I would’ve thought calling people names and saying they’re doing the work of the devil might be frowned on but maybe I’m behind the times.
“Pope Francis has lashed out at the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), saying: “They are the work of the devil.”
During a meeting with Jesuits in Slovakia, the Pontiff spoke of “a large Catholic television channel that has no hesitation in continually speaking ill of the Pope.” Although he did not name the network, the reference clearly was to EWTN. “I personally deserve attacks and insults because I am a sinner,” the Pontiff said; “but the Church does not deserve them.”
Pope Francis said that he had “said this to some of them”—apparently indicating that he had lodged complaints with some representatives of the American television network. His public remarks could put more pressure on EWTN, a network that has built up a large international following in part because of its willingness to tackle controversial issues.
The Pope’s question-and-answer session with Jesuits occurred on September 12, during his visit to Slovakia. A full transcript of the session was released on September 21.
During the same session, Pope Francis also expressed impatience with priests who “make nasty comments about me,” complaining that “they make judgments without entering into a real dialogue.”
Evidently linking such criticism to support for the Tridentine liturgy, the Pope went on to speak of “the decision to stop the automatism of the ancient rite.” He said that when young priests seek permission to celebrate the Latin Mass, it is “a phenomenon that indicates we are going backward.”
Earlier in the exchange, Pope Francis had spoken out against a tendency to “look back to the past: to seek security.” He said: “This is the evil of this moment—namely, to seek the path in rigidity and clericalism, which are two perversions.”
“It frightens us to accompany people with sexual diversity,” the Pope told the Jesuit group. He urged them to “go forward in pastoral experiences.”
You literally could not get any more mainstream Catholic than EWTN. To think they are on the ramparts of traditional Catholicism is just not an accurate depiction. They’re probably just referring to Raymond Arroyo who has carved out his own thing over at EWTN.
There’s no way you could look at the work of EWTN and say they are the problem in the Church. The very thought is laughable. It seems to me that the pope and The Vatican don’t want to know what the real problems are in the Church.
Rigidity? Is that a joke. A majority of Catholics don’t even believe in the Real Presence. But rigidity and traditionalism is the real problem. This is pathetic.
