It was the Jewish Sabbath. It was the day before Holocaust Memorial Day, marking the liberation of Auschwitz. But in the name of Christian unity, a German Pope has re-instated a Bishop who denies Hitler's Final Solution.Now Catholics have a Bishop whose blog, Dinoscopus, actually provides a Biblical basis for anti-Semitism. As the good shepherd explains to his flock, he's just opposed to godless communism. He really wants to help Jews.
"Now ever since the Jews were responsible for the crucifying of Our Lord Jesus Christ -- "His blood be upon us and upon our children", Mt.XXVII,25 -- they have as a race and as a religion, always with noble exceptions, continued to reject him down to our day. Thus St. Paul observed that they not only "killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets", but they also prohibited St. Paul himself from "speaking to the Gentiles so as to save them". In brief, their behavior was such that "they please not God and are adversaries to men" (I Thess. II,14-16). Closer to our own time, it is a matter of historical record that the designing and launching of, for instance, Communism, to wrest mankind away from God and to replace his Heaven with a man-made paradise, was largely their achievement.
"So they persecuted St. Paul at every turn (see Acts of the Apostles) as being one of their arch-enemies, when in fact nobody loved them more truly or labored more for their real well-being than did St. Paul (cf. Rom. IX,1-5). Similarly today, they will call an "anti-semite" anybody who gets in the way of any godlessness of theirs, when in fact all people laboring for their salvation, as for the salvation of Gentiles, are their best friends. St Paul, pray for us ! Kyrie eleison."
Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition!
This is embarrassing.
ReplyDelete[Technical note: this idiot is no longer ex-communicated. He is able to receive the sacraments in the Church.]
Hopefully (but not expected) he will get to Reconciliation and confess his ample public sins. Or maybe the Vatican will have a lucid moment and rescind this ex-communication? Not likely. As a Catholic I am ashamed.
good for Benedict! i have been wating a long time for a world leader whose words and thoughts won't be censored by political correctness.
ReplyDeletei have nver been prouder to be a Catholic; the papacy of Benedict is even inspiring me to be a better Catholic.
also, Anon. 11:20....i am not in favor of anyone being denied the sacraments. If John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden can freely present themselves at the communion rail, why can't this Bishop...misguided though his views may be.
For obvious reasons and not so obvious reasons (I am of Lebanese decent) I have to stay out of this discussion. But let me say this, That there is a lot more here than meets the eye. This has been a grudge and a sore spot in the Church since the 1960's.
ReplyDeleteAnd lastly, no man is the final judge. We do not know what is in a person's heart. We do not know the status of their souls. If there is a wrong, that person has to answer for it when they do get judged. Only their actions discredit them. Therefore, only their actions leads to an excommunication. i.e. The Church doesn't excommunicate, but the person's actions and state of soul put them outside of the Church's teachings.
Likely, I hope you understand that I am not cowarding out or ducking the question. Simply, the Church has ruled with its Authority and the invocation of the Holy Spirit. And, at this time, I follow the church's precedent. I just thank God that I am not in any position of ruling authority. Because my underlings would be in a mess!
Although, to be honest, I am not well versed on the history of this matter. I only know that this problem dates back to the Council of Vatican I.
Peace be with you, ~~Alex
Neither Benedict nor Obama should be tarred by associated clergy making wacky statements. Didn't we just learn this?
ReplyDeleteWacky statements?!? This guy ("Bishop" Williamson) is in direct denial of the Cathechism. Read 597:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1O.HTM
His views are not "wacky." They are heretical.
If every wacko clergy that ever sat in the same room as a leader is fully exposed, there would be no leaders immune from attacks on their character or credibility.
ReplyDeleteI could myself in that number. Just like being in the same room as somebody with a cold doesn't mean I'll get it, being in a room with a wacko doesn't mean I believe them.
Let's try this on for size: Bernie, you are a fan of Angle's. He's made anti-semetic statements. Clearly you are now anti-semetic. Knowing that you disagree with him on those statements and that you have said so publicly means nothing of course. tough crap, you are anti-semetic.
The shoe doesn't fit.
You are correct. It is unfair to claim Benedict is anti-semitic on the basis of his un-excommunication of a Bishop whose anti-Semitism is steeped in scripture. But look at the timing of the announcemnt. Look at the recent attacks against British Jews by those who don't like what Israel is doing. At the very least, his action is insensitive.
ReplyDeleteit is not the job of the pope to be concerned with "sensitivity" issues. one would hope he has a higher calling.
ReplyDeletethe Kumbaya approach comes from a tribal, not a patriarchal religious tradition.
Really? It's my understanding that Benedict's boss, JC, was a sensitive guy. He liked children and everything. I guess I was mixing up Christianity with a patriarchal religious tradition.
ReplyDeletethe only patriarch in Christianity is Christ. Christ is the one head of the church. Everybody else submits to Christ's teachings.
ReplyDeleteIn that sense, it is a patriarch. In every other sense, it is tribal. To assume that another human can reasonably function as a patriarch is simply to ignore the life and teachings of Christ.
Then again, this is why I'm not catholic.
I will point this out. The reason for this bishop's excommunication deals with the Cannons of the Church. He ordained four bishops when he wasn't in union with the Church's teachings. That is the reason for his removal.
ReplyDeleteBut the Pope has brought him back into communion for the sake of unity. There has been no word from The Holy Father regarding this society's or these bishop's points of view. This has caused a lot of friction within the Church. Until further clarification is brought forth, we (meaning more so I) have to defer to the unity and obedience of the Church.
But while we are at it, let us see how we differ in translation of Bible and Gospel. Didn't Jesus build his Church on the foundation of Simon Peter? Didn't Jesus give Simon Peter the keys to his Church? And what happens when two or three gather in his name? And furthermore, what happens when these two or three make a decision on behalf of the Mystical Body of Christ?
There is a hierarchy on Earth that is representative of enforcing and promulgating the Church and her teachings. When that hierarchy gets displaced, then we have heretics. And the heretic and the heresy eventually lead to a correction in the Church's teachings. Thus, strengthening the One Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church.
Peace be with you, ~~Alex
"And the heretic and the heresy eventually lead to a correction in the Church's teachings."
ReplyDeleteHeretics correct the Church's teachings? Please elaborate...
expecting the pope to be politically correct is a lot like expecting your cat or dog to be vegetarians.
ReplyDeleteIt is called strengthening the Faith. By pointing out the wrong and making sure that the whole Church is in unison; that is how the heretic and heresy correct the Church. By making it move forward.
ReplyDeleteWhen the heretic and the heresy perpetuated their teachings, they were inside the realms of the Church. So showing them their wrongs gives the heretic two options. 1.) Correct its thought and bring itself in union with the Church. 2.) Or be outside of the Church's teachings and seperate from the Church.
Some people have gone the latter route. I don't begrudge them. It's just not me. I like having unison. One person or one institute interpreting scripture, providing instruction, and laying down the foundations of our Faith.
I believe, when scripture is open to an individual bishop's, pastor's, or lay person's interpretation (for that flock); if that body is not in perfect harmony - it leads to mass confusion.
It is quite complex. Man continues to study such in philosophy and religion. There is not one correct answer. But, in turn, I hope I answered your question. I tried my best...
Peace be with you, ~~Alex
Holy shit! I just realized I'm an O'Haretic.
ReplyDeleteHoly shit? How appropos.
ReplyDeleteIt also can be said that Benedict has a soft spot for Pre-Vatican II traditions.
ReplyDeleteThe bishop in question, and the other 4 that had there excommunication rescinded, were part of a radical branch of Christianity that the Catholic Church decided not to recognize, The Society of Pius X.
In recent years, the Church has yielded some recognition and dialogue with the society with the final culmination being the remitted excommunications. You can read the entire political history on Wikipedia.
The bigger problem here is the continued lack of tact on a global scale Benedict continues to have. He is very much different than his predecessor who understood the world, and the need for global and open communication.
congrats, bernie. this was a fun thread . . . much more compelling that a lot of blather about county commissioners, city councilpeople and lesser humans.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:29, This story is a big deal in Europe, but not so much here.
ReplyDeleteAn Exorcist said...
ReplyDelete"that is how the heretic and heresy correct the Church."
To correct something there must be a 'wrong.' The Church is not wrong. The heretic is. The Church need not be 'corrected.'
Heretics deny the truth and teaching of the Church. They seek to destroy the authority of the Church.
"By making it move forward."
The teachings of the Church need no 'forward.' You seem to imply some sort of 'progression' is necessary.
Your theme seems to be 'unity.' I do not see how bringing "Bishop" Williamson back to the Church promotes 'unity.' His professed beliefs are outside the Church.
Nor do I. As being a Christian, we are suppose to forgive. The Sacraments confer and communicate Grace.
ReplyDeleteBut The Pope or the Vatican hasn't commented on this matter (bringiong the Bishops back) in great detail. None the less, these bishops and this society have not yet apologized.
I would be speculating on why they were welcomed back. But an educated (or uneducated) guess, would be to prevent any further schism.
In response to the heretic and heresy that you raise, both the Church and the heretic (if corrected) move forward. Sometimes (as anything else) the Church is wrong. Look at the Reformation and Martin Luther. Martin Luther had legitimate gripes regarding the Catholic Church.
Depending on which Church a person belongs to, one can say the Universal Church and the heretic benefitted from the heresy. Thus, strengthen the Catholic Church and performing a little spring cleaning.
P.S. - I have to go to class and will be there all day. But we just received 3 inches of snow in D.C. Just in time for the Feasts day of Saints Thomas Aquinas (in the Latin Church) and Ephrem (in the Eastern Church.)
Peace be with you, ~~Alex