16 November 2009

Papal Power

There seem to be a lot of bits in the media from Important People, even sometimes the Great and the Good, about how Benedict sinned and behaved "uncollegially" by issuing Anglicanorum coetibus without lengthy consultations with mainstream Anglican bishops and their liberal chums among the RC bishops and Uncle Tom Cobbly and All.

Personally, I regard it as one of the prime functions of the Successor of S Peter to reach out and protect small, orthodox, and persecuted minorities against all manner of heterodox local bully-boys and play-ground tyrants/tyrantesses.

I'm not quite sure where that is spelt out in Magisterial documents. "It isn't", you say? Well then, that is an important item for the agenda of Vatican III. What we need is a stronger and more interventionist Papacy.

12 comments:

johnf said...

George Pitcher in the Telegraph this morning accused him of a raid on Anglo-Catholics, and says that Rowan Williams must challenge the Pontiff and stand up to a 'rampant Rome'.
and also that
'The Pope is on a reactionary and counter-reformational rampage'

Ad multos annos Papa!

GOR said...

I suppose it was to be expected that some people would attribute less than admirable motives to the Holy Father in this – but it is irksome nevertheless. The opening sentences of Anglicanorum Coetibus highlight Pope Benedict’s starting point. Far from ‘poaching in the Anglican pond’, ‘stiffing the Ab. of Canterbury’ or ‘adding to the Catholic clergy’, the Holy Father sees this effort as inspired by the Holy Spirit – both on his part and on the part of those requesting admittance. It is a response to a longstanding plea, not an initiative taken out of the blue.

But Pope Benedict is well acquainted with the Vatican bureaucracy and very familiar with, not to mention critical of, the vagaries of Ecumenical dialogue. One imagines a “Basta!” (or rather its German equivalent…) emanating from the Papal Apartments some time ago. More talk, more negotiation, more interminable dialogue would only produce more of the same… ad infinitum. Enough talk, it is time to act!

So act, he did – and God bless him for it! I believe in time people will come to recognize this - like he does – as an inspired action under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. His only motive is the salvation of souls, not some unworthy temporal gain. While we might frequently wish for a more robust Papacy, willing to knock heads and knock sense into heads, one of the attributes of our Holy Father is a deep humility. He would rather lead than drive, by example rather than fiat. But he will not shy away from driving when the flock refuses to be led.

Steve said...

"What we need is a stronger and more interventionist Papacy".

I quite agree. Let the Anglo-Catholics see what the RC Church is really like!

Nebuly said...

Bishop Willie Walsh of Killaloe has just pronounced to the Irish media that he wants to see "another Pope John XXIII". Such a pope would open up discussion, particularly the exclusion of women from the priesthood, he added.
The bishop expressed sadness about the Catholic Church's attitudes to homosexuality and its policy of refusing the Eucharist to couples who have re-married. The insistence on priests remaining celibate also needed to be discussed, he said.
Bishop Walsh is 'un-enthusiastic' about Mass in Latin and has already challenged the Vatican rule that almost completely excludes Protestants from its Eucharist. He said he had never suggested to Church of Ireland members that they were not welcome to receive the sacrament in his churches.

Perhaps the Pope could pop him into the 'poached' Anglican 'pond'?

GOR said...

Nebuly: +Willie reaches retirement age in January. We can hope and pray that he is speedily dispatched and a more orthodox Ordinary is appointed...

Anonymous said...

Pooh slinging devils may soon up-the-ante. I read on Rorate Caeli Blog that our Holy Father is to release an exclusive "TAC Constitution."

What exciting times we live in.

"What we need is a stronger and more interventionist Papacy".

These are times of war; a godly Papal dictator is needed now more than ever. With a seeming manufactured "plague" spreading from the Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Middle East, the world economy crashing and abortion reverenced by every politician, for the Church is to fulfill its obligations, it must unify under the only man who can handle the job.

If the bung-heads think someone else can do the job, I’d be interested to know who he is and what his qualifications, both physical and metaphysical are.

Michael McDonough said...

I think GOR has put it just right. In all of the writings of Ratzinger that I have read, especially those dealing with ecclesiology and ecumenism, he always makes the point that what is important is not what we want, but what the Holy Spirit wants.

I have been struck by what I believe is the difference between Ratzinger's statements, and those of (at least RC) "professional ecumenists": he actually believes and means what he says/writes about the Holy Spirit.

Conchúr said...

It is my sincere hope that there will not be a Vatican III. There should not even be another council for at least two hundred years (bar a Great Reunion council) and even then it should be held anywhere bar the Vatican. Trent II anyone?

Conchúr said...

As an Irishman let me just state that Willie Walsh is a fool and always has been a fool. If you think the English and Welsh hierarchy are mediocre, the Irish one..., the Irish..., doesn't bear thinking about. *sigh*

Nebuly said...

Oh believe me GOR I am counting the days. They might even have some seminarians again in Killaloe!

Albert said...

I'm getting sick and tired of some Anglicans, particularly some Anglican bishops, complaining about the Holy Father on this.

The truth is, they have allowed faithful Anglicans to be pushed to the side-lines, to have their consciences tested to the limit, the clergy to have to make a choice between their family homes and their faithfulness to Christ - and all this in opposition to promises made to traditional Anglicans to get women priests through.

They have done all this and worse, and now they have been caught out. The Holy Father has given these bishops a gentle lesson in what it is to be the shepherd of a flock. They should be thankful that it was kindly Pope Benedict, and not the Prophet Ezekiel.

William Tighe said...

Oh dear, I can't think of anything quitr as good as the "barmy bishop of bux," but how about the crazy Capo of Killaloe? In any event, for Wee Willie and his Anglican amie, see:

http://www.newoxfordreview.org/reviews.jsp?did=0904-tighe