Nicholas Bellord on Archbishop Fernandez's Woeful Defence Strategy

I recommend to readers an excellent contribution to The Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma blog by Nicholas Bellord, in which Archbishop Victor Fernandez's morality acrobatics are made available for all to read. Well done, Nicholas. Today would have been the birthday of Richard Collins. May he rest in peace. Remember him and his family in your prayers, pray for the Guild and for all who write as bloggers and Catholic journalists at this time when the truth is being eclipsed by men who should really know better. They seem so intelligent, many of these figures in the Church, do they wilfully not notice such gaping holes in their arguments? 

It Could All Have Been So Different...

... if the Saints Had Been Enlightened by Amoris Laetitia.

The message of the Francis papacy is that he need not have bothered himself with the interior struggle, but, in all honesty, I don't think for a second that the dodgy elements within the document would have gone under St Augustine's radar undetected. In fact, I cannot help but feel that these words of the great Doctor speak to us particularly in these times...

The City of God, by St Augustine of Hippo (Book XVIII, Chapter 51)

The Catholic Faith actually strengthened by the heretics.

'But the devil, seeing the temples of the demons deserted, and the human race running to the name of the liberating Mediator, has moved the heretics under the Christian name to resist the Christian doctrine, as if they could be kept in the city of God indifferently without any correction, just as the city of confusion indifferently held the philosophers who were of diverse and adverse opinions. Those, therefore, in the Church of Christ who savor anything morbid and depraved, and, on being corrected that they may savor what is wholesome and right, contumaciously resist, and will not amend their pestiferous and deadly dogmas, but persist in defending them, become heretics, and, going without, are to be reckoned as enemies who serve for her discipline. For even thus they profit by their wickedness those true Catholic members of Christ, since God makes a good use even of the wicked, and all things work together for good to them that love Him. Romans 8:28

For all the enemies of the Church, whatever error blinds or malice depraves them, exercise her patience if they receive the power to afflict her corporally; and if they only oppose her by wicked thought, they exercise her wisdom: but at the same time, if these enemies are loved, they exercise her benevolence, or even her beneficence, whether she deals with them by persuasive doctrine or by terrible discipline. And thus the devil, the prince of the impious city, when he stirs up his own vessels against the city of God that sojourns in this world, is permitted to do her no harm. For without doubt the divine providence procures for her both consolation through prosperity, that she may not be broken by adversity, and trial through adversity, that she may not be corrupted by prosperity; and thus each is tempered by the other, as we recognize in the Psalms that voice which arises from no other cause, "According to the multitude of my griefs in my heart, Your consolations have delighted my soul." Hence also is that saying of the apostle, "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation." Romans 12:12

For it is not to be thought that what the same teacher says can at any time fail, "Whoever will live piously in Christ shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12 Because even when those who are without do not rage, and thus there seems to be, and really is, tranquillity, which brings very much consolation, especially to the weak, yet there are not wanting, yea, there are many within who by their abandoned manners torment the hearts of those who live piously, since by them the Christian and Catholic name is blasphemed; and the dearer that name is to those who will live piously in Christ, the more do they grieve that through the wicked, who have a place within, it comes to be less loved than pious minds desire. The heretics themselves also, since they are thought to have the Christian name and sacraments, Scriptures, and profession, cause great grief in the hearts of the pious, both because many who wish to be Christians are compelled by their dissensions to hesitate, and many evil-speakers also find in them matter for blaspheming the Christian name, because they too are at any rate called Christians.

By these and similar depraved manners and errors of men, those who will live piously in Christ suffer persecution, even when no one molests or vexes their body; for they suffer this persecution, not in their bodies, but in their hearts. Whence is that word, "According to the multitude of my griefs in my heart;" for he does not say, in my body. Yet, on the other hand, none of them can perish, because the immutable divine promises are thought of. And because the apostle says, "The Lord knows them that are His; 2 Timothy 2:19 for whom He did foreknow, He also predestinated [to be] conformed to the image of His Son," Romans 8:29 none of them can perish; therefore it follows in that psalm, "Your consolations have delighted my soul." But that grief which arises in the hearts of the pious, who are persecuted by the manners of bad or false Christians, is profitable to the sufferers, because it proceeds from the charity in which they do not wish them either to perish or to hinder the salvation of others.

Finally, great consolations grow out of their chastisement, which imbue the souls of the pious with a fecundity as great as the pains with which they were troubled concerning their own perdition. Thus in this world, in these evil days, not only from the time of the bodily presence of Christ and His apostles, but even from that of Abel, whom first his wicked brother slew because he was righteous, 1 John 3:12 and thenceforth even to the end of this world, the Church has gone forward on pilgrimage amid the persecutions of the world and the consolations of God.'

Was Herod's situation Amoris compliant?

In the Jesuits

On the Side of the Angels, aka Paul Priest came up with this good idea for a song to the tune of 'In the Navy' by the Village People. Flaming Jesuits! Why can't faithful Catholics infiltrate the Jesuits as well as Communists have done? Enjoy!

Anthony and Ivereigh

Well, its the silly season so I thought I'd slip another song in, and just thought, 'I know I should give the poor guy a break and he has apologised, but what the hey, I think I'll just put it out there anyway.' Neglecting the better instincts of prudence and conscience, I've decided to run with the song, 'Anthony and Ivereigh'. And here at The Crushed Bones, I don't have an editor to tell me off and instruct me on editorial policy or make me think again.

My falsetto is pretty terrible. My only hope is that it adds some comic value to this song and it is still listenable. Poor Austen. Credit to him for apologising though. When's Fr Antonio Spadaro S.J going to do the noble thing? It is the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To one and all, I wish a very happy Feast. Her Immaculate Heart will triumph.

God speed your heart's triumph, O Immaculate Queen, 

for thou alone has destroyed all the heresies of the entire world.

On Supplication for your Enemies

In the papal office are gathered the Pope, Fr Antonio Spadaro S.J his communications confidant and Fr Arturo Sosa Abasca S.J, head of the Jesuits worldwide. There, at a time when they are under a considerable storm of fierce criticism, with only the praise of Catholic dissidents and the admiration of secular activists for consolation, four years into the pontificate of Pope Francis, the three gather in order to make supplication for their enemies and by invocation ask for guidance for themselves and the Church.

Pope Francis: Brethren, I have convened this meeting of supplication and invocation in order to lift up to the Lord and the Master the remaining dubia Cardinals, who with the support of many silent co-horts, as well as vocal accomplices, among the ranks of the Cardinalate, the Episcopate, the Clergy and the Laity, the numbers of which we cannot fully know, with daring and conviction continue to steadfastly insist in a most brazen manner that I answer their questions concerning right doctrine. Let us invoke the Lord and Master.

Fr Antonio Spadaro S.J: Lord, I just want to ask you to cover these enemies with shame and confound them, who in their arrogance lift their heel against thy annointed. Thank you, Lord. We praise you, Lord. In your mighty name, Lord. We would not have risen to great heights nor carried out our achievements without thy great aid and manifold kindnesses. We seek to advance your empire across the globe. Touch the hearts, therefore, O Lord and Master, of these Cardinals and bring them to fall down and lose heart in the face of thy power, them and those who with boldness and insolence, with haughtiness seek to support them in their common endeavour. Convert them, of if this is not thy will, may they know the power of thy wrath. I invoke thee, O Master, too, that the United States of America may find harmony and concord in a President more to thy pleasure, a man who fears thee and is willing to carry out thy commands. May all ecumenists of hate find that in you lies excellence of intellect and gifts of peace and harmony and to those who show you goodwill and obedience, never has it been known that you have withdrawn your most generous hand.

Fr Arturo Sosa Abasca S.J: O Master, you know all things and can do all things. The nations fear you and your mighty name has spread across the globe because you are great and terrible indeed. When a nation angers you, who does not know of it? Those who rise up against you soon find themselves humbled beneath such great strength and the glory of your house never ceases to increase in honour and prestige. Therefore, we your servants invoke thy aid, that those who dissent from your doctrines may become a reproach in the sight of men. Nothing is impossible for you, O Master. Touch the hearts of your enemies. May I mention in particular Poland and any nations considering interpreting our Exhortation in continuity with sacred tradition. We invoke your aid that all Bishops Conferences may follow the lead of nations such as Malta and we commend to you Germany and also Argentina, that the beginning of their fidelity may become more established in its totality. But may your enemies and our enemies be covered in disgrace and if they will not carry out the commands laid upon all your servants may they find themselves ejected from our company, their names forgotten and their memory erased from the face of the Earth. Lord, in your mighty name.

Fr Antonio Spadaro S.J: Lord and Master, I commend to you the servant Austen Ivereigh of Crux and Catholic Voices and I beseech you for more guidance in my work. May he continue his work of assisting us in propagating the doctrines and laws which have won you such acclaim and renown over all the Earth. May he be encouraged in his work and where the power of logical or rational arguments fail, may he and I find in your faithfulness and goodness more rhetorical devices with which to cover our enemies with contempt. For at this time, this pleases you more than anything else, so that in our work propagating thy doctrines - confusing to some, but to those who are enlightened, nourishment for the body, soul and mind - reason itself may give way to an increased devotion to thy service, for to please you is to live and if a man does not please you, he can do nothing well. We rejoice in the abundance of your gifts. The whole world is yours, may the Church find its pleasure only in your service.

Pope Francis: Amen. Well, then, my faithful team. Let us close this invocation by thanking our Lord Jacob Rothschild and our Master, George Soros, for joining us in this video conference. May our supplication fall upon your gracious ears, my Lord and my Master and increase your support and aid to our common cause. May the foe be routed and your empire be extended throughout the Church and the World. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Master. May we reconvene this meeting next week. Thursday is good for me. Boys, put it in your diaries.

Fr Arturo Sosa Abasca S.J: Amen. May my Lord and my Master receive praise and thanksgiving for this video conference. Where would thy servants be, my Lord, what would we achieve, O Master, without such wonderful recording technology? Even for these gifts, we must surely thank you. Our only sorrow is that David Rockefeller cannot be here to join us. May his memory continue to inspire us in furthering the goals that we share in your service.

George Soros: Keep up the good work boys. We're proud of you.

Pope Francis: Laudato Si!

Happy feast of St Lawrence of Rome. May his intercession bring to the Church an increase of peace, unity and fidelity to Christ the Lord.

Holding out for a Nero

The excommunication letter should be in the post by Friday but everything's quicker on Twitter.

Here's to hoping against hope that His Holiness will answer the dubia which could be answered in under 140 characters...

...on Twitter.

 After that, consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in union with all the Bishops of the world couldn't do any harm, could it?

Oremus.

Meanwhile, I see that Austen Ivereigh has now placed Catholic converts on the couch for psychoanalysis. 

Anyone out there know why Austen hates his Mother, the Church?

Catholics in Good Standing