[ 0 → 4] TrapCast Express [ 4 → 15] TrapCast Express, it's Monday, November 1st, 2021. [ 15 → 19] A new full-length TrapCast episode is currently in production. [ 20 → 24] TrapCast 31 to be released in a few days. [ 24 → 33] Meanwhile, let's take a few moments and address what happened in the Vatican this past Friday, October 29th. [ 33 → 38] You've no doubt heard about it already, but there's quite a bit to say on this. [ 38 → 43] White House resident Joe Biden paid an official visit to Jorge Bergoglio, [ 44 → 49] the Argentinian apostate who goes by the stage name Pope Francis. [ 49 → 53] The meeting between the two went unusually long, [ 53 → 57] and judging from photos and video footage released by the Vatican, [ 58 → 61] it was evident that the two got along extremely well. [ 62 → 66] One day prior, the Vatican had announced that, contrary to the usual custom, [ 67 → 74] it would not be providing or permitting live video of the meeting, only edited footage afterwards. [ 75 → 76] Okay. [ 76 → 83] After his visit on Friday, Biden went to see Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. [ 83 → 89] It was at that encounter that journalists threw some questions at him about his meeting with Francis. [ 90 → 92] The Associated Press reports, [ 92 → 93] quote, [ 93 → 99] President Joe Biden said the issue of abortion did not come up in his meeting with Pope Francis, [ 99 → 103] but that the pontiff told him he should continue to receive communion, [ 104 → 108] despite calls from conservatives to deny him the sacrament over his stance. [ 109 → 112] Speaking to reporters after his 75-minute private office, [ 113 → 114] the audience with the Pope, [ 114 → 118] Biden said Francis told him he was happy I'm a good Catholic [ 118 → 123] and that he should keep receiving communion, unquote. [ 124 → 128] After that bombshell, journalists contacted the Vatican Press Office [ 128 → 133] for a confirmation or denial of Biden's claim. [ 134 → 140] Now, can you guess what the department head, Matteo Bruni, said in response? [ 141 → 142] If you've paid attention to Vatican Communications, [ 143 → 146] in the last few years, you probably can. [ 147 → 150] The long and the short of Bruni's answer was, [ 151 → 152] no comment. [ 153 → 156] The so-called National Catholic Register reports, [ 157 → 157] quote, [ 158 → 163] The Vatican declined to comment Friday on U.S. President Joe Biden's statement [ 163 → 169] that Pope Francis encouraged him to keep receiving Holy Communion during a private audience. [ 169 → 172] The Vatican, which has a longstanding policy, [ 172 → 178] of not commenting on specific statements attributed to the Pope during private meetings, [ 178 → 183] emphasized that the encounter between the two men on October 29th [ 183 → 186] was a private conversation, unquote. [ 187 → 191] Now, that, of course, is a disingenuous cop-out. [ 191 → 194] Yes, the conversation had no doubt been private, [ 195 → 198] but considering that one of the two interlocutors [ 198 → 202] had now made a purported part of the conversation public, [ 202 → 205] it is now a public matter. [ 206 → 209] More specifically, it is now a public scandal. [ 210 → 214] Therefore, if we go by the principles of Catholic moral theology, [ 214 → 222] it is now necessary for this public scandal to be repaired likewise in public. [ 223 → 227] That means that if what Biden said about the meeting is not true, [ 228 → 232] then Francis now has a moral obligation to deny it, [ 232 → 235] and unequivocally, in public. [ 235 → 240] He cannot hide behind the excuse that it was a private conversation. [ 241 → 246] It may have been then, but it is no longer, at least not that specific part of it. [ 247 → 250] In any case, why make a podcast about this? [ 251 → 257] Because it is a perfect example of how Pope Francis harms souls, [ 257 → 262] all the while playing innocent lamb in the process. [ 262 → 263] Let me explain. [ 264 → 270] What we see in this latest installment of the insufferable theological freak show [ 270 → 272] that is the Bergolian pseudo-pontificate [ 272 → 276] is the exact same pattern we've seen, for example, [ 276 → 280] with his numerous interviews with Italian journalist [ 280 → 284] and former Catholic-turned-atheist Eugenio Scalfari. [ 285 → 286] This is how it works. [ 287 → 290] First, Francis meets with someone for a conversation. [ 290 → 292] Then that person reveals... [ 293 → 295] some of what Francis allegedly said to him, [ 295 → 298] something outrageous or scandalous. [ 298 → 300] Then all hell breaks loose, [ 300 → 302] but the Vatican declines to comment, [ 303 → 305] won't confirm or deny, [ 305 → 306] and reacts evasively. [ 307 → 309] It was private, you see. [ 309 → 311] Francis himself, of course, [ 311 → 315] though he always has something to say about just about anything, [ 316 → 319] miraculously manages to remain silent. [ 319 → 322] He's too busy enjoying the show, [ 322 → 324] but he doesn't know what's going to happen next. [ 324 → 329] The effect of that is that the claim about the outrageous thing Francis allegedly said [ 329 → 334] goes unrefuted, and so the scandal spreads unmitigated. [ 335 → 338] Then, the next stage in the process is that [ 338 → 341] Novus Ordo apologists are asked about the matter. [ 342 → 347] We're talking people like Tim Staples, Jimmy Akin, Patrick Madrid, Dave Armstrong, [ 347 → 349] and other people like that, [ 349 → 352] especially from the California-based group, [ 352 → 354] Catholic Answers, here in the United States. [ 355 → 360] They're asked to weigh in and explain or somehow mitigate the scandal. [ 361 → 362] What do they do? [ 362 → 367] Well, of course, they point out that the person Francis met with [ 367 → 372] only claims that Francis said this outrageous thing, [ 372 → 375] and we can't know that that's actually true. [ 376 → 380] After all, Francis and the Vatican haven't confirmed it. [ 380 → 380] And besides, [ 380 → 383] since it's an outrageous thing, [ 383 → 386] then that person must surely be lying about it, [ 386 → 388] or maybe misunderstood it. [ 389 → 392] And we have to give Francis the benefit of the doubt. [ 392 → 394] Anything else would be a sin, [ 394 → 397] a calumny against the Pope. [ 397 → 400] Meanwhile, the person who met with Francis [ 400 → 403] gets to claim victory because he, or she, [ 404 → 406] can continue to spread the claim [ 406 → 409] that Francis said this outrageous thing [ 409 → 410] without any opposition, [ 410 → 414] or contradiction from Francis or the Vatican. [ 415 → 416] At the same time, however, [ 417 → 420] Novus Ordo apologists also get to claim victory [ 420 → 422] because they can maintain, [ 423 → 425] likewise, without opposition from the Vatican, [ 425 → 428] that we don't know that Francis actually said that. [ 429 → 432] And being the good and non-judgmental Catholics we are, [ 432 → 435] we have to presume that he didn't. [ 435 → 436] Right? [ 437 → 439] And so, everyone gets what they want. [ 439 → 440] But the conservatives, [ 440 → 442] the conservatives console themselves [ 442 → 445] with the idea that the claim is probably not true [ 445 → 448] and Francis is still a good, Catholic, [ 448 → 449] totally valid Pope. [ 450 → 451] They've convinced themselves [ 451 → 454] that giving him the umpteenth benefit of the doubt [ 454 → 459] is the morally upright, decent, and humble thing to do. [ 460 → 461] On the flip side, [ 462 → 465] the liberals have their stance confirmed as well, [ 465 → 469] taking the unrefuted and undisputed claim [ 469 → 470] about Francis' scandalous remarks, [ 470 → 472] at face value. [ 473 → 474] End result? [ 474 → 476] Both sides claim victory, [ 477 → 479] while Francis plays innocent lamb, [ 480 → 481] and yet, at the same time, [ 482 → 484] unmitigated damage to souls is being done [ 484 → 486] throughout the world. [ 486 → 489] It is a devilishly clever ploy, [ 489 → 492] and Francis is a master at it. [ 492 → 494] Over the last eight and a half years, [ 495 → 497] we've seen it again and again. [ 498 → 499] What's next? [ 500 → 500] Well, [ 500 → 504] the commentary circus will begin again. [ 505 → 508] So-called Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò [ 508 → 511] has already released a letter condemning the scandal, [ 512 → 515] and you know that Bishop Athanasius Schneider [ 515 → 518] surely has a number of interviews lined up [ 518 → 521] to provide his commentary on the whole fiasco. [ 522 → 525] Then we may hear from cardinals, [ 525 → 528] Raymond Burke or Gerhard Muller as well, [ 528 → 530] who will express their outrage [ 530 → 531] or disagreement [ 531 → 533] until eventually the controversy [ 533 → 534] either dies down [ 534 → 536] or is overshadowed [ 536 → 538] by the next Bergoglian scandal, [ 539 → 540] which is sure to come. [ 541 → 542] That, ladies and gentlemen, [ 543 → 544] is how it works. [ 544 → 547] That is the way Francis operates. [ 547 → 549] It's not a hapless shortcoming [ 549 → 551] of his fake pontificate. [ 552 → 553] It's a feature. [ 554 → 556] And it's not hard to see that. [ 556 → 558] Just ask yourself the following. [ 558 → 560] Imagine if someone was to say, [ 560 → 561] if some other politician, [ 562 → 565] one Francis has made a point to criticize in the past, [ 565 → 568] for example, the Italian Matteo Salvini, [ 569 → 572] imagine if such a man had met with him [ 572 → 575] and then after the fact claimed [ 575 → 578] that Francis told him he's a good Catholic, [ 578 → 579] a good Christian, [ 580 → 583] and that he should keep up his good political work. [ 583 → 587] Do you really think that Francis and the Vatican [ 587 → 589] would now be silent? [ 589 → 590] Do you really think that Francis and the Vatican [ 590 → 590] would now be silent? [ 590 → 591] Do you really think they would say, [ 591 → 593] oh, well, that was private. [ 593 → 595] We can't comment on that. [ 596 → 597] If you believe that, [ 597 → 600] I think I have some oceanfront property [ 600 → 601] in Wyoming to sell you. [ 602 → 605] Yesterday, the modernist English rag, [ 605 → 606] The Tablet, [ 606 → 608] published an article by Christopher Lamb [ 608 → 609] with the title, [ 610 → 611] Pope Biden Meeting, [ 611 → 613] A Rebuke to Communion Deniers. [ 614 → 615] Well, of course it is. [ 616 → 619] And if you permit me to express a theory I have, [ 620 → 622] that was probably the primary reason [ 622 → 624] for the meeting to begin with. [ 626 → 629] Tradcast Express is a production of Novos Ordo Watch. [ 629 → 631] Check us out at tradcast.org. [ 632 → 633] And if you like what we're doing, [ 633 → 636] please consider making a tax-deductible contribution [ 636 → 639] at novosordowatch.org [ 639 → 640] slash donate.