Holy Thursday foot washing in the Catholic Church according to the “rules”
– (that is the rubrics of Christ’s Holy Catholic Church) state that only the feet of MEN are to be washed.
For years people in the Church (clergy and laity) seem to be baffled by this concept and need to be reminded every year. (The Vatican says one thing and the United States Bishops say the opposite.)
The confusion was made worse when Pope Francis in 2013 did the very thing the Church had publicly been battling against for years. He washed the feet of women... and non-Catholics. He broke "the rules" of the Holy Catholic Church and left more people (clergy and laity) baffled as to what to believe and trust.
Do we have to trust and keep the Rubrics?
If the Pope breaks them can we all do the same?
What's the point of Rubrics if they don't need to be followed?
For years people in the Church (clergy and laity) seem to be baffled by this concept and need to be reminded every year. (The Vatican says one thing and the United States Bishops say the opposite.)
The confusion was made worse when Pope Francis in 2013 did the very thing the Church had publicly been battling against for years. He washed the feet of women... and non-Catholics. He broke "the rules" of the Holy Catholic Church and left more people (clergy and laity) baffled as to what to believe and trust.
Do we have to trust and keep the Rubrics?
If the Pope breaks them can we all do the same?
What's the point of Rubrics if they don't need to be followed?
Here is an episode of Michael Voris’ The Vortex from March 2012 about the abuse in the Church when Catholic clergy ignore the rubrics of
washing the feet of MEN ONLY on Holy Thursday…
Since Voris has made it clear he will NOT now or ever
publicly ridicule a Pope we can only assume from his views clearly stated here in 2012 what he
thinks of the current pope washing the feet of women and non-Catholics.
Youtube Video notes:Published on Mar 30, 2012As we prepare for the remembrance of Our Blessed Lord's Passion and Death, there could hardly be a more insulting way to begin this, than with a major liturgical abuse. But unfortunately, such an abuse has become extremely common.
As we all know, last year when Pope Francis “broke the rules”, chaos spread
among the Church with everyone wondering just when (if at all) anyone has to
listen to the rubrics of the Church.
This year, he’s done it again.
This year, he’s done it again.
From Rome Reports: “On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 patients with special needs at the St. Mary of Providence Center, for the Don Gnocchi Foundation. It's a center for the elderly and people with several disabilities located in the outskirts of Rome. Their ages ranged from 16 to 86. Among them were four women and a Muslim.” –end quote-
So if a Pope has no regard for the rules of the Church why
should anyone else?
What’s the point in making any rules if they don’t need to
be followed?
What example is the Pope setting by publicly "breaking the rules"?
Are his actions telling the Catholic world that rules CAN be broken and you are still a "good" Catholic if you break them?
Can we all pick which 'rules' (rubrics or not) we want to break now?
What example is the Pope setting by publicly "breaking the rules"?
Are his actions telling the Catholic world that rules CAN be broken and you are still a "good" Catholic if you break them?
Can we all pick which 'rules' (rubrics or not) we want to break now?
Don’t like the rule “No birth control”? Ignore it!
Don’t like the rule “Confess mortal sins before Holy
Communion”? Ignore it!
Don’t like the rule “Catholics cannot support gay marriage”? Ignore it!
Don’t like the rule “Catholics cannot support or participate
in abortion”? Ignore it!
And the list goes on…anything you don’t like, just ignore it
because that is what we’ve learned from our Pope.
After all, who are we to judge?
After all, who are we to judge?
But the question remains... does anyone have to follow the Rubrics of the Catholic Church?
Are they rules or merely suggestions?
Perhaps the rules don't apply to the Pope only to everyone else?
Who will clarify this for us now?
Just who and what to do we listen to?
Do we believe, trust and listen to the Rubrics or the clergy who ignore them?
Can anyone answer that any more?
Are they rules or merely suggestions?
Perhaps the rules don't apply to the Pope only to everyone else?
Who will clarify this for us now?
Just who and what to do we listen to?
Do we believe, trust and listen to the Rubrics or the clergy who ignore them?
Can anyone answer that any more?
In Christ,
Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
Links:
EWTN on Foot washing: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/ZLITUR26.HTM
Document image from: http://skellmeyer.blogspot.com/2009/03/holy-thursday-washing-feet.html
Document image from: http://skellmeyer.blogspot.com/2009/03/holy-thursday-washing-feet.html
Julie, you wrote, "Since Voris has made it clear he will NOT now or ever publicly ridicule a Pope.." It is not "ridicule" to respectfully yet honestly point out a failing in prudential judgment of the pontiff (provided one is properly disposed). In an hour I'll be at my parish, praying I won't have to implement this. http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2014/04/if-holy-thursday-services-are-profaned.html
ReplyDeleteWell, unfortunately I did have to act. Even more unfortunate was that one of the two women is a prominent local pro-life leader. So yes, the Pope has provided lousy example. By the way - I pinched that letter for use on my own blog. What happened at my church was sheer disgrace.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteWell, some of us have more confidence in the Holy Father's approach to our Catholic faith than we do in that of local bloggers. I think Pope Francis' pontificate is only going to become more and more difficult for you and others who think like you. Many of us were patiently loyal during the pontificate of Pope Benedict; now it is your turn to hold on to the Church by the skin of your teeth. we will pray for you to remain faithful in these--what are for you--difficult times. you go girl
ReplyDeleteHello "Restore-DC-Catholicism"!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to see things at your parish were not as you'd hoped.
Perhaps the answer is to completely do away with the foot washing?
God bless and thanks for stopping by and sharing.
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Hello Terry, good to see you. Thank you...coming from you, I know how much that means.
God bless.
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Hello Consolamini and welcome.
You will be 100% correct, that if the Pope continues to ignore the Rubrics of the Church it will become more and more difficult for those of us who are faithful to the Church in all her teachings.
We need to pray that ALL our clergy, from the top down, stay faithful to ALL the Church teachings, when they stray from the Church teachings they lead others off course too.
We don't want to see people falling to the wayside or becoming lost because they made the wrong choices which is why it is so important to follow official Church teachings all the time- you can't go wrong with that!
God bless.
In Christ,
Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
I love Pope Francis, but like Julie said, rules are rules. How can we expect our priests and bishops to follow the rules about washing men's feet only, if the pope doesn't provide a good example?
ReplyDeleteConsolamini,
ReplyDeleteYour "suffering" under pope Benedict was really part of the continuing flouting of Church law and teachings so characteristic of arrogant prgressives.
You seek to equalize the our very different circumstances. The difference is that Benedict didn't break Church laws according to his own personal whim. Pope Francis does just that.
Folks like you love that because all liberals ever need to justify violating or ignoring law - secular or religious - is the tiniest of openings , which is to also say, hardly any excuse is needed at all.
A number of profund changes to worship were illegaly implemented throughout the Church which not only violated Vatican II document on liturgy, they actually ignored specific instructions to the contrary. Yet, when challenged, liberals invented the big lie to justify the dismantling of the Church they hate to its very core: the creation of "the spirit of vatican 2" from nothing.
If there's a loophole you expand it. It there's a specific exception you apply it to all cases, ignoring the conditions.
Pope Francis has the authority to ignore an dviolate many Church laws but NOT all, by any means. In the foot-washing instance he is free to do as he wishes.
However, in no case does the pope granting himself an exception to the law EVER apply to any other cleric, including bishops. Morlino is not only right, he has no authority to copy the pope's exception. Francis COULD change the law, but he hasn't.
No matter. Progressives eviscerating the faith are jumping right on his example and falsely accusing faithful bishops like Morlino of failing as a bishop are, true to form, lying.
Rubrics are the opiate of Pharisees.
ReplyDeleteAnd this article cites the same Michael Voris who asserts the pope should exist as a legal yet benevolent dictator...that, and only Catholics go to Heaven. He's the mayor of PhariseeTown; or Mullah of the Catholic Taliban. Take your pick.
ReplyDeleteLWC,
ReplyDeleteYou and Pope Francis share one thing in common; your two's fondness for name calling. "Pharisee, Catholic Taliban, Mullah,"etc.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/19/the-pope-francis-little-book-of-insults/
Im still trying to understand this NewHumility that is being preached and how it determines who is worthy of insults, and who is worthy of Christian charity.
Buckeye, indeed it's not so much 'name-calling' as it is pointing out practices within the Catholic Church that ultimately disenfranchise many Catholics who are disparaged for not practicing 'authentic' Catholicism. You really need only hear the venom from Michael Voris, et al, as he lambastes those Catholics who...wait for it...receive Holy Communion in the hand, let alone other 'egregious' allegations. It truly appears the hostility emanates from that side. Perhaps he could benefit from some pastoral outreach.
ReplyDeleteFrancis is harmful to the Body of Christ. His presence is a chastisement, not the gift of light.
ReplyDeleteAllan, I'd re-check to see if you took your Abilify and thorazine this morning.
ReplyDeleteThe very old axiom in our Catholic theology is that "the ends don't justify the means" which can really be applied in this particular situation.
ReplyDeleteThe Pope's authority is not absolute strictly speaking. That is to say the pope can't do whatever he wants. We're not ultramontanists, nor are we subject to dictator.
This abuse of the Liturgy by the Pope (let's call it what it is...he also did this as Archbishop of Buenos Aires)...undermines those of us that are trying to follow the rules. Excellent points are brought up...to what end can we ignore the rules? Pandora's box has now been opened.
Most certainly the Pope has perks that an ordinary bishop does not, but as such it's not an absolute. Just like we can't be cafeteria Catholics when it comes to the Faith, the same comes when it comes to the Church's Liturgy. So often we talk about man's rights, what about the right's of God to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, with absolute fidelity?
LWC, Communion in the Hand is not a right, it is an indult which can be (and in many places) has been revoked. If you have not read Dominus Est by Bp Athanasius Schneider, I would encourage you to read it, it will have a dramatic change on your Faith in the Real Presence. Also Communion in the Hand is unheard of in the other rites of the Church.
But hey, if a person is of good will, and seeking the Lord, who am I to judge? (TM)...It's not like being faithful is supposed to be difficult :p
oh geewhiz, he CAN kneel after all!
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you guys listen to Michael Voris is a sad commentary on the state of the American Church. What happened to the adults?
ReplyDelete