Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Atlas of Rebellion -- Bishop Huonder is in the Cross Hairs of Anti-Roman Critics

[Katholisches, Switzerland] A view to the map shows that the anti-Roman Rebelion in the Catholic Church is focused in the German speaking countries.  The interdependence of the successes in Austria, Switzerland and Germany are clear.  Ultimately, it consists, from a span of five hundred years, to the exact same constellation as in the time of the Reformation, which led to the schism of the Church.  It was also a schism of the German people and a weakening of the Holy Roman Empire in Central Europe from which it never recovered.

Opposition Began in 1990 Against Bishop Wolfgang Haas


Thus, the rebellious  Memorandists are found scattered throughout the German speaking countries. The targeting by the insurgents currently  of the Bishop of Chur by rebels is a deja vu . Already in 1990  Bishop Wolfgang Haas had a hard time after he was appointed by John Paul II.  The opposition to him within his diocese was so large that he was carried away in 1997 to the Principality of Liechtenstein, which was removed from the diocese of Chur and even elevated to an Archbishopric.  Monsignor Haas has since resided in Vaduz. The rank increase over Chur signaled the unwillingness of Rome to address the whole transaction. Meanwhile, the old episcopal city   governed by Msgr Huonder on the Upper Rhine is a successor of  Bishop Haas.



Lenten Letter of 2012 Incites an Uproar


The particularity of this largest Diocese of Switzerland, which included the center of the Rebellion against Rome in the 16th century,  consists in that it is directly controlled by the Holy See.  The 19th century concordat concluded between the Confederation and Rome envisioned this privilege, that the selection of the Bishop takes place as an agreement between the Cathedral Chapter and the Holy See.  The Pope has the deciding word.  This was confirmed on the 6th of July in 2007 as Benedict XVI named Msgr Vitus Huonder, against whom now, because of his Lenten Pastoral Letter, stands many of his own priests and pastoral assistants as well as politicized laity and theologians.   Since the secular media in a religiously divided country like Switzerland tend mostly towards confrontation in any case, and the "Catholic" media has succumbed to the zeitgeist, the Bishop has a lot to endure. The leading Swiss media have attacked the Pastoral Letter with uncustomary unanimity as "as much explosive as absurd" and Archbishop Hunder as "archconservative".  These catch words are true to other anti-Church campaigns.

Pastor Refuses Reading in "our" Churches

The Lenten Pastoral Letter went out to all Parishes -- as is usual -- which is supposed to be read at all Liturgies, contained a statement which many could not endure, many parish gentlemen concluded.     Divorced and remarried  are to be refused the Sacraments.  Huonder represents here nothing but Church teaching.    That the Catholic ideal which is exorbitantly and quantiatively contradicted in practice in Switzerland, is what makes Catholic teaching a "scandal" for the world.  Bishop Huonder has hammered the nail onn the head with this, because Christianity must e a scandal to the world and especially in this time.  The Chur Superior Shepherd invoked Jesus, who defined marriage as indissoluble.  The divorced, who through their own free will have decided to engage in a new relationship have put themselves in a situation, which makes it impossible for them to receive the Sacraments.  It is not the Church that refuses them, but they themselves throuogh their own decision.    Divorced and Seperated, who live alone, give a precious witness for the indissolubility of marriage, says Bishop Huonder.

The Media Swell Inner-Church Critics

The media pour oil in the fire and outdo themselves with attacks: "Huonder isolated", "Again with Huonder?"  "Controversial Pastoral Letter".  On 11th March 2012 the Neue Zurcher Zeitung wrote: "The Chur Bishop, Vitus Huonder wants to close the Sacraments to those who are remarried" and demonstrated how little they, in any case, liberal quality newspapers know or want to know about Catholic teaching.   Such a lack of precision would allow them little else.

They drive the protest which has been spreading divisions among the priests and laity.  Church was made into an outpost of anti-Roman rebellion over night, whose manifest center had been Austria and the Bundesrepublic of Germany until recently.  The protest went even further, according to the Press Speaker of the Diocese, Giuseppe Graci who explained the motives for Bishop Hunder's business once again for the press.

For the Pastor of the Winterthur, Catholic Teaching is "Inhuman"

Clearly this is only the initial inflammation for an uproar that had been long formed underground.  The first to protest was a pastor of Chur, who openly declared, that the Pastoral Letter will not be read in "our" churches.  "We are also distancing ourselves from the form and also the content of such Pastoral Letters", wrote the Dean and Pastor of Winterthur, Hugo Gehring and made himself the speaker for "a lot of pastoral assistants" in the region of Winterthur and the lowlands of Zurich.  According to his opinion it is "in the weight of our experience, inhuman and not inferable from the Christian message",  in order to appeal to all the divorced members of the Catholic Church, to remain unmarried.    A Catholic Pastor, who describes Catholic teaching as "inhuman", appears in any case to have missed "Society" and "vocation".

Bishop Haas was replaced  and the Conflict continued underground


No Pastoral Letter had ever before unleashed such opposition, not even in  Bishop Haas's time.  Not because Bishop Huonder's position is so outlandish, his message is the message of the Catholic Church.  The inner process of fermentation against Catholic teaching since the 90s, when Haas was "replaced", has taken on a new dimension.  On the part of the Bishop of Chur it was explained that the aggressiveness of the opposition are with Bishop Huonder's measures to strengthen the orthodoxy and fidelity to Rome in his Diocese, because of the impatience of the protestors awoke at the same time, with which it "distanced" from those parts of the doctrine as they openly declare themselves.

According to Christian reitschmid, Press Officer of the Vicariate, Bishop Huonder took up a hot iron and those provoked more opposition than encouragement.  "The discussion was heavy all week.  The media of the entire region reported on the Pastoral Letter".  Breitschmid heard prevailingly "very critical comments" from the pastors.  According to his estimation, the majority of the Pastors had not read the Pastoral Letter and engage in practices prescribed by Rome and are ready also to provide the sacraments to divorced and remarried persons.

Zurich Pastoral Council "Distanced" itself from the Catholic Teaching on Marriage and Promote the Abuse of the Sacrament


The Pastoral Council of Zurich wrote a breathless document in which it thanked  "all of the spiritual counselors, who helped those divorced and remarried to find their way in the Eucharistic Community of the Church".  It is an open front against the Bishop and against Rome.  The Pastoral Council promoted the spiritual counselor to even allow the remarried to Communion and the Sacraments.  In the writing of the Bishop, the Council overlooked the "law of charity", which is called for by the Gospels.  "Are we not all sinners?", asked the pastoral representative of Zurich.

The pastoral counselors of the Canton Nidwalder  decided in one voice, "that this Pastoral Letter will not be read during the Liturgy.  Instead of announcing the good news, as our mission would be, we would be causing discord, disquiet and protest, and that is even in persons,  who have a particular need for a word of encouragement."  The pastoral counselors of Nidwalden will in any case will continue to allow the sacraments for remarried divorced persons.  "For us it is important, to be open to everyone, and not to exclude anyone", so said the pastoral counselors of the Canton.

"Mercy" Versus Revelation?


In Switzerland Pastor Conrad Burri explained:  "To send everyone away who I know is remarried is absolutely unthinkable for me."  According to his opinion, every question has to coincide with his conscience, if he receives holy Communion or not "We priests can't judge that", says Burri.  He directs a polemical question to Bishop Huonder: "Where is the mercy toward the sinner in this directive?"

Bishops' Conference Feels Itself "Provoked" by Bishop Huonder


The Chief Shepherd of Church appears also to have hardly any support from the Bishops' Conference.  Kath.ch, the media portal of the Catholic Church, representing the Bishops' Conference entitled tellingly: "Vitus Huonder Provokes Bishops"  The Church Bishop "provoked" his colleagues, who also have themselves a dissenting opinion of the Catholic Catechism.  The "Initiative of Liberal Colleagues"  has confirmed rumors that have been circulating for months, that Bishops of the German language areas are pushing for a change in the "praxis" about remarried and divorced persons.

Bishop Huonder:  "Following the teaching of the Church means to be merficul"

In the newspaper Matin Dimanche and Sonntagzeitung, the Bishop of Chur clearly explained himself:  "The concern to direct  remarried and divorced to the teaching of the Church, means precisely to show mercy".  Unpretentiously, but firmly he defended his Pastoral Letter with the words:  "I simply and plainly present the teaching of the Church."

"It is my right and above all my duty,  to call to memory the fundamentals of the Church", says Bishop Huonder.  Rome is silent at present still, whiel the wind of rebellion in the German speaking zone pipes ever more strongly.  The Diocesan Bishops appear not to have found a strategy, as they proceed against anti-Catholic faction in their own ranks, which continues to undermine the "Catholic Church while still claiming the name.

Translated from Katholisches....

10 comments:

wsxyz said...

The interdependence of the successes in Austria, Switzerland and Germany are clear.

The interdependence of the events in Austria, Switzerland and Germany is clear.

The opposition to him within his diocese was so large that he was carried away in 1997 to the Principality of Liechtenstein

The resistance to him within his diocese grew so large, that he was promoted ouf of the diocese in 1997.

The rank increase over Chur signaled the unwillingness of Rome to address the whole transaction.

The increase in rank in comparison to Chur signaled the reluctance with which Rome made the transaction.

Meanwhile, the old episcopal city governed by Msgr Huonder on the Upper Rhine is a successor of  Bishop Haas.

Meanwhile Msgr Huonder, the successor of Bishop Haas, rules in the old episcopal city on the upper Rhine.

Lenten Letter of 2012 Incites an Uproar

Lenten Pastoral Letter of 2012 Reminds of the Indissolubility of Marriage -- Incites an Uproar

The particularity of this largest Diocese of Switzerland, which included the center of the Rebellion against Rome in the 16th century,  consists in that it is directly controlled by the Holy See. The 19th century concordat concluded between the Confederation and Rome envisioned this privilege, that the selection of the Bishop takes place as an agreement between the Cathedral Chapter and the Holy See.  The Pope has the deciding word.

The peculiarity of this largest diocese of Switzerland, which together with Zurich comprised one of the centers of the 16th century rebellion against Rome, is that it is directly subordinate to the Holy See. The 19th century concordat concluded between the Swiss Confederation and Rome provides that choice of the bishop occurs by agreement between the Cathedral Chapter and the Holy See -- so the pope is given a deciding word."

Thus the worldly media opposes itself in a confessionally divided nation like Switzerland in part, in any case, distanced and has struck out on the "Catholic" side of the Zeitgeist, is something the Bishop has to endure.

Since the secular media in a religiously divided country like Switzerland tend mostly towards confrontation in any case, and the "Catholic" media has succumbed to the zeitgeist, the Bishop has a lot to endure.

These catch words are true to other anti-Church campaigns.

These catch words are familiar from other anti-Church campaigns.

Pastor Refuses Reading in "our" Churches

Pastors refuse Reading in "our" Churches

The Lenten Pastoral Letter went out to all Parishes -- as is usual -- which is supposed to be read at all Liturgies, contained a statement which many could not endure, many parish gentlemen concluded.     Divorced and remarried  are to be refused the Sacraments.

The Lenten pastoral letter which went out to all parishes and which should -- as usual -- be read at all masses, contained a part which many, including parish leaders, haven't yet digested: divorced and remarried are to be refused the sacraments.

That the Catholic ideal which is exorbitantly and quantiatively contradicted in practice in Switzerland, is what makes Catholic teaching a "scandal" for the world. Bishop Huonder has hammered the nail onn the head with this, because Christianity must e a scandal to the world and especially in this time.

Since, quantitatively, reality has diverged significantly from the christian ideal in Switzerland, Catholic doctrine is a "scandal" for the world. Bishop Huonder has hit the nail on the head in this, because Christianity must be a scandal to the world at all times.

wsxyz said...

…and demonstrated how little they, in any case, liberal quality newspapers know or want to know about Catholic teaching.   Such a lack of precision would allow them little else.

…and demonstrated how little a respectable, although liberal, newspaper knows or wants to know about Catholic doctrine. They would otherwise never permit themselves to be so imprecise.

Church was made into an outpost of anti-Roman rebellion over night, whose manifest center had been Austria and the Bundesrepublic of Germany until recently.

Chur became a outpost of the anti-Roman rebellion, whose center had so far appeared to lay in various Austrian and German dioceses.

The protest went even further, according to the Press Speaker of the Diocese, Giuseppe Graci who explained the motives for Bishop Hunder's business once again for the press.

The protest continued still, even after the diocesan press secretary, Giuseppe Graci, once again explained the motives behind Bishop Huonder's actions to the press.

Clearly this is only the initial inflammation for an uproar that had been long formed underground.

Clearly only a spark was required to set off an uproar that had been long been formed underground.

The first to protest was a pastor of Chur, who openly declared…

The first to protest were the pastors of Chur, who openly declared…

We are also distancing ourselves from the form and also the content of such Pastoral Letters…

"We distance ourselves from both the content and the form of the pastoral letter…"

…in order to appeal to all the divorced members of the Catholic Church, to remain
unmarried.


…to demand that all divorced members of the Catholic Church remain unmarried.

On the part of the Bishop of Chur it was explained that the aggressiveness of the opposition are with Bishop Huonder's measures to strengthen the orthodoxy and fidelity to Rome in his Diocese, because of the impatience of the protestors awoke at the same time, with which it "distanced" from those parts of the doctrine as they openly declare themselves.

Those near the bishop in Chur explain the aggressiveness of the resistance with the measures set in place by Bishop Huonder to strengthen the orthodoxy and loyalty to Rome in his diocese, while the impatience of the protesters grew in accordance with their inner "distancing themselves" from some parts of Catholic doctrine, as they themselves openly declare.

According to his estimation, the majority of the Pastors had not read the Pastoral Letter and engage in practices prescribed by Rome and are ready also to provide the sacraments to divorced and remarried persons.

By his estimation, the majority of the pastors will not read the pastoral letter and will continue the practice, forbidden by Rome, of admitting the divorced and remarried to the sacraments.

wsxyz said...

The Pastoral Council of Zurich wrote a breathless document in which it thanked  "all of the spiritual counselors, who helped those divorced and remarried to find their way in the Eucharistic Community of the Church". It is an open front against the Bishop and against Rome. The Pastoral Council promoted the spiritual counselor to even allow the remarried to Communion and the Sacraments. In the writing of the Bishop, the Council overlooked the "law of charity", which is called for by the Gospels.  "Are we not all sinners?", asked the pastoral representative of Zurich.

The pastoral council of Zurich wrote a long document, in which it thanked "all clergy and pastoral assistants, who help the divorced and remarried to continue their path with God in the eucharistic community of the Church" -- An open attack against the bishop and against Rome. The pastoral council even demanded that clergy and pastoral assistants admit the remarried to Communion and to the sacraments. In the opinion of the pastoral council, the bishop's letter disregards the "law of mercy" that is preached in the gospels. "Aren't we all sinners?" ask Zurich's pastoral representatives.

The pastoral counselors of the Canton Nidwalder  decided in one voice…

The clergy of the Canton Nidwalder decided unanimously…

In Switzerland Pastor Conrad Burri explained…

Pastor Conrad Burri of Schwyz explained…

According to his opinion, every question has to coincide with his conscience, if he receives holy Communion or not

In his opinion, everyone must clear with his own conscience, the question of whether to receive Holy Communion or not.

Kath.ch, the media portal of the Catholic Church, representing the Bishops' Conference entitled tellingly: "Vitus Huonder Provokes Bishops" The Church Bishop "provoked" his colleagues, who also have themselves a dissenting opinion of the Catholic Catechism.

Kath.ch, the media portal of the Catholic Church owned by the Swiss Conference of Bishops was tellingly titled: "Vitus Huonder Provokes Bishops. With his Pastoral Letter, The Bishop of Chur Attacks an Initiative of His Liberal Colleagues." So, the Bishop of Chur even "provoked" his brother bishops, who apparently have beliefs at odds with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Bishop Huonder:  "Following the teaching of the Church means to be merficul"

Bishop Huonder: "To Lead People to the Doctrine of the Church Is To Be Merciful"

"The concern to direct  remarried and divorced to the teaching of the Church, means precisely to show mercy"

"to direct the attention of the remarried divorced to the fundamental doctrine of the Church, means precisely to show mercy"

Tancred said...

I don't agree with all of your translations and you clearly don't agree with mine. Thanks for the effort.

wsxyz said...

Ok, but your translations are often just flat out wrong. For example:

"Ereignisse" means events or occurrances, not successes.

"wegbefördert" means "away-promoted" -- "befördern" is to promote, not to carry.

"Besonderheit" is the "specialness" or "peculiarity" of something, not the particularity.

"vertraut" means familiar, not true.

Several times you translate a plural as singular, such as in "Pastor Refuses Reading in "our" Churches"

"zu allen Zeiten" means "at all times", not "especially in this time"

etc.

A longer example:

in "Da die weltlichen Medien in einem konfessionell gespaltenen Land wie der Schweiz zum Teil ohnehin distanziert gegenüberstehen und sich der „katholische“ Teil auf die Seite des Zeitgeistes schlägt, hat der Bischof einiges zu ertragen"

"da" has the meaning of "since" or "because", not "thus"

You write the worldly media opposes itself but nowhere in the sentence is there any mention of the secular media opposing itself. For that the phrasing would have to be "sich gegenüberstehen". The sentence is referring to the "standing apart" (confrontational position) of the secular media from the bishop (and thus the Church)

"der „katholische“ Teil" refers to the "Catholic" part of the media which "sich auf die Seite des Zeitgeistes geschlagen hast" or, in English, has "taken the side of the spirit of the times" (rather than taking the side of the Church). There is no such thing as a "Catholic side of the Zeitgeist", as you write.

etc.

I very much thank you for your effort in bringing these articles to a wider audience, but when you choose to do so, the audience deserves to know what the article really says.

Tancred said...

Often wrong? Your corrections are mostly stylistic and these translations are generally correct and convey the meaning I believe the author intends. Go to a collection of side-by-side bible translations, there are myriads of different ways that they are translated. Translation isn't a precise art either, otherwise, there'd be no need for human translators. Also, some sentences are not liable to literal translation, either.

You say that "da" does not mean "thus" but "since" or "because", and that's flat out wrong.

I did mangle the sentence referring to the Catholic part of journalism.

You're welcome to send me your translations, I wouldn't have hesitated to publish your translation of the article which explains that Bishop Huonder is under fire by the liberal media, the Catholic media and his own priests and Diocesan employees for merely doing his job.

I think I got that message across successfully.

Thanks again for your input, as it is useful and instructive.

wsxyz said...

You say that "da" does not mean "thus" but "since" or "because", and that's flat out wrong.

http://dict.leo.org/ende?lp=ende&lang=en&searchLoc=0&cmpType=relaxed&sectHdr=on&spellToler=&search=da

Tancred said...

Many of the words described in the leo.dictionary you cite, (which I use almost exclusively by the way) including going to the forums to ask about difficult translations when I'm not pressed for time, use words that are synonymous with "thus".

It really comes down to a stylistic choice, or in my case, laziness, fatigue, physical illness and so on.

Da can mean, "given that", "in that", "inasmuch" which generally fit the use of "thus" as "consequences" or something which follows from something else.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/thus

Tancred said...

Like I said, I have used your translations in the past on AQ, don't forget to send them to me at

vekrov99(at)hotmail(dot)com

sarto2012 said...

Thanks. The English in this article made reading heavy going. One has to read and re-read in order to make any sense at all.