Clericalism?

Catholic Herald Vatican correspondent deplores ‘clericalist internal culture that Pope Francis has fought so hard to reform’. Uh? It’s a strange ‘reform’ that requires the protection of clergy convicted of sexual assaults on seminarians or accused of the mass rape of nuns. It’s…

— Damian Thompson (@holysmoke) March 19, 2025

Chapp on the Rupnik Case

Fr. Rupnik’s case is now only shocking in the fact that it no longer shocks. It is the same story of past decades, just a different chapter, writes Larry Chapp. https://t.co/pErvhZSNIo

— Catholic World Report (@cworldreport) December 29, 2022

Constantinople on the Move

His All-Holiness: "The ecological initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, an extension of the theology & liturgical tradition of the Church, go hand in hand with the findings of science & the urging of experts to mobilize to protect the environment." https://t.co/QGogfgSaCz pic.twitter.com/9FtsDuI0i4

— Order of St. Andrew (@OrderStAndrew) January 18, 2022

Bauerschmidt on the Pauline Reform

For those with niche interests: some thoughts on the post-Vatican II liturgical reforms: https://t.co/RdgvqVesi6

— Fritz Bauerschmidt (@BauerschmidtC) November 30, 2021

Contra Roche

Did Pope Paul VI Abrogate the Traditional Latin Mass? | National Catholic Register https://t.co/091kQ2Bdjx @NCRegister

— Edward Pentin (@EdwardPentin) November 13, 2021

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John chanted in Latin.

Now ILLEGAL according to Traditionis Custodes.https://t.co/N3chTVpdHN

— Br. Martin (@BVMConsolatrix) November 13, 2021

And What of Clericalism in the Heart of Rome?

Online meeting of the Council of cardinals. Speaking about the Synod, the Pope made it clear that at the heart of the reflection is not so much the deepening of this or that issue as learning a way of living the Church, particularly in the face of clericalism and rigidity. pic.twitter.com/MeH9PiQ5an

— Ines San Martin (@inesanma) September 22, 2021

The Answer is Obvious

"Why then don’t our shepherds speak and write in a way that is recognizably Christian!"

Stephen White, commenting on the preparatory document for the Synod of Bishops. https://t.co/HwDjS3EVFe

— Philip Lawler (@PhilLawler) September 9, 2021

Hubris?

or was he bought off?

His All-Holiness denounces "the dissemination of pseudoscientific opinions concerning the purported dangers of the Covid-19 vaccines, the slander aimed toward specialists of the medical field, & the unfounded degradation of the seriousness of the disease." https://t.co/P9Fzvnqclm pic.twitter.com/Sz0X578uO5

— Order of St. Andrew (@OrderStAndrew) September 7, 2021

The Future of Chalcedonian Orthodoxy in the United States?

We can't believe it's the beginning of the new Academic Year here at the Seminary! The summer break flew by. Today was the first day of classes--just look at those smiles. Glory to God for all things! pic.twitter.com/zouo8KHaY0

— St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (@stvlads) August 23, 2021

Our 25 new seminarians hail from 8 different countries and 11 Eastern and Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions. They join our 44 returning seminarians. Glory to God! https://t.co/EfWuSeCUyB pic.twitter.com/fAnupxLsyN

— St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (@stvlads) August 24, 2021

Philip Lawler on Conscientious Objection to Vaccination

Vaccination and conscience: a challenge to Church authority | Catholic Culture https://t.co/gWskD6AwEi

— Philip Lawler (@PhilLawler) August 24, 2021

Latin Ecclesiology and Roman Claims about Primacy Are the Issue

Traditionis Custodes Was Never Merely About the Liturgy
by Shaun Blanchardhttps://t.co/KsmsJ0Cafp

— Church Life Journal (@ChurchLifeND) August 2, 2021

A stirring article from Gregory DiPippo on the 16th anniversary of NLM, The scholarly work of Gregory and the team continues to set a dauntingly high standard. Prayers of thanksgiving and petition for them today.@NLMbloghttps://t.co/E3ON6Iuqo2

— Fr Timothy Finigan (@FatherTF) August 2, 2021

Clericalism, East and West

By what authority?

Encyclical from 1864 Shows the Orthodox Church of Greece Made Vaccination Against Smallpox Mandatory for All Believershttps://t.co/rHpbdQr9hc pic.twitter.com/fFk4VeAdBn

— Mystagogy Resource Center (@mystagogy1) July 31, 2021

While visiting a museum today, super intrigued to find, in early 19th-c. Austria, it was actually *church clergy* who were expected to (a) advocate for Smallpox vaccination, (b) help facilitate vac's, and (c) SHAME people who *didn't* take the vax & consequently died from the pox pic.twitter.com/6keXjMgTu8

— Jonathan Greig (@jabgreig) July 31, 2021

German Bishops Seeking Justification for Their Own Behavior?

#German bishops are 'shamed' of #Catholic #sexual teaching, want to affirm that sex outside marriage is 'not always wrong'. A friend estimated that half of them have affairs on the side - 20yrs ago I could not have believed it - today I am convinced. #SynodalWay https://t.co/6MaTb5Er83

— Ulrich L. Lehner (@ulrichlehner) July 22, 2021

An Institutional Crisis

A theologian has called on bishops and Catholic organizations in Germany to embrace and encourage practicing Catholics more actively. https://t.co/TpxVbjtxNw

— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) July 12, 2021

A Return to Mysticism?

Reappropriating the Mystery and Meaning of Salvation in Christ
by Robert Imbelli of @BostonCollege via @leodelo2
https://t.co/QTDgU2L1E6 #wednesdaythought #CatholicTwitter #Wednesdayvibe #Catholic #WednesdayMotivation #religion #theology

— Church Life Journal (@ChurchLifeND) June 16, 2021

Various spiritual writers and theologians have been praised as being precursors of Vatican II in calling for the return of the Christian faithful to the pursuit of holiness. But was a synod the appropriate means for trying to implement such a reform? A centralized system cannot help but look for a centralized solution; was a better way possible? Are there too many human obstacles to the action of the Holy Spirit, especially in the form of ecclesial power structures?

The Latest from Marco Tosatti

La Messa Tridentina Avversata: Minaccia Clericalismo e Culto della Personalità. https://t.co/JuSGTTzAn0

— Marco Tosatti (@MarcoTosatti) June 11, 2021

Rome Exercising "Universal and Ordinary Jurisdiction"

There is an argument that since these ecclesial movements are international that only the bishop of Rome has the competent authority to deal with them. But perhaps there shouldn't be international ecclesial movements that are not subject to the oversight of the local ordinary -- after all, isn't that the current situation now? And if the head of a movement is found to be abusive? Then it is up to the other members of that movement to bring him to a canonical trial, with local bishops involved. Instead we have legislation from Rome to deal with a problem that should be handled at the local level first. There is nothing to Latin teaching on the papacy that guarantees that decisions made by the Roman Curia will be correct or that "Canon Law" will be legislated properly or justly. And the fact that abuses of authority by Rome do happen is an argument against Roman claims of primacy.

Vatican imposes term limits for leaders of ecclesial movements to stop ‘violations and abuses’ https://t.co/aNqSw8BRNJ

— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) June 11, 2021

Does He Have a Solution

"That sort of clericalism is bad, my sort of clericalism is good."

Are there priests who are poor pastors and spiritual fathers because they feel entitled because of their office? Are there priests who believe them superior to the Christian faithful because of an erroneous understanding of the dignity of Holy Orders and exaggerations arising from a sacramental theology that emphases "in persona Christi"? Are there priests who have not received the necessary "integral human development" that they need in order to be men and leaders? Yes to all these questions. But what would Jorge Bergoglio know about providing a solution to any of these issues? His form of clericalism is afflicting the patriarchate of Rome, and he is blind to it.

Pope Francis: Rigid priests are a manifestation of clericalism https://t.co/f7XYtAtyRF

— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) June 10, 2021

This Is Clericalism

Although agreeing with him that the clerical abuse crisis a “catastrophe,” Pope Francis rejected the resignation presented to him by German Cardinal Reinhard Marx as archbishop of the archdiocese of Munich.https://t.co/RxyXY2kgSA

— Crux (@Crux) June 10, 2021

Remaking Latin Clerics in His Image

Catholic Cancel Culture by George Neumayr @george_neumayrhttps://t.co/Dsyp93Wd13

— The American Spectator (@amspectator) May 30, 2021

Spectator

The Pope’s Horizontal Church by George Neumayr @george_neumayrhttps://t.co/XCygbhbTix

— The American Spectator (@amspectator) June 6, 2021