True!.......... it should be more clear cut. However the AL is 264 pages long. What I believe Our Holy Father should have done, is remove many of the superfluous paragraphs and clearly define in the remaining paragraphs, his exhortation to the faithful. Why so many words are used, I don't know. Maybe he thought he had to cover every aspect that was discussed at the Synod, but even so I think that could have been accomplished in fewer words. Does the Vatican employ lawyers and writers that do this for a living? Maybe the Holy Father is obliged to use their skills and has to give different sections to different writers and then he proof reads! If so, maybe these lawyers and writers might feel like they have to justify their job, by being long winded!
De Gaulle, I understand this conflict between Mac and myself may seem somewhat unnecessary to some but we need to know what are dealing with here. I believe most of Mac's comments are detrimental to The Faith and deliberately intended to undermine support for this Pope, every Pope back to Pius X and in particular to discredit the work of VaticanII. Given what we have seen from Mac I do not believe any of his comments can be taken at face value. I do not Judge Mac (who am I to judge) but I do judge his words. I am not an academic but in contrast to Mac's comments, I trust both the content and intention of Francis to be sound and reliable. If only the Pope's critics would put on new glasses and try to present him through the best possible interpretation of his words and in this effort make his good meaning clear to others. When I look for the goodness in his words their meaning and intent are clear to me even if this clarity is mostly in my heart. My apologies to those who need more than this. I am not capable of more. I find this constant need to defend my Pope both debilitating and deeply disturbing especially on a Catholic forum. I know it may sound arrogant when clever Cardinals differ in their opinion but to me Francis writes not only plainly but profoundly and never contradicts Truth or Tradition. The problem is that his presentation is so profoundly different that some old hearts and minds and souls find his offering unpalatable and indigestible, just to difficult to stomach. The food is perfectly good and nutritious but just like some of the words of Jesus, too hard for some to take right now. They are just not used to this type of food and cannot see beyond its unfamiliar flavours and presentation to the goodness it contains - like children who will not eat their vegetables. Perhaps Pope Francis is an acquired taste but the mature palate. often almost unnoticed. grows to relish that which it rejected in the beginning. Thank God I am already there. Bon appetit!
This is such a good summary of this issue. Unfortunately, mankind will only believe what it wants to believe. So those who (for whatever reason) don't want to trust Francis, will all the time be looking for things that fit in with their pre-conceived ideas just as those who trust Francis (as the Lord asks us to do) will generally not pay much attention to the critics. The important thing is - who is right. Readers of the forum will make their own mind up influenced by what they want to believe. We will all end up in heaven or hell based on what we want.
In the past I never analysed anything that came from the leaders of Our church. Because I trust Our Lords words that...... 'He will be with us to the end and that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against His Church'. I Love Our Holy Father and believe that he is being lead by the Holy Spirit. I try to see all points of view in regards to the teachings that some Catholics do not understand and so I ask myself why don't they understand and then try to fill in the gaps. The MoG forum has been very good for me! probably in many ways, but especially in this regard, below....... I used to follow the teachings of Lusia Piccaretta and never questioned what I believed she was teaching. Because from the little I knew about her teachings, it made sence to me. I believe many mystics are inspired with knowledge of the divine, but there is always a looming danger for them! They are taken deep into the mind of God, where only Our Lady and Angels can comprehend Gods sublime knowledge. These mystics will all experience a forked path, because this is where satan lies in ambush of them. Both paths look beautiful and one must be careful that they take the correct path; that is, the path that stays within the Churches Teachings, as it continues to lead to life and truth! but the other path is subtly disguised to imitate the true path however it leads away from truth. I was not privy to the vast and inordinate ramblings of this false theology, which Luisa sadly became imprisoned to and pitifully put to paper. This false theology is loquaciously disguised and incoherently masked in her ramblings which mesmerises the reader. These hypnotic repetitive drips of poison against Our Lords, Holy Gospel, shocked me to the core. Poor Lusia had taken the wrong path and was now giving advice to oppose Catholic Doctrine! If it wasn't for the MoG site, I probably would never had discovered this. However, I believe I would have remained faithful to the Catholic Church as each morning I was giving my little will to God but realised I was always able to make choices! Our free will is not an evil as Lusia teaches; nor is Love a compromise forming only a human sanctity. We are not robots. In reality the gift of our free will, is the most precious and the most magnificent gift from God, as it allows us to give ourselves to His Divine will! Love is the greatest of all virtues and it is also a Gift from God! Mankind is blessed to have been gifted with his free will and no other creature possesses this marvellous gift. We freely choose God and freely accept His Love: By doing so, that gift becomes infinite! And that is precisely what the saints in Heaven and here now on earth, have did and are doing, there is no new revelation that we must adhere to! Because............ Only God is Divine! I also know, you know all the above but I just had to tell you that I love Our Holy Father and then the rest just poured out of me. God Bless You and Joe. You know, you are both good Catholics and I appeciate both your and Joes imput on the forum as I believe all other members of the forum do as well!
That is the issue, for those that have issue with Our Holy Father anything will be dissected for an unholy spin. For those that accept Our Holy Father as spiritual leader of the church...we read with loving hearts. From the beginning Pope Francis stated we should be open to the Holy Spirit. That means open to Gods love, open to Our Holy Fathers writings and homilies. Open means listen, pray and ask for the grace of wisdom. It does not mean read with evil purposes, attack and promulgate anti-Catholic rhetoric. There has been no modern Pope in our history, that has spoken more on the devil then Pope Francis. He understands the battle and many of you you call him dumb or suggesting he has Alzheimer's. The world has become very evil and some of you are acting like you are the selected few (how sad). That makes you elitist and not from God. Yes, that is idolatry of the law...the idolatry makes you have the belief that I am better then you. Most saints understand no one deserves heaven. Making judgments on everyone including our holy father is evil.
+ In today's first reading from Acts, the question of wheather circumcision is necessary for salvation is coming to a head. Paul decides to go to the Apostles for guidance. We know that St. Peter has a dream that allows Gentiles salvation without being circumcised and he gives this information to all gathered and they accept it as God's will. Peter knew that our hearts must be circumcised for salvation, not our foreskins. That mosaic law was necessary in that form for the people of that time. There were probably those who were not happy with Peter's dream and subsequent allowing of the uncircumcised to be allowed into "the Way". Many might say that if he would allow that, we will become just like them! The Holy Spirit has held us together for over 2000 years as the Mystical Body of Christ. He will not stop now. Let us please consider that this "Year of Mercy" is more than the outward manifestation of Holy Doors to go through to get a plenary indulgence. Just as the circumcision of the heart was (and still is) necessary back then, so now we are to enter the door of mercy in our heart that is the only way to get to our Christ. Of course we are to bring along all those Brothers and Sisters we can and who are also helping us. Pope Francis is our Peter of today. Just my thoughts. Peace Brothers and Sisters, Ed +
The Door of Mercy was a good idea. I don't think anyone was questioning that. I can't really go along with the put up or shut up line of thought.
If I saw a behicle, full of people about to drive over a cliff, I'd have a real moral duty to try to attract their attention to shout and try to stop them. I think our Church is about to drive off a clifff, so I am doing a bit of waving and shouting. Not I suppose that it will do much good, but at least it eases my conscience. I don't think its disobedience to try to warn people. It's just trying to warn them.
Luisa Piccarreta is being considered for saint hood.Quoting from Wikipedia: The Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, also known as "Little Daughter of the Divine Will," is under consideration for possible canonization as a saint of the Catholic Church. She was a mystic and author notable for having allegedly "survived on nothing but Communion wafers for sixty-five years".[1] For some time, her confessor was St. Annibale Maria di Francia. Her spirituality centered on union with the Will of God.[2][3] She was born in Corato, Bari, Italy in 1865.[4] She died at the age of 82 in 1947, and the Archbishop of Trani opened her Cause for Beatification in 1994.[2] By the end of 2005, the process of inquiry and documentation within the Diocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie-Nazareth was complete. Her cause was then passed on to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints of the Vatican, which opened its examination March 7, 2006. Piccarreta was thereby enrolled as a "Servant of God". The Congregation for the Causes of Saints appointed a Roman lawyer, Silvia Monica Correale, as the postulator of Piccarreta's Cause for Canonization. The Archbishop of Trani has reiterated, in a letter dated November 2012, his approval of the existence of groups formed to study Luisa's writings. He also reaffirmed his moratorium on the current publication for public use, both in print and online, of most of the writings of Piccarreta,[2][5][6] presenting it as his desire to present in the future, a "typical and critical edition of her writings", (for which the Archdiocese of Trani owns all of the publishing rights). In the same letter, The Archbishop criticises “poor or exaggerated explanations of her writings”, but affirms that both he and the Church have found that her writings themselves are free of doctrinal error.[6]
Taken from Father Hardons letter... Letter to Catholics United for the Faith from Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Dear Mr Likoudis, This is a concise reply to your request for my evaluation of the "The Kingdom of the Divine Will" movement. What follows is a summary of the conclusions that I reached after reading a great deal of the writings of Luisa Piccarreta. In my judgment, the underlying premises of Luisa's writings are not consistent with the magisterial teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Thus she claims that all that we have to do is abandon our own will to the Divine Will, which can be found everywhere. There is an emphasis on complete passivity of the soul in Luisa's writings. The result is a promotion of Quietism, which was condemned by the Church in the 17th centuryLuisa's writings openly promote the idea that she has received a new revelation. The faithful must accept this revelation to achieve the new way of holiness . According to Luisa, once a person receives this abiliy of living in the Divine Will, the human will is, in effect is extinguished, and the person than acts in such a way that the action is purely divine. This basic error was taught in the early centuries of Christianity and became a cardinal principle of the absolute predestination of such founders of Protestantism as John Calvin.!!
No one is advocating a put up and shut up approach. Nor should they. Why should they. As I said before the cover up of the abused children scandal should not be used to excuse or justify abuse of our Holy Father.
Patty are you Catholic? If so then start reading Lusia's teachings and try to match them to the Holy Catholic Faith. The Divine Will cult would have been resolutely suppressed in other ages of the Church; but with all the other rebellions and apostasies the Church presently has to deal with, the cult is liable to continue leading the unwary away from the Church for some time. Writings of Luisa Piccarreta were banned by the Vatican; but the cult has apparently removed itself from these restrictions with the excuse that the condemned editions were only those altered by Luisa's last spiritual director, against her wishes. Nevertheless, the finding presented in L'Osservatore Romano that "absurd inaccuracies and extravagances abound" in her writings, never substantially addressed or refuted by the cult, continues as the true and apt characterization of their publications overall. (Even works of apostasy have Imprimaturs; the stamp has little force these days. Sr. Faustina's orthodox,Divine Mercy writings, were restricted by the Vatican, but were later approved.) However, Luisa Piccarreta's heretical writings have never been removed from the Index; they were merely freed by default, when the Index was abolished in 1966. Below is just the first page of 16 pages from Father Terrence Staples investigation into the cult. Is Luisa Piccarreta's Kingdom of the Divine Will Catholic? A devastating critique of the "Kingdom of the Divine Will" movement, based on Luisa Piccarreta's own words, as compared with the teachings of the Church, by a priest of the Diocese of Arlington. Fr. Terrence Staples In the following pages, evidence will be given to demonstrate that the writings of Luisa Piccarreta contain many doctrines which are completely contrary to the Catholic faith which comes to us from the Apostles. It seems there are two principal errors from which many others flow. These two principal errors will be documented and some of the other errors will also be briefly mentioned. The first principal error in Luisa's writings is that they clearly violate the Catholic notion of Divine Revelation. She clearly states that what she has received is a new revelation, never before communicated to the Church, which is necessary for all the faithful to adhere to and understand if they hope to attain to the new and higher level of beatitude which God desires for all his children and has made available solely through her writings. She claims to be the founder of a totally new dispensation, a new way of holiness, a new way of being united with God which has only been lived by three people before Luisa: Adam and Eve (before the Fall) and Mary. These "revelations" cannot be true because they contradict the church's teaching on the nature of divine revelation and the role of private revelation in the Church. The second principal error in Luisa's writings pertain to her notion of how the human will is related to, and cooperates with, the divine will. Luisa clearly and repeatedly teaches that when one receives this new "Sacrament" of the Divine Will the human will ceases to function as such and the Divine Will acts in the creature in such a way that the action is purely divine. This notion has been condemned by the Church when dealing with the Christological heresy of monothelitism. THE FIRST PRINCIPAL ERROR: A NEW REVELATION? The first principal error in Luisa's messages is that they cannot be reconciled with the Church's understanding of divine revelation. The following texts define some of the essential characteristics of divine revelation: 1. "The Christian economy, therefore, since it is the new and definitive covenant, will never pass away; andno new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord,Jesus Christ (cf. I Tim 6:14, 1 Tit. 2:13)."(Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation(Dei Verbum),para. 4.) 2. "Everything we need for holiness and increase in faith has been handed on from the Apostles once and for all (cf.Jude 3).What was handed on by the apostles comprises everything that serves to make the People of God live their lives in holiness and increase their faith.In this way the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is,all that she believes."(Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation(Dei Verbum),para. 8.) 3. "AndTradition transmits in its entiretythe Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit."(Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation(Dei Verbum),para. 9.) 4. "Throughout the ages, there have been so-called "private" revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith.It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation,but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church." "Christian faith cannot accept 'revelations' that claim to surpass or correct the Revelationofwhich Christ is the fulfillment,as is the case in certain non-Christian religions and also in certain recent sects which base themselves on such 'revelations.'"(The Catechism of the Catholic Church,# 67.) Luisa's writings clearly contradict these teachings of the Church. This contradiction can be seen in the following selections from her writings. The format used in this critique is as follows: first Her words are cited and numbered and a brief commentary follows. 1. Jesus to Luisa: "Having sent forth from the bosom of my Creative Power the first two FIATs, I wish to emit the third FIAT, since I cannot contain my Love any longer.This will complete the work that poured forth from Me. Otherwise, the workofCreation as well as Redemption would remain incomplete." (Piccarreta, Luisa.When the Divine Will Reigns in Souls, Book of Heaven: A selection of Passages.[Hereafter referenced asBH] The Luisa Piccarreta Center for the Divine Will. Jacksonville, FL. 1995. P. 119.) Comment:According to Luisa, the first two fiats were the creation and the flat of Mary. This third flat, made by Luisa, completes the work of creation and redemption. Here Luisa is claiming that via her 'private revelation' God is revealing to the entire Church the full meaning of creation and redemption. Furthermore,she is claiming that without her the redemption would remain incomplete!According to Church teaching (cf. Above), Christ's definitive revelation which He entrusted to the Apostles cannot be added to or surpassed.
It may look like a cliff to you but I see Amoris Laetitia as a highway to heaven. Like you Padraig, my conscience is clear as is my mind. If Glenn is correct, and I believe he is, the conscience of each and every person on earth is soon to undergo an education directly from God that will both show where we have taken a wrong turning and the way we should have gone. It will show why that matters and how it impacts on our relationship with God. It will show how we have offended and hurt Him in His Love for us. It will be so hard to take that we will "envy the dead." Even the Pope will undergo this trial. The Warning is something I anticipate with both fear and longing. "as the deer yearns for running water." Just like those deer that appeared out of the mist on the hill behind Garabandal as I listened to the streams and climbed through the stations of the cross.
I feel we would serve Our Lord better if we had a way of encouraging and supporting each other in difficult times and crisis. Ways that would enlighten each other to prepare us for challenges to our Faith and Morals as God sees it. Instead of firing off at all that has gone wrong in some peoples lives in relation to the Dogmas of our Faith. It would be nice if someone in a difficult situation could even privately confide for example through Mother of God forum. And maybe get some ideas on how to overcome a bad patch. I know this is a crazy notion in a way. But something positive and pleasing to God has to be better than pulpit bashing philosophy with a holy excuse. Don't mean to be a meaney; but any ideas would be welcome. I am ok; but some others may want a shoulder to lean on. Not a Just Judge shoulder; but a merciful compassionate shoulder at least for the rest of 2016.
I would be careful condemning Luisa's revelations based on older information, as initial English (and probably other) language translations were very poor. Fr. Hardon's analysis, for example, would have necessarily been based on these older translations. More recent translations, which are approved by competent Church authority, are progressing slowly but surely. More information about this was posted by Patty above.
Thank you Julia. I believe that Pope Francis has shown us the merciful and welcoming shoulder of mercy of Jesus every day of his pontificate and has been a practical example of the way we should go as he visited the marginalised, kissed deformed heads and washed feet and fearlessly witnessed to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our broken world in all his homilies and exhortations and even in his encounters with the media. I would love to attend one if his Hoky Masses. As Ed says, he is truly our Peter of today. We are expected to exercise the corporal and spiritual works of mercy more than ever. How I fall short in this endeavour. God help me do better and forgive my shortcomings. I know he will. He is my good shepherd and His Shoulders are broad enough to carry all his sheep. And Mary's mantle has plenty room to shelter us as we wait to climb aboard. (Can you remember climbing up on your Dad's shoulders or back when you were a kid and how good it felt and how much fun it was and how safe it was. I can)
In Lusia’s published writings where the translations are recent, which abound today, there are numerous downgrades of Catholic teaching as well as many stand alone heresies, heres just a few for starters: Regarding living in the Divine Will, Lusia has Jesus saying, "It will eclipse the most beautiful stars of the saints of previous generations." "Out of respect for my Will which inhabits you, I must pour enough graces and Love into you to make you surpass all other creatures." [Making Luisa and all her followers greater than St. Joseph! Catholic tradition teaches us that next to Our Lady, St Joseph is the greatest of saints] "When the Divine Fiat encountered my Mother’s Fiat they became as one and my Fiat elevated Her, made Her divine." [Catholic teaching ......Divine means God. Mary is not God. Mary is not Divine.] "The miracles of redemption [the Cross] are greater than the old testament ones, but in the NEW ERA [New age], God will work the greatest miracles. the gift of the Divine Will, which can only be understood and received through Luisa's 4 revelations',surpasses the Eucharist as an efficacious source of spiritual growth!![cf. Also citation 913 below]. [Catholic teaching the Cross and the Mass, is that they are the source and the summit of the spiritual life: The Second Vatican Council] When Lusia was denied absolution; And besides, my Will encloses all the Sacraments and their effects;therefore, abandon yourself completely in my Will, make It your own,and you will receive the effects of the absolution,or of anything else which you might be denied.So, I recommend to you - do not waste time, because by wasting time you come to hamper my real Life, which I am forming in you.” [Catholic teaching in the sacrament of reconciliation we are washed in the adorable blood of Christ] Adam was formed before his fall with the sun of Divine Will and the rays of light clothed his humanity. [Catholic teaching Adam had free will!] When he fell Adam lost his garment of divine will. [The Church teaches that Adam lost Sanctifying Grace.] "We don’t go through a test as Adam and Eve did. We had 6000 years of human will, enough is enough."....... " to live in the Divine Will, is to desire it and at this time it is given " [Catholic teaching... we are on a pilgrimage to God we too are tested as our first parents were] "These souls being in divine will are holier than any saints in heaven. Since living in the divine will on earth without a life of their own on earth should have a position in heaven different from the other saints." [Catholic teaching states a need for repentance ] "If you only knew how much I enjoy these (Luisa’s) writings. They cost me more than creation and redemption. [Catholic teaching the Cross on which Christ died is the height of redemption] "I want my priests to promote these writings … Not doing this, their crime will be no less than if a prophet had hidden my redemption, the cause of so much good. So to stifle my divine will, the result of ultimate sanctification, or to hold it in suspension, a good so great. Is this not a crime?" [No, it is not a crime. The Church teaches that no one must believe in a private revelation, even Fatima. All we need for salvation was closed at the death of the last Apostle. This is Divine Revelation as opposed to Private Revelation, which does not have to be believed even if approved by the Church.] "Jesus says the divine will is the seed, the means, the beginning and the end of the Coronation of Man … " [Satan: "You will be like God."] "The human will is the prime cause of all the evil on earth." [No, the human will is the prime cause of human love. Original sin and demons are the prime cause of sin.] If you have the Divine Will, you will be able to create just as God creates. You can say "Plant grow!" and it will sprout up. You will be able to say, "Star appear!" and it will be created just as God created by His Will. "Jesus will work the miracle of preserving humanity from all evil, both moral and physical. This means there will be no sin or sickness. He speaks about restoration of Eden." (Letters of Gold) [Millenarism and a heresy] "But when the human will is dispersed into the divine will, she now can do a divine act as make plants grow, make sunshine, etc." [Satan said to Eve, "You will be like God.]
