Michael Fighting
"Michael…who standeth for…thy people," — Dan. 12:1-12
CARDINALS OF THE ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH
Cardinals are the hinges of the Church, the advisors to the Apostolic See. From the time of Saint Peter, the Pope has always had men to advise him. Ordinarily these men were clerics, Bishops, priests or at least minor clergy. However, these are not ordinary times, but as Our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied this is the worst time ever. We could quote many verses from Scripture about these times, but rather We wish to spend Our time here working toward the restoration of the Church.
A faithful saying: If a man desire the office of Bishop, he desireth a good work. It behooveth therefore a Bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behavior, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher, not given to wine, no striker but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous; but one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity. But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God? Not a neophyte: lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgement of the devil. Moreover he must have the testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Deacons in like manner: chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre: holding the mystery of faith in pure conscience. And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime. The women in like manner: chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children and their own house. For they that have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree and much confidence in the faith which is in Jesus Christ., I Timothy 3:1-14.
If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not subject to anger, not given to wine, no striker, nor greedy of filthy lucre: but given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent: embrace that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers. For there are also many disobedient, vain talkers and seducers: especially they who are of the circumcision. Who must be reproved, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake., Titus 1:6-11.
We have quoted these two passages on Bishops and deacons, because We believe that the future priests may be called from the ranks of married men. Although the ecclesiastical law of celibacy for clergy is of long-standing, necessity may require Us to take the same steps Our recent predecessors have of calling married men to the priesthood and episcopate. (Namely, pope Pius XII in some of the Communist countries.) However, in the current situation We are required to call married men to the Cardinalate. Unfortunately, We are not able to call them away from their material concerns, but they must continue to earn a living in the world as did Saint Paul, who was a tent-maker. We are placing a double burden on these men, their ordinary duties and that of advisor to the Pope.
DUTIES OF CARDINALS
The duties of Cardinals are three fold:
1. Serve as advisors to the Pope.
2. Assist the Pope in ecclesiastical functions.
3. Supervise the election of a Pope, after the Pope dies.
First, We call these men to advise Us in Our sacred duties of administering the Church. This is an important duty, and We require sound advice as We make Our way in these troubling times. May God bless and guide these men in the discharge of this sacred duty.
Secondly, Cardinals assist Us in sacred functions. As such, they shall acquire a red cassock and a surplice, so that they can assist Us. We suppress all other finery, as these are not the times of finery. In fact, the ordinary dress of lay Cardinals shall not differ from the laity, except that they shall wear a cross to identify them as clergy insofar as they discharge a clerical duty. They shall therefore have all the rights of clergy and some of the duties, insofar as their new office requires. However, Cardinals shall be allowed to remain in the married state with all the rights and obligations coming from said state of life. (Cardinals selected from the clergy shall retain all obligations of that state.)
Finally, Cardinals supervise the election of a Pope. Someday this may again become their exclusive perogative. We command them to commence as soon as possible after Our death with a Papal Election. For this purpose, they shall maintain a list of Catholics and be prepared to convene them at once, upon Our death. In fact, We order the use of all modern means of communications to make issue the summons to a Papal Election. These include the telephone and even the Internet, if that is necessary. Following the tradition of the Church only those physically present at the place of the Papal election may vote. Their first duty will be to assist Us to prepare more formal Papal Election laws.
WHY DO THE CARDINALS WEAR RED?
Cardinals wear red as a symbol of their willingness to shed their blood in defense of the Faith. Indeed in the coming persecutions, there may be an opportunity to shed one's blood for the Faith. Not only the Pope and Cardinals must be ready, but every Catholic must be ready to shed his blood for the Faith. However, the grace of martyrdom is not a quick fix for an irregular sinful life. Martyrdom is a grace that is earned by a saintly life. Read the lives of the martyrs; if they had not been martyred they would have been worthy of canonization as confessors, virgins and holy women.
Both the interior life and the exterior conduct of the clergy should be superior to that of the laity, to whom they should furnish an example of virtue and good deeds., Canon 124. We quote this Canon to the men appointed Cardinal to remind them of their duty of being leaders in the Church. Not only do they advise and assist the Pope, but they are also leaders in the Church, that the faithful look up to. They must be examples of virtue and piety. They must follow the golden mean of moderation in all things. They must rule their households well, as Saint Paul reminds us. Cardinals, the faithful expect you to be role models, please do not disappoint them.
FACULTIES OF THE CARDINALS
Any Cardinal, who is admitted to the priesthood, immediately has all of the rights and privileges accorded them in Canon Law. However, this new class of Cardinals, which comes from married men, because they will not be promoted to Holy Orders can not have many of the privileges mentioned in the Sacred Canons. Therefore We accord the following privileges to this new class of Cardinals, which We call §Cardinal laymen§, as they come from the laity, although by appointment they become ipso facto minor clergy.
1. To choose a confessor as outlined in canon 239, paragraph 2, once the priesthood is restored.
2. To teach the word of God (Canon 239, paragraph 3). It is extraordinary for a man, who is not a deacon to be commissioned to teach and preach in the Church, however, since We as Pope must teach, We commission Our Cardinals to do so. When so engaged they shall be vested in red cassock and surplice, but without the stole, unless they are at least deacons.
3. To bless everywhere merely by the sign of the cross and attach the indulgences usually granted by the Holy See to rosaries and other prayer beads, crosses, medals, statues and scapulars approved by the Holy See, without having the obligation of having the names of those received into the scapular put on record., Canon 239, paragraph 5. Here again is an extraordinary favor granted to men, who are otherwise laymen.
4. Canon 239, paragraph 6 the blessing of Crucifixes for the Way of the Cross for the benefit of the faithful who cannot visit the Stations. (The balance of this faculty is reserved for Cardinals, who are also at least deacons.)
5. To gain in their own private chapel those indulgences for which a visit to some church or sacred shrine is prescribed in the town or city in which the Cardinal actually stays. The members of his household participate in this privilege., Canon 239, paragraph 11.
6. To authenticate for the external forum oral pronouncements of the Supreme Pontiff., Canon 239, paragraph 17.
7. To have a private oratory, Canon 239, paragraph 18. We remind these men that such oratory must be erected in accord with the rubrics of the Church to which all are bound. We strongly recommend they acquire such an oratory, if at all possible.
8. To grant an indulgence of two hundred days, even toties quoties, in places and for persons under the Cardinals jurisdiction or protection. He may grant these in other places, but they can be gained only by those present and only once., Canon 239, paragraph 24.
9. To grant the Papal Blessing in articulo mortis with the plenary indulgence attached thereto. Also they may absolve from any and all censures in articulo mortis with the usual cautions in the Canons. That is in danger of death, they may grant the Papal Blessing and absolve from any excommunications or other censures. If the person recovers, he is bound to the general provisions of Canon Law.
10. At meals to bless the table with a single sign of the cross after the manner of clerics who have received the Order of Lector.
FACULTIES BY DELEGATION
Certain things may also be done, when delegated by the Apostolic See:
1. Witnessing marriages and imparting the Nuptial Blessing, observing all of the rubrics.
2. Solemn Baptism of infants, if a duly authorized priest cannot be had within the 10 days recommended by Canon Law. The Baptism of Adults is reserved to the Pope, acting as Local Ordinary, except in danger of death.
3. Reception of people back into the Church, when delegated by the Apostolic See, observing the form in the Ritual.
4. Granting the Papal Blessing, when delegated. As such it possesses all of the indulgences of a regular Papal Blessing.
5. Whatever other faculty the Pope may delegate within the limits of said delegation.
Given this 25th day of January, 1999, the Conversion of Saint Paul, ninth anniversary of the publication of Will the Catholic Church Survive the Twentieth Century? by Pope Michael.
