This just in from LifeSiteNews – In a new interview, Cardinal Raymond Burke has revealed that he and other “serious-minded” Church leaders are calling on Pope Francis to release a document correcting the confusion emanating from his recent apostolic exhortation on the family, Amoris Laetitia. He also decried characterizations that he is an "enemy" of Pope Francis.

The cardinal says clarification of Amoris Laetitia is essential “for the sake of souls” because of the rampant confusion right now.

“I trust that something will have to happen also because some very formal calls for clarification are in process and they simply will demand a response,” Burke told Religion News Service’s David Gibson in an interview published today. “Not in any kind of hostile or aggressive way, but simply for the sake of souls because people are getting confused.”

“I do believe very strongly that we need to have a clearer direction, a clearer enunciation of the faith and its practice,” he added. “That way would also help to settle down this confusion and the division which follows from it.”

With the growing concern over Pope Francis’ remarks and initiatives, some have speculated that the Church could be approaching schism. But Cardinal Burke insists that he will “die a Roman Catholic” and be no part of dividing the Body of Christ.

Gibson writes:

But when asked directly, Burke is equally firm that whatever happens, he has no intention of leading a breakaway, schismatic movement, an option some on the Catholic right have contemplated.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I will never leave the Catholic Church. No matter what happens I intend to die a Roman Catholic. I will never be part of a schism. READ MORE HERE

REMNANT COMMENT: We are so very grateful to His Eminence for all he is doing to help stop Pope Francis from further confusing the faithful and scandalizing the Church. As for any potential schism, our concern is that Pope Francis is the one who may end up leaving the Church. He is certainly the one whose bizarre public opinions place him at odds with Tradition and thus on a dangerous trajectory toward schism.

Refusing to abandon the Catholic Church of the ages may well put us all at odds with Pope Francis in the near future....and then what?  In order to prevent a schism, do we go along with his errors—some of which Cardinal Burke himself is attempting to force the Pope to correct and clarify at this very moment? Or do we stay with the infallible teachings of the Church and thus become "schismatic" in the eyes of the modernist human element of the Church?

But isn’t the point and purpose of the Church’s teaching against the mortal sin of schism to protect and defend the truth of Christ and the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church? If we avoid "schism" by betraying the truth are we not sacrificing the spirit of the law in order to adhere to its letter?  How is this not pharisaical?   

What is more important for faithful Catholics—the truth, or the prevention of schism at all costs?

Writing in Crisis magazine, Franciscan University Professor Timothy Williams expresses that which so many thousands of Catholics have been thinking now for decades: What's with all these bizarre papal apologies?  Here's an excerpt:

Above all, busy contemplating their own faults, the Catholics of this earlier age did not engage in the public lamentation of other people’s presumed sins, which seems to be the “confession fashion” of our age. With at least the last three papacies, we have seen an avalanche of apologies, almost always on behalf of Catholics of a previous era, and without the historical context necessary to make sense of the actions or inactions of those believers. Pope St. John Paul II apologized so frequently and for such a wide variety of offenses that there is an entire Wikipedia page devoted to this one aspect of his pontificate. (And the page is far from complete.)

Pope Francis has taken this cult of “eorum culpa” to new heights, issuing strangely worded apologies that condemn Christians for the very things that are praiseworthy in Christianity. For example, according to the Pope, Christians should beg forgiveness “from the poor, from exploited women, [and] from children exploited as laborers,” even though, historically, no religion or other organization of any kind has ever done more for the poor, the exploited, women, and children.

Of what, ultimately, consists this fondness for issuing apologies on behalf of Christians (and specifically Catholics) of other eras? Sometimes, I ask myself whether these gestures are not just a kind of pharisaical prayer of self-praise and thanksgiving for one’s moral superiority: “The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican” (Luke 18:11). (Just add the prefix “Re-” to the last word, and voila!—moral aggiornamento.)

Can one even imagine a medieval pope issuing such apologies? READ ARTICLE HERE

REMNANT COMMENT: Isn't it refreshing to see that so many others can plainly see that the Emperor is buck naked. Professor Williams' concluding paragraph says it all:

The Catholics of the Middle Ages would not have understood this paradox, this profusion of apologies coupled with pious indifference. They had the habit of speaking bluntly about evil, and finding it in themselves, rather than in others. We would do well to follow the light of their example, living as we are in the true dark ages of humanity.

Amen to that, and to the author's ready admission that it's not just Francis. This has been going on for decades, long before anyone outside of Buenos Aires had ever heard the name Jorge Mario Bergoglio.  The neo-Catholic coma has run its course, it would seem, and worldwide resistance is on the rise.

In the meantime, the horrific scandal continues as Peter rather pathetically caters to the world, personally removing the stigma attached even to grave sin and robbing the poor sinner of the spiritual and moral direction he needs to save his soul -- something for which future popes will surely apologize:



May God forgive Pope Francis for the confusion and lack of clarity he's causing among so many already lost sheep.

Press Release

ACLA SCORES WIN IN OKLAHOMA

Fairfield, NJ – August 18, 2016 - In an opinion issued yesterday, the Court of Criminal Appeals of the State Oklahoma reversed the convictions of veteran pro-life activist Joan Andrews Bell following her unlawful arrest for kneeling and praying the Rosary at the Oklahoma City Civic Center on September 21, 2014 during a "Black Mass" being held inside the building. 　

The Court's 18-page opinion systematically dismantles the prosecution's groundless criminal complaints against Mrs. Bell for "disorderly conduct", based on alleged "obstruction" of access to the Civic Center,　and "Interfering or Obstructing by Disobeying a Lawful Command" by allegedly not cooperating in her unlawful arrest.　

The Court accepted ACLA's arguments that there was insufficient evidence to support either charge, that Mrs. Bell's arrest (originally for "trespass" but later amended to "disorderly conduct")　was unlawful, and that she had a right passively to resist her unlawful arrest by going limp momentarily but otherwise offering no significant impediment to the arrest.​​ 　"The City has failed to show that Bell obstructed access to the Civic Center, and we find there was insufficient evidence to support the charged offense," the Court concluded. 　Further, the Court found,　"Bell reasonably resisted officers during an unlawful arrest for the City's unsupported trespass charge," the arrest having occurred on public rather than private property.

"This is an important victory for the rights of Catholics in America, faced with a rising tide of anti-Catholic hatred, in this case officially sanctioned by the City of Oklahoma City," said ACLA President and Chief Counsel Christopher A. Ferrara following the decision. 　"Congratulations are in order to ACLA Oklahoma affiliate counsel Professor Brian McCall and local counsel Matt Kane," Ferrara added.　　　"ACLA attorneys are now reviewing the options, including a federal civil rights law suit on Mrs Bell's behalf. The gross violation of civil and constitutional rights in this case must　never happen again in Oklahoma City."

AMERICAN CATHOLIC LAWYERS ASSOCIATION is a federally tax-exempt religious organization dedicated to the defense of the rights of Catholics in America.  To support the work of ACLA with a tax-deductible gift, donate here.

A little good news from the Fort Hood Herald:

Approximately 150 people celebrated Fort Hood’s first high traditional Latin Mass on Monday at Old Post Chapel, marking the first time that the ancient Latin rite was offered on any U.S. Army installation in 45 years.

One year ago, “Extraordinary Faith” founder Alex Begin came to Fort Hood from his office in Detroit, Mich., at the invitation of III Corps Division Chaplain Sgt. Maj. John Proctor, to train Fort Hood’s Garrison Catholic Chaplain Capt. Lito Amande in offering the traditional Latin Mass.

This was an historic endeavor as the traditional Latin Mass, also known as the ancient Latin Rite since the time of Pope Saint Gregory the Great (d. 604 A.D.) until the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), had been suppressed in 1969 in favor of a more modern Catholic “New Mass” spoken in the vernacular.

The old Latin rite had essentially vanished from use across the globe in Catholic churches, including on military installations across the country.

So when Pope Benedict the XVI lifted the subjugated rite in 2007, Catholics worldwide began to ask their priests for the traditional Latin Mass.

With the support of Proctor and Fr. Amande, the first Latin Mass on an Army installation was celebrated in more than 45 years on Oct. 4, 2015, at Fort Hood’s Old Post Chapel.

That historic Mass was followed by another first; an outdoor requiem Mass on Nov. 2, 2015, on All Souls Day offered by Fr. Amande on the grounds of the 1st Cavalry Division Museum, commemorating 1st Cavalry Division’s Medal of Honor recipient Fr. Chaplain Emil Kapaun, who was taken as a prisoner of war on Nov. 2, 1950, in the Korean War.

As Fr. Amande continued to offer the weekly traditional rite at the Old Post Chapel, another Catholic chaplain, Lt. Col. Jose Herrera, Deputy Garrison Chaplain, trained to learn the old liturgy — giving Fort Hood a second priest able to offer the ancient Mass to Catholics on post.

On Monday, Begin returned to Fort Hood — this time to document the success of the traditional Latin Mass with his film crew, interviewing the priests and parishioners who participate in the 3 p.m. Sunday Mass. He also documented the Catholic community’s first High Traditional Latin Mass, which was offered on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This also was an historic first as a High Mass — with its incense, sprinkling of water, Gregorian Chant and reverent liturgy — was celebrated for the first time on a U.S. military installation in more than 45 years. READ ARTICLE HERE

REMNANT COMMENT: This news bit was sent to us this morning by an old friend, who writes: "Great news from Fort Hood! Mom forwarded this to me yesterday from her iPad (at 11:30 p.m. nonetheless). At 84 years old, she's still sees the glass half full! : ) She is never discouraged or disillusioned by the vicissitudes of life!" 

Indeed, and God bless her.  You know, developments like this still seem so incredible to me, especially when I think back to the days of my childhood when the old Mass had for all intents and purposes been outlawed, and our parents had to build home altars and fly in traditional priests from all around the world in order to expose us to the Traditional Latin Mass.  The revolution was still so "cool", and traditionalists such "fools"!  

Not true anymore, but back then we never thought we'd live to see the Mass return, and yet it has and it is--offering further proof that God has not abandoned His Church and that we have no reason to lose hope...ever!

Way to go, Michael Davies! Well played, Walter Matt. Thank you, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

We’ll never forget.

This just in from Deal Hudson:

When I wrote “Why the Catholic Church Doesn’t Really Care About Abortion,” I thought it would fall, as they say, on deaf ears. I was surprised that so many readers immediately grasped the issues I had with Archbishop Chaput’s column of August 12, 2016, as well as my claim that the Catholic bureaucracy (most of them) intend to help the Clinton/Kaine ticket in whatever ways they can.

I disagreed with the Archbishop’s evaluation of the two presidential candidates, and did my best to explain it. My concern came down to this: If the “right to life undergirds all other rights and all genuine social progress,” as he says, why did he ignore the abortion issue in his assessment of Clinton and Trump? In fact, he called a Trump presidency as “inconceivable,” while not ascribing the same to Clinton, who is about as extreme on supporting abortion on demand as you can get. Trump, at least, has made specific legislative and judicial promises on the basis of his pro-life conviction which go back a decade.

I wasn’t surprised when a syndicated column appeared later the same day extolling Archbishop’s message to Catholic voters, warning them not to vote on “autopilot.”  Of course I fully agree with His Excellency on this point if it means that Catholic voters don’t keep voting for pro-abortion candidates as they did for Obama in 2008 and 2012.

Unfortunately, this is not the message being taken from the Archbishop’s column, but rather the surprising adjudication that for a Catholic choosing between Clinton and Trump, “neither is clearly better than the other.” Perhaps I was wrongly catechized, being a convert, but what about the intrinsic evils we, as Catholics, are obliged not to support with our votes?  READ ARTICLE HERE

REMNANT COMMENT: Yep, it makes you wonder what's really going on here, right Deal? And for how long...

By the way, are any of the prominent neo-Catholic spokesmen still defending the liberal, progressivist regime currently holding the Church captive?  I suppose Mark Shea is soldiering on somewhere, but anyone else? Neo-Catholic Fatigue Syndrome (NFS) seems to be reaching epidemic proportions under Pope Francis -- ad maiorem Dei gloriam!

The highly respected Italian journalist, Sandro Magister, drops a bomb:

He [Pope Francis] is preparing, that is, to grant the communist authorities the privilege of selecting candidates. And he is exiling to an island in the Pacific the highest ranking Chinese archbishop in the curia, contrary to the agreement. But in China, Cardinal Zen has already taken the lead in the rebellion   

by Sandro Magister     

ROME, August 14, 2016 – In China, among the one hundred and nine Catholic bishops there are eight who have been consecrated at the behest of the communist authorities and who have never received the pope's approval, thereby incurring excommunication, a couple of them with children and lovers.

But for none other than these eight, by the end of this summer or at the latest before the end of the jubilee Francis is ready to perform a spectacular gesture: a pardon...

... The bishop of Shanghai, Thaddeus Ma Daqin, ordained in 2007 with the twofold approval of the pope and the government, has been under house arrest for four years for the simple offense of having resigned from the Patriotic Association. Two months ago he retracted, but he is still deprived of his liberty. The eighty-five-year-old Joseph Zen Zekiun (in the photo), who has more freedom of speech in Hong Kong, has called “inevitable” the suspicion that this retraction was also desired by the Vatican, just to reach an agreement at any price.

That an agreement has already been reached was confirmed in recent days by Zen's successor in the diocese of Hong Kong, Cardinal John Tong, with an open letter released in Chinese, English, and Italian that bears all the marks of wanting to prepare the faithful to make the best of a bad lot: READ ARTICLE HERE

REMNANT COMMENT: Doesn't this sound familiar?  If the Society of St. Pius X is still seriously considering accepting any sort of Vatican regularization from Pope Francis, let us hope and pray they carefully factor in what is happening right now between the Chinese Patriotic Association and the dangerous man who currently occupies the chair of St. Peter.  

Perhaps it is time for us to consider what might well be going on here—the establishment of the very thing Pope St. Pius X warned against in Notre Charge Apostolique, one hundred and six years ago today:

…the great movement of apostasy being organized in every country for the establishment of a One-World Church which shall have neither dogmas, nor hierarchy, neither discipline for the mind, nor curb for the passions, and which, under the pretext of freedom and human dignity, would bring back to the world (if such a Church could overcome) the reign of legalized cunning and force, and the oppression of the weak, and of all those who toil and suffer.

We wish to draw your attention, Venerable Brethren, to this distortion of the Gospel and to the sacred character of Our Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, prevailing within the Sillon and elsewhere. As soon as the social question is being approached, it is the fashion to first put aside the divinity of Jesus Christ, and then to mention only His unlimited clemency, His compassion for all human miseries, and His pressing exhortations to the love of our neighbor and to the brotherhood of men.

Is it just me, or does St. Pius X here seem to be describing (or predicting) the pontificate of Pope Francis I? For as St. Pius X also pointed out in Notre Charge Apostolique, there is much more to Jesus Christ than Francis is letting on:

[But]whilst His heart overflowed with gentleness for the souls of good-will, [Jesus Christ] could also arm Himself with holy indignation against the profaners of the House of God, against the wretched men who scandalized the little ones, against the authorities who crush the people with the weight of heavy burdens without putting out a hand to lift them. He was as strong as he was gentle. He reproved, threatened, chastised, knowing, and teaching us that fear is the beginning of wisdom, and that it is sometimes proper for a man to cut off an offending limb to save his body. Finally, He did not announce for future society the reign of an ideal happiness from which suffering would be banished; but, by His lessons and by His example, He traced the path of the happiness which is possible on earth and of the perfect happiness in heaven: the royal way of the Cross.

So said St. Pius X--the original self-absorbed promethean neo-pelagian.