Posted on 04/19/2005 5:13:20 PM PDT by Alex Marko
BOSTON (Reuters) - Liberal U.S. Catholics on Tuesday expressed dismay at the choice of a conservative new pope and doubted he will heal an institution racked by disillusionment and tarnished by a sex abuse scandal among the clergy.
The election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI rankled those who advocate married priests, a bigger role for women within the church and softening its policy on homosexuality, birth control, euthanasia and abortion.
Since taking over the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as the Roman Catholic Church's chief ideologue, Ratzinger has denounced homosexuality and even branded other Christian churches as deficient.
"Gay and lesbian Catholics are going to be very hurt by this election because Cardinal Ratzinger was the lightning rod for so much of the anger they felt under the previous pope," said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the New Ways Ministry, a national ministry for lesbian and gay Catholics.
Under the Pope John Paul II, American Catholics' attendance at weekly Mass declined as many were put off by what they saw as increasingly conservative Vatican doctrine.
The sense of alienation deepened with a well-publicized scandal over pedophile priests, which erupted in 2002 in the Archdiocese of Boston as court documents showed bishops shuttled pedophile priests from parish to parish.
Victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy reacted skeptically to word that Ratzinger was the new pope.
"Ratzinger is a polarizing figure to many, who seems to prefer combativeness to compromise and compassion," Mary Grant of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said in a statement. "It's ... crucial that the new pope follow the words and views of John Paul II who said 'there is no place in the priesthood for anyone who would harm the young."'
MORE OF THE SAME
Catholics for a Free Choice, a progressive group based in Washington, laid out an action plan for the new pontiff to pursue in his first 100 days with the goal of healing fractures within the church.
It urged the new pope to appoint a commission to review church policy on condoms, to establish a pontifical academy on women's rights in the church, and to welcome back those marginalized over the last quarter-century -- including gays and lesbians.
But those familiar with Ratzinger said to expect more of the same, and they doubted he would tailor his views to adapt to the liberal forces evident in the U.S. church.
"This is the guy who's been in charge of stifling dissent in the church," said lawyer Carmen Durso, who represented dozens of plaintiffs in clergy abuse lawsuits against the Boston archdiocese.
"This says to me that the Vatican ... is not prepared to move into the 21st Century, which it desperately needs to do," said Durso, who was raised Catholic but no longer practices.
Christine Schenk, a nun from Cleveland, Ohio, who favors opening the priesthood to married men, said she was disappointed and puzzled by Ratzinger's selection, but she saw glimmers of hope.
Schenk explained that Ratzinger had never ruled out the idea of married priests, and that the church is facing a deepening shortage of priests -- so he may be forced to act.
In a 2004 document, Ratzinger denounced "radical feminism" as undermining the family and natural differences between men and women.
Asked if there was anything in his background that gave her hope that Ratzinger would build a stronger partnership with women in the church, Quinn said: "We always hope for miracles".
They so don't get it. Being a Catholic is not about "you" it's about "Christ". So much for humility and perspective - these people seriously lack both.
Catholics for a Poor Choice.
>>And take the rock n roll Masses when you leave!
Amen.
The guy's a Catholic.
B16's doctrinal "conservatism" surprises people?
They think they're going to get a new one who says, "Oh, BTW, Jesus didn't rise from the dead, to hell with poor people, feel free to crush and flush your babies, bomb whole cities, and buggers, bugger away"?!
And they want to call this "following your conscience"?
As Josef Cardinal Ratzinger once said, (and imagine this in all-caps, red font, and the biggest honkin' typeface):
"CONSCIENCE IS A STUDENT, NOT A TEACHER."
"Bene dictus" is a pun in Latin for "well spoken."
I like his style. And you know what else? I like his smile.
My understanding is that the priest shortage is pretty much just here in the US, and that across the globe the number of men entering the priesthood is up.
What a load of bull. Mass attendance has been declining steadily since the 60's threw out the Latin Mass and brought in the dumbed down, feelin' alright, guitar strummin' idiots' liturgy. If Benedict XVI restores liturgical discipline, Latin, incense and Gregorian chant, the churches will fill up again. People want the Real Thing, not the watered down substitute.
They aren't dismayed, they know the truth. They are becoming master of feigning dismay, however.
And from the wacked out meth heads at DU:
"looks like the criminal bushgang won the pope auction
wonder how long it will take them to suck the vaticans vaults dry?"
"Gay and lesbian Catholics are going to be very hurt by this election because Cardinal Ratzinger was the lightning rod for so much of the anger they felt under the previous pope,"
They are going to be VERY,VERY HURT, but not by any of the Popes, but by God Himself. By the way, how can a lesbian or gay be a Catholic. Isn't that a contradiction in terms?
Apparantly supporting Church doctrine isn't allowed if you want to be accepted as Pope by liberal "Catholics".
I have a budding idea for a companion article:
This Pope won't serve condoms for Holy Communion to a bunch of Gays and Lesbians.
I was amazed that Jim Lehrer on PBS had some experts on his program tonight who were very supportive of Pope Benedict XVI...one was a priest at Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida. On the other hand, Morton Kondracke was an embarrassment on Brit's program...very negative.
Matter of fact I think that some have been excommunicated from the Church.
"Anytime a liberal squeals in outrage, an angel gets its wings!"
That just about says it all!!! LOL!!!
Another blow for the National US Democrats--no male homosexual advocacy with the new pope.
Perhaps he will be tolerant of female homosexuals.
Oh, yeah, Americans stopped going to mass because they didn't hear enough liberal thought there. Wonder why they also stopped going to the Eucharistic services in the Episcopal Church???
Something demonic this way comes... these homosexual unCatholics seek to destroy Christianity.
Oh, that is so excellent!
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