Despite The Danube Cardinal's Remarks: Pope Benedict Defends Celibacy

Perhaps good can come of evil. The Cardinal on the Danube has caused a furor on-line while appearing to question the salutory nature of clerical celibacy, and indeed, it's what we've come to expect from him, but while he has stopped short of criticizing celibacy, he's very interested in giving voice to dissident communities in Vienna who ARE opposed to everything the Church teaches and expect that because they have an opinion celebrated by the mass media and entertainment complex, that they deserve to have their views put into effect. Remember when the Cardinal did such and such, like when he tried to blame the orthodox Father Wagner of Linz for the decline in Austrian Church membership?

Truly, our current Pope has ideas that are a sign of contradiction to the consensus; with not a little courage.

Pope Benedict Defends Celibacy

He was speaking at a theological conference before meeting Germany's top bishop for talks about a new crisis over sexual abuse of children.

German Bishop Robert Zollitsch apologised again to victims of abuse by German priests. [This Bishop made some excellent comments on sex abuse.]

The Archbishop of Vienna had suggested that the Church should examine celibacy and priests' training. [Yes, perhaps we should examine celibacy and learn how it has been the discipline of the Church for many centuries for good reasons.]

'Honesty needed'

Europe's Catholic paedophile scandal now affects institutions in Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany.

The Vatican has also admitted married clergy who converted from the Anglican faith
In Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn wrote in a diocesan magazine that "the issue of priest training, as well as the question of what happened in the so-called sexual revolution" needed to be addressed.

But the Pope said on Friday that celibacy is "the sign of full devotion, the entire commitment to the Lord and to the 'Lord's business', an expression of giving oneself to God and to others".

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