The “God of Surprises” strikes again – or not
Fresh on the heels on my April 19th post on the Document of the Pre-Synodal Meeting with “young people,” a text that decries at length the plight of women in the Church, comes this:
In an unprecedented move, Jorge the Historic has appointed three female advisers to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; women by the names of Laetitia Calmeyn, Michelina Tenace, and Linda Ghisoni.
“A glass ceiling has been broken in the Holy See,” writes Chicago Catholic contributor Christopher Lamb.
Well, that’s one way of putting it, I suppose.
Another is simply to say that the “God of Surprises” (aka Francis) isn’t all that surprising after all; rather, he is as transparent and predictable as the sunrise.
The qualifications of three female advisers to the CDF, for instance, are exactly what one would expect.
Laetitia Calmeyn
As reported by Christopher Lamb:
[Laetitia Calmeyn] is a theologian based
at the College dés Bernardins in Paris. A consecrated virgin and former
nurse specializing in palliative care, her combination of expertise in
theology and nursing corresponds with Francis’ desire for theologians to
have exposure to pastoral realities.
How fitting that Professor Calmeyn’s first name is to be found in the title to Jorge Bergoglio’s Love Letter to Lucifer, Amoris Laetitia!She is the co-author of a reading guide to that disastrous document, about which the French publication La Croix reported:
“Our goal was both to clear the way
proposed by Pope Francis and to resituate it in relation to the
magisterium,” says this theologian trained at the John Paul II Institute
in Rome. In sections titled “to deepen”, the reference to the texts of
John Paul II, Familiaris consortio and Veritatis splendor , comes up often.
“I do not think we can put a document in
contradiction with those that preceded it. It is therefore necessary to
make them talk,” justifies Laetitia Calmeyn, for whom this “rooting” is
necessary not to cause “fears” but allow the reader “to welcome the
novelty” of the text.
In other words, she is not only of the continuity school; she is of the novelty is magisterium too school!Surprised?
I didn’t think so.
Michelina Tenace
Christopher Lamb tells us:
Michelina Tenace, [is] a professor and
head of the department of fundamental theology at Rome’s Pontifical
Gregorian University. Aged 63, she is another consecrated lay woman and
studied literature at Rome’s La Sapienza University before receiving a
doctorate in theology from the Gregorian.
She also happens to be one of the six women appointed by Francis to a
commission charged with studying the so-called question of female
deacons in August of 2016.According to Vaticanista Andrea Gagliarducci, who blogs at Monday Vatican, Tenace, like fellow commission member Phyllis Zagano, is known to be a champion of female diaconal ordination.
Speaking with the Italian journal La Stampa about her book, Dal chiodo alla chiave: la teologia fondamentale di Papa Francesco (From the nail to the key: the fundamental theology of Pope Francis), Tenace said:
When Francis describes the true
theologian, in reality, without intending it, he reveals himself.
Therefore, we dare to say that, today, fundamental theology has a master
and a fascinating witness: Pope Francis, who is the pope of fundamental
theology for the third millennium.
Surprised?I didn’t think so.
Linda Ghisoni
As reported by Christopher Lamb:
[Linda Ghisoni] holds a doctorate in
canon law, a subject she has taught at the Gregorian University, along
with degrees in theology and philosophy. Aged 52, she is married with
two children.
Ghisoni’s Bergoglian qualifications are apparent enough given that
she was no doubt thoroughly vetted before being appointed undersecretary
in the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life in November 2017; a
post in which she serves under Cardinal Kevin – the Holy Spirit is speaking in Amoris Laetitia – Farrell.Surprised?
I didn’t think so.
At this point, if Francis does anything to undermine the Catholic Faith – including the institution of deaconettes and cardinalettes – shame on us.