"THE FIVE WOUNDS OF THE CHURCH": TEXTS OF PROPHECY BY ANTONIO ROSMINI SINO AT THE "CHURCH IN OUTPUT", Depopulated ALWAYS MORE FROM A BLEEDING OF THE FAITHFUL IN … LEAVING THE CHURCH

With John Paul II all to say: “new evangelization”, under Benedict XVI were in vogue “cultural projects”, with Francis I, all singing in chorus “Church outgoing”. In practice everything continues unchanged, except for a few bells and whistles appearance. But perhaps the ultimate motto is the true and prophetic, But maybe by reversing the terms: leaving the Church …

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Author
The Monaco Hermit

[who is the Monaco hermit, see WHO]

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portrait of Blessed Antonio Rosmini [Rovereto 1797 – Stresa 1855]

One of the most quoted texts of Blessed Antonio Rosmini [1797-1855], even if you do not know then what really read, It is certainly the famous The Five Wounds of the Holy Church bearing as significant subtitle Treaty devoted to the Catholic clergy, written between 1832 and the 1833 and published only in 1848.

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The Rosmini He was inspired in identifying wounds hitting the Church - not in content but in the similarity - the opening speech of the First Council of Lyon (1245) held by Pope Innocent IV; the pontiff expressed what he called "the pain of the Pope", which consisted of five plagues that afflicted the body of Christ which is the Church. These sores were so identified:

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the corruption of faith and morals;

failure to recover the Holy Land;

the schism of the Eastern Church;

the danger of the Tartars;

the contrast with the emperor Federico II.

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This is the brief background that prepares reflection of Rosmini reporting what he believes the new plagues of the Church:

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the division of the people by the clergy in public worship;

insufficient education of the clergy;

disunity of the bishops;

payroll’ bishops abandoned the secular power;

the servants of church property.

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If at the time of Rosmini certainly needed great courage to propose a reform of the Church, Today it would take a remarkable spirit of prophecy for groped to achieve real reform - in the etymological sense: bring to their form - the Church. So it is a bit 'to smile noting that a text like The Five Wounds Rosmini, It has been doubly neutralized by ecclesiastical apparatus: before putting the Index and further exalting, despite that, in reality, it is realized that a small part of the reform program of Rosmini philosopher; It is cited frequently the first plague, ie the division of the people by the clergy in public worship, to enhance the introduction of national languages ​​in the liturgical reform promulgated by Paul VI, But without stressing the major clerical-centrism that has occurred in recent decades, and especially without considering the merits of the other plagues, much more difficult to heal.

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As I Rosmini "Posi hand writing […] to vent my soul grieved ". If even the Rosmini wondered if he had the right to write his reflections on the evils of the Church, the more I have to ask me, I'm a priest dedicated to the hermit's life, much less set out on the path of holiness, as the pursuit of holiness through prayer and study in the total withdrawal from the world. But if he was finally positive response, more so today, after the statements and spirit of Vatican II, the dialogue, the comparison, pluralism both invoked, I feel entitled to write down my thoughts. We might as well update Rosminian sores, applied to the current situation, at least to that in Italy:

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the disappearance of the people from public worship;

the failure of the clergy and its poor preparation;

the neoclericalismo;

the confusion of the bishops;

the servants of the ecclesiastical structures.

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THE DISAPPEARANCE OF PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND THE DEPLETION OF PUBLIC WORSHIP

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The Church of St Lambert in Immerath, North Westphalia, demolished to widen a coal mine [service and video, WHO]

The reflection It is articulated around two points: The dramatic drop in the frequency to the sacred liturgical celebrations and the numerical contraction of these celebrations. The promise of a springtime in the Church following the Second Vatican Council is still waiting to approach signals. The actual numerical breakdown of participants in the festive Mass is more than evident: it has gone from the percentages 70-80% in the 50s to a current 10-12%, for most elderly, because the youth participation fees are reduced to a 2-3%. Numbers in abundant truth, as in certain regions it is well below these figures. Of course they have wasted the considerations that those involved are now more 'knowledgeable', They have a "more adult faith ', "Not only obey a precept," and so it goes, but - apart from the fact that I do not know how much of this is true - a numerical value remains highly worrying. Or at least it should be worrisome, because in reality among the thousands and thousands of documents and sovrabbondati them redundant ecclesiastical interventions - at all levels - this does not seem to attract much attention. Indeed, we are faced with a steady loss, without which no pastor - or very few -, we have at least raised the voice of prayer and the salutary reminder.

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"The liturgy has gone to the people" He titled some time ago a Catholic newspaper, "But he did not find anyone", might add. The people It seems to appear only in certain mass events - by doubts evangelizing effects, except perhaps for a certain positive psychological charge that can result - or, in some sanctuaries where even the crowds flock, but here are recorded declines. For the rest, the people, It is really reduced to a few scattered scraps, that must involve more and larger territories in order to reach significant numbers, but almost zero percentage.

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Following this are dramatically lowered not only the number of celebrations, but also the variety of celebrations. Practically almost disappeared all the functions that are not Mass; the Liturgy of the Hours almost disappeared, as well as almost every other form of public prayer; even the other sacraments need the crutch of the Mass to stand? The churches, as well as constantly more empty it is now, in increasing numbers, even more closed. In the coming years it will open the thorny problem of management or new destinations of thousands of religious buildings no longer used and no longer affordable by the few remaining faithful.

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The FAILURE OF THE CLERGY AND ITS LACK OF PREPARATION.

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The Church of St Lambert in Immerath, North Westphalia, demolished to widen a coal mine

On the amount of priests the statistics are unforgiving, always referring to the Italian situation. If you do not record reversals within a few years, the numbers do not allow more than maintain the current setting of the ecclesial structure. The priests are becoming increasingly old. The average age of diocesan priests in Italy now exceeds 60 year old. The 40% Those who dropped out parish life to retirement, due to illness or death is not replaced; in certain regions we arrive at an even more dramatic percentages. The situation of religious priests is even worse than that of diocesan; close convents, religious houses, spirituality centers and the like. In short: a progressive desertification. So far, they have not devised a solution convincing attempts, or at least attempts at a solution; beyond exhortations and wishes, in fact it has not been achieved other than an arithmetical division of the increased workload: if a priest had a parish, now we will have two or three or four, or even more, but without any real structural reform that can make sustainable such a burden; substantially greater squeezing an already aged clergy and strongly discouraged.

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The preparation of the clergy reveals the rest unconvincing. There has been a progressive prolongation of years of training, we are now 7 years after the baccalaureate. Not yet come to a convincing model of training. Also - a grave matter - the preparation received during the seminar departs almost completely from what will be required in practice after the Sacred Ordination. We are witnessing a truly terrible gap between the endless official statements of the Popes, Bishops, various committees ... and the manner of exercise of the ministry that the Church imposes concretely.

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In documents and pious exhortations would the priest Shepherd, in practice very often it constitutes the priest Manager. And if you dare to depart from the management model - which, however, the majority of priests has adapted very well - it is finished or marginalized. What do I say that for a long direct knowledge, because the hermit's life have come after having exercised for years, and in more than one parish, the ministry of pastor. Like this, while continuing to argue ideologically a poor Church, continue in expanding absolutely self-referential structures, that not only is no one approach to the Gospel and the life of faith, but often they have chance to counter-sign. The weather, l'energie, the attentions of a pastor today are inevitably - thought to be submerged by the criticism and discontent of the usual "short of short people" surrounding the priests - riots 70-80% things Administration, management, animation, organization. So after years of preparation for the priesthood and philosophical-theological studies, We find that it would work better as a semester course animator Club Mediterranean. Because a priest is formed for at least 6-7 years in philosophy, theology, biblical, Patrística, etc. and then he has to go on doing what it is not totally prepared and perhaps even called?

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THE NEOCLERICALISMO

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The Church of St Lambert in Immerath, North Westphalia, demolished to widen a coal mine

The classic clericalism It seemed far exceeded by the so-called openings brought by Vatican Council II. In fact, there has been a powerful return of clericalism, under changing clothes. Often the word is used as a magical Council passpartout, But betraying the true signs. Or it has solved the council simply replacing a chasuble to the planet, but keeping a terrible clericalism and authoritarianism bottom: a neo-ecclesiasticismo which replaced the colored shirts to talare, bad words to the devotional words, but it has retained, if not strengthened, clerical arrogance bottom. A authoritarianism which replaced obedience to ecclesiastical canons comply with the tastes of those in power in the Church. The ancient and wise aphorism Augustinian "In essentials, unity, freedom in doubt, all for charity» [units in the things necessary, freedom in things doubtful, Charity around] It seems to have turned into a "where necessary, silence, identity crisis, In any carelessness” [silence on the fundamental things, uniformity on what is optional, neglect in everything].

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A neo-clericalism that has generated, as a logical consequence, a neo-ecclesiastical language, that in claiming to be new, It feeds on outdated slogans. Naturally, including neo-clerical, There are many believers of Christ Lay, who have learned very well and even better practice a clericalissima arrogance.

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Confusional state OF BISHOPS

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The Church of St Lambert in Immerath, North Westphalia, demolished to widen a coal mine

In this situation the bishops They are trying to get by as they can. Hardly they know how to present a coherent line of choices and pastoral actions, but they are swaying here and there trying to hold the pieces together, increasingly in bad shape, in their dioceses. Usually the repeat slogan launched by the reigning Pope, without, however, nothing in the muti actual choices and pipelines. With John Paul II all to say: “new evangelization”, under Benedict XVI were in vogue “cultural projects”, with Francis I, all singing in chorus “Church outgoing”. In practice everything continues unchanged, except for a few bells and whistles appearance. But perhaps the ultimate motto is the true and prophetic, But maybe by reversing the terms it is to: leaving the Church …

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The confusion reaches highest level in the case of the truths of faith: you can safely put into question or openly deny the inspiration of the Scriptures, the divine maternity of Mary, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, or the existence of Angels, but do not try to question any “pastoral decision”.

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Almost no voice Shepherd It seems to rise in the current, distressing, Italian scene, if not timidly repeat slogan shift. You may like the image of the Church as “field hospital”, but if in this hospital I do not find doctors and nurses that treat and heal me, I go there to do?

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SERVITÙ THE HERITAGE CHURCH

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the tabernacle of the Holy Eucharistic Reserve St. Lambert church in Immerath, North Westphalia, emptied of the Blessed Sacrament before the desecration and demolition of the sacred place of worship

In Italy, the oversizing of many structures of the Church, it is evident; the work of many priests seems to have absorbed the majority in the management and maintenance of these structures, who seem to actually travel in directions further and further away from the purposes for which they were built. Not only are the structures subtracted forces the real action of the Church or even help to give a picture of the same incorrect, but result in no few occasions of real malaffari, with various Don Dollar O Monsignor Euro scattered in the peninsula. They are often the same people who have very quickly and "prophetically" freed from all the richness and beauty of worship, but certainly not by the wealth of their portfolios. Here then sloppy liturgies and depleted - as if use of the eighteenth century chalice or a nineteenth-century vestment entailed an expenditure - and rich life in which there is no shortage phones and the latest generation of digital equipment, cars, expensive vacations, etc..

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Ecclesiastical property They must serve for the worship of God and service to the poor; not for liturgies flattened and demagogic slogans about poverty.

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In truth, the wounds may well be more, but we limit ourselves to the five classical: are more than sufficient for our reflection and our prayer. With a final provocative stimulus: that the 5 Innocent IV wounds may still have a certain relevance?

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From the cell of the hermit monaco, 9 October 2019

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We anticipate the readers that between the middle and the end of October will be published in the following works:

JESUS ​​CHRIST THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, by Giovanni Cavalcoli, o.p.

ARIANISM, AN ANCIENT HERESY ALWAYS PRESENT, by Leonardo Grazzi

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