Has Satan found his way into the Catholic Church? I am beginning to think so. As St. Paul tells us in 1 Cor 11:14:

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006), 2 Co 11:14–15.

In October a synod was held titled the “Amazonian Synod“. These are held for various reasons including changing how we celebrate Mass. Three main recommendations of this synod are:

• Allowing the ordination of married men as priests.
• Allowing women to be deacons.
• Adding some “indigenous” rituals to the Mass.

While all three disturb me to some extent, it is the third really bothers me. Let me state at the beginning, that none of these recommendations have been enacted they still must be approved and voted on but who knows what will happen. It has already been learned that the final document is nearly completed and could be released at the end of the year. This is highly unusual and leads some to believe the agenda was planned and the synod was nothing more than a review of what was already decided. I will write more about this synod in the future. Let’s discuss the third point, adding indigenous practices to the Order of the Mass.

At the closing ceremony of the synod, there was a tree-planting ceremony held. As part of this ceremony people “held hands and bowed before carved images of pregnant women, one of which supposedly represented the Blessed Virgin”. Catholic News Agency

The participants appeared to offer prayers after they prostrated themselves. It also appeared they were offering fruit, candles, and other carved items to the figure in the center. A woman also presented Pope Francis, who was sitting in a chair outside of the circle, with a black ring of some type.

So what is the problem?

‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  “ ‘You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;  you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing merciful love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006), Dt 5:6–10.

In case you aren’t familiar, that is the First Commandment. This is what Jesus refers to as the “greatest commandment of all”. Matthew 36: 36-38.

If we start worshipping other gods at Mass I think God might finally say “That’s enough!” if he hasn’t already. Pope Francis was supposed to give some closing remarks but he changed his mind and instead said the “Our Father”. There was no explanation given but I think it might have been that he was taken by surprise by the ceremony and especially the image at the center. I think maybe he understands the First Commandment.

To be continued…