The new buzzword for the spirit of Vatican II is pastórial style. We hear every day of…
- The pastórial style of a James Martin (you know… ♬ pastórial ♬), or…
- The pastórial style of a Cardinal McElroy (whatever the hell he wants), or…
- The pastórial style of the Synod on Synodality (so you are forced into it), or, ad nauseam…
- The pastórial style Pope Francis (and so you had better imitate him), or even…
- The pastórial style of Jesus (blaming Jesus for what they do).
What is “style”, exactly? If the users of this buzzword knew what it meant they wouldn’t want anyone to know:
- “Probably from Proto-Italic *stiglos, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp; to sting”) + *-lós. Related to instīgō (“to urge, stimulate, stir up”). Cognate with Ancient Greek στῐ́ζω (stízō, “to mark with a pointed instrument”), Ancient Greek στῐ́γμᾰ (stígma, “mark, spot”), Proto-Germanic *stikaną (“to stick, stab”).” (W)
And while we might just applaud some application of effective father governance in the Church – finally – the severity of this style does not now refer at all to being guided to be on one’s knees in reverence before the Son of the Living God, but rather to giving up on truth, morality, the spiritual life and reverent liturgy.
“Style” is most commonly used with the received meaning of manifesting whatever fabulous fad so far today, for you, in your circumstances, your “style” being absolutely sacrosanct, having no rules, no commandments, no limits, no purpose, no hope. It is said that Jesus has a style so that anything Jesus says or does can be ignored, you know, prudentially, judiciously, according to your very own circumstances and style.
Style is that which is, therefore end result of being visited, taken over, possessed by the spirit of Vatican II: “Do what I say! Do it now! More clown liturgies! More demon death idols! More insulting of the Sacrifice of the Mass! STYLE!!!”
I’m sure there were some innocent analogous usages of “style”, say, with ars celebrandi (the art of celebrating [the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass]), say, by John Paul II or Benedict XVI, but I have never understood such references unless they were entirely given over to what I call the one thing necessary for priests in their priesthood and in their offering of Holy Mass, that they are just to get themselves the hell out of the way of Christ Jesus, the One High Priest, so that all points not to any style of the priest, but to Jesus alone. That’s boring? Instead, the Living Truth is enthralling.
Forget style. Look to Jesus. Adore Him.
Oh, and, by the way, about “pastórial”. There is nothing pastoral which is not 100% with the Good Shepherd, Christ Jesus.
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
Amen, Father, AMEN!!
It seems that “pastoral style”, the newest new spirit of Vatican II, is about rupture and Disney wants to help, releasing the documentary “The Pope: Answers”. The interview, filmed in June last year, has been released during Holy Week this year. [Interesting timing.]
PF’s pastoral style is clear in the answers he gives which, as Dr Chapp points out, “imply that those who espouse a view of the Council as an event of rupture with the past are correct”.
During the interview PF tells us that “the Church’s ‘catechesis on sex is still in diapers’.” [Needs to grow-up?] and characterises those who believe and follow that traditional teaching as “unwelcoming to sinners” since such Catholics “are afraid of confronting their own sinfulness, for they ‘live to condemn others because they don’t know how to ask forgiveness for their own faults’.” [Charming!]
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2023/04/06/a-pope-at-disney-and-the-church-in-diapers/
PF is getting plenty of help in his attempt to re-make the Church. The FBI labelled traditionally minded Catholics as dangerous fanatics and now Disney helps push PF’s view that those who hold to Church teaching are hyporcritical morons stuck in the past.