Posted on 01/30/2017 11:35:48 AM PST by BlessedBeGod
Few took note of it. But in resuming the meetings with bishops on their visits “ad limina apostolorum,” after the long hiatus during the jubilee, Pope Francis has inaugurated a new practice.
The first to experience it were the bishops of Ireland, whom the pope received last January 20.
The official bulletin of the Holy See furnished the names of the thirty-one bishops present. Nothing else. Not even a hint of the words Francis addressed to them.
And the same for the five bishops of Cambodia whom the pope received on January 26, and for the nine bishops of Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia received on January 30.
This is not how it used to be. For decades the “ad limina” visits were regularly concluded with a speech by the pope that was made public immediately afterward, in which there were often references to the most pressing issues of the national Church in question, with the relative judgments, encouragements, reprimands on the part of the successor of Peter.
To the expert eye, these speeches were the Roman thermometer for the Church’s state of health in the various regions of the world.
But Pope Francis quickly got out of the habit of following that established practice. He did not write the speeches himself, although they were made public as such, and more and more often he neglected to read them. They were handed out to the bishops who were there with him. He preferred to relate with them spontaneously, behind closed doors and on the condition that what was spoken remain confidential.
And this is probably how things would have continued, if not for what happened at the last “ad limina” visit before the jubilee hiatus, on November 20, 2015, with the bishops of Germany.
The double synod on the family had just ended, and with those same German bishops Francis had struck an alliance in order to introduce his “openness” into the pastoral care of Catholic marriage, especially on the “vexata quaestio” of communion for the divorced and remarried.
The Church of Germany, however, was hardly a standout in the whole of the worldwide Church. On the contrary, in too many ways it constituted a terrible example. And in the speech that Francis found in his hands, during the meeting with the German bishops on their “ad limina” visit, sure enough there was a ruthless denunciation of the many things that were going wrong there.
For example, the collapse of faith and of religious practice:
"One notes a very strong decrease in attendance at Sunday Mass, as well as in the sacramental life, particularly in the regions with a Catholic tradition. In the 1960s almost every member of the faithful attended Mass every Sunday, whereas now the faithful often represent less than 10 per cent. Ever fewer people are receiving the sacraments. The sacrament of Penance has almost disappeared. Fewer and fewer Catholics receive Confirmation or contract a Catholic marriage. The number of vocations to the priestly ministry and to the consecrated life has dwindled noticeably. Given these facts one can truly speak of an erosion of the Catholic faith in Germany."
The excessive structures:
"New structures are inaugurated from which in the end the faithful are absent. It is a sort of new Pelagianism which leads us to put faith in administrative structures and perfect organizations. Excessive centralization, rather than proving helpful, complicates both the Church’s life and her missionary dynamic."
The theological and catechetical drift:
"As a caring father, the prelate will stand beside the theological faculties, helping the teachers to rediscover the great ecclesial importance of their mission. Fidelity to the Church and to her Magisterium does not run counter to academic freedom but demands a humble attitude of service to God’s gifts. The 'sentire cum Ecclesia' must distinguish in a particular way those who educate and shape the new generations."
The temptation to have Mass celebrated by ordinary laymen:
"It is necessary to always highlight the close connection between the Eucharist and Ordination to the Priesthood. Experience has shown that pastoral programmes which do not give sufficient importance to priests in their ministry of governing, teaching and sanctifying with regard to the Church’s structure and to sacramental life, are doomed to fail. The precious cooperation of the lay faithful, especially where vocations are lacking, cannot replace the priestly ministry or even make it appear merely optional. With no priest there is no Eucharist."
And concessions on abortion and euthanasia:
"One of the bishop’s tasks which is never sufficiently appreciated is the commitment to life. The Church must never tire of being an advocate for life and must not neglect to proclaim that human life is to be protected unconditionally from the moment of conception until natural death. Here we can never make compromises without also becoming guilty ourselves."
Francis did not read this speech to the bishops, as it effectively cast a bad light on the alliance that he had struck with the progressive wing of the German Church.
But the speech, as always, become public as having been delivered by the pope. And in Germany it let loose an uproar, in which Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and leader of the innovators, made himself the plaintive spokesman with Francis, obtaining from him this explanation that Marx afterward related to others: “I didn’t write it, I hadn’t read it, don’t pay any attention to it.”
The fact is that from that day on, Francis suspended the “ad limina” visits, on account - he said - of the jubilee.
And now that he has resumed them, they don’t come with any speech.
Means “to the treshold of the Apostles” for those of you who haven’t been dead for a few thousand years...
Personally the less he says, the more I like it.
It’s just Peter the Roman being, well, Peter the Roman. Don’t care what this “pope’s” real name is. You are what you do and he is the living personification of the prophecy of Peter the Roman. The Roman Catholic church will be forever lessened and demeaned due to his words and deeds.
Hess, but it would be real nice if he stopped talking to reporters as well.
Do you think the speech was written by Cardinal Mueller?
When he speaks spontaneoulsy, however, the real Francis appears, e.g. daily Mass homilies in Casa Santa Marta and airborne press conferences. That's usually when things go off the rails, big time. So it's interesting that he now appears to be ditching more of the pre-prepared speeches in favor of his own improvised, spur-of-the-moment thoughts. A natural progression for El Lider Maximo.
He (Pope Francis) preferred to relate with them spontaneously, behind closed doors and on the condition that what was spoken remain confidential.
He's a sneak.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.