Holy water: U.S. Rep. Brady helps himself to pope’s glass - philly-archives

Let's see, I think somewhere in Exodus it says something along the lines of "You shall not covet."

The pope sipped from the glass at least three times during his speech, Brady told the  Daily News on Thursday night. And as the Holy Father left the chamber - and as many a legislator tried to make contact with him - the congressman calmly headed to the lectern and delicately picked up Papa Francisco's glass, holding it by two fingers, one at the bottom of the glass and one at the rim.

Brady then walked back to his office, carrying the glass and water and accompanied by his wife, Debra, and two staffers.

(It may be significant to note here that Brady had pulled the same stunt at President Obama's first inauguration.) 

Once he was safely in his office, Brady told the People Paper, "I took a sip out of it." So did Debra and the two staffers, who snapped pictures to commemorate the event.

"How many people do you know that drank out of the same glass as the pope?" Brady asked.

And people wonder why it's called Pennsyltucky!!

Holy water: U.S. Rep. Brady helps himself to pope’s glass - philly-archives

How the Vatican investigates miracles | New York Post

In “The Vatican Prophecies: Investigating Supernatural Signs, Apparitions, and Miracles in the Modern Age” (Viking), John Thavis, former Rome bureau chief for the Catholic News Service, describes this 1982 secret exorcism.

The new book shares how the Vatican deals with supernatural — or supposedly supernatural — events, from holy relics to instances of possession.

Thavis makes it clear that events of this sort put the Vatican in a difficult spot. On one hand, they cannot reject such supernatural phenomena outright, as to do so would reject many elements of the religion’s history.

At the same time, every claim of a supernatural or otherworldly presence must be handled with extreme skepticism, to prevent the Church from being taken in by charlatans, any one of whom could deal a blow to the Church’s credibility.

[,,,]

The Church has dealt with fake relics since the Middle Ages, when the “brain of Saint Peter,” which had been “venerated for centuries in the cathedral of Geneva was investigated and found to be a pumice stone,” and the “arm of Saint Anthony,” long “kissed by the faithful on festive occasions, turned out to be part of a stag.”

These days, rather than spend time and money exposing forgeries, the Church sometimes turns a blind eye to relics whose authenticity is in question. In 2011, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster angered many Catholics when he stated, “If that connection is made through an object which maybe forensically won’t stand up to the test, that’s of secondary importance to the spiritual and emotive power that the object can contain.”

How the Vatican investigates miracles | New York Post

During U.S. Visit, Pope To Attend Conference With People Who Think Homosexuality Can Be Cured | ThinkProgress

Yet so-called “reparative therapy” has long enjoyed pockets of support with conservative Christian circles, and some of its backers will be present at the World Meeting of Families next month. According to the National Catholic Reporter, an organization known as Courage ministries is listed as an exhibitor at the conference, which is held every three years — this year in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The group officially rejects the label of ex-gay ministry, claiming instead that its employees promote a lifetime of celibacy for homosexual Catholics, saying the organization “prefers to think of itself as a ‘Pro-Chastity’ ministry.”

Yet Courage has repeatedly challenged the validity of this distinction. It has invited professional ex-gay therapists to lead trainings at conferences, and the suggested reading list on the Courage’s website includes several publications promoting ex-gay therapy written by ex-gay counselors.

The group’s executive director, Rev. Paul Check, has also voiced support for more explicit forms of ex-gay therapy. He told the Washington Times in March that he does not support laws banning ex-gay therapy organizations for children, arguing that it is an “unproven assertion” that such “change” counseling “does harm to people.”

“The claim or the assertion that people are born [homosexual] is unproven by science and medicine,” Check said.

During U.S. Visit, Pope To Attend Conference With People Who Think Homosexuality Can Be Cured | ThinkProgress

US archbishop resigns after sex abuse cover-up charges filed against archdiocese. | Occupy The Vatican

The embattled archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis and his deputy resigned Monday after years of pressure, an indication Pope Francis is making good on his promise that no one is above the law when it comes to covering up for clergy who sexually abuse children.

Archbishop John Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche stepped down after Minnesota prosecutors charged their archdiocese with having failed to protect children from unspeakable harm by a pedophile priest who was later convicted of molesting two boys. Separately, the Vatican indicted Jozef Wesolowski, its own former ambassador to the Dominican Republic, on charges of sexually abusing minors in the Caribbean country and possessing child pornography. He will be the highest-ranking Vatican official ever to stand trial for a sex crime.

The developments came days after Francis approved the creation of a new tribunal inside the Vatican to hear cases of bishops accused of failing to protect minors, answering years of criticism that top-ranked churchmen have long been immune to punishment for ignoring or covering up for priests who rape and molest children. It’s not clear if the tribunal — once it becomes functioning — would handle the cases of Nienstedt and Piche, since they are no longer in office.

They quit under the code of canon law that allows bishops to resign before they retire because of illness or some other “grave” reason that makes them unfit for office.

US archbishop resigns after sex abuse cover-up charges filed against archdiocese. | Occupy The Vatican

Why Native Americans Are Outraged Over the Vatican’s First Hispanic U.S. Saint

A "man of his time,"  what a freaking cop-out!!

The Virgen de Guadalupe is depicted with spikes around her, much like the Nahua serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Though her original purpose as a way to secretly practice the old religion has since been forgotten, the indigenous Mexican still exists in her DNA. It also exists in the stones of the basilica. It exists in the Mestizo.

Mexico is Catholic because of conquest. It is Catholic because many years ago the Spanish came and brought with them murder, disease, and Catholicism. The Indians were forced to accept a foreign faith, and if they refused, they were met with violence.

It is a violence that has shaped Latin America.

And now, Native American groups are furious that the Vatican is seeking to canonize as a saint a man who perpetuated that violence.

According to Latin Post, Pope Francis will canonize Junípero Serra, an 18^th century Hispanic friar in Baja California who was responsible for bringing Catholicism to much of California.

Why Native Americans Are Outraged Over the Vatican’s First Hispanic U.S. Saint

Pope Francis launches new panel to speed up abuse cases - Religion News Service

Pope Francis on Tuesday (Nov. 11) created a new Vatican body to deal with the most serious cases of child sexual abuse and to streamline complaints against the clergy.

The Vatican said the pope would nominate seven cardinals or bishops to consider appeals from clergy accused of abusing minors in a bid to speed up the judicial process of clergy who have received an initial assessment by local bishops.


The members of the panel, or “college,” may come from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which currently handles cases, or elsewhere in the church. Members will also be asked to deal with serious abuses of penance in the confessional.

The Vatican’s chief spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, called the pope’s proposal a “good solution” to help alleviate a backlog of cases.

[,,,]
But the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which has more than 18,000 members around the world, said Tuesday the Vatican was not doing enough to ensure that those accused of sex crimes faced justice.
Archbishop Tomasi

“New procedures aren’t needed,” said Mary Caplan from SNAP, in a statement. “Decisive action is needed. And historically, only bishops who commit child sex crimes face even the slightest discipline while the hundreds more who conceal the crimes are ignored or promoted.”


Pope Francis launches new panel to speed up abuse cases - Religion News Service

Catholic Capitulation on Marriage | R. R. Reno | First Things

A demonstration of how entrenched right wing ideology is within the minds of some within the Catholic Church. R.R. Reno compares Pope Francis’ appeal to the church to treat gay people more like actual human beings, to the church’s treaty with Adolf Hitler.

These are unforced capitulations. They don’t involve legal coercion. In Creighton’s case, the action was taken over the objection George Lucas, archbishop of Omaha. Which is why I read them as the beginning of what will be a fairly widespreadcapitulation on gay marriage and homosexuality by leaders of Catholic universities and institutions.

[,,,]
I’m sure Pius XII would have denied that signing a Concordat with Hitler’s Germany meant he approved of Nazism. But it conferred legitimacy and dramatically undercut any basis within the Church for resistance. The same goes for the concordat many Catholic institutions are signing with gay marriage. It confers legitimacy on the sexual revolution and undercuts resistance.

I can understand why Pius XII sought the Concordat with Hitler. He hoped to secure a stable basis for the Church’s ministry in Germany. I can also understand why many Catholics (including, perhaps, Pope Francis) want to make their peace with the sexual revolution, putting “divisive” culture-war issues behind them so that they can go on with the work of the Gospel and so forth. Moreover, Hitler in 1933 didn’t look so bad—and respectable gay couples don’t seem a threat to marriage or anything else.

But Pius misjudged, as the horrors that followed made painfully evident. Our age is different. But I fear that when the full implications of the sexual revolution are manifest—calls for marriage equality will lead directly to calls for reproductive equality and a fundamental redefinition of the family—we’ll rue our concordat.

Totally out of step with reality and at odds with the views of the people sitting in the pews.

Catholic Capitulation on Marriage | R. R. Reno | First Things

ADDENDUM::Vatican exorcist blames Halloween for increased possessions, calls for 'Holyween' | syracuse.com

The Daily Mail reports the International Association of Exorcists (also known as the AIE) held its first official conference over the weekend in Rome. More than 300 exorcists attended after being officially recognized by the Vatican this summer.

Father Aldo Buonaiuto told the British publication that his organization's emergency number receives hundreds of calls on Oct. 31, up from an average of 40 per day, due to concerns about increased occult activity.

"Many say Halloween is a simple carnival, but in fact there is nothing innocent or fun about it," he said. "There are always more evil rituals, animal sacrifices, desecrations of cemeteries and thefts of sacred bones... From here the door to the devil can be opened."
,,,
"The battle against evil is becoming more of an emergency. We are calling for major vigilance," Cascioli added.

As a result, the Catholic Church in Italy wants to replace the night of costumes and trick-or-treating with a positive event called "Holyween."

"While most people are steeped in zombies and horror we put on our door or windows a light or an image evocative of the saints," Buonaiuto said in a statement. "And then there will be Masses, prayer vigils and worship to celebrate the saints and victory of good over evil."

Vatican exorcist blames Halloween for increased possessions, calls for 'Holyween' | syracuse.com

Pope Blesses Work of Exorcists

I have posted previously about the renewed efforts of the Vatican concerning its "push" for use of exorcisms in battling spiritual malaise. I find it quite disconcerting for numerous reasons, but a point made by Katie Engelhart writing over at Salon really is the crux of the matter for me.

But if we accept, as I do, that there is definitely no such thing as demonic possession — and, therefore, that this all crazy talk — we should take pause, and consider the effect that a push for exorcisms might have on vulnerable Catholics: the mentally ill, the developmentally impaired and the psychologically traumatized.
,,,
In this light, the new exorcism push seems like an effort to demonize (quite literally) mental illness and psychological trauma. Indeed, some of the so-called symptoms of demonic possession — hearing voices, speaking in strange voices, feeling watched or haunted or possessed — seem a lot like psychiatric symptoms,,,

According to Pope Francis, priests devoted to the ministry of exorcism “manifest the Church’s love and acceptance of those who suffer because of the devil’s works.”

Francis wrote these words in a message addressed to Father Francesco Bamonte, the president of the International Association of Exorcists, which is holding a convention in Rome this week. Vatican Radio has reported that more than 300 exorcists from around the world have participated.

This was the first conference to be held by the International Association of Exorcists since the Vatican formally approved its statutes this past June 13.

Father Bamonte said that the approval of the organization was “cause for joy not only for the association, but for the whole Church” and said that “God calls some priests to this important ministry of exorcism and deliverance” to be able to “accompany the persons with humility, faith and charity.”

Pope Blesses Work of Exorcists

Vatican Paedophilia Scandal: Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski Stored Over 100,000 Child Porn Videos

Here's what I don't get, it took them 9 months to investigate?  Did they want Wesolowski to delete even more files so they could just say nothing ever happened?  Different Pope same bullshit but with slicker PR.

A former Vatican archbishop accused of paedophilia stored tens of thousands of child porn videos and photos on a computer in his office at the Holy See diplomatic compound in the Dominican Republic, it has emerged.

Details of Jozef Wesolowski's massive child porn stash have been revealed after the 66-year-old was arrested at the Vatican earlier this week.

He is the highest-ranking Vatican official ever to be investigated for sex abuse, and the first top papal representative to receive a defrocking sentence. He has been charged with sexually abusing minors and child porn possession and might face up to seven years in the Vatican's tiny jail.

Vatican detectives analysed the PC Wesolowski used in his office in Santo Domingo, where he served as Holy See envoy from 2008 to 2012 as part of an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of underage boys. 

Vatican Paedophilia Scandal: Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski Stored Over 100,000 Child Porn Videos

Raëlian UFO cult responds to Pope Francis’s statement on alien baptisms | WORLD CULT WATCH

Just bizarre,,,

So we have Pope Francis who says he will baptize aliens. The “Who are we to close the doors to the Holy Spirit?" schtick. But the Raelians want to baptize the Pope instead:

Upon hearing that Pope Francis said he would welcome aliens at the Vatican and even baptize them, the spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement has issued a correction.

“There will be no need to baptize those he calls “aliens” when they decide to come back,” Rael said in a statement released today by the IRM. “They are the ones who created all religions on Earth, and they were mistakenly taken for gods. Instead of offering them baptism, the pope will have to acknowledge that they are the gods he has been praying to all along.”

IRM spokesperson Brigitte Boisselier, Ph.D, explained that according to Raelian philosophy, all forms of life on Earth were created by the Elohim, highly advanced human beings from another planet.

“They came from another planet and made us in their image,” she said. “The original, Hebrew Bible clearly states that ‘Elohim’ created life on Earth, but this word ‘Elohim’ is in the plural form, not the singular. It means ‘those who came from the sky.’ It was later mistranslated into the singular form, ‘god,’ which led to monotheist religions like Catholicism.” (Uhm no!! For a good take down of Elohim being plural give this a read.)

According to Vice, in a conversation with Ricky Roehr, the North American leader of the Raëlian Movement:

A few hours after we got off the phone, Roehr, with great urgency, called me back.

“I just want to make sure to add that when the extraterrestrials arrive, we, the Raëlian Movement, would be happy to baptize the Pope,” he said. “Because when the extraterrestrials come back, the Pope will then understand who the god of the Bible really was. Or is.”

Raëlian UFO cult responds to Pope Francis’s statement on alien baptisms | WORLD CULT WATCH

Pope Francis Talks About Aliens; Says He Would Welcome Martians to Receive Baptism

Uhm, OK, I will bite!

BUT,,,

Since these "Martians" are not descendents of Adam, why would they even need baptism? Does Adam's original sin apply to aliens as well?

What about those that believe aliens are fallen angels or demons; the "great deception" that many within Nephilim eschatology believe?
__
Pope Francis spent some time during Mass at the Vatican on Monday talking about alien life forms, and suggested that Martians, should they ever visit Earth, would be welcome to be baptized as well.

"If – for example – tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us, here ... Martians, right? Green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them ... And one says, 'But I want to be baptized!' What would happen?" the Roman Catholic Church leader theorized, as reported by Vatican Radio.

In his speech focused on the question "Who are we to close the doors to the Holy Spirit?" he said that baptism is open to everyone, and reminded the audience of the words of Peter:

"If then God gave them the same gift He gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?"


Pope Francis Talks About Aliens; Says He Would Welcome Martians to Receive Baptism

Exorcism is back! Meet the mavericks who will teach you how to cure demonic possession - Salon.com

My bias toward this type of bullshit is no hidden secret.  On a scale of 1-10, this "Institute" rates about a 13.5!!

__

This spring, a new school for exorcists opened in Illinois. The Pope Leo XIII Institute for the “education & training of priests in the holy ministry of exorcism and deliverance” was launched at the Mundelein Seminary in February — when the first cohort of trainees arrived for a 10-day seminar. For just $1,500 (plus $960 room and board; check and credit card accepted; donations welcome and tax-deductible), priests received instruction from some top exorcists — using a curriculum that was reportedly pre-approved by a committee of credentialed bishops.

[,,,]
But if we accept, as I do, that there is definitely no such thing as demonic possession — and, therefore, that this all crazy talk — we should take pause, and consider the effect that a push for exorcisms might have on vulnerable Catholics: the mentally ill, the developmentally impaired and the psychologically traumatized.

Right off the bat, I’d like to know: Where are the psychiatrists who are approving the use of exorcism on patients — and can they please stand up?

[,,,]

According
to the Vatican’s new exorcism guidelines people who claim to be demonically possessed must be examined by doctors — to rule out the presence of physical or mental illness. Many exorcists quoted in newspapers insist that they adhere to this requirement: stressing that they only perform exorcisms on a small minority of the people who seek them. Monsignor Mottet, the Iowa priest, tells me that it took some searching to find a medical professional who would take his referrals:  “Most psychiatrists don’t believe in this. You’ve got to shop around.”

 
Assuming
that priests really do require medical clearance (they are not regulated, so it’s hard to say), who is providing it? Who are these doctors—and are their actions in line with their obligations as medical professionals? We should be asking why and which doctors support the use of exorcism on people who believe that they are possessed by demons.


[,,,]

In this light, the new exorcism push seems like an effort to demonize (quite literally) mental illness and psychological trauma. Indeed, some of the so-called symptoms of demonic possession — hearing voices, speaking in strange voices, feeling watched or haunted or possessed — seem a lot like psychiatric symptoms. One worrisome result: Jennifer Percy’s new book “Demon Camp” profiles American Army veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who seek out exorcisms at a Pentecostal retreat in Georgia, where a husband-and-wife team perform them by the handful.

Also worrisome are priests like Father Gary Thomas (inspiration for the hit book and then movie “The Rite”), who notes: “Eighty percent of the people who come to see me have been sexually abused … Sexual abuse is a doorway for a demon.” What is this if not theological victim shaming: blaming sexual assault victims for their own abuse?

Exorcism is back! Meet the mavericks who will teach you how to cure demonic possession - Salon.com

Vatican to throw open Holocaust archives - The Hindu

Pope Francis appears to have taken another bold decision in favour of inter-religious harmony and transparency in the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church. It has been reported that he has decided to throw open the Vatican’s archives on the Holocaust and the role played by Pope Pius XII during Hitler’s Third Reich when an estimated six million Jews were exterminated. Pope Pius has often been accused of not doing enough to save Jewish lives and it has been alleged that the Church helped Nazis like the Frenchman Paul Thouvier by sheltering him in cloistered monasteries.

However, the Vatican has still to confirm that Pope Francis has in fact decided to open the archives.

Vatican to throw open Holocaust archives - The Hindu

The PR Guru Behind the Pope Who Is Charming the World | VICE United States

“I know what journalists are looking for and what they need,” Burke told reporters, “and I know how things will play out in the media.”

I think that says it all, and as I get ready to hit the post button this thought occurred to me, if the message of THE CHURCH is so grand why the need for PR at all?

But every modern-day media darling needs a PR machine, and Pope Francis is no exception. Enter Greg Burke: the 53-year-old Fox News correspondent turned Holy See handler (officially, Senior Communications Adviser to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State) who is quietly changing the way things are done in Vatican City.

To some, Burke may have seemed an unlikely candidate for papal spin-doctor. He’s a layman without PR experience: a cheery newscaster with a penchant for sports analogies. He’s also a member of the controversial Catholic order Opus Dei: a traditionalist and a celibate whose spiritual practice reportedly involves self-flagellation. But after a year and a half on the job, Burke is credited with helping to open up and rejuvenate the Holy See. Of course, Burke would say it’s all Francis’s doing. “I’m going to kick the ball to the Pope,” Burke explained at a recent lecture in London. “I mean, the Pope scores goals, you know? The Pope scores goals for us... The people are just eating this stuff up.”

[,,,]
In June 2012, the Vatican poached Greg Burke when he was still a Rome-based reporter for Fox News. Burke’s job would be to manage “communications issues” and to integrate the Vatican’s many media organs, explained a Vatican official. Burke himself said he was hired “to formulate the message and try to make sure everyone remains on message.”

The PR Guru Behind the Pope Who Is Charming the World | VICE United States

Some Folks Say It's the Beginning of the End for the Christian Right -- Dream On, They're Getting More Powerful | Alternet

In the aftermath of the government shutdown, and the ongoing Republican Party internal civil war that followed, progressive media outlets have embraced the notion that the Christian Right is finally facing its demise. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The autopsy of the 2012 election produced a swarm of op-ed obituaries that either celebrated or foretold the political end times for the Christian Right. Jonathan Merritt, a columnist for the Atlantic, observed that the GOP’s electoral hammering in 2012 marked the end of evangelical dominance in U.S. politics. More recently, Steven Conn, a contributor for the Huffington Post, predicts the rise of Pope Francis will dissolve the glue holding the Christian Right together.

While these observations make for sound logic when examining national politics, they completely overlook the Christian Right’s state-by-state strategy.

The Christian Right is flying mostly under the radar because the media tend to be attracted to bright, shiny things that grab attention at the national level. The nation’s theocrats, however, are waging a battle for America’s soul at the local and state level, and these battles generally do not make their way onto CNN or the front page of the New York Times.

[,,,]
Sarah Posner, an adept observer of the Christian Right, writes: “The religious right is not a movement with one or even two or three or four leaders. Because it's a political and cultural undertaking that is playing a long game—rather successfully—it has produced many disciples.”

[,,,]
Chris Hedges, author of American Fascists, writes, “All ideological, theological and political debates with the radical Christian right are useless. It cares nothing for rational thought and discussion. Its adherents are using the space within the open society to destroy the open society itself. Our naive attempts to placate a movement bent on our destruction, to prove to it that we too have 'values,' only strengthen its supposed legitimacy and increase our own weakness.”

 Some Folks Say It's the Beginning of the End for the Christian Right -- Dream On, They're Getting More Powerful | Alternet

Vatican refuses to extradite Polish archbishop accused of child sex abuse - Thenews.pl :: News from Poland

Why I am not completely on board with this Pope, from a statement released by SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests):

Pope Francis can ride buses, carry luggage, charm reporters and be humble all he wants. If he wants to stop kids from being raped and sodomized, however, he must act. He must reverse the centuries-old practice of Vatican officials protecting other Catholic officials from law enforcement. And he’s not a young man. He should start now.

We call on Pope Francis to stop harboring Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski and send him to Poland immediately. If Wesolowski refuses, Pope Francis should kick him out of the Vatican, stop paying him, and harshly denounce him in public.

Next week, Vatican officials will be questioned in Geneva by a United Nations panel on how the church hierarchy handles child sex abuse cases. That session will be live and on line, so anyone can watch it. We can’t imagine how top Catholic officials will defend this indefensible move.

__________

The confirmation follows a request for clarification by the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw concerning Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, one of two Polish clergyman accused of child abuse in the Dominican Republic.

“Archbishop Wesolowski is a citizen of the Vatican, and Vatican law does not allow for his extradition,” a statement from the Holy See clarified.

Przemyslaw Nowak from the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw has said the Vatican has confirmed that it is proceeding with its own investigation concerning the archbishop.

Wesolowski was recalled by the Vatican from his post as papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic in August 2013, and dismissed from office.

Vatican refuses to extradite Polish archbishop accused of child sex abuse - Thenews.pl :: News from Poland

Rise of the exorcists in Catholic Church - Telegraph

A fairly good look at the state of the RCC and their use of the rite of exorcism,,,

Dioceses across Italy, as well as in countries such as Spain, are increasing the number of priests schooled in administering the rite of exorcism, fabled to rid people of possession by the Devil.

The rise in demonic cases is a result of more people dabbling in practices such as black magic, paganism, Satanic rites and Ouija boards, often exploring the dark arts with the help of information readily found on the internet, the Church said.

The increase in the number of priests being trained to tackle the phenomenon is also an effort by the Church to sideline unauthorised, self-proclaimed exorcists, and its tacit recognition that belief in Satan, once regarded by Catholic progressives as an embarrassment, is still very much alive.

The trend comes four decades after the 1973 release of The Exorcist, the American horror film based on the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and attempts to exorcise her by two priests.

[,,,]
“People come to me thinking that with an exorcism they can resolve all the problems they have in their lives. A child is doing badly at school? With an exorcism we can make him study. They see exorcists as a last resort. Out of 100 people that I receive, there will be one who has need of me as an exorcist.”

“Demonic” possession manifests itself in people babbling in languages foreign to them, shaking uncontrollably and vomiting nails, pieces of metal and shards of glass, according to those who believe in the phenomenon.

They must undergo the official Catholic rite of exorcism, which involves a consecrated priest invoking the name of God, as well as various saints and the Archangel Michael, to cast out their demons. The growth in the number of priests being trained is “a response to public demand, but it’s also about quality control”, said John Allen, an expert on the Vatican from the National Catholic Reporter.

Rise of the exorcists in Catholic Church - Telegraph

Pope Francis Excommunicates Priest Who Backed Women’s Ordination and Gays | TIME.com

Just when you think he might be doing some good, we hear of this happening (from September 2013),,,

Father Greg Reynolds of Melbourne, Australia found out last week that Pope Francis had excommunicated him, and he was shocked. Granted, Reynolds holds less than traditional views in the Catholic Church—he supports women’s ordination and gay marriage—but Pope Francis has more than hinted lately that the Church needs to adopt a new tone towards those social issues. “I am very surprised that this order has come under his watch; it seems so inconsistent with everything else he has said and done,” Reynolds told the National Catholic Reporter, a widely read source for Catholic news.

Excommunication is a severe penalty in the Catholic Church. Today it is the church’s harshest punishment, and it means an individual can no longer participate in the sacraments or worship ceremonies, much less ever officiate a mass again. Reynolds’ letter of excommunication itself contained no official explanation for his excommunication. It accused Reynolds of heresy and claimed he had violated the sacrament of the Eucharist.

BUT me thinks there is much more to this story than what is being presented in "this" article. Although this action may not have been initiated under Francis, I would think that he would have the authority to stop it. Why I find all the man-made dogma surrounding religion mind-boggling. As one commenter concludes:

The idea that Pope Francis excommunicated Reynolds for having unorthodox views is a little concerning. It doesn’t quite correlate with the rest of Francis’s beliefs and attitudes. The real reason Reynolds was excommunicated is very vague. “Heresy and violation of the sacrament.” This could mean anything. It is speculation to say that Francis did it because of his unorthodox views.

There are many examples of others who have shared similar views to Reynolds. Most weren’t excommunicated. Many powers are at play in the Vatican. It could’ve easily been another Church members influence that saw the excommunication of Reynolds. There quite frankly isn’t enough here to point the finger at Francis. The article admits this, thankfully.

Pope Francis Excommunicates Priest Who Backed Women’s Ordination and Gays | TIME.com

See also:
Excommunicated priest says majority agree but fear reprisals

He believes fellow priests and members of the Catholic congregation are too afraid to express their opinions for fear of repercussions from the church.

[,,,]
Father Reynolds says while the letter is out dated by the Pope’s comments this week, he wanted the same thing as the Church’s leader was calling for and believed reform and renewal were necessary.

Australian priest, advocate for women's ordination excommunicated

The news came Sept. 18 through a canon lawyer for the Melbourne archdiocese, Fr. John Salvano, who invited Reynolds a few weeks earlier to meet "to discuss 'some canonical issue,' " Reynolds said. The former priest said Salvano presented him the letter of excommunication and proceeded to read it to him, since Reynolds did not read Latin.

Part of the shock stemmed from uncertainty with who initiated the excommunication and laicization process. During the meeting, Salvano told Reynolds that while Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart previously considered beginning the laicization process, he had not gone forward with that plan. Instead, unknown people had contacted the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which requested Reynolds' file from Hart.

[,,,]
The letter, a copy of which NCR obtained and translated, accuses Reynolds of heresy (Canon 751) and determined he incurred latae sententiae excommunication for throwing away the consecrated host or retaining it "for a sacrilegious purpose" (Canon 1367). It also referenced Canon 1369 (speaking publicly against church teaching) in its review of the case.

What I find quite thought provoking is this comment:

I have absolutely no idea why women's ordination incurs such fear at the Vatican. I remember hearing at a lecture that the major stumbling block for the Episcopalians, when they really dug deep to find out where this prejudice originated, it went right down to a woman's menstrual cycle and old purity laws. My sincere wish is that we have these deep conversations to explore the deeper meanings and feelings around having women as priests. It doesn't seem very rational to ban half the population from a potential vocation and it is clear that Jesus had plenty of women functioning as priests with him.

Something to explore and I'm speculating that it has to due with the suppression of the Divine Feminine as a whole.

Is Pope Francis Just Doing Savvy P.R. For the Oppressive, Dysfunctional Church? | Alternet

In a recent discussion concerning Pope Francis the following passage was highlighted:

He said that people of other religions were also praying for peace, and - departing from his prepared text - he urged atheists to join forces with believers.

I invite even non-believers to desire peace. (Join us) with your desire, a desire that widens the heart. Let us all unite, either with prayer or with desire, but everyone, for peace,' he said, drawing sustained applause from the crowd.

To wit, the OP responded;

So, Pope Francis? All other things being equal, I'd be glad to help, but I'm certainly not going to pray. I'd actually rub on some elbow-grease and get to work. But, the "work" that I'm involved in is an attempt to show how irrational thought is the culprit. Unfortunately for you and the RCC, irrational thought is what leads people to accept your Bible as "true."

I have to agree with the OP, prayer is irrational in the face of crushing poverty. Prayer is not going to put food in the belly of one who is hungry. And prayer does not pay the bills. Which brings me to this,,,

The difficulty I have with this Pope, is separating the man from the role of the Papacy. The man seems to be OK on the surface, but as overseer of the RCC he has an agenda, it is his agenda I worry about. " Resistance is futile" keeps running through my head,,,

Yet it is that very hope that fills me with despair, for it is hope destined to be dashed. Based on nothing much—just appealing optics and some pretty words—the hope offered by Francis is mere cover for an institution that models, in the guise of holiness, the very sort of patriarchal rule over half the world’s population that facilitates violence against women, as well as their impoverishment and oppression. It is a model the pope has stated he has no intention of changing.

[,,,]
Chua-Eoan, who co-authored with Elizabeth Dias Time’s profile of Pope Francis, admits as much in the video. “Everyone’s saying he’s going to allow divorced Catholics to have Communion, he’s going to open the church to gay people, he’s going to be much more open about abortion, but he actually never said any of that,” Chua-Eoan says in the video. “He was just being more open so that these people are willing to come back to the church, without having to deal with the actual rules.”

Is Pope Francis Just Doing Savvy P.R. For the Oppressive, Dysfunctional Church? | Alternet