Posted on 02/04/2009 7:06:59 AM PST by Ravnagora
BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly four years after a rare outburst of national pride over the election of a German pope, Germans are falling out of love with Pope Benedict because of his rehabilitation of a bishop who denies the Holocaust.
Prominent Catholics, politicians and newspaper commentators in Joseph Ratzinger's homeland are pulling no punches in their criticism of his lifting of the excommunications of four bishops, including one who denies the extent of the Holocaust.
Chancellor Angela Merkel also criticized him, prompting a sharp response from the Vatican.
"Worldwide criticism of the Pope," read the front page of top-selling daily Bild. It was a contrast to the jubilant "We are the pope!" headline in April 2005 to celebrate his election.
"The pope has made a serious mistake. That he is a German pope makes the matter especially bad," read its editorial.
"Pope Benedict XVI is inflicting great damage on Germany ... The pope must correct his mistake, reverse his decision and excuse himself," it said, in comments echoed by other papers.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The liberals in the European Chuch are raising this storm, because he threatens their whole life’s work.
I haven’t been following this story too closely. What was the rationale behind supporting this Bishop?
I notice this article seems a little biased. You might want to read some other sources to get a fair opinion.
SOmething that people also overlook is that, until this bishop is in full communion with the Church again, there is absolutely nothing the Pope can do about him. He’s part of a schismatic group over which, obviously, the Pope has no authority. Once the group reconciles, which is what the Pope is trying to achieve, then the Pope can deal with this and all other matters involving them.
Media merely fanning the flames of which it knows nothing about.End of story.
That makes more sense than the article.
In the late 1980s, The head of a traditionalist order of priests ordained four men as bishops, despite having been forbidden to do so by then Pope John Paul II. This action resulted in the head of the order along with all four illicit bishops being excommunicated. The leader has long since died. The four illicit bishops have many followers, who claim to be Catholic (and many of them want to be), but exist in a strange, illicit, parallel hierarchy.
Pope Benedict sees "traditionalism" and unity as being in some ways vital to the renewal of the Church. He has done several things to foster traditionalism ... the latest being the lifting of the excommunication on the four illicit bishops.
1) These four men have NEVER held any legitimate office within the Church as a Bishop.
2) ONE of them (Williamson, an Englishman) has made some idiotic remarks regarding the Nazi genocide.
3) Pope Benedict has publicly condemned Williamson's remarks.
4) Williamson's leader (Fellay, a Frenchman) told Williamson to shut up.
5) Williamson has apologized for his remarks, and promised to shut up about it.
6) MSM don't want you to know 1-5.
7) The Church's enemies wish to delay or derail Pope Benedict's efforts to renew the Church.
ROFL!!!!
This self-destruction is why Islam is making such inroads in the west.
Despite what the atheists and liberals claim, there is an inherent recognition in most human beings of the existence of God and the need for a moral order. The vacuum these liberals are creating is generating fruitfull soil for the hate filled fanatics who follow Mohammad.
Excellent!
The media/world opinion of this has nothing to do with SSPX; however, it does have everything to do with the liberals trying to remove the greatest threat to their moral existence in a very long time. Simply put, they hate Pope Benedict with a passion and will use any excuse to try and “remove” him.
The same here. The more they bash the more compassion I have.
Meanwhile the Muslims are trying to re-do the Holocaust but against Jews with guns in their hands. Not so easy.
The real problem is that SSPX original leader (the late Marcel LeFevbre) forgot that John Paul was Pope, and he was not, and committed an act which might be likened to mutiny. Pope Benedict is offering them an open door to return to the Church ... if they want it.
Full disclosure:
I am not a member of SSPX (only clergy are actual members), nor do I associate with them. While I have considerable sympathy toward traditionalism in general, I rather dislike SSPX. Those who like, or associate with, SSPX will doubtless spin the historical facts a little differently from me.
>> the Pope lifted the excommunication of an organization of which this Bishop (an Anglican convert) is a member.
Oh, great - don’t us short-nosed, small “c” catholics (Anglicans) have enough problems already? First Bishops Pike and Spong, then Vickie Gene.
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