California Catholic Daily exclusive.
What prompted you to write The Francis Feud: Why and How Conservative Catholics Squabble about Pope Francis?
The ongoing feud prompted me.
Some conservatively-minded Catholics like everything Francis says and does. Others think he’s tearing the Church apart. Some say he’s a breath of fresh air. Others say he’s sowing confusion in the ranks. I was surprised and disappointed to find so many solid Catholics butting heads with one another.
The Francis Feud looks at the way these Catholics have been arguing about the pope. Call it a study in rhetoric or a critique of good and bad arguments (there have been plenty of the latter).
Why bring out such a book now?
Because in recent months three best-selling books have appeared criticizing Francis: Henry Sire’s The Dictator Pope, Phil Lawler’s Lost Shepherd, and Ross Douthat’s To Change the Church.
These books vary in tone, accuracy, and effect. Cumulatively, they have generated lots of controversy among Catholics, who now are taking sides, for and against the pope and each other.
Where are you in all of this?
I’m no disinterested observer. I quote others at length. I also quote myself at length. Not only have I been privy to discussions, but I’ve been part of many of them. In this book I wear two hats: observer and participant.
I see no reason to affect an impartiality that I don’t have. If there has been a squabble concerning Pope Francis, I’ve played a role, if only as a secondary squabbler.
What’s the root issue here?
It’s when or whether to criticize a reigning pope. Is it ever—or never—proper? Might it be sometimes proper, even if not always proper? And is proper even the right word? The term suggests something right or permissible but not necessary or compelled.
Perhaps the question should be: when is it necessary to criticize a reigning pope? If there are necessary times, who should do the criticizing—high-level Churchmen, well-degreed academics, well-read laymen—maybe even the Catholic next door who has a gripe?
You quote many people (some of note) with whom you’ve been friends for years. What reactions have they had to The Francis Feud?
Let’s just say that I seem to have been dropped from some Christmas card lists.
—Karl Keating
The Francis Feud: Why and How Conservative Catholics Squabble about Pope Francis is available at Amazon in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.
With all of the recent scandals in the Catholic Church, a feud with Pope Francis is a luxury and downright silly. Besides, the Conservative Catholics I know have always told me that we must listen to and follow the Pope. Oh wait! That was back when we had a conservative Pope – Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Now that we have a Pope they don’t like- they tell me we don’t have to listen to or follow him. Interesting how religion has become an ideology.
Harold,I have not read Keating’s book, but the word “squabble” on the cover leads me to believe you and he are of one mind with regard to this matter. But your first sentence is nonsensical. Scandals in the Church now, according to former nuncio, strongly implicate Pope Francis himself. How then is it silly to be concerned about where the buck stops? Mere ideology? I don’t think so. Now we have to consider the demands of justice, regardless of where we stand theologically.
I never saw “progressive” catholics defending the office of the papacy during B16’s time at St. Peter’s. Ever. Conservatives bent over backwards to at least defend that when Francis was being infuriatingly vague. Even EWTN sounded like a Francis PR office when all we could criticize the pope for was lacking clarity.
That has changed in a big way, and core doctrines on faith and morals are being shaken from the very top. That has never happened since Peter and the Gentiles. Paul took care of that. There’s no ‘gotcha’ here. Just terrible sadness for the Body of Christ.
Harold such a typical liberal.. this anti-Pope called Francis has spread nothing but confusion throughout the Church. He has denied Hell, he attacks Faithful Catholic when ever he gets the chance by calling us rigid and neo-Pelagian, praises those in favor of abortion, has said atheist will get to heaven, it goes on an on. I have just read that the anti-Pope is being accused in helping covering up for criminal McCarrick, if that is true I hope he would have the humility to resign. May these be the beginning of the End of this pontificate and the world wide purging of gays and liberals in the priesthood and hierarchy.
Have you got your copy of Pope Francis’s Little Black Book of Insults yet?
The Francis feud just went nuclear with the former nuncio writing that long letter detailing how the homosexualists and the coverups go all the way to Francis himself. They have been exposed. Every bishop named in that letter who is complicit in coordinating, protecting and promoting the homosexualist network in the Church should be ousted. Cupich, McElroy, Weurl, Tobin, Farrell and so many others including Bergoglio. Need to go. The bishops are starting to turn on each other and divide into camps of faithful and unfaithful. Who will be left standing?
Do you have a link to that letter?
Never mind, I found it:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/former-us-nuncio-pope-francis-knew-of-mccarricks-misdeeds-repealed-sanction
It helps to reinforce my unfortunate belief that the Pope is our “Mahoney” in the Vatican.
Correction: My last post was to a LifeSiteNew article. The following is the link to the actual letter by Cardinal Vigano:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/lifesite/TESTIMONYXCMVX-XENGLISH-CORRECTED-FINAL_VERSION_-_G-2.pdf
With regards to the letter from the former papal nuncio; don’t believe everything you read! Vigano has an axe to grind with Pope Francis; I wouldn’t trust Vigano.
Diego,
Something tells me that Pope Benedict may have urged the penning of this letter. Also, there’s much truth concerning the American bishops who were mentioned. Therefore, at the very least, I consider the letter to be substantially true.
I doubt it since the letter says Pope Benedict covered it up too.
Parishes are using the Sunday Homily to discuss, apologize and seek ways forward from the ‘Abuse Scandall’
Some cling to the ‘pedophile’ myth without mentioning the ‘Lavender Mafia’ of Homosex Ephebophiles – often working in wolf packs to target Adolescent Boys, and cover for and promote like minded Predators
Having been disinvited from several Parishes over the decades for pointing out Church Teaching on the unsuitability of Intrinsically Disordered Behaviors for Shepards, I know quite well the ways these Predators close ranks against even clear Church Teachings
This veil Must Be Torn away before healing can begin
https://www.lifesitenews…
If you put a white captain’s hat on him, he kind of looks like the captain of the Love Boat TV series.
Is it not interesting that there is so much “fake news” about the “lavender mafia” and homosexual lobby in the Church and so little real news about the financial corruption and the influence of the real mafia in the Church? Sex sells!
It’s all the same group.