Let's defend the Truth

A)  The text of the speech by J.M.Bergoglio:

“But when someone forgets his need to forgive, he slowly forgets God, forgets to ask for forgiveness and is not able to forgive. The humble, the one who feels he’s a sinner, is a great forgiver in the confessional. The other one, as these teachers of the law who feel “pure”, “masters,” only know how to condemn. …… But you, Capuchins, have this special gift from the Lord: to forgive. I ask you, do not get tired of forgiving! I think of one man that I met in the other diocese, a man of government, that, when he finished his governmental time as caretaker and provincial, at the age of 70 he was sent to a sanctuary to confess. And this man had a queue of people, everyone, everyone: priests, faithful, rich, poor, everybody! A great forgiver. He always found a way to forgive, or at least to leave that soul in peace with a hug. There are so many languages ​​in life: the language of the word and there is also the language of gestures. If a person approaches me, in the confessional, it is because he feels something that is weighing on him and that he wants to get rid of. Maybe he does not know how to say it, but the gesture is this. If this person approaches me, it is because he would want to change, to do no more, to change, to be another person, and he says it with approaching. It is not necessary to question him: “But you, you …?”. If a person comes, it is because in his soul he would not want to do it anymore. But many times they cannot, because they are conditioned by their psychology, by their lives, their situation … “Ad impossibilia nemo tenetur” (no one is required to do impossible things). A large heart … Forgiveness … Forgiveness is a seed, a caress of God. Have faith in God’s forgiveness. Do not fall into Pelagianism! “You have to do this, this, this, this … …”. And who is the great accuser in the Bible? The devil! Or you stay with Jesus, and forgive giving your life, your prayer, many hours there, sitting like those two [St. Leopold and St. Pio]; or you stay with the devil, that condemns and accuses … I do not know, I cannot tell you another thing. What I’m saying to you, I’m saying to all, to all the priests who go to confess. And those who do not feel like it, they must be humble and say: “No, no, I celebrate Mass, I can clean the floor, I can do everything, but I cannot confess, because I cannot do it right”. And ask the Lord’s grace, the grace that I ask for each of you, for all of you, for all the confessors, even for me” (Celebration with the Minor Capuchin Friars for the transfer in San Pietro Basilica of the remains of St. Leopold and St. Pio, February 9, 2016)

B) References to Scriptures:

“‘What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swaying in the breeze?” (Mat 11:7b)

“All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One” (Mat 5:37)

“One of the criminals hanging there abused him: ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He answered him, ‘In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luk 23:39-43)

C) Comment:

The Capuchins have come to St. Peter’s to honour the mortal remains of Padre Pio. Does Bergoglio speak of him? Of course not! Does Bergoglio enhance the qualities of Padre Pio as confessor that, sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, spends hours and hours to co‑participate the sacrifice of Christ and to overcome evil? Not even in jest. On the contrary, Bergoglio, addressed him, without neither naming him, almost with contempt.

Bergoglio recommends to confessors who want to confess, that “it is not necessary to ask questions” because if a person goes to confess himself, “it is because in his soul would not want to do it anymore“. Therefore, the priest should be silent and the sinner, in the silence, in the privacy of one’s soul, maybe is asking for forgiveness. Maybe. Because it is good that everything takes place in silence (the confessor should not ask questions; the penitent says what he believes, because everything is in his soul). What foolishness!

Poor Padre Pio!

The sinner must recognise and must be fully conscious of sin, to sin no more. Jesus forgives giving His life but to those who ask forgiveness, not to those who make silence or worse insult him. The example of the two thieves crucified with Jesus is clear. Jesus forgives a thief, the one that repents and BEGS forgiveness. And Jesus forgives him. The other thief insults Him, he does not ask for forgiveness, and Jesus does not say that he would be saved. The silence of Jesus against that thief is equivalent to his final sentence.

Then Bergoglio says that who is a sinner, is humble. Another deception! One may be humble even without being a sinner. Jesus, the humble par excellence, was not a sinner. Mary, She who made humility Her first virtue, was not a sinner. St. John Baptist was humble but was not a sinner. Padre Pio was humble but is not a sinner: he is a saint, a great saint!

Poor Padre Pio!

Then Bergoglio says to the confessors that “if they do not feel like it” to confess in the way taught by him, it is better to not confess. It is better to say “no, no” (and therefore even disobeying to the superior). Bergoglio affirms: it is better, for humility, to say “no, no“. But this is not humility. It is pride! You cannot teach to those who have made a vow of obedience, to disobey to their superior.

Bergoglio’s teachings are totally opposed to those of Padre Pio. Bergoglio taught to obey to “self”, breaking the vows of obedience, in this case. Padre Pio was an example of obedience to superiors, even when they have unjustly mistreated him, insulted and humiliated, before in life and now in death.

Poor Padre Pio!

The teachings of Padre Pio, are forgotten; his name, not even pronounced. Padre Pio has always been an awkward person for the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Both in life and in death. Padre Pio only serves to reach the crowds that, hearing his name, are ready to rush and to give and to give themselves generously. For this serves, Padre Pio. For this he is very useful. It matters a little if his example in the confessional was opposite to that taught now by Bergoglio. Padre Pio in the confessional, sometimes, “bludgeoned”. And the care of the cane, for hardened sinners, sometimes worked. But Bergoglio once again says the opposite: “Woe to those that bludgeon”. Padre Pio at times did not absolve. Bergoglio says the opposite because God is mercy: forgives everyone, even those who do not repent.

The soul that does not receive absolution from sins, how can it go in peace, as Bergoglio says praising a man who “always found a way to forgive, or at least to leave that soul in peace with a hug“? No hug will ever give peace to the sinner who is not forgiven from his sins! Padre Pio taught this!

Poor Padre Pio!

So, the Capuchins flocked to St. Peter’s for Padre Pio, what example and words should they have to imitate and hear? Those of their holy brother Padre Pio, who bluntly and harshly brought to the Truth, that is Christ; or those of Bergoglio, that says the opposite and takes away from Christ?

The Spirit that was in Padre Pio is opposite to that which is in Bergoglio. The way of speaking of Padre Pio is frank and direct “yes, yes”; “no, no”; that of Bergoglio is contradictory and trembling, tangled and petty. Now the name and the mortal remains of Padre Pio are, without shame, used in order to exploit the good faith of the people. If only he could talk …

Poor Padre Pio!