Fatima to Be Inter-Faith

[HagiaSophia]

Portugal News is runing the story from the Bishop of Fatima:

Bishop – Fátima open to all

The Bishop of Leiria-Fátima, D. Serafim Ferreira e Silva, has this week admitted to the existence of “enemies” of Fátima, saying many emanate from within the Catholic Church. Speaking at a press conference held at the Sanctuary, the Bishop preferred not to identify these “enemies”, saying only that some of them are involved in “science or pseudo-science”. He added he has personal instructions from the Pope to promote interfaith dialogue.

The Bishop used the conference to highlight the fact that the Fátima Sanctuary is open to all, including the “Dalai Lama or an agnostic, and to those who believe and to those who do not”.

He further explained that he has “personal instructions” from the Pope regarding inter-religious dialogue.

The Bishop was reacting to recent news reports that stated the Vatican had reacted negatively to visits at the Sanctuary by the Dalai Lama and Hindu priests, along with the staging of an interfaith congress at Fátima a year ago.

The Bishop also reiterated his full confidence in the Rector of the Sanctuary, Luciano Guerra, during the press conference, shortly before the two clergymen prepared to lead the annual October 13 procession to the Sanctuary.

Furthermore, D. Serafim Ferreira e Silva also presented the minutes of the 2003 congress, citing the introduction of Bishop Michael Fitzgerald, who wrote: “It is obvious that the a Sanctuary such as Fátima, founded on an experience of faith, has to open itself to all categories of people”.

 

[Fr_Ambrose]

HagiaSophia:

Furthermore, D. Serafim Ferreira e Silva also presented the minutes of the 2003 congress, citing the introduction of Bishop Michael Fitzgerald, who wrote: “It is obvious that the a Sanctuary such as Fátima, founded on an experience of faith, has to open itself to all categories of people”.

Isn’t that absolute piffle?

Can you imagine the Pope allowing Mormons or Scientologists to hold services in Saint Peter’s basilica in Rome?

Can you imagine the Orthodox opening the use of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for Buddhist and Hindu services?

 

[HagiaSophia]

Fr Ambrose:

Isn’t that absolute piffle?

Can you imagine the Pope allowing Mormons or Scientologists to hold services in Saint Peter’s basilica in Rome?

Can you imagine the Orthodox opening the use of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for Buddhist and Hindu services?

Still scratching head after reading it but one of two things is going on here:

Scenario #1-This same paper has been reporting for some weeks that the fallout of their "ceremonies’ of interfaith ecumenism brought into the Vatican more mail than they’d seen for a long, long time from international quarters. This always perks up Vatican ears.

The paper then ran a couple of issues insisting that the Vatican had told the “management” there to desist, and if they had any more problems in this regard, the Vatican would take over the shirine. I needn’t tell you that this is not only religiously an embarassment for the group, but money wise we are talking very very many kopeks here. This kind of conversation always perks up the ears of those who thought they had outwitted the Roman Pontifff. They don’t mind being heretics, they don’t like to pay for it however.

A few weeks have gone by and it appeared that the reassurances sent to the Vatican were not considered “willing” enough to rein themselves in and so the shadow of Roman rule began to loom ever larger there.

Now we have this article which I feel may well be after “consultation” with their Roman sympathizers a media release in order to look like “he said, I said” and a claim that they meant no wrong, they were just “following orders” and had a permission slip.

As I see it, if this is the scenario being played out, the ball is now in the Vatican court. Next set momentarily expected.

Or, Scenarios @2-- it could be, that both sides are partially correct: they sought and rec’d permission for an interfaith ceremony, they went too far, when the walls filled with mail and phones rang in certain dicasteries, a lot of harumphing and “not my fault” went around and the Vatican said, you didn’t tell us what you had in mind, you misprepresented what we said you could do. This will involve much bella brute and bella figura posturing and finally it will be compromised.

Do I like it, - not one bit and I hear in my mind’s ears, the sounds of the Holy Trinity of Ireland spinning in their graves - saying Whhhhhhaaaaaaaaat? Possibly Brigid having a drink fro her lake o’beer.

Miserere nobis. I wish the church allowed for reincarnation on some days - there are a few saints I’d like to call back for a decade or two.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Fr Ambrose:

Isn’t that absolute piffle?

Can you imagine the Pope allowing Mormons or Scientologists to hold services in Saint Peter’s basilica in Rome?

Can you imagine the Orthodox opening the use of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for Buddhist and Hindu services?

This is the sort of thing that I am really uneasy about when people of other religions honour Our Lady: because the great thing about Mary is, that she is:​

1. The least of all creatures
2. The mother of the Most High.

And she “makes sense” only in a Christian setting. Think of her as yet another mother-goddess of yet another incarnate divinity - and she makes much less sense. One is left with a pseudo-Mary.

It may sound terribly possessive to insist that she can be defined only by her relation to her Son: but ISTM that this just another of the many paradoxes of the Christian faith. If she is not human, and redeemed, by the Son Whom she bore - she is not the mother of God. ##

 

[Catholic29]

Now with the new ecumenical or shall we say syncretist twist at Fatima. I wonder how the Catholics will fit in? The only people I see benefiting from Bishop Serafim’s reinvention of Fatima, is the big money Jack Chick and his cronies will pull in with the many tracts they will sell confirming the paganicity in Catholicism they have always suspected. They always wanted to see the Catholic virgin Mary worshipped as a goddess, now sadly it seems they will get their chance.

 

[HagiaSophia]

Catholic29:

Now with the new ecumenical or shall we say syncretist twist at Fatima. I wonder how the Catholics will fit in? The only people I see benefiting from Bishop Serafim’s reinvention of Fatima, is the big money Jack Chick and his cronies will pull in with the many tracts they will sell confirming the paganicity in Catholicism they have always suspected. They always wanted to see the Catholic virgin Mary worshipped as a goddess, now sadly it seems they will get their chance.

It ain’t over until it’s over…

 

[GrzeszDeL]

Given the look of the plans for the new shrine, I do not know that it would be so bad for it to be inter-faith. It might be a relief to know that we Catholics did not carry all the blame for something that ugly.

Meanwhile…
Fr Ambrose:

Isn’t that absolute piffle?

Can you imagine the Pope allowing Mormons or Scientologists to hold services in Saint Peter’s basilica in Rome?

Of course it’s piffle. Needless to say, I am an American, so I have grown accustomed to the idea of bishops lying to me in rather bald-faced fashion. Indeed, if, as seems almost certain, Bishop Ferreira e Silva is prevaricating, at least it is about ecumenism, instead of the usual. Being a Catholic in the Western world, one rather begins to feel like the peasants of Autun most of the time…

 

[HagiaSophia]

GrzeszDeL:

Given the look of the plans for the new shrine, I do not know that it would be so bad for it to be inter-faith. It might be a relief to know that we Catholics did not carry all the blame for something that ugly.

It will be such a relief to be able to :share the blame" for a change. Have you ever seen the “Flying Saucer” Cathedral in So America - I think it is Brazil - but definitively from uter space" and that one of a kind in Evry, France - can you imagine that it is’ the last Cathedral built in Europe - with the trees out of the roof? I mean really.

GrzeszDeL:

I am an American, so I have grown accustomed to the idea of bishops lying to me in rather bald-faced fashion. Indeed, if, as seems almost certain, Bishop Ferreira e Silva is prevaricating, at least it is about ecumenism,

Ditto - I love Diogenes - he’s such a good writer.

 

[briand]

Fr Ambrose:

Isn’t that absolute piffle?

Can you imagine the Pope allowing Mormons or Scientologists to hold services in Saint Peter’s basilica in Rome?

Can you imagine the Orthodox opening the use of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for Buddhist and Hindu services?

I know this means very little at best. I often asked how to deal with those of differing faiths. I was reminded that God literally loathed these people from eternity past. I found this hard to understand, given that I viewed God as a God of love. I have taken a differing view now that I have joined the vessals of Wrath from all eternity. It makes one wonder.