✣ Cardinal Müller: correction of the Pope is unlikely
What happened?
The Vatican’s doctrinal chief, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, has said that the prospect of a correction of Pope Francis is “very remote”. Cardinal Burke, one of four cardinals who have asked the Pope to reaffirm Church teaching, has said they may issue such a correction this year. But Cardinal Müller said that, according to St Thomas Aquinas, a Pope should only be corrected if there is a “danger to the faith”. The cardinal said that previous papal teaching, on Communion, was still valid.
What the bishops are saying
Before Cardinal Müller’s intervention, several cardinals and bishops had spoken about the four cardinals’ request to the Pope. The request took the form of five questions, known as dubia.
According to the Italian journalist Sandro Magister, eight cardinals and bishops have publicly criticised the four cardinals. These included new cardinals Blase Cupich and Kevin Farrell, and Greek Bishop Fragkiskos Papamanolis, who said the four cardinals might be in a state of mortal sin.
Slightly more bishops and cardinals (10 or so) have said they share the four cardinals’ concerns. For instance, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes praised the cardinals, and said “former statements of the Magisterium” were still valid. Others have said it is reasonable to raise the questions for discussion.
What the bloggers are saying
At Crux, Fr Paul Keller raised a hypothetical situation of a civilly remarried woman. Her partner thinks living “as brother and sister” is “crazy”, and she is in “distress.” Fr Keller said he would advise Irma, under some circumstances, to continue sexual relations with her new partner, and to receive Communion.
But on the same website, canon lawyer Dr Edward Peters said that a priest who advised “Irma” to continue adulterous sexual relations “radically fails to speak the truth in love to a child of God”.
At Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler asked what true “discernment” would look like in practice. Lawler said he knew some priests who “spend hours” counselling troubled couples. But all of them, “without exception”, oppose Communion for the remarried.
The most overlooked story of the week
✣ Bishop urges SSPX to accept Vatican offer
What happened?
A deal between the Vatican and the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) could be near, according to Bishop Athanasius Schneider.
In an interview with the Spanish website Adelante La Fe, Bishop Schneider said he had spoken to Bishop Bernard Fellay, the traditionalist society’s superior, and advised him to accept a deal.
Why was it under-reported?
Bishop Schneider’s remarks are only the latest rumours of a forthcoming agreement since the Vatican opened reconciliation talks with the SSPX in 2011.
Last April, Pope Francis received Bishop Fellay in a private audience for the first time, leading to speculation about a forthcoming deal; and for the Year of Mercy and beyond, Francis declared SSPX Confessions valid.
But so far the rumours have not resulted in a proper deal, so most news sources have adopted a policy of “wait and see”.
What will happen next?
Bishop Schneider believes that the Vatican’s terms are in line with the essential principles of the SSPX: he told Adelante La Fe that Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the SSPX, would accept the offer “without hesitation”.
That offer is for an Opus Dei-style personal prelature: a combination of autonomy and being fully part of the Church. The SSPX’s objections to Vatican II could be a sticking point – but Bishop Fellay has said Pope Francis does not see this as a deal-breaking issue.
✣The week ahead
The theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, beginning on Wednesday, is “Reconciliation – The Love of Christ Compels Us”. German bishops created the theme to mark the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. The text from the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Christian Unity calls Luther a “witness to the Gospel”.
Bishops from Europe, North America and South Africa will visit the Holy Land tomorrow. The Holy Land Co-ordination, which supports local faithful, will devote a day to pondering Christian refugees in Israel.
Catholic History walks in London start the New Year on Tuesday, with Joanna Bogle leading the “For King and Country” walk, starting at Westminster Cathedral at 2pm. The walk, lasting 90 minutes, will explore the crucial role that Catholics have played through the centuries in both Church and state. The suggested donation is £5.
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