Last Minute Sabotage Attempts --- A Few Days Before Benedict's Decision

(Vatican/Menzigen)  The scenario is known.  There have been attempts of sabotage in the last months as the Society of St. Pius X and the Holy See reconcile.  Attempts which have shown themselves to come from both sides.  One yesterday from the Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung belonged to a public statement by Cardinal Kasper just as much as the deliberate publication of some internal correspondence between the General Superior of the Society, Msgr Fellay, and the other three Bishops of the Society.

The statements of the Curial Cardinal Kasper seem more of a rear-guard action, which coming to the resigned understanding of what can no longer be prevented, but at least to make some signals to the other side of the Church, which is skeptically disinclined to  a reconciliation which at least he and probably also other high princes of the Church are of the same opinion.

The indiscretions from the series of letters had brought to understanding that there are some intriguing elements at work, which want as much to damage the Society as they do the Catholic Church.  It may be the case that these intentional violations of confidence may be led back to the group which was already criticizing Msgr. Fellay sharply in Autumn of 2011 as he asked Msgr Richard Williamson to cease from abusing him.

The mandate and responsibility for the reconciliation talks with Rome in the Society are the General Superior and his two assistants.  They have accorded a decision and in any case immediately sent Msgr Fellay's answer to Pope Benedict XVI on April 17th.

In the mean time there are only a few days till the Congregation for Doctrine and the Faith will deliberate on the most recent modified "Doctrinal Preamble" proposed  by  Msgr Fellay on May 17th .  Then Pope Benedict XVI as generally expected will make known his decision within the course of the month.

Then it will be shown who in the Society will turn from the path of schism to reconciliation with Peter, while for the greater majority of the Society the "bigger task and challenge" will then begin, as Msgr Fellay described it.  That not a few high members of the Church would not be unhappy, if Msgr Richard Williamson remained "outside", is generally known.  It is also known that Pope Benedict XVI, however, doesn't think in political categories.

Link to original katholisches...

Cardinal Kasper Criticizes the "bad style" in the Curia

Vatican City, 13.02.2012 (kath.net/KAP) as "bad style" and "irresponsible", the German Cardinal Walter Kasper, the leaks in the Roman Curia and the Vatican published secret documents referred to. "I do not know if a power struggle behind it," or if someone wanted to harm the Cardinal Secretary of State, he said in an interview with the daily newspaper "Corriere della Sera" (Monday edition). In any case, it would harm the reputation of the church and pins confusion among the faithful, said Kasper, who was 2001-2010 president of the unit responsible for Ecumenical Vatican Council questions. The operation of a lack of awareness of ecclesial witness.

Whoever is dissatisfied or feels mistreated, ought to inform directly to the person concerned. One can criticize others when they have arguments. "But not so," when information comes anonymously to the media.

In recent days, several confidential documents had surfaced in the Italian media in which the Vatican representative to the Vatican complained about nepotism or talking about an alleged murder plot against the pope.

"I'm very sorry about this for the Pope. It must be sad to see how they try to destroy what he built," said Kasper. He tried in his time in office to do its work and had taken care not to cliques in the Curia, said the cardinal. Similarly, Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation made its service to the Church, and meddled not internal disputes. This is a question of dignity, "said Kasper.
Link to kathnet....

Cardinal Kasper Promotes a Reform of Our Reforms

Liturgy is worship, not only a community celebration.  The experience of the sublime and of the tremendum mysterium is the curative.

His Grace, Cardinal Kasper

Vallendar (kath.net) Cardinal Kasper promotes an "in depth going reform of our Liturgical reforms."  It needs a "renewed liturgical-sacramental culture", said the Curial Cardinal, who was till 2010 the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, according to 'kirchensite.de" from a report from KNA about ++Kasper's lecture at the symposium "The Liturgy of the Church" of the "Cardinal Walter Kasper Institute for Theology-Ecumenism-Spirituality" at the Philosophy and Theology Faculty of Vallendar.

Liturgy must not be desacralized and robbed of its sublimity, explained the former Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, because it is worship, not only a community celebration.  Just as in our civilization, which is leveling,  secular and thoroughly void of meaning, the sublimity and the tremendum mysterium also brings the curative.

Link  to kath.net...original

Related Articles

Cardinal Burke Reprimands Cardinal Kasper

Cardinal Kasper Says Europe Must Return to its Christian Roots

Cardinal Kasper Admonishes Germans to Obey Holy Father

A Destroyer of the Faith Leaves the Curia

Theological Memorandum: Kasper - "Students" Contradict Cardinal Kasper

Editor: Rome is just as disappointed with the Memorandum as Cardinal Kasper, calling it, "provincial".  Really, it seems really infantile and moribund, like the ranks of Old Liberals themselves.

Theologian Hans Kessler, Eberhard Schockenhoff and Peter Walter insist: Cardinal Kasper's "Gotteskrise" serves "not only in society, rather also in the center of the Church itself".

Berlin (kath.net/KAP) In the debate surrounding the provacative Theology paper three students of the Curial Cardinal Walter Kasper have offered sharp criticisms of their former mentor.   The Casper generated "Gotteskrise" serves "not only in society but also in the center of the Church itself", it was explained by theologians Hans Kessler, Eberhard Schockendoff and Peter Walter, who published a common statement for the "Frankfurter Rundschau" on Friday.

In the Catholic Church there is a "large brewing problem, which is not solved by non-engagement and progressive silence",  so say the three Theologians. It may be hardly challenged "that the Church is in no way defined by a culture of freedom, like other social systems at least present themselves in the ideal".  From "trust in the freedom of the individual" t is only apparent so long , "as it doesn't pull out all the stops".

Kessler is an emeritus Professor for systematic Theology at the Goethe-University Frankfurt:  Schockenhoff [Moraltheologie] and Walter [Dogmatic] are professors at the University of Freiburg.

Kasper was "disappointed" by the Memorandum.

Kasper had turned against the "Mememorandum" of Catholic theologians in the middle of February, in which a list of reforms were proposed.  The Curial Cardinal had explained that the call for another inner-ecclesiastical legal culture is surely right, the past church circle is however in consequence of the divine circle does not arise in the first line of Church law.  The various questions are "the conviction of the Faith in the world of today":  in place of "superficial adjusting parameters of celibacy", requires a "radical renewal" of this belief.

In total Kasper had explained two weeks ago that he was "overly disappointed" in the Memorandum of the Theologians.  He missed in that a substantial contribation of theologians where he'd "expected more".  No sensible person seriously contests that it "makes an acerbic break necessary with the Catholic Church".

Read original, kath.net...

Cardinal Kasper Severely Criticizes Theological Dissidents

Editor: We got earlier statements from the good Cardinal at Enlace Catolico. Here he is again, this time for Vatican Radio and kath.net, saying his piece against these theologians.  It's certainly one of the most striking statements from a Curial official so far, and one of the most surprising.  Here are some excerpts from his interview as translated at kath.net.

As we pointed out last year in September, the Cardinal had admonished Germans to obey the Holy Father.  


"Churches, which have opted for woman's ordination and the recognition of same-sex partnerships, have put themselves for that reason in a very deep crisis"

Rome (kath.net) The Roman Curial Cardinal, Walter Kasper has made a clear denunciation for the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" against the Munster "Theological Referendum".  Kath.net has documented the main statements from "Radio Vatikan"  from FAZ-Report on the theme of "We're Coming to the Point".

"No sensible man, no follower of Christ will contend that the Catholic Church in Germany has had an acerbic and necessary break.  No one can seriously contend that the teachers and teacheresses of Theology are accorded any especial responsibility.  As one who has been in service for more than thirty years in academia,  I must say clearly, that the Memorandum has disturbed me greatly... because I would have expected more from Theologians, namely, a substantial theological contribution.

I ask myself, how a theologian can speak of the past situation and their difficulties, without mentioning the crisis of faith. Instead of this, the Memorandum remains stuck in a justifiable self-criticism.  Do the undersigned seriously believe that the Church's constitution today is an existential question for people? Is it not the reverse: that the crisis in the Church follows from a crisis of faith?  That is also valid for the horrible cases of sexual abuse.

What the undersigners of the Memorandum want to bring to the Dialog, has already been long known and expressed by other groups ad nauseum.  For that reason I have paid attention as the initial words of the message of freedom in the Gospel demand.  I thought: Yes, that's it.

I asked myself, how can it be that German Catholic theologians are so clearly  closed, that  churches, which are decided for women's ordination and for the recogniztion of same sex partnerships, have for that reason put themselves in a much deeper crisis than the Catholic Church in Germany.

The Celibacy is not just for today a hot iron in the fire.  Actually, I have been preoccupied with it for over forty years with other theologians that Pope and Episcopal College have the duty to assure the unmarried state of the diocesan priesthood.  Clearly, the fact is little known that this assessment has been for a long time in place.  The question has been discussed internationally, exegetically as well as historically some exceptions, that it can't be seriously allowed to review the old arguments.  Not less than three World Conferences of bishops have voted in the meantime with overpowering majorities for the continuance of the unmarried priesthood.  If anyone had wanted another internal Church legal structure, then it would have been appended, that decisions would also have been recognized, that he had preferred another solution himself.

Only a hopeless and futureless and therefore false conservatism can be living, what pastoral structures have previously been  identified artificially with 'viri probati' [married men of good character].  In any event those superficial German priestly communities in the Diocese are also not the final word.

More imagination and a view  beyond one's own teacup could help out tremendously.

The crisis of faith is not only a celibacy crisis, rather it has also led to a crisis of the faithful and the community.  When in Germany the number of regular churchgoers since 1950 has dropped more than two thirds, then that is a sign that has been long nudging and pushing to the real ground, what the priest shortage really means.  I can only propose a radical solution which is set on this "radix", on this root, in place of superficially turning on the parameters of celibacy."

From kath.net...

Walter Cardinal Kasper in Restlessness

Absolutely full schedule:  The Cardinal Emeritus Kasper is working hard again, scientifically in Rome. Right now he's writing a book about the Catholic Church.

Rome [kath.net/pm] After his Emeritization as Cardinal Walter Cardinal Kasper is a much sought after and honored man, who is again working in the fields of Theological science.

The occasion of his release from his service to the Office of Unity had brought him to a discussion in London at Lambeth Palace and to a formal meal in Church House.  Participants will also be Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the former Archbishop of Westminster London, and its current occupant, Vincent Nicols, as well as other invited and distinguished guests.

His twenty honorable doctoral degrees will grow by two more this year:  In January St. Joseph's in Philadelphia, PA, and in February at the Universidade Católica Portugese, Lissabon, Portugal. 

In February Cardinal Kapser must complete two important events.  On the 21st of February will be the Paul Wattson lectures in San Francisco, California, and on 22 February in Sacramento California, will be a lecture on the current ecumenical situation.

Next to his Roman and international obligations, Cardinal Kasper is returning to his theological work.  At the moment he is fulfilling an old plan and desire still from his Tübingen times and is working on a new book, which is entitled, "Catholic Church".


Read original, kath.net...

Cardinal Burke Censures False Ecumenism at Consistory

At the Consistory in Rome behind closed doors, the subject of the implementation of Anglicanorum Coetibus was discussed by the assembled Bishops and new Cardinals.  It deals in part with the return of Anglicans to Communion with the Holy See.  We'd reported earlier that Cardinal Burke would criticize Cardinal Kasper within the context of the meeting.  Well, our sources now tell us that it certainly did not happen, for although Cardinal Kasper was not mentioned specifically, Cardinal Burke still condemned  those who refer to the "ecumenism of return" with contempt; so they were criticized all the same and in their number would certainly be included Cardinal Kasper, whose career was built upon false ecumenism and in preventing moments like the return of the Anglicans from taking place.

 Unfortunately, as with the implementation of Sumorum Pontificum, the Motu Proprio freeing up the Immemorial Latin Mass to be said without the interference of liberal Bishops, there are old Liberal Bishops who are blocking the way.  Most notable among them is Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto, who wants to appoint an existing Roman Bishop to head the Ordinariate, rather than have him be elected from a bi-cameral lay-clerical arrangement.  There is also Bishop Peter Elliot of Australia, who wishes to implement changes which basically amount to an oversimplification of the Anglican Liturgy which is, in the words of Maximilian Hanlon, going to make it like a Novus Ordo Liturgy with some Anglican prayers tacked on.  We're a little puzzled by this characterization because Bishop Elliot actually seems pretty conservative as illustrated by his article in New Liturgical Movement, as he writes here:

Next year a new ICEL translation of the Mass of the Roman Rite will come into effect. More gracious poetic English will mean that the beauty of the language used in the Ordinariates will not clash with the banal and inaccurate old ICEL “translation” we currently endure.

Ultimately, what these liberal Bishops, like those who Damian Thompson calls the "Magic Circle" in England,  intend upon doing is to delay and create impediments to the entrance of Anglicans into full communion with Rome. For like Cardinal Kasper, they would prefer to "dialogue" with Archbishop Rowan and his female clergy, and their assortment of liturgical chipmunks.[Video forthcoming]

It would be a good time to pray, do penance, fast and keep vigil for the good intentions of the Bishops, laity and priests of the incoming members of the Anglican Communion.

Photo from: St. Louis Catholic, here.

The Pope here talks about how pressing is the need to resuscitate Ecumenism. 

Cardinal Burke to Reprimand Cardinal Kasper With Blessing of Holy Father

[EF Exclusive] According to Catholic Culture, there will be an emergency consistory held by the Pope next week which will deal, in addition to issues related to the clerical sex abuse hysteria, with the reception of Anglicans into the Catholic Church.

We are told by Maximilian Hanlon that it is within the context of this meeting that Cardinal Burke will  publicly reprimand Cardinal Kasper, owing possibly to the notoriously liberal Cardinal's hostility to the "ecumenism of return".  Indeed, since Cardinal Kasper has been opposed to an ecumenism of return, so it should be easy to see why Cardinal Burke would object to this.  What is more surprising is that he is doing this with the blessing of the Holy Father.

Cardinal Kasper had gotten into trouble, you may remember, for saying some controversial things prior to the Pope's trip to England and suddenly became ill and could not participate.

This will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Photo:  St. Louis Today

Related Articles:

Cardinal Kasper complains about SSPX talks

Cardinal Kasper says Europe Must Return to Christian Roots.

A Destroyer of the Faith Leaves the Curia.

Cardinal Kasper Admonishes Germans to Obey Holy Father

[Vatican] Germans must have more respect for "their" Pope, hear [obey] and try to understand him. With these words Walter Cardinal Kasper admonished his countrymen from Bishops to Theologians, from Priests to simple believers. In an interview with the German weekly Focus he noted, that abroad "many shake their heads about the manner and fashion, with which Germans handle the Pope from their own homeland."

A few days before the begin of the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Great Britain and his Pastoral trip to Scotland and England the German Curia Cardinal warned of an "aggressive atheism" in Great Britain. He criticized also that the British Airways employee was "discriminated" against, because she wore a cross. One employee had been forced to remove the cross, which she wore on a chain around her neck.

The Pope will, upon his visit in Scotland and England on an ecumenical level to bring about "heavy dialog" with the Anglicans, says the Cardinal. The Beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman "will be no setback" for Ecumenism, said the Cardinal with conviction. He reviewed the Church's opposition to women's ordination with the observation: The Protestants 'don't have celibacy, but women pastors. Are you telling me they have it better?"


Link to original at Katholisches...

A Destroyer of the Faith Leaves the Curia

"Porous, ambiguous, deceptive", the famous Mainz Canon Lawyer, Father Georg May, let loose a scathing condemnation on the departing president of the Vatican Office for Unity.

[kreuz.net] "In the era of Kasper the extraction of the knowledge of the faith from Catholic Christians was expedited."

Mainz canon lawyer, Father Georg May, said this for the Catholic Monthly 'Kirchliche Umschau' about the newly President Emeritus of the Papal Office for Unity, Walter Cardinal Kasper (77).

The unrestrained ecumenism tore apart all the boundaries: "The people didn't know truth from error, or to distinguish the Church of Christ from schism."

Father May did not blame this entirely on Cardinal Kasper. Actually, he accused him of not having done anything to oppose this development.

Cardinal Kasper had not been qualified for transfer to that office.

He worked for false principles, that there are more commonalities with the protestants than things that separate us.

Fr. May contradicted that: "The opposite is the case."

The protestant theology is "almost in every way an unceasing opposition to Catholic Faith and moral teaching."

The Faith Distorted and Falsified

The third edition of the standard work 'Lexikons fuer Theologie und Kirche', which today's Cardinal Kasper had circulated in the years 1993 to 2001, Father May indicted as a danger for Theology and Church:

"Here the Catholic Faith in numerous places was distorted, falsified and deficiently represented."

The actual articles for the elucidation of the Faith were "porous, ambiguous and deceptive".

Even the moral teaching was "twisted, falsified and brought close to protestantic views."

The most recent history of the Church in an accompanying work was "progressivistically assigned".

Falsely Distorted

On the suggestion that today's Cardinal Kasper was promoted by the famous Catholic Theologian Leo Cardinal Scheffzczyk (+2005) in Tubingen, Father May exclaimed:

"As Cardinal Kasper was promoted, the Church showed immediately then the first twitches of disaster, that would break over it."

Today's Cardinal Kasper was completely gliding on the Progressive channel.

He followed exegetes, "who had not learned the bible methodically, and in whose hands the Gospel was transformed into a novelistic tale. "

Cardinal Kasper had worked to "loosen the Dogma" -- cited Father May the convert and Indologue Paul Hacker (+1979).

For example Father may mentioned the fact, that the Cardinal had portrayed the teaching on Christ's divinity and humanity as overreaching":

"It is too little, when Walter Casper merely says that the death of Jesus is, >>the consequence of his act<<".

This Theology is incapable of securing young people in their Faith.


Illusions About Successor

Father May is enthusiastic about Cardinal Kasper's successor, Msgr Kurt Koch (60).

He is is supposedly in opposition to the Princes of the Church, a pastor.

Also, he has no illusions about hostility to the Church -- especially in Switzerland:

"If he will be able to ward off the pressures of unteachable ecumenists, remains to be seen."

Father May holds it to be a first duty to diminish ecumenism.

Next time: abyssal opposition desperate the Church from the Protestants.


© Bild: gemeinfrei

This offer was 400 years in the making

A brief overview of English History and the Relations of the English Church with Rome with surprising and accurate conclusions by Cardinal Kasper. The prayer for Christian Unity Week was actually begun in 1908.


Fr Michael Rear says that new provisions for the reception of Anglicans should not surprise those who are familiar with English history

Cardinal Kasper addressed the Anglican bishops at Lambeth, pointing out the difficulty this presents. " In several contexts, bishops are not in communion with other bishops; in some instances, Anglican provinces are no longer in full communion with each other." How can the Catholic Church maintain a dialogue for organic unity with an Anglican Communion so divided in itself? The ARCIC conversations were inevitably downgraded to cooperation and friendship, but are still most important for all that, and more so now when relations are under strain.

For there are very large numbers of Anglicans, like the allegedly 400,000 Anglicans of the Traditional Anglican Communion, and others no longer in communion with their diocesan bishops, who have separate "episcopal visitors". Many of these have earnestly requested Rome to complete the ARCIC process with them. This put Rome on the spot. Cardinal Kasper referred to the dilemma at the Lambeth Conference in 2008.

Read entire article...

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has strongly defended Pope Benedict XVI's decision to extend a hand to Anglicans wishing to enter communion with Rome but maintain their identity.

Read more...

Cardinal Kasper denies Rumours of a Pending Retirement.

Cardinal Kasper denies rumours of his retirement next month and wonders who in the world would have said it. Of course, he quips, no one would be more pleased to retire than I.

He is responding, of course, to rumours last week on Bavarian radio that he would be replaced at the end of this November by Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller. The Cardinal is, after all, 77 years old.

Link to original.

"Ratzinger Blitzkriegs Protestants." Are you Sure?

It's so great that others are fully perceiving the greatness and decisiveness of this bold master stroke as Der Panzerpapst has effectively drawn attention to the teetering structure of Anglican Catholicism while opening a door to disaffected Traditional Anglicans who can no longer find a home in the toxic atmosphere of the CoE. This article by an writer at the Trumpet, however, is willing to view Cardinal Kasper's sidelining as an accidental oversight. It takes away the contrast between two respective and irreconcilable approaches to Ecumenism, one faltering and indecisive and the other reminiscent of the Great Commission.

Did Benedict’s seeming undue haste [He can't be bold and in undue haste at the same time] to make this announcement perhaps have bearing on the reason why the German Cardinal Kasper was in Cyprus? Was it timed to send a signal to the Eastern Orthodox hierarchy that the pope is ready to make similar concessions to the Orthodox community if they capitulate to Rome? After all, Kasper was Johnny on the spot to assess their reaction to this dramatic announcement to then be in a position to report that reaction firsthand to Benedict upon his return to Rome from Nicosia.

Everything else is idle speculation and definitely an indication that there was far more hope of re-union with the Traditional Anglicans than there is with the Orthodox who, while being positive to these overtures and willing to discuss, are far less sanguine to the ecumenicism of engagement and more hesitant to reunite.

The Trumpet, for those of you who might not know is a publication produced in Philadelphia by The Church of God.

Article Here...

Could Cardinal Kasper be The Enemy?

A famous general of the War of Northern Aggression was Burnside. You couldn't really tell whose side he was really on as Lincoln remarked, “Only Burnside could manage such a coup to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory”.

The Catholic Church seems to have leader of similar, although far more malevolent if more slightly less comical, character. Cardinal Kasper is trying to upstage the jubilant arrival of the prodigal with insidious messages encouraging dissent. Cardinal Kasper is eager to redirect suggestions that this is after all, a victory for conservative forces, dragging out the overtried phraseology of false ecumenism, he said, “But if there are people who obeying their consciences want to become Catholic, we cannot shut the door” [But we really tried to shut the door, believe me].

In order to reassure the Archbishop of Canterbury, CNS reports, as if it might be a possibility that Dominican Inquisitors are ready to deploy to newly catholicized Anglican parsonages, he solemnly intoned another familiar cliche, “I think there is an agreement between us and the (Anglican) Archbishop of Canterbury that we have to respect their freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.”

Already, the ecumenicist of engagement arrives in England to help fight a rearguard action for the Magic Circle English Bishops who can only look on at something they attempted to prevent and frustrate all along.