Liberal US catholics dismayed at choice of Pope

Reuters ^

[Alex Marko]

BOSTON (Reuters) - Liberal U.S. Catholics on Tuesday expressed dismay at the choice of a conservative new pope and doubted he will heal an institution racked by disillusionment and tarnished by a sex abuse scandal among the clergy.

The election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI rankled those who advocate married priests, a bigger role for women within the church and softening its policy on homosexuality, birth control, euthanasia and abortion.

Since taking over the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as the Roman Catholic Church's chief ideologue, Ratzinger has denounced homosexuality and even branded other Christian churches as deficient.

"Gay and lesbian Catholics are going to be very hurt by this election because Cardinal Ratzinger was the lightning rod for so much of the anger they felt under the previous pope," said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the New Ways Ministry, a national ministry for lesbian and gay Catholics.

Under the Pope John Paul II, American Catholics' attendance at weekly Mass declined as many were put off by what they saw as increasingly conservative Vatican doctrine.

The sense of alienation deepened with a well-publicized scandal over pedophile priests, which erupted in 2002 in the Archdiocese of Boston as court documents showed bishops shuttled pedophile priests from parish to parish.

Victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy reacted skeptically to word that Ratzinger was the new pope.

"Ratzinger is a polarizing figure to many, who seems to prefer combativeness to compromise and compassion," Mary Grant of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said in a statement. "It's ... crucial that the new pope follow the words and views of John Paul II who said 'there is no place in the priesthood for anyone who would harm the young."'

MORE OF THE SAME

Catholics for a Free Choice, a progressive group based in Washington, laid out an action plan for the new pontiff to pursue in his first 100 days with the goal of healing fractures within the church.

It urged the new pope to appoint a commission to review church policy on condoms, to establish a pontifical academy on women's rights in the church, and to welcome back those marginalized over the last quarter-century -- including gays and lesbians.

But those familiar with Ratzinger said to expect more of the same, and they doubted he would tailor his views to adapt to the liberal forces evident in the U.S. church.

"This is the guy who's been in charge of stifling dissent in the church," said lawyer Carmen Durso, who represented dozens of plaintiffs in clergy abuse lawsuits against the Boston archdiocese.

"This says to me that the Vatican ... is not prepared to move into the 21st Century, which it desperately needs to do," said Durso, who was raised Catholic but no longer practices.

Christine Schenk, a nun from Cleveland, Ohio, who favors opening the priesthood to married men, said she was disappointed and puzzled by Ratzinger's selection, but she saw glimmers of hope.

Schenk explained that Ratzinger had never ruled out the idea of married priests, and that the church is facing a deepening shortage of priests -- so he may be forced to act.

In a 2004 document, Ratzinger denounced "radical feminism" as undermining the family and natural differences between men and women.

Asked if there was anything in his background that gave her hope that Ratzinger would build a stronger partnership with women in the church, Quinn said: "We always hope for miracles".

[Romulus]

Tu quoque.

[Northern Yankee]

To change the subject a bit, have you ever noticed that catholics who are angry at the church almost always seem to be able to trace their anger to a specific incident where the church, or more specifically a priest, failed to sanction their (mis)behavior? It's as if they were saying: "since the church won't agree with my conduct, I'm going to take my marbles and leave."

Without a doubt I have seen that over and over again.

They often want to relate the problems of the church as a whole to a specific priest. Not at all logical, and something they have to work through.

[RKBA Democrat]

Often the priest turns out to have been right.

I remember one former catholic who left the church because of what she characterized as her priests' refusal to conduct her marriage ceremony. She got married anyway, and then divorced some time after.

She was still angry at the priest.

You're right: people can be very illogical.

[ninenot]

BTW, I doubt that Bach's "stuff" was radical in its day.

JSB took what already existed and built on it. He used a number of Gregorian Chant tunes (!!) as well as popular hymnody as foundation for most of his music.

Evolution, yes. Revolution? Nope.

[ninenot]

And, BTW, the first sermon as B16 was delivered in Latin...

Signs of the times. Read 'em and weep, wackos!

[ninenot]

Good stuff...

[sergey1973]

Liberal Leftists reason for disapproving the New Pope, is my reason to approve him without hesitation. Pope need to be morally right on a firm ground--not fashionable.

[Jaysun]

A quick survey of Manhattan wine-and-brie party patrons, plus a VERY healthy dose of "projection," which is a psychiatric disorder.

I didn't know they had wine-and-brie parties up there - or is that the "code word" for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and curious youth Crisco orgies now days?

[kjvail]

They were whining that the church would not change now

This is what I keep hearing whenever I am subjected to the MSM coverage, even FOX News has only a bare minimum of a clue - nominal "Catholics" whining about how H.H. Benedict XVI won't "reform" the Church

What they mean is that H.H. won't justify them in their sins. The "reforms" they want are either beyond the authority of any Pope (acceptance of birth control, abortion, homosexuality); an theological impossibility (women priests) or doable but exceedingly unwise at this time (married priests)

These people calling for these "reforms" are, in one word, heretics - each of their positions denies some basic truth of the Catholic faith, except for the married priest thing which is just ignorant - not because it is impossible but because they want it for all the wrongs reasons.

It just goes to show how horribly deficient catechesis has been for decades now that these people think that any of what they want is in keeping with Catholic teaching, it staggers the mind.

[foreverfree]

Any FReepers calling him "Pope Benny" yet? :-)

ff

[kjvail]

When the "faith" we practice is utterly self-referential, it's nothing more than self-worship. Self-absorption is the dominant secular value, and I'm not surprised to read that your son too is slurping it up. But the Church's job is to rescue us from that prison, not to affirm it.

Did you catch Arroyo's interview with then Cardinal Ratzinger on EWTN that they played after his election yesterday? It was done about 18 months ago and is the only existing recorded interview with the Cardinal in the English language.

Anywas he said almost exactly the same thing that you are saying above. I believe his words were "the Mass is where we come to meet the transcendent God" He talked about the "reform of the reform" specificially to re-sacralize the mass that had been distorted after VII into some type of "communal expression".

I am very hopeful for what Benedict XVI may accomplish. The sad fact is tho his effectiveness will be limited until he can begin to name some Bishops.

[Romulus]

he said almost exactly the same thing that you are saying above

Is he stealing my material again?

[Romulus]

his effectiveness will be limited until he can begin to name some Bishops.

Cardinals Egan, McCarrick, and Keeler are all up for retirement in the next 2 years.

[marblehead17]

I saw that. Charles is so on the money.

[diamond6]

Liberal catholics!! Go join another church and stop trying to change ours. I'm sick of these people, there are tons of other churches that allow the things these people deem important.

[diamond6]

You beat me to it! :)

[diamond6]

"Liberal Catholics worship themselves, the rest of us worship Jesus!!"

That is an excellent way to put it.

[gbcdoj]

And Cardinal Kasper has lost his job. Perhaps he'll get Bugnini's old position as Apostolic Nuncio in Iran? :)

[SuziQ]

There aren't many men who are called to life-long celibacy, Suzi.

The men I've known who are priests and, I believe, life long celibates are truly good men. I read an interesting quote from then Cardinal Ratzinger, about celibacy that spoke of that charism in a way I'd never heard before. I'm paraphraising, of course, but he spoke of children as a way for people to leave a little bit of themselves behind in this world, and that the world looks strangely upon someone who would choose to deny themselves that opportunity. He considered his life and his service to the Church his gift to God and the world, and prayed that he would leave something of himself behind in those whom he led to a deeper life in Jesus.

Why celibacy is not taught in these terms is a wonder to me.

[SuziQ]

No problem. I was in a 'RENEW' group once, and every single woman in the group, except me, was a divorcee. One older woman mentioned that though she attended Mass every Sunday, she could no longer go to Communion because she was divorced. Apparentely, her husband filed for divorce, and never even told her. Her father in law was the one who broke the news to her. We asked her if she'd remarried, and she said "No, of course not"! We then told her that there was no reason for not being able to receive the Eucharist. She was dis-believing, but I told her I'd check with the Pastor during the week, just to ease her mind. Of course, the Pastor said what we all had told her, and when I told her that, she just sat and wept.

She had been told by their parish priest, at the time of the divorce, that she could no longer receive Communion. She was confused because it wasn't she who had sought it! We were amazed that she would have continued to stay in the Church after that, but she did so. The following Sunday, I saw her go to Communion, for the first time in almost 20 years, and it was all I could do to not cry, but I was in the Choir and we were singing at the time, so I had to hold it together.