.... Well, this is a problem that is quite profound. On the Papal level. The apology is appropriate, the statue should not have been stolen; but if what I've read in Catholic News Agency is correct: the Vatican, including the Pope, stopped short in calling it an Idol

The Pope did say that the recovered statue wasn't stored in an idolatrous fashion (hint-hint to the worshippers of), but it could also mean as an attempt to not cause worry and angst towards more orthodox Catholics.

Basically, the Pope is not strong enough in his language, nor is he clear on it.

Is it a pagan goddess? Say so! Is it an idolatrous worship? It is! So why this scardy-cat footing?


https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-apologizes-that-amazon-synod-figures-were-thrown-into-tiber-river-46833

I hope your assessment of the Pope is correct. I know Modernism is a heresy where (among other things) all religions are equally valid attempts to worship God. Like Bishop Kräutler boasting of not having baptized a single indigenous soul in the 53 years of the Amazon Mission!!

There is a most recent news of the on-going controversy, a video showing a Vatican Cardinal attending a Pachamama ceremonial celebration. According to the article, the Cardinal was making a tour of the region or the country.

While he did show some discomfort at a certain point of, the fact is that he did nothing with regard to it. The Vatican responded by saying that it was a mere cultural presentation, or that the Cardinal took it as it.

I think this is a minor problem as he may have not known of the controversy, and so mistook the ceremony as a cultural event. But all the same, it's not helping the Papal image.

The same site (which willl be posted below) has a petition. Feel free to take advantage of it.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/video-of-vatican-cardinal-at-pachamama-father-sun-ceremony-surfaces

The real problem may be too many Bishops see the Mass as a "cultural event"

You might be right; that or the Vatican is so desperatate for more people that they're willing to abandon a little orthodoxy for more acceptance.

I don't know the situation as it stands now, but a few years ago, the church was running out of Priests to perform mass, consecrate and administer the Eucharist. The problem was to the point that some of the Lay, probably those above the Deacons, were used to give the Eucharist to parishoners.

That probably has led the Vatican to vote for the present Pope who've raised eyebrows from both Protestants and Catholics alike. Both sides had wondered if he's compromising on long standing Catholic doctrine based either from scripture or tradition.

It's Modernism and/or Liberation Theology. Both of which ignore Man's fallen nature, and focus more on worldly matters than God. They think Man's Natural End is Heaven, when that is the Supernatural End, and requires co-operation with Grace.

The first two, I think you're right (at least with the current Pope); however, the last I can't really see that as the contributing factor. For the Catholics have almost always held the soteriological position of Grace in Cooperation with Works.

With that said, they also believe in Original Sin. It is this, more than the former, that would most discourage them from believing in the inevitable perfection of man and society. If this doctrine is forgotten or abandoned, then even the former position can aid in the error.