Friday, January 30, 2009

"Crazies" On The Left Still Await Benedict

Michael Sean Winters:
Pope Benedict's decision to try to bring the [anti-Vatican II] Lefebvrists back into the fold was entirely his own. The pope believes he has a special responsibility to promote unity among Catholics—including those who have fallen away from the church...Rev. Roy Bourgeois, of the Maryknoll order, has been threatened with excommunication because he participated in a ceremony at which women were ordained to the priesthood. Indeed, the similarities between Bourgeois' case and that of the Lefebvrists are uncanny: Both set themselves up in judgment over the magisterial authority of the pope and council; both are implicated in illicit and invalid ordination ceremonies....If Benedict wants to make some room for the crazies on the right, I just hope he will give similar latitude to those on the left.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There you go again Fr. John...

In your reading of the Bible "left, right, and sideways," could you have overseen this part?

"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called. Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen." -1 Timothy 6:20-21

There is Paul warning Timothy of the types of nuances you advocate. The Pope has to follow in the 2000 year magisterial tradition. Forgive him if he has a hard time erring from the Spirit of Truth as the head of the Church.

If unity was the Pope's ultimate goal--even above that of orthodoxy--not only would he accept all nuances proposed, he would relinquish his supreme episcopal office, because many sects would require that of him as well!