I take your etymology lesson; I'm sure it's an important point in an actual discussion of earlier times.
This appears to be a letter from this century, from a couple dozen RC priests in one city. So let's cut through the fog. When the church can't remove a priest who works against her declared positions, she is at the least LAX.
The further question is why is she so lax? To an outsider, it looks like simple cowardice.
Nice turn of phrase. And Edmund has nailed my point precisely. See #82, though, reagarding the nature of an Inquisition.
Cowardice is certainly a part of it. The Church has also taken on the spirit of the world. The spirit of the world says that homosexuals are a persecuted minority and they must be accorded the same "rights" as everyone else. One such "right" is the "right" to serve as an ordained minister.
Combine secular "morality", lack of faith and an unwillingness to offend anyone, in those responsible for exercising ecclesiastical authority and you have the present mess.
Well, we aren't talking about "the church," but about an individual bishop. The bishop has to function under canon law, which prescribes what he may do and how he must do it.
If the priest is really preaching heresy, the bishop has at least three options, of increasing severity. He can demand a recantation, he can remove the priest from active service, or he can begin the legal procedure to forcibly remove the man from the priesthood permanently.
So "the church" can certainly remove such a priest, the question is whether the individual who actually has that duty in his job description will do so.
The further question is why is she so lax? To an outsider, it looks like simple cowardice.
Again, we're talking about a single individual making these decisions. And Cardinal George is doing the prudent thing at this stage, which is to give these priests the opportunity to clarify their objection. If their objection is to the manner in which the teaching is taught, it's open to discussion. If their objection is to the teaching itself, it's not.
So for now, I would cut this particular Cardinal a bit of slack. There are plenty of cowardly bishops, though. And evil ones.
These priests ought to be called on the Chancery carpet and the Bishop can decide for himself if they are informed about the truth they desire to reject.
There have always been wheat and chaff within the Church. We are ALL sinful men. The Church is a hospital for the spiritually sick. WE try and heal 'em, first. It sure is a lot easier, though, just to kick out the ones who sin though
BTW, homosexual activity is only ONE of the "sins crying to Heaven for vengance."
Mebbe, the Church could also excommunicate those who defraud the laborers of their wages. Do you know the other sins crying to Heaven for vengeance and should those foklks also be immediately excommunicated?