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In an increasingly polarized world, where spin can be more important than facts, Crux aims to be an objective voice, offering the best news and analysis from journalists with decades of experience on the Vatican and religious beat.
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Tune in every Tuesday for Last Week in the Church, where John Allen Jr. gives his expert insight and analysis on the latest news from the Catholic Church.
Data! Some of those fiqures, eg the number of cATHOLICS IN REGIONS. now you dont get that data anywhere else, Itried to 'clip' it but you dony seem to have that function. It would be great if it was either added or transcript was available.
Sincerely religious and sincerely spiritual will avail you nothing on the day of judgment if you have not humbly surrendered to God's grace for your conversion--including renunciation of enslaving worldly ideologies and repentance of sins you are self-justifying.
It sounds like the Christians in Belgium, not just the Roman Christians, need to be converted. My husband, who is an Anglican priest, said that the most unconverted people sometimes are in the pews.
Belgian catholic here: you cannot underestimate the impact of the sexual abuse crisis in Belgium. Bishop Vangheluwe abused his nephew for years. After the nephew told his story to the press, Vangheluwe went into hiding. When he was located by a TV crew, he gave an hour long live interview where he minimised the scandal as “some kind of a relationship”. The nephew directly implicated the long term cardinal primate of Belgium, Danneels and he had proof because he taped the conversations. Belgium needed a pastor at the helm but pope Benedict appointed the most reactionary Belgian bishop to archbishop, against the strong advice of the papal nuncio, the previous cardinal and the college of bishops. One of the first things the new archbishop did was an interview with the press what he explained that HIV was “some kind of immanent justice” from God on the acts of homosexuals. The outcry, even from within the church organisation, was enormous. Since then, the church has been in free fall. Every five years, a new abuse scandal came to the light. Vangheluwe retained the title of bishop until early this year, something people couldn’t understand. Yesterday, the day before the arrival of the pope, there was a new scandal. The priest-composer of the closing hymn of the papal mass has a history of sexual abuse. You can compare the situation in Belgium and especially Flanders with the situation in Ireland: we used to be a very catholic country where the catholic party was uninterrupted in power for almost 100 years. In 1985, when JPII visited Belgium, almost 1 million people participated in events. Almost 40 years later, it takes courage to state you are a catholic. What and who is to blame for that?
John you think the Cubs are bad, check out the Seattle Mariners. Zero, that is ZERO post season playoff winds in over 40 years and the stadium is almost sold out every home game. -- Joe G. Seattle
Scandal is the symptom of the illness, not the cause. The cause of what we're seeing from the Vatican and all over the Church was/is caused by the continued misinterpretation of Vatican 2 teachings against Catholic tradition, along with ignoring all the commands by the Vatican 2 council that attempted to retain tradition. Tradition served the Church incredibly well for 2000 years. Covertly throwing tradition out the window by post Vatican 2 prelates was a mistake, if not actually calculated by some, to change or destroy the Church. The ambiguity in Vatican 2 documents gave those opposed to orthodox Catholic faith a wide open door to try to change Catholicism to satisfy the world. The result is exactly what we've seen over the past 60 years, people fleeing the Church for other religions (including Protestantism), or even worse, losing faith altogether. And I say "try" because it won't work in the end. Either we're entering the end times, and witnessing the process of the separation of the sheep and goats, or Christ will use his power to return the Church to the full truth of the Gospel that is found in tradition and has been the reason for the success, without Change, of the faith for 20 centuries prior to the Vatican 2 movement.
Talking about "grizzled" parish priests and "genial characters" - once again, our friend and host John Allen, offering yes, a hefty dose of unvarnished realism to the battle hardened Vatican cardinals as if to say "everyone knows what you're like" - with a further admonition to potential saps, I mean, spokesmen, who might otherwise be sucked in, crushed and spat out the other side - to load the dice in their favour - yet even that pretty black and white segment was delivered with clarity and levity. Ditto the frank initial assessment of their West African assistant priest especially how his lack of facility with Italian meant prayers dragged interminably - superficially, neither very fraternal, flattering - nor pious! I mean, dont misunderstand, I just dont believe in God, the afterlife, the Virgin birth, the resurrection of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, salvation, angels, heavenly choirs, seeing granny again after death. I just dont believe a word of it - but I DO still say that no priest has ever spoken more kindly, more wisely, more sympathetically and with such humanity - while never resorting to that cringemaking "soothing" tone that so many priests adopt, mostly because they want to appear more devout and spiritual (Father Casey in Breaking the Habit, please note. Father Patrick's nearer the mark....) - but, knowing what we know, it often comes across a little bit creepy. John effortlessly transcends all these pitfalls and we (well I, at least) find ourselves jauntily led through some of the thornier parts of the Catholic garden - benefitting from his decades of instinct for news, inquisitorial insights, internecine web of contacts with the echelons who, unbelievably, still apparently talk to him despite his excoriating description of their shenanigans as more or less "a cat fight". What, a bunch of middle aged, unmarried men who like dressing up in garb of a billowing yardage of merino and watered silk sporting exquisitely tailored, gorgeous colour coded details - as minutely revealing of their rank and station as the handkerchiefs in leathermen's back pockets are of their preferred peccadilloes - you mean some of them might sometimes be a little catty? You don't say😂😂😂😂 Of course he has to stop just short of all those implications - but I really do admire the man both as a professional whose stories can be trusted - always delivered with that easy skill that's just so incredibly difficult to do - and always with a wry but humorous, empathetic and forgiving backdrop that speaks to me more directly of his convictions without ever proselytising or manufactured piety - than any priest or prelate - who could learn a bunch from him and by the way, all that sits atop unimpeachable journalistic standards. Robert Barron would do well to take a leaf out of JA's book - to see a supposed man of the cloth of the highest station fairly recently spout a Kremlin talking point again in that coolly, quasi reassuring, paternal mewl, nearly made me lose my lunch. It sounded so REASONABLE yet was a grotesque distortion.....Wonder how much he extricated from Putin's slush fund for that? I see more true Christianity in John Allen's socks, than I do in puffed up purple princelings like him. I believe his "mission" (aka "media empire") is an attempt to window dress a deeply flawed individual who nevertheless (thanks to a powerful, Trumpianesque lobby) I unfortunately see in the mix for archiepiscopal promotion - with eventual membership of that most exclusive club where Their Most Reverend Eminences try to guide the boss and elect a new one when the time comes. I literally shudder at the thought and as anyone who's ever read my rambles, I am surely no wokie😏 Better leave it there in case I, too, receive a humpy Cease and Desist letter from his lawyers here in England. Actually, do it, Your Excellency - I'd enjoy it. See? That's the difference between me and JA! He can swim in the swamps and sewers of the Vatican all day long and still smell fresh as a daisy at dinner! I literally dont know how he does it but I think it deserves recognition... And the personal musings instead of clerical news were excellent!❤ The force is strong with you John - but the light, lasting, soothing and satisfying effects of even your most serene and humble monologues, just get crushed by the realities. I say there's a case for St John Allen! I do think, however, that if some get canonised, the Holy See also really should reserve to itself the power to demonise, or whatever the opposite of beatify is!❤
I hope The Church evolves into something much better. I'm not holding my breath though. It certainly won't survive the way it is going. NOT because of the sex scandals. (World wide by biggest organization with the most credible sexual abuse complaints is The US public school system. That is a fact. That IS NOT 'fake news'.) Not because it won't ordain women. But simply because it lives in its own world that has so little to do with reality and real Christianity. Well, Christianity as founded by St. Paul.
One last thing: when it comes to community and caring -- The Episcopal Church and The Presbyterian Church have The RCC beat by leaps and bounds. Or at least they used to. At least in The US. I haven't been involved in either in the last 24-25 years. Not only did they both have an incredibly good social outreach -- such as caring for the homeless and the poor -- but they cared for each other as though they were blood family. (Of course, they both were and still are predominantly white and middle class.) When I was growing up and a practicing Catholic -- 1950-1985-ish -- all The Catholic parishes I ever belonged to cared only that we went to Mass and Confession. If we did some volunteer work for the parish and/or we sent our kids to the parish school, we MIGHT be known somewhat. But, still, if we ever needed any real help, the parish members -were never there for each other. And the parish priests certainly weren't.
I didn't know you've been sick. I thought so -- you haven't looked well, off and on, for a while now -- but I didn't know for sure. I hope all is well with you AND Elise. Wait until you get older, John. LOL As The US AMA [American Medical Association] says: we are living longer -- we're not living better. LOL Well, at least not in The US. Also, as I've listened to you over time -- I don't know how long it's been since I first discovered Crux Now -- nor do I remember how I discovered CN -- I AM surprised to find out that you and Elise are practicing Catholics/True Believers. I don't understand how you can be. Like all other religions too -- The Church has about zip, zero and zilch facts. It's almost 100% faith/belief and no verifiable facts. I'm not throwing stones, altho' I know it seems that way. I'll tell ya -- I've told you before -- in this day and age in The US and around the world, there certainly are times that I truly wish I was a True-Believer Catholic once again. Still -- it's been wonderful to live my life without thinking of myself as a POS because I'm responsible for The Crucifixion, without having lived my life afraid of going to Hell when I die, without believing that 'God' is male. And the only prayers I've ever said is "Thank You" and "WOW". 🙂
Catholic is defined by The Church as someone who has a Baptismal certificate on file in some parish/diocese. How many PRACTICING Catholics there are is a different story. But The Church does not delineate..
"Part of the process of secularization is about being set free from religion, understood here as a social convention or a way of imposing a vocabulary or identity that allows little space for individual freedom and faith. Christianity is not simply a religion: it is a religious faith because it leads to a personal relationship with God...... The Gospel shows us that Jesus was very "anti-religious" in this sense. He placed the human person above the law and had no time for empty and exclusive ritualism, and because of that, he was condemned to death." Now, who do we think might have said this? Of course, Arturo Sosa, SJ, the Jesuit Superior-General ("Walking with Ignatius", Loyola Press, 2021, pp.129-130). Jesuits are not the least bit concerned about "secularization". Francis, a Jesuit, isn't either. And neither should we be. We don't get to decide how the Spirit of God moves in the world through Salvation History. The Holy Spirit itself is perfectly capable of doing that. Sosa, again: "Catholicism isn't a doctrine; it's a FAITH." I think we might just find that Francis is a lot more prepared to take on Belgian "secularization" than secular Belgians are to take on him. 😉
I love the story of the parish priest. I get frustrated at times with my archdiocese. But then I go to mass an meet up with one of the priests and I'm suddenly lifted up. Bureaucracies will always let you down because they are insular. But to me they are not the CHURCH. Thanks John for a great meditation on what it means to Catholic.
This is a fantastic episode. Regarding the Belgium trip, I allow myself to issue an opinion on football terms that my dear Mr John Allen may understand: Belgium stands on many social, political and even cultural issues are generally as their national team: much about nothing: the 'best" goalkeeper in the world who fails miserably at the World Cup, Lukaku the more overrated forward in the world, De Bruyne always injered at the wrong moment, etc. The new critics of the Pope and the Church will make some noise but at the end... everything as usual. Greetings from Mexico (another nightmare in politics and football issues)
I will say; based on what you've said, Sir, that the idiocy is in trusting the leadership, even God Himself, instead of using our own heads and judging all of His stances and His vicar's position. Even in the shoes of a kind of global dictator, I'd strongly really rather demand that people solve their own problems- I know it would counteract the job description, thing is: anybody with any degree of a *brain* knows that to govern wisely you govern as little as you can! The other thing's even scarier still to consider: I mean Lucifer, the "Red Tsar of Hell" itself, very strongly believes *all* of the teachings of Catholicism- so to believe His teachings means NOTHING; what is needed the ONLY thing that matters is *works of the law/deeds*, as Christ Himself let slip about the final judgement's standards. The thing you should consider is that we're NEVER going to aid Him and His vicar, nor their agencies, solely because of the evils sown by them in His name.
A fairly good effort to extract Catholic pastors, including the most senior, from the nearly century-old miasmic quagmire that has been the 'official' witness of the Church across the various Netherlands (Dutch, Flemish, Limburgish/ Luxembourgish, Walloon, French and German - Belgium being a compromise creation in the fall-out of the crumbling Vienna Congress settlement, circa 1830s). Pope Francis and his ilk .. still enthral to the revolutionary spirit of '68 (reform everyone else, via purposeful dialectic, aka Saul Alinsky's 'Rules For Radicals') .. are at the heart of the 'experimental' attitudes of Church leaders in France, Germany, and so on; that is why the current Francis' Reform blather will receive a largely ineffective if still withering barrage from anti-reactionary flack - his most explosive elements having already been delivered by mere Stukas not the expected B-29 Superfortresses (promised by his odder admirers). As for participatory journalism, that died a bit of a death amid the 'I am fiercely loyal to those willing to put their money where my mouth is' ethos, now it is lowered to the level of click-baited RU-vidry (at best). Many - increasingly many - rather ordinary, pious, faithful Catholics are tired of being constantly reformed on .. from a great height, especially where the bright idea department dreams up a seemingly endless stream of instant-failure solutions even where nothing really needed to be broken (or 'fixed' if you prefer) in the first place; the latest Synodal Yodal Contest being a perfect example of disappointing nearly everyone, with maximum disgruntlement, in particular for those who genuinely want it to fulfil their fantasies. One can only play at a game of soldiers with the grand old Duke of York for so long when the loyalist of loyal armies will say 'Enough, already!'; no, scandals do not bring down management - bad management does ... Keep the Faith; tell the truth, shame the devil, and let the demons shriek. God bless. ;o)
As regards the church itself we have the Good Lord promise that His church is undestrable *....the gates of hell will not prevail over it,,,," The other thing regarding your assistant pastor. Judge not the book by its cover comes to mind. It is the role of all humanity to look after each other, not just Christians. That is the reason we have never ending wars.
when travelling to Belgium for work I noticed a stark contract pre and post Covid in terms of Mass attendance. Pre covid there were multiple Masses offered in Ghent center and were somewhat well attended; post Covid there was only Mass at the Cathedral at noon and most in attendance appeared to visitors and not local parishioners. The extremism of the local biship may have something to do with attendance as well.
James 1:27 in the Bible describes a pure and undefiled religion as visiting orphans and widows in their time of need, and keeping oneself unstained from the world:
Interesting paradox. Modern Belgium critics of the Church condemn the church for having historically active homosexual men ordained as priests whilst proclaiming the splendors of 2 men getting " married" Hypocrisy! Imho
What is happening in the Church is nothing new. Over the last 2,000 years the Church has been guilty of many atrocious activities, such as bad Popes, pedophiles, man-made traditions, wars, persecutions etc. Christ did say his Church must suffer great trials and tribulations on her earthly pilgrimage until it can be perfected. This is why the Church must go through the great tribulation.
My impression of the people of Belgium is that, along with those of Switzerland and The Netherlands, they think for themselves, and find that the Church is so outdated that it is no longer worthy of serious consideration.
@@Jimboken1 If not thinking for yourself is a requirement for belonging to your church, you are welcome to it. And apparently about 97% of Belgians think as I do.
Dear John, the issue is not the fictive rich harvest or new Catholics but why no one takes the Pacapapa 😈 seriously? Apart from some idealistic and uninformed asians which stll have not enough of his "holiness" and are ready to extol him as a holy man. Briefly: let's go Brandon 🤠
The Belgium state ought to apologize to Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa, for murdering 10 millions of their citizens under Belgian colonialism. Their Eugenics did not begin today.
I can be reasonably satisfied not to expect any orthodoxy but expect only more confusion and heresy from this totally unhinged Pacapapa . Please keep us informed😀😎😀
Medical aid in dying is simply humane. It is weird why that fact is not obvious to some people. Medical aid in dying is, to the 21st century, what birth control was to the 20th century. At first it appears to be interfering with God's work -- until it just makes sense.
@@paulfaigl8329 It is obvious and so is the corollary. If one attaches oneself to religion one is not attached to God which has been proven many times. Celibacy is a technique for getting closer to God and not an entrance fee for a religion. God is not a baseball game and God is not a corporate organizational structure. There is a will to God and it is often times not as we expect it to be.
Two weeks of episodes to respond to Pope Francis' explicit heretical statements in Singapore and nada from John. And it's not as if Pope Francis didn't double down subsequently. Even for a lefty like John, I'm nonetheless rather surprised.
An organization that hides criminals, promotes them… seems like a criminal organization… And instead of compensating the victims; the organization fights them in court…
