Well, it’s the second day of Christmas, and while everyone else out there is dragging out their Christmas tree to the curb, we traditional Catholics are just getting started celebrating the Nativity of the Lord.
Thanks also to people praying for me in my health recovery, by God’s grace I’m experiencing a dramatic improvement in my condition almost like a small Christmas miracle. But please keep my full recovery in your prayers.
I’m waiting to see if the Tulsa diocese will put out a press release on the new homosexual couple blessings document, and expect a similar response to the OKC diocese statement saying it upholds marriage and doesn’t bless the union. My guess is Bishop Konderla being very pro-life will take a very conservative stance on this and say the blessing must be in private and of individuals only. If you’re reading this Bishop, I hope you’ll consider this.
We’re also waiting to hear from Cardinals Burke and Brandmueller, their silence saying a lot considering many bishops and bishops’ conferences have already responded critically. Homosexuality is such a controversial subject, I think they will confront Francis even more directly about the problems with the document, perhaps as we speak trying to get him and the DDF to add clarifications this is to be of individuals only and in private only.
Unfortunately, I don’t expect these clarifications to come. The document talks about blessing a person or persons plural, and avoiding the appearance of approving of the “union,” so a bishop should be able to go ahead and issue his own clarifications to his priests: 1. Only in private, 2. The individual only, not the relationship in any way.
I think the best we can hope for is the next pope is a conservative, probably from Africa, that Francis’ cardinals realize if they elect another Francis they run the risk of multiple schisms including inside the Church structure, as in major divisions on matters of discipline, liturgy, etc.
I would have the popes remain Italian as long as they are traditional Catholic, but if the next pope steps out on the papal balcony and he is black, I will do somersaults. Miracles do happen. And he wouldn’t take the name Francis II. Probably Benedict XVII.
I think the SSPX would even be overjoyed if say Cardinal Sarah steps out on the balcony. I admit my own ignorance about Africans, but the more I learn the more I like them for their devotion, relative orthodoxy, family values, and upholding traditional values on marriage and the family.
I also think right now our prayers have to intensify for Pope Francis that before he dies: 1) He will stop the radical leftist plan of reforms associated with his pontificate, 2) Convert from the influences of modernism/liberalism to the fullness of Catholic Tradition, 3) Try and remedy some of his mistakes against Tradition, 4) Die a holy death.
For as much as I’ve personally felt gaslighted by this pope, as much evidence is put out there for the thesis he is one of the worst popes in Church history, if not the worst, I want him to live the rest of his pontificate in a way that is clearly orthodox, traditional, and restoring the Church.
Miracles do happen after all.
Merry Christmas.