REFLECTIONS ON THE IRRELEVANCY OF RELEVANCY: THE PAPAL TOUR

by Pauly Fongemie
September 28, 2015

The wall to wall adulation of the US papal tour, a masterpiece of manipulation in public relations promoting "relevancy" was as expected. While the secular media is generally respectful when a Roman Pontiff visits, which is essentially like a state visit of a dignitary, the fawning here was almost hyperbolic, also expected, given that this pope gives every appearance of rejecting what American elitists and their spokesmen reject of what was once common natural law morality. Even the Al Jazeera America network broadcast part of the papal tour through the liberal corridors of Northeastern Yankee progressivism, which includes most, if not all, diocesan Sees.

Liberals who have no use for the Papacy found Francis fascinating, meaning the Papacy is now useful to their own temporal aspirations.

And, if there was anything that could be more supercilious than the grandeur of so-called humility, I do not know what it could be, the low point being a sideswipe at Benedict XVI who wore the traditional papal shoes, in contrast to our oh so publicly humble Francis, who did not. Authentic humility is never a production, it does not call attention to itself, by definition, thus the irony. Even the pope mobiles were contrasted. No detail was too minute to be savored, if Francis was to be the icon of "humility". Imagine the media, which thrives on the opposite of humility hawking this first among virtues!! As I have said before, "what a show, what a circus, but I am not sure who was the ring master and who was the clown, it was all so surreal." Catholics whom I had considered halfway intelligent and observant were falling all over themselves to see who could be most adoring of the man who is in the process of destroying the Papacy [prophecy of St. Francis of Assisi], and the effective Church, as opposed to the crumbling facade. I can understand the worldly non-Catholic media, but faithful Catholics? Liberal Protestants and lapsed Catholics who have not always been reluctant to criticize a pope in the past seemed almost reluctant, the dour author, Gary Wills on C-Span being one of the few exceptions, not surprising to those of us familiar with his diatribes. Even Francis was not liberal enough for him, and that is saying something. But then, he has a prickly immodest agenda.

And this brings us to our topic, the irrelevancy of "relevancy".

Relevancy as presently defined and inculcated is always a mirage and a deadly trap, for it is so illusive, that once it is established it has become already obsolete, fitting the age of technocracy, where keeping up-to-date or relevant is harrowing to say the least. This is necessarily so because when change itself, for the sake of change is the raison d'être, then change begets change in a never ending cycle, outdating itself from moment to moment of Political Correctness.

Remember when one purchased a toaster or a typewriter, one could reasonably expect it to last for more than a few years? I am in need of a new computer, but hesitate because I am informed that by the time it is installed, it will be on its way out. Last year I invested in Windows 8, only to be told now that I really require Windows 10, but for how long? Somehow Windows 9 never materialized, numerical order less necessary than before as well.

Modern ideas and the ethic that accompanies them dance to the same frenzied tune, the times are indeed "a changing" and changing, who can possible absorb it all, and adjust, if it is morally feasible to do so? Progressives of every stripe refer to this phenomenon as "evolving", while the rest of us call it by its rightful name, devolving. A Church that seeks to be relevant, to assent to erroneous ideas in order to spare "hurt feelings" et cetera, is no Church worth its name or fitting its Divine Founder, Christ. The Church serves to provide the essentials for salvation, and this means unchanging Truth, a Creed that addresses the relationship between God, our Creator and His creatures, for whom He sent His Beloved Son as the Redeemer. To redeem man from slavery to sin, not rewrite the definition of sin or find ways to make light of those sins not amenable to the catechism of political correctness, thereby rendering mercy itself irrelevant, for it becomes superfluous as does salvation, which requires more than a wave of a wand from men with discombobulated authority. After all, if mortal sin is no longer a bar to receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion, this must mean, that it no longer carries the penalty of spiritual death or the gateway to Hell. Thus justice, is reserved for the political realm only, having been severed of the now redundant mercy, its companion.

Human nature does not change, and neither do the requirements for salvation. This is the very relevance of the Church, its purpose and anything less is a trick of modern sensibilities, a deception that serves to destroy souls. Once the Church ceases to effectively save souls by the proper administration of the traditional Sacraments as it has always done, it becomes just one more voice amid a tone deaf, wearied, clamorous world, or a political party of sorts, not the only portal of sanctifying grace, by which men may be saved. Since the modern Papacy and all its adherents have imbibed of this poison, it was not surprising to witness Francis speak clearly, without nuance about prudential, non-absolute political matters such as environmentalism while avoiding the evil of abortion and the other atrocities of Planned Parenthood, that is, remaining either mute or irresolute about moral absolutes. Political conservatives were disappointed to say the least, but they ought not have been taken by surprise.

The ark of Noah was a prefigurement of the Catholic Church, the only ark of salvation, as was Noah's craft during the flood. It is ironic to say the least that while great strides are being made and mankind is on the verge at last of finding and beholding Noah's ark where it is believed to have settled in Turkey, the Catholic Church, in its semi-official pronouncements and day to day proceedings, rigged Synods to insure a predetermined outcome if at all possible, and informal talks appears to be disavowing itself of its universal primacy over the souls of men, or its "arkship". While Noah's historic ark is about to be dislodged from the mountainside that has been harboring it for thousands of years, the Church in its human element has been busy for three generations dislodging it from its stronghold, Sacred Tradition, where it must rest securely if the Church is to remain faithful to Christ.

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