“Pope” Francis: an overview

For those interested in the newest post-Vatican II claimant to the Papacy and the continuation of the "new Springtime," listen to Restoration Radio tomorrow at 9pm EDST.  The last of our 3-part series on the legacy of Benedict XVI concludes with coverage of the background of his successor and what that might mean for his "reign."

In the meantime, my friend New Catholic over at Rorate, who started blogging a month before I did, in October 2006, has this to say on Francis.

Stephen Heiner

Stephen founded True Restoration in 2006 and served as its first President until 2023. He now lives in Reading, Pennsylvania.

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9 Responses

  1. Satyre says:

    Terrific discussion of Bergoglio. I agree – he's going to cause mayhem, which will help to peel some trads away from the NO.

    Love your shows, thank you so much for putting them together, and to Bps Sanborn & Dolan, and Fr Cekada, for their generosity of time in participating regularly. Any other clerics you might invite on? How about some of the Bp Kelly people? Or CMRI? How about the laymen John Daly or John Lane? (You had Daly on once, I think.)

    I do a lot of commuting and these podcasts are wonderful food for thought on an otherwise boring drive. Sedes need to communicate more with each other, even if they disagree over this and that. They all agree on the main points. They need to discuss and thrash out issues, try to reach common views on topics of the moment, and present a far more unified face to the world than they do now. God bless you, David.

  2. David

    Thanks for kudos – we are constantly hoping to reach people who appreciate the information and have been pleasantly surprised to chat with both NO and non-Catholics who listen to our show.

    As for unity, while I definitely understand your desire for unity, you have to remember that it is precisely because we lack the unifying principle of the Pope to rally around that we will have disagreements. The Pope, as the head of the family, is always the final word and in his absence, the children will fight, as there is no designated proxy or "older brother" to arbitrate issues on his behalf.

    I think the example of the CMRI/St. Gertrude alliance is great. They don't agree on everything but they genuinely cooperate and collaborate at times, and certainly don't denounce each other. Indeed, Fr. Benedict Hughes CMRI appeared on one of our shows not that long ago:

    http://www.blogtalkradio.com/restorationradio/2013/01/19/restoration-radio-xvii-devotion-to-the-pope

    I cannot say the same for the SSPV and Bp Kelly, who have for years denounced Thuc-line clergy and maintained that they were invalid, even when the mountain of evidence (see http://www.thucbishops.com) was piled against them. Unlike the SSPV, both Bp Sanborn and Fr Cekada have changed positions when they have done the research and found themselves to be in the wrong. The SSPV also deny communion to anyone who takes the Sacraments from Thuc-line clergy. On paper they don't accept Bp Dolan or Bp Sanborn as bishops.

    We cannot present a unified face to the world until the Pope unites us. Until then, we do what we can with good will, grace, and diplomacy.

  3. Satyre says:

    Thanks for the reply, Stephen. I have to say I've had doubts in the past about the Thuc-line bishops, but I haven't researched it in ages and these days I pretty much accept the general consensus of other trads who have looked into the matter more deeply than I have.

    It's a pity the SSPV won't collaborate at all, though. I like WFTS radio, and wish there were more 24/7 trad programming, but there are so few of us that even having one radio station is a blessing. And all your podcasts make up for it with plenty to listen to!

    Here's a point about antipope Frank: he'll do everything he can to play down his putative universal jurisdiction, go on and on about the Church being primarily spiritual rather than political, and keep calling himself the bishop of Rome, *until* he gets around to persecuting V2 trads, the SSPX et al, at which time he'll invoke every bit of political power and jurisdiction at his disposal to throw them out (good for us) or make them conform. Ah, the irony.

  4. RUKMINI says:

    Print print some articles from time to time. Some of us with dial-up or expensive ISPs cannot listen/view programmes.

    Thank you!

  5. RUKMINI

    Hope to have a piece up by this evening!

  6. pclaudel says:

    Dear Mr. Heiner,

    "The SSPV also deny communion to anyone who takes the Sacraments from Thuc-line clergy. On paper they don't accept Bp Dolan or Bp Sanborn as bishops."

    I regard this as a disturbing and blatantly anti-Catholic trend, one that has, I understand, spread to some SSPX Mass sites (albeit for different reasons). We Catholics have a right to the sacraments, as an analogue to the clergy's right to expect our material support, and absent blatant public sin or immorality, it is simply wicked for a priest to deny the Eucharist to someone for a disagreement over a matter of less than properly central concern to a layman.

    My question for you, however, is rather more practical. How do the SSPVs go about isolating an indulter or a Thuc-line accepter or a Williamsonite or whatever? Do you get stopped at the door of the chapel and get grilled? Or is there a general call for the guilty to rise in their place and fess up to their opinions, under penalty of mortal sin? In the latter case, I sure as heck wouldn't stand were I in the situation, since I firmly believe no priest has the right, whether moral or ex officio, to make such a public inquiry of me.

    Any enlightenment you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

  7. Pclaudel

    I do think the situations of being grilled at the door or to stand if guilty are pretty hilarious but they don't happen, thankfully.

    As far as I am told, if you are a stranger in that parish you won't get stopped at the communion rail that first time, but you will be asked, if you stick around, what your pedigree is.

    Dumb, I agree.

  8. ambrosio says:

    Well some Trads still claim that the post Vatican II conclaves have had the assistance of the Holy Spirit. So when all these Modernists (Heretics) have been elected, the ball is placed in our court. We must pray for them. Who knows? They may be converted!.

    The same bull is being spoken about Francis.

  9. RUKMINI says:

    Blogger Stephen Heiner said…

    RUKMINI

    Hope to have a piece up by this evening!

    March 17, 2013 at 4:26 PM
    ————————————
    Thank you!