The Apostles understood so well that they began to argue about who was the greatest among them

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Homiletics of the Fathers of The Island of Patmos

THE APOSTLES UNDERSTOOD SO WELL THAT THEY BEGAN TO DISCUSS WHO WAS THE GREATEST AMONG THEM

«And the Lord had mercy on this multitude... He took a little girl, Teresa, and placed her among the apostles; and this little girl revealed such simple truths to them, so attractive, that the doctors were forced to confess their ignorance, and they became disciples of the little girl to teach the people her doctrine".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Gospel of Mark reports three announcements of the passion (MC 8,31; 9,31; 10,33 e ssg.). What we read in the Gospel of the 25th Sunday of ordinary time is the second and all three constitute an editorial thread through which Mark wove the story that goes from Peter's confession to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Here is the evangelical passage.

"During that time, Jesus and his disciples went through Galilee, but he did not want anyone to know. In fact, he taught his disciples and told them: "The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men and they will kill him; ma, once killed, after three days it will rise again ". However, they did not understand these words and were afraid to question him. They came to Cafarnao. When he was in the house, he asked them: «What were you arguing about in the street?». And they were silent. On the street, in fact, they had argued among themselves who was the greatest. Sitting down, he called the Twelve and told them: «If one wants to be the first, be the last of all and the servant of all". E, got a baby, placed him in their midst and, hugging him, he told them: «Whoever welcomes even one of these children in my name, welcomes me; and who welcomes me, does not welcome me, but he who sent me" (MC 9,30-37).

Jesus, crossing his land of origin, to Galilee, this time he does not seek the support of the crowd, but requesting anonymity, he rather dedicated his teaching to the disciples who accompanied him most closely. He tries to explain to them what will happen to him. But every time Jesus talks about his own death, with a repeating pattern, the opposite reaction of the disciples occurs. First Peter (MC 8,32-33) and then all the others (MC 9,32) they reject or do not understand the Master's words. Immediately after the last two announcements the apostles even claim primacy and privileges for themselves (MC 9,33-37; 35-40). For this reason today's evangelical passage constitutes a small unit, formed by prophecy of Jesus about his destiny and then by misunderstanding of the disciples. The latter is expressed in our passage by Marco's comment: «But they did not understand» del v. 32; and is finally strengthened with the out of place words of the disciples themselves, reported by the evangelist: "In fact, along the way they had discussed among themselves who was the greatest", al v. 34.

Jesus to announce his passion defines himself as the "Son of man", an expression that occurs many times in the Gospels (ben 82, of which 14 in Mark) and is used by Jesus above all to describe himself as the protagonist or recipient of a humiliated and painful condition, which will be followed by his exaltation or resurrection. The disciples who on the one hand are concerned about this fate, on the other hand they evidently know this figure who was believed to exist in heaven like the angels and who was before the world, that is, it existed when there was only God (Book of Parables of Enoch). God grants his prerogatives and powers to the Son of man, so much so that it seems like a divine hypostasis. He's not an angel, does not follow orders, it has general tasks but no precise commands: his will seems to be the same as that of God and his tasks essentially concern justice and law (And 7, 13-14). Given this soteriological and messianic background, Jesus, Now, at least to the disciples, it can reveal itself for what it is. He can talk to them parresia and affirm that He is that Son of man, figure known to us from the book of Daniel and from the Old Testament apocrypha of The Book of Parables. It is the beginning of a new time in the mission of Jesus: «And it began to teach them that the Son of man had to suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, by the chief priests and scribes, get killed e, after three days, rise again" (cf.. MC 8, 31). But for the disciples it is a sort of cold shower, because Peter first and the disciples then know that the figure of the Son of man is powerful and glorious, It is therefore impossible for him to encounter misfortune, suffering, defeats. Peter rejects this presentation and Jesus brands him as Satan (MC 8,33), while the disciples talk about something else.

Most likely that's why Jesus, after a few days, he decides to take three of his disciples closest to him, Pietro, James and John and to take them with him to a high mountain where "he was transfigured before them" (MC 9, 2). There these disciples know that the Son of man, of which they had some knowledge, he is the Son of God: "This is my Son, the beloved: listen!» (MC 9, 7). Descending from Tabor, Jesus repeats the invitation to the disciples not to speak to anyone about the vision until after his death and resurrection. For readers of the Gospel of Mark it is increasingly clear that Jesus is the one "hidden" in the mystery of God, destined to reveal itself.

Announcing his passion Jesus says he will be delivered. The verb "deliver" (paradidoma) it is very important for the story of Jesus' last hours. He finds himself, in Mark, not only in the announcements of the passion and resurrection of Jesus, but sometimes it also has Judas as a subject (MC 3,19; 14,10-11) and it even refers to the fate of the disciples (MC 13,9.11.12). All this to underline that the destiny of those who follow Jesus is in solidarity with and similar to that of the Master.

But more above we mentioned the reaction of the disciples to Jesus' second announcement, to their not understanding (v. 32) and the speeches about the "greatest" (vv. 33-34). Even in this case, as it was for Pietro, Jesus must correct the disciples, answering them in two ways, with words and a symbolic gesture that have remained imperishable.

First of all we note that Jesus does not collect the disciples' phrasebook, he doesn't accept it. While they discuss "who was the greatest", Instead he speaks of first and last. What does this mean? That Jesus does not rule out the possibility of there being precedence in the community, that someone is the first and not simply the greatest. But he also says that he must be someone who puts himself at service unconditionally, is, that is, the deacon (deacons) of all other. Along the road that leads to Jerusalem, the search for power, of well-being and prestige of the disciples clashes with the logic of Jesus, according to which the Kingdom is service and in it the first is the one who serves. Jesus, and the farm, sits down, in the attitude of someone who is about to give an important instruction. The discussion will culminate later with this statement that summarizes everything, where Jesus again sets himself as an example: «The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give one's life as a ransom for many" (MC 10,45).

Here then is the gesture of taking a child and embracing it reinforces the content of Jesus' statements. The Master wants to be welcomed not only because he is the "greatest", how it might appear in the eyes of the disciples. But the child (paidion) which has the dimensions of the last one, being the smallest, considered of no importance and subject without particular rights, in the eyes of Jesus he embodies the ideal measure of the Kingdom of God. This is compared to a modest-sized seed that also grows and becomes a tree. Likewise Jesus, like the seed, it will have to die to bear fruit (MC 4,8). For this reason, whoever welcomes the little child, not only does he welcome Jesus himself, but even the Father from whom everything originates and who sent Jesus.

Centuries later the Lord will inspire in the Church the sanctity of Teresa of the Child Jesus, in the Carmel of Lisieux. His spiritual journey, evangelical childhood, so it was described in 1913 by Joseph Lotte, a converted French man of letters, friend and confidante of Péguy:

«And the Lord had mercy on this multitude... He took a little girl, Teresa, and placed her among the apostles; and this little girl revealed such simple truths to them, so attractive, that the doctors were forced to confess their ignorance, and they became disciples of the little girl to teach the people her doctrine".

From the Hermitage, 21 September 2024

 

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Sant'Angelo Cave in Ripe (Civitella del Tronto)

 

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On the death of his mother: the mother of the priest is always the mother of all priests

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ON THE DEATH OF THE MOTHER: THE MOTHER OF THE PRIEST IS ALWAYS THE MOTHER OF ALL PRIESTS

An ancient Christian tradition narrates that when the mother of a priest appears before the Most High, He will ask her: «I gave you life, what did you give me?». The mother will answer: «I have given you my son as your priest». And the Most High will open the doors of Paradise to her.

 

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Editors of The Island of Patmos

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Enrica died yesterday, mother of our brother Simone Pifizzi, liturgist editor of The Island of Patmos.

The Pifizzi family: on the left Claudio, on the right Simone, in the center the two parents

The funeral will take place tomorrow in the Parish Church of the Sacred Heart in Florence, in via Capo di Mondo 60, at 15:30. All the Fathers of the Island of Patmos embrace their brother Simone with faith and affection. The Fathers Ariel S. Levi di Gualdo, which is located in Rome, and Gabriele Giordano M. Scardocci, who resides at the Convent of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, they will also be present at the funeral for the Brother editors Ivano Liguori, Teodoro Beccia, the Hermit Monk and for the president of Edizioni L'Isola di Patmos Jorge Facio Lince, for whom it is impossible to reach the Tuscan capital tomorrow.

the Island of Patmos, 16 September 2024

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It's true that everyone asks, but we Fathers of the Island of Patmos are beyond doubt special. You know it's our birthday soon?

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IT'S TRUE THAT EVERYONE ASKS, BUT WE FATHERS OF THE ISLAND OF PATMOS WE ARE OUT OF ANY DOUBT SPECIAL. YOU KNOW THAT IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY SOON?

The 19 October 2014 our webmaster uploaded the website of the magazine L'Isola di Patmos to the platform which the 20 October was open online, since then we have never experienced a decline but only continuous growth in visits.

Author
Editors of The Island of Patmos

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Dear Readers,

when the 20 October 2014 debuted online The Island of Patmos, founded by the late academic of the Roman School Antonio Love, by the pontifical academic Giovanni Cavalcoli and by the theologian Ariel S. Levi di Gualdo, some said we wouldn't have more than a year to live. And indeed it would have been so, if due to the high number of visits we had not provided ours webmaster and ours social manager to move the website of this magazine to a site less than two years later dedicated server, which, added to all other expenses, entails an expense of for our editorial staff 5.200 euro per year.

The Island of Patmos is carried out by one Drafting composed of six presbyters specialized in the various theological sciences, liturgical and juridical, plus four collaborators. He has published to date 948 items and totaled over 500.000.000 of visits. In 2018 they were born Editions The island of Patmos which they have published and distributed to date 25 books.

If you believe our work deserves to be supported, contribute as you always have done every year, allowing us to reach the necessary annual sum of money that we have to pay every month of October.

It's true that everyone asks, and we Fathers of The Island of Patmos we are without a doubt special. Below you can find our bank account details and the link to the convenient and secure system PayPal.

May God reward!

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The people that we ourselves have long since given up on educating with our authority and authority gave a lesson by saying «Enough!» to the Archbishop of Brindisi

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AND THE PEOPLE WHOM WE OURSELVES HAVE GIVEN UP FOR A LONG TIME TO EDUCATE WITH OUR AUTHORITY AND AUTHORITY GIVEN A LESSON SAYING «ENOUGH!» TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF BRINDISI

Much has been said about the excessive length of homilies, as mentioned above, the Pope also intervened. By the way, inappropriately? It's something the Pope must say? Personally I think not and eight minutes seems like a Procrustean bed to me, but we know, That's how he is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Not taking into account or perhaps not remembering the suggestion given by the Supreme Pontiff regarding homilies which must not last more than eight minutes[1] (WHO), the Archbishop of Brindisi-Ostuni, S. AND. Mons. Giovanni Intini, in recent days he has seen fit to add another ten minutes to the eight, on the occasion of the celebrations of the patron saints of Brindisi, San Lorenzo and San Teodoro d'Amasea. The mayor's speeches were expected, lasted, coincidentally, exactly eight minutes, and the archbishop. But the complaints about the length of the speech, about eighteen minutes, they interrupt the words of the Brindisi prelate several times. The muttering of the crowd, coming from the Virgilio staircase and the Brindisi seafront, they have become "Enough!» (WHO). And these were accompanied by ironic applause and some other sounds. The Archbishop finished the speech without giving any sign of disturbance and, as scheduled, the highly anticipated fireworks display began followed by the procession.

The next day, in the Church during the solemn Pontifical, the bishop, who evidently had digested the matter badly, decided not to give the homily, indeed to keep a very short one of this nature:

«So as not to tire you out this evening as I tired the listeners last night and I wouldn't want anyone else to shout enough, I thought about keeping quiet tonight. Let us welcome in silence the word of God that has been sown in our hearts" (WHO).

For his silent protest he cashed in, needless to say, the solidarity of a political faction, But, in conclusion, Excellence, It's possible that a whole night wasn't enough to overcome such a modest thing? Maybe it wasn't an opportunity to laugh about it and perhaps launch a short, incisive and constructive message to the protesters, given that the thing had now ended up in the newspapers and therefore well known? That's how it went. At the bottom of the Archbishop of Otranto Stefano Pendinelli it got much worse: he was slaughtered by the Turks who waited sitting on his episcopal chair together with the devout faithful gathered around him in the cathedral church in distant 11 august of 1480, transformed by the infidels into a horrible slaughterhouse (cf.. The Martyrs of Otranto).

Archbishop Giovanni Intini was not the first challenged in history and not even the most famous. We all remember that even the Apostle Paul, thinking well of taking advantage of the circumstances and finding himself in an authoritative place like the Areopagus in Athens, launched into a speech with a high-sounding incipit: «Athenians, I see that, in everything, you are very religious". But we all know how it ended as soon as Paul introduced the central theme of Christianity, that is, the Resurrection of Christ: «We'll hear from you another time about this» (At 17). One flop we would say today, poor Apostle. But it's not that the next day Saint Paul lost heart. Indeed, he left and went to Corinth without ever ceasing to offer the word of his Gospel.

All those who have to do with the Christian message they know they have to take into account the objection or annoyance of a party. In these times when there is an obligation to have one's say social, even and perhaps especially if you don't know the subject, it's almost a refrain that as soon as the words of some ecclesiastic are reported there are those who comment: «ah on pedophilia?»; «The riches of the Vatican?» … Or the most classic: «Welcome them, you who have the facilities»; if anything we are talking about migrants. If you hear the news about social which concerned the Archbishop of Brindisi, you see that there is no deviation from this rule, some defend it, others criticize it, many laugh, they make jokes and there is no shortage of blasphemy.

But that doesn't mean you have to blame it, maybe a little at the moment, much less keep silent. Sometimes the weapon of irony, to know how to use it, it becomes more effective than silence and opens up possibilities for dialogue.

On the excessive length of homilies a lot has been said and, as mentioned above, the Pope also intervened. By the way, inappropriately? It's something the Pope must say? Personally I think not and eight minutes seems like a Procrustean bed to me, but we know, That's how he is.

I remember a funny fact which I have witnessed more than once. In a country parish where I was, the respect for the "Mr. Curate" was deep-rooted: woe betide anyone who touched the priest. But it happened that he too could sometimes go on at length in his homilies. There was a direct farmer in the parish, not of high culture, but of solid wisdom, who did not miss a Mass despite his commitments. He stood sideways, along the nave and sometimes, fortunately rare, if the sermon became excessively long or repetitive, he pointed this out by standing up. No offense or rudeness, just a sign of friendship, because he loved the parish priest very much, and him, understanding, he quickly reached the conclusion.

It's not that one wants to teach the I believe to the Apostles, as they say, and even less give advice to an Archbishop. But if it were to happen again and, Alas, it will happen again, it would be better not to get too upset about a dispute. We know well that there are knights who are defenders of the faith around and who, on tempting occasions like this, throw themselves into it headlong.. But with what result? To embitter tempers and with the excuse of defending one side end up widening the divide that divides? It is a little difficult to say how one should behave in such circumstances, the episode of the Archbishop of Brindisi teaches us that emotions are difficult to stem or keep in check. We always remember, But, that every occasion, good or bad, adverse or favorable, it is good for offering the word of the Gospel, so as not to silence the Christian fact. The first Apostles themselves remind us of this even after so many centuries, Saint Paul whom we have mentioned above, who did not lose heart and Peter who wrote in his letter:

«If you then had to suffer for justice, lucky you! Do not be dismayed by fear of them and do not be troubled, but worship the Lord, Christ, in your hearts, always ready to respond to anyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you" (1PT 3,14-15).

From the Hermitage, 4 September 2024

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[1] «The homily must not exceed eight minutes, because after time, attention is lost and people fall asleep, and he's right. A homily must be like this"

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Sant'Angelo Cave in Ripe (Civitella del Tronto)

 

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Visit the pages of our book shop WHO and support our editions by purchasing and distributing our books.

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To the Brother Priests: how to defend yourself from certain new generation Bishops, especially since the invasion of the Apulians?

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TO THE BROTHER PRIESTS: HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF FROM CERTAIN BISHOPS NEW GENERATION, SPECIALLY FROM THE INVASION OF THE PUGLIÈNI?

There is a sense of proportion that must always be applied through the exercise of that wisdom that the Roman jurists called aequitas, then transferred from scratch into Roman Canon Law. What aequitas means and how it is applied? Soon said: if members of the Roman Senate are allowed to insult and rape Caesar's wife, without Caesar and his deputies reacting in any way, you cannot then apply maximum rigor by crushing the legs of anyone who has allowed himself to respond badly to a servant in charge of cleaning the calidarium of the Baths of Diocletian.

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Italy is now full of bishops ― or rather of episcopetti ― all very social, with one eye winking at the PD and the other at LGBT activists. And all, like broken records, they pronounce precise watchwords: «Church on the way out … break the mold … get your hands dirty...", but above all «the poor and migrants … migrants and the poor...".

Then there are also those who turn on you saying: «How dare you call me Your Excellency? We are no longer in the Renaissance era, Can't you see that I wear a wooden cross around my neck and that I am a native of the land of the most holy Tonino Bello? Call me Don Checco, because maybe you don't know, but I am a small bishop who graduated from the school of Checco Zalone. After all, I belong to the Apulian species, half Apulian and half alien, very popular today. Because if you are not from Puglia, to divide the bishop new generation in Italy it is not easy, but not even apostolic nuncio, academic or official of the Roman Curia". Also because the bishops, although they are not saints, it seems that they do them directly at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, where today a famous Apulian prefect lives, half Apulian and half alien.

Well, dear Brothers, all these grotesque images circulating on the social media, depicting grotesque priests whose existence is due to bishops more grotesque than them, set them aside, in an archive, all of them. Then, the first time that the bishop on duty who speaks continuously in public about «more dialogue, more democracy in the Church... synodality and conversation in the Spirit are needed...", he will call you to report inside a closed room more authoritarian and despotic than Pol Pot and Korean Kim Jong, if anything to reproach you for being too Catholic, which today means to be “rigid” e “gloomy”, show them all these images and videos: by the priest with the moustache, the earring and sunglasses during the sacred liturgies, to all the others who seem to compete with each other to see who screws up the biggest, but above all the most irreverent …

If the bishop dares to sigh, remind him that there is a sense of proportion that must always be applied through the exercise of that wisdom that the Roman jurists called aequitas, then transferred from scratch into Roman Canon Law. What does it mean aequitas and how it is applied? Soon said: if members of the Roman Senate are allowed to insult and rape Caesar's wife, without Caesar and his deputies reacting in any way, you cannot then apply maximum rigor by crushing the legs of anyone who has allowed himself to respond badly to a servant in charge of cleaning the calidarium of the Baths of Diocletian. And if the bishops were to insist, despite the evidence of the facts, what they are capable of doing, having now lost along with modesty also the sense of shame, you know where to send them, because their authority is not in question, which remains undisputed, but their intelligence, which can and must be discussed. Even a bishop, without prejudice to his own authority apostolic, he can be a complete idiot. And today, of idiotic bishops, we have an inflation rate that would be the envy of the Argentine currency at its all-time high in devaluation.

the Island of Patmos, 4 September 2024

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«I'm not coming to the concert, I'm not a Renaissance prince", said the Holy Father, However, this does not mean clearing away the worst of the sloppiness

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«I'M NOT COMING TO THE CONCERT, I AM NOT A RENAISSANCE PRINCE" SAID THE HOLY FATHER, HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT MEAN CLEARING THE WORST OF THE SLOPPERNESS

Our wise teachers warned us from a young age about several insidious dangers, making us aware that the non-conformism of conformists exists, which is the worst conformism; the contempt of clericalism by the clericals, which then translates into the worst clericalism; the fascism of anti-fascists, which ends up manifesting itself as a violent form of neo-fascism even worse than that of the Fascist Twenty Years.

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Author
Simone Pifizzi

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Eleven years have passed since then, it was June of 2013 when the Holy Father Francis left the seat empty in the center of the Paul VI hall, while guests and authorities listened for a while’ the «Great classical music concert for the Year of Faith» banned, all in absence, rather than presence, of the pope. A few days earlier, speaking to nuncios from all over the world, the Holy Father had denounced the "spiritual worldliness" which is the "leprosy" of the Church, "giving in to the spirit of the world" which "exposes us pastors to ridicule", that "sort of bourgeoisie of spirit and life that pushes us to settle down, to seek a comfortable and peaceful life". The fact is that no one has ever announced what happened to Archbishop Rino Fisichella when everyone, Everyone 17,30, they were waiting for the pontiff to enter the room: «The Holy Father will not be able to be present due to an urgent and urgent task» (cf.. Gian Guido Vecchi, Corriere della Sera, WHO).

I'll try to be brief, but not because there is a lack of arguments, quite the opposite: there would be too many topics and, if in some cases one just cannot remain silent, it is good to be very measured.

Who among us has had the grace of having authentic teachers - and each of us Fathers of the Isle of Patmos, by divine grace, he had them - he was able to learn what perhaps someone did not have the opportunity to learn in Buenos Aires before as a religious, then as a Jesuit priest, finally as bishop. Finally arrived at the sacred throne a 77 year old, It's not easy to change your view and perspective as an elderly person, for this to happen it would be necessary for the Holy Spirit to land on the head of the chosen one not like a dove but like an Andean condor.

Our wise teachers they warned us from a young age about various insidious dangers, making us aware that the non-conformism of conformists exists, which is the worst conformism; the contempt of clericalism by the clericals, which then translates into the worst clericalism; the fascism of anti-fascists, which ends up manifesting itself as a violent form of neo-fascism even worse than that of the Fascist Twenty Years.

Some people think that exposing "us pastors to ridicule" are only the parades of those characters, so-called lace & laces, which aestheticize the sacred liturgy in an exasperated and sometimes exasperating way? No one denies the existence of the element of ridicule in these subjects, if we want even grotesque, but the ridiculous has many faces, therefore it should be considered no less ridiculous than the Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang Diocese in Malaysia you celebrate Holy Mass sitting at a table with other concelebrants and you raise the Body of Christ with your head covered by the red skullcap; all when even us, at the time we were altar boys, we knew that the bishop stands bareheaded before the exposed Blessed Sacrament and that during the liturgies, until the Eucharist was placed inside the tabernacle, he doesn't cover his head again (cf.. Ceremonial of the Bishops, NN. 153-166). It's here, be clear, it's not about being hyper-critical, because the photos that document everything are truly disturbing.

Cardinal Sebastian Francis, who will surely be a holy man, has 72 year old. If the happily reigning Pontiff does not reach his centenary, he will enter the conclave as an elector, where he will find himself faced with brother cardinals of specific tendencies, but above all from rich countries capable of supporting entire local Churches in poor countries, who will point out the bag of money with one finger, with another finger they will indicate the candidate to write on the ballot.

This happens when you fall into the non-conformism of the conformists, in contempt of the clericalism of the clericals, in the fascism of anti-fascists. But the beauty, if beautiful we want to call it, everything is still to come. And may God help us!

Florence, 1September 2024

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