The following comes from a May 12 Religion News Service article by Rosie Scammell and David Gibson:
In an opening with historic import, Pope Francis has said he wants to study the possibility of ordaining women as deacons, a step that could for the first time open the ranks of the Catholic Church’s all-male clergy to women.
The order of deacons was reinstituted in the Catholic Church after the reforms of the 1960s, and while deacons cannot celebrate the Eucharist like a priest, a deacon can preach at Mass, preside at weddings and funerals, and perform baptisms.
But in restoring the diaconate, the church also restricted ordination as a deacon to “mature married men” over 35.
Many protested that limitation, saying the earliest Christian texts also speak of “deaconesses” and arguing that the modern church should also allow women deacons.
St. John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were both theologically conservative pontiffs who said that such a move was unjustified and could undermine the concept of the all-male priesthood.
But Francis said Thursday (May 12) he agreed the matter should be given more careful consideration, telling hundreds of nuns from around the world that he himself always wondered about the role of deaconesses in the early church. [Editor’s note: 900 women religious representing nearly 500,000 sisters were in Rome for the International Union of Superiors General meeting].
“Constituting an official commission that might study the question?” the pontiff asked aloud in response to questions from some of the sisters.
“I accept,” the pope said later. “It seems useful to me to have a commission that would clarify this well.”
That could mean that the papal commission could re-establish an order of female deacons that falls short of actual ordination. Or the commission could say there is no justification for establishing the office of deaconess.
But whatever happens, the fact that Francis has opened the door to the debate and the possibility of ordaining women is groundbreaking.
There is an atricle on another Catholic site which states that the Church would be better off with another Pope Alexander VI than with Pope Francis. Even though Pope Alexander was scandalous and lived a very immoral life, at least he was faithful to dogma and moral theology. What Pope Francis is promoting will only continue to destroy the Catholic Church as it becomes more man centered and less God ccentered.
Father Karl, Can we re-call a Pope? We/I have tried to be charitable & prayerful regarding all the other miss-steps & off the cuff comments that have been ‘spun’ toward Catholic teaching after the fact. But this is TOO much. Our dear Pope needs to hear from the people in the pews & not just those who agree with him. Can’t some Catholic site start a petition? He does not seem to be the man for the job. Maybe a very holy man but awful at the helm of leadership for these times and so confusing. God forgive me but are we stuck with him?
Pope Francis: Let’s study idea of ordaining women as deacons. What? (Pope’s) Decision made in ‘response’ to questions from nuns at Vatican meeting. Really? That’s all the ‘pressure’ it took, questions from nuns in a meeting, to start the ball rolling on the undermining of the traditional all-male priesthood? This bad idea has been repeatedly rejected by the last few good Popes. But that is not good enough for dear Pope Francis. Sorry, but this Pope is too much into his own personal feelings. He is not a leader for our time as he creates un-necessary confusion. Who needs that? My family & I really miss the STEADY hand of Pope Benedict. I suspect the Vatican staff agrees with us.
As an ordained permanent deacon in the Roman Catholic Church, I believe the findings of the commission of 2001 were correct. In the Bible there is no direct reference to a “deaconess.” See the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 6, especially verse 3. “Men” are chosen, not women. Deacons do perform as a “persona Christi” in delivering the homily (sermon) and other functions of the Mass. There were prominent women in the New Testament who opened their homes to the first churches and assisted in ministry of the early church. Except, these were not ordained or chosen specifically by the Apostles. Women are vital to church and serve in important roles as lectors and parish administrators in the absence of a priest. An ordained woman is really…
Vincint..you got cut off by the word limit. Can you finish?
Vincent Kelch, from what I have read and just heard on EWTN television, there was a deaconess named Phoebe in the early Church. These deaconesses were strictly used to baptize in and take the Holy Eucharist to the women’s sections or quarters during the time when men and women were separated in churches and so forth, and it was thought improper for men to baptize in or go into the women’s section. Most people were baptize by immersion then, and sometimes wore little clothing. My computer is acting up, so sorry for the red underline.
And that’s what Pope Francis actually said.
Read the whole dialogue, everyone, not snips in an article which is designed to trouble the waters and make us anxious. He stated his understanding, which is in accord with the Church. He said a study could clarify for the people.
EWTN also said that the Holy Father is merely looking into this situation, but it does not mean he will ordain women deaconesses.
Nevertheless, as always there might be some people who will abuse the use of deaconesses if he allows their ordination because they want women’s priests, so it is a touchy situation right now.
Consider this: The ‘looking into’ = another set-up (like the Synod on the family). If the Holy Father just announced, yes let’s do it, there would be hell to pay. But by dragging the ‘looking into’ process out like the Synod, 2 years from now, he can write another off the wall ‘Exhortation’ & confuse the heck out of what’s left of the people in the pews.
And you can ‘count on’ women, waiting in the wings as I type, abusing any opening to the ‘priestist-hood’ they can find.
Wow…We can’t be priests, can’t be altar servers, and now y’all are upset we might get to be deacons. I guess we’re supposed to be barefoot, pregnant (Unless we’re single or nuns) and in the kitchen. As for me, city code requires I wear shoes in my commercial kitchen If I ever meet Ms. Right, II don’t think she’ll get me in a family way. Seriously… this anti-Francis crusade finding any excuse to dump on him is getting a bit over the top.
So what? If there is really no need for women in the sanctuary because there are enough priests or male deacons, so what. Not all women feel like perpetual victims if they cannot do certain things. Many of us have enough to do all ready. You do not speak for all women.
No it is not C&H we have had 60 years of clipped haired mean faced feminist running around the Church destroying the masculine. let us just have the coming schism take place your crowd can take all of your liberals wants and desires and worship them as the god that they are to you.
I think this Pope is NUTS!! He will totally undermine the Catholic priesthood, and erode it until all the seminaries close! As for myself, I have never personally believed in the Vatican II “permanent deacons,” and always ignore them. I want a Priest! PERIOD!
I wonder why these crazy nuns who want to have deaconesses, were given any serious consideration, by the Pope?? All the liberal, “misfit” nuns’ religious orders are failing, all over the world– and only the Traditional orders of nuns are growing and thriving! Obviously– these nuns were from a liberal, perhaps near-apostate religious order, of “feminist nuns,” seeking political power for women! Not good Catholics, at all, obviously!
All for FEMINISM– we will surely lose the holy priesthood, if the Pope ordains women deaconesses!! All for worldly FEMINISM, and the seeking of sinful WORLDLY, SECULAR-TYPE POWER!! Will they all wear lipstick and perfume, and paint their nails?? And don the vestments of alb and stole?? What if some are pregnant– what vestments will they wear? Even NUNS are NOT SECULAR, and are NOT SUPPOSED TO ACT AND DRESS LIKE WORLDLY, SECULAR WOMEN OF TODAY’S PAGAN, UN-CHRISTIAN WORLD!!
Before Vatican II, the Church had seven steps to ordination, with the deacon as the final step. The four Minor Orders are: Porter, Lector Exorcist, and Acolyte. The three Major Orders are: Subdeacon, Deacon, and Priest. The all-Latin Mass religious orders, such as the FSSP, SSPX, and Institute of Christ the King, all retain the entire traditional seminary training, to include these seven steps, for their candidates to the Priesthood. The entire Church should return to this!
“As time and practice accrued, women were ordained to the diaconate in rituals identical to those used to ordain men to the diaconate. The ordination ritual of the Apostolic Constitutions for women deacons, codified by the Councils of Nicea (325) and Chalcedon (421) begins: O bishop, you shall lay hands on her in the presence of the presbytery. Perhaps the oldest known complete rite of ordination for women deacons, a mid-eighth century Byzantine manuscript known as Barbarini 336, requires that women be ordained by the bishop within the sanctuary, the proximity to the altar indicating the fact of a true ordination.” America Magazine
NOTE RE: YFC’s long ago ‘Council’ references. How long ago? Council of Nicea 325 AD. Council of Chalcedon 451 AD. History of the early Church. So what? Let’s get real & current. Fast forward to St. John Paul II & Pope Benedict. RE: women deacons they said, “such a move was unjustified & ‘could undermine’ the concept of the all-male priesthood” (see above article for full quote). They said, UNJUSTIFIED! (At least) one Saint has spoken. Why re-open the same tired topic again? Time for a Papal re-call petition?
So, what traditionalism means you reject whatever traditions you don’t like?
JonJ, What do you mean by traditionalism/tradition? Anyway, you will need to speak to St john Paul II or Pope Benedict about that. I’m just passing along the message of wiser people then myself.
But to your point, IF IT EVER was a ‘tradition’ it obviously FELL AWAY long before our time for a GOOD reason.
America Magazine is schismatic.
We truly are a remnant church….
St Michael, Yes I looked them up (‘American’ Magazine). They have a ‘progressive’ Jesuit at the helm. To bad ‘Pope’ John Paul II has left the earth. This test’s my memory but I believe he ‘tossed out’ the last schismatic leader at THAT magazine. Won’t happen with Pope Francis.
If being a remnant church means the good LORD is coming again I say Alleluia and it can’t happen soon enough. Our HOPE!
These deaconesses that you mentioned were only used when men and women were separated in the sanctuaries, and it was considered improper for a male priest to baptize women by immersion or go into the women’s section. Do you think we should return to separating men and women in out churches? I doubt you or C&H do.
In Joy of Sex Pope Francisco normalized not just the divorced and remarried but also cohabitation and gay sex all in the one footnote after two years of “deep thoughts” and two synods. Cultural Marxism just ratchets on their destruction of the Catholic Church, now onto Women Deacons, then married priests, then women priests, then cohabiting priests, then gay priests, then gay bishops, then ending celibacy, then pederasty for all children. It never ends. A new leader will be needed.
Wow, you think the Pope wrote the Joy of Sex? Or that he said any of the things you say he said? Wow. Are you intentionally telling untrue things, because if you are, that would mean your entire post is one lie after another.
Gratias, you may have given us in the pews the cliff note version of the Cultural Marxist plan for the church. Actually, it also is very much like the Soros ‘progressive’ plan for the world. (See – http://www.discoverthenetworks.org)
I get the ‘Joy of Sex’ reference & understand it reflects how upset you are at the Popes’ recent paper on the family & especially his ‘exhortations’ in chapter 8. All too soon, women deacons, comes along & it is NOT difficult to picture the next step, priestIST-hood. Many of us in the pew pray/lament for/about the pope. Our hope is in God we trust.
Actually, the Catholic News Service has an article where Pope Francis said that these women “deaconesses” were not ordained the same way as men. They were probably more like Extraordinary Ministers used for women only.
Yep.
One must carefully define what Nicea meant by women deacons. As far as I have been able to tell, this was an office of service by women to women, and a lay-state. When we think of women deacons today, I fear we are imposing modern notions on ancient documents. There is much more to all this, and the articles I read, and there are many out there, indicate the matter is complicated by how we interpret the ancient documents.
Exactly, Dan.
YFC- Don’t you know– that the Jesuits’ “America” magazine, is heretical! Best not to read it! One of their famous former editors got in big trouble with the Vatican, because he was so heretical! He got kicked out, too! But that didn’t matter– the magazine is still horrifically heretical!
The novelties never stop in the modern Catholic Church. When will it end Lord?
It appears that Pope Francis is merely following Pope Benedict XVI’s approach to reform of the Church, namely ressourcement; that is a return to authoritative sources of the early Church. The fear and hysteria promoted by some is misplaced. If the Commission proposed by Pope Francis finds that women deaconesses had a role in the early Church, there is no reason why this practice cannot be reinstated – much like the process used to reinstate the ordained deaconate for married men.
Bob, P. Francis follows P. Benedict’s approach? What? Did you miss this when you read the article? It says both Popes, John Paul II & Benedict rejected this (constantly recycled) idea and it also says why. RE: women deacons they said, “such a move was unjustified & ‘could undermine’ the concept of the all-male priesthood” (see article for full quote). UNJUSTIFIED. Popes have already spoken on this issue repeatedly. Beating a dead horse.
Most likely Pope Francis will reject the idea, too, unless such deaconesses are needed in countries where men and women are separated in the sanctuary or other places. Bob is right about people panicking too much. Also, we all need to read The Joy of Love (Amoritis Laetitia) in context. We should also read the whole text of what he puts in the footnotes concerning what St. John Paul and other popes and saints have said. The secular press and dissidents do not encourage that because they have their own agenda.
You Anne T & Bob are at the ‘calm/charitable’ stage re: Pope Francis? I’ve advanced from that frame of mind after the Amoritis Laetitia ‘Exhortations’, which left me ‘confused/concerned’. The LAST STRAW for me? His agreeing to study the recycled idea of women deacons. What is next, Priestist-hood? I am sick & tired of his outspoken support for progressive ideas VS core beliefs. He troubles me. WHY? Because his MO openly shows a preference for Liberation Theology (Marxism). He denies it. (Unaware or Alinsky tactic?) But his ACTIONS are curious (Cuba, Bernie Sanders, etc.) The jury is still out. Our dear Pope is on my Warn, Watch & Pray list.
A correction: I misspelled Amoris Laetitia.
According to a Vatican Press release, it wouldn’t be the first time the church had deaconesses serving her people:
Up to the 5th century, the Diaconate flourished in the western Church, but in the following centuries it experienced a slow decline, surviving only as an intermediate stage for candidates preparing for priestly ordination. Following the Second Vatican Council, the Church restored the role of permanent deacon, which is open to single and married men. Many experts believe that women should also be able to serve in this role, since there is ample evidence of female deacons in the first centuries, including one named Phoebe who is cited by Saint Paul.
Can you just imagine— in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Notre Dame in Paris, and (closer to home!) St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco, etc. etc.— a Pope, prelate, or priest offering Mass– along with fully-vested, ordained, permanent Deaconesses assisting him, on the High Altar?? Helping the priest give Communion to the Faithful? Assisting the local parishes too, by performing Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals- and God knows, what else??
Linda Maria, you outline a bunch of things a “deaconess” could do like it was a bad thing! :)
What you describe is what a Male Deacon does, why not a female Deacon?
Bob One– the priest and Vatican II permanent deacon, do not simply just do “a bunch of things,” in the Church! The male Priesthood is sacred, instituted by Christ Himself! Our Church and society roles, are NOT GENDERLESS, like a bunch of “kiddie tinkertoys!” All the “hippie liberals,” especially power-seeking feminists and homosexuals, scorn important gender roles, which is tragic! Our gender roles, in the Church and in society– as MALE and FEMALE– have special MEANING, VALUE, and IMPORTANCE– and are really God-given, and ancient! (Personally, I don’t care much for Vatican II, and the permanent diaconate, but I respect it.)
Bl. Mother Teresa never aspired to be a “deaconess,” or even a lay Eucharistic Minister! Instead, she aspired to forsake the secular world for Our Lord, and become a nun, and a saintly one! That is what all modern Catholic girls should do, too, if they have the calling! It is RIDICULOUS, to see a married (sometimes pregnant) Catholic secular lady “deaconess,” in lipstick, nail polish, and perfume, DEFINITELY secular, and perhaps married— up there as an “ordained minister,” a “deaconess,” on the holy altar, alongside the holy, CELIBATE Priest!!
“Bob One,” as per normal, your comments are calculated to elicit no meaningful response. You have a right to your opinion, but you know and all thinking Catholics know that Zombie-Liberals try to go into history to “discover” something that shows we have been doing it wrong for 2000 years, and then try to substitute a crazy alternative. The argument posited by the Jesuits are very controversial and have been fully refuted — not that the Vatican or Francis, care. They are seeking a pretext to place women in an ordained position — by any name — that most corporate bishops will then run with and create all sorts of nonsense about. The Church needs to focus on (1) restating its true and only purpose, (2) returning to Tradition, and…
(Part Deux) ” . . . (3) seeking orthodox men to become priests and brothers, and (2) women to enter religious orders. The Catholic Church does not need to become the Episcopalian Church, with its largely lesbian “priestess-hood” that look for all the world like little girls having a dress-up party in the back yard (except that these same Episcopalian priestesses strongly support a married clergy, and — shock, surprise and awe — homosexual sexual and marital rights. Why not try them out?
The worst part of the situation of the modern Catholic Church, is that she tries to make “modern update” changes, and force weird novelties on her worshippers– not for good religious reasons, prayerfully led by God– but due to ugly, crass, irreligious POLITICAL MOTIVES, to get Catholics of the modern, secular world to come to the Church, and stay in it! What they fail to realize- is that true devout Catholics, are NOT SECULAR, WORLDLY PEOPLE!! And the rest do not care, anyway!
Anglicans and Episcopalians, like most liberal Protestants who have rejected even the Bible as their final Authority– can make up their own scandalous, irreligious, and even immoral “pagan” beliefs and “theology.” However– the Catholic Church has her ancient Magisterium and Sacraments, given to us by Our Lord– and He is fully present, in the Sacraments! Any attempt by weak clerics to promote bizarre, “modernistic” changes — is always a POLITICAL MOTIVE, to get FALSE ACCEPTANCE of the Church, for very FALSE REASONS, by a very FALSE, UNBELIEVING WORLD!
Even our Pope is always bound to obey the Church’s holy Magisterium, and cannot change it! So, our Church is very unique, and much better than the Anglicans or other Protestant denominations!
Gosh golly gee whiz, do you think God doesn’t know what else? Maybe God wants it that way? Imagine that!!!
This will spell the end of the Holy male Priesthood!! What is this man Francis trying to do? First it was gays now this, we all knew this was coming and behold he has done it. Remember Christ was the High Priest and instituted the MALE only priesthood for His Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Have any of you actually read what the Holy Father said?
““I accept,” the pope said later. “It seems useful to me to have a commission that would clarify this well.””
What does ‘Clarify Well’ mean? Perhaps he wants to let people be heard and lead them to study what the church has always taught about the roles in the church. Let go of the fear. Trust the Lord. The church has stood for 2000 years and will not let the gates of hell prevail.
Rather than spending all this time typing these negative rash judgements, how about we turn to prayer and helping those around us? I feel like we have Holy Pharisees posting here quite often.
And if the “clarification” yields only more confusion? What next for the Holy Father? A re-examination of the True Presence in the Eucharist?
AC, I’m repeating myself, consider: The ‘commission’ = another set-up (like the Synod on the family). If the Holy Father just announced, yes let’s do it, there would be hell to pay. But by dragging the ‘commission’ process out like the Synod, 2 years from now, he can write another confusing ‘Exhortation’. As I type this, there ARE women not so secretly waiting for any opening to the ‘priestist-hood’ they can find. Your point, God Rules is great! But consider: People lament. Why? Because God hears us. He knows & loves His people. (EX: O.T. Exodus.)
A Catholic says is obviously another seeker of novelties.
Stop being holier than thou! You don’t want us to post , but YOU do? It’s that some of us are greatly concerned about our church. We are not a bunch of robots with no thoughts or feelings. We are to pray as if it all depended on God and act as if it all depended on us
Contrary to popular thought, Hell has made great strides against the Bride of Christ in last 60 years Lord my God Jesus Christ only you can destroy the evil that has invaded the Church. Please come and purge it off all the evil and filth that now occupies it
Alice Von Hildebrand Sheds New Light on Fatima – OnePeterFive
Dear Father,
“I think the following two conversations, which I recall very well from the 1960s, are of particular interest now, in these deeply troubled times half a century later. For they apparently corroborate Cardinal Ciappi’s testimony that part of Our Lady’s Fatima secret was the shocking prediction that the great apostasy in the Church would begin “at the top.”………………The link below has the entire article.
https://www.onepeterfive.com/alice-von-hildebrand-sheds-new-light-fatima/
Great but chilling link.
Thank you, Fr. Michael. A few years before Father John Hardon SJ, passed away, a group of Catholic teachers, and parents of sexually abused children, met with him (Father Hardon) in California. The abuse stories were horrific. This was before the scandals broke. Father Hardon told us that the seminaries were “infested with homosexuals.” He said that many of these individuals started out with very good intentions but were then seduced by others. It was also chilling at that time to hear Father John Hardon tell us that there were two Cardinals in the U.S. actively trying to destroy the Catholic Church from the underground. Catholics must not fall prey to modern day schemes/novelties.
Ron, because your personal relationship with Jesus won’t allow it?
God rules & He wins. Meanwhile back on Earth, we let off steam during our exile from our true home & do some lamenting about the things we recognize as ‘not perfect like Heaven’. Isn’t that a good sign that we have been given graces to recognize the difference?
Excellent Audio Tape, For All Faithful Priests to listen to:
https://reginaprophetarum.org/audio/20160424-Peter-Has-No-Need-of-Lies-and-Flattery.mp3
So, what I understand as “study” is perhaps looking into historical evidence as to the “why” the Early Church had deaconesses and the “why” that the Church did not continue the practice. OR perhaps this encourages US, THE CHURCH, to do our own research and study! Hit the book, people!
Good article on this: https://www.catholic.com/blog/deacon-jim-russell/what-should-i-know-about-pope-francis-and-%E2%80%98women-deacons%E2%80%99
Thank you for this very informative link. May St. Stephen interceed for you.
TC, Interesting article. Some encouraging ‘facts’. Is it legit? Doesn’t this need to be verified publicly by Vatican official news? Many of the people in the pew are paying attention & have heard too many of these sonic booms & are alarmed again, myself included. Trust has been broken. Action speaks louder then words. Thoughtful explanations ahead of exhortations & other novelties would go a long way to avoid chaos & confusion in the ranks. Time will tell. If I ‘sound’ weary, I am.
The camel is slowly working his nose under the tent. We are gradually being Episcopalized by this loose cannon Pope. Schism looms and this Pope is concerned with a tiny minority of loud feminists who yearn for power and are consumed by ego. God save us from this man.
Schism is on the horizon, it has been for a very long time, Francis is just accelerating the process. It is up to the S.S.P.X. and Bishop Felley to stop this un-Catholic madness before the Church is utterly destroyed.
OK…remind me again why I am not sedevacantist?
because you don’t want to go to hell.
One of the worst things about Vatican II, and our current Pope, is the continual confusion, destabilization, and destruction to the Traditional Church and Mass, the Priesthood, and religious life. People just cannot function, in a constant state of confusion, destabilization, and destruction! The current Pope is very unstable, in his leadership of the Church, and he really needs to STOP this baloney! It is very harmful! Even if half of what he says he believes in, will never actually come to pass!
I wonder what Pope Emeritus Benedict thinks of all this madness unleashed by his seemingly imprudent decision to resign his office. The Lavender Mafia has been unleashed, every kook theological idea is getting aired, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to sacrilege by Communion by remarried bigamists, and on and on.
Let’s not.
I have read, and I don’t know if it is true because Cardinals are not supposed to tell what went on in the Conclave, that the vote for Pope Francis was almost unanimous among those outside of the Curia. They knew that the Church was corrupt on the inside and had to be changed. They, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knew what they were doing.
Bob One, Nice story. Believe what you want. But a tree is known by it’s fruit.
If the fruit of a spiritual leader is ‘confusion’, that is not a good result. Time will tell. Watch and pray.
Oh they knew what they were doing alright, it is called destroying the Roman Catholic Church and it has nothing to do with “guidance” from the Holy Ghost.
Thank you, Janek!
Here is a video of Cardinal Mc Carrick telling an audience how he met with an “influential” Italian man. View and listen to Cardinal Mc Carrick. This man said that Bergoglio could “remake” the Church in five years and get it back on track.
About 18:50 minutes into his speech, listen to what Cardinal Mc Carrick says about the unnamed influential Italian man asking for a “favor” and blatantly lobbying for Cardinal Bergoglio. Sounds like a version of Don Corleone asking for a “favor.”
https://fromrome.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/cardinal-mccarrick-confesses-that-he-was-lobbied-to-support-cardinal-bergoglio/
Your welcome Catherine, I am just sick and tired of the whole Vatican II deal, 50 years of this crap and you its time to stop it in its tracks. These Cardinals and bishops stink to high heaven and I do not feel a bit bad saying it, because thats just it, we have been silent for 50 years putting up with these jokers and handing us the TLM at stupid hours or as for myself having to endure my TLM at the local cemetery in San Diego under the then Bishop Robert Brom who barley tolerated us. So YES lets start fighting back just like the Novus Ordonarians do and get everything they want and DEMAND our TLM’S NOW!!
Janek,
God bless you, for your passionate loyalty and love of the TLM. If only ALL of our shepherds had this same kind of defense, love, and loyalty for “all” of the Teachings of the Catholic Church. They would then understand the reason for your posts. This is a grace and yet you’ve been attacked for it. Still remember that many of the laity have never known any different. I too remember when my parish started with the New Mass. It felt so odd and completely different but after so many years it became accepted as being the norm. Perhaps new light is being shed. I don’t think that it is a mere coincidence that widespread disobedience, within the Church, also became the norm. The 100 Year Anniversary of Fatima is fast approaching…
Janek,
This is an extremely interesting article, especially in light of Summorum Pontificum and Pope Benedict XVI’s desire to remove the widespread unjust suppression of the TLM. No good deed goes unpunished. “Pray that I don’t flee for fear of the wolves.”
‘Cardinal Ratzinger: We Have Not Published the Whole Third Secret of Fatima’
https://www.onepeterfive.com/cardinal-ratzinger-not-published-whole-third-secret-fatima/
I have long advocated that the Diocese establish ‘regional’ Latin Masses at normal times in the regular sanctuary of parishes. If, after a long test period of say six months or a year, attendance supports additional Latin Masses, the Diocese should arrange for them. The converse also being true. I for one will be at a N.O. Mass in English or Spanish. I prefer to hear the Gospel in a language I understand.
As for the female deacons, I don’t think limiting them to glorified locker room attendants for immersion baptisms, as some allude was the early Church practice, will be accepted in today’s environment.
If “God is a God of order, not confusion” (1 Cor 14:33), and He is, it is fair to ask what spirit exactly is motivating the present pontiff. The most objective observer can look at the confusion and division he has sown through what presently remains of the Catholic Church and determine that his influences and motivations should be doubted.
From the Pew,
Just a willingness to consider countering strict Church Teaching shows error in the character of a person who many regard as he who cannot make an error in Church Morals and Dogmatic Teaching. It shows he is open to change those teachings passed down from the foundation and generation of the Church.
C&H,
Yours, Anomynous, and many of the liberals/LGBT/modernists comments goes to show how far the V2 Church has sunk into Protestantism out of Catholicism, and couldn’t careless about God. It is nearing the bottom. We know clearly His teachings from the Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims Holy Bible, the Catechism of the Council of Trent, and many antique Roman Catholic approved books.
For those conservative V2 members who have by the grace of the Holy Ghost to see the errors in the V2 Church and want it restored to its former pre-V2 status, you do have a choice. Our Lord and His Blessed Mother do open up their Sacred and Immaculate Hearts for your refuge. You just need to see and accept the Roman Catholic Parishes practicing the TLM and traditional 7 Holy Sacraments. Pray to Jesus and Mary that they will help you and guide you to where they want you to pray and worship in the Roman Catholic Church. RCC parishes and missions stuck on tradition are expanding and growing in numbers.
Anomynous, Enough with your foolish liberal talk and LGBT promotions. You have the audacity to judge a sedevecantist as “going to hell”, as you defy God, offending Him through your LGBT promotions, knowing full well it is against Him. How vulgar and arrogant. Be careful how you judge others, you will be judged the same way according to the Douay-Rheims Holy Bible verses! To think Roman Catholics who practice tradition and don’t go along with the present prelates hypocrisies and heresies is illicit is blind and shows pride in defending the wolves in sheeps clothing. It is they that changed the Church that are illicit, not those who have bonded to the Roman Catholic Church keep-saking tradition! Pray the Rosary!
Linda, Evil cannot thrive for long, as it will eventually consume itself and die. The Great Apostasy is here today, the implosion that began nearly 50 years ago will be over in a generation or two. Already the seeds of the original Roman Catholic Church is sprouting new traditional parishes, and God is cultivating them to be as they were before V2. Jesus promised He would be with them (His Roman Catholic Church) until the end of time. He keeps His promises. If we ask for Him and Our Lady’s guidance to God’s bosom, He won’t refuse if we are sincere and contrite in our hearts, that means obeying Him in all things with piety and love.