Tea at Trianon: The Devil and Pope Francis

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, July 12, 2014

The Devil and Pope Francis

From Aleteia:

Demonic possession is not only real, but as the practice of Christianity fades and fascination with the occult increases, the need for exorcism becomes more pressing. This week the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican approved the statutes of a new Catholic organization, the International Association of Exorcists. Founded by the well known exorcist, Fr. Gabriel Amorth, the Association of Exorcists fosters awareness of the spiritual problem, trains exorcists and holds conferences which bring together theologians, medical practitioners, psychiatrists, and clergy.

Fr. Francesco Bamonte, an exorcist from the Diocese of Rome told L'Osservatore Romano that the Holy See’s approval of the new organization “is cause for joy." He explained, "God calls some priests to the precious ministry of exorcism and liberation, giving them the task of accompanying” those people who require specific spiritual and pastoral attention. The ministry of exorcism is an exercise of Christ’s ministry of deliverance and a sign of his victory over evil in the world.

That this organization should be approved at the top level of the Vatican show the seriousness with which the Catholic Church takes the reality of demonic forces.The ministry of exorcism is often associated with “conservatives” in the church while “progressives” prefer to dismiss demonic possession as no more than epilepsy or mental illness. The fact that Pope Francis takes the problem so seriously shows that the reality of demonic evil is not limited by labels.

In this report from the Washington Post it is pointed out that Pope Francis speaks literally and openly about the devil more regularly than any pope since Paul VI. He publicly laid hands on, and prayed for a man who it was claimed was demon possessed, he refers to the devil regularly in his homilies and speeches, dedicated a new image of St. Michael in the Vatican gardens -- praying especially for Michael’s protection in the battle against Satan.

In a homily last April Pope Francis quoted his critics, “ 'But Father, how old-fashioned you are to speak about the Devil in the 21st century!' ” The pope reminded his listeners not be fooled by the lies of Satan. “Look out because the Devil is present,” he warned.

Pope Francis is often hailed as a pope of surprises, but his open belief in a personal devil may be one of his most surprising characteristics. In modern church circles it is more fashionable to speak of “evil” than to refer to a personal devil. Pope Benedict XVI, who was regarded as an arch-conservative tended to refer to evil in these general terms, while Pope Francis is unembarrassed about referring to Satan the Father of Lies. The Post reporter quotes a Vatican insider, “Pope Francis never stops talking about the Devil; it’s constant. Had Pope Benedict done this, the media would have clobbered him.”

The Holy Spirit guides the church to the right Pope for the times. Could it be that Pope Francis’ greatest legacy will not be his inclusive attitude, his open spirit and his admirable embrace of poverty, but his constant reference to the great battle between good and evil? (Read more.)