I have written here before about Catholics who support people, policies, and practices that are against the faith. One example is an American President who claims to be a Catholic while at the same time promoting abortion and same-sex marriage. The ever tone-deaf Biden regime recently chose the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception to celebrate ‘Pansexual and Panromantic Pride Day’ because “everyone deserves to feel seen, respected, and supported -- no matter who they love.” No comment from Ashley Biden.

Disturbingly, nearly half of all Catholics think abortion should be allowed in all or nearly all circumstances. A failure of catechesis.

What bothers this Catholic more than government leaders taking stands that violate their faith, is when the head of the religion itself does so. Pope Francis recently took part in advancing the fake 'Palestinian Jesus' narrative. I cannot say that the Pope Francis' actions here are the final straw as, in my opinion he broke that camel's back a long time ago. His papal tenure has been a death of a thousand cuts. I had a great deal of respect and admiration for both Saint Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. While they both may have occasionally said and done things I disagreed with, overall I valued their Pontificates.

Not so with Pope Francis. In the Vatican gardens in 2019, Pope Francis blessed a pagan fertility statue in an action condemned by bishops, cardinals, and theologians. Cardinal Raymond Burke said, “Something very grave happened during the special assembly of the Bishops’ Synod for the Amazon region. An idol [Pachamama] was introduced into St Peter’s Basilica -- the figure of a demonic force."

Pope Francis is steeped in liberation theology, which tends towards Marxism and focuses on social work rather than salvation. Popes JPII and Benedict often referred to the need for a preferential option for the poor but that is not the same as making it an authentic Catholic theology. As a matter of fact, in 1995 Pope John Paul II condemned liberation theology, saying that it had died in Latin America after the fall of the Berlin Wall. 

I am not a theologian by any stretch, but I always assumed that one of the roles of the Pope was to calm the roiled waters of our social discourse by issuing clarifying statements that explain events in light of eternal truths. What I've witnessed instead are words and actions that confuse and cast doubt on things I've been told are unchanging. Catholics are taught to obey official Church teachings and so I've held my tongue, waiting for explanations. They have not come. Instead, some who question the Pope are condemned, removed from their positions and sometimes excommunicated.

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas had questioned some of the Pope’s decisions and in response the Vatican subjected him to an investigation after which he was removed, something that almost never happens. Normally bishops considered troublesome are given the option of early retirement.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano was openly critical of the Pope, accusing him of covering up the sexual abuse committed by Theodore McCarrick and claiming he held the Papacy illegally. Vigano then refused a summons from Pope Francis to the Vatican, upon which Francis excommunicated him. Vigano’s writings are well worth reading.

While Francis has not changed Church teaching on gay marriage he has indicated approval of the blessing of same-sex couples, perhaps a distinction without a difference. Blessing a same-sex couple sends the confusing and scandalous signal that the Church approves of their relationship. The Catechism teaches otherwise.

In a similar vein, this month the Pope made pro-LGBT Dominican friar Timothy Radcliffe a cardinal. In 2013, Father Radcliffe argued that gay sex can be “Eucharistic,” and "expressive of Christ’s self-gift in Holy Communion.” Fr. Radcliffe has never retracted any of these blasphemous opinions. Note that it is the College of Cardinals that elects a new Pope.

With so much evidence, anyone who's still saying things like "Oh, the pope's been misunderstood" or "People are telling lies about him" or "It's his underlings, not him" will be required to answer, in the dread day of judgment, for stopping his ears to the truth.

Image: AT via Magic Studio