Jews Don’t Need Gospel & Neocats in Egypt

Dear TIA,

On May 16, Cardinal Koch delivered a major speech in Rome on Jewish-Catholic "dialogue" since the Council (see link below). In it he made two rather astonishing observations: First, he said: "In his detailed examination of the question of the so–called mission to the Jews, Cardinal Karl Lehmann rightly discerned that on closer investigation one finds 'as good as no institutional mission to the Jews in Catholic mission history.'”

Why, then, is St. Paul called the Apostle to the Gentiles? Because the first 12 Apostles of the Holy Roman Catholic Church were Apostles sent primarily to the Jews! The mission to the Jews is the Church's seminal mission, one that has never been "revoked."

In Matthew 10:5, Jesus sent these twelve, commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not. [6] But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Secondly, from the Koch speech on May 16: "The in–principle rejection of an institutional mission to the Jews does not, on the other hand, exclude that Christians bear witness to their faith in Jesus Christ also to Jews, but they should do so in an unassuming and humble manner, particularly in view of the great tragedy of the Shoah."

Does that describe the "unassuming" way St. Peter spoke to the Jews gathered in Jeruselam on the day of Pentecost? No, here is what the first Pope said:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know most certainly, that God hath made both Lord and Christ, this same Jesus, whom you have crucified. Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles: What shall we do, men and brethren? But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts Of Apostles 2:36-38)

Speeches such as the one given by Cardinal Koch make one seriously wonder whither goes the "Ecumenical Catholic Church" of Vatican II. The true Catholic Church does not turn its back on her historical mission to boldly preach the Lord Jesus "to the Jew first, and to the Greek," as St. Paul says: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

Koch's declarations are available here

      Peace,

      Frank Rega

TIA,

I would like to inform you that two important sermons by priests of SSPX were delivered recently. One is by Fr. Joseph Pfeiffer from the Philippines and can be listened to here; the other is by Fr. François Chazal from South Korea and can be listened to here. Both sermons are against Bishop Fellay's merge with Rome. They last more than one hour, but are worth listening to in order to evaluate how the reactions against an accord with Rome are growing inside the organization.

In the sermon of Fr. Pfeiffer, we are informed that one of the terms of the deal with the Vatican, revealed by Bishop Fellay recently, is that the SSPX Bishops who will not accept the Vatican conditions will be free to go, and will be replaced by an equal number of Bishops approved by the Pope.

In addition, the German website Kreutz.net informs us that it received information from Vatican sources that only during the summer vacation of Benedict XVI, which will start shortly after June 29, the Feast of St. Peter and Paul, will the Pope have the leisure to study in detail the terms of the accord with SSPX. Nothing should happen at least until then.

I imagine that you and your readers will benefit from these data.

Keep up the good work. TIA is the only English website I know that keeps its readers informed of the healthy reactions inside SSPX.

     In Christ Jesus,

     E.J.

Dear TIA,

I read the contribution of your correspondent "MK" about the promotion of condoms in sub Saharan Africa with great interest. Condoms are not the only evil being foisted on the people of this region. Abortion is also being promoted, under the pretext of preventing the millions of illegal abortions carried out each year in Africa. In both these cases, we are treating the symptoms rather than the root causes.

The prevention of AIDS can only be achieved by an improvement in morals. Restraint and chastity outside marriage is the only answer in this case. In the case of illegal abortion, more effective policing of this appalling situation and an increase in the severity of the punishments would lead to a change in behavior. Any woman who kills her unborn child is guilty of murder and should be punished accordingly.

The situation in sub Saharan Africa is not, however, without hope. The Society of Saint Pius X has recently established the Missionary Sisters of Jesus and Mary in Kenya and is already bringing people back to the beauty of tradition. We can be sure that the good example, the life of self-discipline and sacrifice of the Sisters and their love of chastity will bear fruits in the improved behavior of African girls and women. The rebelliousness of the 1960s and the communist inspired revolutions in certain countries of this region, did the peoples there no great service at all. They are today paying the price!

     Yours faithfully

     C.M., Ireland

Hello TIA,

Do you have any lists that one can join to receive an email of the data about the Saint of the Day?

     Thank you,

     P.J.

TIA responds:

Hello P.J.,

We do not have an e-mail list for this purpose. However, each day on our Spotlight page, we update the Saints of the Day that we have available. You are welcome to visit it and check for the Saint of the next day.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

Dear TIA,

If I intend to perform a Black Fast on a Friday (only bread and water), is it acceptable to take aspirin to relieve a headache?

To my understanding, aspirin is not food so it would not constitute breaking the fast.

Thank you for clarifying this matter

     Sincerely,

     P.F., Australia

TIA responds:

Dear P.F.,

Thank you for the consideration in sending us your question.

The rules of fast do not apply to medicines. So, you may take your aspirin without any scruples.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

TIA,

II recently came across this note about the Neocatechumenal Way in Egpyt. I thought you and your readers would find it interesting in view of your recent article showing Vatican approval for this group:

Earlier this week, Zenit published an interview with a young Italian priest trained by the Neocatechumenal Way and now incardinated in the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt. (A PRIEST IN EGYPT - Father Orazio Patrone Gives an Outsider's View of Christian Life.)

Reproduced below are his comments regarding the Coptic liturgy and penitential tradition, comments that echo many of the pejorative statements routinely made by liturgical progressivists against the Traditional Roman liturgy, and significant in light of the Neocatechumenal Way's growing influence and involvement in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

In connection with this, your readers might remember that the Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt, Antonios Cardinal Naguib, was the relator for the 2010 Synod of Bishops on the Middle East, which called for a major reform of the Eastern liturgies (see this as well).

     Mark Stabisnky

ZENIT: How are intense times, such as Lent and Easter, lived?

Father Patrone: The season of Lent is lived very intensely, with strict fasting, lived devotionally more than as an occasion of preparation for Easter. Perhaps this is dictated also by the strong influence of the Muslim month of Ramadan. As well, the sacrificial aspect of Good Friday is stressed more than the fundamental importance of the Easter Resurrection. In fact, the funeral of the Lord is celebrated with a very long liturgy as was the custom of the pre-conciliar Latin Churches. Its importance is seen in the fact that participation in worship on Good Friday is almost double that of what it is on Easter Sunday.

ZENIT: What do you intend to do for the Year of Faith and the New Evangelization?

Father Patrone: The Church in Egypt is very tied to her traditions, especially those in the liturgy, and has difficulty in entering the dynamism of the New Evangelization desired by Vatican II. On the other hand, there are attempts and openings especially by the Catholic side, which is attentive to and relatively involved in what happens in the West. This is demonstrated, among other things, by the opening, though slow, to charisms that emerged after the Council. In parishes there are now groups such as the Focolares and the Neo-Catechumenal Way, and other movements born in Egypt with the intention of a renewal in the sense of a New Evangelization.

There is scarcely any clear reference here (and in the rest of the article) to the fact that the Coptic Catholic people have given a magnificent witness of suffering and martyrdom at the hands of Muslims for nearly 1,400 years, a feat that could scarcely have been possible without that people's demanding liturgical tradition and its long fasts. (One reference each to "sporadic" persecution and to "social" discrimination, and a couple of references to "fundamentalism," simply don't cut it.) Egypt is also home to Byzantine and Armenian-Rite communities.

     M.S.