Aboard the papal plane, Mar 8, 2021 / 03:00 pm (CNA).- Please read below for CNA’s full transcript of Pope Francis’ in-flight press conference from Baghdad, Iraq, to Rome, Italy on March 8, 2021.
Pope Francis: First of all, thank you for your work, your company, your fatigue. Then, today is Women’s Day. Congratulations to the women. Women’s Day. But they were saying why is there no Men’s Day? Even when [I was] in the meeting with the wife of the president. I said it was because us men are always celebrated and we want to celebrate women. And the wife of the president spoke well about women, she told me lovely things today, about that strength that women have to carry forward life, history, the family, many things. Congratulations to everyone. And third, today is the birthday of the COPE journalist. Or the other day. Where are you?
Matteo Bruni, Holy See press office director: It was yesterday.
Pope Francis: Best wishes and we should celebrate it, right? We will see how we can [do it] here. Very well. Now, the word is yours.
Bruni: The first question comes from the Arabic world: Imad Atrach of Sky News Arabia.
Imad Abdul Karim Atrach (Sky News Arabia): Holiness, two years ago in Abu Dhabi there was the meeting with the Imam al-Tayyeb of al-Azhar and the signing of the document on human fraternity. Three days ago you met with al-Sistani. Are you thinking to something similar with the Shiite side of Islam? And then a second thing about Lebanon, which St. John Paul II said is more than a country, it is a message. This message, unfortunately, as a Lebanese, I tell you that this message is now disappearing. Can we think a future visit by you to Lebanon is imminent?
Pope Francis: The Abu Dhabi document of February 4 was prepared with the grand imam in secret during six months, praying, reflecting, correcting the text. It was, I will say, a little assuming but take it as a presumption, a first step of what you ask me about.
Let’s say that this [Ed. meeting with al-Sistani] would be the second [step] and there will be others. It is important, the journey of fraternity. Then, the two documents. The Abu Dhabi one created a concern for fraternity in me, Fratelli tutti came out, which has given a lot. We must… both documents must be studied because they go in the same direction, they are seeking fraternity.
Ayatollah al-Sistani has a phrase which I expect to remember well. Every man… men are either brothers for religion or equals for creation. And fraternity is equality, but beneath equality we cannot go. I believe it is also a cultural path.
We Christians think about the Thirty Years’ War. The night of St. Bartholomew [Ed. St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre], to give an example. Think about this. How the mentality has changed among us, because our faith makes us discover that this is it: the revelation of Jesus is love, charity, and it leads us to this. But how many centuries [will it take] to implement it? This is an important thing, human fraternity. That as men we are all brothers and we must move forward with other religions.
The [Second] Vatican Council took a big step forward in [interreligious dialogue], also the later constitution, the council for Christian unity, and the council for religious dialogue — Cardinal Ayuso accompanies us today — and you are human, you are a child of God and you are my brother, period. This would be the biggest indication. And many times you have to take risks to take this step. You know that there are some critics who [say] “the pope is not courageous, he is an idiot who is taking steps against Catholic doctrine, which is a heretical step.” There are risks. But these decisions are always made in prayer, in dialogue, asking for advice, in reflection. They are not a whim and they are also the line that the [Second Vatican] Council has taught us. This is his first question.
The second: Lebanon is a message. Lebanon is suffering. Lebanon is more than a balance. It has the weakness of the diversity which some are still not reconciled to, but it has the strength of the great people reconciled like the fortress of the cedars. Patriarch Rai asked me to please make a stop in Beirut on this trip, but it seemed somewhat too little to me: A crumb in front of a problem in a country that suffers like Lebanon. I wrote a letter and promised to make a trip to Lebanon. But Lebanon at the moment is in crisis, but in crisis — I do not want to offend — but in a crisis of life. Lebanon is so generous in welcoming refugees. This is a second trip.
Bruni: Thank you, Your Holiness. The second question comes from Johannes Neudecker of the German news agency Dpa.
Johannes Neudecker (Deutsche Presse-Agentur): Thank you, Holy Father. My question is also about the meeting with al-Sistani. In what measure was the meeting with al-Sistani also a message to the religious leaders of Iran?
Pope Francis: I believe it was a universal message. I felt the duty of this pilgrimage of faith and penance to go and find a great man, a wise man, a man of God. And just listening to him you perceived this. And speaking of messages, I will say: It is a message for everyone, it is a message for everyone. And he is a person who has that wisdom and also prudence… he told me that for 10 years, “I do not receive people who come to visit me with also other political or cultural aims, no… only for religious [purposes].” And he was very respectful, very respectful in the meeting. I felt very honored; he never gets up even to greet people. He got up to greet me twice. A humble and wise man. This meeting did my soul good. He is a light. These wisemen are everywhere because God’s wisdom has been spread all over the world.
It also happens the same with the saints, who are not only those who are on the altars, they are the everyday saints, the ones I call “next-door saints.” Men and women who live their faith, whatever it may be, with coherence. Who live human values with coherence, fraternity with coherence. I believe that we should discover these people, highlight them, because there are so many examples. When there are scandals in the Church, many, this does not help, but we show the people seeking the path of fraternity. The saints next door. And we will find the people of our family, for sure. For sure a few grandpas, a few grandmas.
Eva Fernandez (Radio COPE): Holy Father, it is great to resume the press conferences again. It is very good. My apologies, but my colleagues have asked me to ask this question in Spanish.
[In Spanish] During these days your trip to Iraq has had a great impact throughout the world. Do you think that this could be the trip of your pontificate? And also, it has been said that it was the most dangerous. Have you been afraid at some point during this trip? And soon we will return to travel and you, who are about to complete the eighth year of your pontificate, do you still think it will be a short [pontificate]? And the big question always for the Holy Father, will you ever return to Argentina? Will Spain still have hope that one day the pope will visit?
Pope Francis: Thank you, Eva, and I made you celebrate your birthday twice — once in advance and another belated.
I start with the last question, which is a question that I understand. It is because of that book by my friend, the journalist and doctor, Nelson Castro. He wrote a book on [the history of] presidents’ illnesses, and I once told him, already in Rome, “But you have to do one on the diseases of the popes because it will be interesting to know the health issues of the popes — at least of some who are more recent.”
He started [writing] again, and he interviewed me. The book came out. They tell me it is good, but I have not seen it. But he asked me a question: “If you resign” — well, if I will die or if I will resign — “If you resign, will you return to Argentina or will you stay here?”
I said: “I will not go back to Argentina.” This is what I have said, but I will stay here in my diocese. But in that case, this goes together with the question: When will I visit Argentina? And why have I not gone there? I always answer a little ironically: “I spent 76 years in Argentina, that’s enough, isn’t it?”
But there is one thing. I do not know why, but it has not been said. A trip to Argentina was planned for November 2017 and work began. It was Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. This was at the end of November. But then at that time there was an election campaign happening in Chile because on that day in December the successor of Michelle Bachelet was elected. I had to go before the government changed, I could not go [further].
So let us do this: Go to Chile in January. And then in January it was not possible to go to Argentina and Uruguay because January is like our August here, it is July and August in both countries. Thinking about it, the suggestion was made: Why not include Peru, because Peru was bypassed during the trip to Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and remained apart. And from this was born the January trip between Chile and Peru.
But this is what I want to say so that you do not create fantasies of “patriaphobia.” When there are opportunities, it must be done, right? Because there is Argentina and Uruguay and the south of Brazil, which are a very great cultural composition.
About my travels: I make a decision about my trips by listening. The invitations are many. I listen to the advice of the counselors and also to the people. Sometimes someone comes and says: What do you think? Should I go or not? And it is good for me to listen. And this helps me to make the decision later.
I listen to the counselors and in the end I pray. I pray and I think a lot. I have reflected a lot about some trips, and then the decision comes from within. It is almost spontaneous, but like a ripe fruit. It is a long way, isn’t it? Some are more difficult, some are easier, and the decision about this trip comes early.
The first invitation of the ambassador, first, that pediatrician doctor who was the ambassador of Iraq, very good. She persisted. And then came the ambassador to Italy who is a woman of battle. Then the new ambassador to the Vatican came and fought. Soon the president came. All these things stayed with me.
But there is one thing behind my decision that I would like to mention. One of you gave me a Spanish edition [of the book] “The Last Girl.” I have read it in Italian, then I gave it to Elisabetta Piqué to read. Did you read it? More or less it is the story of the Yazidis. And Nadia Murad tells about terrifying things. I recommend that you read it. In some places it may seem heavy, but for me this was the trasfondo of God, the underlying reason for my decision. That book worked inside me. And also when I listened to Nadia who came to tell me terrible things. Then, with the book… All these things together made the decision; thinking about all the many issues. But finally the decision came and I took it.
And, about the eighth year of my pontificate. Should I do this? [He crosses his fingers.] I do not know if my travel will slow down or not. I only confess that on this trip I felt much more tired than on the others. The 84 [years] do not come alone, it is a consequence. But we will see.
Now I will have to go to Hungary for the final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress, not a visit to the country, but just for the Mass. But Budapest is a two-hour drive from Bratislava, why not make a visit to Slovakia? I do not know. That is how they are thinking. Excuse me. Thank you.
Bruni: Thank you, Eva. Now the next question is from Chico Harlan of the Washington Post.
Chico Harlan (Washington Post): Thank you, Holy Father. I will ask my question in English with the help of Matteo. [In English] This trip obviously had extraordinary meaning for the people who got to see you, but it did also lead to events that caused conditions conducive to spreading the virus. In particular, unvaccinated people packed together singing. So as you weigh the trip, the thought that went into it and what it will mean, do you worry that the people who came to see you could also get sick or even die. Can you explain that reflection and calculation. Thank you.
Pope Francis: As I said recently, the trips are cooked over time in my conscience. And this is one of the [thoughts] that came to me most, “maybe, maybe.” I thought a lot, I prayed a lot about this. And in the end I freely made the decision. But that came from within. I said: “The one who allows me to decide this way will look after the people.” And so I made the decision like this but after prayer and after awareness of the risks, after all.
Bruni: The next question comes from Philippine de Saint-Pierre of the French press.
Philippine de Saint-Pierre (KTO): Your Holiness, we have seen the courage and dynamism of Iraqi Christians. We have also seen the challenges they face: the threat of Islamist violence, the exodus of Christians, and the witnesss of the faith in their environment. These are the challenges facing Christians through the region. We spoke about Lebanon, but also Syria, the Holy Land, etc. The synod for the Middle East took place 10 years ago but its development was interrupted with the attack on the Baghdad cathedral. Are you thinking about organizing something for the entire Middle East, be it a regional synod or any other initiative?
Pope Francis: I’m not thinking about a synod. Initiatives, yes — I am open to many. But a synod never came to mind. You planted the first seed, let’s see what will happen. The life of Christians in Iraq is an afflicted life, but not only for Christians. I came to talk about Yazidis and other religions that did not submit to the power of Daesh. And this, I don’t know why, gave them a very great strength. But there is a problem, like you said, with emigration. Yesterday, as we drove from Qaraqosh to Erbil, there were lots of young people and the age level was low, low, low. Lots of young people. And the question someone asked me: But these young people, what is their future? Where will they go? Many will have to leave the country, many. Before leaving for the trip the other day, on Friday, 12 Iraqi refugees came to say goodbye to me. One had a prosthetic leg because he had escaped under a truck and had an accident… so many escaped. Migration is a double right. The right to not emigrate and the right to emigrate. But these people do not have either of the two. Because they cannot not emigrate, they do not know how to do it. And they cannot emigrate because the world squashes the consciousness that migration is a human right.
The other day — I’ll go back to the migration question — an Italian sociologist told me, speaking about the demographic winter in Italy: “But within 40 years we will have to import foreigners to work and pay pension taxes.” You French are smarter, you have advanced 10 years with the family support law and your level of growth is very large.
But immigration is experienced as an invasion. Because he asked, yesterday I wanted to receive Alan Kurdi’s father after Mass. This child is a symbol for them. Alan Kurdi is a symbol, for which I gave a sculpture to FAO [the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations]. It is a symbol that goes beyond a child who died in migration. He is a symbol of dying civilizations, which cannot survive. A symbol of humanity. Urgent measures are needed so that people have work in their place and do not have to emigrate. And also measures to safeguard the right to emigrate. It is true that every country must study well the ability to receive [immigrants], because it is not only about receiving them and leaving them on the beach. Receive them, accompany them, help them progress, and integrate them. The integration of immigrants is key.
Two anecdotes: Zaventem, in Belgium: the terrorists were Belgians, born in Belgium, but from ghettoized, non-integrated Islamic immigrants. Another example: when I went to Sweden, during the farewell ceremony, there was the minister, of what I don’t know, [Ed. Alice Bah-Kuhnke, Swedish Minister of Culture and Democracy from 2014 to 2019], she was very young, and she had a distinctive appearance, not typical of Swedes. She was the daughter of a migrant and a Swede, and so well integrated that she became minister [of culture]. Looking at these two things, they make you think a lot, a lot, a lot.
I would like to thank the generous countries. The countries that receive migrants, Lebanon. Lebanon was generous with emigrants. There are two million Syrians there, I think. And Jordan — unfortunately, we will not pass over Jordan because the king is very nice, King Abdullah wanted to pay us a tribute with the planes in passage. I will thank him now — Jordan has been very generous [with] more than one and a half million migrants, also many other countries… to name just two. Thank you to these generous countries. Thank you very much.
Matteo Bruni: The next question is in Italian from the journalist Stefania Falasca.
Stefania Falasca (Avvenire): Good morning, Holy Father. Thank you. In three days in this country, which is a key country of the Middle East, you have done what the powerful of the earth have been discussing for 30 years. You have already explained what was the interesting genesis of your travels, how the choices for your travels originate, but now in this juncture, can you also consider a trip to Syria? What could be the objectives from now to a year from now of other places where your presence is required?
Pope Francis: Thank you. In the Middle East only the hypothesis, and also the promise is for Lebanon. I have not thought about a trip to Syria. I have not thought about it because the inspiration did not come to me. But I am so close to the tormented and beloved Syria, as I call it. I remember from the beginning of my pontificate that afternoon of prayer in St. Peter’s Square. There was the rosary, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. And how many Muslims with carpets on the ground were praying with us for peace in Syria, to stop the bombing, at that moment when it was said that there would be a fierce bombing. I carry Syria in my heart, but thinking about a trip, it has not occurred to me at this moment. Thank you.
Matteo Bruni: Thank you. The next question comes from Sylwia Wysocka of the Polish press.
Sylwia Wysocka (Polish Press Agency): Holy Father, in these very difficult 12 months your activity has been very limited. Yesterday you had the first direct and very close contact with the people in Qaraqosh: What did you feel? And then, in your opinion, now, with the current health system, can the general audiences with people, with faithful, recommence as before?
Pope Francis: I feel different when I am away from the people in the audiences. I would like to restart the general audiences again as soon as possible. Hopefully the conditions will be right. I will follow the norms of the authorities in this. They are in charge and they have the grace of God to help us in this. They are responsible for setting the rules, whether we like them or not. They are responsible and they have to be so.
Now I have started again with the Angelus in the square, with the distances it can be done. There is the proposal of small general audiences, but I have not decided until the development of the situation becomes clear. After these months of imprisonment, I really felt a bit imprisoned, this is, for me, living again.
Living again because it is touching the Church, touching the holy people of God, touching all peoples. A priest becomes a priest to serve, to serve the people of God, not for careerism, right? Not for the money.
This morning in the Mass there was [the Scripture reading about] the healing of Naaman the Syrian and it said that Naaman wanted to give gifts after he had been healed. But he refused… but the prophet Elisha refused them. And the Bible continues: the prophet Elisha’s assistant, when they had left, settled the prophet well and running he followed Naaman and asked for gifts for him. And God said, “the leprosy that Naaman had will cling to you.” I am afraid that we, men and women of the Church, especially we priests, do not have this gratuitous closeness to the people of God which is what saves us.
And to be like Naaman’s servant, to help, but then going back [for the gifts.] I am afraid of that leprosy. And the only one who saves us from the leprosy of greed, of pride, is the holy people of God, like what God spoke about with David, “I have taken you out of the flock, do not forget the flock.” That of which Paul spoke to Timothy: “Remember your mother and grandmother who nursed you in the faith.” Do not lose your belonging to the people of God to become a privileged caste of consecrated, clerics, anything.
This is why contact with the people saves us, helps us. We give the Eucharist, preaching, our function to the people of God, but they give us belonging. Let us not forget this belonging to the people of God. Then begin again like this.
I met in Iraq, in Qaraqosh… I did not imagine the ruins of Mosul, I did not imagine. Really. Yes, I may have seen things, I may have read the book, but this touches, it is touching.
What touched me the most was the testimony of a mother in Qaraqosh. A priest who truly knows poverty, service, penance; and a woman who lost her son in the first bombings by ISIS gave her testimony. She said one word: forgiveness. I was moved. A mother who says: I forgive, I ask forgiveness for them.
I was reminded of my trip to Colombia, of that meeting in Villavicencio where so many people, women above all, mothers and brides, spoke about their experience of the murder of their children and husbands. They said, “I forgive, I forgive.” But this word we have lost. We know how to insult big time. We know how to condemn in a big way. Me first, we know it well. But to forgive, to forgive one’s enemies. This is the pure Gospel. This is what touched me the most in Qaraqosh.
Matteo Bruni: There are other questions if you want. Otherwise we can…
Pope Francis: How long has it been?
Bruni: Almost an hour.
Pope Francis: We have been talking for almost an hour. I don’t know, I would continue, [joking] but the car… [is waiting for me.] Let’s do, how do you say, the last one before celebrating the birthday.
Matteo Bruni: The last is by Catherine Marciano from the French press, from the Agence France-Presse.
Catherine Marciano (AFP): Your Holiness, I wanted to know what you felt in the helicopter seeing the destroyed city of Mosul and praying on the ruins of a church. Since it is Women’s Day, I would like to ask a little question about women… You have supported the women in Qaraqosh with very nice words, but what do you think about the fact that a Muslim woman in love cannot marry a Christian without being discarded by her family or even worse. But the first question was about Mosul. Thank you, Your Holiness.
Pope Francis: I said what I felt in Mosul a little bit en passant. When I stopped in front of the destroyed church, I had no words, I had no words… beyond belief, beyond belief. Not just the church, even the other destroyed churches. Even a destroyed mosque, you can see that [the perpetrators] did not agree with the people. Not to believe our human cruelty, no. At this moment I do not want to say the word, “it begins again,” but let’s look at Africa. With our experience of Mosul, and these people who destroy everything, enmity is created and the so-called Islamic State begins to act. This is a bad thing, very bad, and before moving on to the other question — A question that came to my mind in the church was this: “But who sells weapons to these destroyers? Because they do not make weapons at home. Yes, they will make some bombs, but who sells the weapons, who is responsible? I would at least ask that those who sell the weapons have the sincerity to say: we sell weapons. They don’t say it. It’s ugly.
Women… women are braver than men. But even today women are humiliated. Let’s go to the extreme: one of you showed me the list of prices for women. [Ed. prepared by ISIS for selling Christian and Yazidi women.] I couldn’t believe it: if the woman is like this, she costs this much… to sell her… Women are sold, women are enslaved. Even in the center of Rome, the work against trafficking is an everyday job.
During the Jubilee, I went to visit one of the many houses of the Opera Don Benzi: Ransomed girls, one with her ear cut off because she had not brought the right money that day, and the other brought from Bratislava in the trunk of a car, a slave, kidnapped. This happens among us, the educated. Human trafficking. In these countries, some, especially in parts of Africa, there is mutilation as a ritual that must be done. Women are still slaves, and we have to fight, struggle, for the dignity of women. They are the ones who carry history forward. This is not an exaggeration: Women carry history forward and it’s not a compliment because today is Women’s Day. Even slavery is like this, the rejection of women… Just think, there are places where there is the debate regarding whether repudiation of a wife should be given in writing or only orally. Not even the right to have the act of repudiation! This is happening today, but to keep us from straying, think of what happens in the center of Rome, of the girls who are kidnapped and are exploited. I think I have said everything about this. I wish you a good end to your trip and I ask you to pray for me, I need it. Thank you.
[…]
Yes, and/but we also read: “Pope Francis has made it clear that the synod on synodality is not about changing long standing Church teaching and is not a democratic or parliamentary process.”
Perhaps His Eminence Cardinal McElroy is playing the game of moving the goal posts? Maybe a “parliamentary process” is the middle of the enlarged field (enlarge your tent!”), with Lumen Gentium and the “hierarchical communion” as one goal post, and the other goal post…well, that’s a synodal plebiscite with all the populist and big-tent novelties he insinuates and now clearly proclaims!
The clear retention, yes, of Church teaching—but ALSO the equally-clear separation of “pastoral” approaches from such teaching. So, to clearly rule out a parliamentary process—does this guideline clearly rule the plebiscite goal post under the enlarged tent? Or not?
Why have a backward parliament when you can have a forward plebiscite?
Again, the timely prescience and relevance of Veritatis Splendor on this very point:
“A separation, or even an opposition [!], is thus established in some cases between the teaching of the precept, which is valid and general, and the norm of the individual conscience, which would in fact make the final decision [no longer a ‘moral judgment’!] about what is good and what is evil. On this basis, an attempt is made [!] to legitimize so-called ‘pastoral’ solutions [!] contrary to the teaching of the Magisterium, and to justify a ‘creative’ hermeneutic according to which the moral conscience is in no way obliged, in every case, by a particular negative precept [thou shalt not!]” (Veritatis Splendor, n. 56).
“They essentially ignore the oft repeated words of Pope Francis, that in the synodal process there must be a deep listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and charity that keeps us firmly attached to Jesus Christ. Pope Francis has made it clear that the synod on synodality is not about changing long standing Church teaching and is not a democratic or parliamentary process.” This is the problem. Pope Francis is the one who made Elroy a cardinal. Francis is the one who put Hollerich in charge of the synod who himself holds heretical views on practicing homosexuality. Francis continues to let the Germans go along their synod. Francis says a few words to the Germans while not stopping them. And he won’t stop them. Francis contradicts himself. He says one thing and then another. With this synod it is clear Francis is intentionally creating a mess, “a toxic nightmare.” Church needs to face reality of what is going on.
Precisely! Very well said!
I feel bad for Archbishop Aquila. He is trying to preserve his institution and pass on the faith it is supposed to represent. Still, at the end of the day, we need to face up to the truth, or truth will take its revenge.
Don’t feel bad for the Archbishop, he understands the battle.
I agree with Archbishop Aquila and disagree with the Cardinal McElroy! Having supported Archbishop Cordileon, Inwas shocked at the choice of a Cardinal who agrees with German bishops and disagrees with the Pope. For the fathful in the pew, It becomes more difficult to support any hierarchy!
And I agree with you JP. It is Francis who starts the Synod process, who appoints gay friendly bishops (in the US: Supich, Tobin, Gregory and McElroy) as cardinals and who not only makes Hollerich a cardinal, but appoints him to a powerful position in the Synod. Thus, what kind of game is the pope playing? Does he think all Catholics have their heads buried in the sand?
The Pope is a peronist: He teaches one thing a day and its exact contrary a few days later. So superficial people can be satisfied. But for everyone who ponders deeper his speeches and his deeds it is easy to understand that his contradictions are leading the Church in a confused and wrong way that a true catholic faithful cannot support.
Here are a few verses against “radical inclusion” which make it clear that McElroy is proposing an anti-Scriptural heresy that would dissolve the faith into nothingness.
Jesus – MT 10:14-15 “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
Jesus – MT 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Jesus – LK 10:10-12 “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
St. Paul – ROM 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.
St. Paul – 1 COR 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Jesus – MT 10:14-15 “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
Jesus – MT 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Jesus – LK 10:10-12 “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
St. Paul – ROM 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.
St. Paul – 1 COR 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
St. Paul – 1 COR 5 11-13 But I now write to you not to associate with anyone named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a person. For why should I be judging outsiders? Is it not your business to judge those within? God will judge those outside. “Purge the evil person from your midst.”
St. Paul – 2 COR 6:14-16 Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Be′lial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?
St. Paul – EPH 5:6-8 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not associate with them, for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
St. Paul – 2 THES 3:14 If anyone does not obey our word as expressed in this letter, take note of this person not to associate with him, that he may be put to shame.
St. Paul – 2 TIM 3:1-5 But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. Reject them.
St. Paul – TITUS 3: 10-11 After a first and second warning, break off contact with a heretic, realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and stands self-condemned.
St. John – 2 JN 9-11 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. Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
Durable Evangelization depends upon the foundational restoration of human thought, maybe more than on a “welcoming” open door and a “field hospital” alone. That is, can the Church’s evangelization happen without Catholic academia, for example, first “walking together (!)” past its adolescent Land o’ Lakes Declaration of the late 1960s?
Benedict makes an important point:
“If one investigates this concept more closely [“the correct relationship between Christianity and the world religions”], however, one encounters something unexpected that—as far as I can tell—is glossed over in almost all the pertinent studies. The Church Fathers found the seeds of the Word, NOT IN THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD, BUT RATHER IN PHILOSOPHY [caps added], that is, in the process of critical reason directed against the (pagan) religions, in the history of progressive reason, and not in the history of religion.” (Ratzinger/Benedict, “On the Way to Jesus Christ,” Ignatius, 2005).
How to evangelize the Incarnation of divinely “radical love” to BOTH the religious AND now the post-religious in an incoherent world? When asked what would be his first action to save his country, a Chinese emperor answered “I will restore the meaning of words.”
Thank you Archbishop Aquila for your words of wisdom.
McElroy may have the tile Eminence; he is anything but. He has shown himself to be a traitor to the teachings of Christ, willing to worship at the altar of the false gods of inclusion and progressivism. He has forsaken his duty to unite the flock around Christ and to guide that flock according to God’s revealed truth. He accepted the cardinal’s red as a commitment that he would rather shed blood than forsake the faith. He should resign or be made to resign immediately. His fellow bishops have a duty to act, not just write columns in a safe space like CWR. Demand that the nuncio call McElroy in and hand him his walking papers. This is a scandal far beyond the McCarrick catastrophe. Without clarity from the bishops, the McElroy scandal will devastate the Church. We are now on the slippery slope.
Pope Francis already knew McElroy’s leanings, and was happy to elevate him to be a cardinal. Thus, complaining to the nuncio, the Vatican, or to Francis himself would do no good.
The slippery slope began ten years ago next month.
Agree
Archbishop Aquila’s exposure of the Christological vacuum of Cardinal McElroy’s appeal brings to mind H. Richard Niebuhr’s gloss on the theology of liberal Protestantism: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”
I used to be somewhat reserved about St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy devotion. I now know that it was divinely inspired and was given as a preparation and protection against a doctrine of FALSE MERCY that would soon worm its way into the Church and become the fulcrum by which Satan will gain maximal leverage before the Day of Judgment. One clue in St. Faustina’s diary as to who might be the false prophet who would preach the destructive counterfeit doctrine is provided by the entry on December 17, 1936. We were warned.
Archange, I looked up the entry you mention, December 17, 1936, but there is no mention whatsoever of a false prophet. Did you mean some other entry?
Thank you for the glimpse of light and breath of fresh air. I needed it.
Praise be to God for a bishop willing to speak truth in charity for the benefit of wayward brother bishops. That Archbishop Aquila garners some of the pope’s words to bolster his point also is worthy of praise. If only the pope would now, with God-like Christian zeal, fully endorse, support, and uncover the (approved-for-millennia doctrinal) STRUCTUREs of truth in charity. The human part of the Church is now so weak and wayward, it needs a small but astonishingly bold step of leadership toward Christ and His teachings. Then the Church would warrant and could receive the regenerative blessings only the Holy Spirit can give.
“..uncover the structures of truth” ? Where have you been for eight years of undermining and destroying the Truth of Christ. “By their fruits you shall know them”
I acknowledge Archbishop Aquila’s desire to love, a love that desires the best for the other, but I challenge his desire to welcome with conditions. I do not believe that “someone who lives a particular way, whether it be in willing violation of natural law or some other moral category, is not in communion with the Church,” in that he seems to equate natural law (the tradition’s finite understanding of the mystery of creation) with “the law of God.” I hope an evolving understanding of creation and the Spirit’s speaking through the synodal process will move us beyond any misplaced certitude in this matter.
How do you guarantee that it is the Holy Spirit speaking in a synodical process? You can’t just make stuff up as you go along.
@Fr. Michael Nicosia
There may be a spirit speaking through what has been produced by the Synodal process so far but it is not the Holy Spirit. Anything that speaks contrary to the Deposit of Faith doesn’t speak in accord with the movement of the Holy Spirit.
There is no such thing as “welcoming without conditions” — that would be anarchy. Even you are adding your own conditions when you hope that the Church will “move us beyond any misplaced certitude in this matter” instead of of having faith and hope in the teachings of the Church as they have been handed down to you. Rather Christ is most decisively conditional and His welcoming is strictly limited to those who would but repent and believe in the Gospel. Our Lord welcomes the repentant sinner, not the recalcitrant sinner nor even the lukewarm. He requires a total commitment to His will and not an iota to one’s own will in contradiction to His own.
The leadership in the Church have a decision to make: Are they going to go along with the world, the flesh, and the devil and coddle and encourage people in their disordered inclinations and attachments, or will the leadership preach Christ the Divine Physician who offers healing from all of our sicknesses?
I do not believe …
With respect, what you believe hardly settles the matter.
What is the meaning of “ECC” following your name? Thanks.
To what “spirit” do you refer? If you are talking about the “Holy Spirit,” you surely know that He comes with gifts and leaves his fruits. What gifts and fruits do you consider the ‘synodal’ Church should expect?
I too was curious about “ECC”. Short answer: “Ecumenical Catholic Communion” (www.stpauldenverecc.com).
“As part of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion,
we are a progressive, all-inclusive community
living and worshiping in the ancient Catholic tradition…Individuals are called forward to assume
the various lay and ordained ministries of the church
out of the diversity of our membership—
male/female/transgendered,
married or in committed unions/single/divorced,
young/old, straight/gay/bi.”
Seems pretty clear to me!
If the “ECC” community ordains its own individuals, the ‘Fr.’ preceding Nicosia’s name does not indicate a priest ordained, trained, or authorized to represent Catholicism by the Magisterium of the RCC. Certainly if Nicosia were once ordained by the RCC sacrament of Holy Orders, he likely has been or ought to be laicized. IOW, the’fr.’could signify anything from “frumpy Frau” to “freeze-dried frogmouth” to “Franciscan Fruit” or some similar odiferous fructiferous cake.
Oh, so he’s not a priest after all! Gotcha. (He only identifies as one, lol)
Ah.I see. Episcopalians.
Father Michael, do you not see how easily and readily you have proved his (God’s) point and followed the old adam and eve and bitten into the fruit of determining good and evil, right and wrong. The Holy Spirit in the New Adam and Eve and Archbishop Aquila, you claim to be deceived and disobedient, you have determined they need to liberalize obediently their understanding to yours. Once again the Holy Spirit in Archbishop witnesses Christ is the Vine and His Sap is the Spirit of Truth, not you – unfortunately in doing this you have made yourself Christ and made Christ beelzebub: Christ is the deceiver, the liar, and you are the Truth and you want the Sheep and Shepherds to ‘hear your voice, not Christ’s’.
You have been deceived by the liar who from the beginning, says to us, “did God really say you have to love within certain conditions, that there is to be holy Obedience to His Tree of the Truth of the Knowledge of good and evil and you cannot decide this for yourself and if you do you will lose Communion with Him Who is Life and Love and will surely die by leaving His Communio, not staying within His Holy Conditions”?? The natural law is nothing else than God’s Eternal Law and Design governing all things – graves sins remove us from abiding in Holy Communion with the Thrice-Holy Communio-Lamb and those within His Conditions of being alive in His Communio.
Blessings and mercies, Father, for ‘God’s Thoughts and Ways are not ours and ours are far from His, as far as the south is from the north, the west from the east…’
from another author and webpage:
Contraception is wrong because it’s a deliberate violation of the design God built into the human race, often referred to as “natural law.” The natural-law purpose of sex is procreation. The pleasure that sexual intercourse provides is an additional blessing from God, intended to offer the possibility of new life while strengthening the bond of intimacy, respect, and love between husband and wife. The loving environment this bond creates is the perfect setting for nurturing children.
But sexual pleasure within marriage becomes unnatural, and even harmful to the spouses, when it is used in a way that deliberately excludes the basic purpose of sex, which is procreation. God’s gift of the sex act, along with its pleasure and intimacy, must not be abused by deliberately frustrating its natural end—procreation.
Scripture
Is contraception a modern invention? Hardly! Birth control has been around for millennia. Scrolls found in Egypt, dating to 1900 B.C., describe ancient methods of birth control that were later practiced in the Roman empire during the apostolic age. Wool that absorbed sperm, poisons that fumigated the uterus, potions, and other methods were used to prevent conception. In some centuries, even condoms were used (though made out of animal skin rather than latex).
The Bible mentions at least one form of contraception specifically and condemns it. Coitus interruptus was used by Onan to avoid fulfilling his duty according to the ancient Jewish law of fathering children for one’s dead brother. “Judah said to Onan, ‘Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also” (Gen. 38:8–10).
The biblical penalty for not giving your brother’s widow children was public humiliation, not death (Deut. 25:7–10). But Onan received death as punishment for his crime. This means his crime was more than simply not fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law. He lost his life because he violated natural law, as Jewish and Christian commentators have always understood. For this reason, certain forms of contraception have historically been known as “Onanism,” after the man who practiced it, just as homosexuality has historically been known as “Sodomy,” after the men of Sodom, who practiced that vice (see Gen. 19).
So was the Church wrong until now or did the Truth change?
Jesus Christ: ” I AM THE TRUTH ” cannot change: truth is not preached anymore.
Is this “Father” Jimmy Martin’s burner account!?!? Your “beliefs” are of little importance here. The ONLY thing that matters is what the Catholic Church teaches about men and women conducting the marital act outside of marriage…that it is a mortal sin and one that we should under no circumstance, condone.
The mandate is quite clear regarding the issue, as declared by Christ Himself:
“Go. From now on sin no more.” John 8:11
Yo, Nicosia guy:
On your proposal that natural law is an insufficiently evolved certitude about creation…the Church Fathers discovered long ago that the natural law was none other than the original and baked-in truth about the created human person…delivered later to Moses as the Ten Commandments! Not so much as something new, but as something forgotten and meriting a reminder.
But, yes, there are always new amnesiacs, sometimes in red hats, who now propose that the synodal “process”(!) will replace the “content” of the Ten Commandments. A passing fantasy, about which this higher reality: “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming” (Psalm 37:12-13).
Misplaced certitud? We have 20 centuries of history, during that time, the church expressed the certitud that Christ thought. In last 60 years, we doubted. We lost faith in the teachings of Christ. Let’s not kid ourselves. If you want to preach inclusion without repentance and change in your personal life, you are preaching for the kingdom of this world. You maybe successful in your LGBT church, but don’t call your self Christian. That is a lie . The truth should make you free.
Today we celebrate Christ presented to the Church, to become its founder, master, and commander. Now pseudo scientific musings, vague ideas of the Holy Spirit’s true intentions yet to be revealed, come from those who find the self revelation of God the Father in Christ the eternal Word rather uncomfortable.
“the Church as an institution that harms due to its incapacity to …full participation”. The Church is fore most the Mystical Body of God Incarnate and the main proclamation of Jesus and the apostles was: Repent and believe in the Gospel! Pope Francis “Communion makes community’ and “Communion is for sinners” is ambiguity and not helpful. “Invite all … fully into the life of the Church…regardless of his relationship with the Church or Jesus Christ” ?? Jesus said: “By their fruits you will know them”
1. Francis declared a few days ago that homosexual acts are sinful but are not a crime.
2. By such a formulation, it seems to many that traditional moral doctrine is being maintained.
3. But, it seems to me that the “sinful but not a crime” formulation is, in fact, a formulation that obscures and undercuts tradtional moral doctrine.
4. Something has gone terribly wrong in the Church since the 1960s.
5. Who or what will save us from this darkness? When can we have our Church back?
Thank God for faithful shepherds like Archbishop Aquila! May he be strengthened and blessed.
Bravo! God bless you Archbishop Aquila!
Who desire the light will know how to get to it, the wage is difficult to afford physically but so easy spiritually if we casted all our loads on Jesus, Am from Islamic background faced different kinds of threats and persecutions but never denied my faith for once because i kept feeding my self from a pure source (the Bible), for sure we need to encourage each others, show unlimited love and do our best to the weak spiritually but saving them is by the Lord’s grace and their own believing & convincing to walk like Jesus, talk like him or afford Hurricanes like he did as he explained to us clearly in (John 16: 1- 4)
All sinners are in our responsibility yet of their acts and says (they are blind & paralyzed from the truth)
Dear Yasir Abdallah:
Blessings upon blessings. It is a joy to read your words. You recognize the purity and simplicity of the Gospel message.
We both have a desire to aid Muslims to know Jesus Christ.
Praise be unto God for what He has done in your heart. My prayers are with you.
Brian Young
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Leviticus & Numbers tell us of God’s detailed instructions to Moses and the Israelites on how to be set apart from the culture of their time in order to be directed toward a relationship with Him through holiness and righteousness, Him who had already saved them from slavery. Likewise, Jesus called his followers to be set apart and, consequently, to expect trials and tribulations and that the world would also hate them because they did not follow the world’s ways.
This Pope is 100% on board with the goals for the Synod on Synodality to which you are objecting. Surely, Sir, you must be aware of that. No one is going to listen to you if you are disingenuous. Tell people the truth about what is going on in the Church: a fish rots from the head down.
“I hope an evolving understanding of creation and the Spirit’s speaking through the synodal process will move us beyond any misplaced certitude in this matter.” Let me guess, Father…you hope “the God of Surprises” will enlighten the participants in the Synod about the “life-affirming” goodness of homosexual sex, right?
The Pope is a peronist: He teaches one thing a day and its exact contrary a few days later. So superficial people can be satisfied. But for everyone who ponders deeper his speeches and his deeds it is easy to understand that his contradictions are leading the Church in a confused and wrong way that a true catholic faithful cannot support.
Not to worry! Cardinal Sarah will be the next successor to Peter’s throne!