DIALOGUE BETWEEN THEOLOGIANS:
"THEOLOGY AS A SCIENCE"

[…] as regards the Protestant theological tradition, as far as Luther, before being excommunicated, was duly authorized doctor of theology and he cared to consider “theologian”, However, we can not say that the type of “theology” started by Protestantism, and today is having an influence in the Catholic world, is a true theology, Despite the attention to Sacred Scripture and insights very deep theological many masters of Protestantism and the extraordinary intensity of their studies and their learning. But it takes more than that to have a theology that respects.

Author
John Cavalcoli OP

(C)Ome, the reader will, Archbishop Antonio Livi recently published an important book that touches very appropriately and with great skill this topic: True and false theology. How to distinguish the true "science of faith" from an equivocal "religious philosophy" » [see video presentation who]. A sad and shocking phenomenon that unfortunately we see in the Catholic culture is the proliferation of people: priests, religious and laity, men and women, maybe a few degrees in theology at the Pontifical Faculty, but that does not really know what is theology; from which one can imagine the disasters that combine. While, on the one hand you see some lay, also the people, mothers, young, workers, peasantry, which, proud of their faith, have the discernment to notice the heresies of bad theologians or pastors, to talk, Unfortunately, there are others which, perhaps insuperbitisi for the success that they get, especially journalists with unparalleled quality, but no academic or ecclesiastical mandates, pose as censors by final judgment against even professional theologians for many years in the service of the Church and the Holy See and the theologians are offended if you allow it to get them a few remarks; as was also the three of us that we have created this online magazine for not having to be subjected to certain kinds of complaints [see who, who]. What would we say about this behavior in place for example in the areas of clinical health-related physical? And in knowledge of the faith or the good of the soul should not be more humble and listen to those who, though unworthily, have an official mandate from the Church or a long pastoral experience, especially priests or bishops? Not to mention the mandate of the Supreme Pontiff.

the theologian Vito Mancuso, worthy of the deepest respect, considerable but not as a Catholic theologian

We choose among them the best known example and visible: that of Vito Mancuso, who in his book on the soul, sold in 130 thousand copies and regularly invited by many Catholic cultural centers, Doctor of Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, recommended by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, says in that book openly and, let me tell you, shamelessly, that he is “Catholic” is that “it always will be”, but at the same time he rejects four or five tenets, why, according to him, would “contrary to reason”, better to say: at the its reason. The rest, I wonder: How many Catholic theologians now admit, with realistic approach and not subjectivist, the existence of a universal reason and objective, proper to man as such, to which European culture has believed from Plato and Aristotle, e poi San Tommaso da Finno Kant's, though it does not adequately recognize the realism and empirical assumptions? For many theologians today, due to a misunderstanding pluralism, Therefore, there is the reason, universal and unchanging, with firm certainty, including ognuno ha la its reason, for that reason as they like, ie on the basis of appearance, or to its particular culture, evolving, therefore not based on reality in itself, external and independent of thought: the important thing is to get the disciples and we are talking about him in the media and in intellectual circles. To paraphrase the famous novel by Cronin: The Stars Look Down (1), we can say with much regret: "The bishops are watching". San Tommaso and Kant said parlano “speculative reason”, though of course in a very different. We still talk about Hegel, but now in a pantheistic sense and Gnostic, that give rise to the right, although exaggerated reaction of the big Kierkegaard, che da buon protestante ritroverà l’irrazionalismo esistenzialista ed occamista di Lutero.

imagine pittorica raffigurante San Tommaso d’Aquino

Hegel is still about “science” dell’Assoluto e riconosce che noi cogliamo la verità divina nel “concept”. He despises the teologIA, che per lui si pone non nell’alto livello del Denken, but in the low and vulgar of Performance. So the “Absolute science” and the “Absolute concept”, of Hegel, identical to the real idealisticamente, are so pretentious, che saranno rifiutati parimenti anch’eSSI from Kierkegaard. For this the Kierkegaard, honest and truthful spirit lover of truth, He showed himself a critic of imposture piercing hegeliane, so that, as demonstrated in his interesting study Fabro, the Danish philosopher is very close to us and at the same Catholic Saint Thomas (2). The fact is that after Kierkegaard is not more than “speculative reason” a causa dell’avvento dello storicismo, del positivismo e dell’esistenzialismo, with their characteristic contempt for metaphysics and Pearl scholastic philosophy.

Some, especially among Catholics, continue to believe selflessly in the truth, If not the reason, at least of faith, but you will have various forms of traditionalism, liberalism, subjectivism, fideism, sentimentality, and condemned by fenomenismo ontologismo Church since the time of blessed Pius IX and Vatican I to Pius XII. In fact, the faith is impossible or false, If there is no rational truth which is assumed or support. For this St. Thomas argues that a good theology is built using only a good philosophy (3). The Thomistic revival of the late nineteenth century, prepared by a series of impressive and zealous philosophers and theologians and strongly supported and promoted by Leo XIII and by subsequent Popes, until the Second Vatican Council, that expressly recommends the thomist Discipleship, gave credit in Catholic culture to theology as a science or, as the calls Antonio Livi, at the “Science of faith”. È grande merito dell’Aquinate aver fondato la teologia cattolica come scienza (4), Although the science is theology in a special way, different from that of all other sciences. Indeed, While the other sciences are based on rational principles first or common sense, the principles of Catholic theology are of Christian revelation, that is the truth of faith or dogma. For this Antonio Livi calls “Science of faith”: not that faith can become science or that science proves rationally faith data, as believed they could do Hegel. But as it is a science related to the faith, constitutes or rational or assumption is based on faith and it descends, While remaining a human knowledge, capable of objectivity and certainty (theologically certain), or even rising to the proximity of the faith (of faith the next), especially if it is approved or recommended by doctrines Church (5), But even fallible cognition, that sometimes remains confined to the level of mere opinion or probability.

The advertising poster of the film dedicated to Duns Scotus

This alternation of epistemic situations, solid now, now poor, depends more or less difficulty of issues addressed. Where the matter is more within the reach of our reason, its actually has already been explored and the survey method is safer, the results are more reliable. Otherwise, There moves only in cases and in a plurality of views sometimes conflicting, but all legitimate, se l’ambito della verità naturale e del dogma viene rispettato. The theologian can prepare also the dogmatic pronouncement of the Magisterium of the Church, When it reaches very solid and reliable results, in full compliance with the writing, the doctrine of the faith and tradition. These results can be innovative, to advance the knowledge of the word of God. However, a theological doctrine, as vera, safe, firmly based on given revealed defined or undefined, cannot be the subject of theological faith, If it is not the Church that with his infallible authority elevates to dogma or truths of faith. That being the case, bisogna distinguere accuratamente l’errore teologico dall’eresia, benchè un errore teologico possa condurre all’eresia. For instance, il concetto scotista dell’univocità della nozione dell’essere di per sè è un errore metafisico. Ma in quel grande teologo francescano di vita santa l’univocità è tenuta a bada da tali potenti correttivi, It is prevented in bear bitter fruit. In applied theology, conduce a concepire la differenza fra l’uomo e Dio solo come divario esistente fra finito (man) and infinity (It gave) sulla base di un medesimo concetto dell’essere, dimenticando che l’essere della creatura è solo “analogicamente” essere (this per participation) rispetto all’essere divino (this per the essence). L’uomo non è un ente al quale, per avere l’essere divino, you simply add an infinite amount to be, così che l’essere come tale si predichi univocamente dell’uomo e di Dio, IE remains the same with the same meaning. Instead, as the Lateran Council IV, “between the creator and the creature you can't give such a similarity, without that we must not say an even more dissimilarity” [ CF. Denz. 806].

È vero che l’essere metafisico di Scoto è ancora solo l‘ens UT ens, l‘esse commune. Ma tra l’essere della creatura, univoco all’essere divino, as you highlight the infinite distance, However, qualitative not quantitative and, e l’essere divino, It remains only a thin wall, that will be easily demolished by spinoziano and Hegelian Pantheism in the following centuries. Il rimedio apportato da Ockham con l’introduzione dell’equivocità, will not help anything, since, If on the one hand, under the pretext of freedom and divine omnipotence, si apre un abisso incolmabile tra l’uomo e Dio, what Kant calls the “edge of reason” Lutheran's memory and reason leads to God, dall’altra l’essere divino non si concilia più con l’essere umano, so in the centuries following the terrible dilemma will: o l’uomo espelle Dio ribellandosi a Lui e si avrà l’ateismo; o Dio assorbe in sè l’uomo che si fa identico a Dio e si avrà il panteismo.

Ritratto d’epoca di Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Let's move on to another aspect of our theme. Of course, the theology, in that speech about God, It should not always be the scientific mode, because some of his items, as clearly demonstrates the history of salvation narrated by Scripture, are made, events, places or individuals or groups acting as agents in space-time, then a contingent matter, You may not take the form of science, avendo essa per oggetto l’universale e il necessario. Because of this, some speak of “narrative theology”. In fact you can talk about God telling facts, per esempio il fatto dell’Incarnazione del Verbo o dell’ascensione di Cristo al cielo. However, as the triune God is absolutely necessary, eternal and unchangeable, universal principle of all things, and the necessary, Eternal, immutable and universal is the subject of science, Here is that theology, more than narrative, is science; e, If it is said, lo fa in relazione all’oggetto principale che è Dio, as notes St. Thomas (6). Certainly theology tells, but it does or to lead us to God or to show the works of God. The tale end in itself is history, theology not. Even more you move away from theology and truth, cadendo al limite nell’eresia, in those conceptions of theology, inspired by Hegel, nelle quali la storia finisce per invadere tutto il campo dell’essere e sostituire la metafisica, so nothing exists to immutable, that is, everything is becoming, even God. Also St. Thomas, which is great speculative theologian, lover of the concept precisely and accurately, recognize that theology, per il fatto stesso di usare l’analogia dell’essere, can and should make use of metaphor (7), that is a form of analogy, quando la mente avverte di non essere proporzionata all’immensità del divino: a language that is very common in the Gospel. In this way the precise and appropriate concept, just science, si accompagna in teologia all’espressione metaforica, that in itself would be its poetry. Even in this encroachment in theology poetry shows a different science. In fact here and concept metaphor illuminate each other: il concetto illumina l’intelletto, la metafora sostiene l’immaginazione. Se per esempio diciamo che il peccato è un'”offense” to God, clearly this is a metaphor, Giacchè, speaking properly, that is metaphysically, da cosa può essere menomato o di cosa può esser privato l’Assoluto? However, il paragone con le avventure dell’uomo, helps us to understand the evil of sin.

Other considerations. As we know, There is a natural theology and a supernatural theology, that is Catholic Theology, founded on the theological virtue of faith, che nasce dall’ascolto della predicazione della Chiesa (Fides ex auditu). Only the principles of the second type of theology are the faith, While the first ones are of reason and common sense. Invece il metodo di indagine e i procedimenti dimostrativi sono scientifici sia nell’uno che nell’altro caso. The theology is drawing on sources or via special special means or methodological epistemical, the so-called “places (GR. tops) theological” (8). The main sources are writing, tradition and the Magisterium. Sources or tools or auxiliary sciences are a good philosophy, the liturgy, the patrologia, the history of the Church, the history of theology, canon law, l’agiografia, la storia dell’arte e della letteratura. True theology is theology, as explained by Antonio Livi, When his method is corrected by epistemic viewpoint, What, this, che conduce all’ortodossia dei contenuti, as well as the right way for a certain place leads us to the place to which we intend to get, though I can somehow know this place even before you get there. So likewise the content of theology have a value in themselves, even regardless of the method by which the theologian has established them. Undoubtedly a wrong method, as mentioned, can only be born errors. From fake doesn't come out the right. But this does not mean that a theologian to acquire or accept valid theological doctrines or to other learning or taking information from co-workers. The epistemic criteria to determine the value of a theology is therefore twofold: occorre la correttezza del metodo e l’ortodossia dei contenuti, which in turn occurs following two ways: controllo della bontà della filosofia della quale il teologo si è servito e verifica dell’ortodossia in riferimento agli insegnamenti del Magistero, which infallibly interpret the two sources of revelation: Scripture and Tradition. If the theology of a given author passes these examinations, At that time, According to our author, that is the true theology theology (9).

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini and Dr. Enzo Bianchi

When Antonio Livi denies the works of some authors that pass for theologians the true character of their theological writings, of course not intended to necessarily notice them some doctrinal error, but merely observe that, According to the strict definition of “theology” He established the rest on the Catholic tradition, cannot properly be classified as “theology”, Although here we have big names like Chesterton, Dostojevsky wrote, Bulgakov, Berdiaeff, Look out, Paez, Pascal, etc., But if anything can we qualify them as “religious thinkers”. As for the Protestant theological tradition, as far as Luther, before being excommunicated, was duly authorized doctor of theology and he cared to consider “theologian”, However, we can not say that the type of “theology” started by Protestantism, and today is having an influence in the Catholic world, is a true theology, Despite the attention to Sacred Scripture and insights very deep theological many masters of Protestantism and the extraordinary intensity of their studies and their learning. But it takes more than that to have a theology that respects. What is lacking is a real systematic spirit, è l’assunzione di tutti i luoghi teologici, respect of logic, a precise language as is fitting to science, un moderato uso dell’immaginazione ed dell’emotività. Da qui la facilità nel cadere in enormi confusioni o al contrario nell’opporre quello che andrebbe unito e armonizzato, per non parlare dell’arroganza con la quale vengono trattati non solo la tradizionale teologia scolastica, ma, as is known, the same Magisterium of the Church.
It would be a disastrous confusion between prophecy and theology, che porta ad abusare dell’aspetto metaforico e allusivo del linguaggio profetico, that can be some suggestive, ma senza un’opportuna vigilanza critica, a rigorous theological methodology and philosophy, It often comes out from the path of truth. As established St. Thomas, the theology is formally a single science (10), Although physically and descrittivamente, also for educational reasons, involves a multiplicity of disciplines or branches, le quali però fanno tutte capo all’oggetto principale, in Catholic Theology, è Dio rivelatosi in Cristo nell’interpretazione dogmatica del Magistero della Chiesa. These branches or specialties not then determine in relation to God, though we should distinguish the Treaty Deo One from the Deo Trino and Christology, but rather in relation to creation, all’uomo ed al mondo e quindi all’agire di Dio nel creato e nella storia (great things of God).

image of Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, Doctor of the Church

So happens that today the field of theological disciplines is so vast and multifaceted, There is now more, as was still possible in the middle ages, an academic theologian capable of space on all areas of theological knowledge, ma, in order to have a good preparation, who wants to do the theologian, especially if academics, must necessarily choose a particular discipline and specialization and limited to that, without presuming to sentencing in the areas where it is not responsible. A similar thing happens for medicine today, where is that, for serious problems, you have to resort to specialist. In the first division of theology is between dogmatic theology or speculative, He considers the divine attributes and the immutable divine truths, as for example the angels, though present in past history (protologia), here I'm (ecclesiology, Mariology and sacramentary) and future (eschatology), the object of pure contemplation, and practical theology, che considera l’agire umano. In turn this branch of theology embraces moral theology, that is the virtue; and spiritual theology, che tratta della perfezione cristiana sotto l’influsso dei sette doni dello Spirito Santo. We speak here also “Theology of perfection”, “Mystical Theology”, “affective theology” and the like. La teologia morale a sua volta comprende la direzione dall’azione del popolo o del comune fedele e la direzione dell’agire o dell’opera educativa e formatrice dei pastori e delle guide del popolo. The first is the precettiva theology (commandments of God and the Church); the second is the Pastoral Theology. Since then the duty of the pastor is feeding the flock and proclaiming the Gospel, Hence arise the canonical education theology (theological foundations of Canon law and the laws of the Church) and the theology of evangelization. Quest’ultima comporta varie tappe o momenti educativi. The first step is dialogue with every reasonable man on the religious theme (Theology of inter-religious dialogue and with non-believers); second step is demonstrating the credibility of Christianity and its defense from attack of unbelievers (apologetics or faith education); il terzo è l’istruzione sulla dottrina cristiana (catechesis); il quarto è l’inculturazione, ossia l’inserzione del messaggio evangelico nelle varie culture, properly cleansed in the light of the same Gospel; il quinto è l’attività ecumenica (Ecumenical theology).

Monsignor Antonio Livi during the visit of the Holy Father Benedict XVI at Pontifical Lateran University

Since Catholic Theology's task is to make use of a good philosophy to interpret Scripture and tradition under the guidance of the Magisterium, behold, under this point of view, We must distinguish the scholastic theology from the Biblical Theology. The first, Theology par excellence, Theology as “Science of faith”, as the word, is that theology is taught in Catholic schools and academic institutions of all clerics can. The second, è l’indagine, con l’aiuto dell’esegesi biblica, major theological themes of Scripture, that then is the systematic theologian sort and organize around the fundamental truths of the faith. Infine c’è da tener presente che ancora per un’altra ragione la teologia cattolica non è soltanto una scienza come le altre, ma, in the likeness of biblical prophecy and under the guidance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, It is a wisdom, that assumes the theologian not only a mere intellectual knowledge, ma un vero gusto e per così dire un’esperienza delle cose divine, that leads him to judge them for some sort of affinity with them, which St. Thomas calls judgment per inclinationis Modum (11). Scholastic theology is so closely related to the mystical theology, frutto dell’esperienza contemplativa di quella verità infinita, that is the thought of God, del quale l’uomo è chiamato a partecipare quaggiù nella fede e dopo la morte nella visione beatifica.

Fontanellato, 28 October 2014

________________________
NOTE

(1) Original Edition The Stars Look Down, 1935
(2) Vedi per esempio i saggi contenuti in Dall’essere all’esistente, Morcelliana, Brescia 1957.
(3) Sum. Theol., I, q. 1, a. 1.
(4) See on this historical studies by Dominique Chenu.
(5) For example, certain fundamental doctrines or main (pronounced major) of St. Thomas Aquinas.
(6) Sum. Theol,,q. 1, and 2 aa batteries. 7.
(7) Sum. Theol,,q. 1, a. 9.
(8) Initiator of this Treaty, later classic, fu il domenicano Melchior Cano con l’opera De Locis theologicis, Edition of Venice, 1776.
(9) This very important topic of the scientific status of theology has always been treated by Thomists, especially the Dominican school. Just to give some names of the last century: Garrigou-Lagrange, Maritain, Shortcut, Journal, Ramirez, commission, gardeil, Spiazzi. CF my book and white Theologians. The contribution of the Dominican School of theology history, Piemme, Milan, 2000.
(10) Sum. Theol., I, q. 1, a. 3.
(11) Sum. Theol,,q. 1, a. 5.

Warn sinners:

PROLUSION THE END OF THE SYNOD

POPE FRANCIS

With all due respect to some “traditionalists” us old people remember well about the climate history and the confessional before the Second Vatican Council in the field of the sins of sex and without being modernists do not regret at all …

Author
John Cavalcoli OP

Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2014

Ithe recent Synod of Bishops, as is known, has developed proposals regarding pastoral values ​​and problems of the family to be in the future with the decisions of the Pope. These proposals are contained in the final document of the 18 last October. They contain undoubtedly confirm the Catholic conception of the family, praise and encouragement to families who live honestly, a holy and sometimes heroically their vocation, among risk, labors, sufferings and dangers, overcoming obstacles and overcoming, with God's help, trials of various kinds.

A pair of “spouses” homosexuals with their “baby toy”

There is also talk of other forms of relationship or man-woman civil Union or extraconiugali and even same-sex unions, with the intent to track or recover even here the values, of the possibility of ransom, elevation and improvement, to understand or excuse insuperable difficulties, to prepare for them a way of life suited to their, enabling them to contribute to the good of society and the Church, assicurando also for the possibility of salvation, since, as is known, God wants everyone to be saved and gives everyone the chance, even to those who can not or do not want no fault of their own but bona fide access to the sacraments.

The Primate of Poland, Cardinale Stanislaw Gądecki

The examination of these proposals however, to an eye, reveals that there is a serious gap, which was highlighted the day 14 October in relation to the "relationship Erdo" by Cardinal Stanislaw Gądecki, Primate of Poland, which was to observe: "During today's debate has raised the fact that the teaching of the document has completely omitted the topic of sin. As if he had won the worldly view and everything was imperfection to perfection ".

The Holy Father Francis

Dad, in his speech made at the Synod the 18 following, He collected this wise observation and remembered:

"The tentazion gooders destructive, that in the name of mercy ingannatrithis, Band wounds and treat them without first medicate him; that is the symptoms and not the causes and roots. It is tempting of the “gooders”, fearful of and also the so-called “liberals and libertarians”, the temptation to turn the stone into bread to break a long fast, heavy and painful [cf. LC 4,1-4]».

Perhaps the Pope could say the exact phrase: “modernists”.

What do these words mean the Pope? A principle that should be obvious to all the good shepherds, namely that it is necessary first to understand some sinner in his weaknesses and encourage him to develop his good qualities, in accordance with the comforting words of the Divine Master: “Do not break the barrel cracked or turn off a smoldering wick” [Mt 12,20]. But this is not an end in itself, but then need to take away the sin of the chest and face and correct the defect. Likewise, a good doctor, when faced with a patient, undoubtedly consider what are its resources healthy, but in order to see how to use them to defeat the evil.

Monica Bellucci plays Mary Magdalene in the film The Passion Mel Gibson

Ithe remediesor to this irresponsible laxity or perhaps even intellectual rigidity and backward rigor are not guilty of those who yield, as expressed by the Pope, the temptation of '”stiffening hostile”, and that called “traditionalists”, where it is not difficult to recognize the nostalgia of the educational methods of the pre-council, as if the past fifty years the ministry of sexuality inspired by the Council had not made any progress. No attack, evidently, tradition as such, but a way of conceiving, that opposes the conciliar reform.

These “traditionalists” narrow-minded and cold-hearted, under the pretext of defense of the dogma of the absolute values ​​and, they neglect, in terms of concrete guide of souls, attention to the good that is without sin, but the sinner and the need to keep his pace as his mother walking slowly to accompany the little steps of her baby. Real teachers know what they are gradual paths of perfection and freedom from vice and sin.

We elders remember how was good training weather and the confessional before the Second Vatican Council in the field of sex and sins without being modernists do not miss at all. There was such a habit that the confessor accused of mortal sin easily a penitent for a small act involuntary and unconscious, made without malice and at the urging of a sudden impulse. Young people today they take with the Council might not know how things were before. With this, of course I'm a thousand miles away from approving the excesses and debauchery opposite today, that you would like to submit under the auspices of “emotional maturity”, the progressive, freedom and mercy.

The Holy Father, for its part, in the same discourse, has shown the right way to be a wise contemperanza of justice and mercy, promotion and correction, firmness and flexibility, compliance with the principles and attention to individual cases, all in a great love for people and the Church, with dedication, theological and spirit of service.

“waste sorting”

Returning, however, to the synod, it seems instead that these good bishops with their speeches gooders and peace, have no experience of the confessional. If a penitent to tell me that he has committed adultery, or who is in love with another woman, or going to prostitutes, or has an affair, or living with another woman, or who is a divorced and remarried, or who is a homosexual, I listen sympathetically and try to understand their situation and their difficulties, I try to make him aware of how these relationships can be positive and encourage them in this direction, but it is clear that my duty as a physician of souls will then be to make the penitent clearly conscious of his or illegally, or the state of sin in which there is, or at least that what he does is not good and it is a too bad, mortal or venial it, from which it must free itself. Well I'll have to warn him of the consequences of the tragic and divine punishment, which meets, failure to correct, as well as the physician feels a patient heart that if you do not care, the'll infarction. Otherwise, which are medical? Now, where in the document the bishops of these warnings and these considerations? They seem to say to all: “Keep calm, have respect for one of the choices of others, keep it up and you'll see that everything will be fine”.

Sugar aids digestion

If a document of this kind, if you want to be really serious, pastoral and educational, such as to make the good of souls, and not only distribute sugar and give the appearance of being acquiescent to evil, will have to fine, to praise and promote positive, add and clarify with seriousness and care what pastors need to do to correct the sinners what sinners must do to solve their problems, free from difficulty, exit from irregular situations from their sin and heal.

About this again, Also in the final document of the 18 last October, there is no word or at least the subject is too small, generic and therefore insufficient. You may ask why our bishops is not thought to add the above directions, always given by all the good shepherds. Is it possible that the modernist gooders have them so mesmerized? It seems that we are all in the Edenic state and that there are no consequences of original sin.

Those depths of the human conscience that God alone can penetrate and read

From here the right and serious observations not only of the Pope and Cardinal Gądecki, or other cardinals and theologians, but of all those, even ordinary Christians and the same families, that they have joined, which are concerned for the good of all and of the whole Church. Of course many of these people deviant, who see the truth and are not stubborn and hardened in sin, but feel uneasy conscience and a desire to be at peace with God and with the Church, are available in a variety of ways to hear a word of paternal correction, showing them the way of redemption and liberation. Some will need to be shocked with a certain energy to awake out of sleep and be made aware of their responsibilities and of the serious risks they face. Since other people have to look as dangerous. For other will not be nothing to do but pray that they convert.

The open doors of the Church

It is true that the Church does not exclude anyone; but the fact is that these are the unhappyRO to not wanting to belong to the Church or to belong or if they say they have a false concept of the Church or are essI stthey fakes and hypocrites, they do not really want to serve the Church, but use it for their own interests. And if the averagewe do not speak, do not intervene, are just watching, are not diagnostic, and especially do not care, What will become of the sick? Or if you flatter minimizing their ills, how can they heal? Or if you do not show them their evil, these patients can not possibly come to think that it is not a bad thing but a good?

… marriages as soluble coffee

This approach of Bishops could help someone in the idea that then in the end, dissoluble or indissoluble marriage, conjugal chastity or contraception, premarital or marital relationships, marital or extra-marital affair, Sacramento convivenza, monogamous or poligamia, heterosexuality or homosexuality are not much alternatives respectively between fair dealing and good-evil-sin, but are simply different choices, remittances to the discretion of each. It also comes the disturbing suspicion that the bishops, facile to such blandishments, are intimidated by the pressures or threats veiled or open to the powers that be, we can imagine what might be and who want to give up the Church by his loyalty to his moral principles, why accept the highest in the world.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina spent hours and hours listening to the confessions

If this is the case, you may be wondering then, against the other, what is the meaning of the sacrament of confession. What you going to tell the priest? And in fact we confessors we are realizing that the climate is being created: often those who come into the confessional has no sins of which to accuse, but it makes a list of good deeds by ensuring the confessor to do everything we can to be a good Christian. Just at that sacred place, where more than ever the faithful should exercise “with fear and trembling” [Fil 2,12] humility, without vain self-justifications, accusing you of sin and take advantage of God's mercy, right there it's up to us with disgust confessors to hear the unholy and self-righteous arrogance of one who proclaims good and innocent maybe blaming others. And if we venture to remind them what it admits, get offended as if we had the audacity to accuse an innocent man and bring you to accuse us of malice. The tragic fact is that the concept of sin as sin to take off, that is, as an act of bad conscious and free, is becoming rare, because no longer measured on an objective standard, absolute, transcendent and dependent on God's will, Whom we have to do, but each one is built as a moral code for license, according to their own comfortable, influenced perhaps by some divine fashion, not reprimanded by the ecclesiastical. God becomes simply a notary kind of everything that comes to mind. Because of this, the so-called “penitent” - I should say “grade” O “braggart” - Has no sin to be reported, which to repent and ask God's forgiveness. It trades on the occasion of the confessional talk freely of the most diverse, from gossip to serious matters, but that has nothing to do with the needs and hence the validity of the sacrament. Often it is the penitent who has their own, well established by an obvious bad habit, wrong idea of ​​confession and try to correct it if the confessor, good penitent suffers as if it was the confessor to be an incompetent or cruel person, which creates problems that do not exist and “can not give a good word”. But then, in these conditions, the confessor to what should fulfill? That fixes, reprimands or reminders can? What warnings? What advice,? What exhortations? What commands? It seems that the so-called penitents do not expect to recover from an illness, but to be approved in its conduct and praised for his good health. E’ evident in the very high risk that they lack the conditions for a true penitent confession. Great but here is the responsibility of the confessor, you get used to hurt the faithful, and that violates a sacred duty to remember the penitent what is the real way to confess.

How then are still valid for us priests and our bishops to the words of his beloved Timothy: "Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, do warn, reproaches, exhorts with all magnanimity and doctrine. The day will come, indeed, when they will not endure sound doctrine;, ma, having itching ears they, will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, refusing to listen to the truth, to turn aside to myths " [II Tm 4, 2-4]. They are the present day.

the Good Shepherd

So the good pastor must not only stimulate a love of virtue, but hate the sin and vice. There are some pastors do-gooders who always speak of sdolcinatamente “love” in season and out, and it seems to them that the mention of “hate” both unreasonable and contrary to charity. It's a very serious misconception. Already St. Catherine of Siena, which the charity can not be doubted, end psychologist, woman of good sense and a witness of that which is the most basic conviction of the moral conscience natural, he said: “The more you love the good, the more you hate evil”. And note well: Evil, not the evil, which in itself is a creature, save for which Christ gave his blood. But for the sake of the sinner must hate the sin and the sinner must be encouraged and assisted to abandon, as it is for the sake of the patient that the doctor is fighting the disease.
Not enough then the pastor and educator praises of the good, if he does not create in the disciple strong and determined opposition to sin, showing all its ugliness and hideousness; and especially if you did not indicate what is the way to correct, on pain of eternal damnation; otherwise end up creating double personality, spineless, opportunists and schizophrenics, yes who appreciate the good moderately, for convenience, ma, always for convenience, do not reject even the bad, seeing it not as a thing prohibited, but just different, useful on occasion, so as to keep it so to speak “in reserve” and put it about the same as well and in the company of good. Here lies some false form of pluralism and respect for other people's choices, which results nell'astensionismo of those looking only to their own interests does not care about the evils and misfortunes of others under the guise of them free.

It should be, At that time, more root, remember what is sin. We confessors we experience in the practice of the confessional as often those who confess not know confess, because they misunderstand the sin or do not know what it is or denies having committed sins, so that often the first approach to the penitent require prior patient reflections on Confession, only at the end of which the penitent is able to say that sins made. It happens that at first the penitent be surprised, you irritate or do not understand, as if he heard strange things and never heard; but with patience and charity the confessor, perhaps after a long introductory interview, can lead to conditions to make a good confession. How are the catechesis premarital, so are useful introductory catechesis for the sacrament of confession, maybe even penitents of sixty or seventy years, “Catholics” fin noduvenu, abituati ma male.

Add to this the particular difficulties of sins in sex, where there is not only a passion to win often, explosion, insidious and very attractive, often orpellata of glittering colors, but higher up it should be borne in mind that sexual sin is not at first appearance of evil, but on the contrary seems to be a good and a matter of course: an act related to life, to youth, to pleasure, all’amore, to beauty, how can it be bad, a bad action? It is therefore necessary to show the reality beyond appearances, to reason and explain why it's a shame, Giacchè, as is known, sexual ethics is essentially dictated by natural law, before being precept of the Gospel and the Church. Because of this, only that the subject is influenced by ideas fenomeniste, emotionalists, existentialist, empiricist, Freudian, or hedonistic or falsely mystical irrationalism, widespread today, will make a huge effort to understand the motives and reasons of sexual ethics. So the bishops should correct these ideas. But what do they do?

The bishops then they should remember because all the sexual deviations and sins are sins against the family, and finally, as it is always used in the educational tradition or Catholic pastoral, Keep in mind at least the main means natural and supernatural, to avoid sin, not excluding the effective help, that can come from a healthy fear of God. However, it is too common a false conception of divine mercy, for which everyone could easily follow their own desires in the illusory safety to save, presumption of origin Lutheran rightly at the time condemned by the Council of Trent.

German Shepherd angry …

Apart from the shepherds do-gooders dealing harshly and scare the few good, but are shy, the shepherds of today refrain from too much reproach and correction. I fully agree with the famous saying of the great spiritual leader who was St. Francis de Sales: “to correct the sinner is better than a teaspoon of honey than a barrel of vinegar”; However, the great teacher, I think, will agree with me even if I tip her saying in this regard: “it is rather a teaspoon of bitter medicine, given with love, a thousand sweet words but flattering, Lascano that the patient in terms of patient, perhaps giving the illusion of feeling good and being just a “different”.

The bishops speak appropriately of “wounded families”. Ora but, where there is a wounded, there is usually also the assailant. E’ right, therefore, to have compassion and mercy for the wounded, but for the assailant or the assailant should be against justice and perhaps severity. There is talk of “challenges” the family; Accord to, but remember that in the moral challenger is a sinner who wants to lead us to sin.

There is talk of “suffering” e “injustices suffered”. All right, but remember the sin of those who make others suffer or commit injustice. If a poor wife suffers because her husband has betrayed her, this is because her husband has sinned against you. Mercy toward his wife, but justice to her husband. So no need to take into account of all these things?

“In Puritani” famous opera by Vincenzo Bellini

One gets the impression that the bishops, as they approach their Discorso to youbut of sin, they stop in a kind of puritan restraint. That's not good. It is here that there is a shortage, that borders on hypocrisy or fear to touch the powerful. What a mercy it is that which does not defend the weak against bullies, but considers these merely “different”, free to continue their lives? It would not be, this, a terrible insult to the poor oppressed and persecuted? Criminal penalties are still used in the Church. The problem is to use them with justice. If you do use the modernists and the do-gooders, every man for himself.

We hope that the bishops' document, rich with many ideas and encouraging positive, however, is supplemented by these notes and from these warnings. Otherwise it will be up to the Holy Father make the appropriate changes, in order to ensure in this synod the real achievement of its order to further increase cum Petro and Sub Petro family values, and to address and resolve issues related to it.

Fontanellato, 26 October 2014

Click here to listen to a Marian hymn of the folk tradition

SISTER SINGING CRISTINA "MADONNA"? AND I'LL “MICKEY ROURKE” IN NINE AND A HALF WEEKS

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If nothing were done by the bodies of the Holy See responsible for the rchoose yourself, in that case I could also feel entitled to offer to a director of video clips turn again to the soundtrack of the film Nine weeks and mezo …

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Like a virgin

Madonna [see who] Sister Cristina [see who]

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Author
Ariel S. Levi di Gualdo

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the dialogue ahead of everything: Sister Cristina Scuccia, of the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters of the Holy Family responds to the banana phone

Worse than we priests are able to be only the nuns. Sister Cristina Scuccia has a beautiful voice is out of the question. Of course, could make better use of this gift of God, for example, entering as a soloist in the choir of the great diocese the Holy Father's masterfully directed by Roman presbyter Marco Frisina.

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The Good People of God, with which the writer lives in close contact, is somewhat annoyed by performance of the religious. NNo faithful Catholic appreciates that a consecrated virgin makes fun of her virginity - moreover freely chosen as an offering and gift of consecration to God - singing the song of an author like Barbara Eleonora Ciccone, in arte "Madonna", who in the course of his long career has outraged and desecrated the Catholic faith and its most cherished symbols in every way: by Christ on the cross to the Mother of God. And to better understand who they are, I invite you to watch a couple of videos, right to enter the order of ideas of who really is the character Barbara Eleanor Ciccone, aka Madonna, which the improvident Ursuline played a song very special, only to its two-way [see who, who]. For this, we are disconcerted when we hear the improvident little nun who climbs on straws in an attempt to answer the interviewer of Future, as to other interviewers, about his desire to “Christianize” something objectively blasphemous, therefore in itself and of itself diabolic [see who].

Madonna and the crucifix used as a garter belt

The song of this satanassa Italian American that the little nun has chosen to interpret is a very particular song: Like a Virgin, like a virgin, willfully ignorant that virgins to which the good people of God pours out affection and veneration, including lukewarm Catholics and those seconded from the life of the Church, they are extraordinary figures such as Lucia of Syracuse or Agata of Catania, just to stay in the Sicilian area of ​​origin of Sister Cristina. And neither Lucy nor Agata would have been glad to be accompanied in the blood of their martyrdom with the words of the song Like a virgin, launched by a brilliant businesswoman herself as Ms. Ciccone, in the eighties begins his career provOcando the audience with his own name of art, seen that universally, by believers and non-believers, Mary is identified with Mary of Nazareth. And for us who believe the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, fMaybe it's good to remember it not so much nun butterfly, but to his Superior General, perhaps most of his young butterfly professes, seen that behind the bad pupils are always there and the penalty of bad teachers.

Madonna in one of her live shows singing half-naked on a kind of altar

To understand Sister Cristina, trained in Sicily and became a nun in the Ursulines of the Holy Family, one must enter the very complex ecclesial world of this island, where there are ancient churches of apostolic foundation or personally visited by the Apostle Paul, such as the glorious Church of Syracuse, built for the Prince of the Apostles after that of Antioch: Ecclesia Syracusana First Divi Petri Et Filia First Post Antiochenam, Christ Annual [The Church of Syracuse is the first daughter of St. Peter and the second after the Church of Antioch, dedicated to Christ].

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With a brief sua epigraph, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in his Gattopardo summarizes the status and psychology of an entire society: "If we want everything to remain as it is, everything must change!». Or to put it in other words to those who claim to impose to other their lack of historical memory: yesterday, if the faithful do not Davanor vote for the Christian Democrats more insular and more corrupt collusion with the mafia powers, were threatened by the priests who would end up surely burn in the flames of hell. Today, changed the music but not the players, a considerable number of priests grew past four decades in the supreme worship of peggigold exponents of modernism e larded with Protestant exegesis - not least thanks to the prolific work of evil masters - they pass you byanti dressed in civilian clothes flaunting The Republic e Espresso arm in arm; and in their public speeches they cite you the latest article by Paolo Flores d'Arcais on Micromega, dialogue with secular “maturity” with lovers of abortion, dell'eutanasia, dell'omosessualismo …

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From the crucifix crucifix suspenders used as the closing evening bag

And after four decades of devastation here finally comes to the supreme coup the army of those that Leonardo Sciascia used to define as men, the mezz'uomini, him ... but let's get straight to enunciate Sciascia his mythical classification, without inducing a priest to get dirty too much mouth:

"I have a certain experience of the world; and we say that humanity, and fill our mouths to say humanity, nice word full of wind, divide into five categories: the men, the mezz'uomini, the ominicchi, i (respectfully speaking) take a look and the quaquaraquà… Very few men; the few mezz'uomini, for I be content humanity stop with mezz'uomini ... But no, falls down even more, to ominicchi: who are like children who think they are great, monkeys that make the same moves of the big ... And even more down: the pigliainculo, ranging becoming an army ... And finally the quaquaraquà: that they should live like ducks in the puddles, because their life has no meaning and expression of that most of the ducks ... She, even if I grind to a halt on these cards as a Christ, she is a man ... "

[Don Mariano Arena Captain Bellodi - opera The Day of the Owl]

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Madonna during one of his various performance with the crucifix held like a gun erotica

This is the social environment, ecclesial and ecclesiastical, in which was born, grows, studied and form Cristina Scuccia, cream the confiscation, in Ragusa, in the beautiful areas of South Eastern Sicily, then moved as a nun in Milan. Whoever therefore believes that the problem is Sister Cristina, wrong. The problem is a particular church no longer able to express a proper sense, thinking and living Catholic; not that happy about this eliminates the root as a problem or as a real attack of treason everything that is to live a Catholic, Catholic thought and Catholic theological thinking, with all the logic and consistent pastorality that from this it follows.

Sister Cristina is therefore a natural result the culture of ocelots, the natural result of generations of priests who have confused with heresies modernist modernity; who for four decades have now ignored the theology of the great Fathers of the Church and who thanks to the poisonous school of certain masters answer you that they have never studied the metaphysics of St. Thomas Aquinas because during the first lessons at the theological studio they explained to him which is now outdated, finally reaching the priesthood after having been trained on texts by non-Catholic theologians from the German area and after having been peppered with Hegelianism in the course of philosophical and theological studies sometimes reduced to a painful farce, where are offered as unique and especially indisputable reference points - in addition to two Hegel e Rahner —, authors such as Schillebeeckx, Teilhard of Chardin, Cox, Heidegger, Schleiermacher, Kierkegaard, Barth, Bohnöffer, Bultmann, Moltmann, Cullman, Luther, Loisy, Freud, Descartes, Side, Gentile …

Madonna crucified-holder boot

The problem of Sister Cristina is much more complesso, if analyzed from a socio-andSicilian church and using two literary geniuses as pertinent reading yardstick: Tomasi di Lampedusa and Sciascia. Therefore we must point out - which I point out to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life - that Sister Cristina belongs to a religious congregation for which the Holy See should perhaps proceed as soon as possible with an adequate Apostolic Visitation, if its competent bodies were not too busy with other congregations, that in spite of some of their internal problems, in any case they always sang praises to God and to Our Lady Mother of God, not to the Madonna-Ciccone.

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Madonna during one of his live performances blasphemous

The same withgregazione of nuns, in the heart of the Greek city of Syracuse he has found nothing better to do than changing their two former houses of formation in hotels, even in a Beauty Farm [see who], managed directly from sisters now transformed by consecrated virgins in entrepreneurs, devoid of life and common sense of religious life. A luxurious one beauty farm four-star and goes in disguise at the administrative level by “home Ferie” to which was given the name "House of Mary", with a spirit no less blasphemous than that of their younger sister who sings a hymn irreverent two-way virginity launchesed by a singer who has renamed Madonna in blatant contempt of Mater Dei.

Sister Cristina is only the visible tip of a state of degradation and decadence of the religious life of this congregation for which appropriate measures are urgently needed. On the one hand, we have in fact the Ursulines of the Holy Family housing in their luxurious and expensive beauty farm of the rich seventy-year-olds who go to relax with their beloved granddaughter of 25 year old, without any pious nun dreams certainly ask him the marriage certificate, or to deny such a lovely couple a double room; the other the emblem of the new generation of their sisters who sings the songs of the well-known pop star Madonna Satanassa, instead of shelling holy rosary of the Blessed repair Virgin Mary. Experience and priestly sensitivity teach me that this nun is not destined to remain in religious life and that she will eventually be engulfed by the entertainment world, to have contact with which a presbyter, a man and woman religious must have a maturity and a solidity of faith which protects them from certain dangers. I hope and hope that Sister Cristina does not end up like Sister Sorriso [crf. who] and that you return serenely to secular life, as it will be in the more or less near future.

Mickey Rourke e Kim Basinger. in the film Nine and a half weeks

If nothing were done by the Holy Office competent bodies for rchoose yourself, in that case I could also feel entitled to offer myself to a director of video clips turn again to the soundtrack of the film Nine and a half weeks [see who], where Kim Basinger sketched an innocent spogliarello that today could be screened in cinemas without problem parochial, so much will be chastised if compared with the truly indecent images that are served up to us today. And in the video I will play the role that young Mickey Rourke played in that film in those distant eighties.

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It may be that before the video My holy bishop falls unconscious to the ground with the secretary who rushes to revive him with salts and robust with the diocesan vicar general who raises from the floor? It's not for sure, because it could be that my holy bishop and robust diocesan vicar general, both men being forged by great pastoral experience, on my video clip if the taste of saying laugh in private with one another: "In conclusion, view and considered Sister Cristina, even though we priests have a right to our part!», including saying what we think about this culture of decadence, of relativism and methodical destruction of Catholic theology and pastoral.

the Island of Patmos, 24 October 2014

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