Luxembourg’s Jesuit Cardinal Doesn’t Believe in Miracles

Cardinal Hollerich, Jesuit and Archbishop of Luxembourg.

(Luxembourg) Luxembourg has only 614,000 inhabitants, half of whom are foreigners, mainly because of the EU institutions. Despite being such a small country, the Grand Duchy has almost 500 people infected with coronavirus. For comparison: the Empire of Japan, which has a population of 126,860,000, two hundred and seven times more, almost only Japanese, does not even have twice as many diseases with 963 cases.

The first coronavirus case only occurred in Luxembourg on February 29 and in Japan on January 16. A significant number of illnesses (more than 25) were only reached in Luxembourg on March 12 and in Japan on February 5.

Luxembourg, open to all sides, which reacted just as late as other EU member states, has been affected by the coronavirus epidemic a hundred times more quickly than Japan in a much shorter period of time.

The Archbishop of the Grand Duchy, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, who is also President of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), is also in quarantine.

The cardinal commented on the coronavirus epidemic in a telephone conversation with the Luxemburger Wort, the country's largest daily newspaper, the majority of which is owned by the archdiocese. The advocate of open borders said that "some people" didn't "believe" in miracles.
Archbishop Hollerich was asked what he said to the faithful, who were disappointed and outraged by the bishops' draconian measures to suspend all masses in some countries. His answer:

 “Most people understand this because it's about saving lives. Saving the lives of the elderly and the vulnerable part of the population, not putting them at risk. And most people take it very well. But there are also some who complain: And now we are being taken away! Or where there is such a belief in miracles, which I do not share. ”

The cardinal's sober-sounding answer is rather sobering. Belief in miracles plays an important role in Christian belief, because through miracles Christ has revealed Himself as the Messiah and son of God and testified to his authority.

For Cardinal Hollerich, does this all belong to a distant past that no longer plays a role today and now? Does Cardinal Hollerich believe that God has withdrawn from his creation? Or does he believe that God can no longer work miracles in the 21st century? Or does the cardinal make a probability calculation?

No matter how you look at it, such an answer comes from the mouth of a prince. Or is it perhaps a good fit with the European Union, which he represents as the chairman of the episcopal conferences?
The questioning of the archbishop and confrom of Pope Francis appears questionable in another respect. The journalist of the Luxemburger Wort emphasized that petition processions are being held in several locations to seek protection from the almighty against the epidemic. Throughout the ages, petition processions have been a tried and tested means of Christianity to seek heaven's help against epidemics and other evils.

Cardinal Hollerich, however, vigorously contradicted:

“I call the faithful to prayer, but never to processions. The only ones who enjoy processions are the viruses. ”

The cardinal's horizontal view seems to lack the vertical perspective. The Jesuit, who was created by Pope Francis a Cardinal in October 2019, may be surprised, but there are still devout Catholics who believe in miracles and who are convinced that God, as the creator of heaven and earth, really is Lord of all creation and that it is entirely conceivable that He wants to say something to humanity even with a coronavirus pandemic.

This is contrasted by shepherds who limit themselves to being willing and hasty executors of state instructions, even in areas such as culture where the state has no jurisdiction.

Cardinal Hollerich emphasized: "Protecting life must be an absolute priority", but some might doubt that he meant eternal life.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Luxemburger Wort (screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
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