A recap of 2015 courtesy of Vatican Radio
Francis made news every day in 2015
Rome Reports' top images of Francis
What do Francis and his 'god of surprises'
have in store for the world in 2016?
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Rome Reports spins the declining attendance at Francis' general audiences
...not enough Vatican II saints in 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
the new evangelization in the Philippines
Fr. Falbert of San Jose of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal
rides a hoverboard while singing during his mess
screenshot of Diocese of San Pablo's facebook post
Monday, December 28, 2015
Jesus the Christ had to beg for forgiveness of his parents for being in his Father's house...
...according to Francis' latest heresy!
“At the end of that pilgrimage, Jesus returned to Nazareth and was obedient to his parents (cf. Lk 2:51). This image also contains a beautiful teaching about our families. A pilgrimage does not end when we arrive at our destination, but when we return home and resume our everyday lives, putting into practice the spiritual fruits of our experience. We know what Jesus did on that occasion. Instead of returning home with his family, he stayed in Jerusalem, in the Temple, causing great distress to Mary and Joseph who were unable to find him. For this little “escapade”, Jesus probably had to beg forgiveness of his parents. The Gospel doesn’t say this, but I believe that we can presume it. Mary’s question, moreover, contains a certain reproach, revealing the concern and anguish which she and Joseph felt. Returning home, Jesus surely remained close to them, as a sign of his complete affection and obedience. Moments like these become part of the pilgrimage of each family; the Lord transforms the moments into opportunities to grow, to ask for and to receive forgiveness, to show love and obedience.”
screenshot of live Vatican Television video
as Francis utters this blasphemy
child in attendance scratching eye with middle finger
Hear the blasphemy straight from Francis' mouth
“Per questa sua “scappatella”, probabilmente anche Gesù dovette chiedere scusa ai suoi genitori. Il Vangelo non lo dice, ma credo che possiamo supporlo.”
Sunday, December 27, 2015
More Christmas cheer from the Orthodox followers of the Talmud
Yehuda Asraf and Yinon Reuveni, the alleged arsonists.
Footage of the aftermath of the June 2015 arson 'price tag' attack
News story on the June 2015 hate crime
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Attendance at the Christmas Message and Urbi et Orbi Blessing
2015
2014
2013
2011
2009
Do you notice a trend?
About that Holy Door of 'Mercy'...
The Vatican (as of 24 December 2015) is claiming more than 400,000 pilgrims have already passed through the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica since it was opened on December 8th, 2015.
400,000 pilgrims in 16 days equals 25,000 per day. According to the Vatican's Jubilee of Mercy website, the Holy Door is open from 07:00 to 17:00. That's 10 hours per day divided into 25,000 which means roughly 2,500 people per hour walk through the doors. This equates to 41.66 people per minute.
Here's a recent photo we found tweeted by a respected German journalist, Armin Schwibach, of the line for the Holy Door. Have any readers of Call Me Jorge... seen any other photos of the line?
Looks like the Holy Door is less popular than Francis' general audiences!
Francis' latest general audience on 16 December 2015.
Another shot of 16 December 2015 general audience.
A screen capture of St. Peter's Square webcam.
Here's the link to the Vatican's webcam of St. Peter's Square, where one
can see the line for the Holy Door in this Francis' Jubilee Year of
Mercy.
A screen capture of St. Peter's Square webcam.
The Light of Francis
“La Luz de Francisco” by Palito Ortega
La Luz de Francisco - Palito Ortega
Esta brillando una luz
una luz en el camino
para llegar a Jesús
de la mano de Francisco
Francisco es la nueva luz
una luz que alumbra todo
vamos a rezar por el
como el reza por nosotros
Francisco abrió sus brazos
para cuidar al pueblo de Dios
y sobre todo al más pobre
como Jesús los cuido
Llegaste del fin del mundo
con la divina misión
de anunciarle a tus hermanos
el evangelio de Dios
Esta brillando una luz
una luz en el camino
para llegar a Jesús
de la mano de Francisco
Francisco es la nueva luz
una luz que alumbra todo
vamos a rezar por el
como el reza por nosotros
Vamos a seguir tus pasos
que nuestra guía sea tu voz
queremos ir de tu mano
ir al encuentro de Dios
El mundo esta celebrando
porque encendiste una nueva luz
porque siembras tu palabra
de amor, igual que Jesus
Esta brillando una luz
una luz en el camino
para llegar a Jesús
de la mano de Francisco
Francisco es la nueva luz
una luz que alumbra todo
vamos a rezar por el
como el reza por nosotros
Francisco papa querido
una oración vamos a rezar
para pedir que te cuide
siempre nuestra virgen de Lujan
Cantemos con alegría
a nuestro hermano Francisco
para el pastor de la iglesia
para el vicario de cristo
Esta brillando una luz
una luz en el camino
para llegar a Jesús
de la mano de Francisco
Francisco es la nueva luz
una luz que alumbra todo
vamos a rezar por el
como el reza por nosotros
Esta brillando una luz
una luz en el camino
para llegar a Jesús
de la mano de Francisco
Francisco es la nueva luz
una luz que alumbra todo
vamos a rezar por el
como el reza por nosotros
The Light of Francis - Palito Ortega
This shining light is
a light on the path
to get to Jesus
at the hands of Francis
Francisco is the new light
a light that enlightens all
let's pray for him
as pray for us
Francisco opened his arms
to care for the people of God
and especially the poorest
like Jesus did
The end of the world arrived [doomsday]
with the divine mission
to announce your brothers
the gospel of God
This shining light is
a light on the path
to get to Jesus
at the hands of Francis
Francisco is the new light
a light that enlightens all
let's pray for him
as pray for us
We will follow your footsteps
our guide be your voice
we want to go hand in hand with you
to encounter God
The world is celebrating
because you lit a new light
because sow your words
of love, like Jesus
This shining light is
a light on the path
to get to Jesus
at the hands of Francis
Francisco is the new light
a light that enlightens all
let's pray for him
as pray for us
Pope Francis desires
prayer let us go to pray
to ask that you take care [of us]
always to Our Virgin of Lujan
Let us sing joyfully
to our brother Francisco
for the pastor of the church
for the Vicar of Christ
This shining light is
a light on the path
to get to Jesus
at the hands of Francis
Francisco is the new light
a light that enlightens all
let's pray for him
as pray for us
This shining light is
a light on the path
to get to Jesus
at the hands of Francis
Francisco is the new light
a light that enlightens all
let's pray for him
as pray for us
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Joy to the world, A Savior is born!
And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:
For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.
And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Christmas wishes from Talmudic Judaism
“Christmas has no place in the Holy Land, let us remove the [Christian] vampires before they once again drink our blood.”
For more information on Rabbi Benzi Gopstein and those who finance him read:
Click here to read Eradicate the Vampires by Benzi Gopstein (in Hebrew).
More quotes from Gopstein translated and published in Haaretz article, Jewish Extremists' Leader: Christians Are 'Blood Sucking Vampires' Who Should Be Expelled From Israel by Sharon Pulwer:
“Christmas has no place in the Holy Land.”
[Gopstein] is disturbed “the fall of the line of defense of the Jewish people against our deadly enemy for hundreds of years – the Christian Church.”
[Gopstein] said the Church had used “the maximum tools at its disposal to destroy the Jewish people,” and that today “the Church has been defeated roundly when the Jewish people has one of the strongest armies in the world and they have no chance any longer of destroying our body.”
“A last hope remains to those vampires and blood suckers – the mission. If Jews cannot be killed, they can still be converted.”
“Missionary bookstores offer their products in front of everyone on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem, whole communities are crawling with missionaries, many businesses are run by them and are used by the mission, many cases using camouflage and without the knowledge of the employees.”
The “fear that every Jew felt, the disgust that we described above at Christianity – disgust that was the only thing that saved us from the dark days in Europe – has disappeared with the ‘good life’ of the democratic age…and the missionary is on the prowl for prey.”
“I call on everyone to raise a cry and fight this corrupt phenomenon in the best tradition of Judaism, before we all, including those who observe the commandments among us, become a community of sycophants.”
“Christmas has no place in the Holy Land, let us remove the vampires before they once again drink our blood.”
Quotes translated by google.translate from original article in Hebrew to English:
“Against such inconceivable power of the Jewish people was poor lamb among wolves, easy prey for those who thirst for blood. The history of the Jews of Europe, as well as the community's poor here in the Land of Israel, engraved with the blood of millions - the Crusades cruel where whole communities were wiped, pogroms across the continent, blood libels to countless, mass expulsions from England, France, Spain and Portugal - all of which were but At stations brutal campaign moved our people in Christendom, journey came to an end in the chimneys of the crematoria of Auschwitz, while the Vatican rubbing their hands with glee.”
“What was the secret of eternal Jew? How he managed to survive the
horrors of the church? Without a doubt, it was a burning faith in the
righteousness of our path, deep abhorrence toward Christianity every
Jewish child was breastfed with his mother's milk and the absolute
conviction that passed from generation to generation, and that death is
much better than surrender to the church. Only firm tenacity as
described could withstand any shocks that struck us, Popes rose and
fell, rose and fell countries, inquisitors and Gestapo officers thought
they could destroy Israel...”
****** UPDATED BELOW ******
****** AT 800PM 22 DECEMBER 2015 ******
****** WITH NEW LINK ******
Monday, December 21, 2015
Greg Burke gets promoted!
Burke an Opus Dei numerary is now the new vice director of the Holy See Press Office.
Above is Burke in 2013 discussing his role as senior communications adviser at the Secretariat of State and the upcoming planned reforms in communications at the Holy See. This position was a behind-the-scenes role in which Burke was responsible for the Holy See’s media strategy and improving the public image of the reigning pontiffs.
interfaith dialogue in the past saved his life from ISIS!
...the Rev. Jacques Mourad rededicates his life
to Christian-Muslim dialogue because it's God's will!
“Mourad said he believes his reputation at the monastery, where he fostered interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims, saved his life.
“I’m convinced I’m alive also thanks to this mission . the work we did contributed to preventing Islamic State (ISIS) from killing me,” he said.
He recalled a moment in which he thought he was to be killed, when a man came and asked if he was Christian. But — to Mourad’s surprise — the man then greeted him.
“That amazed me because normally the people (militants) don’t shake Christians’ hands or touch them, because they consider them impure. They don’t even greet Muslims that don’t think like them,” Mourad said.”
source: Crux, Priest who survived ISIS: ‘My interfaith work saved my life’
“On Aug. 4, the self-proclaimed Islamic State captured and demolished Mar Elian monastery, where Mourad had served for 15 years. Aside from the extensive archaeological excavation and renovations he oversaw, the priest promoted dialogue and coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
“For many years he built bridges between the religions. This has now proved its value in the war,” the Rev. Jihad Youssef, a fellow Syriac Catholic, told the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need after Mourad’s abduction.
Mourad also had been sheltering Christian and Muslim refugees at the monastery.
When asked by Catholic News Service how he sees his mission for the future, the priest shrugged his shoulders and responded: “After this happened to me, I have a bigger responsibility now, with Christian-Muslim dialogue. We can’t play with God’s will.””
source: Crux, Freed Syrian priest recalls kidnapping at hands of ISIS
the Rosary and interfaith dialogue saved him!
Doctor Francis addresses the Curia again
Last year, Francis admonished the Curia for 15 diseases from which they suffer. After telling them that in 2015 their behavior proved he was correct in his diagnosis, Francis said there are 12 needed virtues or medicines. You can't make this stuff up it is so bizarre!
- The virtue of missionary and pastoral spirit
- The virtue of idoneity and sagacity
- The virtue of spirituality and humanity
- The virtue of example and fidelity
- The virtue of rationality and gentleness
- The virtue of innocuousness and determination
- The virtue of charity and truth
- The virtue of honesty and maturity
- The virtue of respectfulness and humility
- The virtue of diligence and attentiveness
- The virtue of intrepidness and alertness
- The virtue of trustworthyness and sobriety
Do you see any of the virtues which Francis is deficient of in that list?
Francis ended with, “To help us better grasp this, let us savour the magnificent prayer, commonly attributed to Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, but pronounced for the first time by Cardinal John Dearden.” [CMJ's note: This prayer was written by Fr. Ken Untener one of Dearden's aides.]
“Every now and then it helps us to take a step back and to see things from a distance.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is also beyond our visions.
In our lives, we manage to achieve only a small part of the marvellous plan that is God’s work.
Nothing that we do is complete, which is to say that the Kingdom is greater than ourselves.
No statement says everything that can be said.
No prayer completely expresses the faith.
No Creed brings perfection.
No pastoral visit solves every problem.
No programme fully accomplishes the mission of the Church.
No goal or purpose ever reaches completion.
This is what it is about: We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that others will watch over them.
We lay the foundations of something that will develop.
We add the yeast which will multiply our possibilities.
We cannot do everything, yet it is liberating to begin.
This gives us the strength to do something and to do it well.
It may remain incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way.
It is an opportunity for the grace of God to enter and to do the rest.
It may be that we will never see its completion, but that is the difference between the master and the labourer.
We are labourers, not master builders, servants, not the Messiah.
We are prophets of a future that does not belong to us.”
When does this guy find the time to say the breviary?
This man-child is a priest?
Elizabeth Scalia, managing editor of Pathetic,
interviews Roderick about Star Wars
Is it any wonder Islam grows while the Novus Ordo retreats?
Watch him play with his Star Wars toys
Friday, December 18, 2015
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) launches 'Mercy in Motion'
Turning the church into an NGO as
it helps de-christianize Europe!
How much do you want to bet 'proper formation' doesn't include educating the moslems about their Savior, Jesus the Christ, nor informing them of the New Testament?
Francis' short meeting with Judaic terrorist, Bernard-Henri Lévy
Bernard-Henri Lévy meets with Francis at the 9 December 2015 general audience.
Bernard-Henri Lévy is a major player in the cryptocracy. He is an Algerian born Jew who founded the phony-intellectual Nouveaux Philosophes (New Philosophers). Lévy is an ardent Zionist and attributes to himself key roles in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution (Euromaidan Revolution), and the Arab Springs particularly in the Libyan & Syrian wars.
Lévy in his film “Le Serment de Tobrouk” (The Oath of Tobruk) detailing how
he convinced France's president (Nicolas Sarkozy) to back the Libyan revolt.
he convinced France's president (Nicolas Sarkozy) to back the Libyan revolt.
For background on Bernard-Henri Lévy see:
(image on the left) Lévy in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia hiding from a sniper while being interviewed by a reporter. (image on the right) The reality of what happened was entirely different. Lévy was pretending a sniper was nearby. Notice the policemen walking nonchalantly in the background. What a fraud and con-man Bernard-Henri Lévy is!
The interview below was published on Sunday 13 December 2015 by the algemeiner. Of note is Bernard-Henri Lévy, a promoter of Zionist-Moslem terrorism (aka freedom fighters), seeking a 'Noahide partnership' with Francis' Frankenchurch of holocaustianity because of the violence perpetrated by Israeli backed ISIS in Iraq. Is this a predetermined synthesis? As always the underlines are Call Me Jorge...'s for emphasis.
Following a meeting with Pope Francis I, and ahead of his upcoming trip to New York to speak at a United Nations event dedicated to Catholic-Jewish relations, famed French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy spoke with The Algemeiner, in an exclusive interview, about the Church’s relationship with Jews.
The Algemeiner: You will be at United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday for an ecumenical meeting of Christians and Jews, is that right?
Bernard-Henri Lévy: “Ecumenical” is not the right word. The event is a celebration — open to the public, including your readers — of the 50th anniversary of the remarkable revolution within the Catholic Church that brought about the decision to move beyond antisemitism. And it was indeed a revolution — one of the few successful revolutions of the 20th century. At the end of it, the church banned antisemitism. That is a far cry from the fancy phrases and hollow dialogue that often fall under the heading of ecumenism.
The Algemeiner: Do you believe that a “decision” can cure antisemitism?
Bernard-Henri Lévy: You have hit on an advantage of the Roman Catholic Church vis-à-vis Protestantism and, at the moment, Islam: its hierarchy. The Church is headed by a pope; bulls and encyclicals have the force of law. Once a law is promulgated, of course, it can take time for hearts to follow. But that is, in effect, what has happened. And that is what we will celebrate Wednesday at the United Nations. The overwhelming majority of Catholics are no longer the enemies of the Jews. The toxic theme of the “deicidal people” has pretty much disappeared, if not from all hearts and minds, then at least from Church writings. Antisemitism has reorganized around other ideas, particularly anti-Zionism and hatred of Israel, but these have nothing to do with Catholicism. In fact, in the battle that the Jews are fighting against the new antisemitism, the Catholics are most often on their side; they are their allies.
The Algemeiner: Who conceived the idea of the meeting at the United Nations?
Bernard-Henri Lévy: The Vatican, in part. But also the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), which I think is accurately described as a coalition of the major Jewish groups in the United States. The architect of the event is Michael Landau, a leader in the American Jewish community. One thing of which I am completely certain is that the two sides have an equally strong interest in seeing the alliance prosper, something that is really critical in the terrifying world we now live in. Together Jews and Catholics will have to confront the looming barbarism. And not just us, of course; we are going to need millions of practitioners of other religions, too, as well as nonbelievers. Joining me at the UN on Wednesday afternoon to take stock of the past half-century and look forward to the next will be Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, as well as prominent Jewish leaders, among them Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom.
The Algemeiner: Was it in connection with this event that you met with Pope Francis on December 9th?
Bernard-Henri Lévy: Yes, but I was not alone. Accompanying me were Michael Landau and Chief Rabbi David Rosen, head of the American Jewish Committee’s department of interreligious affairs. It was an interesting experience. Three Jews chatting with the leader of the Catholic Church and then touring the Vatican’s chapels and its diverse and varied corridors of power. Landau and Rosen are what we usually call Orthodox Jews; I am a “Jew by affirmation.” In fact, I recently finished a tribute to Jewish thought entitled Le Génie du Judaïsme (The Spirit of Judaism) that will come out this winter in France and later here. Neither Rosen, Landau, nor I had the feeling, while walking through the Vatican, of finding ourselves on “foreign ground.”
The Algemeiner: What did you and the Pope talk about?
Bernard-Henri Lévy: It was a very short meeting that occurred in the context of his general weekly audience. But I had the chance to ask him about a striking interview that he gave a few months ago to a Catalan daily in which he said that “inside every Christian is a Jew,” and that although he performs the Eucharist every day as a Christian, it is “as a Jew” that he prays over the Psalms of David. I also tried to draw his attention to a monastery in Iraq that I visited recently, a monastery that four heroic monks have refused to abandon as long as even one Christian remains on the Plain of Nineveh, and despite the fact that the monastery is practically within shooting distance of ISIS. L’Osservatore Romano put photos of the meeting online. In one of them you can clearly see the pictures of the four monks that I had brought along to give him. The actual working meeting was held afterwards with Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state and second in command, as it were.
The Algemeiner: What was the purpose of that meeting?
Bernard-Henri Lévy: To prepare for the ceremony at the United Nations on December 16. And to think about follow-up — that is, what we need to do to ensure that the symposium is not just another meeting with no tomorrow. But also to think of ways to save those four monks I just mentioned, along with their monastery, which is one of the oldest and most venerable in the world. It would be premature to say anything more about that here, but perhaps I will be able to by the end of next week, when I will be giving a public talk at the 92nd Street Y. If things have fallen into place by then, I will go into greater detail. In any event, I want to take this opportunity to invite your readers to this second event as well. I will be speaking twice in New York next week, first at the UN and the next day at the 92nd Street Y. What can I tell you? Between the killings in Paris, the daily terrorist crimes in Israel, the Trump phenomenon and all the rest, there is a lot to say! And I am going to try to say it. So, please, come!
***** UPDATED 16 DECEMBER 2015 WITH NEW LINK BELOW *****
more friends of Francis
Francis meeting with Guillermo Moreno and Amelia Marta Cascales. Guillermo Moreno is divorced and has been in a long-term cohabitation with Amelia Marta Cascales. From 2005 to 2013 Moreno was the Secretary of Domestic Trade for Argentina and was in charge of the economic policies of the country. He resigned from that office in 2013 after being tried in the Argentinian courts for dereliction of duty and abuse of authority. The result of Guillermo's policies were the ruin of the Argentinian economy and the fattening of his wallet as well as the bottom lines of the international bankers. He is currently the economic attaché at the Argentinian embassy in Rome. Cascales is on the board of several Kirchner companies and has assisted in making pro-Kirchner propaganda movies for television. This was the last private audience Moreno and Cascales was to have with Francis as economic attaché. The reason for this is Moreno's political party lost the elections and someone else is soon to be appointed to his office.
Francis greets Moreno and Cascales at the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration
of Nostra Aetate. Earlier that day at the general audience in St. Peter's Square,
the Argentinians in attendance voraciously booed Moreno and Cascales.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Francis rejects “narcissism”
...for everyone but himself
“When the Church is self-referential, inadvertently, she believes she has her own light.”
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Was that a tumbleweed blowing across St. Peter's Square?
Where's the people?
It's not like you have to buy a ticket.
No one is visiting the manger either.
That's it! It must have been all the snow keeping the people away!
This was one of the shortest rides CMJ has seen of Francis in the Popemobile.
The money shot of an almost empty square.
Here's the video from 02 December 2015
Happy Noahide Holidays!
Rabbi Marcelo Polakoff and Bishop Pedro Torres sing...
A Hanukkah Carol - an interreligious song for the Holidays
Rabbi Marcelo Polakoff is currently the rabbi of the Israeli Union Center of Cordoba, Argentina and was a professor of Talmud and Halacha at the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano Marshall T. Meyer for over 10 years until 2011. Monsignor Pedro Torres, is the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Córdoba.
memories of interreligious dialogue
Rabbi Marcelo Polakoff gives Jorge Bergoglio a copy of his book,
"En el nombre del padre y del rabino" (In the name of the Father and the Rabbi).
More rabbinical books for Francis!
Just in case you thought this was an aberration!
Rabbi Polakoff with Benedict XVI.
Video source: Wanderer Revisited, La chusma episcopal
Photos source: Syllabus, LOS HILOS DEL DIABLO: LOS FRUTOS PODRIDOS DE FRANCISCO
Related:
the Vatican's response to the November 2015 Paris attacks
We at Call Me Jorge... were looking at unpublished posts and found this one
which we had intended to put up some time ago. It needs no comment.
Padre Damian & company sing!
Saturday, December 12, 2015
“It's not enough that they (sodomites) should be tolerated, they should also be accepted!”
— Cardinal Oswald Gracias —
Francis with Cardinal Gracias, his hand picked G8
member, walking out of the Synod on the Family.
Before one reads the article, a little background on Cardinal Oswald Gracias. He is the Archbishop of Bombay, India and was personally selected by Francis to serve on his Council of Cardinal Advisers (G8/G9). Gracias is a man after the revolutionary heart of Francis, in 2009 he had a new edition of the Bible published in India (The New Community Bible) which included hundreds of verses from the Veds, the Upanishads and the Bhagwat Gita!
How much longer will people continue to believe that Francis is against sodomy? Let's see he surrounds himself with sodomites, names one to be the prelate to the Institute for the Works of Religion (Vatican Bank), has private audiences with them, ad nauseam. Logic would tell you that Francis is a card carrying member of the club. Not only is Oswald for decriminalizing one of the sins that cries out to heaven for vengeance, Cardinal Gracias has the chutzpah to blame God for the sodomites committing the sin of sodomy! We wouldn't want to be too judgemental in our approach to sodomy and sodomites. No according to the cardinal tolerating sodomy is not enough, we must accept it! Talmudic political correctness has been running amok not only in society but also in the post-Vatican II church. We include the entire published interview below as we don't want to be accused of taking Gracias' quotes out of context. As always the underline have been added by us to emphasis the cardinal's words.
The Hindu, 02 December 2015
interview conducted by Jayant Sriram
Archbishop of Bombay Cardinal Oswald Gracias was the voice of reason in a recent debate
Speaking to reporters on a flight in 2013, Pope Francis outlined a new tone on the Catholic church’s stand on homosexuality. “If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” he asked. As Parliament readies to discuss the issue of repealing Section 377, Indian religious leaders have tended to disagree. But Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay and the head of India’s National Conference of Catholic Bishops, emerged as a progressive voice.The Hindu spoke to the cardinal on his involvement with the movement to decriminalise homosexuality and his thoughts on how the Church can encourage a more humane approach. In the midst of a debate on whether homosexuality should be considered a criminal act, he was the only religious leader who spoke out against such a move, arguing that the Church should embrace people from the LGBT community and help integrate them into society.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has recently said that Parliament may consider taking up the discussion on Sec 377 and Shashi Tharoor is planning to pass a private member’s Bill on the same. Can you reflect on your own involvement with this issue?
I had been reflecting on the question of whether the church should be more welcoming towards members of the LGBT community for some time. I met some groups and associations of LGBTs and I had an understanding for them. I don’t want them to feel ostracised. That’s why I came out publicly some time back saying I was in favour of decriminalisation of Section 377. When the Delhi High Court order was passed decriminalising homosexuality, they asked me whether the Church would be unhappy and I said“No. I think it’s a good thing.” On the other hand, I fully understand why the Supreme Court turned down the Delhi HC decision, because its reasoning was also legally correct. Legislation is done by the legislators, not by the judiciary.But personally I feel that it should not be criminalised. For me it’s a question of understanding that it’s an orientation … I know there is still research being done whether it’s a matter of choice or matter of orientation and there are two opinions on this matter. But I believe maybe people have this orientation that God has given them and for this reason they should not be ostracised from society. The Church is concerned, and if you’re Christian or catholic and if you’re part of the Church you have to have compassion, sympathy and understanding toward them.
You were the only religious leader who publicly spoke against criminalisation of homosexuality. Did you face much of a backlash at the time from other Christians and members of the Church?
Yes, people were surprised that I said it. But, personally I think that’s the thinking of the church. Not everybody perhaps has fully understood it. The church has always said people should not be discriminated against and I know the Vatican itself is not for criminalisation of these people. I have to make a distinction of course. Catholic theology makes sexual morality rather clear.Homosexual acts have been considered improper and we do not accept gay marriage. There is no such thing as gay marriage for the church but that does not mean you throw out these people as bad. I'm not touching on the moral principle, but I think it would be unchristian really to be harsh with people from that community. If given a choice, why would you be harsh? That’s my thinking.
Interesting you mention this is actually part of the Church’s thinking. Many people assume that the Church is very rigid in it's thinking of homosexuality and speaks of it as a sin or as being evil. Do you think that has to change?
There is judgmental language. People have presumed that it is a choice to be same-sex oriented and that I think is certainly not clear. Recently I told one of the priests in Bombay also to tone down his language against them. He was speaking at a public gathering.There are many people who have no choice in the matter and happen to be that way. That’s the basic different starting point. People say: “You’ve chosen that and don’t think we can close our eyes to the fact that you’ve chosen that way”. But in general people have a sense of understanding. Yesterday I was with some youth who said: “We’ve never thought of it that way. We agree with you.” I guess I was surprised I was the only religious leader who spoke out.Then again, sometimes I see politicians screaming out about this and I wonder maybe if the time has not yet come, if Indian society is not yet ready to accept people who are LGBT. We have to go along with the perception of society but we also have to make society reflect and think.
What about priests from other parts of the country? Does anybody else think similarly?
No, I don’t think so; but from abroad, certainly. I met some colleagues of mine in North America, from Europe and all. I have discussed this with them. Some of them have the same opinion as I do, not 100 per cent though.
What is the stand now with the leaders of the Church?
The church is more understanding, more welcoming, wants to be more open. Particularly this year the Pope has called for a ‘Year of Mercy’. And this should also make us reflect on being open to anybody who’s in any sort of difficulty. I think these are good people and the people I met want to work for the church and want to work for society. I think society should change its attitude towards them, be more welcoming and understanding.
You had touched on the fact that Indian society may not be ready to accept people who are LGBT. Do you think there is an unwillingness to accept people who are different?
Asian society is very traditional and the Indian society, in particular, is very traditional and resists change. (It) doesn't want to be destabilised perhaps.That is why I think sometimes that if society is not ready then maybe we shouldn't push against it as there will be a backlash. But on the other hand, a group should not suffer because of that. We have to get these people integrated into society. They are different but doesn’t mean that they are bad. Maybe this is a change that will take some time to come because Indian society is truly not ready for it but it is certainly a change that should come today, or tomorrow, whatever is the best time.
Is the crucial difference between you and other religious leaders simply that you have taken time to engage with members of the LGBT community while others would simply not take that step.
Well they have approached me and I have been open to speaking with them. When you interact with them you realise that they are everybody, they are sons and daughters of our own friends and our own society. But it is still something that is hidden and in the closet. People are frightened to come out because of the lack of acceptance.
Does the Church have an important role to play in changing the mentality of people?
The church in India and also worldwide has a role to play in forming the mentality of people and the thinking of people. We should be more welcoming of people from the LGBT community and certainly less judgemental in our approach.In fact, we just had a meeting of Bishops last month where frankly everybody agreed that we have been speaking a little too harshly about them.The Church also has an important role to play in providing them a sense of security. It's not just that they should be tolerated, they should also be accepted. For many of them, through no fault of their own, this is a great suffering. They may like to have a family, have children but they cannot. It's a cross that they have to bear.
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