The title above is the name of a book that appeared Monday in English (after earlier publication in Italian) by a writer who has assumed a grand Renaissance pseudonym: Marcantonio Colonna (an admiral at Lepanto). He evidently could not publish under his real name, for fear of reprisals. But the case he lays out is largely convincing: that Pope Francis has carefully cultivated an image in public as the apostle of mercy, kindness, and openness; in private, he’s authoritarian, given to profanity-laced outbursts of anger, and manipulative in pursuing his agenda.

This is hardly news, least of all in Rome. This volume, however, is far more probing and detailed than anything that has previously appeared. It sometimes stretches evidence, but the sheer amount of evidence it provides is stunning. About 90 percent of it is simply incontrovertible, and cannot help but clarify who Francis is and what he’s about.

The parts of this story I know best – the Synods on the family that I reported on daily from Rome for TCT – are absolutely reliable. We know, for example, that Pope Francis was quite willing to openly manipulate the Synods by personally appointing supporters of the Kasper Proposal and that he even intervened personally at key points, changing procedures and instructing the bishops about where their deliberations should start – and end.

. . .

Despite a few lapses, the most disturbing element remains: the abundant evidence – confirmed by many particular instances now over years of this papacy – that the pope has little use for established procedures, precedents, even legal structures within the Church. These are not mere trivial rules, Pharisaic legalism, resistance to the Holy Spirit, etc. They are the means by which the Church seeks to be clear, fair, and orderly – and to address unjust actions or abuses by those in power.

When the head of the Church himself does not much feel bound by the tradition or impartial laws he has inherited, what then? That the question even has to be asked is disturbing. Any answer will have to reckon with the eye-opening material in this compelling book.

“The Dictator Pope”, by Robert Royal

The book: “The Dictator Pope”

Ozymandias

The sycophants are lining up and using time-tested bigotry to distract as many people as possible from the growing police state.

Does Stiehm know that nuns are celibate and therefore don’t require birth control, free or otherwise? And that they clearly don’t want birth-control coverage? A mandate that requires nuns to sign a waiver that facilitates coverage of birth control is farcical on its face. Talk about imposing beliefs. The nuns (and other plaintiffs against the mandate with stronger cases) aren’t attempting to prevent employers from providing birth control; they’re trying to stop the government from forcing them to distribute and pay for it, directly or indirectly.
. . .

Yes, [Thomas Jefferson], like a lot of the Framers, did “think of pernicious Rome” in his writings, but that was the Roman Empire they warned of, not the much later Vatican Rome. This author doesn’t seem to know the difference between the Rome of Christ’s time and that which came centuries later. Anyway, when Jefferson developed his ideas of separation of church and state he was far more troubled by the Anglican Church imposing its will in Virginia–not by the Catholics, who were a tiny minority there.

US News: Catholics have taken over the Supreme Court, or something

I stopped being a Democrat when it became clear that I was expected to vacate any of my own thoughts and opinions in order to fall in line with the party, or be called moronic or hateful or bigoted or even evil. There was no way the party could be wrong on anything, therefore dissent indicated a problem originating with me. “I” had the problem; not the party.

Don’t snigger, conservatives, you have your narrow-minded purists, too. Perhaps you’ve never marched in lockstep with quite the same precision as the Democrats, but you’ve run your own purges, and handily. Because whom the godlings of ideologies would destroy, they first make mad.

Fisking Stiehm’s Bigotry at US News

Nancy Pelosi has not spent her career seeking to impose her views on others? Hilarious! Ms. Stiehm has no problem with people imposing their views on others apparently, so long as Ms. Stiehm agrees with the views being imposed. Raising this argument about imposition of views in regard to the Contraceptive Mandate imposed by the government is truly an Orwellian touch by Ms. Stiehm.
. . .
With “liberals” like you Ms. Stiehm, who needs the Klan?

Jamie Stiehm: Anti-Catholic Bigot

Jamie Stiehm is a rube tool and a 21st century Know Nothing.

Although I am not a Catholic (surprised?) it was not that difficult for this Jew to determine that the rant by Jamie Stiehm in today’s US News, was both anti-Catholic and to be quite honest, kind of ridiculous.

OY! Now The Left Complains The Supreme Court is Too Catholic (And They Hate Women)

Most if not all of the writers critiques of it express some shock at the vehemence, the near 19th century quality of this anti-papist screed. That should not be a surprise. Given the attitudes of the press, the media coverage of the church for nearly 20 years and the corresponding shared opinions in public academia, particularly at the highest levels this attitude toward the Catholic church by a member of the MSM is pedantic.

Mr. Potemra opinion not withstanding there is a great hatred of the church among the press elites. The church that stands firm as more liberal protestant denominations bend to the media’s will. The church that dares give up its services in Massachusetts rather than embrace the new morality. The church that is now standing in front of Barack Obama saying: Stop!

The press given a chance would not let a day pass without an attack on the Catholic Church.

But with Francis’ election as pope suddenly the left doesn’t dare attack. You have the very first Latin American Pope, beloved by all of the groups they need. Speaking mercy, showing mercy, they don’t dare say boo, cripes they even covered his initiation mass.

The Missing Word in Jamie Stiehm’s Rant

Continue reading ‘NSA, IRS, Obamacare, Ad Nauseum – Oh, look! A squirrel! Er, Jamie Stiehm!’ »

Thank God for Pope Francis – and for Budget Gridlock!

Ozymandias

Mockery, truculence, and minimalist living are best, then enjoy the decline. We also need a Revolving Door Tax (RDT) and to prosecute politicians and staff and their “family and friends” who profit from insider trading.