Symptoms of The Francis Effect™

WDTPRS ^ | 10/17/2013 | Fr John Zuhlsdorf

[markomalley]

We didn’t think this was going to happen?

Six months into this pontificate, and people are starting to go a little crazy.

For example, the Archbishop of Birmingham is talking about intercommunion with Anglicans, based on a document which dates back to 1993 and concerns the conditions necessary for intercommunion with the Eastern Orthodox.   (In other words, that document doesn’t apply.  One is an actual Church with valid sacraments and the other is neither.)

For example, in the Archdiocese of Freiburg, Germany, some minor chancery official usurped authority which was not his in order to outline a “policy” that would allow the divorced and remarried in the diocese to receive Communion.  (In other words, it remains entirely against the law and, whether he did it on his own or with the wink and nod of the diocese’s administrator, someone oughta get their backside paddled, and hard.)

Not helpful.

In some places, the Church’s teaching on doctrine and morals are out the window.

Real colors are being revealed.

“But Father! But Father!”, some of you will be saying by now… ohhhh…. I know you too well…. “You are turning on Pope Francis!   We can tell.   NotonlydoyouhateVatican II, but all this fulsome support of Francis you gave over the last few months….”

No, dear readers.

If in some diocese in Germany or some diocese in England a minor official or a bishop does something that is … well… pretty weird or against the Church’s law, that in itself is not Francis’ fault.  I remind the readers that those bishops or officials were not appointed by Francis.  They weren’t told to do those things by Francis.

We will have to wait and see, with patience, what the CDF might do in response to crazy things that will be popping up from time to time.

Here’s the deal.

The new style of this Pope – which I admit I am not comfortable with when it comes to liturgical praxis – is going to tend to bring people’s true colors out.

Doesn’t it seem that way to you?

The SSPX is having a spittle-flecked nutty over in the selva oscura where they wander.  Liberals are dancing around like Gollum on the edge of the Crack of Doom.

SNAFU

Something about Pope Francis is disorienting.  In the disorientation, people are showing sides that they have otherwise been able more easily to keep under wraps.

I recommend the brewing of strong Mystic Monk Coffee as an antidote to both the nutty in the dark woods and the temptation of the “precious”.

Mystic Monk Coffee!

It’s swell.

[Tax-chick]

Something about Pope Francis is disorienting. In the disorientation, people are showing sides that they have otherwise been able more easily to keep under wraps.

Interesting viewpoint.

[vladimir998]

I wish everyone would just calm down.

[Biggirl]

Thank-you and God Bless. Pope Francis is simply doing what is based on the famous saying of St. Francis, “preach the Gospel always, when necessary, use words.”

[Running On Empty]

I agree.

And I’m recalling the prophetic dream of St. John Bosco and the forces pulling, from both the left and the right, against the Barque of Peter.