(LifeSiteNews) — A prominent U.S. theologian and former member of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission has warned about certain aspects of the Pope’s synod on synodality, suggesting that “chaos will ensue” should his fears be proven right.
Fr. Thomas Weinandy, OFM Cap., made the comments via email to the Catholic News Agency, responding to questions about the multi-year synod on synodality, which began October 10.
Weinandy first offered hopeful insights into possible outcomes of the synod, writing that the event could “enliven … the entire worldwide Church.”
The “faith of the Church could be confirmed and strengthened and people could be helped to live holy lives,” added Weinandy. “It could enliven a whole worldwide evangelization. All of this would be marvelous to behold.”
However, the former high executive director for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Doctrine, also expressed significant concerns about the synod, which has been described as “Vatican III.”
The 75-year-old theologian highlighted a passage from the synod’s vademecum, or handbook, which calls for a process of “listening,” especially to those who are “at the margins,” including “people who have left the practice of the faith, people of other faith traditions, people of no religious belief, etc.”
UPDATE 10/29/2021:
Joe Biden claims Pope Francis said he should continue receiving Holy Communion, despite the president's radical, anti-Catholic support for abortion. Biden asserted that the pontiff “was happy I’m a good Catholic,” and that the president should “keep receiving Communion.”
Please SIGN this urgent petition to Pope Francis urging him to clarify what he told Biden at his private audience in Rome. Biden should be facing formal excommunication because of his public and obstinate promotion of abortion, but instead we have the perverse situation in which he claims to have the blessing of the pope to sacrilegiously receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. Pope Francis must clarify what exactly was said in order to avoid scandal and being complicit in such grave sin. If Joe Biden wishes to return to communion with the Church he must immediately and publicly stop and repent from his active support of the culture of death.
To ensure that this petition reaches Pope Francis, it will also be CC'ed to the Papal Nuncio of the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, as well as to the Chairman of the Pro-Life Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph Naumann.
Indeed, Joe Biden recently proposed a budget which would eliminate the Hyde Amendment, potentially allowing billions of taxpayer dollars to go to the funding of abortion domestically.
So, it is now an indisputable fact that Joe Biden, himself, is forcing abortion on the American public as well as around the world (e.g., Biden's executive order abolishing the Mexico City Policy).
However, since we know that the Church prioritizes abortion as the "pre-eminent" moral issue, and also how the pope has recently reiterated the teaching that abortion is "homicide," we ask the Pope to ensure that Biden's scandalous claim be clarified and his support for abortion be condemned.
This is the prime opportunity for the pope to make it crystal clear to Biden: Promoting abortion is absolutely and utterly incompatible with being in communion with the Church, and that those politicians who publicly and obstinately support abortion effectively put themselves outside communion with the Church, but also merit formal excommunication.
Joe Biden's active and concentrated promotion of abortion since he took office only 9 months ago is a grave scandal to the faithful of the United States, and to Catholics everywhere.
But, perhaps even more scandalous is the USCCB's decision not to directly and publicly address how Biden's radical, public promotion of abortion affects his standing in the Church.
The silence from our American shepherds is deafening.
Therefore, Pope Francis must now intervene to protect both the Holy Eucharist and our preborn brothers and sisters from death, to protect authentic Church teaching from deceitful "Catholics" like Joe Biden, and to protect the faithful from the grievous scandal caused by Biden's claims, action and the intolerable dithering and "dialoging" engaged in by the USCCB.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'Biden will meet with Pope Francis to discuss ‘human dignity,’ but abortion left off agenda'
'Biden restores foreign aid to abortion by repealing Mexico City Policy'
'Removing the Hyde Amendment in Biden’s proposed budget will set a precedent'
ORIGINAL PETITION:
Joe Biden is scheduled to meet Pope Francis in Rome in a rapidly approaching audience on October 29th.
Please SIGN this urgent petition to Pope Francis urging him to tell Biden that he will face formal excommunication because of his public and obstinate promotion of abortion, and that if he wishes to return to communion with the Church he must immediately and publicly stop and repent from his active support of the culture of death.
To ensure that this petition reaches Pope Francis, it will also be CC'ed to the Papal Nuncio of the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, as well as to the Chairman of the Pro-Life Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph Naumann.
Indeed, Joe Biden recently proposed a budget which would eliminate the Hyde Amendment, potentially allowing billions of taxpayer dollars to go to the funding of abortion domestically.
So, it is now an indisputable fact that Joe Biden, himself, is forcing abortion on the American public as well as around the world (e.g., Biden's executive order abolishing the Mexico City Policy).
But, reports suggest that the pope and Biden are only supposed to speak about COVID and climate change...
However, since we know that the Church prioritizes abortion as the "pre-eminent" moral issue, and also how the pope has recently reiterated the teaching that abortion is "homicide," we ask the Pope to ensure that Biden's scandalous support of abortion become the central focus of their meeting.
This is the prime opportunity for the pope to make it crystal clear to Biden: Promoting abortion is absolutely and utterly incompatible with being in communion with the Church, and that those politicians who publicly and obstinately support abortion effectively put themselves outside communion with the Church, but also merit formal excommunication.
Joe Biden's active and concentrated promotion of abortion since he took office only 9 months ago is a grave scandal to the faithful of the United States, and to Catholics everywhere.
But, perhaps even more scandalous is the USCCB's decision not to directly and publicly address how Biden's radical, public promotion of abortion affects his standing in the Church.
The silence from our American shepherds is deafening.
Therefore, Pope Francis must now intervene to protect our preborn brothers and sisters from death, to protect authentic Church teaching from deceitful "Catholics" like Joe Biden, and to protect the faithful from the grievous scandal caused by Biden's action and the intolerable dithering and "dialoging" engaged in by the USCCB.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'Biden will meet with Pope Francis to discuss ‘human dignity,’ but abortion left off agenda' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/biden-will-meet-with-pope-francis-to-discuss-human-dignity-abortion-left-off-agenda/
'Biden restores foreign aid to abortion by repealing Mexico City Policy' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/biden-restores-foreign-aid-to-abortion-with-repeal-of-mexico-city-policy/
'Removing the Hyde Amendment in Biden’s proposed budget will set a precedent' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/removing-the-hyde-amendment-in-bidens-proposed-budget-will-set-a-precedent/
**Photo Credit: CBSN / YouTube
Such a process opens the Church to listening to “a whole variety of topics both concerning doctrine, liturgy, and morals,” from those who may not even be in the Church, noted Weinandy.
“However, if such opinions are contrary to the faith of the Church, and these opinions are loudly proclaimed, then chaos will ensue,” he warned.
He compared the new synod to the controversial and “schismatmeic” Synodal Path currently underway in Germany. “As the Synodal Path in Germany has created a mess, so the global synodal path could create an ecclesial worldwide mess. I hope that this does not happen, but this is what I fear,” said Weinandy.
Given his dire predictions about the synod, Weinandy urged Catholics to pray so that “the Holy Spirit enlightens all who attend these meetings, and especially the bishops, clergy, and faithful laity (the sensus fidelium) so that these gatherings do not get hijacked by the devil.”
“Of course, we must remember that the Lord works good in all situations for those who love him,” he added. “Some may see this as an opportunity to undermine the Church and her faith, but it could be an opportunity for all faithful believers to bear witness to the faith and be strengthened in so doing. The crucified and risen Jesus would then shine gloriously throughout the world.”
‘One of the frankest critics of this pontificate’
The theologian, awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal by Pope Francis in recognition of service to the Church in 2013, has previously spoken out about the dangers posed by the German Synodal Path, as well as Pope Francis himself.
Speaking earlier this year, Fr. Weinandy quipped that “if the German Synodal Way is not heading for schism, it has fooled a lot of people.”
“It is obvious that the German Synodal Way is proposing changes in the Church’s teaching that would be schismatic. It cannot be denied, and it is foolish to state otherwise,” he said.
Nor have his comments been limited just to critiquing the modern notion of synods and synodality. In 2017, Weinandy made waves in the Church as he penned a three-page letter to Pope Francis in which he accused the Pontiff of permitting “chronic confusion,” of “demean[ing] the importance of Church doctrine,” and appointing bishops who “hold views counter to Christian belief.”
Referring to the Pope’s controversial document Amoris Laetitia, Fr. Weinandy wrote of the Pope’s “intentionally ambiguous” teaching which “might imply a change in that teaching” of the Church on marriage.
“To teach with such a seemingly intentional lack of clarity inevitably risks sinning against the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth,” wrote the theologian.
As for the concept of “synodality,” Weinandy suggested it “allows and promotes various doctrinal and moral options within the Church [which] can only lead to more theological and pastoral confusion. Such synodality is unwise and, in practice, works against collegial unity among bishops.”
The letter led to the USCCB asking for Fr. Weinandy’s resignation.
Undeterred, two years later he warned of an “unprecedented new schism” occurring under Pope Francis which “is frightening.”
Given his outspoken record, Weinandy has been described by Vatican correspondent Ed Pentin as “one of the frankest critics of this pontificate.”