Judge Andrew P. Napolitano attended a forum on Thomas Acquinas last week at the Vatican. He stayed at the Domus, the Pope’s house, and from there he wrote an excellent primer on Aquinas and free will. He closed however with some words about the pope, which is what we are concerned with here. From the essay:
I spent last week living and studying at the Vatican as a guest lecturer at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, or PASS.
. . .
[T]he current Pope may be the worst in history. He has watered down Church teaching on marriage, sexuality and confession.
He has suppressed the Mass that every canonized saint in Heaven attended and participated in. His attacks on traditional theology and liturgy are the opposite of what he is supposed to do — which is to preserve them
Nevertheless, it was surreal when he was brought in to the guesthouse dining room, using a walker and an assistant at each arm. It was bizarre when he sat with his back to us . . .
The Pope is in poor health, can barely speak or walk; and he radiates sadness. I was thrilled to reside in his home for four days, but I don’t think he’ll be there much longer.
The “Without Comment” above is there because, at least in this writer’s opinion, Catholics should never wish harm to, or express pleasure or hope at, the condition of this or any pope (Judge Napolitano’s comments though are certainly within bounds). Rather, we should pray for him and let our Lord determine where and when his ultimate fate.
Worth pointing out though, is there have been so many appointments made by Pope Francis of Cardinals sympathetic to his modernist views, little if anything will change (except, possibly, for the worse) in the Vatican no matter who Francis’s successor is. All the layman can do is pray for Holy Church. Her present situation cannot and will not last forever. We may not live to see it, but our successors will. We pray for their sake.
The Taos Tatler. 