From Propaganda to Psychological Warfare: The Spiralling Descent of the Francis Pontificate

What is really fascinating about today's threat from Mgr Pio Pinto is what it says about him and those for whom he so obviously speaks.

As it so happens, Mgr Pinto is named in a website claiming to reveal members of the Hierarchy who are Freemasons - I have no idea whether the site is credible or the list true.

However, it is quite an allegation that someone has made in the public domain so would he care to answer a 'Yes' or 'No' to the question: 'Are you a Freemason?' Or has he already answered the question 'in a round about kind of way' throughout his ecclesiastical career? For clear answers of a 'yes/no' variety seem to be such a rarity from Rome nowadays.

But I digress: Much is revealed about Mgr Pio Pinto's psychology (or the psychology of whomever put him up to it) when he issues such threats against Cardinal Burke and the four Cardinals in general, claiming that they could be stripped of their cardinalate should they continue their questioning of the Pope or 'move forward' with their promise to take further action.

An alleged list of members of the Sacred Hierarchy of the Church who are Freemasons.

Mgr Pinto - or whoever put him up to it - quite shamelessly assumes that these Cardinals are motivated by the rank and authority, title, privilege and status to which they have risen in the Church. Why would he or whoever put him up to it do that or think in that way?

'Drop it! Be silent! Otherwise the Pope will publicly humiliate you and see your rank and status taken from you!'

Allegedly!

Well, quite naturally - though such naked ambition is always unbecoming of a prelate, for I believe His Holiness called them 'ladder climbers' or 'careerist bishops' or some similar insult, it does happen that people angle themselves for promotion within the Church and prize that above the important things - like remaining faithful to the Truth of Christ and service of Him in His Holy Church for the salvation of souls.

But clearly the one who says...

'Drop it! Be silent! Otherwise the Pope will publicly humiliate you and see your rank and status taken from you!'

...believes that Cardinals Burke, Meisner, Caffara and Brandmuller fall into this category of prelate, thinking that, because that is (quite clearly) the way in which he - or they - or whoever put him up to it thinks, that such is how the faithful four think.

I don't obviously know the hearts and souls of Cardinals Burke, Meisner, Caffara and Brandmuller, but I just imagine that somebody has made a massive miscalculation and into the bargain has revealed the real intentions of the heart of either himself or whoever has put him up to it.

Benedict XVI saw authority in the Church as a gift to be used in the service of Christ, in the service of Truth, in the service of God's people, in the service of the Church. Benedict XVI did not see the papacy - even the papacy - with its extraordinary privileges in terms of power, but pointed to the Crucified Christ who emptied Himself out of love for us.

Only those who believe that their position and vocation in the Church is about power and influence for its own sake would assert the withdrawal of rank and privilege as a real threat to those who question the Pope on faith and morals, when teaching on faith and morals is his very duty as Supreme Teacher of the Faithful. Further, if this were being considered by the Supreme Pontiff who is, according to Cardinal Hummes, ever serene and 'moving forward' then not only is this a threat that could - for even Popes are prone to human error and poor judgement - backfire catastrophically, but one that he may be forced to act on because the threat has not been taken terribly seriously. If the threat is seen in terms of 'God or Nothing' then it is a threat that will be treated as something to be taken in the stride of those who are faithful to Christ, something which history documents has been costly to ecclesiastical careers, yes even within the Church. St Athanasius, after all, was exiled for standing firm!

Quite simply if these four Cardinals or 'persons' really believe that remaining faithful to the Truth of Christ come what may - then this threat, sorrowful as its consequences would be for these men - would not be deemed terribly important. That's quite a gamble when you are dealing with men who, unlike the Pope's mischievous minions, take Jesus Christ very seriously indeed. I just don't see how the Pope could still retain his waning reputation as merciful or pastoral or humble or fraternal or'in the spirit of dialogue or whatever kind of vacuous, platitudinous phrase is currently circulating in the papal lexicon, should he decide to press that button.

Creating martyrs - real Christian martyrs - may not be such a wise move by His Holiness. He should perhaps consider the implications of such a move before permitting his Dean of the Roman Rota to publicly suggest such an idea, or, having permitted it to occur, restrain him, perhaps even publicly. The Pope has more to lose in the public eye than do those who he could sanction and publicly strip of their rank and status. But I suppose that the more silent is the Pope on the dubia, the more questions arise over his pontificate. the less he is able to maintain unity in the Church under Peter, the more anxious will become those who wish to, by hook or crook, disavow the Teachings of Jesus Christ.

Yes, the way is being paved for apostasy in Rome. No, many people, including some bishops and Cardinals, will not remain silent in the face of evil. There are real consequences to threats. There are real consequences to actions. Those consequences will not - I suspect - leave Pope Francis looking good any longer. Having asked unanswered questions, these men have simply brought the issue to the assembly because they believe - rightly - that it is the Church's business to know. Thank God for these wise and brave men who - I believe - are not ashamed of Christ, nor afraid to 'suffer humiliation for the sake of the Name'!