Every day that God sends on Earth I am afraid of looking on Canon212 , fearing very much that Francis has made himself heard with another heretical, blasphemous, perverted, communist, or otherwise stupid initiative and/or statement. I am sure millions share my feelings, though only a tiny part of them visits the Catholic blogosphere regularly.
Like many of my readers, I am of the opinion that whilst the absolute number of Catholics who read Catholic blogs is relatively small, the influence they have is huge.
Let us imagine that you are the usual Catholic; one, that is, with a thin varnish or Catholicism covered by a thick layer of ignorance, with on top of that the cherry of lazy disposition (the usual Catholic is generally Catholic enough to know, or at least sense, that if he were to deepen his knowledge of Catholicism some uncomfortable truths would be unearthed, which now lay comfortably hidden beneath the thick strata of ignorance). As you hear, here and there, about Francis’ “novelties” and “refreshing approach” to all matters Catholic you are curious, or vaguely disturbed, or outright uncomfortable, and go browsing on the Internet to know what is what. That’s where you find… us, the countless bloggers and commenters.
Suddenly you, usual Catholic of the garden variety (thin layer of doctrine buried under thick layer of ignorance) have no doubt anymore about what is what. A Pope despised and considered heretic by faithful, well- educated, well-instructed Catholics is what.
You may, being one of the garden variety, not really deepen the matter (see above: “uncomfortable truths”, of which you have already read enough in one internet seating to last you a long time). However, one thing you know: Francis is as much Catholic as Tony Blair is Labour. Yes, literally and legally a member of the group and (at the one or other time) its head; but certainly one who does not represent the grassroots and, in general, the very group he belongs to. Now, Garden Variety Catholic may dismiss the Labour grassroots without any trouble; but he has enough sensus catholicus to know that when countless faithful Catholics throw stones at the Pope, the face is irretrievably gone.
Francis, a man whose mother’s profession is more and more mysterious to me, senses this very well. Whilst certainly not a genius, he has enough brain to understand that this pesky Catholics are ruining his party. Instead of Johnny going away at the same time as Judy, he sees the Catholic public opinion (the serious one; the people the other listen to in order to decide what is what) has gone away with the faithful bloggers, and the only thing he can do is motivate a record number of Catholics to vote for Trump whilst even the effeminate Europe slowly but surely rejects – and despises – his socialist, globalist, anti-Catholic propaganda.
We are, literally, ruining his party, and even if Monsignor Ricca dances with him (which he might well do) he has no reason to smile; which is why he becomes more and more bitter, obnoxious, boorish, and outright despicable by the month. The dream of the historic papacy is gone. What remains now is a wrecking ball papacy, out of spite, arrogance, boorishness and utter and complete evil.
In the presence of astonishing cowardly bishops it is clear that Francis will not be challenged during his disgraceful papacy. He will go on wreaking havoc inside the Church like a Castro on steroids; but we will, at least, ruin his party, and deny to him credibility and dignity both in life and in history.
And as we are no cowardly “Knights” of Malta, or pussycat bishops, there is absolutely nothing he can do about it.
M