Pope Francis - two years on

Today is the second anniversary of the election of the Pope.

As regular readers will be aware I do not often comment on current Papal policies and the speculation about what they mean, largely because I am not sure what to make of it all. Indeed I am not sure what to make of the Pope.

Some friends think he is wonderful ( but usually without specifying why ), others are very critical of everything that emanates from the Vatican - and that is true not least also in much of the coverage in the blogosphere. Others say little but clearly have strong views and opinions, and concomitant concerns, about the direction or directions in which the Church appears to be heading. A recent example is Fr Blake's recent post The Great Divide.

Pope Francis clearly resonates with many, reaching out to the poor and the Third World, open to many contemporary issues and concerns. Nevertheless there is a sense of drift and uncertainty. Some voices who know or visit Rome speak of a lack of direction, and that that is how the Vatican officials see the situation.

The continuing saga of the Franciscans of Immaculate, and the rumours and theories that abound about that situation, is indicative for many of what is amiss these days.

This is, perhaps more even than seems to be usual these days, a Pontificate of rumours and theories - conspiracy theories abound, and, however ridiculous they may be, do no good to the image and work of the Papacy or the Church.

The Pope represents a strong contrast in the liturgy and in his Pontifical style to his predecessor. With Pope Benedict - Pope of surprises that he was on occasion - you still felt you knew where you were and what his fundamental message and aims were. With Pope Francis that is far less clear.

The meeting of the Synod last autumn summed up many of these issues - the possibility of change, genuine disquiet at that prospect - and plenty of speculation and rumour. It ended with the sense of two factions lining up for the next conclave, which may be very interesting, but how good it all is for the Church may be another matter.

The latest views on the Franciscans of the Immaculate

I know from my blog statistics that many readers respond to any coverage of the ongoing situation around the Franciscans of the Immaculate. Here, in case you have missed them, are the two most recent posts from Rorate Caeli on the FFI:

Totalitarian Dictatorship in the Franciscans of the Immaculate: Pontifical Commissioner Illegally Suspends Without Due Process Six Friars Who Sought Shelter

"Friars of the Immaculate in peace: the Peace of the Cemeteries" And Tosatti connects the dots: is this why the Friars are so loathed now?

I have no personal knowledge of the inner workings of this investigation, and New Catholic on Rorate Caeli has a definite stance on the situation. The souces cited appear to be well informed. Others may have different views. What is clear is that this crisis for the Order is doing nothing but harm to the wider aims of the Church and Papacy amongst a considerable number of the faithful. Ending this running sore quickly can at least clarify what is going on, and make it possible for people to assess the realities of the issues raised in this visitation.

Some of the comments on Fr Blake's recent post Investigatons  do, perhaps, provide one hermeneutic of interpretation of the situation.

 

 

 

Understanding aspects of the present Pontificate

The Rorate Coeli website, which always makes for provocative reading, has an interesting post around a report by an established Vatican watcher. This seesk to explain the thinking, as yet not officially declared, behind the inquiry into the Franciscans of the Immaculate and various other moves, seemingly hostile, against others of a Traditionalist stance within the Church. It can be read at Influential Italian Vaticanist, bewildered, reaches shocking conclusion: "In the Catholic Church, it's now Open Season on Conservatives"

This assessment appears to make sense, given the "Court Culture" as it describes it - not a culture of outward ceremony and deference, but rather the underlying ethos of any such hierarchy, sacred or secular, of the left or the right, whether now or in the past, whereby officials seek to conform their actions to what they believe (rightly or wrongly) to be the attitudes of their superior. 

Franciscans of the Immaculate, the Pope and SSPX and Californian Oratorians...

Rorate Caeli is a blog which has some very interesting posts and a distinctive view on ecclesial matters. The three latest pieces are, I think, in their different ways, worth sharing.

The first is about the continuing problems around the Franciscans of the Immaculate and the impending visitation of the Sisters of the community, about which Fr Blake was writing recently. It is purely and simply a forwarded request for intercession by using the Rosary and can be read at A CALL TO PRAYER on behalf of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate

The second is a report from a French source in SSPX about the Pope's concern for practical matters affecting the Society in Argentina, and makes for rather intersting reading in what it reveals. It can be read at  SSPX Bp. Fellay on Pope Francis: "He has read the biography of Abp. Lefebvre twice - and he liked it."And some other important revelations

The third post is on an Oratorian theme from California, and struck me particularly because the various US Oratories had figured in a conversation at recreation after the meeting of the Brothers of the Oxford Oratory on Tuesday evening. It can be seen at New oratory community in San Francisco

Fr Blake on the Franciscans of the Immaculate

Fr Blake in Brighton has a post, written after meeting some Sisters of the Order, about the continuing controversy around the visitation of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. It can be read at I'm praying for the Sisters of the Immaculate, and the comments on it are also worth perusing. The link from Fr Blake's post does not open properly on the computer I am using, but readers doubtless have better hardware than I do.

This is a story which has lain low for a while, but the questions and deeper issues underlying this enquiry remain unresolved and unexplained. The longer the matter drags on the more harm it does to the Franciscans of the Immaculate and to the wider Church, for whom it raises a real sense of worry about the way some officials act in the name of the whole.

The latest on FFI from Rorate Caeli

Rorate Caeli has a new report about the inquiry into the Franciscans of the Immaculate or at least about the effect this has had on celebrations of the Vetus Ordo in parishes in their care in Italy. It can be read at  VERY RELEVANT The Franciscans of the Immaculate under visitation 30 of 33 FI-run TLMs in Italy shut down since July 11.

As a friend said to me he wondered if the issues that are driving this story are particularly Italian, and due to conflicts within the Church there, rather than an assault on particular aspects of traditionalism per se. I have no knowledge as to that but I do wonder if he has got on to something there. It would be interesting to know what has happened in other countries.

Otherwise we can but wait and see, and pray.

Latest comments on the Franciscans of the Immaculate

I wrote before Christmas that the controversy around the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FFI) looked set to run and run as a story, whatever the truth of the situation. This is indeed what it is doing, and it is a story with, whatever your views of the FFI and the Commissioner, wider implications for the understanding of what is going on under the present Papacy in the Vatican.

Here are the two latest posts from New Catholic on Rorate Coeli - not, of course, noted for its warmth towards Papa Bergolio from the time of his election onwards - and whether you agree or disagree with the authors cited and their interpretation the posts do indicate a need for the central authorities of the Church to make clear what is or is not happening. Otherwise unnecessary confusion and speculation will have full rein, with all the consequences that flow therefrom.

The two posts, based on the views of two recognised and established commentators on the Vatican, Sandro Magister and Antonio Socci, can be read at:

Magister: The words and the silences of Pope Francis - silence regarding the Franciscans of the Immaculate, for whom the treatment has been worse than the disease

and 

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Antonio Socci: In the Vatican there is a NEW PROGRESSIVE INQUISITION, and their first victims are the Franciscans of the Immaculate

 

More on the Franciscans of the Immaculate

Not surprisingly there has been more on the issues around the Franciscans of the Immaculate in the blogosphere. Amongst the blogs I read Fr Hunwicke has posted Franciscans of the Immaculate; more oaths and the always thoughtful Fr Blake has  Volpi's demand. A glance at the comments thereupon shows something of the passions this matter is arousing, or perhaps more accurately, fanning.

Dr Joe Shaw on his LMS Chairman's blog looks at the more technical issues around the Liturgical issues in Is the Novus Ordo an authentic expression of the Tradition?

Rorate Coeli has Associated Press picks up Rorate Franciscan Friar Crackdown Story and  Advice for the Franciscans of the Immaculate, with links to more reports about the current problems.

Whatever the truth of the situation this looks to be a story that is going to run and run.

The Franciscans of the Immaculate

The war of words around the Franciscans of the Immaculate has noticeably hotted up in recent days as can be seen from the recent post by Augustinus on Rorate Coeli which can be read at For the record: Franciscans of the Immaculate under severe Vatican persecution.RORATE brings you all texts:* Apostolic Commissioner: FI problem is its "crypto-lefebvrian and definitely traditionalist drift"* Seminary closed: no ordinations for one year* Ordinands must take unprecedented oath on Novus Ordo* Ordered "by the Vicar of Christ"

Fr Finigan has commented on these reports in Oath to be administered to Franciscans of the Immaculate and there have been other blog posts such as  The Franciscans of the Immaculate and now Oaths Galore from Fr Hunwicke and A Petition for the Franciscans of the Immaculate originating with the Eponymous Flower and passed on by Lawrence "The Bones" in Brighton.

I have at least one friend who sees the situation with the Franciscans of the Immaculate as just the beginning of an assault on all things traditional in the Church, whilst others have seen it as a situation entirely confined to tensions within the one specific Institute. Another view might be that the Commissioner has, on his own initiative, taken on more than was called for or expected.

I am in no position to comment on the situation, but this looks as if it is becoming a cause célèbre of the present Pontificate.