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The New, Trendy Bishop of Innsbruck is all in for female “deacons" |
by Christopher A. Ferrara
October 5, 2017
Anyone who follows Church affairs during this pontificate will not fail to notice one of its themes: the installation of new bishops and cardinals all over the world who are in line with Francis’ stated intention to inflict “Church renovation” that is “irreversible.” Thus, every new bishop or cardinal he has elevated is in favor of confessional absolution and Holy Communion for public adulterers in “second marriages,” even though John Paul II and Benedict XVI insisted, in line with all their predecessors, that admission to the sacraments is “intrinsically impossible” given their state of life, absent true repentance for the sin of adultery and a commitment to continence in the future.
It also appears that the new “Francis bishops” have been selected for their favorability to the “irreversible” approval of female “deacons.” Thus, Hermann Glettler (photo above), recently appointed Bishop of Innsbruck, has declared “that he is ‘definitely for’ the admission of women to the diaconate” and that “[n]ow that the pope has appointed a commission on women deacons, Glettler would be very happy if it ‘came into the home stretch relatively soon and were decided positively.’”
Translation: barring unforeseen circumstances, women “deacons” are in the offing, and Glettler knows it. But the diaconate is an ordained ministry, a rank of the priesthood, which, like the priesthood itself, is limited to males. So, what sort of female “deacon” could Francis devise, given that the ordination of women to the diaconal rank of the male priesthood would clearly be invalid? Perhaps it would be some sort of female “ministry” involving a clerical costume and the title of deacon, but without an ordination as such.
At any rate, the invention of female “deacons” would imply the possibility of women “priests” as well. Asked about ordination of female “priests,” Glettler said “this is ‘not so utopian.’ But first steps are needed such as female deacons.”
Naturally, Glettler is all in favor of Holy Communion for public adulterers. When asked if he were in favor just before his appointment, “the bishop-to-be responded, ‘Very.’ To give Communion to those whose marriage failed and live in a new relationship has ‘very, very much sense based on the Gospel.’ But it is also sensible to accompany those who come to the conclusion that they will not receive Communion. It is a matter of ‘accompanying, distinguishing, and then leaving open whether someone says, I will deliberately go to Communion or I will deliberation [sic] forego this, based on specific inner motives.’”
So, incredibly enough, this is apparently what the entire hierarchy would profess if all of its members were installed by Francis: Women deacons? No problem. Women priests? All in good time. Holy Communion for public adulterers? Whatever each adulterer decides based on “inner motives.”
What we are witnessing now is an effort to transform the Catholic Church — if it were possible — into something resembling the Anglican Church. In other words, the final stage in an ecclesial crisis like no other the Church has ever seen. But it is precisely at times like these, when all seems lost, that Providence will unfailingly usher in “the happy beginning of the complete restoration,” to recall the promise of Our Lady of Good Success, which is fully in harmony with Our Lady of Fatima’s promise of the coming triumph of Her Immaculate Heart – following the Consecration of Russia.