The following came in a mid-Jan. from a Northern Calif. correspondent.
On January 6, Catholic World News reported “The Vatican press office has decried attempts by some Italian journalists to portray a comment by Pope Francis as an opening to approval of same-sex unions.
In a November 29 address to religious superiors, which was made public by the Vatican last week, the Pontiff said that religious involved in the education of children should be aware that children today come from widely diverse households… Some Italian commentators claimed that the Pope’s words were a signal to Italian politicians, who are this week taking up a proposal to approve ‘civil partnerships.’ But Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, rejected that interpretation of the Pope’s talk as a “stretch,” and suggested that some journalists are manipulating the Pope’s words.”
The suggestion “that some journalists are manipulating the Pope’s words” is less a suggestion than an observable fact. The best-known example of the manipulation of Pope Francis comments stems from his July 2013 response to a question about Monsignor Battista Ricca. Monsignor Ricca had been accused of homosexual activities. One line from the Holy Father’s response “Who am I to judge?” has been repeated until, as of January 8, 2014, googling the phrase “who am I to judge pope francis” returns “about 35,500,000 results.”
The comment was repeated without mentioning Pope Francis’s initial point which was that whatever sins Monisgnor Ricca had engaged in were in the past, and, to the Pope’s belief, Ricca had converted: “But sins, if a person, or secular priest or a nun, has committed a sin and then that person experienced conversion, the Lord forgives and when the Lord forgives, the Lord forgets and this is very important for our lives. When we go to confession and we truly say “I have sinned in this matter,” the Lord forgets and we do not have the right to not forget because we run the risk that the Lord will not forget our sins, eh?”
Also ignored was the fact that the Pope specified certain conditions which had be fulfilled before he (a son of the Church, as he has said) could get to the place where it would be possible to say “Who am I to judge?” Here’s the context and the conditions: “I believe that when you are dealing with such a person, you must distinguish between the fact of a person being gay and the fact of someone forming a lobby, because not all lobbies are good. This one is not good. If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?”
So: once condition a) that the person is not part of a bad lobby (not promoting homosexuality) is fulfilled; and condition b) that a same-sex attracted person is honestly searching for God is fulfilled; then, under those conditions, the possibility c) is not only possible, but for a Catholic, probably obligatory: “Who am I to judge?” But only once the conditions are fulfilled. For the Holy Father, all hinges on conversion. In other words, Pope Francis was judging.
But the manipulation was immediate: the July 29 New York Times, “On Gay Priests, Pope Francis Asks, ‘Who Am I to Judge?’”; the July 29 Huffington Post “Pope Francis On Gays: Who Am I To Judge Them?”; the July 29 USA Today “Pope Francis says he won’t ‘judge’ gay priests.”
The manipulation, or perhaps we should now call it the manipulation of the manipulation, continued. In September of 2013 the Human Rights Campaign, posted a banner saying “Dear Pope Francis, Thank you.” This, in spite of the fact that the Human Rights Campaign exists to promote same-sex “marriage” something the Holy Father called “a ‘move’ of the father of lies who seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God.” In December of 2013 the homosexualist Advocate magazine named Pope Francis man of the year. Since both organizations are textbook definitions of the “gay lobby,” which the Holy Father condemned as “not good,” the attempt to spin the Holy Father’s words for their own ends is obvious.
Father Lombardi is thus correct in scolding journalists for their deliberate distortions. But for the salvation of souls it is more important that he scold the clergy who are also manipulating Pope Francis words—and in at least one case deliberately misquoting him. On July 29, 2013 the Jesuit Father Thomas Reese wrote “Pope Francis made clear that being gay is not an impediment for ordination”–something nowhere found in Pope Francis statement.
More recently, in the December 29, 2013 parish bulletin of Christ the King Church in Pleasant Hill Calif., Father Brian Joyce actually put his own words in the Pope’s mouth, writing “Speaking of gay couples, he has said, “Who am I to judge.” So now its “gay couples.” That came in a column praising the new pontiff as an undreamed-for blessing to the Church. But if such “admirers” of Pope Francis really think so highly of him, why do they choose to lie about what he says?
Would that such vehement clarification of the Pope’s words and authoritative condemnation of those twisting said words were to come out of Rome sooner rather than later.
From the article: ‘ “Who am I to judge?” has been repeated until, as of January 8, 2014, googling the phrase “who-am-I-to-judge-pope-francis” returns “about 35,500,000 results.” ‘ I hope and pray PF discards the “informal interview” approach that he hs employed the initial 9 mos of his pontificate, and returns to use of the formal papal address and/or concise formal speeches. In this format he can set in proper context his pronouncements. I hope also he practices his speeches/addresses before his cardinal consultors and other trusted associates, correcting them carefully, to make sure he is communicating in a manner so as not to be misunderstood. Of course, the Brian Joyces of the world are going to distort his message: the Q. is, how is he going to make it difficult for this type of person to do so.
How dare you refer to Pope Francis as PF? Show respect for the Vicar of Christ. We need to change first–remember that–before we can effect change in hearts and minds of others.
He also said there shouldn’t be any lobbies in the Vatican. FYI the “Gay Lobby” referred to is not a lobby looking after the needs of gay Catholics but rather a group of ordained gay bishops etc. which promotes their own political and sexual interests.
And for those reasons C&H they should be eliminated completely
Pope Francis lacks the international experience of John Paul II (who was a trained actor and well-traveled before he was pope) and Benedict XVI (who was conversant with ideas and their expression as a professor) and seems to have been blind-sided by the international media, who will twist every word a pope says nowadays. I do think he is learning quickly.
Pope Francis is the Vicar of Christ……chosen by God. Get over yourself. Would you question God?
Sandra:
“Chosen by God” does not equal “God”. God can see into the hearts of interviewers to know what they are asking and why they ask a certain way. The Pharisees and scribes tried to twist Jesus’ words and He saw through them, but God does not normally give even great saints that discernment of hearts. I’m certain Pope Francis knows by now that the media and some in the Church will twist every last phrase and preposition to justify the favorite vice de jour. He simply has to make his words as crisp and unmistakable as possible, and that may mean using more formal language and terminology than her has hitherto preferred.
In this case I would
Tom,
We need to pray that you are right, and that Pope Francis learns even more quickly and that he “makes his words as crisp and unmistakeable as possible, AND T HAT HE STOPS MAKING VERY QUESTIONABLE APPOINTMENTS!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
The lamesteam media & particularly the ‘Trying Times’ (a Singleton Syndicate partner) repeatedly run stories on the ‘Catholic Abuse Scandal’ – and yet has Never Once even mentioned Larry Brinkin Racist Pederast Toddler Boy Rape Ring run out of the ‘in-human rights’ commission in Frisco:
<<Michael Brown writes on Townhall:
"But, you ask, who was Larry Brinkin? He was “a central figure in the gay rights movement,” a man who was so influential that, “The San Francisco board of supervisors actually gave a ‘Larry Brinkin Week’ in February 2010 upon his retirement.”
It was Brinkin who first used the term “domestic partnerships” in a legal dispute, marking a watershed moment in gay activist history, yet news of his alleged crimes against infants and children, not to mention his alleged White Supremacist leanings, has received very little media attention…"
Is there a double standard here? Imagine what the media would be doing if Brinkin had been a conservative Christian leader?"
Even the words LARRY BRINKIN & PEDERAST – are Two Terms completely Censored by the 'watchdogs' of our bought and paid for 'free press' – even when sermonizing about the subject of Racist Child Sexual Abuse. Compare the double standard of 'racism' as regards 'pedophile' (but Not Pederast) Abuse of Children – as in near total censorship of the story when it involves a prominent Gaystapo Pederast leader like LARRY BRINKIN:
"The search warrant is a comprehensive list of terrible images of young infants subjected to sodomy and oral sex, and perverse racial comments…
SEE: Leading California gay rights leader arrested over child porn possession
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/leading-california-gay-rights-leader-arrested-over-child-porn-possession/
https://townhall.com/columnists/michaelbrown/2012/07/09/ted_haggard_larry_brinkin_and_glaring_media_bias/page/full
https://cal-catholic.com/wordpress/2012/06/27/no-shame/
So Brinken was arrested in 2012, right? And he was awarded his award years before that. And he was in this “posse” years before that, right? So why is it that you are making the link between Brinken and the Human Rights Commission and the other people you always link to them. Just because they knew him doesn’t mean they knew of or approved of what he was apparently doing behind there back, does it? They didn’t shower him with awards after they found out he was a pederast, now did they? So you are just using guilt by association to make us think that everyone around Brinken knew and approved of his disgusting actions, aren’t you? Gee. That’s Christian of you.
Because this is what you find when you shine the light on the reality of homosexuality.
Let me ask, how do you get around your homosexuality when it comes to the Church? Do you just pretend that she isn’t opposed to to the behavior? Do you deny that she really is opposed to the behavior? Or haven’t you heard that she is? What’s your trick?
My experience is that homosexuality is a destructive force in the lives of otherwise good people but that the amount of destruction it carries varies. The more a person is attached to either the behavior or to the ideology, the more seriously they are damaged.
Here’s what I mean. There is a sizable portion of the gay community that is very sexually active. It is a subculture that is hyper promiscuous. We all know it exists. My experience with talking to these people is that this type of lifestyle warps their perspective. They either insist that everyone lives like this or they explode if even a shred of criticism is mentioned. My experience is that those who are deeply into homosexual behavior actively hate the normal. They will talk about it amongst themselves but seldom in public, for obvious reasons.
There is another kind and though and that is the group of people who are actively devoted to promoting the gay agenda. These are the full time activists, the people who love to promote the agenda to normalize homosexuality. I’m talking about people who have a central personal identification with promoting homosexuality such as gay writers, gay professors, gay politicians, gay religious leaders, etc. When they speak to a gay audience these people show how much they hate the normal. Do a google search for what is taught in these gay studies programs at universities. Do a google search for sites that want to “queer the church” or “queer the military” or “queer” just about anything in the world. Notice how these folks talk and then how they talk to the wider world. It’s sanitized for your consumption.
MarkF,
We have missed your wisdom on this subject, welcome back!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
I also would like the Pope to quit talking “off the cuff”, and only give prepared statements that can not be misunderstood, misconstrued, or twisted – in any Country on Earth.
We should not have to defend statements of the Pope prior to evangelizing. It causes more confusion and time wasted to research what he really meant that could otherwise be spent discussing the Faith.
It is very difficult to unring a bell. Very few read past the scandalous headlines, or read clarification statements. When named person of the year by a secular magazine for statements that were made (that needed clarification later that hardly anyone read) you know something is wrong.
Pope Francis should limited himself to just saying what the Catholic catechism says, this way he can not be misinterpreted.
another dumb statement……name one time that the Pope has said something that could not be supported by the Catholic Catechism? Also, having to “research” what the Pope says is a GOOD thing. Obviously, you needed to educate yourself. How can you evangelize without knowledge of your faith?
The problem isn’t that the Pope says things not supportable by the Catechism, it’s that the same statements, in manner phrased, or subject to parsing by others, are easily used by enemies of the Church to support activities CONTRARY to the Catechism. That is the problem. Having to research what the Pope says is NOT a good thing, because in the meantime, all Hell has broken loose, and the Pope is named Person of the Year, not only by agnostic Time magazine, but also by the most prominent homosexual “rights” publication on the planet. Sorry, that’s NOT a good thing for anybody. These are extraordinarily short-sighted statements the Pope has been making, and very sadly typical of the mish-mash so many have come to expect from the mouths of Jesuits in these times. Somebody please tell the Pope – everything you say can and will be held against you, whether or not you actually say it.
Sandra D.
I’ll tell you how we can evangelize with knowledge of the Faith. One we can avoid like the plague making statements that are ambiguous enough to be fair game for the secular press and their agents within the Mystical Body of Christ. Number two we can avoid making appointments that weaken, yes weaken, the Mystical Body of Christ. Three, we can stop downgrading Shepherds who do defend the Faith. That should be enough for now!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Pete, why don’t you write the Holy Father and tell him?
If only it were that simple.
No statement can be or will ever be clear enough for some people. They’ll say that the catechism was translated badly and doesn’t say what it clearly says. They’ll change the subject. They’ll waffle and dodge. They’ll claim that the rules only apply to someone else. Take a look around you. We’ve had an epidemic of homosexual abuse of young boys in the church yet some deny that homosexuality was ever involved. They look at the world wide pandemic of AIDS and claim that homosexuality is not involved here either.
For those whose god is the homosexual ideology, no amount of clarity will ever suffice.
Pope Francis is living a new paradigm of “compassionate understanding” of many issues, which the press interprets as changing teachings. Our Pope desreves warm praise for seeing the penitent in an understanding light, which is as improvement over many past Popes. Pope is spot on that there is far too much emphasis in the Catholic Church coverage of abortion, contraception, and homosexuality in the church at the expense of other policies and problems. How true….it’s a new variation of the old cricticism of the Church of “all they care about is sex”.
Rock on, Pope Francis!
Get over it, SandraD, we worship the Sacred Trinity, not the Holy Father. The style of communication of PF (as opposed to JP2 and BXVI) in his 1st 9 mos of his pontificate has been at best confusing and at worst even divisive to committed Catholics world-wide, and PF hasnt appeared to be very concerned about the fall-out from his mis-speaking (for example, his comments re. supposed Catholic “obsession” about ‘homosexuality, contraception and abortion” (9/19/2013) were cited by Illinois legislators as support for their passing a gay-marriage act in Nov. 2013). That speaks of a certain amount of human-level self-absorption on his part, too. I for one, although I respect the Pope as the Vicar of Christ, do not offer him ‘latria.’ (worship) You should not either.
Pope Francis openly opposed gay marriage laws in Argentina, according the the recent documentary on EWTN. While I understand some people can hear only what they choose in any conversation and some “customizing” can be accommodated by conscience, people (not even clerics) cannot change our faith for their feelings.
Tom,
Are you aware of the strategy of one step backward in order to take two steps forward?
He allegedly opposed gay marriage laws in Argentina while at the same time coauthoring a book with a decidedly pro-sodomite Rabii. Why?
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Holy Father’s gaffes happen so frequently that one must wonder how indeliberate they really are. Why does Holy Father not correct the gaffes himself? Why indeed.
Pope Francis, in his position as the Vicar of Christ, is not afforded the luxury of being imprecise. He must speak with clarity. Now that we have endured months of off the cuff remarks that have led to confusion, perhaps he will do as Pete suggested and limit his comments.
Pope Francis must use more care in his speech, including the quick interviews that he loves to give. He is not particularly articulate, although he seems to be well-meaning and consistent with Catholic teaching. However, the liberalists in the Church — and they are many — will try to twist what he says, and, as well, get him to say certain things (such as with divorced/remarried Catholics). They apparently believe that he is not too bright and can be manipulated. The Pope also speaks often about the reality of “Satan” and “the Devil.” Unfortunately, he is a Jesuit and not well schooled in the Traditions of the Church, and likely does not care much for them. So, we have a Pope that is not as well educated, or sophisticated, in theology and the rubrics of the Church, but he is the Pope. As such, Francis enjoys the presence of the Holy Ghost, and his guidance. Too bad he has surrounded himself with some truly questionable clerical leaders (Cardinal Wuerl? Really?). We need to pray for Pope Francis, and to trust in the Holy Ghost.
Those who are evil in the Church will twist and confuse. Confusion is a tool of the devil.
The Pope must learn to be precise, since what he says is heard around the world.
Remember that Church leaders are human beings and sin. Cardinal Roger Mahony, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Cardinal John Cody, Archbishop Weakland are a few who aided and abetted Priests who sexually abused children.
It was the leadership of these at the USCCB that took away our altar rails so it would be difficult to kneel before the Lord, and turned parts of our Mass into “me” rather than worship of God.
Today Fr. Baron pushes the idea that just about everyone will get to Heaven, which is in direct opposition to the words of Jesus as stated in the Bible, and the CCC #1034, 1035, 1036, 1037.
Just because someone is Pope, Cardinal, Archbishop, or Bishop, or Priest does not make him perfect or sinless. Jesus showed us this through His appointment of sinners to be His Apostles, especially Judas Iscariot who is in Hell as stated in the Bible. Popes Alexander VI (Borgia) and Benedict IX (a playboy) were evil.
Because there are and have been leaders in the Church who are evil, use your Catholic Bible and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” to KNOW the TRUTH, correct others, and to evangelize.
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”
https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
What to look for –
If we love our neighbors we will want them to get to Heaven. Anything done that confirms them in any particular sins that lead them away from Christ is sinful in itself.
Aiding and Abetting Sinners in their wrongful acts or wrongful omissions makes us guilty too.
CCC: ” 1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
– by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
– by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
– by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
– by protecting evil-doers.”
I do not trust this Pope….
of course you dont canisius. just as you don’t trust your fellow catholics. you have already established this beyond any reasonable doubt.
Why should one trust a ‘Fellow Catholic (s)’ who openly agitate for dismantling the foundations of Faith, YFC? And Gospel teaching?
The enemy in the house does far more damage than the one outside.
The church has one foundation. Christ himself, dear AM.
YFC: Trust is earned, never given…..
Self identified YFC,
YOU ARE NOT MY FELLOW CATHOLIC! I still am working for my Eternal Salvation and you are working to lead others in to your own much deserved Hell. None the less, I pray for your repentance.
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Saying the pope is not “well-schooled” in the traditions of the church because he is a Jesuit is very condescending, St. Christopher. You do realize, do you not, that a Jesuit priest—AT A MINIMUM—-must have a PhD in Theology.
Francis is hardly unschooled. You just don’t like him because he says things that are both 1) consistent with Catholic theology but 2) point out some toxic behaviors on the part of people of faith (such as making clear that homosexuals should not be marginalized).
Now, many liberals are taking things he’s saying out of context. But, they are correct in that it’s a much different tone than before—where the Church (along with most of society) pretty much ignored mistreatment of particular sinners.
He also doesn’t kiss the traditionalist wing’s behind, which makes it hard for you to tell yourself how superior you are to everyone else because you’re a traditionalist.
Tut, tut, “JonJ”: Your statement is purely a political one, and you are certainly free to have it. Never was it said that Pope Francis is unintelligent, or lacked education. But the Jesuits, regardless of their glorious prior history, have clearly turned from any semblance of Catholic Tradition long ago. The order is full of academics, but not many of men believing in the need for the Church to simply follow its Deposit of Faith. Instead — and the literature certainly bears this out — the Jesuits see themselves as the vanguard of the “New Church,” and that a true revolution happened at Vatican II and should be fully implemented. You and your Jesuit pals probably take great comfort in the astonishing comments (likely shared by Francis), voiced by Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga, that the Church is again “at the dawn of a new era” (the “again” referring to Vatican II some 50 years ago). The difference with this belief, stating its viewpoint that a “New Church” was formed, and the belief of a Traditionalist, is that the Catholic exists now and since the time of Jesus Christ, and does not need, and cannot have, a “new dawn.” There is no need for a “new evangelization” either, as this phrase only masks the promise of the exercise of political will to eliminate the vestiges of the Church and creation of something new (and, to the hopes of many, where sinful behavior, like homosexual sex, and all the rest, will be celebrated). This is what it is about.
If, perhaps, St. Christopher you are bound and determined to demonize Jesuit priests and the Jesuit order.
I have no problem with Pope Francis’ call for a new evangelization, given that many countries in Europe and the United States have only weak actual participation rates among those who self-identify as Catholic. Somehow, this kind of self-evangelization to renew zeal isn’t such a bad idea.
Yet, for whatever reason, must interpret this action as “destroying” the “old church” to make a “new church”. I, actually, have no problem with people who prefer Latin sacraments and ceremonies (including the mass); I only take issue with those that try to suggest that the Norvus Ordo is “invalid” or is somehow spiritually denuded of God’s grace.
Frankly, I don’t understand how such people believe that God does not allow the Magisterium to make an error with respect to doctrine, but would somehow permit them to convey empty sacraments while telling the faithful they are the real thing. That’s when I take issue when it comes to traditionalists. The belief that reciting words in Latin is somehow spiritually superior in God’s eyes to the point where a Norvus Ordo celebration is somehow “less worthy” with respect to spiritual “credit” with God.
You forgot to add JonJ that Francis is the only Pope to directly attack Faithful Loyal Catholics,…which I am sure you are pleased with…. but we will outlive him.
JonJ is gravely mistaken in asserting that ‘Jesuits at minimum must have a Ph.D.’ As a result of reforms instituted under JP2 in the 80’s, Jesuits must obtain an M.Div. degree and are encouraged to obtain an advanced master’s or Ph.D: but many SJ’s in surprising positions have only a simple M.Div. degree. In point of fact, this Pope did not finish his dissertation at Frankfurt ‘s tough S. Georgen theologate, a fact only reported in German language newspapers, and a matter that does relate to his imprecise speaking and address- writing. However, at least he didn’t study @ JSTB and then obtain a ‘McDegree’ at liberal flagship Catholic U, like USF president and great mind, Fr Steve Privett.
The Key to the Mgr. Batistta Ricca homosexual scandal is related in full color by Sandro Magister in:
https://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350561?eng=y
Take the time to read it and you will find out that anyone can judge him unable to run the Papal residency AND be papal delegate to the Vatican Bank. Mgr. Ricca was a terrible personnel choice.
This excerpt is from the Sandro Magister cited in my previous post.
“The black hole in Ricca’s personal history is the period he spent in Uruguay, in Montevideo, on the northern shore of the Rio de la Plata, across from Buenos Aires. Ricca arrived at this nunciature in 1999, when the mandate of the nuncio Francesco De Nittis was coming to an end. Previously he had served at the diplomatic missions of Congo, Algeria, Colombia, and finally Switzerland.
Here, in Bern, he had met and become friends with a captain of the Swiss army, Patrick Haari. The two arrived in Uruguay together. And Ricca asked that his friend be given a role and a residence in the nunciature.
The nuncio rejected the request. But a few months later he retired and Ricca, having become the chargé d’affaires “ad interim” until the appointment of the new nuncio, assigned Haari a residence in the nunciature, with a regular position and salary. The intimacy of the relations between Ricca and Haari was so open as to scandalize numerous bishops, priests, and laity of that little South American country, not last the sisters who attended to the nunciature.
The new nuncio, Janusz Bolonek of Poland, who arrived in Montevideo at the beginning of 2000, also found that “ménage” intolerable immediately, and informed the Vatican authorities about it, insisting repeatedly to Haari that he should leave. But to no use, given his connections with Ricca.
To lend additional support to Gratias’ point about Ricca and his apparent liason and questionable monetary rewarding of the Swiss Guard captain, Haari, there is an interview excerpt from The Guardian account in The American Catholic today:
https://the-american-catholic.com/2014/01/21/lavender-mafia-alive-and-well-at-vatican
The account here is of a former commandant of the Guard from 2002-2008, Elmar Mader, who says, “A working environment in which the great majority of men are unmarried is per se a draw for homosexuals, whether they consciously seek it out or unconsciously follow an urge,” he said. “The Roman Curia [the Vatican’s bureaucracy] is exactly this kind of environment.”
For all his strained communication style, it is this environment that Pope Francis himself has bluntly called the “gay lobby” (in Spanish, he actually said “lobby-gay” in his June 7, 2013 address to Latin American and Carribbean bishops) while referring to “corruption” in the Vatican Curia.
Probably the Most Heavily Censored story in America Today is the GUILTY Plea of Larry Brinkin – which was Censored from TV News & the East Bay Papers, only the SF Chronicle & ABC local web ran anything of substance on this Glaring Revelation of what ‘Tolerance’ means in Sodom by the Sea:
Given his Light Treatment and Small Sentence for the Evil He Did, he still has defenders and probably will keep his pension. Compare the Story to the media focus on ‘Catholic Abuse’ which is regularly printed.
“Rights advocate pleads guilty in child porn case
SF Chronicle Tuesday, January 21, 2014 by Vivian Ho
Veteran gay rights advocate and former San Francisco Human Rights Commission staffer Larry Brinkin pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing child pornography…
six months in county jail, six months of home detention, five years of probation and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Brinkin, who worked as a senior contract compliance officer with the rights commission until his 2010 retirement, was arrested in June 2012…. toddlers engaged in sex acts with men. Prosecutors originally charged him with six felony counts of possessing and distributing child pornography, but dropped all but one felony count of possession as part of the plea bargain.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Larry-Brinkin-pleads-guilty-in-child-porn-case-5162743.php
Wow, a Jesuit priest – Fr. Reese – openly advocating for homosexuals in the priesthood. Where are the bishops? Oh, yeah, calling for prayers for rain.
As to JonJ’s premist of Pope Francis being “well-schooled”: To gain an insight into why the Bergoglio papacy seems to employ tortured speech and sometimes tortured reasoning, let’s compare (again) the education of JP2, BXVI, and Pope Francis (PF).
JP2 obtained his Ph.D at Rome’s Angelicum University , his Ph.D. mentor being none other than the famous Dominican theologian, Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. He obtained first an STL (licentiate) in systematic theology, then in 1948 a Ph.D, his thesis topic being ‘The Doctrine of Love in S. John of the Cross.’ He followed up these studies at the Jagellonian University of Krakow with post-doctoral studies and an additional Ph.D on ethics based on the system of phenomenologist Max Scheler. JP2 also taught at the Jagellonian from 1954 at least until his episcopacy in 1958.
BXVI commenced his theological studies in 1945 at Traunstein, Germany, culminating eventually with his Ph.D in systematic theology at Munich in 1953, his dissertation topic being on St Augustine’s doctrine of the Church. He completed post-doctoral studies also, specializing in the theology of S. Bonaventure, and began teaching at Freising College in 1958, later moving on to teach at the university level at Bonn, Munster, Tubingen,and finally Regensburg’s faculty in 1969. He continued to teach until his appointment as archbishop in 1979, a teaching tenure of two-plus decades.
I don’t know whether Pope Francis is well educated, but he seems to get well schooled every day on CCD.
Now, let’s compare the prior two pontiffs’ training to PF: PF did obtain a Licentiate in philosophy in the 1960’s, and later, the equivalent of an M.Div. degree at the Buenos Aires Jesuit theologate, San Miguel, about 1969 , the year he was ordained. He did teach, as novice master, in some capacity at San Miguel until 1973, but there is no record he ever obtained a Ph.D at San Miguel. Later, during the 1980’s, he went to obtain a doctorate at Frankfurt’s Sahnkt Georgen theologate; but despite several attempts, he never finished his dissertation (The German-language newspaper Die Tauber Zeitung documented this in an April, 2013; I have noticed that some other sources have now corrected their information on this matter, although most of the US news sources continue with their incorrect information.)
So, we are comparing two prior pontificates of JP2 & BXVI, both having extensive doctoral and post-doctoral studies, both with some years of teaching at the highest level in theology, both showing the ability to expound upon theology in the lecture format in an intelligible manner for some years, both having to sharpen one’s communication skills with high-level student exchanges, contrasted with PF’s limited teaching career (teaching novices in formation), and his failure to complete and defend a dissertation despite working at it for some years.
Wow, Steve, that rule about Jesuits and Ph.D’s WAS true when I went to a Jesuit High School—at least that is what I was told when I went there in the 80’s. I wasn’t aware that rule had been changed.
Thanks for the information. Nice job running all that down for us.