A friend sent this along, a polemic of the first rank by the estimable John Zmirak of the Stream. It concerns the Pope’s recent decision to approve blessings of same-sex marriages by priests. Zmirak condemns it, and in no uncertain terms, but then goes further.
Francis seeks a similar transformation [the sexual radicalization] of the Roman Catholic Church. He doesn’t want to frighten all the horses. He wants Catholics who still cling desperately to exaggerated notions about God guiding the pope day to day to hang on … by a thread. People who still believe that Catholics must treat every papal statement as “possibly infallible” and therefore beyond any question got thrown a tiny wishbone.
Catholic Facebook users may be familiar with this sort, found in groups such as Traditional Catholics for Obedience & Balance, who go through extraordinary mental contortions making themselves believe the Pope’s latest act is entirely benign, and that those who disagree are guilty of disobedience. Zmirak paraphrases them nicely.
I already see them on social media, shrilly insisting: The pope didn’t personally sign anything, anyway! He just approved it … . The pope didn’t endorse same sex marriage. He simply said that priests don’t need to inquire if same-sex couples who want his blessing are committing sodomy on each other. He said we should be clear, when we publicly bless couples living in sin, that we aren’t endorsing it. Just … publicly blessing it in rituals like those now in German Catholic churches that look exactly like weddings.
He likens these poor saps to
faithful dogs who can’t accept that their master has died, and wait every day by the door for him to come home from work, their tails still slowly wagging and misty brown eyes staring hopefully into the distance.
Divining the Pope’s particular motive promulgating this latest travesty is beyond the poor powers of your Tatler, but there is no question, after a decade in office and countless statements and actions contrary to Church teachings, whatever his motive is, it is, and there is no other way of putting it, evil.
It certainly can be said Francis’s latest stunt will be infuriating to those good Catholics who struggle, often mightily, with the curse in question here, yet unlike those alleged Catholics who flaunt their sins, still manage to live their lives in accordance with Church teachings. They have just been given the finger, both hands, by His Holiness [sic] the Pope.
h/t GR.
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See also: Who would choose to be a Catholic at a time like this.
h/t William J Tighe.
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The Taos Tatler 