Since I am on the road and busy with many times, but since these are pressing issues, allow me to respond, but collectively.
From readers…
QUAERITUR:
Given the rate things are going for this current pontificate, would it be sinful to pray that, if it be God’s will, that the pope either abdicates or dies and a new pope of a more conservative leaning is elected?
I get this often.
No. It is not necessarily sinful to pray for the end of a pontificate, one way or another.
However, it depends on why and on your attitude. I urge people not to have hate in their hearts for the person of the Holy Father. He deserves our prayers. That doesn’t mean that we have to like him or what he does. We do NOT worship the Pope. Popes come and go. In our prayers, we can, without sinning, discuss with God about His time table.
QUAERITUR:
What are we to do if they reverse the English translation and go back to the other one? That was so bad. I can’t go back. I just can’t.
In the news lately we have gotten signals that a “study” will be undertaken of translations and of the norms of Liturgiam authenticam. Keep in mind that no translation is perfect. We are using human language to convey pretty deep things.
I don’t think that any of the powers that be would attempt simply to reverse the implementation of the current ICEL translation. I suspect that their first (and vicious) attack will be on the rendering of pro multis back to “for all”. That’s because they a) don’t give that damn that that’s not what pro multis means and b) they don’t believe that there are those who are not saved.
What I think might happen is that they will make various translations “options” which priests can choose from. That is, after all, what the Novus Ordo is: a rite filled with lots of options.
In any event, if they go down this road, and right now I don’t see anything preventing it, I think it might get pretty ugly.
And they won’t stop there. Once these dogs are off the leash, they’ll bay and chase down anything that has even the faintest scent of tradition. Mark my words. They will be vicious. They are liberals, after all. Agere sequitur esse.
QUAERITUR:
The more news I learn about what is happening in Rome and what our Holy Father is doing, the more I teeter on the brink of despair for the future of the Church. I want to believe that Hell cannot prevail against the Church, as Our Lord promised, but it is getting very hard to do so. Some days, I simply want to give up.Has there ever been a time like this one? What might I do to avoid giving in wholly to despair?
Buck up. We have magnificent spiritual tools and weapons. And… you are not alone.
You might spend some time reading about the lives of martyrs in different periods of the Church’s long and sometimes bloody history. Many of them went to their death with joy. The martyrs are given to us as examples. They are witnesses.
Also, if what you are reading causes serious anxiety and spiritual suffering, you might consider spending less time reading about current Church news. If what the Holy Father is doing is causing you great anger or anxiety… ignore him. Stick to your regular routine of daily prayers. Perform concrete works of mercy. Go to Mass. GO TO CONFESSION! Ignore the Pope and bishops, except for to pray for them… from afar.
Everyone, close ranks, clean your own houses, sacrifice.