This was always the problem. Understanding what the Pope really meant. I know I never did. The Vatican Press Office claimed to know until he flatly contradicted even them. Then they gave up too. (I can only say that my guesses as to what he really meant used to fill me with total horror.) It's possible that Pope Francis understood what Pope Francis often said. But I have my doubts. I suspect himself and Kamala Harris may be related. He certainly brought a whole new meaning to an old, old song.
German cardinal calls for change in church teaching on homosexuality By Catholic News Service Mar 31, 2022 | German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising speaks in front of a rainbow flag during a service marking the 20th anniversary of the LGBTQ community at St. Paul’s Church in Munich March 13, 2022. Marx has called for a change in Catholic teaching on homosexuality. (Credit: Lukas Barth/Reuters via CNS.) HAMBURG, Germany — Munich Cardinal Reinhard Marx has called for a change in Catholic teaching on homosexuality, reported the German Catholic news agency KNA. “The catechism is not set in stone. One may also question what it says,” Marx told the weekly magazine Stern in an interview published March 31. “Homosexuality is not a sin. It corresponds to a Christian attitude when two people, regardless of gender, stand up for each other, in joy and sorrow,” he said. The value of love was also shown in “not making the other person an object, not using him or her or humiliating him or her.” Marx added: “LGBTQ+ people are part of creation and loved by God, and we are called upon to stand against discrimination.” He also said, “Those who threaten homosexuals and anyone else with hell have understood nothing.” Earlier in March, at a Mass celebrating the 20th anniversary of “queer services” in Munich, Marx apologized for the church’s discrimination against homosexuals. In his sermon, the cardinal promoted an “inclusive church.” The cardinal told Stern that only 10 years ago he could not have imagined holding such a service. “For years I have felt freer to say what I think, and I want to take church teaching forward,” he told the magazine. The cardinal said these questions had already been discussed six years ago at the Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican. Even then he had said: “People live in an intimate loving relationship that also has a sexual form of expression. And we want to say that this is not worth anything?” The archbishop admitted that he had blessed same-sex couples. “A few years ago in Los Angeles, after a service, two came to ask for my blessing. So I did. It wasn’t a wedding ceremony. We can’t offer the sacrament of marriage.” Marx also indicated that it would not be easy to reach a consensus on the issue in the church. “In Africa or in the Orthodox churches, there are completely different views in some quarters. It does people no good if we divide ourselves on this issue, but we mustn’t stand still, either.” https://cruxnow.com/cns/2022/03/german-cardinal-calls-for-change-in-church-teaching-on-homosexuality
In my daily Rosary I use the 3 Hail Marys at the beginning for an increase of faith hope and charity for all priests bishops Cardinals and all consecrated souls. I am going to name this Cardinal outright as I pray. You are right. He is in real danger.
Joseph Ratzinger was Cardinal Archbishop of Munich and Freising. Makes my heart weep how far Germany has fallen. Bavaria used to be a bulwark of the faith.
I’ve been studying moral and dogmatic theology this Lent. There is a hierarchy of law. Canon law is not the highest law. Even under the pope’s authority you are not allowed to obey anything contrary to natural or divine positive law. Just like canon law has higher authority than civil law, God’s eternal law has higher authority than canon law. Also it is a heresy to say someone can be a heretic and a pope at the same time: Second Council of Constantinople: “These matters having been treated with thorough-going exactness, we bear in mind what was promised about the holy church and him who said that the gates of hell will not prevail against it (by these we understand the death-dealing tongues of heretics); we also bear in mind what was prophesied about the church by Hosea when he said, I shall betroth you to me in faithfulness and you shall know the Lord; and we count along with the devil, the father of lies, the uncontrolled tongues of heretics and their heretical writings, together with the heretics themselves who have persisted in their heresy even to death.” Concerning heresy, we have to distinguish between the sin of heresy and the crime of heresy. One is contrary to divine law and the other is a crime in canon law. When people talk about judging, we must distinguish between coming to a logical judgement and a legal judgement. Only the latter is morally binding on others. Many people in the Catholic media completely ignore this or don’t seem to understand this, calling schismatic everyone who knows enough to know that what is coming out at the Vatican right now is a new gospel. I did not say anything heretical or schismatic. At this moment in time it is best to know some theology and not just trust the Catholic media as true news.
Do you mean a Pope can never be a heretic or a Pope ceases to be Pope if he is a heretic. Or it is heretical to say that a Pope is a heretic? Honorius I, (born, Roman Campania [Italy]—died October 12, 638), pope from 625 to 638 whose posthumous condemnation as a heretic subsequently caused extensive controversy on the question of papal infallibility.
I just read that one of these German Cardinals said that the catholic catechism is not written in stone…hummmm….really? I just wonder, does separating yourself ( cardinal) from the words we know to be written in stone, cause you to separate yourself from the faith? Because apparently some don’t believe in the laws of the faith. I guess they think rules and Gods laws are fluid….please PF, offer them fraternal correction before they lead souls into hell.
Do they cease to be Catholic? I know if a Pope is in heresy he ceases to be Pope according to St Robert Bellermine Does this count for bishops too?
I’m not a theologian, but I believe that if a layperson does not accept church teachings, they are separated from the church…I guess it then applies to the entire hierarchy as well. If the catechism is not “ written in stone”, what’s the point. Is this cardinal a cafeteria catholic? Pick and choose your rules? When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, he didn’t say they were the Ten Suggestions, they are the Ten Commandments….and yes, they were literally written in stone. I’d hate to be the cardinal, pope or person who tries to tell God otherwise.
To be honest, Beth, looking at what some of these cardinals say, I think many of them would be more at home in a Protestant church. Cardinal Ratzinger once said of Hans Kung that he spoke like a Protestant theologian and a very liberal one at that. My husband who is not a Catholic once said that Catholics who don’t accept Church teaching are dishonest for as long as they remain in the church. If someone joins a secular group dedicated to a particular cause and changes their mind about the issue then the only right thing to do is leave. Catholics born into the church argue that they have a stake in it and a right to be heard. However there’s no doubt that the unfiltered teaching and belief of the Church is the birthright of every Catholic and not to pass it on is stealing from the next generation. Most young - and not so young - Catholics are almost entirely ignorant of their faith thanks to people like Marx.
I agree completely. I’m very concerned about the conclusions drawn up by the hierarchy when the Synod has concluded. I feel these local church synod meetings are the vehicle they intend to use to implement the changes to church law that they themselves want without being blamed for it. Hope I’m wrong….
The conclusions have most likely been drawn up. Get ready for a Church of Committees. Committees in every diocese deciding which teachings to follow in practice and which to consign to the history books. Bishops will have a rubber stamp but any Bishop daring to hold to the deposit of the faith will be put under so much pressure that most will fold. Remember the kind of pressure put on faithful US Bishops by the Catholic Spring crowd? That's what's coming to every diocese. Rags like America Magazine and the National Catholic Distorter will hail the McCarrick types as Christlike shepherds, give a pass to Bishops who keep their heads down and lead the charge inflicting white martyrdom on the few holdouts. The "respectable" Catholic media will adopt the nothing to see here approach. The bloggers and youtubers will mostly fall into the same categories. We're seeing signs of that already. It's fairly obvious that any of them wanting to keep on the right side of the influential Bishops, getting inside information, speaking gigs at seminars, etc., either keep shtum about scandals, spin the current "nothing to see here line" in the form of "I'm not entirely happy with this papacy, but" as they slyly attack anyone who dares speak out or they go all out in demonising Taylor Marshall, Archbishop Vigano, Michael Voris or whoever is the Bishops' designated whipping boy of the moment. Pope Benedict told us that the Church will become very small. It will likely appear to grow for a while after this charade, but the growth will be short lived because once the apostates have their way the type of people attracted to such a Church will drift away when they see no reason to stick around. Anything offered by that type of church is available in political parties or NGOs.
