Francis, Cardinal Hummes and the Amazon -- "Workshop" of a New Priesthood?

Hummes Future Vision

(Rome) Last November 7, Cardinal Claudio Hummes was received in Santa Marta by Pope Francis. The former Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy is today delegate of the Brazilian Bishops' Conference for Amazonia. Is it only the "long friendship" (Vatican Radio, German Section), both of which can meet so regularly, or  is something  up in the Amazon?

Hummes was Archbishop of Sao Paolo from 1998-2006 and it was he who himself suggested  the name of Francis   to him - according to a statement by the Pope.  The new pope wanted him at any rate on the central loggia at his side when he was first shown to the world. Cardinal Hummes is counted among the inner circle of the  Pope makers of this pontificate.

Yes to "Gay Marriage" and Priestesses - No to Celibacy and "Preconciliar Priest Image"

Hummes is known, however, not only as pope whisperer, but also because of his heterodox views. Last July 27, the Cardinal spoke in the Brazilian newspaper Zero Hora in favor of "gay marriage", women priests and the abolition of priestly celibacy. Likewise, he himself resisted the proposal of Benedict XVI., to make the  Curé of Ars as a model of the priest. A "preconciliar priest  image", which Hummes flatly rejects. In June 2010, the Brazilian could only marvel, shaking his head at the 17,000 priests from around the world who came to Rome with Benedict XVI. to participate  the off-hook representation of St. John Mary Vianney on the facade of St. Peter's  in the Prayer Vigil and the Pontifical Mass concluding the Year for Priests.

The Pope and the Interest for the Amazon Basin

Kraeutler (left) with Hummes (3rd from left)

Vatican Radio (Italian editors) spoke with the Cardinal, who reported on the audience. Hummes reported that he visited 56 dioceses and territorial prelacies in the vast but sparsely populated areas. "I have come again to the Pope to tell a bit what you do there, of which there are many things to tell about this beautiful, vibrant church, which still has big needs.There is a great lack of missionaries, missionaries and also material needs, as they do not have what is necessary for the most basic structures."

He continued: "We know how much he [Pope Francis] estimates the matter of the Amazon basin  and how attentive he is that the Church in Amazonia is a huge responsibility."  

Although the cardinal said nothing about it,  yet "it seems unlikely that on this occasion, they didn't discuss about priestly ordination,  the great shortage of missionaries, and even the approval of viri probati, " said Secretum meum mihi .

Negotiations on ordination for viri probati ?

Ten days before the Hummes-audience with Pope Francis  the Vatican expert Marco Tosatti reported  of a communication from Brazil that  would be  "a veritable revolution in the Church" would be. The Brazilian Bishops' Conference with the lead established by Pope Francis new leadership of the Congregation for the Clergy is in talks about the ordination ad experimentum for viri probati to resolve the shortage of priests in the Amazon region.

"Conversations" with the congregation, Cardinal Hummes leads, who has been commuting back and forth for the last one and a half years between Brazil and Rome. Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, who rejected the ordination of viri probati, was dismissed by the new Pope as Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy on his 69th birthday. In his place sat Francis his confidant, the diplomats Beniamino Stella, which he created last February, also a cardinal.

Cardinal Hummes said in an interview with Vatican Radio, the Pope lay the Amazon "very important" as the regular audiences would show.

The Amazon Basin as a "Workshop" for a New Priesthood?

"The Amazon could be the first region of the world where there are priests with a family in the Latin rite," said Marco Tosatti.  The Amazon basin as a "workshop" for a new priesthood?

Hummes had already tried as Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy under John Paul II., to advance the ordination of viri probati, but failed in his intention and it was due to his deficient understanding of the priesthood that  Benedict XVI. replaced him. Unlike his successor, Francis, this  the the German pope did not do brusquely, but in each case after the end of a regular passage of time.

Besides Hummes, there is primarily the Austrian Mission Bishop Erwin Kraeutler CSSP of the Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Xingu, as an advocate of broad-based ordinations. Bishop Kraeutler, in Austria,  is a favorite of the left spectrum, at home makes a good job of anything in the media, which could strengthen his self-portrait as a liberal (in the North American sense), open-minded, socially engaged bishop.

Pope Francis intensified the retirement provisions for bishops in early November. A new regulation, which was called for in no time by Cardinal Sardi, in order to facilitate the deportation of Cardinal Burke to the Order of Malta. Bishop Kraeutler, who has completed his 75th year on July 12, however, is not on the list of papal Pensionabili . [!]

No to Prayer for Vocations - Yes to Structural Reforms

75th birthday of Bishop Kräutler

Xingu is the area's largest diocese in Brazil. In an area that is as large as the Federal Republic of Germany, but where  only just  400,000 people live. In the Prelature, there are 800 "base communities" and 27 priests. Their pastoral care has been, since the establishment of the Xingu in 1934 as Apostolic Administration, then is entrusted as a territorial prelature  of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood (CPPS). Before Erwin Kraeutler took over  the territorial   prelature in 1981, it was   already headed by his uncle, Erwin Kraeutler.

Last April 4 Kraeutler was received by Pope Francis. The missionary bishop urged attention to the ordination of viri probati to ensure the pastoral care of the faithful. These were suggested by Kräutler to the pope before, "decouple celibacy and Eucharist". That a Eucharistic celebration should depend on  a celibate priest is something "I don't do," Kraeutler said at the time to the Austrian daily newspaper Die Presse .

Would that Kraeutler knows something of Church history, he would know that the current situation in the Amazon is no different, as it was sometime in each area  newly Christianized. In the Early Middle Ages and High Middle Ages, the location itself in his native Austria was exactly the same.

About the Pope the Austrian missionary said, he wanted "a process set in motion" because "this process was not previously allowed. Benedict XVI. has said, we pray for priestly vocations. This pope is different ". Now the doors may open.

Leftmost canting, Bishop Kräutler can not do anything with prayer for priestly vocations, but relies on structural reforms.

So what's in the bush in the Amazon basin? With Cardinal Hummes and Bishop Kräutler  the question is being dragged by two men  in the same direction and Pope Francis is eagerly keen  about information on the  Amazon.  You will see why.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: padrescasados ​​/ Noticia da terra / Prelatura Xingu

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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