In an April 2015 interview with the French Catholic newspaper La Croix, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, stated:
The arrival of a theologian like Benedict XVI in the Chair of St. Peter was no doubt an exception. But John XXIII was not a professional theologian. Pope Francis is also more pastoral and our mission at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to provide the theological structure of a pontificate.
Oh, really?
More than two months ago, the CDF and Prefect Müller were presented with the now infamous dubia consisting of five extraordinarily basic yes/no questions that address matters so entirely fundamental to the faith as to represent, not just points of “theological structure,” but the very foundation upon which the entire moral edifice of the Holy Catholic Church is constructed.
And what has Müller and the CDF provided in return?
Nothing, that is, until last Thursday when the Prefect chose to break his silence via yet another media interview; this one with the Austrian outlet Kathpress.
Writing on the content of the interview, Deacon Nick Donnelly of EWTN Great Britain, reported:
The Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has told Kathpress that the dicastery charged with upholding the Faith of the Church would not be involved in the discussions because it acts and speaks “with the authority of the pope” and “cannot participate in the controversy of opinions.”
Cardinal Müller further explained that though the dubia were personally addressed to the Holy Father, Pope Francis could commission the CDF to “settle the dispute ad hoc”.
Wait just a minute…
First of all, the letter that accompanied the dubia is addressed:
To His Holiness Pope Francis and for the attention of His Eminence Cardinal Gerhard L. Müller
If this doesn’t constitute a direct plea to Cardinal Müller, requesting him to do his duty as Prefect, I don’t know what would.
Secondly, the proper duty of the CDF, like that of every other Congregation in the Roman Curia, does not change according to the current Pontiff’s daily mood swings. Rather, the duties of the various dicasteries are formally documented; in the present case, in the 1988 Apostolic Constitution, Pastor Bonus:
The proper duty of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on faith and morals in the whole Catholic world; so it has competence in things that touch this matter in any way … To safeguard the truth of faith and the integrity of morals, the Congregation takes care lest faith or morals suffer harm through errors that have been spread in any way whatever. (Pastor Bonus, Articles 48,51)
Get that?
The CDF “has competence” to safeguard “faith and morals” by preventing errors “spread in any way whatever.”
In any way whatever…
NB: There is no special exception for errors promulgated throughout the Universal Church by a madman bishop in white posing as an oracle for the “God of Surprises.”
All of that having been said, Gerhard Müller – a man who ties his shoes the same way you and I do – has an obligation before Almighty God to speak out, loudly and clearly, in defense of the truth; with or without a personal invitation.
That he also happens to be Cardinal and Prefect makes his failure to do so all the more deplorable.
According to Deacon Donnelly, Müller told Kathpress that Amoris Laetitia should not be “interpreted as if earlier statements from Popes and the Congregation were no longer valid.”
In other words, this constitutes Müller’s answers to the five questions posed in the Dubia… wink, wink.
That’s all well and good, but why not issue a formal response in the name of the CDF?
In his report, Deacon Donnelly suggested that Müller’s hands are tied:
Though Cardinal Müller doesn’t come out and say it, his interview with Kathpress strongly implies that Pope Francis has told him that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith must not reply to the four cardinals’ dubia on Amoris Laetitia
I’m not so sure that excuse is going to fly on Judgement Day, but there you have it – Francis has muzzled (more appropriately, castrated) Müller.
This is the same Francis who, at the opening of Extraordinary Synod 2014 where this prearranged exercise in prying open the gates of Hell first began in earnest, instructed the bishops and cardinals to “speak with parrhesia and listen with humility.”
According to Strong’s Concordance:
Parrhesia (παρρησία) a Greek term found in Sacred Scripture meaning “freedom, openness, especially in speech; boldness, confidence.”
In all of this, one may feel compelled to pity poor Gerhard as the victim of a charlatan superior.
Doing so, however, would be a failure to recognize the degree to which Francis and Müller are really just birds of a feather; each in his own way a manifest hypocrite unwilling to do his duty; eschewing plainspoken proclamations formally issued in favor of carefully worded suggestions dispensed via media interviews.
Shame on the both of them.
Whodathunkit, but here it is: “Satan beats the drum and Fr. Bergoglio, Msgr. Vito Pinto, Gerhard Müller together with the rest of the Modernists are marching to the beat of the ‘Diabolical Disorientation’ Our Blessed Mother warned us of.”
For there have risen many who have given to the plain words of Holy Writ some arbitrary interpretation of their own, instead of its true and only sense, and this in defiance of the clear meaning of words. Heresy lies in the sense assigned, not in the word written; the guilt is that of the expositor, not of the text.
St Hilary of Poitiers
The Dubia Brothers
At present, we are in the Catholic Church in uncharted waters. It is very sad to realize that those in authority, who would do the most good if they spoke up, are unwilling and unable, for whatever reason, to do so. It is deeply troubling, and I am weary of all the explaining and rationalizing as to why so many many prelates are remaining silent or speaking so weakly. There is nothing to explain. Their cowardice speaks for itself I do know where it will all end though. The remnant of faithful Catholics will be worshipping in hidden places. The true Church, with all its splendor of Truth and its fullness of Faith will be underground, and an apostate institutional structure will inhabit Rome.
Bergoglio and his minions are rampaging through the Church and, as no one takes him on. He continues to shred our Catholic treasury, and to obfuscate Truth. His fruits are confusion and error. No one says anything because they cannot bear to face where it is leading and what it will mean, and so they delude themselves that keeping silence or politely disagreeing with theological idiocy is the best thing to do. Those with the power and authority within the Church to take on this evil man will not do it. Cardinal Muller is a prime example of this. What a disappointment he is. How long will we wait until the four brave Cardinals publicly to correct the errors that are plain to see ?
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwiDwM7V1NrQAhVC3SYKHao2CeoQwqsBCD4wAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbUvK2q0cW68&usg=AFQjCNHt1e-yPLlcmdg6tmcIPpbG61IHCw
Louie,
Thank you for keeping us informed. Your work is so important to us.
I have been listening to The Dolorous Passion. It describes what’s happening now. I posted the link for one part of it for you all. Just listen to around 30 minute mark on. So sad what we’ve done to Our Lord.
It describes just what you’re talking about with regards to some priests. Woe.
Exodus 23:22 Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil: neither shalt thou yield in judgment, to the opinion of the most part, to stray from the truth.
correction verse is Exodus 23:2
Barbara J.–I believe your comment puts this entire miserable mess into a nutshell. Keeping silent or politely disagreeing is no solution. Can anyone imagine politely disagreeing with Hitler?
Too funny! Thanks for the laugh. I so very much needed it in this crazy mixed up diobolical crisis.
Barbara, an apostate institutional structure has inhabited Rome since the close of Vatican II. As difficult as this is for many Catholics to believe does not make it any less true.
If the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that She alone is the path to salvation, the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that it is a mortal sin for a Catholic to pray to and worship false gods, the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that Christ instituted the Church as a monarchical, hierarchical governing body, the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that the Mosaic Covenant was replaced by Christ’s New Covenant, the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that all religions other than Catholicism are from the Devil, the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that man has no right to blaspheme against God by promoting and promulgating lies about Him, and the denial of the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that some people will be eternally damned, as is evident in the documents of the Second Vatican Council and evident in many of the subsequent encyclicals, exhortations, writings, teachings and preaching of all of the popes since then, how can one possibly not see this to be true? Not to mention the abomination of the man-invented, man-centered Novus Ordo liturgy.
Cortez: I tried to logon to your link but got a notice there is a problem with the website’s security certificate and will not take a chance on opening it.
It’s not as if Gerhard Muller is a Catholic. Let’s not overlook the facts. He is a public heretic, and no Catholic.
“In reality, body and blood of Christ does not signify the physical parts of the man Jesus during his life or in his glorified body. Body and blood here signifies specifically the presence of Christ in the symbolism of bread and wine.”
“We now have communion with Jesus Christ, through the eating and drinking of the bread and wine. Just as in an interpersonal relationship, a letter can show the friendship between persons and illustrate the affection of the sender for the recipient.”
Mueller – The Mass, Source of Christian Life (Die Messe, Quelle Christlichen Lebens)
Bingo! That was perfectly said.
A good short straight to the elephant in the room point. Thanks louie
Cdl Burke to Pope Francis:
You don’t know me but I’m your brother
I was raised here in this living Hell
You don’t know my kind in your world
Fairly soon, the time will tell
You, telling me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Catherine, I am able to open it from what I posted. Sorry that you can’t. You can easily find it on your own by searching: Dolorous Passion youtube.
The part that I posted was pt. 2. It’s so worth listening to. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, of course.
…symbolism of bread and wine.
This is shocking. Thank you for this post.
Thankyou Louie, as always you cover the realities before us with complete clarity. I was told that there are not more than three Cardinals in the USA who actually believe in the True Presence Of Jesus in The Blessed Sacrament . How heart wrenching! To bear this sorrow I’m keeping my focus on Our Lady’s Promises and Her humble requests , the Victory has already been won, it’s up to us to partake of such with perserverance and humility. Our Lady of Fatima, Ora Pro Nobis! Fr Nicholas Gruener, Ora Pro Nobis!
Consenting adults.
Lol!!