Damian Thompson in a panic: Pope effectively at war with the Church

[Disclaimer: Rules 7-9]

Is the Pope Catholic??? This seems to be the proverbial question Thompson is essentially raising.

Damian Thompson, "Pope Francis is now effectively at war with the Vatican. If he wins, the Catholic Church could fall" (The Spectator, October 18, 2015), with Michael Matt's comments (Remnant, October 20, 2015).

Once the dust settles, I don't expect the trajectory will be too much changed, even if the confusion will likely encourage and embolden the revisionists. In other words, more of the same, slouching towards dissolution and apostasy. What will the Church of tomorrow look like? I suspect Pope Benedict XVI will turn out to have been prescient when he said that it will be leaner, smaller, and persecuted. Those qualities probably go together.