New Pope Noted for Increased Ecumenism and Modernism

March 15, 2013 — The new head of the RCC, is Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio, who was formerly Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina. With his election he has chosen the name “Francis”; Pope Francis I is of course well known by many persons in Argentina. He was disliked, or at least felt ambivalently about, by Roman Catholic

traditionalists in that country, most notably for his negative attitude and resistance to the implementation of the Tridentine Use provisions contained in Pope John Paul II motu proprio ‘Eccleisa Dei‘. The RC blogosphere has gone back and forth on this, but the truth seems to be coming out.

Many Roman traditionalist, who are especially worried about reversals of policy under Benedict XVI, have raised alarms, especially as Argentinian Roman traditionalists bring forward criticism.

Furthermore, Pope Francis is drawing criticism from well known paleoconservative political writer Michael Brendan Dougherty

While many individuals can rightly question whether then-Cardinal Bergoglio
should have pursued another path (as in Orthodox history Bishops have certainly
been quiet or supportive of less than good political regimes), we must not allow
this to deter necessary criticism.

It should be admited freely, however, that the political situation in Latin American
countries is extremely polarized and frayed. It is often presented as a choice
between Marxists-Socialist-Communist organizations, against American imperialist back so-called Right Wing parties (which just as often turn into dictatorships). The history of the sad and shameful involvement of American corporate and government forces in Latin America has been largely the result (along with the importation of the Spanish caste system) for Latin America’s problems (for history of American involvement, I would direct everyone to read General Smedley Butler, one of the most decorated Marines in US history). However, the reports of Cardinal Bergoglio having political prisoners kept in church facilities is disturbing, even though, of course, the Vatican denies close ties.

Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow was quick to congratulate Pope Francis. As was the chairman of the MP External Church Relations, Met. Hilarion (Alfeyev).  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also sent congratulations, noting the Vatican as a Sister Church (since it is well-known that the Phanar has the Roman Popes names on their diptychs). It has been noted that Pope Francis was a well-known and honoured visitor to the MP liturgical celebrations in Argentina.

“The new pope is known for his conservative views, and his papacy will evidently be marked by the strengthening of faith. The fact that he has taken the name of Francis – reminiscent of Francis of Assisi – confirms his understanding of evangelization primarily as assistance for the poor and the deprived, as protection of their dignity,” Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, secretary for inter-Christian relations at the Department for External Church Relations.

However, from the Roman traditionalist perspective, not much is to be expected.
The first Mass celebrated and televised by Pope Francis I, held in the Sistine
Chapel, was celebrated on a newly erected Cranmerian style communion table, in
front of the traditional altar. Even the arrangement of the six altar candles
was somewhat strange, with each progressively inclined inward; this is in contrast
to the retro order that Novus Ordo Conservative Benedict tried to revive, with
the six candles in the Tridentine arrangement. Also noted was the lack of even
chanting the collect, another change from his liturgical more conservative
predecessor.

The  trans-religious and syncretistic ecumenist vision of Francis is becoming also well-known.