First Step, Name the Problem: 'Homosexual activity is immoral'

At the special meeting of American Bishops, our own Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas named and identified the problem--homosexual infiltration of the priesthood and seminaries-- and earned rounds of applause from their fellow Bishops:

"Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco then gave a long intervention in which he described what he has been hearing from Catholics in his area.

“We’ve heard how important it is to listen to our people, I’ve held listening sessions in my own Archdiocese” regarding the abuse scandal, he said.

From this listening, Cordileone said he has found that Catholics tend to fall in one of two camps regarding the abuse crisis: the first camp believes that the Church is not talking about the real problem, which is the prevalence homosexuality among the clergy and its correlation with abuse, he said.

The second camp believes that the real problem is an all-male hierarchy, “because women would never have allowed this to happen,” and therefore women must be invited in to all levels of the clergy.

Cordileone, who clarified that he was merely reporting what he found among his people, said that both conclusions are overly simplistic, but neither are without some merit.
“We do sometimes act as a good old boys club,” he said, with problems of “cronyism, favoritism, and cover-up.” He urged the bishops to find solutions to these “legitimate concerns” of Catholics in the second camp.

When considering the first camp, Cordileone cautioned against the “overly simplistic” conclusion that homosexuality causes sexual abuse. That “obviously cannot be true” he said, as some priests with homosexual tendencies faithfully serve the Church, while some heterosexually priests serve the Church poorly.

Still, the concern “has some validity,” he said, pointing to a recently-published study by Father D. Paul Sullins, a Catholic priest and retired Catholic University of America sociology professor. Sullins’ analysis found a rising trend in abuse, and argued that the evidence strongly suggests links between sexual abuse of minors and two factors: a disproportionate number of homosexual clergy, and the manifestation of a “homosexual subculture” in seminaries.

“The worst thing we could do is discredit this study so we can ignore or deny this reality,” Cordileone said. “We have to lean into it...to ignore it would be fleeing from the truth.”

The archbishop recommended further studies into the correlation between homosexuality and sexual abuse, one that avoids “quick and easy answers” and would attempt to find the root causes of this correlation.

Cordileone’s was the first intervention met with applause from many bishops."

His Excellency's words were echoed by Bishop Strickland of Tyler, TX:

 Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, a “small rural area” with a minority Catholic population, gave a notably strong intervention, in which he asked the bishops to consider how McCarrick got to be in the positions that he was “if we really believed that what was going on was wrong?”

“It’s part of our deposit of faith that we believe homosexual activity is immoral,” he said. “How did he get promoted if we are all of one mind that this is wrong? Do we believe the doctrine of the Church or not?”

Strickland said that while homosexual people are “children of God who deserve great care” and not personal condemnation, the Church should teach clearly that homosexual actions are sinful, and help people move from sin to virtue.

“There’s a priest that travels around saying that he doesn’t (believe this teaching), and he’s well promoted in various places,” Strickland said. “Can that be presented in our dioceses? That same-sex marriage is just fine and that the Church may one day grow to understand that? That’s not what we teach.”

Strickland’s intervention was also followed by applause from numerous bishops.

Arcbishop Viganò Takes on Vatican Stonewall

I hereby dub him Carlo Maria Athanasius Viganò.  The Vatican is attempting to stonewall and obstruct the purification of the Church and Archbishop Viganò is having none of it:

 Archbishop Viganò urges US bishops to be 'courageous shepherds

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò sent Tuesday a message to the bishops of the United States, who are holding a plenary assembly, encouraging them to act as courageous shepherds in the face of the sex abuse crisis.

“I am writing to remind you of the sacred mandate you were given on the day of your episcopal ordination: to lead the flock to Christ,” the emeritus Apostolic Nuncio to the US said Nov. 13.

“Meditate on Proverbs 9:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom! Do not behave like frightened sheep, but as courageous shepherds. Do not be afraid of standing up and doing the right thing for the victims, for the faithful and for your own salvation. The Lord will render to every one of us according to our actions and omissions.”

“I am fasting and praying for you,” Archbishop Viganò concluded.

The former nuncio's message came on the second day of the USCCB's autumn general assembly, being held in Baltimore Nov. 12-14.

It was intended that the assembly would vote on proposals meant to form the basis for a response to the sexual abuse crisis facing the Church in the US.

But Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the conference, announced Monday morning that the Congregation for Bishops had directed that the vote not be held.

Ab. Viganò’s third letter: "When the successor of Peter is negligent in exercising his principal mission"

Here is the opening of His Excellency's third letter, and it may be read here in full:

On the Feast of the North American Martyrs

To bear witness to corruption in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church was a painful decision for me, and remains so. But I am an old man, one who knows he must soon give an accounting to the Judge for his actions and omissions, one who fears Him who can cast body and soul into hell. A Judge who, even in his infinite mercy, will render to every person salvation or damnation according to what he has deserved. Anticipating the dreadful question from that Judge -- "How could you, who had knowledge of the truth, keep silent in the midst of falsehood and depravity?" -- what answer could I give?

I testified fully aware that my testimony would bring alarm and dismay to many eminent persons: churchmen, fellow bishops, colleagues with whom I had worked and prayed. I knew many would feel wounded and betrayed. I expected that some would in their turn assail me and my motives. Most painful of all, I knew that many of the innocent faithful would be confused and disconcerted by the spectacle of a bishop's charging colleagues and superiors with malfeasance, sexual sin, and grave neglect of duty. Yet I believe that my continued silence would put many souls at risk, and would certainly damn my own. Having reported multiple times to my superiors, and even to the pope, the aberrant behavior of Theodore McCarrick, I could have publicly denounced the truths of which I was aware earlier. If I have some responsibility in this delay, I repent for that. This delay was due to the gravity of the decision I was going to take, and to the long travail of my conscience.

 I have been accused of creating confusion and division in the Church through my testimony. To those who believe such confusion and division were negligible prior to August 2018, perhaps such a claim is plausible. Most impartial observers, however, will have been aware of a longstanding excess of both, as is inevitable when the successor of Peter is negligent in exercising his principal mission, which is to confirm the brothers in the faith and in sound moral doctrine. When he then exacerbates the crisis by contradictory or perplexing statements about these doctrines, the confusion is worsened.

Therefore I spoke. For it is the conspiracy of silence that has wrought and continues to wreak great harm in the Church -- harm to so many innocent souls, to young priestly vocations, to the faithful at large. With regard to my decision, which I have taken in conscience before God, I willingly accept every fraternal correction, advice, recommendation, and invitation to progress in my life of faith and love for Christ, the Church and the pope....

"The most serious and literally diabolical form of clerical abuse."

The following are excerpts from a column Claudio Pierantoni, professor of Medieval Philosophy in the Philosophy Faculty of the University of Chile (Santiago). Emphases added. 

Did Cardinal Maradiaga just confirm Viganò’s claims about Pope Francis?

 When Cardinal Maradiaga reduces sodomy (and the abuse of power for this purpose), to a mere “private affair” and “administrative matter,” he is clearly revealing to us what his own moral standard is on the subject.

How many steps on the scale of moral depravity must a man of the Church have already descended, to reduce sexual corruption, through abuse of power, of generations of seminarians, to a “private matter” to be resolved “administratively”? Certainly he knows that, on paper, canonical laws still exist which prohibit certain behaviors, and that these, in addition to being grave sins, are also, according to these laws, true and proper crimes.

But his words indicate that these norms ought to be considered, if not a dead letter, then certainly a mere “administrative matter” that “should be dealt with using more serene and objective criteria.” As we see, the picture presented by Viganò — which is horribly disgusting for any Catholic who has kept a minimum of modesty and the sensus fidei — is not at all denied by our Honduran Cardinal….

Yet, while demonstrating by these words the truly striking hardening of his own moral sense, Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga — consummate politician that he is — is well aware that he could never afford to make such an evaluation were he not protected under the safe umbrella of his Boss, who implicitly but unequivocally promoted himself from being the simple Vicar of Christ to the absolute Leader of the Church….

This brings us to the final point we wish to underscore: namely, the fact that in his testimony Viganò describes the cover-up of these crimes as a “conspiracy of silence, not so dissimilar from the one that prevails in the mafia.”

In fact, this cover-up has an important point in common with the mafia’s conspiracy of silence: it does not conceal crimes simply out of fear that they will be discovered. Instead, it covers them up because, in reality, it obeys a different system of values, one that does not correspond to the law in force in the community in which it operates (in this case, the Catholic Church).

In other words, the gay lobby covers up these crimes because it justifies them in the name of a different morality, which a certain elite of illuminati who are in power substitute for Scripture and the Tradition of the Church. And this, without any doubt, is the most serious and literally diabolical form of clerical abuse.

As we have been pointing out lately , interested readers can see our post from 11 years ago "Most Holy Redeemer and How it Got That Way" which addressed just this issue:

“The authentic community-forming experience...is not Catholicism, but homosexuality. If… the sexuality is experienced as more important than the doctrines of the Catholic Church, one would expect the doctrines of the Church to be discarded when they come into conflict with the community-forming experience. And this is exactly what happens... The doctrines will not only be discarded, but mocked… And this leads to the acceptance of blasphemy in an ostensibly Catholic Church. But such events will not be experienced by the parishioners as blasphemous because they validate the community-forming experience… what will be experienced by the parishioners as blasphemous is that which denies the value of the community-forming experience…”

Sin-Affirming Jesuit Now Claims to be Affirming Orthodoxy

Har.

Delusional Jesuit Jimmy Martin now claims to be a watchdog of Orthodoxy. Yeah, that'll go over big--but it is one more illustration of the homosexual cesspool that now exists in the highest reaches of the Church of God.

“Be a man. Stand up and answer the questions"

Those are the words of San Francisco's own Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ, founder of the St. Ignatius Institute, founder of Ignatius Press, America's most distinguished Catholic Publishing house, and chaplain of the Walk for Life West Coast.

Fr. Fessio was speaking to CNN, as reported by LifeSiteNews:

Father Joseph Fessio, SJ, told CNN that he finds the pontiff’s refusal to give an answer “deplorable”. In recent weeks, commentators have interpreted Pope Francis’ homilies about “the Great Accuser” and Christ’s “silence” as coded commentary on the Vatican whistleblower’s testimony and the pontiff’s own reluctance to answer it.

“He’s attacking Viganò and everyone who is asking for answers,” Fessio told CNN. “I just find that deplorable.”

“Be a man. Stand up and answer the questions,” he added.

The publisher-priest told LifeSiteNews that he meant no disrespect for the Pope by saying this. Fessio observed that words said in conversation look “worse” in print but defended his opinions.

“I think the idea that I’m expressing there is a valid idea, and even if I tempered it somewhat, I think it should be said. And maybe ... it will help the Pope to have some straight-talking. He seems to want to have openness, doesn’t he? He talks about frankness and openness and don’t be afraid to say what’s on your mind.”

Priest Fights Blasphemy so Cupich Orders Psych Evaluation

Fr. John Paul Kalchik, of Resurrection Church in Avondale, IL, who quite properly destroyed the blasphemous rainbow/cross banner that had been used in Resurrection Church, has been stripped of his pastorate and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by Chicago’s Blaise Cupich.

As we said in our last post:

1) The rainbow banner celebrates sodomy.
2) Sodomy is sin.
3) Appropriating the Cross of Christ onto a banner that celebrates sin is blasphemous.
4) Hanging a blasphemous banner in the Temple of God is the smoke of Satan His Holiness (Pope Paul VI) saw.

So: Cupich had a priest defending the Catholic Church against blasphemy, and what does he do? He attacks the priest. This is powerful evidence, perhaps even proof, that Cupich’s religion is not Catholicism. His religion is something else. Interested readers can see our post from 11 years ago "Most Holy Redeemer and How it Got That Way" which addressed just this issue. In the paragraph below just insert "Cupich" where it reads "the parishioners":

“The authentic community-forming experience...is not Catholicism, but homosexuality.  If… the sexuality is experienced as more important than the doctrines of the Catholic Church, one would expect the doctrines of the Church to be discarded when they come into conflict with the community-forming experience. And this is exactly what happens... The doctrines will not only be discarded, but mocked… And this leads to the acceptance of blasphemy in an ostensibly Catholic Church. But such events will not be experienced by the parishioners (read: Cupich) as blasphemous because they validate the community-forming experience… what will be experienced by the parishioners (read: Cupich) as blasphemous is that which denies the value of the community-forming experience…”

I.e. having a rainbow/cross banner at Mass is not blasphemous, but burning the rainbow/cross banner is.

Cupich was one of those identified by Archbishop Viganó, and he certainly seems to be vindicating the former Nuncio:

“The appointments of Blase Cupich to Chicago and Joseph W. Tobin to Newark were orchestrated by McCarrick, Maradiaga and Wuerl, united by a wicked pact of abuses by the first, and at least of coverup of abuses by the other two.”

"The gay banner superimposed over Our Lord's Cross, a symbol of Our Lord's Passion, had to go."

Those are the words of Fr. John Paul Kalchik of Resurrection Church in Avondale, IL.

Pope Paul VI famously said that “the smoke of Satan had entered the Temple of God.”

1) The rainbow banner celebrates sodomy.
2) Sodomy is sin.
3) Appropriating the Cross of Christ onto a banner that celebrates sin is blasphemous.
4) Hanging a blasphemous banner in the Temple of God is the smoke of Satan His Holiness saw.

So the Chicago-area parishioners have done their part in dispelling the smoke of Satan. Bless them!

Excerpt, from Church Militant:

Chicago Priest Explains Why Parish Burned Rainbow Flag

As events have unfolded over the last month, we find the Church engulfed in a great battle. Many cardinals, bishops and even the Pope seem to be living double lives. They, at times, speak eloquently about the Faith and present themselves as men striving for holiness. But then the records show they are either living very sinful lives or have covered up for others who do so, leaving them to prey on more victims.

And also, when asked to speak about the abuse, they play it down; they are more concerned with global warming, migrant issues and fake homophobia than their real mission of saving souls. Thusly, many of the faithful have found themselves shaken, deeply disturbed, because the institutional Church has been revealed to be a sham. The Church is at war, but this war is anything but civil.

A week ago, I was threatened with removal of my faculties to serve as a priest by those in charge at the archdiocese. They told me in no uncertain terms that we could not burn a rainbow banner as it would be offensive to the gay community.

A week ago, I was threatened with removal of my faculties to serve as a priest by those in charge at the archdiocese.

This does not scare me. Over the course of my life, I have been to Hell and back a couple times over. I recognize what is evil and have vowed to God to take steps to thwart that evil. God grants authority, and I follow my conscience, formed by His law. The gay banner superimposed over Our Lord's Cross, a symbol of Our Lord's Passion, had to go....

Dutch Bishop to Boycott Phony "Youth Synod": "I will not take part in the coming synod in October."

"I will not take part in the coming synod in October." 

Church Militant has the story. Emphases added. Excerpt:

A Dutch bishop is refusing to take part in the Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment scheduled for October 3–28 in Rome.

Bishop Robertus Mutsaerts, auxiliary of the southern Dutch diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch, has notified Pope Francis in an open letter that he will not be attending the synod in light of the crisis of clerical sex abuse and cover-up.

"The release of the letter of Archbishop Viganò has opened the eyes of many," Bp. Mutsaerts told the Pontiff. "It appears that the crimes of Theodore McCarrick and the double life he led for many years, were made possible because of the cover up by several high prelates in the United States of America as well as in Rome."

Mutsaerts stated unequivocally the roots of the crisis are not "clericalism," as leftist U.S. bishops are suggesting. "The McCarrick file appears to be a symptom of a much larger crisis in the Church," he wrote, "where on a large scale the vow of celibacy by in particular homosexual clerics is ignored."
Continuing, the Dutch prelate took aim directly at Francis' handling of the crisis: "The credibility of the Church as a whole is at stake here. Excuses and mea culpas are not enough. A more fundamental approach is necessary. But this is extremely difficult when bishops are compromised and nearly impossible if the highest authority is involved when it comes to protecting McCarrick."

Bishop Mutsaerts then pointed out the imprudence of holding a synod on youth in the midst of the worst Church crisis in centuries: "In these circumstances, I find it extremely difficult to be present at the Synod on the Youth October coming. How can we discuss matters concerning the youth, when not even the basic safety of the youth of our Church is safeguarded?"

Echoing calls by a handful of American prelates, Mutsaerts recommended the youth synod be postponed, and a synod on the sins of bishops be held instead:

This is why, Your Holiness, considering the sincerity of the circumstances, I propose to move the Synod on the Youth to a later date. Instead I propose to call together at short notice an Extraordinary Synod that thoroughly discusses and investigates the problems of the sexual abuse and the double lives of clerics in order to come to a credible, independent investigation of the past, and what measures could be taken to improve the spiritual climate.

"As long as this is not realized," he added, "it is in my opinion inappropriate to meet with You, Holy Father and with my fellow bishops on matters concerning young people as if there is nothing in between the young people and us and move on to business as usual."

…Hereby I announce ... that I will not take part in the coming synod in October," said Mutsaerts.

"Shameless Liars" at Phony Youth Synod: "Cast them out, for they have rebelled against you"

Peter Kwasniewski writes in LifeSiteNews:

Pope Francis is no longer hiding his strategy for manipulating outcome of Youth Synod

In addition to the delegates elected by the world’s episcopal conferences, the upcoming Synod on Youth has been given 39 special delegates appointed directly by Pope Francis.

This list includes several of his close allies in the hierarchy: Cardinal Marx of Munich, President of the German bishops’ conference; Cardinal Cupich, who has said that the Church has more important business than dealing with the abuse crisis, such as environmentalism and immigration; Cardinal Tobin, who denies having known anything about McCarrick, in spite of evidence of hundreds of clergy who knew “all about it”; Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of La Civilta Cattolica, famous for tweeting that in theology (modern theology?), 2+2=5; and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the deconstructed Pontifical Academy for Life and grand chancellor of the gutted John Paul II Institute in Rome.

All of these figures have been in the spotlight for their heterodoxy, and all have angrily denounced Catholics who oppose the pope’s progressive agenda.

In some ways, this delegate development is not surprising. In another way, however, it is appalling. Many of these men have given evidence of being shameless liars (to use Viganò’s terminology) by denying knowledge of now ex-Cardinal McCarrick’s predations or by denying that the abuse crisis is primarily a consequence of active homosexuality in the clergy. Like the recent Vatican photo of the private papal meeting on abuse which shows everyone relaxed and smiling, or the now extensive string of papal homilies in which the pope compares himself to the silent Christ in His Passion and writes off his critics as accusers like Satan, this development is one more nail in the coffin of any reasonable expectation Catholics might have to see the pope or any of his senior officials take seriously either the abuse scandal or the devastating report of Viganò.

Phony Catholics=Phony Synods. Mr. K also opines that the creeps infiltrating the Church are more common the higher you go:

Think of it this way. I would wager that at least 75% of believing and practicing Catholic laity today—by “believing and practicing,” I mean Catholics who know the basics of their faith and accept the Church’s teaching on such countercultural issues as divorce, homosexuality, contraception, and abortion—are by now opposed to the progressivist and modernist program of Pope Francis. Perhaps the number is even higher. In contrast, probably not more than 50% of the lower clergy are skeptical of it or opposed to it. Maybe 25% of the world’s bishops and 15% of the cardinals are hesitant about it or opposed to it.

What this suggests to me is that, at this time in history, the higher one’s position in the institutional hierarchy, the more likely one is to be corrupted and compromised, while simple lay believers are far more likely to be outspokenly committed to traditional faith, morals, and liturgy. This is where future Catholic laity, priests, and religious will come from—not from the Synod machinery of the new German-Italian Axis.

He also provides a link to Psalm 5:10: Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. 

"When the facts and law are on your side, you pound those; and when they aren’t, you pound the table instead."

Professor Ed Feser has a very comprehensive post which offers the obvious reason behind Francis's indefensible (and unaccustomed) silence. Excerpt, but read the whole thing:

Why Archbishop Viganò is almost certainly telling the truth

There are five considerations that seem to me to make it very likely that Archbishop Viganò’s testimony is truthful. To be sure, given how numerous and detailed are the claims he makes, it would not be surprising if he has gotten certain particulars wrong. And perhaps in his passion he has inadvertently overstated things here and there. But the main claims are probably true. I certainly do not believe he is lying. The reasons are these:

1. The deafening silence of Pope Francis

Pope Francis has been accused of grave offenses by a churchman of high stature who was in an optimal position to know about the matters in question. Yet he has refused to deny the charges or to comment on the matter at all. That is simply not the way one would expect a person to act if such charges against him were false. You would expect him immediately, clearly, and vigorously to deny the charges.

Some of his defenders suggest that the pope is merely exhibiting a Christ-like lack of concern for his own reputation. He is not defending himself, so the claim goes, any more than Christ defended himself against those who crucified him. Yet the pope has defended himself in other contexts. For example, he has defended himself against the accusation that he is a communist and against charges that he failed to speak out forcefully enough during Argentina’s “dirty war.” After he was criticized by some on the Left for meeting with Kim Davis in 2015, the Vatican issued a statement asserting that “his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects.” In 2016, the pope defended himself against criticism of his refusal to associate Islam with violence. In 2017, he defended himself against criticism of his comparison of migrant camps to concentration camps.

So, the thesis that the pope prefers to “turn the other cheek” rather than answer critics simply doesn’t withstand scrutiny. He does answer them, sometimes. Why, then, would he not defend himself against the far more serious charges now at issue, leveled by an accuser far more eminent than some of the critics the pope has answered in the past?

Furthermore, it is not merely the pope’s own reputation that is at stake. The good of the Church is at stake. There is, as people on both sides of the controversy have noted, a kind of “civil war” brewing in the Church. The pope could help prevent that if he would only respond to the archbishop’s charges. Yet he has not done so....

As the old lawyer’s saw has it, when the facts and law are on your side, you pound those; and when they aren’t, you pound the table instead.

Again, read the whole thing.

Salesian Cardinal overseeing destruction of Honduran church says Viganò “hurting faith”

LifeSiteNews reports:

Cardinal Maradiaga rebukes papal critics: McCarrick abuse scandal ‘of a private order’

The scandal of ex-Cardinal McCarrick’s homosexual abuse of young priests and seminarians and Pope Francis’ alleged cover-up are “of a private order,” and a merely “administrative affair,” according to one of the Pope’s top advisers, Cardinal Andrés Rodriguez Maradiaga. He made these remarks in a recent interview in one of the most revealing statements to date on the Viganò testimony.

In an interview published on Wednesday evening by Religion Digital, the religious portal of the Spanish-language news site Periodista Digital, Maradiaga once again strongly criticized Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò for having gone public about McCarrick’s sexual predations and the protection the Cardinal received from the highest spheres in the Vatican, especially since Pope Francis was elected to the See of Peter and trusted the American prelate to help him choose new cardinals for the Church in the USA.

Asked to comment about Viganò’s call on the Pope to resign, Maradiaga answered:

It does not seem correct to me to transform something that is of the private order into bombshell headlines exploding all over the world and whose shrapnel is hurting the faith of many. I think this case of an administrative nature should have been made public in accordance with more serene and objective criteria, not with the negative charge of deeply bitter expressions.

Leave aside, just for the moment, just for the moment!--that Maradaiga is part of the worst cover-up in the Catholic Church in living memory. Leave aside--just for the moment!--that when his good seminarians complained about rampant sodomy and sodomy-enabling behavior at their seminary, he attacked them as "gossipers."

Leave that aside for now, and just look what has happened to the Honduran Catholic Church during the time Maradiaga has been in charge. We've reported on this before. In 2014 the Pew Organization did a major study on the religious demography in Latin America. Pew reported:

“the period between 1970 and 2014 is marked by significant declines in the percentages of Catholics in nearly all of the (Latin American) countries surveyed – ranging from a 47-point drop in Honduras to a 5-point decrease in Paraguay."

Get that? "a 47-point drop."  Since 1970, Catholics have fallen from 94% to 46% of the population of Honduras. Maradiaga has been a bishop in Tegucigalpa, Honduras' capitol, since 1978, and the Archbishop of Tegucigalpa and hence the Metropolitan of the whole country since 1993--25 years. Now he professes to believe that Archbishop Viganò's telling the truth "is hurting the faith of many."

"Priest describes ‘cesspools’ of homosexual immorality in German dioceses"

The horrific testimony, excerpted from LifeSiteNews, shows why those of us here in San Francisco and the surrounding dioceses give thanks to God for Archbishop Cordileone, and the Rector of St. Patrick's Seminary, Fr. George Schultze, SJ--a TRUE Son of St. Ignatius.

Priest describes ‘cesspools’ of homosexual immorality in German dioceses

A German priest has released what he calls an "eyewitness account" of "cesspools" of homosexual immorality in an unnamed German diocese.

The priest, Father N., has remained anonymous in order to avoid repercussions.

He tells of his troubles of getting into the seminary because of the vocation's director being a homosexual. This director later left the priesthood to live with another man.

That a priest of God has to keep silent in order to "avoid repercussions" stemming from his exposure of sodomy in the Church of God tells you exactly how pervasive, powerful, and catastrophic the homosexual infiltration has become. Let the wrath of God come!

To support a GOOD seminary, our own St. Patrick's, go here. And their Gala fundraiser is in two weeks!

Bishops Call for Cancelling of Youth Synod "NO to business as usual."

Dead right. Shouldn't have young people anywhere near those creeps.

A Texas bishop has called for the Youth Synod to be canceled in light of the ongoing scandal regarding the cover-up of episcopal sexual abuse of minors and seminarians.

On September 8, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler Texas tweeted his support for other bishops who share this point of view.

“I support Archbishop Charles Chaput, Bishop Edward Burns & other bishops who have called for the Synod on Youth to be cancelled & replaced with an Extraordinary Synod of Bishops to deal with the abuse crisis in the Church,” he wrote. “This crisis must be addressed!!! NO to business as usual.”

"There is an intentional and malicious infiltration of the Church for the purpose of destroying her from within"

More than 10 years ago we documented this exact thing in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The very first sentence on sanfrancisco-catholic.com reads: "This is a report on the infiltration of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco by homosexual activists."

 

From LifeSiteNews:

The following is the transcription of the August 19, 2018 homily gi:ven at the Church of St. Raphael in Crystal, Minnesota by Fr. Robert Altier:

‘Predatory’ gays have infiltrated Church, trying to ‘destroy’ her: priest on abuse crisis

In the second reading today St. Paul tells us that we have to make the most of our opportunity because the days are evil. We aren't just simply living in days that are evil, we are living in the days that Isaiah spoke about, the days when they will call evil good and good evil. And we have been brainwashed into thinking that evil things are okay, they're not.

So, from this point forward, what I am about to say is completely politically incorrect and if you have young ears that you don't want to hear it, you may want to take a fifteen-minute walk....

Read the whole thing. 

Even Leftist Commentary Magazine says: "That is unwise...the truth is more important."

Even the modernist Commentary magazine. I remember that my dad, who never went to Church, had a subscription to Commentary back in the 1960's.

Viganò’s ‘Testimony’

When he was first asked about Viganò’s charges during an in-flight press conference on his way back to the Vatican from Ireland, he replied, “I will not say a single word on this.” And he hasn’t. That is unwise. However dubious or questionable Viganò’s charges, Francis should respond to them directly, especially given that a number of the claims refer to private conversations between the two men. If Francis did not know about Benedict’s request that McCarrick should keep a low profile, he should say so. If he is afraid of implicating his two predecessors, who promoted McCarrick and allowed him to continue in public ministry, he shouldn’t be. The truth is more important. As the church once again reckons with its leaders’ failures to confront and punish abusers, the faithful deserve answers.

"For some of these people, cleaning up sexual abuse...not as important as protecting the advancement of homosexuality"

Rod Dreher writes in the American Conservative:

The Hypocrisy of Pope Francis's Silence

Vigano is not some disgruntled low-level official. He is a high-level curial figure, and as the papal nuncio to the US, was in a position to know about McCarrick and the way Rome dealt with him. Vigano’s accusations may be wrong, but they cannot be dismissed. The idea that Francis’s silence in the face of these damning allegations is a sign of his holiness is the kind of thing you’d have to be a numbskull to believe. And Austen Ivereigh is not remotely a numbskull.

It is sadly apparent that for some of these people, cleaning up sexual abuse and related corruption in the Roman Catholic Church is not as important as protecting the advancement of homosexuality and other progressive priorities.

"What are you doing to solve the problem of homosexuality and other immoral behavior in the priesthood?"

Bob Sullivan writes in Crisis magazine:

I’m really only interested in hearing one of two things from any bishop because until we resolve the problem of sexual immorality within the priesthood (including the hierarchy), the Church is locked in a holding pattern: We cannot effectively evangelize our children or those outside the Church. We cannot effectively serve those in need. We cannot effectively make disciples within the Church. We need to try, but we are trying with one hand tied behind our back. Here are the two questions which must be answered every day by each bishop:

What are you doing to solve the problem of homosexuality and other immoral behavior in the priesthood?

When are you going to resign?

If we see evidence to the first question, we do not need to ask the second question.

AMEN: "Something must be done now."

A very powerful letter from His Excellency Robert E. Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston, to the Apostolic Nuncio. Excerpt:

Dear Archbishop Pierre,

Our Church is in crisis and as the leader of the Catholic faithful in the State of South Carolina, I write with urgency to express my sentiments and echo those of the people in my care. We feel betrayed, angry and misled.

Something must be done now. I have several recommendations that support the statement from Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is imperative that the Holy See take a leadership role in investigating the rise of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, despite the reported knowledge of his prior sexual misconduct and monetary settlements during his earlier diocesan assignments. It is absolutely necessary for all of us to know how and why this happened. Action must occur immediately and publicly....

Read the whole thing.

He Speaks! To a bunch of Italian bikers.....

Addressing the important issues, I see. Reported yesterday on the Vatican's website.

I am pleased to welcome you, representing the bikers who will take part in the next Gran Premio Octo di San Marino and the Rimini Riviera. I greet you all with affection: managers, riders and technicians, and I thank you for this visit. I especially greet the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, and I thank him for his words.

Your presence gives me the opportunity to underline the importance of sport in today’s society. The Church considers sporting activity, practiced with full respect of the rules, as a valid educational tool especially for the younger generations; indeed, it is indispensable. The phenomenon of sport, in fact, stimulates a healthy overcoming of oneself and of selfishness, trains the spirit of sacrifice and, if well practiced, inspires loyalty in interpersonal relationships, friendship, and respect for the rules.

It is important that those involved in sports, at various levels, promote those human and Christian values that underlie a more just and supportive society. This is possible because the sporting event is expressed in a universal language that transcends borders, languages, races, religions and ideologies. This is seen above all in amateur sport, which comes from the heart. Therefore, it possesses the intrinsic capacity to unite people, fostering dialogue and acceptance.

I encourage you to spread the values of sport: in this way you will contribute to building a more just and supportive society. And I would like to focus on two words that the president said. One is “passion”: when I read the news about suicide among young people – and there are many – but what happened there? At least I can say that in that life “passion” was lacking, someone did not know how to sow the passions to live. And then difficulties were not faced with this passion. Spread passion: this world needs passions, passion. Live with passion, and not like someone who bears life like a burden. Passion is moving forward. And the second phrase is: “champion of life”. Yes, one can become a champion in sporting success, a champion of a team, and so on ... But “champion of life” is someone who lives with passion; one who lives with fullness is able to live like this. “Passion” and “champion of life”: two beautiful phrases.

With these wishes, while I assure you and your families a remembrance in prayer, I willingly invoke upon you the Lord’s Blessing.

"What’s the worst part of Pope Francis’ response to the exposure of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups?"

That's the question John Zmirak asks, and answers, at Rorate Caeli.

"The Innocence of Serpents": Francis' Silence is not Jesus' Silence

What’s the worst part of Pope Francis’ response to the exposure of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups?

You might say, “Where to begin?” and point to a dozen different facets of the corruption of the priesthood by our bishops.

The list of scandals against supernatural faith and natural justicecould fill up thousands of words. Others such as Paul Rahe and Benjamin Wiker have done yeoman’s work unpacking it all. I don’t need to add very much. Let me just mention one point which offends me to the core.

Not just as a Catholic. Or even as a Christian. If I were a mere agnostic, it still would turn my stomach.

And that’s the claim made by Pope Francis’ defenders that in refusing to answer Abp. Vigano’s charges, the pope is acting like Jesus, when He was hauled up before Herod:

And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad; for he was desirous of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by Him. And he questioned Him in many words. But He answered him nothing. (Luke 23: 8-9)

Quite a potent tactic. It’s a way of painting stonewalling as an imitation of Christ. Father Marcial Maciel used this stratagem, and for a long while it worked. As one accuser came forth after another, he smothered their claims in silence. That gave his monied cronies and guilty enablers a high-minded pretext to hide behind, as many did, for years.

In fact, it’s the starkest blasphemy.

Even fair-minded unbelievers ought to be outraged, if they see Jesus for what He was: an innocent man, hunted to His death by political enemies. To seize on Jesus’ innocence, and His dignified refusal to answer the corrupt tyrant Herod, who would have set Him free in return for some petty miracle … and weaponize it on behalf of a ruler’s arrogant silence…. That is repulsive, on a purely human level. It’s like smooshing together Anne Frank and Josef Goebbels as “casualties of the Second World War.”

Too much you say? Isn’t it equally possible that Pope Francis indeed is innocent, at least of the charge that he knew about and repealed Benedict’s (feeble) sanctions against McCarrick? And did so in return for McCarrick’s support at the Conclave?

We may never know. The documents which prove Vigano’s testimony are under the pope’s control. Unless he’s already ordered that they be shredded, they sit in archives in Rome and in Washington, D.C. at the nunciature. Journalists should be demanding them.

A U.S. attorney ought to subpoena these files, to see if U.S. bishops violated RICO laws by shuffling sex abusers. The Church ought to have to hand them over, waiving its frail diplomatic immunity as the price of ongoing relations with the United States of America. I don’t know if that will happen. My colleague Austin Ruse has called on President Trump to demand it. All that is politics. Who knows how it will play out?

But we do know the following facts.

The pope lives in a house (Casa Santa Marta) managed by a priest who consorted with male prostitutes. Francis was backed for the papacy by molester Cardinal McCarrick and coverup artist-cardinals Danneels and Wuerl. He plucked Danneels from disgrace under Benedict XVI, inviting Danneels to join him when he first addressed Roman crowds, and asking him to speak (at the Synod on the Family) to the bishops of the world. Pope Francis has previously lifted penalties on at least one powerful molester in the mold of McCarrick.

Francis defied cries of victims, and elevated a bishop in Chile who’d actively covered for a molester. When the pope’s mockery of the victims blew up in the press, he blamed the local bishops and called one victim to Rome. Then he told the young man that God (not the priest who molested him) had “made him gay.”

Think of all this. Think then of Father Maciel.

And think of the innocence of Jesus

Two of Uncle Ted's, oops, Uncle Blaise's Boys Caught Committing Sodomy

Sorry, hard to keep these creeps straight.

Chicago's CBS affiliate has the whole disgusting story.

Two priests from northwest suburban Arlington Heights were arrested in Miami Beach on Monday after allegedly engaging in a sex act inside a parked vehicle.

The priests, Diego L. Berrio, 39; and Edwin M. Cortez, 30, both reside at San Juan Diego Mission on the 2300 block of North Wilke Road.

According to arrest reports from the Miami Beach Police Department, someone called police after seeing two men engaged in oral sex inside of a black Volkswagen parked on the 1300 block of Ocean Drive at 3:20 p.m. on Labor Day.

Swiss Bishop Skewers Vatican's Denial, Identifies 'homosexual network within the Catholic Church'

Bishop Marian Eleganti of the Diocese of Chur, Switzerland, via LifeSiteNews:

Swiss Bishop Marian Eleganti has called Pope Francis' reaction to Archbishop Viganò's recent allegations that the Pope was involved in the cover-up for now ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick a “classical non-denial denial….

Bishop Eleganti also noted in the interview that the Pope has surrounded himself with a network of pro-homosexual counselors, adding that he cannot see how any bishop involved with the cover-up of abuse cases could remain in his office.

When asked whether bishops who themselves were involved in the cover-up of abuse cases should resign, Eleganti said: “It is hard to imagine that they would remain in their offices.”

Eleganti also spoke about the “homosexual network within the Catholic Church.”

Asked whether he sees signs of this network also in the German-speaking realm, the bishop responded: “Striking are the attempts to re-write the traditional teaching which regards homosexual acts as intrinsically disordered and which therefore forbids their practice.”

“Pope Francis is surrounded by cardinals and counselors who go into this direction,” he added.

These papal counselors “openly support James Martin, the most prominent promoter of a change of the traditional teaching with regard to homosexuality.” Some of these “cardinals and counselors,” explained Eleganti, “were in part appointed by Pope Francis, for example, Cupich, Tobin, Farrell. The latter [Farrell] then invited James Martin to Dublin [to the World Meeting of Families].”

Great young Bishop Lopes not buying the 'I knew nothing!'

That's Bishop Steven Lopes--another Bay Area boy, born in Fremont. Came through the Ignatius Institute, gave the invocation at the Walk for Life West Coast a couple of years ago.

LifeSiteNews has the story.

Young bishop doesn’t believe prelates who say, ‘I knew nothing’ of McCarrick’s sex abuse

One of America’s youngest bishops has expressed his incredulity, if not disgust, over the manner in which senior prelates have handled the McCarrick scandal, which is still sending shockwaves throughout the Catholic Church.

In a Sunday homily at Our Lady of Walsingham in Houston, Texas, Bishop Steven Lopes, 43, spoke about the unsatisfactory response of some of the old guard members of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) to the scandal.

“I’ll tell you what response is not good enough: It’s the parade of cardinals and bishops who have rushed to the television cameras, clutching their pectoral crosses, saying, ‘I knew nothing,’” said Lopes, appointed bishop of the Anglican Ordinariate – a special rite in the Church for Anglicans who become Catholic but still may retain some of their traditions, formally called the Diocese of The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter – in 2016.

“I don’t believe it,” continued Lopes. “And I am one of them.”

“I don’t believe it, because as one of the youngest bishops in the conference, you do get an interesting perspective. Like, for the fact that I was a seminarian when Theodore McCarrick was named Archbishop of Newark, and he would visit the seminary often,” he added. “And we all knew.”

God is raising up great Priests and Bishops to lead his Church!

Buchanan: 'It needs be stated clearly: This is a homosexual scandal.'

Pat Buchanan gets it. 'A cancer on the papacy' Excerpt:

"Applicants to the seminary should be vetted the way applicants to the National Security Council are. Those homosexually inclined should be told the priesthood of the Church is not for them, as it is not for women.

Secular society will call this invidious discrimination, but it is based on what Christ taught and how he established his Church.

Inevitably, if the Church is to remain true to herself, the clash with secular society, which now holds that homosexuality is natural and normal and entitled to respect, is going to widen and deepen.

For in traditional Catholic teaching, homosexuality is a psychological and moral disorder, a proclivity toward acts that are intrinsically wrong, and everywhere and always sinful and depraved, and ruinous of character.

The idea of homosexual marriages, recently discovered to be a constitutional right in the USA, remains an absurdity in Catholic doctrine...."

Archbishop Charles Chaput: Cancel Youth Synod: "Absolutely no credibility"

The fearless Archbishop of Philadelphia tells the truth (LifeSiteNews):

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia told a conference that had met to discuss the “young people” of the Church that in light of the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church he had written to Pope Francis asking him to cancel the upcoming Youth Synod set to take place in Rome.

“The bishops would have absolutely no credibility” in the upcoming Youth Synod, Chaput told the Cardinal’s Forum, an annual gathering to provide academic formation of seminarians and continuing education for lay people, yesterday. The synod's planned dates are set for October 3-28, 2018.

The August 30 panel discussion, which took place at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, was on the topic of “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.” Some 300 participated in the event.

Archbishop Chaput said the Youth Synod should be canceled.

“I have written the Holy Father and called on him to cancel the upcoming synod on young people. Right now, the bishops would have absolutely no credibility in addressing this topic,” he said.

Instead of having a youth synod, the Archbishop proposed that a synod should be held to address the topic of the bishops themselves.

“I have called on him (Pope Francis), in its place, to begin making plans for a synod on the life of bishops,” he said.

The issue is Sodomite and Sodomy-supporting Priests and Bishops

Be sure to read the full article excerpted below "Francis and the Journalists" by Irish journalist John Waters, writing in First Things. Via Rod Dreher. Bold emphasis added.

"The pope’s exchange with journalists on the plane back to Italy must rank as one of the strangest episodes of mutual avoidance in the history of journalism. An issue that journalists have prosecuted with extreme vigor for a quarter-century had finally arrived at the door of a pope: a direct and concrete accusation that, in a specific instance, he had protected a serial sexual abuser. Yet the omertà of the day continued into the early exchanges of the press conference, with several questions from Irish journalists making no reference to the matter. Then Anna Matanga of CBS—the first mainstream platform to cover the Viganò story on Sunday—asked: “This morning, very early, a document by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò came out. In it, he says that in 2013 he had a personal talk with you at the Vatican, and that in that talk, he spoke to you explicitly of the behavior of and the sexual abuse by former–Cardinal McCarrick. I wanted to ask you if this was true. I also wanted to ask something else: The archbishop also said that Pope Benedict sanctioned McCarrick, that he had forbidden him to live in a seminary, to celebrate Mass in public, he couldn’t travel, he was sanctioned by the Church.  May I ask you whether these two things are true?”

The pope replied: “I will respond to your question, but I would prefer last—first we speak about the trip, and then other topics. … I read the statement this morning, and I must tell you sincerely that, I must say this, to you and all those who are interested. Read the statement carefully and make your own judgment. I will not say a single word about this. I believe the statement speaks for itself. And you have the journalistic capacity to draw your own conclusions. It’s an act of faith. When some time passes and you have drawn your conclusions, I may speak. But, I would like your professional maturity to do the work for you. It will be good for you. That’s good.”

And when you read the pope’s response again in light of what has happened—or not happened—in the several days since, it acquires an ominous tenor, inviting a stab at a new translation. Here is mine:

“Read the statement in the knowledge of the relationship you and I share: We are men and women of the world and like-minded on what is important. We know where we stand on matters like homosexuality and homosexual priests. But be careful how you handle this Viganò business—a wrong word could undo all we have achieved. I have faith in you to figure out who this man is. Do your work well and there will be no need for me to risk my position. Once you have defused the situation, I will deal with Viganò for the record. We are all adults here. I know I can count on you. I need your help on this, but we have an understanding that has worked well so far. Trust me.”"

Again, be sure to read the full article "Francis and the Journalists" 

Distinguished Catholic Women tell Francis: ‘We, your flock, deserve YOUR answers NOW.’

A group of 52 distinguished Catholic women have sent an open letter to Francis pleading with him to be more open and forthcoming. The signers include Walk for Life West Coast co-chair Eva Muntean and 2016 Walk for Life West Coast speaker Obianuju Ekeocha, Founder and President, Culture of Life Africa.

Following the original signatories, and as of this writing 12,696 additional Catholic women have added their voices. An excerpt is below, and Catholic women are invited to read the whole thing and sign by going here.

August 30, 2018
His Holiness, Pope Francis
Vatican City
Your Holiness:

You have said that you seek “a more incisive female presence in the Church,” and that “women are capable of seeing things with a different angle from [men], with a different eye. Women are able to pose questions that we men are not able to understand.”

We write to you, Holy Father, to pose questions that need answers.

We are Catholic women deeply committed to our faith and profoundly grateful for Church teachings, the Sacraments, and the many good bishops and priests who have blessed our lives.

Our hearts are broken, our faith tested, by the escalating crisis engulfing our beloved Church. We are angry, betrayed and disillusioned. The pain and suffering of the victims never ends, as each news cycle brings more horrific revelations of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, cover-ups, and deceit—even at the Church’s highest levels.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s recent statement impels us to reach out to you directly for answers. His testimony accuses you, Holy Father, and highly placed cardinals of turning a blind eye to former Cardinal McCarrick’s egregious behavior, and promoting this predator as a global spokesman and spiritual leader. Is this true?...."

Again, Catholic women are invited to read the whole thing and sign by going here.

Bishop Tom Daly: 'Corruption and Degeneracy'

A San Francisco boy. Proud of him:

Message from Bishop Thomas Daly

Archbishop Cordileone: "Purification is Always Painful"

Bless his heart! Our Archbishop's letter about the situation at the highest levels of the Church:

Dear Faithful of the Archdiocese,

Last Sunday witnessed what many are calling a “bombshell” in the Church: the publication of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s “Testimony,” alleging corruption and coverup at all levels of the Church based on his long and extensive personal knowledge.

I came to know Archbishop Viganò well during the years he served as Apostolic Nuncio here in the United States.  I can attest that he is a man who served his mission with selfless dedication, who fulfilled well the Petrine mission entrusted to him by the Holy Father to “strengthen his brothers in the faith,” and who would do so at great personal sacrifice and with absolutely no consideration given to furthering his “career” – all of which speaks to his integrity and sincere love of the Church. 

Moreover, while having no privileged information about the Archbishop McCarrick situation, from information I do have about a very few of the other statements Archbishop Viganò makes, I can confirm that they are true.  His statements, therefore, must be taken seriously.  To dismiss them lightly would continue a culture of denial and obfuscation.  Of course, to validate his statements in detail a formal investigation will have to be conducted, one that is thorough and objective.  I am therefore grateful to Cardinal DiNardo for recognizing the merit of finding answers that are “conclusive and based on evidence,” and I join my voice to that of other bishops in calling for such an investigation and for taking any corrective action that may be necessary in light of its findings. I was named a bishop on July 5, 2002, three weeks after the USCCB meeting in Dallas that approved the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, and still at the height of the drama of revelations of sex abuse of minors by clergy.

 

 At that time, I was asked to conduct a prayer service at the conclusion of a conference on family life hosted by the diocese that attracted participants from around the world.  I met there an Australian priest with whom I was acquainted during our years of study in Rome, and he congratulated me on my appointment.  I replied, “Thank you, but this is not a good time to become a bishop.”  I will never forget his response to me: “But it is a good time to be a great bishop.” 

 

What he said to me then can be said to every Catholic at this time.  The Church is in need of purification.  Purification is always painful.  My dear victims: you know this more than anyone; please know of our prayers and love for you, and that we continue to be here for you, to support you and help you to heal with the resources we have available.

  

I believe God is beginning this painful process of purification for us now, but for it to work, we must cooperate.  God has always raised up great saints in similar times of turmoil in the Church.  I call on all of us to rededicate ourselves to prayer, penance and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, so that God will bless us with this grace.

Please know of my gratitude to you all: to you our priests, who remain close by your people, lending them support and pastoral care in this time of crisis; to you our deacons, who assist priests in this responsibility and bring the Gospel to those for whom it would otherwise be inaccessible; to you our victims assistance coordinators and to all who support victims on the painful path toward healing; to the faculty and administration of St. Patrick’s Seminary for your hard work in providing deep and healthy formation for our future priests for the renewal of the Church in our corner of the Lord’s vineyard, and to our seminarians for your fervor and generosity in responding to the Lord’s call of priestly service; and last but not least, to you, our people, for your prayer, for your love and concern for the Church, which now moves you to demand change that is effective and decisive, and for your support of our priests.

May God grant us all the grace to be the agents of change and purification that He is calling us to be at this time.

Sincerely yours in our Lord,

Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone

Archbishop of San Francisco

Bishop Paprocki: 'That response is not adequate.'

Springfield, Illinois Bishop Thomas Paprocki:

Statement from Bishop Thomas John Paprocki Regarding the Testimony of the Former Apostolic Nuncio

SPRINGFIELD – The former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, has revealed a set of facts and circumstances that are deeply troubling as they relate to the awareness, actions, and inactions at the very highest levels of the Church. Archbishop Viganò has provided his written testimony stating that Pope Francis “must honestly state when he first learned about the crimes committed by McCarrick, who abused his authority with seminarians and priests. In any case, the Pope learned about it from me on June 23, 2013 and continued to cover for him.”

When asked about this aboard the papal plane on his return flight from Ireland on August 26, Pope Francis said, “Read the statement carefully and make your own judgment. I will not say a single word on this.” Frankly, but with all due respect, that response is not adequate. Given the gravity of the content and implications of the former Nuncio’s statement, it is important for all the facts of this situation to be fully reviewed, vetted, and carefully considered. Toward that end, Pope Francis, Vatican officials and the current Apostolic Nuncio should make public the pertinent files indicating who knew what and when about Archbishop (formerly Cardinal) McCarrick and provide the accountability that the Holy Father has promised.

In this regard, I concur completely with the statement of Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who yesterday “reaffirmed the call for a prompt and thorough examination into how the grave moral failings of a brother bishop could have been tolerated for so long and proven no impediment to his advancement. The recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò brings particular focus and urgency to this examination. The questions raised deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence.”

"I will not say a single word on this"--it's almost beyond belief that a person of prominence would be dumb enough to try this. And it is apparently contagious: Chicago's unspeakable Archbishop Cupich is even dumber, claiming the whole thing is: "because he's a Latino."

The extermination of the homosexual networks throughout the Church has been a long time coming. But this is a start: now they are there for all to see, and they cannot survive in the light.