I read this today here: http://visnews-en.blogspot.com/2011/12/ ... f-her.html

This statement doesn't sound right to me:

Yes, I think it is fine, Lorraine. Of course, in any such statement there is a certain exaggeration which is permissible. In this case the author would not mean that there are no other evils which might affect the Church, but only that the Church herself is spotless and cannot be turned from her essential mission or essentially compromised in her nature by any evil at all.

But this is bad exegesis:



The garland of twelve stars does represent the twelve tribes, but it also and primarily refers to the twelve Apostles, and through them to the entire hierarchy of the Church. Benedict seems improperly focused on the Old Testament, a typical unhealthy obsession of heretics.

Further, the Woman of the Apocalypse can be applied to the Virgin, but only by excluding the "in travail" part, because Our Lady suffered no effects of Original Sin and therefore did not suffer in childbirth. Therefore the newborn cannot be Christ Himself. It is really shocking that Benedict would make that application, and it displays a truly heterodox mind, and a blasphemous one.

The best application is to see the Woman as primarily the Church, and as the Virgin insofar as she is the pattern of the Church, its exemplar.

The orthodox exegetes apply the "in travail" text to the Church exclusively, and Fr. Berry (The Apocalypse) applies it to a particular pope who will be brought forth by the Church with much difficulty and suffering, to end a great interregnum occurring because of the work of Antichrist, and who will be taken away in secret somewhere to escape being destroyed by Antichrist. I highly recommend Fr. Berry's book, it's really a masterpiece of learning, clarity and prudence in service of the faith.

Here is Dr. Haydock's commentary: http://haydock1859.tripod.com/id298.html

Thank you, John.

For some reason, it sounded to me as if he was attributing sin to the Spotless Bride.

I will check out the Father Berry book as well you the link you so kindly provided!

God bless you!

He possibly was, but it would be hard to convict him on this text. The Church is a difficult thing to describe because she is a divine mystery. She is divine, yet she is composed of sinful men.

Monsignor Fenton was very upset by the draft schema on the Church prepared by one of the periti (I can't recall which) which stated that the Church is divine and human. He described it as "stupid".

John, is the Father Berry book here in our library? I did a quick look but didn't see it.

Lorraine, not sure if it is in the library, but here is the link to it: http://www.archive.org/details/theapocalypseofs00berruoft

God bless.

Thomas

And here, thanks Thomas: http://strobertbellarmine.net/books/Ber ... alypse.pdf

Thank you both for the links!