Janaury 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — In October of 2019 I had the privilege of addressing more than two dozen young adults who participated in the Voice of the Family’s Rome Youth Conference. Looking back, I can honestly say that getting to know them and spend time in prayer and go to mass with them gives me reason to hope for the future of the Church.
Today, I wanted to share with you the video of the lecture I gave to them at the headquarters of the Lepanto Foundation in Rome. In it, I explain the current state of affairs in the Church and show how Pope Francis has revolutionized it.
Simply put, Pope Francis has made not only formal and magisterial changes that are at odds with long-established practices and doctrinal teachings, but he has taken other, less formal steps to completely revamp the Church as well.
For example, Francis has continually promoted left-wing, radical prelates, many of whom were criticized for their dissident views during the reign of Pope Benedict and John Paul II. He has also dismantled the Pontifical Academy for Life.
Moreover, he has demoted faithful clergy like Cardinal Raymond Burke and Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
During his papacy, Francis has welcomed into the Vatican population control experts from the United Nations, praised abortionists like Italy’s Emma Bonino, and given audiences to transgender couples and pro-LGBT priest Fr. James Martin.
There are countless other examples as well, including derogatory remarks he made about large families, his quasi-endorsement of young couples who live together but don’t get married, and his wholly heretical teachings on the death penalty.
But here’s the thing, Canon 212 says lay Catholics “have the right and even at times the duty to manifest…their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful.”
I reminded the young people at the Rome Youth Conference that we need to speak up and admonish dissident clergy and to call on them to preach the true faith.
While it's easy to lose hope in these times in the end, as we already know, the Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph. Let's keep that in mind in the months and years ahead, being sure to always speak truth with charity. God bless.
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