Another Word on Fire Product

Friends, I am happy to announce that Word on Fire has released a brand new book from Fr. Blake Britton called “Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Said, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church.” Learn more here: https://t.co/YyPUBejDjk. pic.twitter.com/BU9gOJnSWa

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) October 11, 2021

Propping Up Paul VI and Vatican II

Pope St. Paul VI, prophetic defender of Church teaching who led the Second Vatican Council to its close, pray for us! pic.twitter.com/qNJ1MECsNb

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) May 29, 2021

Promoting the Brand and Vatican II

Friends, “The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection” is a robust but readable journey into the true history and purpose of the Second Vatican Council, and a compelling call for an enthusiastic return to its texts today.

Get your copy at https://t.co/g5Oasju8AF pic.twitter.com/Y2PKXlh3Sw

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) March 27, 2021

Pope of the Supercouncil

Francis: 'No concession' to those who deny Vatican II teachings https://t.co/tn6pEPaNfn via @ncronline @joshjmac

— Thomas Reese, S.J. (@ThomasReeseSJ) February 1, 2021

It's interesting to note that Pope Francis' view of Vatican II is, at least as described here, virtually indistinguishable from that of every American bishop (with very few exceptions). https://t.co/DVCVyzw2ri

— Stephen White (@Stephen_P_White) February 2, 2021

Audience with participants in the meeting promoted by the National Catechetical Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference, 30.01.2021

Why?

Does Nostra Aetate deal with Chalcedonian Orthodoxy? (No.)

Archimandrite Nikodemos Angnostopoulos contributed to the volume Nostra Aetate, Non-Christian Religions, and Interfaith Relations published by Villanova University#orthodox_timeshttps://t.co/PbpGjyF8jO

— Orthodox Times (@orthodox_times) January 4, 2021

A "Transmission Crisis"

Stephen Bullivant on Vatican II

By @CCamosy today on @Crux, Author says New Evangelization must tackle ‘transmission crisis’ https://t.co/xHVwOccpm2

— Crux (@Crux) December 21, 2020

Bullivant attemtps a nuanced view of Vatican II. But he is hampered in his analysis by his adherence to Latin ecclesiology and beliefs concerning primacy. Is mass culture a cause of the "transmission crisis"? Yes. But mass culture is insufficient to explain the fundamental weakness of the institutional churches (Latin and otherwise). Bullivant needs to dig deeper, as he apparently has not seen the studies showing that it is the father who has the most influence in the religious upbringing of his children. Either that, or he is unwilling to affirm the importance of patriarchy and believes he must appear to be egalitarian:

Religious practice in the home and as a family (including bothparents). This is the single biggest predictor of whether a child ends up as religious practicing adult, and there’s a whole social-scientific literature (which I discuss in Mass Exodus) around why. Basically, anything that you do becauseof what you believe, that you wouldn’t do if you didn’t believe, helps to inculcate the importance of those beliefs. Things that take time and effort – even really little things like grace before meals, praying when an ambulance passes – have a large cumulative power and effect.

And while he is aware of the importance of "community," he is probably unaware of what is required to go beyond "socializing" and create an actual community, namely, patriarchy:

Community. Fact is, we’re social beings, and we find it easiest to believe and practice when we hang out with ‘significant other’ who do so too. This is something we used to do very well, but – outside of very special locales, we’re not going back to the kinds of neighborhood parishes, where all or most of one’s neighbors are fellow Catholics. Such places aren’t absolutely impossible – Ave Maria, Florida, would be a thriving example – but they’re not really a scalable strategy. So the trick is to find various ‘hacks.’ No doubt there are things we could learn from both Mormons and megachurches on this score: Both tend to do it better than we do. But really, anything we can do to enable committed Catholics hanging out with other committed Catholics – and such families with other such families – is a plus. Think of it as a mini ‘Benedict Option’ (cf. Rod Dreher’s great book). Until Latins (and others) recognize this fundamental fact of family and political life, they will make no headway in reforming and strengthening their churches.

Is John Courtney Murray still relevant?

No, and the (Roman) Catholic moment has come and gone. Murray probably did not foresee the consequences of increased migration and the onset of identity politics.

Fr. John Courtney Murray's "We Hold These Truths" at 60: the Constitution established a framework for pluralism, or civil debate among groups holding fundamentally incompatible positions. @McGillPatterson https://t.co/KU7yFqENnK

— Law & Liberty (@LawLiberty) November 2, 2020

Law and Liberty

Two Views

Today marks 55 years since #NostraAetate. Always struck me as a profoundly beautiful document, one that made me fall in love with Catholicism. Was able to talk to some bright UD students about it in Rome a few years back. My thoughts on this great text. https://t.co/0MQlGH3X0Q

— Fr. Joshua J. Whitfield (@frjoshTX) October 29, 2020

Pope's Acceptance of Homosexuality Reveals the Dark Core of Roman Catholicism

A. I. Osipov: It turns out that today the Pope is questioning the most fundamental principles of morality, moral Christian teaching. And this is not surprising, because, starting with Pope John XXIII (he died back in 1963), all subsequent popes used the same phrase, which no one had ever used before them (before John XXIII). And, of course, Pope Francis repeats this with special force and emphasis.

N. Bulchuk: And what is this phrase?

A. I. Osipov: The fact is that John XXIII was the first to visit the Roman synagogue, and to the whole world he said: "You are our elder brothers." Moreover, here we are not talking about Jews, but about Judaism, for which Jesus Christ is a false messiah. Because he calls people to the Kingdom of God, which “is within us,” and not to the Kingdom of God, which people dream of building on the earth. So, all these are natural steps. Francis right now declares: he directly declares, this is again an unprecedented statement: "We and the Jews believe in one God." What does this phrase indicate? That Christ is no one for Francis! You and we believe in what God? In Jesus Christ, who is the Image of the Invisible God. Here, He, God, appeared in the form most accessible to human knowledge! .. Now think about what Francis says: "We have one god with the Jews." That is, it is possible to believe in “one god” without recognizing Christ? Calling Christ a false messiah? So, you see, how dogmatic or (which is more understandable for the general public) doctrinal truths to what extent are connected with the moral teaching of Christianity. And now ... Pope Francis has repeatedly, in hints, around and around, based on the context, expressed his point of view on this issue. But now he openly declared his opinion. And this, of course, excited a lot of people. But I would urge you not to be surprised and look at his personal spiritual state: how he demonstrates his humility in front of the whole world, in front of cameras, for example, kissing the feet of refugees or blacks, as well as other ostentatious "forces" that he throws out. So much for the Vatican! It’s time, perhaps, for the Orthodox to pay serious attention to this.

N. Bulchuk: But immediately the figure of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew comes to mind, who has recently been very close to Pope Francis ...

A. I. Osipov: Lately he has been flying to Rome every now and then, and only communicates with the Roman prelates. And by this he most obviously demonstrates his spirit. You see what a danger stands before us, before Orthodoxy! After all, this, it would seem, is Constantinople, the primordial Church, and what is it doing! It is no accident, by the way, that Constantinople has recently taken not only such a position, but has essentially gone into schism: this is what it means - communion with the spirit of the world, with the spirit of Catholicism!

Fr. Stravinskas on the First Things Podcast

”Although a council was needed, Vatican II could not have happened at a worse time.” —Fr. Peter Stravinskashttps://t.co/FUIQjGyHY3

— First Things (@firstthingsmag) October 16, 2020

Doing his part to hold up the Church of Rome, but I don't know which Roman Catholics will be persuaded.

Cardinal Zen in Dialogue with Fr. Giampietro

Still at It

To aid Catholics in reclaiming a true understanding of Vatican II, my Word on Fire team has put together this helpful FAQ page with answers to common points of confusion: (3/3) https://t.co/izIKvcldUn

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) August 11, 2020

Unfortunately, it has become popular to disparage or even attempt to actively discard this ecumenical council, which bears the Church's highest level of teaching authority. (2/3)

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) August 11, 2020

John Cavadini Weighs In on the Vatican II Controversy

Was Vatican II a Bad Seed? https://t.co/wbmxen01ys

— Church Life Journal (@ChurchLifeND) July 29, 2020

CLJ

Is it not beautiful to be able to say, with the Catechism’s summary of conciliar teaching, that “Christ’s Spirit uses these [separated] Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation,” while qualifying that their “power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church” (CCC §819)?

The response is more a series of responses to particular points, whether than a point by point argument. I think Latins should go farther than the Council and admit that the schism is not from the Church but within the Church, following the example of Louis Bouyer. How many years will it take for this development to happen?

I Wouldn't Expect Him to Say Anything Different

Rejecting the arguments of “extreme conservatives” and “extreme progressives,” @CardJosephZen told CNA that “post-conciliar errors do not belong to the Council, just as heresies do not belong to the Bible.” #VaticanII https://t.co/tpev9c3Qen

— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) July 27, 2020

“Vatican II happened 50 years ago, but it surely doesn’t belong to the past, its light still leads the Church through the darkness of her journey today.."
--@CardJosephZenhttps://t.co/yTEJZmCeFo

— National Catholic Register (@NCRegister) July 27, 2020

A Latin Would Say This

Since the Church’s tradition includes the Second Vatican Council, it's therefore impossible to repudiate Vatican II and claim to be a faithful traditionalist. There's nothing traditional about rejecting an ecumenical council. Learn more:https://t.co/1LnqmJ1Hs1 (2/2)

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) July 22, 2020

Non-Latins will disagree on the status accorded to Vatican II by most Latins.

Another Open Letter

50 priests, scholars, journalists thank Archbishop Vigano and Bishop Schneider for their raising the Vatican II debate:https://t.co/f7kK52EYmU

— Maike Hickson (@HicksonMaike) July 15, 2020

Vatican II was the bomb, doncha know?

Vigano & Schneider seem to have irked the Vatican's crimina... cardinals. Tornielli has apparently been tasked with a campaign of defence of Vatican II. https://t.co/zdnEArjNdV

— Hilary White (@hilarityjane) July 2, 2020

A Laughable Endorsement

this by Cardinal Cupich is very good
“How Vatican II can help us navigate the politics of a pandemic” https://t.co/5Ar3k3Q1Hr

— Massimo Faggioli (@MassimoFaggioli) May 26, 2020

FSSPX and Religious Liberty

Written by an Opus Dei Member?

Did I link to the original Crisis article when it was first published?

Which reminds me of the allegation that Byzantine spirituality has been dominated too much by monastics... something to ponder.

Instead of "slave morality" do we have "wage-slave spirituality"?



(Imaginative Conservative)

A Faker All Along?

Or did he fail his vocation along the way? Thomas Merton.

Gary Wills reviews On Thomas Merton by Mary Gordon.

Rod Dreher's reaction, with some memories of Merton from Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon: Thomas Merton: Pious Fraud?