Posted on 04/18/2005 6:12:19 AM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY - German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger defended Roman Catholic Church doctrine and condemned “the dictatorship of relativism” at Monday’s mass to pray for guidance in the election of the next pope.
In his homily, Ratzinger, the dean of the College of Cardinals and a leading candidate for the papacy, said relativism “recognizes nothing definitive and its final measure is no more than ego and desire.”
The 78-year-old cardinal pointed to “so many winds of doctrine that we have known in recent decades, so many ideological currents, so many ways of thinking,” including Marxism, liberalism, radical individualism, atheism and mysticism.
He was speaking before 115 cardinal electors were set later Monday to begin a days-long secret conclave to elect a successor to John Paul II.
Ratzinger said a “mature faith is not one that follows the waves of fashion and the latest novelty; adult and mature is a faith that is deeply grounded in friendship with Christ.”
The conservative German prelate, who as Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith is one of the Church’s leading enforcers of theological discipline, said: “Every day new sects are born, and what Saint Paul said about the deception of men, on cleverness that leads to mistakes, is becoming so.
“Having clear faith according to the credo of the Church is often labeled fundamentalism, while relativism, that is, allowing oneself to be carried here and there by whatever wind of doctrine, seems like the only attitude with any currency today,” said Ratzinger.
In the homily, which received quiet applause from few cardinals while others showed no particular reaction, he also called on the clerics to be “guided by holy concern: the concern to bring to everyone the gift of faith and friendship with Christ.
“In truth, the love, the friendship of God has been given to us to transmit to others,” he said.
Ratzinger implored the faithful and the cardinal electors to ”heartily pray to the Lord at this time so that, after the great gift of Pope John Paul II, He will give us once again a pastor according to His heart, a pastor who will guide us to the knowledge of Christ, His love and true joy.”
I hadn't heard that one before. Do you have a source?
I THOUGHT it might be the teensiet bit germane (No pun intended.) since he IS German.
How about a bolt of lightening ZOTTING a RAT - that would be good.
Most of the Mass was in Latin. Cardinal Ratzinger gave the homily in Italian.
I wonder how many American Catholics are looking wistfully at these Latin services, swinging censers, etc..., wondering why they can't have this at home.
Just because it's in Latin, doesn't mean it's doctrinally sound. Satanic worshipers use latin in their rituals too. If anything the antipopes of Vatican II should know...they carry the broken cross, the "papal" cross...the very same type that is used in satanic worship. One must know their faith and what a TRUE mass entails...Nothing from Vatican II or the Novus Ordo "Mess" is truth. The indult is not a true Mass, nor are all of the schismatic "traditionalists".
Apparently no one has heard of the blasphemous "Polka Mass"
Was it St Thomas Aquinas that also said, "Love your neighbor, but never trust him. The difference is so great that we are commanded to do the former, and forbidden to do the latter." ?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.