Traditionis Custodes provides an opportunity to judge bishops ... or, rather, to let them judge themselves by how they react to this document. When episcopal life resumes in September, it will be amusing to see how they measure up to the observations of Cardinal Mueller in paragraph (3) below!
(1) Fr Aidan Nichols. "[The pope's] programme would not have got as far as it has were it not the case that theological liberals, generally of the closet variety, have in the fairly recent past, been appointed to high positions both in the world episcopate and in the ranks of the Roman Curia".
This led to Fr Aidan, who has taught with distinction in this University, being forbidden to circulate any further the paper which included those words.
(2) Fr Tom Weinandy wrote to PF with these words: "faithful Catholics can only be disconcerted by your choice of bishops, men who seem not merely open to those who hold views counter to Christian belief but who support and even defend them. What scandalises believers, and even some fellow bishops, is not only your having appointed such men to be shepherds of the Church, but that you also seem silent in the face of their teaching and pastoral practice. This weakens the zeal of the many women and men who have championed authentic Catholic teaching over long periods of time, often at the risk of their own reputations and well-being. As a result, many of the faithful, who embody the sensus fidelium, are losing confidence in their supreme shepherd."
(3) Gerhard Cardinal Mueller had written previously about the "shameless half-education" of some episcopal nominees; "theological illiterates in bishops' hats"; "ideologues with a ridiculous super-papalism." Now, in response to Traditionis custodes, he has spoken as follows: "[Bishops] are not merely representatives of a central office ... with opportunities for advancement. The good shepherd can be recognised by the fact that he worries more about the salvation of souls than recommending himself to a higher authority by subservient 'good behaviour'. If the law of non-contradiction still applies, one cannot logically castigate careerism in the Church and at the same time promote careerists."
Nice one, Eminence.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are subject to deletion if they are not germane. I have no problem with a bit of colourful language, but blasphemy or depraved profanity will not be allowed. Attacks on the Catholic Faith will not be tolerated. Comments will be deleted that are republican (Yanks! Note the lower case 'r'!), attacks on the legitimacy of Pope Francis as the Vicar of Christ (I know he's a material heretic and a Protector of Perverts, and I definitely want him gone yesterday! However, he is Pope, and I pray for him every day.), the legitimacy of the House of Windsor or of the claims of the Elder Line of the House of France, or attacks on the legitimacy of any of the currently ruling Houses of Europe.