Back in the 1970’s there was a T.V. Game show called “Lets make a deal” with Monty Hall. Contestants in the audience were chosen to play a game usually involving choosing whats behind door #1, 2, or 3. Behind one door might be a brand new car while the others might have a years supply of dog food or road salt or some such joke prize. People who wanted to participate in the game would quickly stand up out of their chairs and shout, “Pick me, Monty!”, “Pick me”.
That thought came to mine when I read Mundabors piece “Can I Be Excommunicated Too, Pretty Please?” He hit the nail on the head as to exactly how I stand on this. Leo’s excommunication of the SSPX is a farce, it means nothing. For one how can a heretic excommunicate anyone? Make no doubt he is a heretic. Heretics deny the importance of Mary and her role in salvation. Leo says he is no longer Comediatrix. Heretics do not deny Christ Miracles, Leo said Jesus did not multiply the loaves and fishes, it was the people who attended and brought extra’s for everyone, it was all about sharing according to Leo. Move along nothing to see here.
Chicago Democrats are impressive the way they can win elections. Any way they can, steal it (There is still an army of deceased voters out there that vote persistently for Democrats despite being deceased for a decade or two), lie about their policies, whatever it takes. They know how to make a sows ear look like a silk purse. Just look at some of their accomplishments, got a true socialist elected as the mayor of the city of Chicago, a fat empty headed arrogant incompetent by the name of Pritzer to Governor (be real, Illinois is just a suburb of Chicago at this point). This was the training ground for Leo and his slight of hand tricks. Afterall how do you think he got to be pope.
His first year as pope was Mayor Richard J Daley reincarnated. He was every bit as competent as the Chicago “Boss” in pulling the wool over their eyes. The first take of Leo is he is a good traditional, orthodox catholic. He wears traditional vestments, even utters a few Latin prayers. They said when Daley addressed the average Chicagoan he was strict back of the yards with the dis dat dese and dose. When addressing a graduating class of law school students he was one of the most eloquent and well versed speakers you could imagine. Leo did manage of convert or otherwise brain wash the unwashed masses of the trad inc. crowd. Smoke and mirrors Leo.
However I think he is blowing it in the handling of the SSPX and the consecrations in less than 2 weeks away. He seems to be totally alienating factions of the Catholic church (not the Catholic faith he gave that up years ago the political institution known as the Catholic church). Latest out of the Vatican is the excommunications will extend now to the Lay members an outright attempt at intimidation. Please stop using the term “Holy Father”. It grates on me like fingernails on a blackboard. A truly holy person will tend to his flock. This guy could care less about his flock. He is busy equating all religions to the Catholic faith. He is also not a father, Pol Pot the Cambodian dictator is more fatherly than leo. There is a passage from Matthew that fits Leo to a T. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Then again it could be a part of the overall long range plan. Democrats are good at that, they will wait you out. Patients is about the only virtue they have. Leo said whatever the SSPX decides is up to them but the church will move foreword. That is a real signal right there that there is no room for the Latin mass or sacraments or traditional dogma in the new Leo church. Or as Father General said in the movie Catholics, “They are part of the church we left behind”. Kind of spooky the way that movie predicted today’s crises. Years ago there was a theory that all Latin Mass communities would be herded to the SSPX and then be excommunicated. The theory was they will propose something the SSPX could never expect. In this case acceptance of the new Religion, Vatican 2. We are seeing that unfold. The church of Leo will not stop until every bit of the Pre Vatican 2 faith is purged from the system.
He seems to be going out of his way to alienate the society and in general the vast majority of TLM Catholics. This will come back to bite him as his church of Leo disintegrates before his eyes. I doubt the society will loose layity or priests over this. Maybe a handful but thats it. Rather I think Catholics getting more and more fed up with Leo will gravitate to the society as one last hope for a vibrant Catholic faith. They will draw more and more vocations, build new chapels, and be the shinny jewel in the crown of Christ the King. At that point the Bergoglian line of popes will go down as nothing more than a minor footnote in the history books. When the Catholic church represented all civilized nations Excommunication meant something. It was literally a death sentence. Catholics were forbidden to the give the excommunicated soul any shelter, food, water or clothing. Now this means nothing other than those excommunicated will be true martyers to the Catholic faith. Like I say, “Excommunicate me too Leo! Please!”