Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pope Francis' First Crisis? Defiant Archbishop Refuses to Quit
ABC/Univision ^ | 5/0/2013 | Santiago Wills

Posted on 05/10/2013 5:44:53 AM PDT by cll

The new pope's first crisis is not related to the Church's controversial position on contraceptives or proposals for female clergy. Rather, Pope Francis' first major quandary is getting rid of a Puerto Rican archbishop who, despite the Vatican's numerous requests, has repeatedly refused to step down.

The source of Pope Francis' current ordeal is Roberto Octavio González Nieves, the outspoken Archbishop of San Juan, who has been accused by Vatican emissaries of allegedly protecting pedophile priests, abusing his power, promoting Puerto Rican independence from the U.S., and supporting a law that could grant same-sex couples living together hereditary rights and health benefits, according to the Vatican Insider.

González Nieves was confronted by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the current prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, and denied the allegations during a tense meeting in Puerto Rico on December 15, 2012. In the course of the discussion, the Vatican envoy subtly asked González Nieves to resign and to ask the Church for a new position elsewhere.

On several occasions the Vatican has asked Puerto Rican Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves to leave his post. But supporters of the archbishop have organized several meetings to pray for his continuity. This flyer announced a prayer meeting that took place in San Juan, on the 8th of May.

Nearly two months later, González Nieves sent Ouellet an angry missive that was recently leaked to the Puerto Rican press.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: francis; puertorico; vatican
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last
To: pgkdan

Archbishop is a title. My understanding is that they can be fired, but once he is fired he would remain a bishop for life.

Being a bishop is a title that cannot normally be removed as it involves Holy Orders (i.e. a sacrament) and stays with you for life.


21 posted on 05/10/2013 6:36:26 AM PDT by impimp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: pax_et_bonum
It’s called forced laicization, more casually referred to as “defrocking”.

Only by secular neophytes. Neither word appears in Canon Law. The correct term is dismissal.

22 posted on 05/10/2013 6:42:57 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro can't pass E-verify)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: cll

My point is that I statehood wouldn’t seem to be a matter for the Vatican’s consideration one way or the other.


23 posted on 05/10/2013 6:44:05 AM PDT by saganite (What happens to taglines? Is there a termination date?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: cll

"We just stopped sending him paychecks...

...and the problem just .. fixes itself!"


24 posted on 05/10/2013 6:47:46 AM PDT by The Duke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pgkdan

Per Canon Law, Nieves can be dismissed from the clerical state and excommunicated.


25 posted on 05/10/2013 6:48:29 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro can't pass E-verify)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: saganite

The thing is, he forces his political views on the parishioners, and that was the source of one of the complaints: asking the Vatican to tell the Archbishop to cease and desist from engaging in island politics. He just won’t stop.


26 posted on 05/10/2013 6:54:16 AM PDT by cll (I am the warrant and the sanction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: A.A. Cunningham

What is difference between “dismissed from the clerical state” and “forced laicization”?


27 posted on 05/10/2013 6:56:50 AM PDT by pax_et_bonum (God Bless America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: pax_et_bonum

One term is canonical and one term is secular.


28 posted on 05/10/2013 6:59:29 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro can't pass E-verify)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: A.A. Cunningham

So, they mean the same thing?


29 posted on 05/10/2013 7:00:33 AM PDT by pax_et_bonum (God Bless America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: madison10

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!


30 posted on 05/10/2013 7:03:39 AM PDT by FatherFig1o155 (Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil. -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: cll

Time to let the Swiss Guard pay a visit to Puerto Rico.


31 posted on 05/10/2013 7:06:51 AM PDT by verga (A nation divided by Zero!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cll

Send a cardinal to deliver a formal written declaration of his excommunication and declaring him apostate.


32 posted on 05/10/2013 7:13:42 AM PDT by The Great RJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FatherFig1o155
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Lol!
33 posted on 05/10/2013 7:17:49 AM PDT by pax_et_bonum (God Bless America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: verga

I think the United States may have something to say about Europeans sending government serving mercenaries to operate over here in our neighborhood.


34 posted on 05/10/2013 7:38:30 AM PDT by ansel12 (Sodom and Gomorrah, flush with libertarians and liberals, short on social conservatives.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: cll

Does the Swiss Guard have a SWAT team?


35 posted on 05/10/2013 8:05:33 AM PDT by RobinOfKingston (Democrats--the party of Evil. Republicans--the party of Stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pgkdan

But he can take away his rights to perform mass, hear confessions, etc.

Which is what will happen. He’ll do exactly that - call the archbishop to Rome. If the archbishop refuses to come then he’ll be excommunicated. He’ll appoint a new archbishop.


36 posted on 05/10/2013 8:06:14 AM PDT by JCBreckenridge (Texas is a state of mind - Steinbeck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: cll

anybody here know the Latin for “you are fired”?


37 posted on 05/10/2013 8:34:43 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Buckeye McFrog

“anybody here know the Latin for “you are fired”?”

Vos delenda est...


38 posted on 05/10/2013 8:51:17 AM PDT by cll (I am the warrant and the sanction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: cll
This article at Vatican Insider says the Holy See cleared the "pedophile-protector" charge levied against against the Archbishop.

Absent that charge, I see no grounds for dismissal. An admonishment, perhaps, but not dismissal.

~Theo

39 posted on 05/10/2013 10:09:58 AM PDT by Teófilo (Visit Vivificat! - http://www.vivificat.org - A Catholic Blog of News, Commentary and Opinion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cll
This is my take in Spanish.

~Theo

40 posted on 05/10/2013 10:52:47 AM PDT by Teófilo (Visit Vivificat! - http://www.vivificat.org - A Catholic Blog of News, Commentary and Opinion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson