 |
| http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52297984/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/jews-tell-pope-concern-over-moves-make-pius-xii-saint/?lite&lite=obnetwork#.Udb2Ufk3vMm |
By Philip Pullella
- Font:
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A Jewish leader expressed concern to Pope Francis on Monday over attempts to make a saint of World War Two-era Pope Pius XII, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust.
Francis made no mention of his wartime predecessor during his talks with members of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), but the pontiff repeated the Roman Catholic Church's condemnation of anti-Semitism.
This headline was on MSNBC today.
I just want to point out a few things.
1.) There is no such thing as "making" a saint. This is a common error by the media to say "[Name] will be made a saint." The correct term would be "declared." To declare someone a saint, aka canonize them, means to declare that they are already enjoying the Beatific Vision and in heaven, and that they lived a live of "heroic virtue" here on earth.
2.) The article says Pope Francis made no mention of Pope Pius XII in his declaration. I don't have the official transcripts, and I don't trust NBC any more than I trust a Taco Bell Five Layer Burrito, but if this is true it is very sad. There is a Proverb that frequently comes to mind for me, and here is no exception:
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God. (17:15)
I think this could be expanded to say "He that defendeth not the just, and he that maketh concessions to the unjust, both are abominable before God."
A question I have frequently asked myself:
"Why was the Holy Father so quick to 'excommunicate' Archbishop Lefebvre and the four consecrated Bishops - those who believe so firmly in the Catholic faith and of preserving it and defending it inviolately - while so, SO many priests, bishops and cardinals who spread their liberalist/modernist errors and commit grave liturgical abuses and commit pederasty and/or pedophilia are not defrocked or excommunicated?"
The question here would be:
"Why is the Holy Father so worried about ruffling feathers with Jewish leaders, so much so that he will not defend his own holy predecessor when he knows very well that Pius XII more than sufficiently fulfilled his role during that wartime? Why are we so worried about what others think at all? Did not St. Paul write to the Galatians: For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Did not St. John write, "Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father, and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also."
 |
| Antichrist and the devil (Fresco by Luca Signorelli, c. 1501) |
The bottom line is that we are at war at the core not with men at all (whether Jew, Gentile, pagan, atheist, etc.).
Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
But we still need to defend the truth at all costs and to be willing to let those who would kill the body for saying it kill the body. As Jesus said to Judas, "That which thou dost, do quickly."
And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell.
One of the things this NBC article said that Pope Francis stressed was our "COMMON ROOTS" with the Jewish people further stressing the commitment to Nostra Aetate.
The article referenced at the start of this post comes on the heels of another post from "Catholic News Agency" in which the title read: Fight against secularism unites Jews, Catholics, Pope says.
That article also made mention to the same declaration by Pope Francis, specifically to - you guessed it - Nostra Aetate and our "COMMON ROOTS."
Apparently the fact that they reject Christ as the Messiah no longer has any bearing on how that might separate rather than unite us...
The head line should have read as follows:
Rejection of Christ as Messiah Separates Jews, Catholics, Pope Says
Pope Francis said that the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah will result in the loss of souls if, before the end of their lives - as the Council of Florence, Trent and Vatican I all declared - they do not unite themselves to the one true ark of salvation with the laver of regeneration. St. Peter wrote that he who rejects Christ, he is the antichrist...
We keep hearing and reading about the alleged "Hermeneutic of Continuity" which the SSPX apparently does not understand.
However, if you read anything from prior to 1962, literally just about anything dealing with relations between the Catholic Church and non-Catholics, it always says there must be an emphasis for those outside of Her to convert.
This new approach toward uniting under a banner of "commonality" and "common good" is nothing other than the "irenic spirit of today" which Pope Pius XII warned about.
The following two passages, one from Pius XII himself (pre-Vatican II) and one from Paul VI (Nostra Aetate), point out what has changed in the Church in the last 50 years:
Pope Pius XII, On the Ecumenical Movement, 1949, # II
They shall also be on guard lest, on the false pretext that more attention should be paid to the points on which we agree than to those on which we differ, a dangerous indifferentism be encouraged, especially among persons whose training in theology is not deep and whose practice of their faith is not very strong. For care must be taken lest, in the so-called "irenic" spirit of today, through comparative study and the vain desire for a progressively closer mutual approach among the various professions of faith, Catholic doctrine – either in its dogmas or in the truths which are connected with them – be so conformed or in a way adapted to the doctrines of dissident sects, that the purity of Catholic doctrine be impaired, or its genuine and certain meaning be obscured.
Paul VI, Nostra Aetate, 1965, #1
In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship.
Pius XII says never to stress paying more attention to what we have in common but to always nail down and distinguish what separates us. For as I have stressed before:
He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. (Luke 11:23)
And as Pope Leo XIII wrote quoting from the early Church:
Satis Cognitam #9 (1896)
There can be nothing more dangerous than those heretics who admit nearly the whole cycle of doctrine, and yet by one word, as with a drop of poison, infect the real and simple faith taught by our Lord and handed down by Apostolic tradition
So, just to try and go overkill, I will leave you with a few more quotes to consider.
Pope St. Pius X, Notre Charge Apostolique, 1910
to the notion of Fraternity...they found on the love of common interest or, beyond all philosophies and religions, on the mere notion of humanity, thus embracing with an equal love and tolerance all human beings and their miseries, whether these are intellectual, moral, or physical and temporal. But Catholic doctrine tells us that the primary duty of charity does not lie in the toleration of false ideas...
vs.
Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam, 1964, #108
... we do not wish to turn a blind eye to the spiritual and moral values of the various non-Christian religions, for we desire to join with them in promoting and defending common ideals in the spheres of religious liberty, human brotherhood, education, culture, social welfare, and civic order.
Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Session 11, 1442
...Christians, with all discord between them banished, should come together in the same purity of faith.
Pope Pius XI, Mortalium Animos, 1928, #10
The union of Christians can only be promoted by promoting the return to the one true Church of Christ of those who are separated from it... whosoever therefore is not united with the body is no member of it, neither is he in communion with Christ its head.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
Pope Pius XII, Humani Generis, 1950, #11
...danger is perceived...concealed beneath the mask of virtue...There are many who, deploring disagreement among men and intellectual confusion, through an imprudent zeal for souls, are urged by a great and ardent desire to do away with the barrier that divides good and honest men; these advocate an "eirenism"according to which, by setting aside the questions which divide men, they aim not only at joining forces to repel the attacks of atheism, but also at reconciling things opposed to one another in the field of dogma....
Pope Julius III, Council of Trent, Session XIII, 1551, Ch. VIII
it is not enough to declare the truth unless errors be exposed and repudiated, it has seemed good to the holy council to subjoin these canons, so that, the Catholic doctrine being already known, all may understand also what are the heresies which they ought to guard against and avoid.
it is not enough to declare the truth unless errors be exposed and repudiated, it has seemed good to the holy council to subjoin these canons, so that, the Catholic doctrine being already known, all may understand also what are the heresies which they ought to guard against and avoid.
Fr. Denis Fahey
The world must conform to our Divine Lord; not He to it.
vs.
Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam, 1964, #109
We readily accept the principle of stressing what we all have in common rather than what divides us...We would even go further and declare our readiness to examine how we can meet the legitimate desires of our separated Christian brothers on many points of difference concerning tradition, spirituality, canon law, and worship, for it is Our dearest wish to embrace them in a perfect union of faith and charity.
Pope Pius XII, On the Ecumenical Movement, 1949, # IV- #1 / V
That communicatio in sacris (aka praying with other faiths/partaking in other worship ceremonies) be entirely avoided...Although in all these meetings and conferences any communication whatsoever in worship must be avoided. (St Alphonsus Liguori in his Theologia Moralis. This doctor of the church writes, ‘It is not permitted to be present at the sacred rites of infidels and heretics in such a
way that you would be judged to be in communion with them”)
1 Corinthians 10:20
But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.
Psalm 95:4-5
4 For the Lord is great, and exceedingly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils: but the Lord made the heavens.
vs.
Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, 1990 #29
The Church's relationship with other religions is dictated by a twofold respect: "Respect for man in his quest for answers to the deepest questions of his life, and respect for the action of the Spirit in man." Excluding any mistaken interpretation, the interreligious meeting held in Assisi was meant to confirm my conviction that "every authentic prayer is prompted by the Holy Spirit, who is mysteriously present in every human heart."
Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Session 11, 1442
...the holy Roman church, founded on the words of our Lord and Saviour, firmly believes, professes and preaches one true God, almighty, immutable and eternal, Father, Son and holy Spirit...it condemns, reproves, anathematizes and declares to be outside the body of Christ, which is the church, whoever holds opposing or contrary views.
vs.
Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam, 1964, #107
...we see another circle around us...It comprises first of all those men who worship the one supreme God, whom we also worship. We would mention first the Jewish people, who still retain the religion of the Old Testament, and who are indeed worthy of our respect and love.
Pius VIII, Traditi Humilitati, 1829, #4
Among these heresies belongs that foul contrivance of the sophists of this age who do not admit any difference among the different professions of faith and who think that the portal of eternal salvation opens for all from any religion. Indeed this deadly idea concerning the lack of difference among religions is refuted even by the light of natural reason. We are assured of this because the various religions do not often agree among themselves. If one is true, the other must be false; there can be no society of darkness with light. Against these experienced sophists the people must be taught that the profession of the Catholic faith is uniquely true, as the apostle proclaims: one Lord, one faith, one baptism
vs.
Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, 1990 #25-26
It is the Spirit who is the source of the drive to press on, not only geographically but also beyond the frontiers of race and religion, for a truly universal mission...To live in "fraternal communion" (koinonia) means to be "of one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32), establishing fellowship from every point of view: human, spiritual and material.
Pope Pius XII, Humani Generis, 1950, #32
They allege...the contemporary mind must look to the existence of things and to life, which is ever in flux. While scorning our philosophy, they extol other philosophies of all kinds, ancient and modern, oriental and occidental, by which they seem to imply that any kind of philosophy or theory, with a few additions and corrections if need be, can be reconciled with Catholic dogma. No Catholic can doubt how false this is.
vs.
Pope John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis, 1979, #12
It also enables us to approach all cultures, all ideological concepts, all people of good will. We approach them with the esteem, respect and discernment that since the time of the Apostles has marked the missionary attitude, the attitude of the missionary.
JPII, Redemptor Hominis, 1979, #12
In this unity in mission, which is decided principally by Christ himself, all Christians must find what already unites them, even before their full communion is achieved. This is apostolic and missionary unity.
.jpg)
~ Pax Domini sit semper Vobiscum
Great pictures! Cute- they made us laugh out loud! -Fierros
ReplyDelete