Cardinal Cipriani: "Müller is a Bit Naive" -- Impulsive Clelia Luro: Has Liberation Theology Really Changed?

Ripping my Collar Off to do some "Real" Theology!

(Rome) on 11 September, Pope Francis received the "Father of Liberation Theology," the Peruvian Gustavo Gutierrez, in audience. Gutierrez had been invited to Rome by his friend, the new Prefect of the CDF Gerhard Archbishop Ludwig Müller. Müller presented with Gutierrez the recently published Italian edition of a book jointly written by the two. There was very little enthusiasm about it given by the highest representative of the Peruvian church, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, Archbishop of Lima. He described Müller's pretense toward the topic of Liberation Theology as, "a bit naive". The Papal reception for Gutierrez, was also announced by the impulsive-progressive "Bishop's Widow" Clelia Luro, according to her own definition describing herself as a "Pope-friend".

Cardinal Cipriani Behind Cardinal Bergolio

Cardinal Cipriani Criticizes New "Courting" of Gutierrez and Liberation Theology in Rome

Cardinal Cipriani was critical in courting the new Liberation Theology in Rome. It is a purified form of Marxism and Liberation Theology that has become quite toothless, but the word still evokes bad memories, as the "Liberation Theology" in the 70s and 80s, worked as a Marxist idea-gate into the Catholic Church. To those who have concerns, include the Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne. As a Latin American and a Peruvian, in particular,  he really knows exactly  the left slogans that reinterpreted a liberation from sin into a liberation of "social oppression". The South American cardinal is therefore also curt to the Roman "approach" to the theology of liberation, at least on Gutierrez. When asked about Archbishop Curia Müller the archbishop of Lima said, he is "a good German, a good theologian, a little naive." Thus, the unflattering commentary by Cardinal Cipriani last Friday on RPP radio .

"Bishop's"  Widow.

About the audience between  Gutierrez and  Pope Francis, the Cardinal said: "My reading is that he [Müller] wanted to do a favor for his friend [Gutierrez], who is dear to him, wanted to do a favor, and wants to help him in any way, to correct himself and incorporate him in the Catholic Church." According to Cardinal Cipriani, the Pope had only received Gutierrez at the request of Curial Archbishop Müller and not officially.

Francis Pope (front), Cardinal Cipriani Thorne (rear) Cardinal Cipriani: Liberation Theology Caused the Church "Great Harm"

The Cardinal is of the opinion that the unofficial audience was abused last Thursday in order to gain recognition of a theology which has done "great harm to the Church". The cardinal recalled that Gutierrez was never actually found guilty of that in the first half of the 80s by the then Prefect of the Congregation of the Faith,  Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, but he asked him, to "correct two of his books", one of which was the book "Theology of Liberation" which was to give the whole movement  the name. Whether Gutierrez is now "corrected, I do not know," said the Peruvian Cardinal.

The Church, says Cipriani Thorne, had never been closed to the social question and the misery of the people. It belongs to the distortion of liberation theology, claiming to have such an impact, in order to present itself as being the only truly "evangelical" theology. In fact, the liberation theologians, however, have swapped basic truths of the faith.

Pope Francis Has not Forgiven Gutierrez a Discourtesy

The Vatican expert Sandro Magister noted that Pope Francis, has truly received Gustavo Gutierrez but that the position of the Pope nevertheless is clearly distinct from that of the Prefect of the Congregation, Curial Archbishop Müller. As Latin Americans know, Pope Francis is very well aquatinted with Liberation Theology and its seduction. As a Jesuit provincial and even as a bishop in Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio sharply criticized  Liberation Theology. In addition, still playing into a personal touch, there is that the distant relationship to the head of the Catholic Church with Gutierrez, says Magister.

Just the fact that Gutierrez does not appear in the official audience schedule of the Vatican and the Holy See after the meeting with the Pope, issued no opinion as to whether there is evidence of a benevolent attitude that the Curial Archbishop has toward his friend Gutierrez is shared by Pope Francis.

Impulsive "Bishop Widow" and "Pope friend" Clelia Luro Speaks Again

Clelia Luro appears with the picture of her husband Jeronimo Podesta, a former priest, ex-bishop, Marxist Liberation Theologian and probably excommunicated. The rudeness, that the Pope believes Gutierrez to be guilty of, according to Magister, is a grudge, which is admittedly a bit confused because it plays on a very personal level. The source is again, the impulsive Clelia Luro, who, however, shall not be the only one since the election of Pope Bergoglio who was used as a media tool, will call attention to their own interests. In early July, the Argentine widow received a certain noteriety in the German speaking world when the Austrian newspaper, Die Presse quoted her as saying that - in her opinion - Pope Francis will "soon" abolish priestly celibacy. It's a hobby horse of Luros' that has to do with her own personal flaw. A battle the now 87-year-old woman has led for decades. She proudly says that she had called the current Pope as Archbishop of Buenos Aires every Sunday. It's a practice that apparently arose after the death of her husband. Also, since his election as Pope, he had already called her several times, most recently on the 7th of September.

Clelia Luros message was not treated with disinterest. She is primarily a crusader on her own behalf or that of her late husband, around whom everything revolves with her ​​and seeks the "honor" to defend it. Luro is immediately, not only the widow of a former Catholic priest, but a bishop. Her husband, Jose Jeronimo Podesta (1920-2000) was ordained a priest in 1962 and bishop in 1946. As the Diocesan Bishop of Avellaneda, located as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Podesta mixed heavily in politics. The President Juan Carlos Ongania, who gained power through a military coup in 1966, urged his removal. In order to avoid a diplomatic clash, Podesta was led to resign as Bishop of Avellaneda in 1967 and appointed a titular bishop. Podesta continued his political activities, including the Union Christian Peace Conference  (CFRP) steered by the Soviet Union. His political and religious radicalization led to an increasing distance from the Catholic Church. In 1971 he returned back to the Church back and in 1972 he married his secretary Clelia Luro that coincided with his anti-Church, Marxist political and religious struggle in the name of Liberation Theology.

"Bishopess" Mayr-Lumetzberger Received "Apostolic Succession" from Luros Mann

In old age, Jeronimo Podesta was discovered in all sorts of strange circles. These included the Austrian Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger from Linz and the German, Gisela Forster in Munich, both of whom happen to be for women priests in the Catholic Church. They were ordained by a "bishop" Romulo Braschi to become "priestesses" and consecrated "bishops". Braschi maintains for his side to have been illicitly but validly ordained by "Bishop" Podesta. But this in turn is contested by Podesta's widow, Clelia Luro, however. Besides the fact that the "apostolic succession" of would-be bishops is on thin ground, all parties, "consecration" and "sanctified" received excommunication anyway.

Podesta died in 2000 in poverty, but, the tradition, that the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio had hurried to his deathbed, who was the only one of the ecclesiastical hierarchy to do so. It is not known whether Podesta had died reconciled with the Church. Clelia Luro anyway confirms in Bergoglio, this gesture as an example of great humanity. From their previous battle positions, however, they have moved little.

Pope to Call Luro on the 7th of September? - Liberation from Liberation Theology?

Clelia Luro made this event public in a letter to Gustavo Gutierrez.  Her letter was published on the progressive Catholic website Redes Cristiana. Luro writes this that she had received a phone call from Pope Francis on the 7th of September. The Pope told her he had not forgotten the impoliteness Gutierrez had shown to her husband, Podesta.

As Gutierrez was to have held a lecture at a meeting of the Association of Priests of the Third World in Cordoba, which also included the former Bishop Jeronimo Podesta, the Peruvian Liberation Theologian was invited to speak, but he refused to give his presentation, "if Jeronimo would have remained in the hall." Gutierrez only began to speak as Podesta had left the room.

In the same letter, Clelia Luro, makes accusations against Gutierrez but also equally against other famous Liberation Theologians, and also ex-priest Leonardo Boff. "If liberation theology brings us to be the judge our brothers, then we would also need liberation from this theology," this was what the "bishop's" widow wrote, utterly moralizing about the ideologues, as she still seems to have militant Liberation Theologians close by her. [Divide et Impera?]

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Iglesia Descalza / Marco Longari / Triregnum
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com


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