Desmond Tutu has expressed disappointment in choice of Joseph Ratzinger as new pope

News.Com.AU ^ | April 20, 2005 | staff writer

[yankeedame]

Tutu disappointed at Pope choice

From correspondents in Johannesburg
April 20, 2005

From: Reuters

SOUTH Africa's Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has expressed disappointment in the choice of Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope, calling him a "rigid conservative" out of step with the times.

Archbishop Tutu, who had hoped for an African pope, told South Africa's SABC radio the fact that Pope Benedict XVI was European was less important than his conservative views. "We would have hoped for someone more open to the more recent developments in the world, the whole question of the ministry of women and a more reasonable position with regards to condoms and HIV/AIDS," he said.

Advertisement: "It is a daunting position to have been called to and we pray that God will bless him as he leads a very significant Christian community."

Catholics across the world's poorest continent had held out hope that leading African candidate Cardinal Francis Arinze, a 72-year-old Nigerian, would be elected.

Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who helped galvanise international opinion against racist apartheid rule in South Africa, told Reuters last week an African or Latin American Pope would reflect the growth of Catholicism in the developing world.

He also said he hoped Pope Benedict XVI would lift the Church's ban on condoms, viewed by many African governments and health experts as one of the best ways to halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaging the continent.

Some 25 million sub-Saharan Africans live with HIV/AIDS.

Pope Benedict XVI, a German cardinal before his selection today, is expected to continue the late Pope John Paul II's strict defence of Catholic orthodoxy on issues such as birth control, women priests, priestly celibacy, abortion and homosexuality.

[xrp]

Excommunicate Tutu!

[goldstategop]

He's an Anglican. And the Anglicans are too liberal for Catholics.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[halieus]

Has Tutu ever read a Bible? Ever?

[wideawake]

Tutu is an Anglican. He was never in communion with the Pope in the first place.

Thankfully.

He can found his own condomolatrous cult of The Great And Holy Balloon for all I care.

[cyborg]

The curse of Tutu strikes!

[wideawake]

You mean Nelson Mandela's memoirs aren't the Bible?

[SusaninOhio]

And his opinion matters because?

[No Surrender No Retreat]

In reality, who gives a "F" what a psuedo catholic liberal activist in name only psuedo priest thinks anyhow???????? NSNR

[E. Pluribus Unum]

If Coffee Anon and Nelson Mandela are likewise disappointed, my satisfaction will be complete.

[cyborg]

When we want your opinion Tutu we'll ask for it.

[expatguy]

Tutu is the same church as that bone smuggling Bishop right?

[katana]

Tough cookies, Mr. Tutu, but as a bishop in an institution outside the Church of Rome who in their right mind cares what you think? Considering all the nonsense going on among Anglicans and Episcopals he'd be better off keeping his trap shut about somebody else's church. I'm not a member of the RCC either but at least I understand that how they want to run their church is their business.

[Khurkris]

SOUTH Africa's Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has expressed disappointment in the choice of Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope...

BFD...

[Lekker 1]

That's fer sher...why won't that person just go away? Nobody cares about his racial views anymore. He's a relic from a bygone era.

[grellis]

"We would have hoped for someone more open to the more recent developments in the world, the whole question of the ministry of women and a more reasonable position with regards to condoms and HIV/AIDS," he said.

He's got his tutu in a twist (couldn't resist) because of race, not theology. From everything I have learned about the man, Cardinal Arinze is pretty darn conservative himself.

[ColoCdn]

I'm sure Desmond would have much preferred it if the Catholic church had chosen bishop Gene Robinson.

Then they could modified the papal flag to include the rainbow.

[BaBaStooey]

...condoms, viewed by many African governments and health experts as one of the best ways to halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaging the continent. I can think of a better way...which is why the church takes the position they take in the first place. People must be personally responsible for themselves, first and foremost. To approve of condoms would be the same as approving immorality and irresponsibility.

[Aquinasfan]

SOUTH Africa's Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has expressed disappointment in the choice of Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope, calling him a "rigid conservative" out of step with the times.

Doh! How's that in-step-with-the-times Bishop Robinson thing going?

[mware]

It is Bishop Tutu who is out of step with his Faith.