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Richard Budd's avatar

Fr. Joshua’s last name is Caswell.

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JD Flynn's avatar

Yes, thank you. the error has been corrected!

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Richard Budd's avatar

Thanks! Just trying to do my part. Haha

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Joseph's avatar

“many faithful Catholics are being cruelly demoralized - thrown into confusion, which is something the pope admittedly takes joy in, and are purposefully being pushed to the fringe. There will be no place for our voices in the so-called ‘Synod on Synodality.’"

Fr. Bus is wrong on both points. The pope does not take joy when Catholics are demoralized or thrown into confusion, and there is a place for his voice and the voices of others like him in the synod.

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Justin D.'s avatar

I don't agree with you...but neither of us knows for sure what is in the Pope's mind and heart. One thing we know for certain is that he is a sinner, as are you and I, & he makes mistakes and misjudgments (just like the rest of us do....many times even)

I do think many of his external actions and statements reflect a man that often acts vindictively and who seeks to reward his allies and punish his perceived enemies. Just my two cents.....

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Joseph's avatar

We can know what he has publicly said, and as far as I know he has never expressed joy at the confusion or demoralization of Catholics. So it is a shame that Fr. Bus falsely ascribed that motive to Pope Francis. The pope is indeed a sinner, as he said in one of his first interviews, and is indeed capable of making mistakes.

Which actions and statements of his did you find vindictive?

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Martin's avatar

What, he never rubbed his hands together and, snickering like the Grinch, said out loud "I love demoralizing all the Who's down in Whoville"? That clears things up, case dismissed!

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Joseph's avatar

Case dismissed indeed.

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Michael's avatar

Exactly. Archbishop Emeritus Aguer of Argentina explained this last summer, quoting the country's most famous politician, as the modus operandi: "For friends, everything; for the enemy, not even justice."

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Danny's avatar

Pope Francis famously told youth to "make a mess" and has promoted extreme interpretations of Amoris Laetitia, which would basically forbid Christ's injunction against veiled adultery (to use the words of Justin Martyr) from having any effect on whether someone can or should receive communion. "Taking joy" is likely too strong a turn of phrase, but causing confusion in attempts to overturn long-standing Church teaching seems to be his style. The destruction of the JP II institute, replacing people who taught the theology of the body with pro gay marriage clergy and professors was an early indicator of his intended direction. His recent overturning of Benedict XVI's motu propio makes it clear that Francis is trying desperately to undo/undermine the primary achievements of the two previous pontificates before he dies. His health is worse than is publicly advertised, and he doesn't want to die before doing this given the youthfulness of his perceived enemies whom he constantly rails against (i.e., "young, rigid" priests). Why do you think he rushed out the Latin mass restrictions right after a serious health scare?

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Joseph's avatar

"Pope Francis famously told youth to "make a mess""

Besides the fact that this is irrelevant, do you seriously think this is a legitimate grievance against him?

"has promoted extreme interpretations of Amoris Laetitia"

Nothing extreme about them. The teaching that circumstances can lessen culpability for grave sins is entirely correct. Amoris Laetitia is orthodox, and it's the people who attack it who are the ones in dissent.

"His recent overturning of Benedict XVI's motu propio makes it clear that Francis is trying desperately to undo/undermine the primary achievements of the two previous pontificates before he dies."

If you read Pope Francis' actual words (which I urge you to do, out of basic Christian charity), you will see that his actions are not at all an attempt to undermine the work of St. John Paul II or Benedict XVI, both of whom he respects greatly. He actually praised Summorum Pontificum recently as the most beautiful action of Benedict's pontificate- it is with regret that he felt the need to end the permission.

"His health is worse than is publicly advertised, and he doesn't want to die before doing this given the youthfulness of his perceived enemies whom he constantly rails against"

This just seems like a conspiracy theory- everyone who actually knows the pope and has commented says he is in fairly good health considering his age. He may have youthful enemies, but he has youthful allies as well, and I am unashamedly an ally of the successor of Peter.

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Bridget's avatar

I regret to say that I'm going to have to give up reading comments here as they are a near occasion of sin for me.

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PeterPommes's avatar

What‘s with the roses?

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Anonymous AJ's avatar

On user names? If I recall it's a sign you were one of the earliest supporters.

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Marty Soy's avatar

I am totally mystified by the hostility to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Many people, particularly the young, are disaffected from the Church and drift (or run) away from it. It seems to me that anything that keeps people coming back is something to celebrate and promulgate. Therefore, the Extraordinary Form would seem to me to have a proper place in the Church, and should be encouraged, not stamped out.

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Todd Voss's avatar

I wonder if father bus had waited to see how Cantius was treated and then privately asked (as the Canons did) for similar permission to celebrate Ad Orientem , he may have been able to get it. Sadly I understand Father Bus is also battling stage 4 colon cancer . I would hope Cardinal Cupich will also take this into account in his role as Shepard for this priest.

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