News Item: : Never a Christmas Like It!
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
Posted by admin
Saturday 24 December 2016 - 13:00:20

In the present circumstances, the above picture of Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke from Catholic Sat's Twitter page is one of the most edifying things in today's news.

I am sure readers will agree that there has never been a Christmas like this one. During this week we have all heard Cardinal Burke clearly warning that a pontiff who commits formal heresy, ''would cease by that act to be the Pope.''

Then yesterday, 1 Peter 5's Dr. Maike Hickson broke the news to the English-speaking world that the German Der Spiegel publication had reported Pope Francis as saying, ''It is not to be excluded that I might go down in history as the one who split the Catholic Church''.

This morning we read at LifeSiteNews that Cardinal Walter Brandmuller - one of the 4 cardinals who issued the Dubia to Francis - has also affirmed to Der Spiegel that, ''whoever thinks that persistent adultery and reception of Holy Communion are compatible is a heretic and promotes schism''. Of course, that is merely a confirmation of the Church's perennial teaching, as clearly set forth in Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

All of this talk of sacrilege, heresy and schism can be most unsettling to ordinary folks in the pews; especially in a time when so few people have received sufficient catechesis, or ongoing support in conversion of heart to the fullness of truth.

During the Christmas season which is about to open to us, there are countless graces available to the Church, to Catholics and to all people to turn toward our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and be saved.

Let us enter as fully as possible into the mysteries of Christ's Incarnation and pray for the Church to come through this dangerous storm more strongly than ever before. We pray that Pope Francis will do the right thing, alter his present trajectory and begin to teach clearly the true doctrines of Holy Mother the Church; received, as they are, from Jesus Christ Himself in the power of the Holy Ghost.

To encourage readers to keep good heart and faith, here is a little piece regarding the approach of Christmas, from the Letters of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.

St. Padre Pio: The Baby Jesus is the Star that guides you through the desert of this present life.

Let us meditate on this during this Christmas Eve; and may none of us ever forget it.

Keep the Faith! 

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This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.1506 )