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".
TO: Mary Grant of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
RE: Real Job
Dear Mary,
Get one.
Sincerely,
Fester the Ingester
-------
The Church needs leaders who will not compromise the Faith, no matter how convenient it may appear.
Did they really expect a liberal pope?
They can go join the Unitarians.
Cripes, I am glad this guy got elected. He is the one who engineered the Church's rebuke of slimey Marxist Daniel Ortega, which popped the little thug's bubble.
The same will now come for Hugo Chavez and His Master Below in Havana. I can't wait.
--They so don't get it. Being a Catholic is not about "you" it's about "Christ"--
Oh, oh, that's so much in line with the concept of Benedict!
--Relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and "swept along by every wind of teaching", looks like the only attitude (acceptable) to today's standards. We are moving towards a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one's own ego and one's own desires.--
Man is not the measure, God is.
Boo F'n Hoo
Hey, it wasn't us Episcopalians that went around "boofing" alter boys. We have wives for that.
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."
They can claim they're Catholic until hell freezes, but they're not.
How dare a Pope embrace Catholic teachings!
Yeah, ain't that a shame that he opts to follow two millenia of Church doctrine - God's Word, at that - rather than kowtow to the same gluteal cavities that also think the Constitution is a 'living, breathing' document that should change intent and meaning like some politically correct bingo game.
Ain't it just a crying shame.
Or just liberal anybody.
Actually, most Protestants (in the pews) would not accept their views. And the liberal Mainline Proteatant churches are shrinking...(with the Episcopaleans in the lead), only evangelical ones are growing, who, for the most part share the essential beliefs of conservative Catholics.
As far as a pope (any pope) in some circumstances speaking infallibly....and elevating tradition to the authority of scripture, well, we do part ways, and have for over 400 years....but otherwise, I think evangelicals are rejoicing in Benedict XVI's selection.
Consider that one stolen and turned into my new tagline!
I'm not a religious person but to be in a religion, you have to believe in all the teachings not just the ones you like.
It's not a club
What I mean to say is that I think that large groups of people are trying to "postmodernize" the Church, making the doctrine "relative" to our times. As you said, they just don't get it. You are right, but they do get the strategy to infiltrate structures from the inside to make attempted changes to the institution.
As I mentioned, I am not a practicing Catholic but the only thing I want from the Church is to adhere to the message of Christ. IMHO, there can be no compromise in this and I am sure you feel the same way.
The new Pope is a good choice and notice how the smear campaign has already started against him. I have heard him called a former Nazi twice today.
Damn, why can't they just give it a rest for a few days.
Arioch7 out.
Some of them can be seen daily on EWTN.
LOL and you are quite welcome to it!!
LOL and you are quite welcome to it!!
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