Footballer Sets Himself on Papal Throne -- For Fun

(Vatican) On 14 August, Pope Francis, received the players of the Argentine national team. The footballer Pocho Lavezzi desired a very special souvenir photo. He sat down abruptly on the papal throne and was surrounded by his fellow players, take a photo. The casual player put one knee over the other and felt the midst of his "royal court" clearly happy in the Apostolic Palace. The photo of course he published immediately online. Argentina's press is boiling over with enthusiasm: "Papa Pocho??" asks the sports news paper "Olé" or "Lavezzi 'Steals' the Pope's Throne" subtitled "Ambito financiero".

The image is reminiscent of an American soldier at the end of the Second World War, after the discovery of the imperial regalia, he wore the imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation and posed for photos. The image made history, but was regarded as an expression of great disrespect by many Germans and not only because it was committed by a victor over the vanquished. Even today, many feel a heavenly ecstasies when a visitor slips into the treasury of the Vienna Hofburg through the show rooms where the regalia are exhibited.

The Catholic culture critic Francesco Colafemmina, compared the usurpation of the Pope's throne, the image of the empty throne in the Pope Paul VI Hall to when Pope Francis on the 22nd of June called off attending a classical concert on short notice, which was given in his honor.

I could have made hall my warehouse ...

by Francesco Colafemmina

With only the most possible respect for His Holiness, I still allow myself to point out that Pope Francis, who stayed away from an occasion organized a concert in the Aula Nervi for the Year of Faith in his honor two months ago, but can't stay away from football players of all types. Of those with players from Inter Milan or Juventus, Lazio Roma and AS Roma, etc., etc.

I can not understand why a concert of classical music should be a "glamorous" event, when in contrast an encounter with footballers who are multimillionaires is an urgent pastoral responsibility with the best of intentions. Some will recall that in connection with the classical concert cancelled by the Pope, there were circulating rumors that he had said: "I'm not a Renaissance prince. I won't go to the concert."

But that's not all: This time the footballer has struck a chord. He sat on the "throne" of Pope Francis, had himself photographed and put the photo on the internet.

The spontaneous question intrudes - it is premised that I am neither a prude nor a bigot: How long can the Church still bear to sink into the abyss of ridicule, in a dimension of a dubious caricatural pastiche? According to the bishops in the "Gnam Gnam style", as Blondet passingly defined it, we are experiencing now, that even the Apostolic Palace and even the signs and symbols of papal authority become the objects of boasting and ridicule by four footballers.

The Church's Dignitas seems to be a concept significantly degraded recently. Just as the love of art and culture, which is instead replaced by the sports and subculture of pubescent performances.

I understand well that Beethoven will not draw the same "mass" of people as the football, but then one should openly admit that the Church in search of a "consensus of the masses" really is and therefore seeks "worldliness". Too bad that the "worldliness" often consists of silliness and vanity, love of money and exhibitionism.

Would it therefore not be ultimately preferable to participate in the more sober "worldliness" of a Beethoven concerto, rather than allowing the irreverent fun young retarded football player hospitality?

On the other hand, it is Beethoven himself, who, well interpreted the character of this with the following Sonata, which he Church has been made of by this event, simply "Pathetique"!

Text: Fides et Forma Einleitung/Übersetzung: Giuseppe Nardi Bild: Fides et Forma Translation: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com AMGD

Franciscans of the Immaculata: An Order of Angels and a Few Demons

Katholisches.info is continuing the publication of contributions about the restrictive measures against the Franciscans of the Immaculate. The first was the well-known historian Roberto de Mattei with his contribution , the "Causa" of the Franciscans of the Immaculate ( see article ). It followed the Traditionalist blog Cordialter: Since 2 +2 still 4 and not 5 Is the Serious Attack Against Tradition ( see article ). Meanwhile, also reporting is the Catholic art and culture critic, Francesco Colafemmina, who also knows the Franciscans of the Immaculate, as well as a meeting with the Apostolic Visitor, with whom he had a personally recollected conversation.

Angel Dressed in the Mantle of Mary, Casts out Demons

by Francesco Colafemmina

I am indebted. In debt to the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. I will not repay this, because then I would have to stop, yes, being grateful to them. But I want to testify. I want to bear witness to the closeness and devotion for this order of angels, who must live among some demons.

Florence, Church of All Saints. It is the first day of the year, a few years ago ... My future wife at that time and I entered this great church for Holy Mass. At the end of the church, the last church pews, a mild-mannered brother is in the blue habit. I ask him to hear my confession. What kind of inner peace, such purity, such strengthening in this confession. A few years later I would learn that this mild-mannered brother was none other than Father Serafino Lanzetta, who is opposed by the bloated demons because of his honest analysis and interpretation of the Council.

Florence, Church of All Saints. An indeterminate day in 2011. A delicious conversation with a black sister who gave Miraculous Medals at the monastery gate. I will never forget the peace of mind and the joy that could be heard in her voice. And they told me that it is important to pray for our priests. Today I'm aware that it would also have been useful to pray that some demon leaves the Order.

Avellino. An indefinite day several years ago. I am eating pizza with friends. At the table across from me sits Monsignor Vito Angelo Todisco, the Apostolic Visitor of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. I can still hear him talking about the Franciscans of the Immaculate playing the sly one, "Yes, if you're going to Frigento, then you will hear them scream from one room to another, those who flagellate themselves ... yes ... because then you have to go away ..." At that time, to be honest, when I heard from one dressed with cap and civilian clothes as was this priest, I had not understood if he was laughing or whether it was a very special form of admiration, an admiration for what "we mortals" never do, would never be able to do ... Now I know that it was only a mockery of the brothers and for their spiritual destruction.

Battipaglia, 2009. Invitation to an exhibition by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. We, Manuel Grillo, my publisher and friend, and I went out with the intention, to pass to the Cardinal an appeal to the Pope for religious art, that he would send him to the Holy Father (as it then also happened). The altar service at this Pontifical Mass was celebrated by the Franciscans of the Immaculate. After completion of the Mass, I was moved to greet these industrious brothers, these really humble brethren, and not a rehearsed, false, intellectual humility. No, they are humble because they quietly do their job, all in the same way with the same dedication, the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Suddenly, just before they again set off towards Frigento by bus, one of them turned, a bit bald and the beard of a Capuchin, towards me and said, "You are Francesco Colafemmina!" It was Father Paolo Siano, the Mason Hunter ...

And who knows if this it is not just these Freemasons who are behind the whole affair ... But I would not appear to be a conspiracy theorist or a simpleton.

The whole thing is in any case based on a question of style. I have met no Franciscans of the Immaculate that would have put themselves in any way in a picture with the Pope or a scene that have been published more than once or many times in various institutional Facebook profiles, their photos with the Pope - the new Pope of course - before this or that background, the WYD hat, with young people of WYD, etc., etc. Well and good, but if this is the case for any of them yet, he is one of the authors of this dark intrigue, which led to the overthrow of the Order. Then I ask: Why? Why did you go then, instead of protecting and blessing the Order in silence and devotion? Why did you leave, while your founding father is forced from his creation of love and devotion to Christ and the Virgin Mary, laughing through the streets? [He evidently has someone in mind]

. Spiritual worldliness. This is evil. The evil of which Pope Francis speaks!

"We mean with this that which constitutes virtually a flow of otherworldliness, whose moral ideal, however, is meant the spiritual, rather than the glorification of the Lord, but those of man and his perfection. A radically anthropocentric attitude, which is the spirit of worldliness." said De Lubac. So I want to thank the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception for the spiritual gifts they have given me. I want to thank them for their simplicity, their unselfishness, their devotion, I want to thank them, because they have shown that it is possible, even in the bewildered and seductive world of today, to live a life completely given to Our Lord in freedom. It is no coincidence that I was able to see a clean alternative to the corruption of other brothers in them, such as some of the Capuchin Friars of St. Pio, who have become the best example of secularism, a secularism tout cour. [...]

At this point I would like the many brothers who read me, saying, obey, yes, but do not give up. Envy, arrogance and pride destroy in a few minutes the works of many years. You have the power to rebuild everything, and more, a force that belongs to you from the Lord. Therefore give evidence, give wise testimony, looking for new ways for witness. Show also those who want to see you today in chains, that is no fault in you. Fighting a brilliant fight, which is not ideological, concerns not the Old or the New Rite, the Council or the post-Conciliar period, but the Faith in our Lord and to follow Christ. May God bless you, dear sisters and brothers. Angels dressed in the mantle of Mary, cast out demons who have mingled with you! [...]

Text: Fides et Forma
Translation: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Fides et Forma
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMGD

NB: Colafemmina is not a Traditionalist.