Two prayers....

God's will be done and may He have mercy upon us all.

About Me

My photo
A Catholic who follows Rome & the Magisterium. I'm against gay "marriage", abortion, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, human cloning. Altar girls, Communion in the hand, Eucharistic Ministers and "Protestant" music in the Church doesn't bother me at all. A proud American retired submarine sailor. Our borders should be secured with a 10 ft. high fence topped by concertina wire with minefields out to 20 yards on both sides and an additional 10 yards filled with warning signs outside of that Let's get energy independent NOW! Back Israel to the max, stop appeasing followers of the Pedophile Prophet. Pro 2nd Amendment, pro death penalty, Repeal all hate crime legislation. Back the police unless you'd rather call a hippie when everything hits the fan. Get government out of dealing with education, childhood obesity and the enviornment. Stop using the military for sociological experiments and if we're in a war don't micromanage their every move. Kill your television, limit time on the computer and pick up a book. God's will be done and may He have mercy upon us all.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Fr. Moonbat on the Pope...

Theologian's criticism of pope draws Vatican response

By John Thavis, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The dissident theologian Father Hans Kung has criticized Pope Benedict XVI as isolated and unable to take creative steps to deal with a series of internal church questions, including priestly celibacy and birth control.

Father Kung said the pope's recent lifting of the excommunications of four traditionalist bishops illustrated the pontiff's desire for a smaller and purer church, and his inability to make necessary reforms.

"The church risks becoming a sect. Many Catholics no longer expect anything from this pope. It's very sad," Father Kung said in an interview published by the French newspaper Le Monde Feb. 24.

His remarks drew a sharp comment from the dean of the College of Cardinals, Italian Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who told Vatican Radio he felt "wounded" when he read the interview.

"Fraternal criticism has always been possible in the church, from the times of Sts. Peter and Paul. Bitter criticism, on the other hand, especially when it's so broad, does not contribute to the unity of the church, for which Pope Benedict is working so hard," Cardinal Sodano said.

Father Kung, who has taught in Germany for decades, has frequently challenged official church positions on papal infallibility, birth control, priestly celibacy and the all-male priesthood. In 1979 the Vatican withdrew permission for him to teach as a Catholic theologian, although it did not restrict his ministry as a Catholic priest.

Father Kung has known Pope Benedict for some 50 years, and the two met in 2005 for what the Vatican described as a "friendly" encounter.

In the interview with Le Monde, Father Kung noted that one of the four traditionalist bishops whose excommunication was lifted by the pope has minimized the Holocaust, provoking widespread criticism. The pope's misjudgment on such an important issue, Father Kung said, reflected his own isolation.

"Benedict XVI has always lived in an ecclesial environment. He has not traveled much. He's always remained closed in the Vatican -- which is quite similar to how the Kremlin was at one time -- where he is safe from criticism," Father Kung said.

In any case, he said, the lifting of the excommunications was not a mistake in communications or tactics, but an error in church governance. He said it was "scandalous" that on the 50th anniversary of the convening of the Second Vatican Council Pope Benedict moved to reintegrate people who were opposed to the council's teachings.

Father Kung said that in his nearly four years in office the pope has shown a lack of pastoral courage and a lack of awareness of the "profound crisis" in the church. He suggested that the pope could make several important gestures:

-- Allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion in some circumstances.

-- Take steps to "correct" the 1968 encyclical "Humanae Vitae" and allow use of birth control in some cases.

-- Abolish the rule of priestly celibacy in the Latin-rite church

.-- Institute a new way of electing bishops with the involvement of local Catholics.

Father Kung said it would be helpful to call a third Vatican council to deal with these and other issues.

I've read several works by Kung. They impressed me and, although his distaste for the Vatican and every inhabitant it's had since John XXIII was evident, I can state they helped in my return to Catholicism. Really.

That aside, someone should check his meds. He's under the delusion we should become like the Anglicans/Episcopalians.

3 comments:

Most Rev. Gregori said...

Kung has always been a maverick.

I agree that the Roman Church should make celibacy of priests optional. In the Orthodox Church, priests are allowed to marry, but they must do so prior to being ordained as a deacon. It has worked very well for the Orthodox.

I do not, cannot and will not accept women priests.

VSO said...

Righto Fr. Gregori. Only unmarried priests can be bishops, and priests can't remarry. In fact only the Latin Rite requires compulsive celibacy of priests in the Catholic Church.

Harry said...

I have to admit that I follow very little of the internal debate of the Catholic Church. But I think Pope Benedict has his head on straight, especially when it comes to relationships with Jews and the dangers of Islam.

Nobody wants to admit that Islam is what it is, so his politically incorrect attitude, I've noticed has gotten him in trouble with our proud and dependable MSM.

Blog Archive

THIS is depressing!!

THIS is depressing!!
Our education system must have REAL problems!

Proper Care of The Koran

Proper Care of The Koran
A place for everything and everything in it's place

Our Lady of America, pray for us (we need it!)

St. Gabriel Possenti, (unofficial) patron saint of handgun owners, pray for us.

Humane blogger award

Humane blogger award