EWTN Interview with Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - your comments - VANITY POST

TCR News ^ | September 5, 2003 | myself

[NYer]

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network will air an exclusive interview conducted by EWTNews Director, Raymond Arroyo, in Rome with Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as part of the international newsmagazine The World Over Live. The complete interview will air on Friday, September 5 at 8 PM EDT.

Cardinal Ratzinger, often referred to as the Vatican's doctrinal watchman, is responsible for protecting Catholic doctrine and exposing heresy. He is considered the single most powerful man in the Vatican aside from Pope John Paul II. A notoriously private man, the cardinal rarely grants interviews or takes questions from the media. In this historic session with Raymond Arroyo, Cardinal Ratzinger, whose primary language is German, consented to the request that the interview be conducted in the English language.

The cardinal answered far-ranging questions posed by Arroyo on current Church issues, including the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis in the United States, his estimation of the Church's future, his diagnosis of the problem with the Bishops' Conference, his views on efforts to convert the Jewish people, and a comment on his possible retirement. On the latter, Cardinal Ratzinger said, "Yes, I had the desire to retire in 1991, 1996, 2001 because I had the idea I could write some books and return to my studies as Cardinal Martini did…but, on the other hand, seeing the suffering Pope, I cannot say to the Pope, 'I will retire, I will write my books'…I have to continue."

When asked by Arroyo what he identifies as the root cause of the current sexual abuse crisis, Cardinal Ratzinger said, "The general element is a weakness of human beings, even of priests…temptations are present also for the priests…I think the essential point is a weakness of faith…So, two things are essential. Conversion to a profound and deep faith with a life of prayer and sacraments and clear moral teaching and connection of the teaching that the Church has the Holy Spirit and can give us the way."

Directing the discussion to the much-discussed topic of the role of bishops with regard to the crisis, Arroyo asked, "The Bishops' Conference has largely taken the lead, the National Conference, in trying to heal and put an end to this crisis. Because there is such a lack of confidence, if you will today, among the faithful in their episcopacy, do you believe the Bishops' Conference to be the best instrument of that healing at this point?" Cardinal Ratzinger replied, "Coordination between the bishops is certainly necessary because the United States is a great continent. From the outset it is clear that the personal responsibility of the bishop is fundamental for the Church, and perhaps the anonymity of the Bishops' Conferences can be a danger for the Church. Nobody is personally, immediately responsible. It was always the Conference and you do not know where or who is the conference."

Bringing up another controversial subject currently in the news, Arroyo posed, "You've discussed often the nature of sexuality and that it finds its home in the context of marriage. This today is a very contested notion and a very contested teaching. How does the Church bring that message into a culture where we now have homosexual marriages being legalized, in vitro fertilization and technologies of reproduction outside of the marital act? How do you bring this teaching to the culture?" Cardinal Ratzinger answered, "It is always essential that the nature of a human being is a given, and we understand that men and women were created one for the other…So I think even if our culture is against marriage as an essential form of relations between women and men, I think our nature is always present and we can understand it if we will to understand it. I hope it is possible in a sincere and open dialogue with the people to understand even today that our nature is this: man and woman are created one for the other."

In recent days, Cardinal Ratzinger has taken on greater responsibilities, personally overseeing the investigation of all sexual abuse claims and deciding the fate of accused clergy.

EWTN Global Catholic Network is available in more than 84 million television households in 110 countries. And with its worldwide short-wave radio station, satellite delivered AM & FM radio network, Internet website www.ewtn.com and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

[Salvation]

**So, two things are essential. Conversion to a profound and deep faith with a life of prayer and sacraments and clear moral teaching and connection of the teaching that the Church has the Holy Spirit and can give us the way."**

What a wonderful answer!

[Salvation]

**conversion should be a life-long journey for all of us -- best begun before ordination.**

Agree with this too!

[Salvation]

I also had degrading things said to me about EWTN from parish employees.

What gives?

[Salvation]

**I wish I could have seen the interview.**

You can!

Go to EWTN.com
Click on Audio Visiual on the homepage
Then click on the specifics for your computer

Voilla! You can watch it as you type on FR!

[Salvation]

Check out my reply to Aliska and watch it on your computer!

[Salvation]

Oops! Visiual

Visual

[Aliska]

Thanks! I hope I got my player reinstalled after the blaster virus. If not, I will have to dig out another cd :-(

[Aliska]

When EWTN promotes something or somebody like the seers of Medjugorje or Bishop Hnilica and a question and answer I didn't agree with (concerned charismatics, but it was too far back to find it again if I am challenged on it), I get angry and upset. Other than occasionally, I don't have a problem with EWTN. I have a problem with Carmelite nuns in full regalia in front of TV cameras. They are supposed to be hidden away in convents like St. Therese and St. Teresa :-). See now that is a stupid stereotype, but only in new church would she have been allowed to come to the forefront imo. In the old church, I don't know if it would be allowed for a nun to start a tv station, or would it? I think not. They would have a thousand reasons why she couldn't.

She and Pat Robertson have something in common. Starting their ministries on a shoestring.

Other than the above, I think EWTN is faithful to church teachings and are fairly reliable for good information and orthodoxy. They often have lots of good pictures, too.

[Romulus]

What gives?

It's about power. Mama A has no canonical authority, but because she has the truth on her side, she has moral authority. While for the AmChurch hierarchy, it's the other way 'round.

Fun fact: St. Catherine of Siena was not even a member of a religious order (she was a Dominican tertiary, but didn't live in a community or under a rule), but this never stopped her from recalling Popes to their duty. She is a Doctor of the Church.

[Salvation]

**this never stopped her from recalling Popes to their duty. She is a Doctor of the Church.**


I have often contemplated this thought: The saints of today are the ones who are speaking out here on FR -- in support of dogma and doctrine while at the same time calling the Catholic bishops in America to task!

It would appear from your example of St. Catherine of Siena that my thoughts are not too far off the mark! LOL!

[Romulus]

a prince of the Church is appealing to Rome to have her censured and punished.

Well, another Prince of the Church (as Archbishop of Boston, Justin Rigali's a shoo-in for elevation to the College o' Cardinals) is fixing to get his own regularly scheduled program on EWTN.

Roger Mahoney can go pound sand.

[Salvation]

EWTN Timeline and History

[ninenot]

Rigali is in Philly. A Capuchin (Bp. O'Malley?) took Boston.

BOTH will get the Red Hat.

[Romulus]

Yeah, your're right. Dumb blooper; thanks for the correction.

[NYer]

Did you visit that thread? It had me laughing all afternoon.

[RaginCajunTrad]

"What gives?"

For a simple explanation, I would say possibly envy, but I am sure it is more than that. I think it's more her old-fashioned ways. The habit she and her nuns wear. The reverence at Mass in Irondale and Hanceville. Her outspoken conservative ways. The fact that she doen't tolerate inclusive language and recommends bibles that don't use it.

Heck, she talks about individual sin! And going to confession!

I have heard more than one priest say, "She doesn't even have a degree in theology."

Neither did Catherine of Sienna.

I get the feeling that some priests feel that she is undercutting their moral leadership. Well, if these pastors wouldn't be quoting and promoting new age writers like Fr. Enneagram and would instead latch on to Mother A. and EWTN, their problem might go away.

My major disappointment is that she hasn't had a show with a Tridentine Mass like she has done with some of the Eastern Catholic rites.

[Salvation]

Are you talking about the dark sky, white satellite dish and red flame?

[dsc]

"Sure ... and I thought this was common knowledge."

Maybe it is. Maybe I'm the only one that didn't hear. Even my daughter knew, I just found out.

I haven't even been able to get info on how she's doing after her strokes.

And thanks to everybody who answered with more information on this MIRACLE.

[GirlShortstop]

One might wonder: why the protest from bishops such as Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop Weakland and Bishop Lynch?
	Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:11-12

[RobbyS]

They hate her because she throws the pretensions to the superiority of THEIR ways into their faces and takes away their audiences.