News Item: : A More Edifying Choice of Cardinal
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
Posted by admin
Thursday 13 October 2016 - 12:46:27

In the interests of balance it is important to acknowledge that, since writing the earlier article on the new cardinals, we have noticed that the Catholic Herald did actually run a much more edifying story in relation to them. The uplifting story of Cardinal-Elect Ernesto Troshani Simoni has also been reported by Associated Press, CNS and Zenit. 

This humble priest from Albania certainly stands apart from the various modernistic bishops on Francis' list of new cardinals.

Although his advancing age will preclude him from voting in any future papal conclave, it is nevertheless heartening to see that Pope Francis is elevating this humble priest to the cardinalate. In announcing his choice of Fr. Simoni, Pope Francis acknowledged that he was chosen as a priest who rendered clear Christian testimony.

I am a poor priest and my only richness is Christ 

Fr. Simoni certainly seems to be a beautiful soul. We could do with more like him in the Church today.

His story first came into the limelight during the Papal Visit to Albania in 2014. During Vespers in the Cathedral of St. Paul in Tirana, Fr. Simoni had shared the story of his priesthood: In 1968, during the brutal Communist persecution of the Church in Albania, Fr. Simoni was arrested, beaten, tortured and kept in isolation. Eventually, he had to spend many years in prison and forced labour camps. This was all because of his love for Christ. Indeed, Fr. Simoni wrote on the wall of his prison cell: ''Jesus is my life.''

In the conditions of the harsh prison camps, Fr. Simoni became a spiritual director to numerous prisoners: secretly celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass from memory, hearing confessions and giving Holy Communion to his fellow prisoners.

Mimmo Muolo, the Italian biographer of Cardinal-Elect Simoni, has said that one of his key phrases has stayed with him. That is: ''I am a poor priest and my only richness is Christ.''

When Fr. Simoni first recounted his story, Pope Francis was seen to tear up. He embraced Fr. Simoni and said: ''Today we have touched martyrs. With this simplicity they suffered very much physically, psychically, with the anguish of uncertainty, not knowing if they would be shot or not, and they lived with this anguish. The Lord consoled them... He consoles in the depth of the heart and by His strength.''

In our times, the Church has been so thoroughly infiltrated that orthodoxy and the orthodox are under extreme spiritual pressure each day. May the story of Fr. Ernesto Simoni, this humble priest who loves Jesus so much, be a source of encouragement to all who read this article.

Here at least is one priest of Jesus Christ who has truly merited the red hat which symbolizes Christian martyrdom. 

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This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.1431 )