Has it Begun?

Is schism already happening in the Holy Catholic Church? Catholic blogger Shane Shaetzel thinks so and has drawn up a map (above), showing where the fractures are occurring. Bishops in those areas in red are strongly resisting Pope Francis’s constant stream of innovations since being elected; not only Fiducia supplicans, but a slew of others rammed through previously, though Fiducia may be the last straw.

Shaetzel writes,

While the worldwide Catholic crisis is a schism de facto (in fact but unofficial), focused on (but not limited to) the blessing of same-sex couples. A de facto schism does not become de juris (in law or official), until communion with the pope is declared broken by some official act. This has not happened (yet).

Also,

The Ukrainian Eastern Catholics have declared that Fiducia Supplicans does not apply to any Eastern Catholic rite. So unless some Eastern Catholic bishops deny that, all Eastern Catholics will be included in the resistance — and that includes those few in Russia.

This writer is not quite so pessimistic. Schism is a god-awful occurrence, hugely destructive and the final result of it could be not several churches, but no church at all. I am sure resisting bishops are aware of that and will hold out as long as they possibly can before throwing up their hands and breaking with Rome.

Others however, more pessimistic than I, will point out our renegade Pope is hell-bent (expression specifically chosen), along with his left-wing comrades, on remaking Holy Church in accord with their revolutionary intentions, rendering it unrecognizable, thus amounting to its defacto destruction, regardless if it still bears the word “Catholic.” Francis has shown he is up to this with his earlier wholesale routings of the restorative institutions established by his predecessor, John Paul II.

It certainly appears things are going to get ugly. Pray.