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Pope
Francis on 60 Minutes this Sunday 05/18/2024 |
A recent article in the National Catholic Reporter (a mildly progressive lay-run Catholic newspaper) reported that Pope Francis clearly worries about America.The U.S. church has ‘a very strong reactionary attitude,’ he told a group of Jesuits last year. ‘Being
backward-looking is useless.’* |
Pope Francis is being interviewed by an American woman journalist on 60 Minutes this Sunday. It will be interesting to see how he addresses the American church’s “very strong reactionary attitude.” Some ecclesial fur might be flying. |
“Pope Francis speaks to Norah O’Donnell about Ukraine, church scandals, migrant crisis.” CBS
Mornings |
It
is no secret why the Pope himself can complain that the American church appears “backward-looking” and “useless.” The two popes before him, reigning for 34 years, went out of their way to elevate the influence of Opus Dei and its fascist founder Escriva, for whom they changed the rules to rush through the quickest canonization in history. They also picked young bishops who were from the fascist wing of the church—one of whom, an Opus Dei member, was elected head of the American Catholic Bishops organization. Such prelates are out of tune with Pope Francis. |
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| The previous Vatican’s opposition to Archbishop (now Saint) Oscar Romero is well documented, and of
course they made it a priority to dismantle liberation theology and base communities throughout South America. They “killed |
theology” in Europe, a European theologian told me, and silenced over 108 theologians worldwide (myself included) whom I name in my book, The Pope’s War. They replaced it with a sentimental theology of which the converse side is, as Carl Jung observes, always violence. |
Super-right Catholics, with their super-right rich capitalist financial supporters, such as the founder of Domino’s Pizza, are out of synch with the current pope also. Busy sponsoring events like a $1000-a-plate-dinner at Mar-a-Lago called “Catholic Prayer for Trump,” they are eager as beavers to embrace Donald Trump, along with conspiracy theories. As with politics, religion too is often primed to “Follow the
money.” |
Speaking of “following the money,” Opus Dei activist Leonardo Leo, who handpicked our six far-right supreme court judges who dismantled Roe v Wade, is now a billionaire himself. Leo is seen smoking cigars with Clarence Thomas and his |
“Leonard Leo gets $1.6 billion in political dark money | On Balance.” NewsNation |
billionaire Texan sugar daddy in a painting at the latter’s mansion. |
Leo and his chosen six appear completely unbothered by the dire results of 12-year-old rape victims being forbidden relief; women with troublesome pregnancies being denied medical attention; and politicians instead of doctors making decisions about women’s bodies. |
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* Sullivan, Tim, "'A step back in time': America's Catholic Church sees an immense shift toward the old ways." AP News, May 1, 2024 See Matthew Fox, The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved. And Fox, A Spirituality Named
Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice And Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. xiii, 9f., 20, 155, 195, 258, 300.
Banner image: Pope Francis.
Drawing by Bogdan Solomenco. Wikimedia Commons. |
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Responses are welcomed. To add
your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Queries for Contemplation |
Do you recognize elements of fascism from yesterday’s DM creeping into institutionalized religion? Which elements are most pronounced? How do you see healthy spirituality resisting such trends? |
The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved
The Pope’s War offers a provocative look at three decades of corruption in the
Catholic Church, focusing on Josef Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. The final section in the book focuses on birthing a truly catholic Christianity.
“This book should be read by everybody, not only for its ferocious courage, but also for its vision for what needs to be saved from the destructive forces that threaten authentic Christianity.” ~ Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope.
“In the gripping The Pope’s War, Matthew Fox takes an unwavering look at the layers of corruption in the Catholic Church, holding moral truth against power.” — Jason Berry, author of Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II
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A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox delivers a profound exploration of the
meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our deepest
consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register
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Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil
that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly
masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics |
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In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages
The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical,
cosmic picture! With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our planet. "Matthew Fox has created a narrative, for every parent and grandparent, both spiritual and
scientific, that is a gift for all elders who recognize their responsibility in initiating the young ones into the grandeur of existence." Cosmologist Brian Swimme, Author of Cosmogenesis and The Universe Story "Matthew Fox has given all of us, children included, a wondrous and enchanting view of creation
and all that humanity should aspire to." - Caroline Myss, Author of Anatomy of the Spirit and A Time for Grace |
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UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
Join Matthew Fox in a new, live, 7-week video course hosted by the Shift Network, Cultivating Compassion in Spirituality: What Meister Eckhart & Other World Mystics Can Teach Us About Navigating Collective Turmoil. Tuesdays, May 7 – June 25, 5:00pm - 6:30pm PT. Register HERE. |
Join keynote speakers Matthew Fox and Brian Swimme at the 2024 Creation Spirituality Communities Gathering on “Reimagining Our Story, Hope for Humanity,” live at Cape Cod, MA and by livestream. Friday, May 31 – Sunday, June 2. Learn more and register HERE. |
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Matthew Fox speaks on "Preserving Things in the Good" at the Unity of Walnut Creek Earth Day worship service held on April 21, 2024. |
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Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
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