Hold on. Let’s not jump to conclusions:
Obligatory celibacy for Latin-rite priests is one of the church disciplines that have been questioned publicly and repeatedly in Austria. Cardinal Schonborn said he gave Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, a copy of a letter from a group of influential lay Catholics suggesting that the celibacy requirement be dropped because of a shortage of priests.
Cardinal Schonborn told Vatican Radio, “Despite the fact that I do not agree with some of the initiative’s conclusions, frankly I believe that it is important that people in Rome know what some of our laypeople are thinking.”
The cardinal said Pope Benedict has been “very impressive” in explaining how the continued requirement of celibacy for priests in the Latin-rite “ultimately is a question of whether we believe that it is possible for a man to give his life entirely to God” in serving the church and his brothers and sisters.
The cardinal said the pope has emphasized that the discipline of celibacy is not motivated by “mistrust of or a disregard for marriage,” but is a positive response to Christ’s call for total dedication for the sake of his kingdom.
http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2009/06/pope-meets-leaders-austrian-church-discuss-current-problems
I was reading an analysis of Schonborn on an important Spanish blog yesterday, and the general feeling is that he is the most dangerous threat to the Pope because he masks his radicalism in moderate, conciliatory language (sort of like Obama). He is good at distancing himself from his more controversial positions.
In reality, he is opposed to virtually everything in the Pope’s vision even though his own diocese is a disaster, not only full of scandal and irregularities, but with a practicing Catholic population that grows smaller every day. Unfortunately, he is the youngest of the Cardinals, so even if Benedict lives for many years, Schonborn (who lobbied to try to get Martini elected pope last time around) will be young enough and political enough to be very influential in choosing his successor. And I’m sure Schonborn wants to be that successor.
You lousy shepherd Cardinal S, you got it backwards. It is important that your laypeople abide by what the Church in Rome is thinking, trusting her collective wisdom over the centuries. It is your duty to see to that, Cardinal S. Why are you presenting their case instead of teaching them effectively?
By the same token, if the people in Rome should listen to what the US laypeople are thinking, and, 67% of them don't believe in the Real Presence, probably higher percentage believes that artificial contraception is fine, how do you think the Mission of Christ would turn out?
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but, you have just lost the final round of ballots in the next Conclave Cardinal S. Better get back to learning to be an effective teacher again, however unpopular.