Italian, English, Español

 

BUT THE HOLY FATHER, FIRST AMONG THE USELESS SERVANTS, YOU COULD ALSO PAY ME FOR COPYRIGHTS

We have raised generations of priests who, instead of serving the Church to be nothing and nobody, they used it to become and be something and someone. Only God can read consciences and He only knows how many, today, among the marbles of the sacred palaces, they hope to become cardinals at the next consistory rather than saints. but yet, to become saints, we need to make ourselves useless, don't become cardinals: because with a purple obtained badly and used worse you risk arriving in Hell business class.

- Church news -

.

.

PDF print format article – Article print format – Article in printed format

.

During my useless existence as a priest, it happened several times, with the Holy Father Francis of blessed memory and with the reigning Pontiff Leo XIV, of having expressed concepts - some of which even irritated some candid souls at the time - that later, years or months later, they were developed and inserted in texts of the magisterium or in pontifical speeches. Nothing exceptional: we are and remain "useless servants". This last phrase is taken from the Gospel, on which I based the homily, the 15 September 2025, at the funeral of the Apostolic Nuncio Adriano Bernardini, marking him as a "useless servant" (see who).

The journey of faith unites mystery and paradox together, as summarized by the famous expression contained in the Letter to the Hebrews: "Faith is the foundation of the things that are hoped for and the proof of those that are not seen" (EB 11,1). In this statement, which from a purely rational perspective appears contradictory, the very structure of faith is contained: it is not based on evidence, but on what exceeds the evidence; it doesn't demonstrate what you see, but it makes certain what is not seen. It is perhaps not paradoxical to be called to fulfillment precisely through the awareness of our uselessness? And yet this is precisely the point: faith does not confirm the categories of common logic, but it goes beyond them, introducing man into an order in which what appears nothing becomes the place of God's action:

«when you have done everything you were ordered to do, said: “We are useless servants. We did what we had to do "" (LC 17,10).

The first among us useless servants is Leo XIV, also called Servant of the servants of God (servant of the servants of God). Papal title assumed - we remember it incidentally - by Gregory the Great around 595, purpose, first and certainly not last, to give a thrust to the Patriarch of Constantinople, John IV known as the Faster, who had given himself the title of "ecumenical" (universal), harshly contested by Gregory the Great in his Letters (cf.. Register of Letters, V, 18; V, 20; VII, 33).

In conclusion, what it means to become and be priests? It means being nothing and no one at the service of everyone, to then reach the end of one's existence in the hope of being able to say in conscience: I tried to do my duty. But these things, in the most holy seminaries fragrant sociologisms and psychologisms, Unfortunately they haven't taught them for a long time. This is also why we have raised generations of priests who, instead of serving the Church to be nothing and nobody, they used it to become and be something and someone. Only God can read consciences and He only knows how many, today, among the marbles of the sacred palaces, they hope to become cardinals at the next consistory rather than saints. but yet, to become saints, we need to make ourselves useless, don't become cardinals: because with a purple obtained badly and used worse you risk arriving in Hell business class.

Yesterday's news was that the Useless Servant Leo XIV gave a speech that sounds obvious to me, although today, Unfortunately, it is precisely the most obvious obviousness that is not accepted and understood. The Holy Father reminded the French Bishops gathered in Lourdes of our mandatory obligation to think of the victims of pedophilia but, at the same time, to show mercy to the priests guilty of this terrible crime:

«continue to demonstrate the Church's attention towards the victims and God's mercy towards everyone. It is good that priests guilty of abuse are not excluded from this mercy and are the object of your pastoral reflections" (Vatican News, who).

After my book dedicated to the historical-theological explanation of the profession of faith, I believe to understand – Journey in the profession of faith, released on 15 November 2025, followed, the 29 January, my second book: Freedom denied – Catholic theology and dictatorship of Western conformism. In this second book I also address the delicate topic addressed by the Holy Father, which I then took up in one of my articles in 16 November 2025 (see who). On this very delicate topic I articulated a speech which I report in full below:

Unfortunately, in recent years, even within the Church we have sometimes succumbed to the same worldly logic, taking on expressions and criteria typical of the squares driven by gallows emotion. After the serious scandals that have involved and often overwhelmed various members of our clergy - scandals that canon law properly defines serious offenses — has begun to be used, even at the highest levels, a formula that sounds like an insult to the Christian faith: «zero tolerance». Such a language, borrowed from political and media lexicon, it reveals a mentality foreign to the Gospel and the penitential tradition of the Church. It is obvious that when faced with certain crimes - such as sexual abuse of minors - the perpetrator must be immediately neutralized and placed in a position to no longer harm, therefore subjected to a just punishment, proportionate and, according to canonical doctrine, MEDICAL, that is, oriented towards its recovery and conversion. This is why the expression "zero tolerance" is aberrant on a doctrinal and pastoral level, because it does not belong to the language of the Church, but to that of populist campaigns that focus and play on the belly moods of the masses.

Declaring that those who need a doctor are the sick and not the healthy (cf.. Mt 9, 12), Jesus indicates and entrusts us with a specific mission, does not invite us to "zero tolerance".

Faced with these new trends a paradoxical moral short circuit emerges: the same consciences that for years have hidden the dirt under the carpets with rare and silenced clerical malice, today they are zealous in publicly proclaiming their severity, almost as if to purify themselves before the world. Sometimes innocent people or simply suspects are hit to demonstrate rigor, while the real culprits - in other times protected - often go unpunished and, sometimes, promoted to the highest ecclesial and ecclesiastical leaders, because it is precisely there that we find them all "to judge the living and the dead", almost as if their reign - that of falsehood and hypocrisy - "will never end", in a sort of backwards Creed. All this is presented as evidence of a "new Church" that would finally embrace the politics of firmness. And the much vaunted mercy, where have you been? If we go and see we will discover that in order to benefit from mercy it seems it is necessary to be black who commits violence in the most central areas of cities, including attacks on the police themselves, despite being promptly justified, they do not commit crimes because they are violent and inclined to crime, but due to society being strictly guilty of not having adequately welcomed and integrated them. Let's ask ourselves: what credibility can an evangelical announcement have that preaches mercy only for certain "protected categories" and at the same time adopts the logic of the so-called "zero tolerance" for those, within itself, he was seriously wrong? It is here that the most dramatic outcome of internal secularization manifests itself: the Church that to please the world renounces the language of redemption to take on that of gallows revenge, showing mercy only with what corresponds to the social tendencies of political correctness (previous full article who).

Reasonably, I could also claim the copyright from the Holy Father; but I am modest and settle for much less: it would be enough for me that certain subjects, clerical and lay, both active and uncontrolled, functional to a specific system and tolerated within his own home, leave this useless servant alone, who only wants to be able to say about his existence at the end: I did what I had to do.

From the island of Patmos, 26 March 2026

.

Father Ariel's latest books

book store WHO

.

HOWEVER, THE HOLY FATHER, FIRST AMONG USELESS SERVANTS, COULD ALSO PAY ME COPYRIGHT FEES

We have formed generations of priests who, instead of serving the Church in order to be nothing and nobody, have used her in order to become something and someone. Only God can read consciences, and He alone knows how many, today, among the marbles of the sacred palaces, hope to become cardinals at the next consistory rather than saints. Yet, to become saints one must make oneself useless, not become a cardinal: because with a purple obtained badly and used even worse, one risks arriving in Hell in business class.

— Contemporary ecclesial affairs—

.

.

In the course of my useless existence as a priest, it has happened several times, both with the Holy Father Francis of blessed memory and with the reigning Pontiff Leo XIV, that I expressed concepts — some of which initially irritated even certain candid souls — which were later developed and incorporated into magisterial texts or papal discourses. Nothing exceptional: we are and remain «useless servants». This expression is taken from the Gospel, and it was precisely on it that I based my homily on 15 September 2025 at the funeral of the Apostolic Nuncio Adriano Bernardini, referring to him as a «useless servant» (see here).

The journey of faith unites mystery and paradox, as summarized in the well-known expression contained in the Letter to the Hebrews: «Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen» (Heb 11:1). In this affirmation, which appears contradictory to a purely rational gaze, lies the very structure of faith: it is not grounded in evidence, but in what exceeds evidence; it does not demonstrate what is seen, but makes certain what is not seen. Is it not paradoxical to be called to fulfillment precisely through the awareness of our uselessness? And yet this is precisely the point: faith does not confirm the categories of common logic, but surpasses them, introducing man into an order in which what appears to be nothing becomes the place of God’s action:

«when you have done all that you were commanded, say: “We are useless servants; we have done what we were obliged to do”» (Page 17:10).

The first among us useless servants is Leo XIV, also called Servant of the servants of God (servant of the servants of God). This papal title was assumed — let it be recalled in passing — by Gregory the Great around 595, primarily, though not exclusively, as a rebuke to the Patriarch of Constantinople, John IV known as the Faster, who had attributed to himself the title «ecumenical», strongly contested by Gregory the Great in his Letters (cf. Register of Letters, V, 18; V, 20; VII, 33).

Ultimately, what does it mean to become and to be a priest? It means to be nothing and nobody in the service of all, so as to arrive at the end of one’s existence with the hope of being able to say in conscience: I have tried to do my duty. But these things, in the most “holy” seminaries reeking of sociologism and psychologism, have not been taught for a long time. For this reason as well, we have formed generations of priests who, instead of serving the Church in order to be nothing and nobody, have used her in order to become something and someone. Only God can read consciences, and He alone knows how many, today, among the marbles of the sacred palaces, hope to become cardinals at the next consistory rather than saints. Yet, to become saints one must make oneself useless, not become a cardinal: because with a purple obtained badly and used even worse, one risks arriving in Hell in business class.

It is news of yesterday that the Useless Servant Leo XIV delivered a discourse which to me sounds obvious, although today, unfortunately, it is precisely the most evident obviousness that is neither received nor understood. The Holy Father reminded the French bishops gathered in Lourdes of our inescapable duty to think of the victims of pedophilia and, at the same time, to exercise mercy toward priests guilty of this immense crime:

«continue to show the Church’s attention toward the victims and the mercy of God toward all. It is good that priests guilty of abuse are not excluded from this mercy and are the object of your pastoral reflections» (Vatican News, here).

After my book dedicated to the historical-theological explanation of the profession of faith, Credo per capire – Journey into the Profession of Faith, published on 15 November 2025, a second book followed on 29 January: La libertà negata – Catholic Theology and the Dictatorship of Western Conformism. In this second book I also address the delicate topic treated by the Holy Father, which I had already taken up in an article dated 16 November 2025 (see here). On this very delicate subject I developed a reflection which I reproduce here in full:

Unfortunately, in recent years, even within the Church there has at times been a yielding to this same worldly logic, adopting expressions and criteria proper to squares moved by a lynch-mob emotionality. After the grave scandals that have involved — and often overwhelmed various members of our clergy — scandals that canon law properly defines as serious offenses, a formula has begun to be used, even at the highest levels, which sounds like an insult to the Christian faith: “zero tolerance.” Such language, borrowed from the political and media lexicon, reveals a mentality foreign to the Gospel and to the Church’s penitential tradition. It is obvious that in the face of certain crimes — such as sexual abuse of minors — the perpetrator must be immediately neutralised and placed in the condition of no longer being able to cause harm, and therefore subjected to a punishment that is just, proportionate and, according to canonical doctrine, medicinal, that is, directed to his recovery and conversion. For this reason, the expression “zero tolerance” is aberrant on the doctrinal and pastoral plane, because it does not belong to the language of the Church, but to that of populist campaigns that aim at and play upon the gut instincts of the masses.

By declaring that it is the sick and not the healthy who are in need of a physician (cf. Mt 9:12), Jesus indicates and entrusts to us a precise mission; He does not invite us to “zero tolerance.”

Before these new tendencies, a paradoxical moral short circuit emerges: the very same consciences that for years have hidden the filth under the carpets with rare and conspiratorial clerical malice now show themselves zealous in publicly proclaiming their severity, as though purifying themselves before the world. At times the innocent, or the merely suspected, are struck down in order to demonstrate rigour, while the true guilty — once protected — often remain unpunished and, at times, are promoted to the highest ecclesial and ecclesiastical positions, for it is precisely there that we find them all, “to judge the living and the dead,” almost as though their kingdom — the kingdom of falsehood and hypocrisy — “will have no end,” in a kind of inverted Creed. All this is presented as proof of a “new Church” that would at last have embraced the politics of firmness.

And what of the much-vaunted mercy, what has become of it? If we look closely, we shall discover that, in order to be able to benefit from mercy, it seems necessary to be black people who commit acts of violence in the most central areas of the cities, including assaults against the very Forces of Order, yet who are promptly justified, not because they do not commit crimes, but because, being violent and inclined to delinquency, it is said that they act on account of a society strictly guilty of not having adequately welcomed and integrated them.

Let us ask ourselves: what credibility can a Gospel proclamation have that preaches mercy only for certain “protected categories” and at the same time adopts the logic of so-called “zero tolerance” towards those who, within its own ranks, have gravely erred? It is here that the most dramatic outcome of internal secularisation is manifested: the Church which, in order to please the world, renounces the language of redemption to assume that of lynch-mob vengeance, showing herself merciful only with that which corresponds to the social tendencies of political correctness.

Reasonably, I could also claim copyright from the Holy Father; but I am modest and content myself with much less: it would suffice for me that certain subjects, clerical and lay, as active as they are uncontrolled, functional to a precise system and tolerated within his very house, would leave this useless servant in peace, who desires only to be able to say, at the end of his existence: I have done what I had to do.

From the Island of Patmos, 26 March 2026

.

THE HOLY FATHER, FIRST AMONG THE USELESS SERVANTS, YOU COULD ALSO PAY ME THE COPYRIGHTS

We have formed generations of priests who, instead of serving the Church to be nothing and nobody, They have used it to become something and someone. Only God can read consciences, and only He knows how many, hoy, among the marbles of the sacred palaces, They hope to become cardinals in the next consistory instead of saints. Y, however, To become saints it is necessary to become useless, not become cardinals: because with a purple obtained badly and used worse, there is a risk of reaching Hell in business class.

- Ecclesial news -

.

.

Throughout my useless existence as a priest, It has happened on several occasions, both with the Holy Father Francis of blessed memory and with the reigning Pontiff Leo XIV, that I have expressed concepts — some of which irritated even certain candid souls at the time — that have subsequently been developed and incorporated into texts of the magisterium or in pontifical speeches. Nothing extraordinary: We are and continue to be "useless servants". This expression comes from the Gospel, and precisely on it I based my homily of the 15 September of 2025 at the funeral of the Apostolic Nuncio Adriano Bernardini, referring to him as a "useless servant" (see here).

The path of faith unites mystery and paradox, as summarized by the famous expression contained in the Letter to the Hebrews: "Faith is the foundation of things hoped for and proof of things not seen." (Hb 11,1). In this statement, that from a purely rational perspective appears contradictory, the very structure of faith is contained: not based on evidence, but in that which exceeds the evidence; does not show what is seen, but makes certain what is not seen. Is it not paradoxical to be called to fulfillment precisely through the awareness of our uselessness?? Y, however, this is precisely the point: faith does not confirm the categories of common logic, but it surpasses them, introducing man into an order in which what seems like nothing becomes the place of God's action:

«when you have done everything that was commanded you, DECIDED: “We are useless servants; "We have done what we had to do." (LC 17,10).

The first among us useless servants is Leo XIV, also called Servant of the servants of God (servant of the servants of God). This pontifical title was assumed - it is worth remembering - by Gregory the Great around the year 595, mainly, although not exclusively, as a correction addressed to the Patriarch of Constantinople, John IV called the Faster, who had attributed the title of "ecumenical", strongly contested by Gregory the Great in his Letters (cf. Register of Letters, V, 18; V, 20; VII, 33).

deep down, What does it mean to become and be a priest?? It means being nothing and nobody at the service of everyone, to be able to reach the end of one's existence with the hope of being able to say in conscience: I have tried to do my duty. but these things, in the most holy seminaries impregnated with sociologisms and psychologisms, Unfortunately they have not been taught for a long time.. That is why we have also formed generations of priests who, instead of serving the Church to be nothing and nobody, They have used it to become something and someone. Only God can read consciences, and only He knows how many, hoy, among the marbles of the sacred palaces, They hope to become cardinals in the next consistory instead of saints. Y, however, To become saints it is necessary to become useless, not become cardinals: because with a purple obtained badly and used worse, there is a risk of arriving in Hell in business class.
It is yesterday's news that the Useless Servant Leo XIV He has given a speech that is obvious to me, although today, unfortunately, It is precisely the clearest evidence that is not accepted or understood. The Holy Father reminded the French bishops gathered in Lourdes of our unavoidable duty to think about the victims of pedophilia and, at the same time, to exercise mercy towards the priests guilty of this immense crime:

«Continue to express the attention of the Church towards the victims and the mercy of God towards all. "It is good that priests guilty of abuse are not excluded from this mercy and are the object of your pastoral reflections." (Vatican News, here).

after my book dedicated to the historical-theological explanation of the profession of faith, Credo per capire – Journey in the profession of faith, published on 15 November 2025, he 29 January followed by a second book: Freedom Denied – Catholic Theology and the Dictatorship of Western Conformism. In this second book I also address the delicate topic discussed by the Holy Father, which I had already taken up in an article in the 16 November 2025 (see here). On this very delicate topic I developed a reflection that I reproduce below in its entirety.:

Unfortunately, in recent years, even within the Church we have sometimes given in to the same worldly logic, adopting expressions and criteria typical of the squares moved by the emotionality of lynching. Following the serious scandals that have implicated and often devastated several members of our clergy—scandals that canon law properly defines as sERIOUS oFFENSES —, has started to be used, even at the highest levels, a formula that sounds like an insult to the Christian faith: "zero tolerance". A similar language, taken from the political and media lexicon, reveals a mentality alien to the Gospel and the penitential tradition of the Church. It is obvious that in the case of certain crimes - such as sexual abuse of minors - the perpetrator must be immediately neutralized and placed in the condition of not being able to do more harm., and therefore subjected to a just penalty, provided and, according to canonical doctrine, medicinal, that is to say, aimed at recovery and conversion. For this reason, The expression “zero tolerance” is aberrant on a doctrinal and pastoral level., because it does not belong to the language of the Church, but that of populist campaigns that target and play with the viscera of the masses.

By declaring that those who need a doctor They are the sick and not the healthy (cf. Mt 9,12), Jesus tells us and entrusts us with a precise mission, does not invite us to "zero tolerance".

Given these new trends a paradoxical moral short circuit arises: the same consciences that for years have hidden dirt under the rugs with rare and omertous clerical malice today are jealous by publicly proclaiming its severity, almost as if to purify oneself before the world. Sometimes the innocent or the simply suspicious are beaten to demonstrate rigor., while the real culprits - once protected - usually go unpunished and, sometimes, are promoted to the highest ecclesiastical and ecclesiastical positions, because that is precisely where we find them all, "to judge the living and the dead", almost as if his kingdom — that of falsehood and hypocrisy — “had no end”, in a sort of backwards Creed. All this is presented as proof of a "new Church" that would have finally embraced the policy of firmness.

And the mercy so decanted, what has become of her? If we are going to see, We will discover that in order to benefit from mercy it seems necessary to be black people who commit violence in the most central areas of cities., including attacks on the Law Enforcement Forces themselves, and yet readily justified, not because they don't commit crimes, but because, being violent and prone to crime, It is stated that the blame falls on a society rigorously guilty of not having welcomed and integrated them properly.. let's ask ourselves: What credibility can an evangelical advertisement have that preaches mercy only for certain “protected categories” and at the same time adopts the logic of so-called “zero tolerance” for those who, in your own bosom, han seriously wrong? Here the most dramatic result of internal secularization is manifested: the Church that, to please the world, renounces the language of redemption to assume that of revenge for lynchings, showing mercy only with that which corresponds to the social tendencies of political correctness.

Reasonably, You could even claim the copyright from the Holy Father; but I am modest and I settle for much less: It would be enough for me that certain subjects, clerical and lay, as active as uncontrolled, functional to a precise system and tolerated within your own home, They will leave this useless servant alone, you just wish you could say, at the end of its existence: I have done what I had to do.

From the Island of Patmos, 26 March 2026

.

______________________

Dear Readers, this magazine requires management costs that we have always faced only with your free offers. Those who wish to support our apostolic work can send us their contribution through the convenient and safe way PayPal by clicking below:

Or if you prefer you can use our Bank account in the name of:

Editions The island of Patmos

n Agency. 59 From Rome – Vatican

Iban code: IT74R0503403259000000301118

For international bank transfers:

Codice SWIFT: BAPPIT21D21

If you make a bank transfer, send an email to the editorial staff,

the bank does not provide your email and we will not be able to send you a thank you message: isoladipatmos@gmail.com

We thank you for the support you wish to offer to our apostolic service.

The Fathers of the Island of Patmos