The Canonizations
I have actually been taking a break from posting because with much that has been going on in the Church, I have decided that a break was in order. In addition to that, I have been rather busy with other personal matters. I will resume posting soon.
I’ve been muddling over in my head for the last month or so about my thoughts in regards to the recent canonizations of now Pope St. John XXIII and Pope St. John Paul II.
While I do not doubt that they are in Heaven because the Church and Her Magisterium say so, to me, they should not have been elevated to the status of Saint.
Before you pass judgment and accuse me of being a sedevacantist, or heretic, or even a Pharisee, let me explain my position.
The purpose of declaring someone a Saint, is that they are those who have demonstrated heroic virtue based on their state in life. As Popes, they are responsible for the sins of the entire world, those Catholic and non-Catholic alike. There is a reason why so few Popes have been elevated to the status of Sainthood. Each Pope may exude personal holiness, but if they have failed in their duties of their office, that goes against them. Just like if you as a parent have failed to properly bring up your child in the faith, Popes too are responsible for the failures of each child of God on this planet.
Pope St. John XXIII started the Second Vatican Council as we all know. We also can see the fruits of the implementation of this council. Mass attendance has sunk in the United States as well as most of the Western World. Mass attendance prior to V2 was about 80% on a weekly basis. Currently, it is somewhere around 30%. The faith has been watered down since then and sound Catholicism is a rarity to be found.
I understand that you can not blame other people’s faults on someone else, but since this was started under his watch and a direct result from his doings, it is only right that he take responsibility. Many Catholics have abandoned the faith. This is a great tragedy.
The most important factor is that the 2nd required miracle was completely skipped. Granted other Saints have had this requirement waived, it is still disconcerting, even in their cases as well.
Pope St. John Paul II may have combated many evils during his pontificate such as abortion, contraception, homosexuality, women priests, etc, but he had his shortcomings.
One such shortcoming was the complete lack of oversight in regards to the sexual abuse scandal. I’m tired of beating a dead horse but, this occurred under his watch. We are looking strictly at facts. He also publicly kissed a Koran (which he never apologized for), he allowed for female altar servers, he allowed the Assissi gatherings in which false religions were allowed to publicly worship together in some form of false ecumenicism. The sacredness of the Mass was ruined by allowing Witch Doctors and false idols to enter the sanctuary.
Many of the Saints that the Church recognizes have been martyred for refusing to acknowledge the “truths” of false religions. Yes, Islam is a false religion. Since Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is the Truth, any religion that claims otherwise is False.
Much ink has been spilled about these two and many other sources have far better points than I, but these are my thoughts and again I am not denying the Church’s authority or that of Her Magisterium.
I will recognize that these two men are in Heaven and that their personal holiness is what got them to Heaven. I will also recognize that this seems to be a ploy to canonize the Second Vatican Council, even though there are many things that are contradictory to prior councils (such as religious freedom, ecumenicism, and Islam). This is more evident especially since Pope Paul VI will be beatified over what seems to be a phony miracle.
We have two new Saints. I submit myself to the Church’s Authority on this and trust that God is in control as He always is. This isn’t the end of the world, though it can seem disconcerting. I know my Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Second Sunday of Easter) was very painful and distracting. Thankfully, I was able to ignore my computer most of the day and those I was with made no mention of the canonizations (thank God!).
I close in prayer: “Pope St. John XXIII and Pope St. John Paul II, we ask that you intercede on our behalf, and give us Church leaders that are much greater and holier than you.”
Good thought sir, I’m agree!
About Pope Paul VI, why you think that is a phony miracle?
From the National Catholic Register:
The attributed miracle involves an unborn child, who was found to have a serious health problem that posed a high risk of brain damage, in the 1990s in California. The child’s bladder was damaged, and doctors reported ascites (the presence of liquid in the abdomen) and anhydramnios (absence of fluid in the amniotic sac). Physicians advised that the child be aborted, but the mother entrusted her pregnancy to the intercession of Pope Paul VI, who succeeded St. John XXIII on June 21, 1963, and served until his death on Aug. 6, 1978.
The mother took the advice of a nun who was a friend of the family and had met Paul VI. The mother then prayed for Paul VI’s intercession using a fragment of the pope’s vestments that the nun had given her.
Ten weeks later, the results of the medical tests showed a substantial improvement in the child’s health, and he was born by Caesarean section in the 39th week of pregnancy. He is now a healthy adolescent and considered to be completely healed.
The troubling part to me and why I called it ‘phony’ was it was not a confirmation of actually having the disease, but a ‘risk’. When dealing with miracles, there needs to be a confirmed medical diagnosis that states you have the disease. There must also be no cure and there needs to be a healing with no medical explanation. Any time there is a *chance* of something happening, doesn’t mean it’s a miracle. Could be the diagnosis was incorrect.