The inspiration for this week's blog comes from two recent homilies by Pope Francis, the third and fourth of June respectively. The following are the titles of his homilies that appeared in the 'Vatican Insider'. The homily for the third of June is: "The corrupt love themselves and harm the Church", and the homily for the fourth of June is: "Saying no to hypocrisy gives the courage to speak the truth, says Francis". I have linked the two homilies for the reason that Pope Francis says that the language of the corrupt is hypocrisy. I am focusing on the June Third homily in which Pope Francis speaks about corruption, sinners, and saints, however, when appropriate, I speak of hypocrisy, as well.

The title of this blog is: "Sinners, Saints, the Corrupt: "Sliding Down the Road of Corruption". As I say, the inspiration for the blog and this title comes from the June Third, 2013, homily of Pope Francis. I draw your attention specifically to his remark about the "Sliding Down the Road of Corruption". He says,

May the Lord deliver us from sliding down the this road of corruption.

Let's examine this statement. The first part of the statement is probably fairly self-explanatory. I would think, he is asking Christ to rescue all of the Church faithful from becoming corrupt, including the hierarchy and indeed himself. The next part of the statement reads: "sliding down this road of corruption". What does Pope Francis say, is corruption? Pope Francis says that the "corrupt were sinners like all of us, but they have taken a step beyond that, as if they were confirmed in their sin: they don't need God!" They make a special god"; they themselves are god". The above collection of Pope Francis's words would lead us to believe that those who are corrupt have rejected God and are not of the faithful. However, he goes on to say that there is danger of corruption for our Christian Communities because "they think only of their own group: "Good, good. It's about us--but, in fact, "they are only out for themselves."

Pope Francis, reminded the Church, in this June Third homily, that everyone is a sinner and if you didn't think you were a sinner, "you should see a spiritual doctor". It is from the First Letter of John, chapter one, verse 10, that John says, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." It is also found in the teaching of John that "all wrong doing is sin, but, not all sin is mortal". See, we Catholics do not make everything up! Clearly, this is where the notion of venial sin and mortal sin derives. John says in the Epilogue of his first letter:

If you see your brother or sister committing what is not a mortal sin, you will ask

and God will give life to such a one- to those whose sin is not mortal.

What we can assume is that mortal sin is death dealing, i.e. corruption. Corruption would be the rejection of God and that rejection of God is the work of the aniti-christ. Who the anti-christ is, is also addressed in the First Letter of John. The anti-christ for John is a liar because the anti-christ is the one who denies the Father and the Son. John says that the anti-christs were among them, but, they have gone, and were never apart of them. The anti-christs were clearly people who espoused a teaching that was contrary to the faith of the Christian community.

In our common parlance, the term anti-christ, has come to mean "against Christ" and I suspect there is much confusion as to who or what we are really talking about. Pope Francis identifies the anti-christ as it is referred to in John.

Pope Francis does not bother too much about the ordinary sinner, but, places much emphasis on the one who is a corrupt person. It is not clear from his homily if Pope Francis equates the corrupt person with the anti-christ. Suffice it to say, that if, one is in mortal sin, or is indeed, corrupt, one might well wear the label "anti-christ". This is a discussion for another day!

Yes, we are a Church of sinners. Are there corrupt persons? Are there anti-christs? Are there saints? For expediency, I'll place corrupt persons and anti-christs together, and so we are left with the subject of Pope Francis , in the June Third homily, those being "sinners", "saints", and "corrupt persons."

I have spoken of the sinner and the corrupt person and the corrupt person, I will return to. Let me first address the "saint". Pope Francis says the "saints are those who obey the Lord, those who worship the Lord, those who have not lost the memory of the love with which the Lord has made the vineyard; ....the saints do much good". Seems pretty clear, doesn't it? Recall that St. Paul calls the members of the body of Christ, "saints". The premise is that though all have sinned, through baptism, all are saved in Christ Jesus, therefore "sainthood" is the result, of dying and rising in Jesus Christ.

Allow me to rephrase: The Church is constituted as the body of Christ who are at the same time, saints and sinners! Who, then, are the corrupt persons, that Pope Francis says are not among us, but, then again, must be among us, because of the existence of Christian groups "who think only of themselves."

Pope Francis States:

The road of autonomy is a dangerous road; the corrupt are very forgetful, have

forgotten this love, with which the Lord made the vineyard, has made them! They

severed the relationship with this love!.......and then...."those who want to take possession

of the vineyard, and who have lost the relationship with the Master of the Vineyard,"

I find his words perplexing and annoying because I do not know who Pope Francis is specifically referring to as having forgotten the Lord's love or who wants to take possession of the vineyard.

Furthermore, who are the Christian "groups" that are only out for themselves? Who are the groups on the road to autonomy?

Who are the corrupt persons and groups that Pope Francis is speaking of? Is it Opus Dei? Is it the women priests? Is it the ACP's? Is it the Preachers Initiative? Is it the Voice of the Faithful? Is it, We Are Church? Is it the numbers of Catholic priests who committed sexual abuse crimes? Is it the cardinals who are associated with Vati-leaks and other scandals? Is he speaking of the L.C.W.R., the sisters organization of the U.S.?

Specifically, is Pope Francis pointing to the sin of clericalism, when he says, "those who want to take possession of the vineyard"? Is there more reference to clericalism when he remarks, "those who have lost the relationship with the Master of the Vineyard"? Or, is he making a reference that completely escapes me?

In his second homily, the homily of June 4th, Pope Francis speaks about hypocrisy and how it is the language of corruption. He says that we should speak the truth and not be polite and that we ought to be evangelical. St. Paul says we should speak with salt on our tongues. It seems to me, Pope Francis, is being hypocritical himself, when he finds the need to be polite and ignores telling us exactly who he thinks are the corrupt persons and groups in the Church.

My concern is that he is referring to the voices of reform as the corrupt persons and groups. I suspect that he is ignoring the corrupt persons and groups who appear to be holy and legitimate.

I'm finding, as of late, much of Pope Francis's words are too vague and dismissive of the wrongs perpetrated by the holy elite. I ask you, Pope Francis, who exactly is sliding down the road of corruption?

I believe, I know what Jesus might say to this question. It was the religious leaders of his day, that He pointed to as the hypocrites, the liars, and just generally, "a brood of vipers". Would you care to elaborate Pope Francis? After all, you have said that "clericalism" is a problem. Is it corruption?

What about all the other professionalization that has soured the Church? i.e. many theologians have created elitist clubs..... Where we find this, is it corruption?

Where we find abuses at the hands of the CDF? Is this corruption?

Is it not corruption to ignore and excuse all sin that is corruption from the person in the pew to the Pope in his Palace?

or are you actually suggesting that "groups" who are seeking justice, collegiality, and the full inclusion of women, are corrupt?

We just do not know who the Pope is referring to.

In conclusion, I have heard many a profound, hopeful, and inspiring word emanate from Pope Francis, but, his words need to address the corruption as it is associated with the CDF and the rest of the hierarchy. When is Francis going to address the corruption that exists physically and virtually right around him? I think, that it is pretty clear to some of us who has slid down the road of corruption: priests who have committed crimes against children, bishops, cardinals, and popes who carried out cover-ups, Vatican financial scandals, execution of unjust ex-communications, unfair stripping of priest's faculties, luxurious living at the expense of the poor and the faithful, dismissal of women and the exclusion of the laity from Church governance, and the list goes on.

I repeat, who has slid down the road of corruption? Would you care to answer truthfully Pope Francis, or must you also perpetuate the sin of clericalism and hypocrisy? The politics of the Church are most assuredly, the source of most of the Church's corruption.

Addendum:

Since I prepared this article, it has come to light that Pope Francis has said that he is "disorganized in administrative matters , such as, the reform of the Curia". He said this while meeting with Latin American Religious. The National Catholic Reporter says that the nature of this meeting was informal and the Pope was relaxed and candid. (paraphrased) What arises from that meeting is somewhat disconcerting however, as Pope Francis admits to be "disorganized in administrative matters, and in particular, on the reform of the Curia. One can only hope that he was being "playful", as a reporter for the N.C.R. calls Pope Francis "astute". Do astute and disorganized work together?

Pope Francis also tells the religious not to be concerned about the CDF. He tells them, that if they receive a letter from them, just explain what they have to, and carry on. Does Pope Francis not realize that the CDF has been unequivocally cruel to the L.C.W.R., to Father Roy Bourgeois, to Father Tony Flannery, to many other theologians, particularly women, and to the countless victims of abuse, and to many of us, who seek to be heard by the Vatican? Is Pope Francis indirectly suggesting that the Church has permission to ignore the CDF? If that were at all possible, then, everyone who has received a letter from them, should just carry on. Does Pope Francis think that the CDF ought to be taken seriously? or Does he think, the CDF should be taken seriously in some cases? What is the legitimate power of the CDF in Pope Francis's mind?

As a result of this meeting, it may be clearer as to what kinds of groups, the Pope has a problem with....that would be your "Pelagians", and your "Gnostics". Who they are exactly, I do not know, but I maintain, that some of the reform groups are probably still on the "hit" list. Pope Francis is also concerned about a "gay lobby" at the Vatican. All these mentioned are probably sliding down the road of corruption. I would still like more clarification!

Lastly, I am questioning whether the team of eight cardinals is helping the Pope to tackle the problem of Curial reform? Perhaps, he ought to be consulting "those" in the know. Maybe start with Hans Kung! I know some Church women who are great at organizing!

I do not want to leave the impression that I'm any less pleased with Pope Francis, however, as I comment on the ACP, he just has not "ventured far enough into the eschatological light to understand certain aspects of the spiritual life better". As St. Paul says, "we see things dimly through a dark glass", but all things will be revealed, when we see the Lord face to face". (paraphrased)

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