A week after Benedict XVI's shock announcement, an important statement he once made comes to light
MARCO BARDAZZIROME
A restructured Church with far fewer members that is forced to let go of many places of worship it worked so hard to build over the centuries. A minority Catholic Church with little influence over political decisions, that is socially irrelevant, left humiliated and forced to “start over.”
But a Church that will find itself again and be reborn a “simpler and more spiritual” entity thanks to this “enormous confusion.” This was the prophesy made 40 years ago on the future of Christianity by a young Bavarian theologian, Joseph Ratzinger. Digging it out again today perhaps provides us with another key to understanding Benedict XVI's decision to resign, because it traces his gesture back through the course of his interpretation of history.
His prophesy concluded a series of radio preachings which the then professor of theology gave in 1969 at what was a decisive moment in his life and the life of the Church. These were the turbulent years of the student revolts and the landing on the moon but also of the disputes over the Second Vatican Council which had only recently come to a close. Ratzinger, who was one of the Council's protagonists, had left the riotous university of Tübingen seeking refuge in the calmer city of Regensburg.
He found himself isolated as a theologian, having split with liberals Küng, Schillebeeckx and Rahner over their interpretations of the Council. It was in this period that he concolidated new friendships with theologians Hans Urs von Balthasar and Henri de Lubac, with whom he founded Catholic theological journal, Communio. Communio soon became a training ground for young “Ratzingerian” priests who are now cardinals and all seen as potential successors to Benedict XVI: Angelo Scola, Christoph Schönborn and Marc Ouellet.
In five little known radio speeches made in 1969 and published again a while ago by Ignatius Press in the volume“Faith and the Future”, the future Pope gave his vision of the future of man and the Church. His last teaching, which he read out on “Hessian Rundfunk” radio on Christmas day, had a distinctly prophetic tone.
Ratzinger said he was convinced the Church was going through an era similar to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. “We are at a huge turning point – he explained – in the evolution of mankind. This moment makes the move from Medieval to modern times seem insignificant.” Professor Ratzinger compared the current era to that of Pope Pius VI who was abducted by troops of the French Republic and died in prison in 1799. The Church was fighting against a force which intended to annihilate it definitively, confiscating its property and dissolving religious orders.
Today's Church could be faced with a similar situation, undermined, according to Ratzinger, by the temptation to reduce priests to “social workers” and it and all its work reduced to a mere political presence. “From today's crisis, will emerge a Church that has lost a great deal,” he affirmed.
“It will become small and will have to start pretty much all over again. It will no longer have use of the structures it built in its years of prosperity. The reduction in the number of faithful will lead to it losing an important part of its social privileges.” It will start off with small groups and movements and a minority that will make faith central to experience again. “It will be a more spiritual Church, and will not claim a political mandate flirting with the Right one minute and the Left the next. It will be poor and will become the Church of the destitute.”
The process outlined by Ratzinger was a “long” one “but when all the suffering is past, a great power will emerge from a more spiritual and simple Church,” at which point humans will realise that they live in a world of “indescribable solitude” and having lost sight of God “they will perceive the horror of their poverty.”
Then and only then, Ratzinger concluded, will they see “that small flock of faithful as something completely new: they will see it as a source of hope for themselves, the answer they had always secretly been searching for.
I suppose the implication here is that the comments of Ratzinger refer to the NCW? Wheich is all very well, except that the NCW is one of the most rigidly structured, wealthy and extremely politcal "movements" of the modern Church.
ReplyDeleteWhile stubborn, fanatical members dominate, the necessary reforms and adjustments will never be made. But we hope that in time it might become more orthodox and docile to the truth.
Dear Anonymous at 11:38 pm,
DeleteActually, I was also thinking that he would be referring to the Charismatic Catholics and the Focolare Movement in addition to the NCW. The Pope stated: It will start off with small groups and movements and a minority that will make faith central to experience again." The NCW is not a movement, but the other two are. The founder of the Focolare Movement was also beatified by the Church so she is in the same category as Mother Teresa.
The NCW is also not wealthy or political. Did you know that Mother Teresa was falsely accused of being wealthy. She was accused of keeping all the money to herself just because she is capable of traveling around the world.
What's this got to do with Mother Teresa? Did she have hundreds of foundations worth millions of dollars each?
DeleteDear Anonymous at 10:44 am,
DeleteMother Teresa was the founder of the Missionaries of Charities. At the time of her death, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters, and an associated brotherhood of 300 members, operating 610 missions in 123 countries. These included hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counselling programs, personal helpers, orphanages, and schools. The Missionaries of Charity were also aided by Co-Workers, who numbered over 1 million by the 1990s. All these foundations are worth millions of dollars.
Another Nostradamus?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 1:00 am,
DeleteYou are calling the Pope a Nostradamus? Do you not know that even Pope John Paul II was predicting the future when he wrote "Humane Vitae". The things he wrote in his book are things now happening today. The Catholic Church shares the position of "king, prophet, and priest" with her spouse. A prophet of God is someone who reveals God, speaks for God, and communicates to people the truths that God wants them to know.
Diana at 7:06 am, I'm looking at my copy of Humane Vitae: On Human Life and it says that it is the Encyclical of His Holiness Pope Paul VI promulgated on July 25,1968. According to historical resources, Pope John Paul II was not elected pope until Oct 16, 1978, more than 10 years later.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 10:11 am,
DeleteThank you. You are correct.
He said that they will be poor....so he is not referring to NCW because kiko have gained massive wealth worldwide. They own the hotel in Yona......right? As per legal counsel on GUAM.
ReplyDeleteDear Superales,
DeleteThe RM seminary belongs to the Archdiocese of Agana. Jacques Bronze is a real estate attorney who does NOT specialize in religious institutions and corporation sole. On the other hand, the law firm of Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP whom the Archbishop consulted, specialized in establishing corporations sole in many Catholic dioceses in the U.S. and in civil-religious issues related to corporation soles.
According to Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP:
"The authority of the Archbishop over the entity, particularly with respect to the administration of real property, is a fundamental aspect of the canon law relationship between the Archbishop and Redemptoris Mater. The method used by the Archbishop under civil law of conveying beneficial use of the Property to Redemptoris Mater while retaining legal title to the Property within the Archdiocese of Agana is consistent with canon law prescribed structures; is consistent with civil law methods widely used by numerous Catholic dioceses in the United States both historically and currently; and is a necessary civil law structure to reflect and enforce the Archbishop's powers of jurisdiction over Redemptoris Mater under the Code of Canon Law."
As you can see, Superales, Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP took into account the CANON LAW of the Catholic Church......something which your "Bronze Shoe" did not because he does not specialize in religious institutions nor in corporation soles.
Superales, (not sure if youre the Mr. or Mrs.)
DeleteKiko has gained no wealth worldwide. I urge you to stay away from the jungle. You are basing your knowledge on what others are saying based on what they have heard from other anti-NCW people and websites.
The Bronze shoe only states that this "MAY" or that "MAY". It does not use the word "WILL" or "HAS" or any other word that will convey to the reader that something wrong HAS been committed.
Its like saying, if you eat at Fridays Restaurant then you MAY get food poisoning.
No where in that sentence does it say that you WILL get food poisoning.
However, Timothy is fooling everyone again by saying that the Archbishop HAS given away the Yona Property. False!
-Jokers Wild
Diana, you're famous in JW again. Your comment at 11:30 pm is slightly different than what was copied and pasted in JW.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 7:17 am,
DeleteThank you for the information. My response can be found in the following weblink:
http://neocatechemunal.blogspot.com/2015/07/desperation-in-jungle.html
Really now 7:14AM..it was copied and pasted as is. No modifications unless it came later from Diana. I have a photocopy of it. Ding, Ding!
DeleteI was just reading over one of your previous posts (about the letter from Kiko in 2006), and I find myself uncertain about something that I hope you can address. You seem to be saying that prior to and immediately after the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal way were issued, in 2008, Kiko was meeting with Pope Benedict and had been given at that time, according to what you have been told, an approval to do various things in the Mass - such as sit down and consume the Blessed sacrament together with the priest.
ReplyDeleteI noticed though that in January 2012 there was a great deal on the interweb dealing with an expected approval of the NCW liturgies. For example there is this article:
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2012/01/magister-on-neocatechumenal-way-liturgy.html#.VZoeL9SQ-ig
So, if there had been an agreement with Kiko and Pope Benedict some three, four or five years before regarding the practices in the Neocatechumenal Way Mass, why would there have been such anticipation about the expected approval of the "liturgy of the Neocatechumenal Way"? What were Kiko and the communities expecting to happen at that time?
Dear Anonymous at 4:36 pm,
DeleteBefore 2008, the NCW received the Body of Christ sitting down, while the entire Catholic Church received it either standing or kneeling. During those four or five years, Kiko and the Pope had to have many discussions regarding the celebration of the Word and the Eucharist, and the stages of the NCW that each member will be going through during their post baptismal formation. All details had to be discussed to ensure that the NCW is in communion with Rome. If Kiko planned on doing things without the approval of Rome, he would not have continually met with the Pope.
Those complaints are not new. As I explained in my entry post, the NCW did not keep the Eucharist celebration a secret. Due to the numerous complaints coming in, Pope Benedict XVI launched an investigation into the NCW to determine if those complaints were true. Because we did not keep the Eucharist a secret, it should be easy to conduct an investigation. The NCW celebrates the Eucharist exactly the same way worldwide. Almost a year has gone by, and nothing ever came from those investigations. When Francis became Pope, he ceased all investigations into the Way.
Those complaints have been coming into Rome since 2008. It has already been 7 years since the Vatican has heard the same complaints despite that the investigation was stopped 2 years ago.
Dear Diana, thankyou for your response, but you didn't really answer the questions. I shall reprint them here:
DeleteSo, if there had been an agreement with Kiko and Pope Benedict some three, four or five years before regarding the practices in the Neocatechumenal Way Mass, why would there have been such anticipation about the expected approval of the "liturgy of the Neocatechumenal Way"? What were Kiko and the communities expecting to happen at that time?
Dear Anonymous at 1:18 am,
DeleteThe approval of the Statutes was important to the NCW because it made the NCW "official", and it guaranteed our permanence in the Catholic Church.
Yes, there was so much anticipation for approval and it didn't happen. Pope Benedict caught on to Kiko's scheme.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 12:38 pm,
DeleteOn the contrary, it did happen. According to news report:
VATICAN CITY (CNA) - The Pontifical Council for the Laity will send the official decree approving the statues of the Neocatechumenal Way to founders Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez on Friday, June 13, at 11a.m., the Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano reports.
The Pontifical Council for the Laity described the significance of the approval in a statement saying, "The definitive approval of the statutes undoubtedly constitutes an important stage in the life of this ecclesial reality, established in Spain in 1964.
This approval required consultation at various levels.
During the ad expermientum period of approval of the statutes, the Council had the chance to witness the great contribution the Neocatechumenal Way makes to the new evangelization through a catechetical-liturgical praxis, [that has been] esteemed during its more than forty years of existence."
"Therefore, after an attentive review of the text of the statues and after implementing some modifications that were considered necessary, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decided to grant definitive approval to the statues," the statement continued.
"The statues of the Neocatechumenal Way, approved now in definitive form, deserve to be supported as a valid instrument at the service of this ecclesial reality, so that it may continue contributing to the good of the entire Church."
Cardinal Stanyslaw Rylko will deliver the decree to the founders, and at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon, leaders of the Neocatechumenal Way will hold a press conference at their headquarters in Rome.
http://www.catholic.org/news/international/europe/story.php?id=28215
Dear Diana. II think you have misunderstood the questions - which relate to what was expected to happen in 2012, not in relation to the Statutes which were approved in 2008.
DeleteThis is what I asked:
I noticed though that in January 2012 there was a great deal on the interweb dealing with an expected approval of the NCW liturgies. For example there is this article:
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2012/01/magister-on-neocatechumenal-way-liturgy.html#.VZoeL9SQ-ig
So, if there had been an agreement with Kiko and Pope Benedict some three, four or five years before regarding the practices in the Neocatechumenal Way Mass, why would there have been such anticipation about the expected approval of the "liturgy of the Neocatechumenal Way"? What were Kiko and the communities expecting to happen at that time?
Please comment on what was expected to happen in 2012, and why. Thankyou.
Dear Anonymous at 6:39 pm,
DeleteI apologize if I mis understood your question. The Statutes were approved in 2008 , and the Catechetical Directory was approved in 2010. And you want me to comment on what was expected to happen in 2012? What did you think the NCW expect to happen two years later after the approval of the Catechetical Directory?
" And you want me to comment on what was expected to happen in 2012?"
DeleteYes, it was widelt reported that the NCW were expecting an announcement in January 2012. What is your understanding of that time?
Dear Anonymous at 8:22 pm,
DeleteReported by whom? Was this expectation reported by Kiko or by those against the Way? The NCW was waiting for the approval of the Statues and the Catechetical Directory. The Statues were approved in 2008, and the Directory was approved in 2010. What announcement did you think the NCW was expecting two years after the approval of the Directory?
This might remind you:
Deletehttp://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350149?eng=y
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350217?eng=y
wherein we are told that the NCW expected a "blanket approval" of all their liturgical acts, including the mass, and that this had been communicated to the communities prior to the event. Surely you knew this as you have said before that you know these things that are passed down from the top.
Evidently there was a conspiracy to have the Vatican approve the particular aspects of the NCW practice of the Mass that were not included in the Statutes, but this didn't eventuate because of Cardinal Burke. It was then that Pope Benedict ordered an investigation into the way the NCW celebrates the Mass. This is th same investigation that you have told us with glee that Pope Francis discontinued.
So why would Pope Benedict order such an investigation if he was the one who supposedly gave secret permissions to Kiko?
And why would there even be a desire to have a "blanket approval" if these things were already approved. Your argument is undone.
Dear Anonymous at 8:52 pm,
DeleteI see now......it comes from an Anti-Neo website. All the information is from an Anti-Neo website with no quotes from Kiko or even the two cardinals: Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko and Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera. According to your second Anti-Neo weblink, it stated:
"What had happened was that the pontifical council for the laity headed by Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko had prepared the text for a degree of blanket approval of all the liturgical and extra-liturgical celebrations of the Neocatechumenal Way, to be made public the January 20 on the occasion of a meeting scheduled between the pope and the Way.
The decree was redacted according to the guidelines of the congregation for divine worship, headed by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera."
Anonymous, below is the decree that Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko wrote and signed on January 8th, 12 days before it was announced, and the source comes from a neutral website:
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=117464
Also below are weblinks of statements made by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera." regarding the Neocatechumenal Way. These statements were made by the Cardinal on January, 2012 and the source is from the Vatican Insider, which is not an Anti-Neo website nor a pro-Neo website:
http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/canizares-neocatecumenali-news-cathecumenals-catecumenales-11940/
According to the above weblink, the Cardinal did not express any disappointment at all over the decree that was read.
The Article you quote from EWTN is dated 20 January 2011, after the announcement.
DeleteIn any case, you haven't answered the legitimate questions as to why Pope Benedict ordered an investigation following this announcement. The "anti-NCW" website (Sandro Magister) describes a conspiracy that is a reasonable explanation, and I have never seen any reasonable argument against it.
If Pope Benedict had given the NCW permission to do as you do in the Mass, hy would he order an investigation into the NCW celebration of the Mass? Answer that
Diana - That's always seems to be your excuse when you know you've been busted.... "It came from an anti-neo website" or "it's because they're against the Way". Your tactics are well too documented for people to see you for what you really are.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 2:19 am,
DeleteIt is always best to look for neutral websites. Anti-Neo websites do not tell the whole truth. They use the same tactics that fundamentalist Protestants use in their Anti-Catholic propaganda.
Dear Anonymous at 12:05 am,
DeleteThe EWTN was dated Jan. 20, 2012, and EWTN mentioned that the decree was dated January 8th.
I did tell you the reason Pope Benedict launched the investigation. The investigation was launched on April, which was three months after the so-called decree incident. Because it was launched 3 months after, it could not have anything to do with the January so-called decree incident. Many complaints were coming into the Vatican regarding the Liturgy. So the investigations were launched to determined whether those allegations were true.
Actually the investigation does relate to the January events. As you can read on the "anti Neo" site, it was in April that the Vatileaks exposed the clandestine operations of the NCW in regard to the expected January approval - Cardinal Burke had written to the Secretary of State about this and the concern had eventually come to the Pope, It was then that the investigation was launched
DeleteDear Anonymous at 1:58 pm,
DeleteCardinal Burke's letter was dated Jan. 16th. The EWTN showed that the announcement made on Jan. 20th was dated Jan. 8th. The Jan. 8th decree made no mention of any blanket approval. If there was a change in the decree, it would have been dated after Jan. 16th after the Pope received Burke's letter. In other words, Burked believed a rumor.
What were the communities told prior to the announcement in January 2012?
DeleteThe Cardinal Burke affair is referenced here:
Deletehttp://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/leaks-confirm-ambivalence-about-neocatechumenal-way
Dear Anonymous at 5:46 and 6:04 pm,
DeleteThe NCW was not told of anything prior to January 2012. Anonymous at 6:04 pm, see my comment above. The only error I made was the date of Cardinal Burke's letter. It was dated Jan. 14th. The decree was made in Jan. 8th, and there was no mention of any blanket approval in it.