Posted on 04/19/2005 5:13:20 PM PDT by 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".
You mean he actually taught Catholic doctrine !!!!
HOW DARE HE!!
Maybe very disappointed and mad, but I'm not giving up on this.
There aren't many men who are called to life-long celibacy, Suzi.
For a long time, I did think it was just me (actually us). Hubby and I talked and we were trying to understand what happened... One week, everything was fine, the next, wow, new priest and things changed.
But we stayed for over a year there, talking to others and listening, watching. I'll admit we never did directly confront him. We found another place where it was fine for awhile, then same thing.
I should have done something at the time, but much of it was that I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. No excuse, I know.
On Fox last night, Mort Kondracke was bemoaning then-Cardinal Ratzinger's belief that the Catholic church is the one true faith. Charles Krauthammer chuckled, then pointed out to Concerned Mort that having a church leader believe his church is the one true faith is not exactly a huge shock. The media treatment of the Catholic church is interesting, in the sense that the Church is treated as a political, rather than a faith-based, entity. All these polls and public opinion and what people want stuff. Perhaps they should consider the origins of the Christian faith... if Jesus had been more concerned about public relations, popularity, political issues, and what people "wanted" at the time, He probably would not have been crucified. I think it's pretty clear that popular opinion isn't the point.
I find it interesting that any link between homosexuality and pedophilia in the priesthood is never discussed by the liberals.
1940-1959 (20 yrs) 24 victims
1960-1969 (10 yrs) 176 victims
1970-1979 (10 yrs) 282 victims
1980-1984 (5 yrs) 107 victims
1984-1992 (9 years) 86 victims
1993-2000 (8 years) 33 victims
1984 is when Cardinal Law started in Boston.
I think it's very revealing that the libs, gays and leftist media are all so upset about our new Pope.. to me it's very revealing, in that, it indicates a guilty conscience, because deep deep down, they do know the 'TRUTH'.
thank you, and God Bless!
An interesting, entertaining, and completely disingenuous article. Disingenuous because it simply doesn't wash with my own personal experiences. I just started going back to church recently and it's interesting to compare what the MSM is saying versus the truth seen with my own eyes.
My parish is brand new and it's standing room only in the half completed church. The parish is friendly and the excitement is palpable. These are the only Catholic services I've gone to where no one kneels in prayer; it's a physical impossibility given the cramped quarters and the lack of pews.
My parish priest is African. To my pleasant shock, the last homily discussed the philosophies of Albert Camus and Jean Paul Satre and the curse of existentialism. Wow.
Contrary to what this article suggests, I note no angst in my congregation about the failure of the church to accept secular ideas about abortion, homosexuality, marriage for priests, etc. My fellow parishioners seem quite content with their new church, their parish, and the ideas being expressed by our priest.
So I wonder where all these disaffected Catholics are? They certainly aren't in my parish. Perhaps where they exist is not so much in the church itself, but in the overactive imaginations of those who oppose the church in the first place.
Front-page article in the WSJ today was headed, "In Choosing Pope, Church Stakes Future on Its Base" -- the article itself wasn't bad overall, but I had to snicker at the political take! (The editorial page was much better.)
Our Parish to is very alive with the word of God, and the parishioners truly are at peace as to where we are in our state of the Catholic Church.
Blessings to you...
"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..." They said.
:) Yea, Catholics for abortion, divorce, pot smoking and Kerry.
Red6
My prayers are with you -- I really hope you find an inspiring priest!
And what miniscule percentage of that 6% total would the gay/lesbian faction be?
I guess that would really be too much reality for them.
Blessings to you as well.
I'm very glad that I returned to church. The problem, if there is one, is in the minds of those who oppose the church and in the minds of catholics who are no longer practicing in any meaningful sense.
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."
So the people brought in the instruments, and we had music. Furthermore, my 15-year-old son, with whom I have been struggling to keep him interested in his faith, is suddenly very interested in the church because he gets to play two weekends a month.
Remember, even Bach's great music was considered radical when first played in church.
I like to think of our Mass as something more solemn and dignified that the "Church-Of-What's-Happening-Now" feel that rock music imparts. When I find myself at one of those masses, it's like watching "The Blues Brothers".
LOL, as if Ratzinger is going to advocate harming the young. This is funny, because now the left is portraying JP II as some kind of passionate pope after beating him up for being too harsh. According to liberals, JP II's policies were responsible for the spread of AIDS and all the scandals, now they are defending him as compassionate.
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.