All these years we thought we knew. Now comes the revolution and with it a great awakening.

The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops issued the Working Document (WD) for the Continental Stage of the Synod for a Synodal Church last week. It unapologetically calls into question various Catholic doctrines under the guise of listening to the Holy Spirit who, remarkably, is somehow speaking through the complaints and criticisms of those who reject what the Church teaches and has always taught.

And of course, with every new thing comes the rationale.

Contributions from around the world that contradict Catholic doctrine are cited or summarized with approval because “they express in a particularly powerful, beautiful or precise way sentiments expressed more generally in many reports.” (¶6) Those sentiments enjoy the presumption of Spirit-inspired truth while doctrines cause alienation and sorrow.

Lord, deliver us from doctrine. What we want is an end to sorrow right now. Heaven on earth.

Remarks from an American parish group are emblematic: “The vision of a Church capable of radical inclusion, shared belonging, and deep hospitality according to the teachings of Jesus is at the heart of the synodal process: ‘Instead of behaving like gatekeepers trying to exclude others from the table, we need to do more to make sure that people know that everyone can find a place and a home here.’” (¶31) The WD further explains that “[t]he synodal experience can be read as a path of recognition for those who do not feel sufficiently recognized in the Church.” (¶32)

The devil’s in those details?

So who feels excluded? “Among those who ask for a more meaningful dialogue and a more welcoming space we also find those who, for various reasons, feel a tension between belonging to the Church and their own loving relationships, such as: remarried divorcees, single parents, people living in a polygamous marriage, LGBTQ people, etc.” (¶39) This even gets a second mention:  “Many summaries also give voice to the pain of not being able to access the Sacraments experienced by remarried divorcees and those who have entered into polygamous marriages. There is no unanimity on how to deal with these situations” (¶94)

It’s been on its way for decades, love, love, hooray for love in sermonic pablum, week in, week out, Catholicism Lite. The old ’60s cry, heard from the picketers: What do we want? Freedom. When do we want it? Now.

Who else is complaining? “After careful listening, many reports ask that the Church continue its discernment in relation to a range of specific questions: the active role of women in the governing structures of Church bodies, the possibility for women with adequate training to preach in parish settings, and a female diaconate. Much greater diversity of opinion was expressed on the subject of priestly ordination for women, which some reports call for, while others consider a closed issue.” (¶64)

Gimme that old-time discernment, our all-purpose justifying thing.

The solution? “[The] conversion of the Church’s culture, for the salvation of the world, is linked in concrete terms to the possibility of establishing a new culture, with new practices and structures.” (¶60)

more more more here, as Fr. Murray of New York tells us, God bless that man . . .

Wrap your troubles in the awareness of God . . .

Were the Society of Jesus to be dissolved, Ignatius once conjectured, it would take him 15 minutes of prayer to reconcile himself. Francis de Sales was once asked how long he went without being aware of the presence of God; his response, too, was 15 minutes.

For both masters, abandonment and holy indifference capture how they lived their lives and instructed those who follow them. To put it bluntly, each will spot us 15 minutes to get refocused on letting God lead us and not vice versa.

. . . and dream your troubles away? Not exactly. Something better here? You don’t know until you try it.

Don’t Allow the Media to Shape Your Opinions and Views

Looking for Good Catholic Bishops? Try a Chinese Prison

He has a way with words. Whence comes such another?

#PopeFrancis at Mass to mark 60 years since opening of Vatican II says that progressivism and “traditionalism — or backwardness — aren’t evidence of love, but of infidelity” and “Pelagian egoisms which put our own tastes and plans above the love that pleases God.”

As chief shepherd of millions, he owes us an explanation. For instance, what are Pelagian egoisms? Try what duckduckgo (a google alternative) comes up with and see where you fit in. You might learn something.

It’s heretical, that much is for sure, and while denying original sin, is clearly something that puts the blame not only on Mame but on all of us. Born free of evil tendencies, we can make it on own after all and if we don’t, then . . . You get it.

In any case, the shepherd of us all . . . what? As I say, he should explain.

He appoints a prototypical leftist feminist to his (ours, but it has his title’s name on it) pro-life post.

‘VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — The Pontifical Academy for Life on Saturday announced Pope Francis’ appointment of pro-abortion, World Economic Forum-linked economist Mariana Mazzucato as one of its new “Ordinary Academicians.”’

As I say, has he no shame?

My note, 5/18/2010:

Was talking to a fellow the other day who was celebrating his “epiphany” of twenty-some years ago, he being 70-ish now. Something of a mid-life crisis that turned out well. . . .

. . .less than two years after he was cleared of charges on separate accusations.

“Let me be clear — I am completely innocent of this accusation. While I am confident that the new allegation will also be determined to be unfounded, this process is so unfair and painful to me and to the community I serve,” Pfleger wrote.

He blames the process? Is this new for him?

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. tried meditating in the ’60s, he said, in his Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage, [I think. Sorry] using a mantra, a Sanskrit word which he thinks may mean $85, what he paid for it. Later it dawned on him that “in our civilization” we meditate using “a medieval object, a book,” putting ourselves in touch with people in ages gone by. This kind of meditation, he says, gives “access to brains better than our own.” . . . .

More more more here . . .