Empty Rhetoric: Cardinal Meisner Complains About Theology Memorandum

Editor : The same sorts of problems occur over here, although our Bishops tend to avoid responsibility for the Theology faculties altogether by saying that they have little power to effect what happens in their Universities.

The Cardinal of Cologne complains about the theologians, whom he himself had named, and about the situation with religious instruction where he has unleashed church haters and homosexually disturbed persons upon the children.

Six weeks late the neo-Conservative Cardinal of Cologne has criticized the Old Liberal theologians' pamphlet against celibacy.

The Cardinal's statement was published in the Newsletter of the Archdiocese of Cologne.  The pamphlet being criticized appeared in the beginning of February.

"In my episcopal service -- in any case almost thirty six years -- there has seldom been an announcement from the theological side made known to me which was so shocking and saddening as this Memorandum"  -- the Cardinal emotionally explained at the beginning of his address. 

The specifications and suggestions of the pamphlet must be contradicted "almost in every point".

Then followed the obscure verbiage.

For example, this:  "That I have to take it on myself to express there is already a disagreement:  for the first and foremost belongs foremost thing is the service of the office in the Church: to spread the truth of Christ, 'if one will hear it or not'. 

Or, directly after:  "This proclamation is in no way a "message of biblical freedom", rather in the power of the Holy Ghost in the passing down and continuation of the word and grace of the Son of God made man."


Wishy-washy in place of clear words

One can not bring concerns and criticism in such a way as if the Church were just "any human institution" -- said Cardinal Meisner.

A fruitful discussion within the Church can only succeed if one affirms the Church in its "deepest natures".

These "deepest natures" the Cardinal defines with a wishy-washy term used in the Church Constitution of the Second Vatican Council, "universal sacrament of salvation".

All Are Guilty, Just Not the Bishops

  He locates the problems particularly -- where the blame should fall squarely on the Bishops  -- on deficits in the faith knowledge and in a widespread lack in living the faith.

These should bring the theologians "to thinking to what extent this actually casts their bad influence in their ranks upon their brothers and sisters in the faith-- and just look at what is taught in religious education!"

The Bishops are responsible for the quality of religious instruction -- not the theologians.


The teachers were appointed by the Bishops


The the Cardinal turns a melodramatic pirouette.

"I can not conceal my greatest concern"  - he sighs:

"How can I entrust the Church to future priests, deacons, religious instructors and pastoral caregivers whose lives are a deficit to the life of the Church."

The Cardinal is not one to cry over this like a woman, what he won't defend like a man.

The following active Cologne theologians have signed the pamphlet:

-The lay theologian Michel, Andreas, since 2006 at the University of Cologne

- The lay theologian Saskia Wendel, since 2008 at the University of Cologne

- The lay theologian Hans-Joachim Hohn, since 1991, at the University of Cologne

Cardinal Meisner has been in office as Archbishop of Cologne since February of  1989.

He appointed these theologians and should do justice by them.



Original, kreuz.net, here...

Local Minneapolis Priest Threatened with Excommunication: +Schönborn's Malice Spreads

In a letter to a local Minnesota paper, Father Michael Tegeder recently insisted, on October 3rd, upon demonstrating his resistance to Church teaching on homosexuality in defense of one of the Basilica of St.Mary's long-time (at least 12 years) promoters of sodomy, Lucinda Naylor. He isn't just "out on a limb" of dissidence, he's been steadfastly resisting Catholic teaching throughout his priestly career and it's amazing that he, like many other Priests, administrators, communications directors and teachers in the Archdiocese continue to hold their jobs and bloat the Archdiocese's payroll and will eventually have to be taken care of when they have to mercifully retire.

According to Father Tegeder, Archbishop Nienstedt had threatened him with interdict and excommunication already for the "cremation garden" at his (sinfully minimalist) suburban church. In response Father Tegeder provided the Archbishop with documentation suggesting he had complied with the Church's rules regarding burial of the dead; said practices and customs are, no doubt another victim of post-conciliar ambiguity. There seems to have been no repercussions for this priest who insults the company he works for and his boss with impunity, but he's been doing it for a long time and while it hasn't gone undocumented or unnoticed by others more vigilant than the Archdiocese's disciplinary authorities, it has certainly gone unpunished, with the predictable result that the perpetrator can set alternative standards for others to follow and inevitably be confused about.

Of greater interest is his reliance on Cardinal Schönborn as an improvised shield quoted here from NCR:

In his letter, Tegeder said it was "most scandalous" that Nienstedt "comprised his office with the use of anonymous money." He said the campaign leaves the impression "that political funding is at work here."

He also cited comments last spring, reported in the German press and in the British Catholic publication The Tablet, by Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, who told an interviewer that the church "should give more consideration to the quality of homosexual relationships. A stable relationship is certainly better than if someone chooses to be promiscuous." The Tablet also reported that the cardinal said lasting gay relationships deserve respect.

++Schönborn, as Tegeder noted, is a close friend of Pope Benedict XVI and a principal author of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

In an interview Oct. 4 with NCR, Tegeder said he had received overwhelmingly positive response to his letter, but had not yet received any reaction from Nienstedt.

Link to article...

Photo: Taken in the spring of 2008 of America's First Basilica in Downtown Minneapolis