The Saint Euphrosynos Cafe

The media have been reporting that the Pope is not only resigning for health reasons, but (1) he feared an assassination attempt on his life and (2) he received a report indicating the corruption within the Vatican this past December.

Here is one such news report:

Vatican blasts 'false' media reports ahead of pope election

Benedict too has made reference to the divisions in recent days, deploring in his final Mass as pope on Ash Wednesday how the church is often "defiled" by attacks and divisions from within. Last Sunday, he urged its members to overcome "pride and egoism."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/23 ... z2LlNhOuZp

Honestly, who really knows the real reasons. I am sure that there are so many powerful interests involved with such a monumental change that what is really pulling the strings here is beyond telling.

The Pope can't even stop Roman Catholics from using contraceptives and keep heretics from the chalice, you think he is going to convince them to fight another crusade against Islam?

JamesR wrote:

The Pope can't even stop Roman Catholics from using contraceptives and keep heretics from the chalice, you think he is going to convince them to fight another crusade against Islam?

The Roman Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis all have been known for courting Islam and attending mosques and synagogues. They can truly be labeled as "ecumenists." I highly doubt that the current Pope will encourage a crusade against Islam.

I've kind of chosen this thread to announce my membership here on this forum, as i am a former 'roman catholic' (although I consider myself more truly 'ROMAN' and truly 'CATHOLIC' than i was before. I am presently seeking to become part of an Orthodox 'Old Calender' congregation, and recently talked to an 'Old Calender' priest in my State by phone recently.

I have felt, all my life, Orthodox at heart. I was born Roman Catholic in 1969, and in my 20's, I became what might be called a 'Sedevacantist' traditional Roman Catholic, because of my unhappiness with the Papist heretical Institution. After years of struggle and prayer and research, I'm now ready to seek formal union with a true Orthodox church, for It is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Faith. And, I think we need to fully resist and maintain Holy Tradition, thus I support the 'Old Calender' movement as it is so-called.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fully Latin in the good sense (I think) before things went awry, and I love the writings of Blessed Augustine and those of Pope Gregory of Old Rome, and I also think a restoration of the Orthodox Patriarchate and Popes of Old Rome is integral to the triumph of Orthodoxy in these End Times, but I respect and love also the theology and saints of the East (who after all did maintain the Faith), especially st. John the golden-mouthed, st. Mark of Ephesus, and st. Photius the Great. True 'Latins' are Orthodox or will become so, as time goes on.

Thank you for the opportunity to fellowship to this extent with you all, and i'm looking forwards to many good discussions and advice from you all. But, most of all pray for me a sinner, and pray that i'm able to join you fully, in body as well as soul.

Michael,

God grant you many years.

I too was a Roman Catholic for most of my life, and even entered a convent but left as a novice when they were studying the "theology" of Fr. Thomas Merton who had promoted some weird buddhist thinking near the end of his life.

Yes, I feel that we are in the End Times, and that Christ will come soon, but perhaps not in my earthly life.

Let us pray for each other that we may be saved.

In Christ,
Maria

Maria wrote:

Michael,

God grant you many years.

I too was a Roman Catholic for most of my life, and even entered a convent but left as a novice when they were studying the "theology" of Fr. Thomas Merton who had promoted some weird buddhist thinking near the end of his life.

Yes, I feel that we are in the End Times, and that Christ will come soon, but perhaps not in my earthly life.

Let us pray for each other that we may be saved.

In Christ,
Maria

Thank you so much.

Now, as to this thread and to 'Benedict XVI', there is a common link with him and with his previous namesake 'Benedict XV' who reigned in 1914 to 1922... One is German, the other was of the Germans and favored German Hegemony and the destruction of Russia and of Orthodoxy, favoring only peace initiatives after the Hohenzollern and Habsburg Central Powers began to lose WWI.