Sources said that Pope Benedict was considering diverting attacks on his handling of paedophile cases in Germany and France by taking strong action in Ireland.In other words, damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. If the Holy Father does ask Cardinal Brady to resign, it will now be construed as diverting attacks on himself. There is also a sly insinuation in the "now" of the second sentence quoted. Pope Benedict has long been known as tough on the "filth" of clergy sexual abuse and, as Prefect of the Congregation of the Faith, introduced procedures to ensure that offenders were dismissed from the clerical state.
The sources added that the Pope was considering the option of seeking Cardinal Brady's resignation to prove to his critics that he was now fully determined to tackle the worldwide abuse crisis.
Authors of the article were John Cooney and Jill Sherman - oh, and Ruth Gledhill again.
Thanks to the Transalpine Redemptorists for reminding us of the prayer for the Pope:
Oremus pro beatissimo Papa nostro Benedicto. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.Just a few other links of interest regarding recent attacks on the Holy Father:
Let us pray for our Sovereign Pontiff Benedict XVI. The Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not to the will of his enemies. Amen.
Archbishop Vincent Nichols in the Times.
Fr Hunwicke on Pervert Priests
Sean Murphy's Response to Christopher Hitchens at the Catholic Education Resource Center.
Damian Thompson: The Pope and the Wisconsin sex abuse scandal: I smell a stitch-up
Catholic News Agency: Vatican defends action in case of Wisconsin priest abuser
Raymond de Souza in the National Post: Culture change in the Church
8 comments:
There's a lot of appraising and reappraising going on right now in relation to the wider ripples emanating from the present situation - I've just removed the blogger Cranmer from by blogroll.
Do you think that Ruth Gledhill is reacting to the criticism leveled against her earlier on in the scandal that she was "a spokesperson for Paedophile Priests"? I.e. She's attacking the church to make it clear she's not such a spokesperson?
The God who called Pope Benedict will carry him, through this. I am sure Pope John Paul 11 is praying especially for him too.
Jesus has His Holy Name used as a curse on earth. We should try to do what is right and not worry what the world labels us, the world's acknowledgment or lack thereof is of no importance eternally. The highest promotion or accolade we can desire or receive, is "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Phew! Wouldn't that be great to hear?
At present, I fear that I am far from hearing those words. Although, just for today, I do sense God's love for me, undeserved creature that I know I am. The only virtue in knowing and admitting this, is that I can acknowledge my ever growing need of His grace. There was me imagining I'd have the whole thing sussed by now!
Make me faithful, Lord.
Thank you for is post, it is good to see a positive response, as some reporters are so shocked by the vitriol unleashed on the Pope that they tend to a rather despondent tone.
There is more to the old Roman prayers for the Pope (from the Missal) you quote a versicle and psalm verse, the collect which follows can also be found here. (click)
My prayers to you for blessed Triduum,
Quo Vadis - do you have a link for that criticism of Ruth Gledhill?
When the devil works this hard against him, you can be sure the Pope is doing something right !
The enemies of the Church rely on the natural tendency to form rash judgements when presented with an emotive snippet of information without the full set of facts surrounding it, and on the fact that people generally have very short memories.
It is food for thought that today's anti-papal demo. at Westminster Cathedral was organised by none other than Peter Tatchell, the same man who less than 20 years ago was campaigning for the age of consent for both hetrosexual and homosexual acivity to be lowered to 14: -
http://www.petertatchell.net/age%20of%20consent/consent%20at%2014.htm
...presumably implying that many of the abuse cases, at least those which involved seduction rather than force, would not have been crimes, but could actually have been interpreted in the same light as a priest falling in love and requesting laicisation in order to marry. At least a whiff of hypocrisy here, I would suggest.
As an Irish Catholic, it's quite obvious Cooney's article was to force the resignation of Cardinal Brady during this Holy Week and put in one of his chosen two! If Cooney is promoting these two then we should all be alarmed. Their connection with the elite of Brussels is a little lodgy or dodgy as we say here in Ireland! I do hope Cardinal Brady stays. As one priest said - "this society permits everything, forgives nothing."
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