New York Times: Now Gathering in Rome, a Conclave of Fallible Cardinals

The sudden resignation of the most senior Roman Catholic cardinal in Britain, who stepped aside on Monday in the face of accusations that he made unwanted sexual advances toward priests years ago, showed that the taint of scandal could force a cardinal from participating in the selection of a new pope.

His exit came as at least a dozen other cardinals tarnished with accusations that they had failed to remove priests accused of sexually abusing minors were among those gathering in Rome to prepare for the conclave to select a successor to Pope Benedict XVI. There was no sign that the church’s promise to confront the sexual abuse scandal had led to direct pressure on those cardinals to exempt themselves from the conclave.

Advocates for abuse victims who were in Rome on Tuesday focused particular ire on Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, the former archbishop of Los Angeles, and called for him to be excluded from the conclave. But Cardinal Mahony, who has vigorously defended his record, was already in Rome, posting on Twitter about the weather.

Even stalwart defenders of the church point out that to disqualify Cardinal Mahony would leave many more cardinals similarly vulnerable. Many of the men who will go into the Sistine Chapel to elect a pope they hope will help the church recover from the bruising scandal of sexual abuse have themselves been blemished by it.

“Among bishops and cardinals, certainly the old guys who have been involved for so long, sure they’re going to have blood on their hands,” said Thomas G. Plante, a professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, who has served on the American bishops’ national abuse advisory board and has written three books on sexual abuse.

Every Pope was chosen for office by fallible Cardinals. Just as every human chosen for some office since the beginning of time was chosen or elected by other fallible humans. This is nothing new - we are what we are.

The New York Times calling others “fallable”?

The paper that lied about Stalin’s purges, Nixon, Kennedys (all of that sordid crowd), Clintons (all of that sordid crowd), Carter, and the Obamadork and his felon/cretin friends?

The paper that never met a Muslim they didn’t cover for?

The paper that would kiss M**amm**d’s Obamahole?

Bwahahahahahahahaha.

>If only the NYT staff bothered to actually read the Bible.<

.
If only the NYT staff bothered to study the meaning of papal infallibility as defined by the Church.

Ah, never mind.

Yep. All churches are full of men and women who are sinners. There is no infallibility when it comes to men. The Holy Spirit is infallible but knows when a man is actually connecting and listening to the Holy Spirit. There is no way for us to really know these things. All we can do is pray for guidance.

Leave it to the Slimes.

Guess they have never heard of the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a two-thirds majority vote.

Wouldn’t that be great if our president had to meet such criteria? The Holy Spirit would never have given us Obortion O, that’s for sure.

In everyday matters you are correct.

But in matters of faith and morals, the Pope is infallable.

Don’t confuse impeccable (no mistakes) with infallible (speaking the truth in faith and morals.)

Infallible means "able to teach without error". (Impeccable is the state of being without sin.)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you believe the human authors of Scripture taught without error when they wrote the Bible, so at least there used to be some infallible people walking around.

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I think the scriptures were written by people moved by the spirit just like the old testament prophets.

It does not make them “infallible” or perfect in the rest of their life and dealings by any stretch of the imagination.

And the three at the top of the smelly heap, Mahoney, O’Brien and some guy from Holland were the three progressives who led the fight against Ratzinger 8 years ago. They want the Church to “embrace the sexual revolution.” How’s that working out?

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