{"id":32091,"date":"2017-11-28T16:36:47","date_gmt":"2017-11-28T22:36:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=32091"},"modified":"2021-04-06T12:57:25","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T18:57:25","slug":"barquing-up-the-wrong-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/barquing-up-the-wrong-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Barquing Up the Wrong Tree","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

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HE\u00a0<\/b>looked at me intensely and said, “Mark, you have a lot of readers. If Pope Francis teaches error, you must break away and lead your flock in truth.”<\/p>\n

I was stunned by the clergyman’s words. For one, “my flock” of readers do not belong to me. They (you) are Christ’s possession. And of you, He says:<\/p>\n

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I myself will look after and tend my sheep. \u00a0As a shepherd tends his flock\u00a0when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,\u00a0so will I tend my sheep.\u00a0I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered<\/span>\u00a0when it was cloudy and dark. (Last Sunday’s Mass reading; Ezekiel 34:11-12)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Lord is speaking here, both of the diaspora of the Jews beyond Israel, but also, in the greater context, of a time when the sheep of Christ’s Church would be abandoned by their shepherds. A time when the clergy would be mostly silent, cowardly or careerists who defend neither the flock nor the truth, but rather shepherd and guard the status quo. It is a time of apostasy<\/em>. And according to the popes, we are presently living in that hour:<\/p>\n

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Who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is\u2014apostasy<\/em> from God\u2026 <\/strong>\u2014POPE ST. PIUS X, E Supremi<\/em>, Encyclical On the Restoration of All Things in Christ, n. 3, 5; October 4th, 1903<\/span><\/p>\n

Apostasy<\/em>, the loss of the faith, is spreading throughout the world and into the highest levels within the Church<\/strong>. \u2014POPE PAUL VI, Address on the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions, October 13, 1977<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The third pope to explicitly use the word “apostasy” (which only appears in 2 Thess 2:3 when St. Paul speaks of an “apostasy” directly before the coming of Antichrist) was Pope Francis:\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u2026worldliness is the root of evil and it can lead us to abandon our traditions and negotiate our loyalty to God who is always faithful. This\u2026 is called apostasy<\/em>, which\u2026 is a form of \u201cadultery\u201d which takes place when we negotiate the essence of our being: loyalty to the Lord<\/strong>. \u2014POPE FRANCIS from a homily, Vatican Radi<\/a>o, November 18th, 2013<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We see this negotiation of truth all about us as Catholic schools, colleges, and universities in the West continue to adopt a politically correct agenda<\/a> in direct contradiction to Catholic moral teaching. We see this abandonment of our traditions in some bishop’s conferences where novel interpretations of\u00a0Amoris\u00a0Laetitia\u00a0<\/i>are leading to a kind of\u00a0Anti-Mercy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>And in some countries, like Canada, we see the march of totalitarianism at an alarming pace that is almost entirely uncontested by the Church there, save for the odd Cardinal or bishop bravely denouncing the new quasi-Communism. At stake, on a massive scale, is our loyalty to the Lord.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Satan may adopt the more alarming weapons of deceit\u2014he may hide himself\u2014he may attempt to seduce us in little things, and so to move the Church, not all at once, but by little and little from her true position. I do believe he has done much in this way in the course of the last few centuries\u2026 It is his policy to split us up and divide us, to dislodge us gradually from our rock of strength. <\/strong>\u2014Blessed John Henry Newman, Sermon IV: The Persecution of Antichrist<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The division within the Church that we are now seeing is not only being fuelled by “progressives” but also “traditionalists” who are becoming increasingly vocal against Pope Francis. In another candid interview, Cardinal M\u00fcller, who was removed by Francis as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said:<\/p>\n

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There is a front of traditionalist groups, just as there is with the progressivists, that would like to see me as head of a movement against the Pope. But I will never do this…. I believe in the unity of the Church and I will not allow anyone to exploit my negative experiences of these last few months.\u00a0Church authorities, on the other hand, need to listen to those who have serious questions or justified complaints; not ignoring them, or worse, humiliating them. Otherwise, without desiring it, there can be an increase of the risk of a slow separation that might result in the schism of a\u00a0part of the Catholic world, disorientated and disillusioned.<\/strong> \u2014Corriere della Sera,\u00a0<\/em>Nov. 26, 2017; quote from the Moynihan Letters, #64, Nov. 27th, 2017<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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THE SCHISMATICS<\/p>\n

Years ago, I stumbled upon the writings of two “sedevacanists” (people who believe the seat of Peter is vacant).\u00a0They generally see Pope St. Pius X as the last valid pontiff and point to “heresies” and “errors”, especially from the Second Vatican Council, that they claim validate their arguments. I was horrified by what I read. The subtle twist of words; the tainted reasoning; the pulling of phrases out of context. Like the Pharisees of old, they justified their schism with the “letter of the law” and, worse, have drawn countless souls away from the Roman Catholic Church. In them, the words of Pope Benedict particularly ring true:<\/p>\n

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\u2026today we see it in truly terrifying form: the greatest persecution of the Church does not come from external enemies, but is born of sin within the Church.<\/b> \u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, interview on flight to Lisbon, Portugal; LifeSiteNews, May 12th, 2010<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I point this out because the spirit, if not the arguments of these schismatics, are beginning to gain traction among some “conservative” Catholics who are increasingly disgruntled with the current papacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But here is the point: it is still a\u00a0valid\u00a0<\/em>papacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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THE DUBIA<\/p>\n

There is no question that the pontificate of Francis is fraught with seeming<\/em> contradictions and ambiguities. A great many of these, however, are clearly the result of the pontiff being taken out of context, misquoted, or interpreted through a “hermeneutic of suspicion” that automatically twists the meaning of his words.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, what cannot be denied is the present misappropriation of this Pope’s teaching in a pastoral context, as has happened with some bishop’s conferences. While still Prefect, Cardinal M\u00fcller criticized some bishops for a “casuistry” that was fomenting a “crisis of truth” by allowing Catholics, in an objective state of adultery, to admit themselves to the Sacrament of the Eucharist. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u2026<\/i>it is not right that so many bishops are interpreting Amoris Laetitia<\/i> according to their way of understanding the Pope\u2019s teaching. This does not keep to the line of Catholic doctrine\u2026 These are sophistries: the Word of God is very clear and the Church does not accept the secularization of marriage.<\/b> \u2014Cardinal M\u00fcller, Catholic Herald<\/i>, Feb. 1st, 2017; Catholic World Report<\/i>, Feb. 1st, 2017<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This “crisis” has led to four Cardinals (two now deceased) to issue five\u00a0dubia <\/i>(doubts) over questionable interpretations of Christian marriage and morality since the Synod on the family and its post-synodal document,\u00a0Amoris Laetitia.\u00a0<\/em>As
\npastors, they are fully within their right to seek clarification with “Peter” regarding what they perceive are serious abuses that are already taking place based on interpretations that break from Tradition. In that regard, they are following a biblical precedent when Paul went up to Antioch to meet face to face with Peter and correct what was truly a misappropriation of Christ’s teaching:<\/p>\n

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When Cephas came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. (Gal 2:11);\u00a0<\/span>It should be noted that the Cardinals have attempted to meet with Francis in person, but have not been able to gain an audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What one of the more prominent Cardinals has stated emphatically, however, is that the\u00a0dubia\u00a0<\/em>are not<\/em> a pretext for schism.<\/p>\n

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Absolutely not. I will never leave the Catholic Church. No matter what happens I intend to die a Roman Catholic. I will never be part of a schism.<\/strong> \u2014Cardinal Raymond Burke, LifeSiteNews<\/a>, August 22nd, 2016<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But part of a dialogue? We must, especially when truth is at stake.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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…the true friends are not those who flatter the Pope, but those who help him with the truth and with theological and human competence.\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014Cardinal M\u00fcller,\u00a0Corriere della Sera,\u00a0<\/em>Nov. 26, 2017; quote from the Moynihan Letters, #64, Nov. 27th, 2017<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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BARQUING UP THE WRONG TREE<\/p>\n

A call for clarity and unity, however, has not put an end to various theories which contend that the papacy of Francis is invalid. Many concerned Catholics are grasping for answers as to why Pope Francis has appointed progressives, left the dubia<\/em> unanswered, and “allowed” other oddities to emerge from the Vatican like support for “global warming<\/a>” or a stamp to commemorate the Reformation. “This is what Freemasons do,” a few have said, referring to the double-speak of that secret society that has been condemned by more than one pope. But unsubstantiated accusations like these are extremely dangerous because, suddenly, even the clear and profound teachings of Francis\u2014and they are not few\u2014are immediately cast into the darkness of suspicion and judgment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And then there is the testimony of the progressive Cardinal Godfried Daneels of Belgium who claims to have been part of the “St. Gallen’s Mafia” to oppose the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the papacy, and to advance a reform of the Church to be headed by none other than Jorge Mario Bergoglio\u2014now Pope Francis. The little clique was about 7-8 members. Did they somehow influence the election of Pope Francis too?<\/p>\n

Here’s the thing: not a single Cardinal (including the outspoken Cardinal Raymond Burke or the courageous African Cardinals or any other orthodox members of that college) has even so much as hinted<\/em> that something went awry. It is hard to believe that, in a Church that was built upon the blood of martyrs and the Sacrifice of Christ… that at least one<\/em> man wouldn’t be willing to step forward and potentially lose his “career” to expose an antipope occupying the Seat of Peter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is one very obvious problem with those who, without clear evidence that the conclave was invalid, insist that the Gallen’s group nonetheless disqualifies Francis: the group disbanded after Benedict XVI was elected. In other words, it is Benedict’s election that would be most in question<\/em> if there was any validity to the vote being skewed by this “mafia” (because maybe another victor may have emerged). Nonetheless, in the\u00a0search for any\u00a0<\/em>reason to disqualify Francis, pundits continue to assert that Pope Benedict is still the legitimate pontiff. They claim that he resigned under pressure and duress, and therefore, he remains the Supreme Pontiff, while Bergoglio is an antipope, impostor, or false prophet. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The problem with this is that Pope Benedict himself has repeatedly denounced those who voice this theory:<\/p>\n

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There is absolutely no doubt regarding the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry. The only condition for the validity of my resignation is the complete freedom of my decision. Speculations regarding its validity are simply absurd\u2026 [My] last and final job [is] to support [Pope Francis\u2019] pontificate with prayer. <\/strong>\u2014POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI, Vatican City, Feb. 26th, 2014; Zenit.org<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And again, in Benedict’s recent autobiography, papal interviewer Peter Seewald explicitly asks whether the retired Bishop of Rome was the victim of ‘blackmail and conspiracy.’<\/p>\n

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That’s all complete nonsense. No, it’s actually a straight-forward matter… no one has tried to blackmail me. If that had been attempted I would not have gone since you are not permitted to leave because you’re under pressure. It’s also not the case that I would have bartered or whatever. On the contrary, the moment had\u2014thanks be to God\u2014a sense of having overcome the difficulties and a mood of peace. A mood in which one really could confidently pass the reins over to the next person.<\/strong> \u2014Benedict XVI, Last Testament in\u00a0His Own Words,\u00a0<\/i>with Peter Seewald; p. 24 (Bloomsbury Publishing)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So intent are some to dethrone Francis that they are willing to suggest that Pope Benedict is simply lying here\u2014a virtual prisoner in the Vatican. That rather than lay down his life for the truth and Christ’s Church, Benedict would prefer to either save his own hide, or at best, protect some secret that would do more damage. But if that were the case, the aged Pope Emeritus would be in grave sin, not only for lying, but for publicly supporting a man whom he knows\u00a0<\/em>to be an antipope. On the contrary, Pope Benedict was very clear in his last General Audience when he resigned the office:<\/p>\n

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I no longer bear the power of office for the governance of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, in the enclosure of Saint Peter.<\/strong> \u2014February 27th, 2013; vatican.va<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Once again, eight years later, Benedict XVI affirmed his resignation:<\/p>\n

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It was a difficult decision but I made it in full conscience, and I believe I did well. Some of my friends who are a bit \u2018fanatical\u2019 are still angry; they did not want to accept my choice. I am thinking about the conspiracy theories which followed it: those who said it was because of the Vatileaks scandal, those who said it was because of the case of the conservative Lefebvrian theologian, Richard Williamson. They did not want to believe it was a conscious decision, but my conscience is clear.<\/strong> \u2014February 28th, 2021; vaticannews.va<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But what about the prophecy of St. Francis of Assisi, some say?\u00a0<\/p>\n

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…there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Catholic Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death. <\/em> <\/strong>\u2014Works of the Seraphic Father <\/em>by R. Washbourne (1882), p. 250<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Since Pope Francis has been validly and canonically elected, this prophecy does not refer to him\u2014plain and simple… except that many indeed are beginning to refuse to obey, or at least, respect the “true Sovereign Pontiff.”<\/p>\n

I am inclined to say watch out! The signs of the times are everywhere indicating the rise of a false church<\/a>\u2014<\/em>a\u00a0<\/em>false church that may very well see an anti-pope attempt to usurp the throne that Francis now validly holds…\u00a0[1]<\/sup><\/a>read The Black Ship – Part I<\/a> and II<\/a><\/span><\/span>