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Much has happened since I first published my original article, “Pope Francis and Schism,” inThe Catholic Thing on October 8, 2019. What has taken place in the intervening years has confirmed many of the points I made then. Here, at Robert Royal’s request, I would like to revisit and expand upon several of them.
First, Pope Francis’ dislike for and criticisms of the Catholic Church in the United States have intensified. As I noted in the earlier column, the American Catholic Church is the foremost critic of Francis’ often theologically ambiguous statements. Over the past four years, as Francis’ ambiguities have proliferated, often given in mid-flight and off-the-cuff, so has criticism of his statements and ecclesial policies mounted.
This ever-growing critical response, from multiple outlets and spokespersons, comes not so much from the American clergy, but from the American Catholic laity. In no other country is there such an educated laity, men and women who are faithful to the Church, as in the United States. Francis has found it impossible to respond to this theological and philosophical challenge from American lay Catholics – other than by calling them rigid and backward-looking.
But the American Catholic laity have not been, are not now, and will not in the future be bullied into silence. Such verbal ridicule is merely a sign that this pontificate is not intellectually prepared to engage the issues, and so has already lost the scholarly battle.
Second, when I wrote my original piece four years ago, the German synodal path was still in the future. Nonetheless, I was quite concerned that it could lead to a German schism. That German synodal path has now been completed. And there is, for all practical purposes, a schism. What it has proposed is not in accord with the Church’s unchanging magisterial tradition – particularly concerning sexual morality, and the ordaining of women and married priests.
Continued below.
www.thecatholicthing.org
First, Pope Francis’ dislike for and criticisms of the Catholic Church in the United States have intensified. As I noted in the earlier column, the American Catholic Church is the foremost critic of Francis’ often theologically ambiguous statements. Over the past four years, as Francis’ ambiguities have proliferated, often given in mid-flight and off-the-cuff, so has criticism of his statements and ecclesial policies mounted.
This ever-growing critical response, from multiple outlets and spokespersons, comes not so much from the American clergy, but from the American Catholic laity. In no other country is there such an educated laity, men and women who are faithful to the Church, as in the United States. Francis has found it impossible to respond to this theological and philosophical challenge from American lay Catholics – other than by calling them rigid and backward-looking.
But the American Catholic laity have not been, are not now, and will not in the future be bullied into silence. Such verbal ridicule is merely a sign that this pontificate is not intellectually prepared to engage the issues, and so has already lost the scholarly battle.
Second, when I wrote my original piece four years ago, the German synodal path was still in the future. Nonetheless, I was quite concerned that it could lead to a German schism. That German synodal path has now been completed. And there is, for all practical purposes, a schism. What it has proposed is not in accord with the Church’s unchanging magisterial tradition – particularly concerning sexual morality, and the ordaining of women and married priests.
Continued below.
Pope Francis and Schism Re-Visited - The Catholic Thing
Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy: As the Synod begins, we can be confident that, in God’s good time, truth will win the day.
www.thecatholicthing.org
