Skip to main content

SSPX.org: “Fratelli tutti” for Dummies

Image
By

 +

JMJ

 So Pope Francis goes from weakness to weakness (my new favorite phrase).  I wonder if this is the lowest point possible for Ecumenism ... but I suspect not.

P^3

Courtesy of SSPX.org

 

 The encyclical “Fratelli tutti [all brothers], on Fraternity and Social Friendship” was published on October 4, 2020. The following 

The Vatican media service believed it was necessary to issue eight explanatory tables with it, because if Pope Francis’ message of fraternity is “very clear and challenging (sic),” according to the Swiss agency cath.ch, “the text is nevertheless quite dense, sometimes impenetrable,” dare one say confused…

Hence eight “infographics” that put the clear-obscure thought of the reigning pontiff within the reach of good people. It’s “Fratelli tutti for dummies,” with many sketches, arrows, and pithy formulas like, “the church builds bridges, breaks down walls, sows reconciliation.”

In fact, the pope’s encyclical is based on a thought that has characterized his teaching since the beginning of his pontificate. According to him, “the model is the polyhedron, which reflects the confluence of all the partial elements that, in it, retain their originality.” (Evangelii gaudium, November 24, 2013); “neither the global sphere that annihilates, nor the isolated bias that makes it sterile” (Ibid.). No walls but bridges, no borders but openings.

This idea is found in Fratelli tutti. There is talk of “a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all” (no. 94) and a “culture of encounter” (no. 30), in which migrants - regardless of their religion - are “a blessing, a source of enrichment and new gift that encourages a society to grow” (no. 135).

Citing the Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, which he co-signed with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Francis states: “good relations between East [Muslim] and West [Christian] are indisputably necessary for both. They must not be neglected, so that each can be enriched by the other’s culture [and religions?] through fruitful exchange and dialogue” (no. 136). 

And he adds personally, “We need to develop the awareness that nowadays we are either all saved together or no one is saved.” Is he talking about eternal salvation? No! But about, “poverty, decadence and suffering in one part of the earth [which] are a silent breeding ground for problems that will end up affecting the entire planet” (no. 137). It’s a low-level salute.

This polyhedral thought - which is intended to be one and multiple, simple and complex, divergent and convergent… - may legitimately seem to be obscure, but the reality it expresses is clear: its “social friendship that excludes no one” practically excludes God, and its “fraternity that is open to all” is concretely closed to Christ. And it is not these two prayers - the interreligious and the ecumenical – by way of rhetorical peroration, that will succeed in persuading us otherwise.

There, no need for infographics. There is no need to draw a picture.

(Source : DICI 401 - FSSPX.Actualités)

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rome,the SSPX and this time of Crisis - Updated

By
+ JMJ Obviously there's lots of events right now. First we have the April 1st - I almost thought it was April Fools - meeting between Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay.  Nothing really news worthy as this is a natural progression as Rome appears to be considering fulfilling Archbishop Lefebvre's wish to 'accept us as we are'. Second we have the April 8th publication of what will be a verbose exhortation of the Synod of the Family. I'm willing to bet that the Pope will give with one hand (unilateral regularization of SSPX) and take with the other (ambiguous document that opens the flood gates of sin further). Much to pray for. P^3
30 comments
Read more

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

By
 + JMJ    An article has appeared in the Remnant (link to article) and I am afraid that there are a number of flaws in it that need to be addressed. The author, Martin Blackshaw, believes that both the Church and the SSPX are misapplying the principle of Moral Theology called 'Cooperation In Evil'.  Unfortunately, Mr. Blackshaw rests most of his arguments on citing authors that support his position, without considering the possibility that they are wrong. This highlights a key factor in this crisis: ignorance of the faith and its application . I don't am not singling out Mr. Blackshaw for this criticism, I have observed that it applies to laity and religious, superior and subject a like.  No one seems immune in this enduring crisis, myself included.  I further believe that this ignorance is why so many Catholics, both traditional and non, rely on their gut feeling or "Catholic conscience" for charting their way through this crisis of the faith.  While...
25 comments
Read more

Rorate-Caeli URGENT: Pope tells Italian Bishops he plans to abolish the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum

By
 + JMJ  Now THIS is probably the most important news item in the last two years - yes I place this above the pandemic. I'm only surprised by how long it took for this to surface during this pontificate. I hope and pray that it is false or that if it comes to pass that somehow some good will arise out of the ashes of Summorum Pontificum. P^3  Courtesy of Rorate-Caeli URGENT: Pope tells Italian Bishops he plans to abolish the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum (Updated) Update (May 26): Rorate's additional sources in Rome have confirmed this Wednesday that Francis has indeed a text on Summorum Pontificum lined up, which has been developed for months, but what is not known at this point is if the text is just about a more limited take on the Summorum application questionnaire (first revealed by us in the spring of 2020) or about an overhaul of Summorum Pontificum in general: drafts could be dealing with both matters. It is also not impossible for a text to come ou...
9 comments
Read more

If Pope Francis is bad - what about Pope St. John Paul II et al?

By
+ JMJ So here we are on the apparent cusp of yet another post conciliar Papal canonization. This time we have Pope's John-Paul I and Paul VI canonizations to 'look forward' to. This follows, obviously, on the heels of Pope St. John Paul II's canonization? So the first question that I usually encounter is: How is it possible, keeping in mind the doctrine on infallibility of canonizations (note doctrine not dogma), that Pope St. John Paul II is a Saint? First, what does it mean???  According to the doctrine of dogmatic facts - it is the universal opinion of Theologians that canonizations are infallible.  It means that they enjoy the beatific vision.  ... that's it.  That is the doctrine and it is at the level of universal opinion of theologians.  It is called a 'dogmatic fact'. That they made mistakes is obvious.  That the miracles seem to not be very miraculous is also a bit of an issue. Here's something to consider: The rush that surrou...
16 comments
Read more

The Vatican and SSPX – An Organizational Culture Perspective

By
Introduction The recent and continuing interactions between the Vatican and the SSPX have been a great opportunity for prayer and reflection.  The basis for the disagreement is theological and not liturgical. As noted by Dr. Lamont (2012), the SSPX theological position on the four key controversial aspects of the Second Vatican Council are base on prior theological work that resulted from relevant magisterial pronouncements.  So it is difficult to understand the apparent rejection of the theological position of the SSPX.
17 comments
Read more