The Synod and the Crisis of the Church

The main event of the Month of October was the Synod of the Bishops, held in Rome October 5-18. Many reports came out, from both the secular and the religious media, within and without the world of Catholic Tradition.

When the dust settles, we hope to see more clearly what happened during that meeting of 200 bishops and cardinals, and presided by Pope Francis.  Meanwhile, some reporters spoke about an “earthquake” in the Catholic Church.

On the one hand, we have to report some pretty radical content, with unheard of openings towards divorcees and homosexuals, thus seriously undermining the teaching of the Church on the 6th and the 9th Commandments.  In a recent interview, Bishop Fellay said that, “Humanly speaking, there is nothing to expect from the situation [of the Church in Rome after the recent Synod]. The direction has been given, and it is clear. It is obvious that they wish to trivialize the situation of those who live in adultery, truly in a state of sin. The door that is being opened is a door to hell! These prelates who have received the power of the keys, that is, of opening the gates of Heaven, are closing them, and opening the gates of hell. It is unbelievable! It is crazy!”

But, on the other hand, a very special element of that synod was that a strong opposition to the liberal agenda came from a number of conservative bishops and cardinals. For example, the silence of Pope Francis was strongly criticised by Cardinal Burke, who went as far as to declare that the Pope had done “great harm by not saying openly what his position was.” It is the first time in 50 years, at least, that a cardinal opposed the Pope openly. It is the first time as well, in several centuries that bishops and cardinals seemed to express publicly that they lost confidence in the Pope. A high ranking archbishop went as far as to call the pope “an agent of disruption.”

Now, what will be the next step? Probably, the Pope will crack down on those who publicly opposed his agenda.  It is already public that Cardinal Burke is being dismissed from his function as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, and there are some rumours that Cardinal Müller would also be dismissed, as head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, and sent back to Germany!

What could be the final result of this kind of “Stalinian style” purge?  We may witness a pendulum effect: if too much pressure is put on the conservative element of the Church, it may trigger a powerful reaction against the modernist element.  Who knows, it may open the eyes of a good number of bishops?  Hopefully, they will recognise where the source of the mess is, which we now have in the Church; that it is in the ambiguities of the texts of the Vatican II Council. Who knows how long it will take before such a reaction?

Meanwhile, like Bishop Fellay said, “as far as men are concerned, it is over, it is hopeless. The situation of the Church is a nameless catastrophe. So there really is reason to be frightened. But we do not have the right to let ourselves be paralyzed, we must go forward, we must reconquer, and that can only be done in the Name of the Lord. Looking at God and seeking the help promised by God.”

When God asked the apostles to go out into the whole world, He must have said to them “Fear not,” but He also said, “Count on Me. I will always be with you.” That is the true message, it is not “Fear not.”

Let us hope and pray!