Bishop Schneider has sadly become an exemplar of one who Francis describes as

“.. Those who smile while stabbing you in the back..”

We should pray earnestly for Bishop Schneider that he may finally sheath his blade.

The smiling Bishop has once again sharpened his knife and seized the opportunity to openly criticise Pope Francis accusing him of a ‘betrayal of the gospel’. Bishop Athanaseus Schneider has defended his ongoing tirade against the Pope , this time because Francis took part in the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, by saying that his criticism is intended to be constructive and fraternal. It is neither. His are the avowed actions of a die hard traditionalist determined to undermine Francis’ Second Vatican Council inspired pontificate at every turn.

Bishop Schneider described Francis’ visit to the Congress of faith leaders from over 60 countries as a ‘great sin of omission.‘ His crude dismissal of other Faiths is particularly disingenuous when he is speaking in a country where only 2 % are Catholic and the majority (85%) are Muslim. His intolerance of other Faiths could be used as justification for the majority Muslim population to persecute Christians in Kazakhstan but instead he and our Christian Brothers and Sisters are allowed to freely express their faith without the prejudice Bishop Schneider personifies.

In his keynote address to the Congress Pope Francis called for “respect, sincere dialogue, respect for the inviolable dignity of each human being and mutual cooperation.” and embraced participants by saying that “Religions remind us that we are creatures; we are not omnipotent, but men and women journeying towards the same heavenly goal,” Bishop Schneider dismissed this in a thinly veiled attack on the Second Vatican Council saying that ‘Jesus Christ was not in a supermarket of religions’

I believe that it is Pope Francis, through tolerance, compassion, Respect and humility who will attract members of other religions to Christ’s Love and certainly not Bishop Schneider. For Christians there is only one Truth … Jesus Christ . The difficulty lies in how we portray this to other faiths .. Bishop Schneider has chosen confrontation and is closed and dismissive to other faiths which is never going to bring them to Christ whereas Pope Francis is open and engaging and personifies the Love of our Saviour. Be honest Sisters and Brothers, who do you think will attract adherents of other faiths to Christ?

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“I may speak in tongues of men or of angels but if I am without Love I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I may have the gift of prophesy and know every hidden truth; I may have Faith strong enough to move mountains but if I have no Love I am nothing. I may dole out all I possess or even give my body to be burnt but if I have no Love I am none the better. Love is patient; Love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful nor conceited nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence. Love takes no score of wrongs; does not gloat over others men’s sins but delights in the Truth. There is nothing Love cannot face; there is no limit to its Faith, its Hope and its Endurance.”
1 Corinthians 13: 1-7