So Let's Review

It's been a busy few days. Let's examine why,

First, word broke that the Pope's resignation was prompted by a special report he commissioned that revealed how deep the Lavender Mafia ties in Rome are and how messed up the Vatican Bank is. The report classified these as sins against the Sixth and Seventh Commandments. Depending on the accounts you read, the Pope was devastated by the findings and proceeded to resign. Cardinal Pell has already come out calling for some kind of response and saying that the Vatican bureaucracy is a mess.

Now, it's being reported that those implicated in the report are going to be circulated pre-conclave.

There are basically three possibilities here. First, this is accurate, such a report exists, it's why the Pope resigned, and all hell is about to break loose when this is passed around and the rats scramble before, during, and after the conclave to thwart any new Pope's mission to root them out. Second, this is sort of accurate, such a report exists, but it's not exactly why the Pope resigned, but a smaller amount of hell will break loose as these reports are going to dominate the mission of the next Successor of St. Peter, who should be forced to take action on this. Third, none of this is really true, it's Curial politics gone mad amidst pre-conclave jockeying, and only a minor amount of hell will break loose as the Curial reforms will be rough but not to the extent envisioned if the report was real.

From the Australian news (not to mention Moynihan's items), we're led to believe that there is at least SOME kind of report delivered to the Pope by the Cardinals in question. So there's that.

This isn't all the news out there, though. Let's review the other recent snippets that you might not have heard.

1. Last summer, the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, which was famous for promoting the heresy of liberation theology, was stripped of its Catholic label by the local bishop (Cardinal Cipriani) and Cardinal Bertone. This was done in the name of the Holy Father. Earlier this month, Archbishop Muller apparently began to proceed in overturning this in his role as Prefect of the CDF. Three days ago, Cardinal Bertone has shoved back against +Muller and declared that the sanction will stand.

2. Cardinal Kasper, who still won't just go away, is now calling for women deacons, just women deacons that aren't ordained but that would (I guess) still do the same things as real deacons.

3. Cardinal O'Brien wants to re-examine the issue of priestesses.

4. Several outlets (such as here) are reporting Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor as calling for greater collegiality. Note at the link the other bishops who are criticizing Pope Benedict's management of the Church.

5. The German Episcopal Conference, following the previous approbation of Cardinal Meisner, has decided that the morning after pill is ok in cases of rape. This action then received the "Amen" from, of all people, the President of the Pontifical Council for Life.

6. Now, the Secretary of State has issued a statement about the conclave, which states in part:

It is regrettable that, as we draw near to the beginning of the Conclave, when Cardinal electors shall be bound in conscience and before God to freely express their choice, news reports abound which are often unverified or not verifiable, or even false, even subsequent damage people and institutions.

And, I'll add, most importantly:

It is in moments such as these that Catholics are called to focus on what is essential: to pray for Pope Benedict, to pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten the College of Cardinals, to pray for the future Pope, trusting that the fate of the barque of St. Peter is in the hands of God.

But seriously. I mean, holy smokes people. If scenario #1 cited above is true and the Pope basically resigned to get himself out of the way so that these problems could be exposed, holy smokes. This would at least explain the random outbursts of modernism from these cardinals and bishops, as well as the additional Curial conflict that we are seeing.

And the Pope's resignation hasn't even taken effect yet.

I'm reminded of something else I heard a long time ago.

The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see Cardinals opposing Cardinals, Bishops against other Bishops.

Our Lady of Akita

Pray everyone. And fast. Then pray and fast some more.