Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Cardinal Schonborn Brings Sufferings to His Church - Again

From Gregorian Rite Catholic:

[Holy+Father+at+Mariazell+Austria+2007.jpg]

Evidently, His Grace thinks it's been long enough since he was involved in the embarrassments in the Diocese of Linz that he figures he can wade back into the waters of controversy.

This time it's Medjugorje. And it's pitted the Cardinal against Bishop Ratko Perić of Mostar-Duvno in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Apparently, the good Cardinal did not have the courtesy to inform Bishop Perić of his upcoming visit, which is required ecclesial protocol. Furthermore, the Cardinal made statements which could imply an endorsement of the "apparitions" at Medjugorje, which has never received such sanction by the Holy See.

The good Cardinal seems to have been going off the rails ever since 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI visited Austria (7-9 September). At the Mass for the 850th Anniversary of the founding of Mariazell, the Pope and the concelebrating bishops were all dressed in what some referred to as "tie-dyed" chasuables.

Then the uproar in the Diocese of Linz, in which His Grace distinguished himself by his rudeness to the Holy Father and His Holiness' nominee for the episcopate of Linz. Schoenborn actually wrote a letter to the people of the Archdiocese of Vienna. Here is an excerpt:

"I can imagine that many of you don't feel too good at the moment. Neither do I. Once again we are confronted with occurrences that cause grief and indignation. They make us shake our heads and seem incomprehensible. And once again the Church has been made to look stupid and so have we. And again we ask, ‘Is this really necessary? Have we deserved this? Are we to be spared nothing?"

The "occurrences" that made the Church "look stupid" were the removal of the excommunications of the four SSPX bishops and the naming of Fr. Gerhard Maria Wagner as the Bishop of Linz. How's that for stepping up and supporting the Pope?

Following that, His Grace delivered a "lay initiative," which asked for the end of mandatory celibacy for priests and the ordination of married men.
So, true to form, Schoenborn bumbles his way into Medjugorje and starts more trouble.

1 comment:

St Malachy said...

Time was when Cardinal Schonborn was considered by some to be papable!