Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego, in his recent manifesto on synodality (“Cardinal McElroy on ‘radical inclusion’ for L.G.B.T. people, women and others in the Catholic Church”) in America magazine, has done us a tremendous service.
Why? Because he has given us the clearest articulation to date, from a high ranking prelate who enjoys the favor of Pope Francis, of what this whole synodal thing really is all about. He finally puts the guessing game to an end and tells us that the processes of synodality are leading the Church into a realm of deep “conversion” — to a radically “inclusive” Church that ordains women, has no eucharistic barriers or discipline beyond valid baptism (in a nod, I guess, to some exclusionary limits to the distribution of the liturgical hors d’oeuvres), eliminates for all intents and purposes all non-criminal sexual sins from the books, and which openly embraces and celebrates those who have previously run afoul of Church teaching on these matters.
And the latter would most especially include welcoming the divorced and civilly remarried to receive communion, as well as the entire spectrum (apparently) of our ever-expanding alphabet acronym sexual identity movement.
Cardinal McElroy is clear that what the synodal process seeks is a big tent Church committed to the systematic deconstruction of all of the “structures of exclusion” in the Church. He does not explicitly define what he means by structures of exclusion, but it is clear (from what he goes on to describe) that he means all of the Church’s traditional teachings on the topics mentioned above. By direct implication, therefore, and in thinly veiled ways, what he means when he says that the synodal way is committing us to a path of deep conversion to the movement of the Holy Spirit is that we must overcome the current intolerable state of “polarization” by overcoming those who stand on the wrong side of that binary – i.e. those who still accept the Church’s traditional teachings on these matters.
Thus, the good Cardinal’s lament over the sad polarization in the Church today is a faux concern. It is a mere rhetorical device designed to mask over the latently non-dialogical, non-inclusive nature of his message, which is a not-so-veiled attack on those Catholics of a more traditional bent who are the sources of the very exclusionary practices McElroy loathes. He directly links the polarization in the Church with the marginalization of his favored groups within the Leftist acronym sandbox, clearly saying that the “conversion” he thinks we are being called to is the path of a radical “re-education camp” mentality wherein such retrograde folks are themselves drop-kicked to the margins….
Full story by Larry Chapp in Catholic World Report.
Word is that even stricter prohibitions on the TLM will be released by the Pope in April or May under the authority of an Apostolic Constitution, one of the highest ranking documents possible.
Nothing new in what this “Cardinal” stands for and tries to push on the Church. To call him good Cardinal is quite ridiculous. There is nothing good about this wolf in Cardinal’s clothing.
Basically, George Soros’s agenda.
And the Cabal’s!
My conscience is my moral frame of reference, so it is instinctual that I reject McElroy’s distorted vision for the present and the future of my beloved Catholic faith.
” He does not explicitly define what he means by structures of exclusion, but it is clear (from what he goes on to describe) that he means all of the Church’s traditional teachings on the topics mentioned above.” Larry Chapp, I think you have jumped the gun a little. First, as he has not defined structures of exclusion, it is not wise to put words in his mouth. Second, what Cdl. McElroy wants, and what actually results from the synodal process, are not necessarily the same. No good will come from a major schism in the Church over the radical moves you identify with the Cardinal. In the end, Scripture and Tradition count for something!
It is very clear if you actually read what Cardinal McElroy wrote that he is talking about women being excluded from ordination (diaconate) and leadership positions in the Church and those of the baptized who are excluded from Communion because of mortal sin.
This author strayed from the truth.
That is not OK.
He should go back and rewrite it so that every sentence is truth; then if he wants to give his opinion he can.
You cannot believe someone who lies. Period.
And the photo?
Protect yourselves from this kind of manipulation.
Look, a picture of the person who I am lying about with a person who is not liked by the people I am trying to lie to.
I did not name myself Alright, the website did, but I like it.
May the coming war with Russia be a tool for God’s wrath and creeps like McElroy and his ilk are swept into the pits of perdition
Yeah…’cause it worked so well for the Episcopalians…
Please remember, author and publishers, that a Christian is not supposed to associate with a member of the brethren who slanders.
1 Corinthians 5:11
1 Thes 5:12-13 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you,
and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
I am utterly dismayed with these new sets of Cardinals who are twisting the words and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that the next Pope will be able to get rid of these wolves in sheep’s clothing.
David Pell described his brother [Cardinal Pell] as a “passionate” player of Australian Rules football.
“He believed in the rule of law, a fair go to all, and in Aussie Rules parlance, he ‘played the ball, and not the man,’” he said. “He may have disagreed with your opinion, but he didn’t disagree with you as a person.”
“He had a big heart, too, strong enough to fight for the faith and endure persecution but soft enough to care for priests, youth, the homeless, prisoners, and imperfect Christians,” the archbishop [Fisher] said.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253540/cardinal-pell-mourned-at-sydney-funeral
Spectators can’t play the ball.
They just sit in the stands and yell.
Catholicism is not a spectator sport.
Pope Francis just launched an ecological conversion training center at Castel Gandolfo, at the Papal farm and gardens there. It’s called the “Borgo Laudato Si Project.” It will promote ecological conversion, as called for, in the papal encyclical, “Laudato Si.” Hope he doesn’t place one of his prized Pachamama statues in this new ecological conversion training center.
Cardinal McElroy is a big laugh! He is not a Christian at all. He rejects Christ’s teaching of calling the sinner to convert and change their life. There has always been a “polarization” in the Church, between Good and Evil. Cardinal McElroy should have been kicked out of the Catholic Church years ago.
Just remember what Pope Benedict said about the gay clubs in seminaries and among priests.
Pope Benedict fought sins– including the LGBT sins– in the Catholic Church. Cardinal McElroy desires to “include” these sins, wrongfully– instead of calling for conversions of those who have sinned. McElroy himself has no conversion to Christ, and does not know the difference between Good and Evil, sin and virtue– he has no moral conscience at all.
Abp. Samuel Aquila of Denver, CO, rebuked Cdl. McElroy in a recent article on Feb. 1, 2023, published in “Catholic World Report.” This article was beautifully written.