In an interview with the Italian online news outlet, Rimini 2.0, the retired Archbishop of Ferrara-Comacchio, Luigi Negri, said that Pope Benedict XVI “suffered tremendous pressures” to resign the papacy.
This isn’t Archbishop Negri’s first rodeo in the international headline arena.
In December 2015, it was reported that the Archbishop was overheard criticizing Francis while in conversation with his priest-secretary aboard a train to Rome; even going so far as to say that he wished the humble Argentinian dead.
In any case, Archbishop Negri, who long has had a reputation for being among Italy’s leading “conservative” prelates, remains close to Benedict the Abdicator.
When asked during his recent interview with Rimini to comment on Benedict’s “renunciation of the papacy,” Negri said:
“It was an unprecedented gesture. In recent meetings, I’ve seen a physically frail man, but very lucid in thought.”
Once again, the lie is given to Benedict’s claim that he lacked the “strength of mind” to continue in the papacy back in 2013. (Keep this unfortunate fact in mind, if you dare.)
Archbishop Negri continued:
I have little factual knowledge – thankfully – of the Roman Curia, but I am certain that one day grave responsibilities inside and outside the Vatican will emerge. Benedict XVI has suffered tremendous pressures. It is no coincidence that in America, even on the basis of what has been published by Wikileaks, some Catholic groups have asked President Trump to open a commission of inquiry to investigate whether the administration of Barack Obama exerted pressure on Benedict. It remains for now a serious mystery, but I am sure that the responsibilities will come out.”
This excerpt taken from the body of the Rimini article is clear enough, but the headline is even more so:
“Gravi responsabilità dentro e fuori il Vaticano per le dimissioni di Benedetto XVI”. Parla mons. Negri
Note the direct quotation: “Grave responsibilities inside and outside the Vatican for the resignation of Benedict.” Says Mons. Negri
Get that? Archbishop Negri is saying that persons other than Benedict are responsible (read: guilty) for his so-called “resignation.”
Many tradition-loving Catholics, friends of mine included, have had it with this entire mess. Francis, in their eyes, is giving us enough to worry about.
Benedict resigned. It was accepted. Francis was elected. And that’s that!
Unfortunately, folks, it isn’t quite that simple. Canon Law is very clear on this matter:
If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone. (1983 Code of Canon Law, Canon 332 §2)
Two things are “required” (NOTE: not optional, but required) in order for a papal resignation to be valid; it must be both “made freely” and “properly manifested.”
Setting aside latter, one will notice that the canon does not say, unless, of course, the majority of the faithful are sufficiently fooled into believing that the resignation was made freely when in fact it was not.
If indeed Archbishop Negri’s account is true; namely, that Benedict was under duress due to tremendous pressure to resign coming from both inside and outside the Vatican, then that isn’t necessarily that insofar as its validity is concerned.
That’s not a conspiracy theory, and it’s certainly not mere sour grapes over the fact that Francis is a raging heretic; it’s reality, like it or not.
If indeed Archbishop Negri’s account is true…
So, is there reason to believe that it might be true?
Look, I certainly don’t know why Benedict resigned, but one thing that all of us know without any doubt whatsoever is that it wasn’t for the reasons he gave.
This alone being the case, one would have to bury their head in the sand neck-deep in order to deny that the matter is far from well and truly settled.
Moving on, let’s discuss the idea that the Obama Administration put pressure on Benedict to resign.
While this particular allegation is causing quite a stir in political circles, for us it should yield little more than a resounding so what?
Obama is an unapologetic promoter and exporter of homosexual deviance, a genocidal maniac committed to population control, and an anti-Christian terrorist sympathizer if not a closet-Muslim.
It would be more surprising to discover that his Administration wasn’t in some way involved in pressuring Benedict to step down in order to make room for his Argentinian brother-from-another-mother. Ya feel me?
If, in fact, the godless Obama and his minions had any influence on Benedict’s decision to step aside, then all the more shame on Benedict.
In mentioning “what has been published by Wikileaks,” Archbishop Negri is referring to revelations of a Democrat Party operation designed to move the hierarchy of the Church (further) to the political left.
The plan included an effort to foment a so-called “Catholic Spring” via the activities of two associations founded by John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chief, Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good – neither of which are truly Catholic.
Speaking of those who travel in political circles…
It’s no secret how our churchmen will react if solid proof ever comes to light detailing the Obama Administration’s involvement in pressuring Benedict to resign.
In response to the Wikileaks revelations, then-head of the U.S. Bishops Conference, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, issued a whimpering little statement that read in part:
“At this important time in our nation’s history, I encourage all of us to take a moment to reflect on one of the founding principles of our republic – the freedom of religion. It ensures the right of faith communities to preserve the integrity of their beliefs and proper self-governance … I encourage my fellow Catholic brothers and sisters, and all people of good will, to be good stewards of the precious rights we have inherited as citizens of this country.”
Let’s be clear: This “freedom of religion” wherein all religions, even those that oppose Christ, are to be treated equally by the State, isn’t just an American “founding principle;” it is the official position of post-conciliar, Modernist Rome.
This is for whom Spineless Joe Kurtz spoke as he invoked his “precious rights” as a U.S. citizen.
A faithful churchman of Holy Mother Church, by contrast, would have reminded the members of this nation’s political ruling class of their duty to acknowledge the Sovereign Rights of Christ the King and the eminent freedom enjoyed by His Holy Catholic Church by Divine right.
The Kingship of Christ being of no account for the hierarchy of today, it came as no surprise that Kurtz went on to make a mockery of the mission that He gave to His Church, saying:
In our faith and our Church, Christ has given us a precious gift. As Catholics, we hold onto our beliefs because they come to us from Jesus, not a consensus forged by contemporary norms. The Gospel is offered for all people for all times. It invites us to love our neighbor and live in peace with one another.
Make no mistake, my friends, for today’s pantywaist prelates, “love of neighbor” and “living in peace” have nothing whatsoever to do with baptizing the nations; teaching them everything whatsoever that Jesus commanded.
If it did, a man like Benedict never would have been pope in the first place; never mind the firestorm he created by fleeing for fear of the wolves.
I’m waiting for Fra Christoforo to release in a month his promised information concerning the very very serious reason Pope Benedict resigned . Benedict,who in my lowly opinion remains the Pontiff warts and all. Whether we want to accept it or not our government has been involved in Vatican affairs and information abounds concerning the CIA and their influence…involvement…control in the Vatican throughout the VII years.We are all living in a very murky disgusting swamp where the Church and the world are concerned and we who remain stalwart in our Catholic Faith know the true Catholic Church does not consist of the secular world view but that She is underground and held very dear by those of us who truly believe and live the immutable teachings of Christ handed down to us by the Apostles…not the ever evolving teachings from the filthy tainted hands of these freemasonic infiltrators. Our Lady of Fatima Ora Pro Nobis.
THIS is the issue: Is benedict still pope? I can’t judge but everything I’ve seen indicated that both the resignation and subsequent election were invalid.
Just read pt 5/6 of SSPX’s argument, presumably leading to a defense of the validity of Francis’ pontificate. Fr Gleize makes a distinction… PF is not guity of ‘heresy,’ but instead is guilty of ‘promoting heresy’. OK, I get it. In other words… he gets off on a technicality. I presume that means the SSPX must still obey him if he wants to do a deal with them… I wait for instalment 6.
For some reason, a bit of scripture kept trying to pop into my head, something about ‘straining the gnat and swallowing the camel’. What’s the point worrying about the difference between whether he’s a ‘heretic’ or whether he’s ‘promoting heresy’, when the reality is (even as Bp Fellay alluded to): he may not even be pope.
Quite apart from all the evil goings on in the Vatican before the “resignation”, the reason given by Pope Benedict XVI for leaving the Office has never appeared valid as it doesn’t appear to come within the stated ways a papacy may come to an end.
I feel ya.
You know, about the time that Obama was running, the first time, I started having, and could not shake, feelings of dread and consternation. Something bad was happening, changing, you could feel it. Many others sensed it as well, I often read people who’s comments reflected my own feelings, we knew it, something dark this way came, and things have never been the same since.
God bless WikiLeaks. Whoever it is seems to be on the side of good. They are revealing gobs of information about how demonic Obama was/is, and most of the Democrat zombies and ideology. I completely see it as plausible these people were involved in getting Benedict out of there to get Bergolio in. Obama was their guy. Bergolio is their guy. This is the time of the Globalist Push, and it has been so vividly successful…but….
President Donald Trump was elected. I do believe Providence provided for this, nothing, and I mean, nothing, has gone our way for almost a decade. The only reason he made it is because the Left’s vision was clouded for some reason, they didn’t see the possibility of him being elected, because if they had, they would have committed such massive fraud as to make sure one way or another she was found to have enough electoral votes. I am positive about that, and if they ever get another chance, you can bet that is what will happen. We are dealing with people who are wildly drunk on POWER, and they will do anything to get it and retain it now. And look how many zombies they have willing to help them!
Right now, the Roman Catholic Church as we have known it, is only underground, as was stated. The longer this pontificate goes on, the worse it will get. He’s got three pet projects coming up, and they’ll get done.
I no longer believe for a second we are going to see any pronouncements, public corrections, or anything of the sort. I stopped believing that as a possibility about two or three weeks ago, right before Cardinal Burke went to Guam.
Not going to happen.
Divine intervention. That is what we have. Hope for it, pray for it, wait for it.
Ratzinger likely thought that all of the years he spent as a major player in the Revolution against Christ and the Catholic Church were enough. He did his part. His years of service to the demonic principalities and powers guaranteed the election of a man who would carry the Revolution to the next level. He did more to elevate and entrench the Modernist heresies into the heart of the Church than he probably ever imagined he could but he was an expert at doublespeak, at ambiguity, and contradictions and that was necessary for the success of the Revolution. It has been an amazing success, even more successful than the Protestant Revolt and the French Revolution and it will not end either without Divine intervention or Christ’s second coming, it is that successful.
If ratzinger resigned because obama told him to get out, or if ratzinger resigned because his foot hurt…..what is the difference? He is a vatican 2 apostate who has not reconciled himself to Catholicism (and please, if he had we’d all know).
Amen Katherine.
I would say that Ratzinger still SUBSISTS in the V2 papacy. Whatever that means.
A wise man once said that history repeats itself: first as tragedy, and second as farce.
If we consider some accounts of what happened to Pope St Celestine V and his successor, and if the rumours being given voice on this and other blogs are true, then we’re living through a farce right now.