reassured. They can relax a bit, knowing that their own
misgivings are not irrational, that others share their fears about the future of
the faith, that they need not continue a fruitless search for ways to reconcile
the irreconcilable."
2. For those scandalized, note that Pope Francis'
many misstatements and misdeeds do not fall under papal infallibility (try
here for more on infallibility).
3. It will ALWAYS remain wrong for a pope
to 'tailor dogma according to the age'. As stated in the
Oath Against Modernism...
"Finally, I declare that I am completely
opposed to the error of the modernists who hold that there is nothing divine in
sacred tradition; or what is far worse, say that there is, but in a pantheistic
sense, with the result that there would remain nothing but this plain simple
fact - one to be put on a par with the ordinary facts of history - the fact,
namely, that a group of men by their own labor, skill, and talent have continued
through subsequent ages a school begun by Christ and his apostles. I firmly
hold, then, and shall hold to my dying breath the belief of the Fathers in the
charism of truth, which certainly is, was, and always will be in the succession
of the episcopacy from the apostles. The purpose of this is, then, not that
dogma may be tailored according to what seems better and more suited to the
culture of each age; rather, that the absolute and immutable truth preached by
the apostles from the beginning may never be believed to be different, may never
be understood in any other way." (Pope St. Pius X, Oath Against Modernism, 1910
A.D.)
And as stated by the First Vatican
Council...
"The Holy Spirit was not promised to the successor
of Peter that by the revelation of the Holy Spirit they might disclose new
doctrine, but that by His help they might guard sacredly the revelation
transmitted through the Apostles and the deposit of faith, and might faithfully
set it forth."
4. Catholics can rest assured that
regardless of Pope Francis' preferences, the Church can NEVER change her
teachings.
"'Guard,' [St. Paul] says, 'what has been
committed' (1 Tm. 6:20). What does it mean, 'what has been committed'? It is
what has been faithfully entrusted to you, not what has been discovered by you;
what you have received, not what you have thought up; a matter not of ingenuity,
but of doctrine; not of private acquisition, but of public Tradition; a matter
brought to you, not put forth by you, in which you must not be the author but
the guardian, not the founder but the sharer, not the leader, but the follower.
'Guard,' he says, 'what has been committed.' Keep the talent (cf. Mt. 25:14-30)
of the Catholic Faith inviolate and unimpaired. What has been faithfully
entrusted, let it remain in your possession, let it be handed on by you. You
have received gold, so give gold. For my part, I do not want you to substitute
one thing for another; I do not want you imprudently to put lead in place of
gold, or fraudulently, brass. I do not want the appearance of gold, but the real
thing. O Timothy, O priest, O interpreter, O teacher, if a divine gift has made
you suitable in genius, in experience, in doctrine to be the Bezalel [i.e.
"master craftsman"] of the spiritual tabernacle, cut out the precious gems of
divine dogma, shape them faithfully, ornament them wisely, add splendor, grace
and beauty to them! By your expounding it, may that now be understood more
clearly which formerly was believed even in its obscurity. May posterity, by
means of you, rejoice in understanding what in times past was venerated without
understanding. Nevertheless, teach the same that you have learned, so that if
you say something anew, it is not something new that you say." (St. Vincent of
Lerins, c. 434 A.D.)
"The meaning of Sacred Dogmas, which must
always be preserved, is that which our Holy Mother the Church has determined.
Never is it permissible to depart from this in the name of a deeper
understanding." (First Vatican Council)
"If anyone shall have said that it is
possible that to the dogmas declared by the Church a meaning must sometimes be
attributed according to the progress of science, different from that which the
Church has understood and understands: let him be anathema." (Vatican Council I,
1870 A.D.)
5. Catholics are not to be "carried away
by all kinds of strange teaching" (Heb. 13:9) and are to reject such teachings
even if presented by an Apostle or an angel from heaven...
"But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let
that one be accursed! As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone
preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be
accursed! Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to
please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave
of Christ." (St. Paul, Gal. 1:8-10)
"Anyone who is so 'progressive' as not to
remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the
teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring
this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever
greets him shares in his evil works." (St. John, 2 Jn. 1:9-11)
Because...
"For unless one preserves the faith entire
and uninjured, he will without doubt perish forever." (Bl. Pope Pius IX)
"Whoever wishes to be saved must, above all, keep the Catholic
faith; for unless a person keeps this faith whole and entire he will undoubtedly
be lost forever." (Athanasian Creed)
"We know that salvation belongs to the
Church alone, and that no one can partake of Christ nor be saved outside the
Catholic Church and the Catholic Faith." (St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the
Church)
"The holy universal Church proclaims that
God cannot truly be worshiped save within herself and asserts that all they who
are without her pale shall never be saved." (Pope St. Gregory the Great, Doctor
of the Church, 6th century A.D.)
And we must recognize that God is perfect
and can NEVER change, despite any revolutionary pope or Church council...
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching."
(Heb. 13:8-9)
In closing, in appreciation for Pope
Francis' at least attempting to perform the Fatima consecration (even if it
"differed notably from the original request made during the Fatima
apparitions"), we offer the following 'Rosary Prayer of
Fatima'...
Latin: Mi Jesu, indulge peccata
nostra, conserva nos ab igne inferni, duc omnes ad cœli gloriam, præcipue tua
misericordia egentes.
English: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead
all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
Source (Latin):
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
Final Note:
As noted previously, the above bio is
significantly longer than our usual papal bios. We are NOT intending to 'attack
the pope' or 'air the Church's dirty laundry' herein, but rather our primary
reasons for including the lengthy information above include...
* to assist those seeking truth
* to help those who have been
confused/scandalized by Pope Francis
* to point out & explain errors (a work
of mercy!)
* to support those with concerns
* to defend true Catholic
doctrine/practices
In addition, as our site was in
operation for the entirety of Pope Francis' papacy, and as we have been saving
notes about his papacy for years, we naturally had more items to include in his
bio than is typical for our (normally) brief papal bios.
We hope our efforts herein will be
useful for the purposes indicated above. Thank you for your understanding &
support.
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