Seminaries to produce more soccer playing priests?

Associated Press

A recent article published at the Catholic Herald conveys the Holy Father's most recent criticism of restorationionist movements.

Rome – Pope Francis has attacked the “corruption” of restorationist movements within the Church and said the Second Vatican Council has not yet been fully implemented.

Corruption of restoration movements? What movements? Who are the cast members in these movements?

Pope Francis has spoken out in the past about what he views as counterproductive movements or groups.

In his latest surprise media interview, with a Spanish language outlet that appeared at the same time he’s in Lisbon celebrating World Youth Day, the Argentine Pontiff hit out at the “prophets of confusion” undermining the mission of the Church. (Pot calling the kettle black? VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Francis made the first foreign trip of his papacy, to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day in 2013, he urged young people to make a “mess” in their local churches, to shake things up even if it ruffled the feathers of their bishops/AP; In Portugal for World Youth Day, one of Catholicism's largest gatherings, Pope Francis has said he'll continue urging young people to “make a mess” – a reference to the exhortation made during his first youth day event in Rio in 2013, when the Pontiff called on young people to shake things up in their parishes/RFI)

He said people with “right-wing” ideologies were the most dangerous faction in the Church and he called for a generation of priests who played soccer instead of going into communities to preach.

Soccer playing priests? What priests? The Church is suffering from a serious lack of vocations (...probably because young men are more interested in... playing soccer). Perhaps the Holy Father might take a look at the corners of the world where vocations are thriving. Which is to say, the Church is thriving where priests live and preach the Gospel, reverently celebrate the sacred Liturgy, are fully mindful of Tradition, and tirelessly serve their flocks by modelling Christ in a manner that says 'priest', not entertainer.

Perhaps the Holy Father, who is well known for speaking off-the-cuff, is using hyperbole to provoke pastoral engagement?

The Holy Father's frequently politically charged rhetoric seems highly inappropriate for a Vicar of Christ. More than a few times, he seems to be a pontiff who is using the Petrine Office as a mere bully pulpit to impose an ill-defined agenda instead of providing doctrinal clarity to enhance Catholic identity, strengthening the brethren in their relationship with Christ, and fostering unity in the truth, all for the salvation of souls.

By their fruit... .

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. - St Matthew 7:15-20

“We need normal seminarians, with their problems, who play soccer, and who don’t go to the neighbourhoods to dogmatise,” Pope Francis said.

Statements like the preceding make one think that the Holy Father has not been paying attention. One would think that a Latin American prelate should know better. The failed program of liberation theology that replaced solid Catholic teaching, that for a while infected the South, has resulted in a tidal wave of evacuations to Protestant Pentecostal communities. An empty-headed Latin American (and North American and European) socialist ideology masquerading as Catholicism has emptied churches and seminaries.

Describing himself as “a stone in the shoe” for people who are opposed to his ecclesiastical and political vision, the Pope told Vida Nueva that he did not feel the time is ripe for a Third Vatican Council, in part because “Vatican II still has not been implemented”.

"(T)he Second Vatican Council has not yet been fully implemented." True. Will it ever be, or will the the many distortions promoted under the umbrella of the "Spirit of Vatican II", an outgrowth of the "media council", as Pope Benedict XVI termed the substitutions for Council teaching, persist?

The Holy Father also condemned ideological movements in the Church which, he said, “dress up in a restorationist air, with a lot of apparent mystique, but also a lot of corruption”.

What does that mean? The Holy Father's use of shorthand risks adding confusion. His comments offer few specifics if any and are therefore less than helpful.

Francis also expressed frustration that he was unable to reform the Church as much as he would have preferred.

His reform efforts to date in the Church have revealed “a certain impotence” in that there’s only so far “over the limit” it’s possible to go, he told the magazine, admitting that “I have not yet dared to put an end to the culture of a [royal] court in the Curia”.

What does "over the limit" mean? What exactly does "culture of a [royal] court in the Curia" mean? Christ is King. The Pope is the Vicar of Christ. Are the cardinals and the other members of the Curia right to act like they are in the court of Christ the King? Perhaps the Holy Father could share his thoughts about discernment, about how he arrives at what is to be kept and what is to be discarded. 

Saint Gregory the Great started a profound renewal in the Church by reforming the sacred Liturgy. Gregory recognized that Catholic identity, communion and mission strength derive from and are fueled by our relationship with Christ in the sacred Liturgy.

Where there are bishops who remain focussed on the symptoms without identifying and responding to the root cause of the loss of faith, which is a loss of reverence in and for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, suffering will increase and countless souls will be lost.

Evidently, the Church is being purified. God, of course, is in charge. Let us all conform our thoughts and actions to the example of Jesus Christ, and wage war on complacency, the world, the flesh and the devil. We must pray for the Holy Father and our beloved bishops and priests, that they may be true to their noble calling.