Amazing words on Pope Francis from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. While John Allen, on the occasion of the second anniversary of Bergoglio’s election, still writes of the “Miracle Francis” and expounds on the latter’s “mystical experiences,” the leading German language newspaper suddenly takes a decidedly more critical view. Author Markus Günter writes, for example:

It’s the Last Straw

… The unprecedented wave of sympathy which the Pope triggered immediately upon taking office two years ago is now slowly receding. Some experienced a rude awakening when he admonished Catholics not to behave like “rabbits.” For others a border was crossed when he said he would answer anyone who would insult his mother with a “punch in the nose.”…. The spokesman of the Vatican and bishops throughout the world made a genuine effort to explain that which was hardly explainable, that the Pope had not meant it ‘thus’ but in a totally different way…. But, on the side, even the faithful apologists of the Pope lost for the first time their patience: does this have to be so? Does he think at all about the effect of his words? ….For the first time a new opinion took hold: it’s the last straw…. Among the American bishops the expression “loose cannon” has been circulating for a long time when the subject of Francis came up.

and:

Those who should know (the causes of Francis’ behaviour), have appeared for a long time now extremely discouraged. To be sure, a certain learning curve is visible, but the essence of the problem cannot be changed: Francis does not allow anyone to tell him what he has to do or not do. The free, spontaneous, often unreflected word – which he has not carefully tested on the scales – simply corresponds to his character. He is most content when he can simply speak out loud without the need to respect liturgical rubrics or diplomatic practices. Every external constraint – the papal vestments, the apartments of the Apostolic palace, prepared speeches, or the strict ritual of the Vatican – is basically distasteful to him.

and:

Between the Pope and his subordinates the final rupture came on this day ( that of the Pope’s Christmas address to the Curia). Even today it is a mystery why nobody had explained to the Pope the obvious fact: after a Christmas address of this kind no boss could count on the full support of his subordinates.

And much much more.

Of course all this has been obvious for many months now, but for the first time that I am aware one of the major media of the world has pointed out that the emperor has no clothes. Lovers of conspiracy theories will undoubtedly speculate what has led the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung to break the code of omertà. The “FAZ” has shown in recent years willingness to work hand in glove with the German bishops’ conference. Could this extraordinarily frank article be the journalistic equivalent of Cardinal Marx’s address a few weeks ago which talked of the German church going its own path? Could it represent a second shot across the bow of team Francis, given them a foretaste of what will come if the Bishop of Rome can’t deliver what the German church expects at the upcoming synod?

A New York Times article on the reaction to Cardinal Egan’s death by some members of this chapel’s congregation.

Not a word in the article regarding the fact that the monstrously ugly “chapel” was recently constructed by Cardinal Egan himself on the site of a parish he eliminated.

The “Adoration of the Shepherds” by Antonio Campi over the Church’s main altar; above that hovers the conference room (Photography by Francois Halard for WSJ. Magazine)

A church in Milan- with 16th century frescoes, a high altar and crypt – converted into architectural offices! An in-depth article by Tom Vanderbilt with photos by Francois Halard in the March 2015 WSJ. Magazine.

And of course: Locatelli built a steel structural element that obscures the crucifix in the nun’s choir. The cross was “too strong,” he says. “Not because I mind, but in case someone from another religion comes in. This is not a religious place anymore.”

Application for a beer and wine license.

1b.* Apps. to the SLA for New beer and/or wine License:
JP Street, Inc., 52 E. 8th St. 10003
Tea and Sympathy Inc., 108 Greenwich Ave. 10011
Dumpling 516 Hudson NY Inc., 516 Hudson St. 10014
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Center, Inc., d/b/a Sheen Center, 18 Bleecker St. 10012
DomoDomo LLC, 138 West Houston St. 10012
Doshermanos LLC, 95 MacDougal St. Store B 10012

(Thanks to Samuel Howard for the tip)

SOURCE

And the Jesuits are in there of course:

Pope Francis and the Culture of the Internet Symposium

$10 suggested donation…

Both stained glass windows appear in All Saints Church, Manhattan

The following churches will offer Traditional Masses for the Feast of St. Joseph, Thursday, March 19

St. Mary Church, Greenwich, CT, 7:30 pm. The  traditional blessing of pastries will follow the mass.

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, Vespers, 5:30 pm; Solemn Mass at 7 pm.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 400 Maywood Ave., Maywood, NJ, 7:30pm, Missa Cantata.

Stained glass window of St. Michael appears in the Church of the Holy Innocents, Manhattan

We received today a letter  of interest to our readers:

My name is Matthew Reid and I, along with a number of other NYPD officers recently started a traditional Catholic fraternity for the many Catholic members of our Dept. We have monthly, to bi-monthly meetings at our home, the great Church of the Holy Innocents. Father Leonard Villa  is working with us, for which we are most honored and appreciative.
I would like to request that you please let the readers of your great site know about our fraternity, which is named “The Patrolman’s Fraternity of St. Michael.” We are on facebook under that name and are looking to expand our reach and ability to evangelize our fallen away brethren by exposing them to the majesty and other worldly awe of the Mass of the Ages.
I would like to end by asking for prayers, as our job these days is unfortunately a spiritual desert, like so much of the rest of society.

En Christi,
Matthew Reid

And tells of his experiences– including interesting details on aspects of life in the Jesuit order in the New York metropolitan area.

(Above and below) In the “upper church” the great window of the Second Coming – with a commemoration of St. Etheldreda(Audrey)

One of the few medieval London churches to survive the Great Fire of London… Returned to Catholic hands in the 19th century.

And now the “lower church” or “crypt” has become a venue for parties: a dinner of the International Bar Association last Monday amid the statues of the past.

To the late Brent Bozell and Triumph magazine from neoconservatism, which movement seems to be groping towards the same conclusions on America reached by Bozell and Triumph  – only some 45 years later:

“The End of American Civic Christianity” by Rod Dreher (see also the First Things discussion to which it refers)

There is much that is sensible written in these essays. However, the conclusion of George Weigel’s contribution  – which returns to the same First Things cliches – demonstrates that the neoconservative movement still has to pass through a long process of understanding:

“The answer in America is to revitalize a civil society rooted in the moral truths embodied in human nature. Only a civil society so rooted is capable of sustaining pluralist democracy without imploding into chaos or sinking into the dictatorship of relativism. And it is likely that only the Church, among American civil-society institutions, can lead in that long process of national civic renewal.”

Today, of course, Catholic neoconservatism must face not only complete rejection by American Civil Society but also specific repudiation of all its main points by the Bishop of Rome. Here too an apology is due. In this case the mea culpa should be directed to the many traditionalists, true conservatives  and “palaeocons” of the post-Triumph decades who were the target of neoconservative abuse on ecclesiastical and liturgical issues. But, as recent exchanges reveal, not everyone at First Things has come as far in his understanding of Francis as have the participants in the above exchanges in their assessment of American civil society.