Ratzinger's Responsibility

National Catholic Reporter ^ | March 18, 2010 | Hans Kung

[CondoleezzaProtege]

1st Question: Why does the pope continue to assert that what he calls "holy" celibacy is a "precious gift", thus ignoring the biblical teaching that explicitly permits and even encourages marriage for all office holders in the Church?...The rule of celibacy is not a truth of faith, but a church law going back to the 11th Century...

4th Question: Is it not time for Pope Benedict XVI himself to acknowledge his share of responsibility, instead of whining about a campaign against his person?

In his eight years as a professor of theology in Regensburg, in close contact with his brother Georg, the capellmeister of the Regensburger Domspatzen, Ratzinger can hardly have been ignorant about what went on in the choir and its boarding--school. This was much more than an occasional slap in the face, there are charges of serious physical violence and even sexual abuse.

In his five years as Archbishop of Munich, repeated cases of sexual abuse at least by one priest transferred to his Archdiocese have come to light. His loyal Vicar General, my classmate Gerhard Gruber, has taken full responsibility for the handling of this case, but that is hardly an excuse for the Archbishop, who is ultimately responsible for the administration of his diocese.

In his 24 years as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, from around the world, all cases of grave sexual offences by clerics had to be reported, under strictest secrecy ("secretum pontificum"), to his curial office, which was exclusively responsible for dealing with them. Ratzinger himself, in a letter on "grave sexual crimes" addressed to all the bishops under the date of 18 May, 2001, warned the bishops, under threat of ecclesiastical punishment, to observe "papal secrecy" in such cases...

[lastchance]

Anti Catholics do not care about the facts. Even the fact of the horrors of abuse becomes in their hands a tool to advance lies.

Do they really think Non Catholic denominations are safe from attack by secularists? Do they really think that no sins are ever committed by their clergy or members? Do they really think that any wrong doing by such will not be used to convince people that Christianity must surrender being a voice of moral authority. And shut up about deviance, abortion, and other sins? And most of all stop preaching the Gospel?

I am saddened by the blinders they have put on. If the secularists who are frothing at the mouth truly had the protection of children as their main concern they would stop promoting the sexualization of children, stop yammering for abortion, stop fawning over gay lifestyles.

They have an agenda and it is not protecting the innocent. Jumping on their bandwagon will not benefit the Gospel at all.

Wrong was done and it is a terrible sin and crime. But never forget that what Christianity has always claimed as being wrong is for the most part embraced and defended by the people you are so quick to laud.

[Mad Dawg]

The rule of celibacy is not a truth of faith, but a church law going back to the 11th Century;

Nope.

Letters from Gregory the Great to Augustine of Canterbury require celibacy of clergy in major AND MINOR orders. Maybe the rule wasn't made 'law' in the 1000's but it was required way earlier than that.

[trisham]

Well said, lastchance.

[vladimir998]

It’s hilarious, and telling, that anti-Catholics like liberal rags like the National Catholic Reporter.

[massgopguy]

The Secular Left is really ratcheting up the attacks on the church. Easter must be coming up.

[vladimir998]

You wrote:

“Within the Catholic communion for instance, for the last few hundred years Maronites have been permitted married clergy with a gentlements agreement they cannot progress higher in the church once married.”

I think they always had married priests and celibate bishops.

[Mad Dawg]

10-4

Hunker down. It happens every Lent.

“But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

[DManA]

I agree.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

In his eight years as a professor of theology in Regensburg, in close contact with his brother Georg, the capellmeister of the Regensburger Domspatzen, Ratzinger can hardly have been ignorant about what went on in the choir and its boarding--school. This was much more than an occasional slap in the face, there are charges of serious physical violence and even sexual abuse.

In his five years as Archbishop of Munich, repeated cases of sexual abuse at least by one priest transferred to his Archdiocese have come to light. His loyal Vicar General, my classmate Gerhard Gruber, has taken full responsibility for the handling of this case, but that is hardly an excuse for the Archbishop, who is ultimately responsible for the administration of his diocese.

No excuse.

[Running On Empty]

Thanks

[Running On Empty]

Thanks

[Running On Empty]

Thanks

[Running On Empty]

Dittos

[Running On Empty]

I agree

[Ransomed]

I didn’t say you wanted to be associated with Kung. I was explaining that liberal Catholics hate celibacy, and conservative Catholics think it is valuable. I did that because there are a lot of other types of conservatuve Christians on FR who might not realize this, and because the article you posted questions the worth of celibacy.

Freegards

[arthurus]

Why are we putting anything at all from NCR without an appropriate barf alert? These people have nothing useful and seldom anything truthful to say.

[arthurus]

RE: NCR

Their credibility on this and any other issue is less than ZERO.

[BenKenobi]

Hans Kung. Why don’t you just jump and convert. I hear that the Archbishop of Canterbury is hiring.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

"It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you." ~ St. Paul, (1 Corinthians: 5: 12-13)

Some more convicting parts of Paul's letter:

"I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do." ~ (1 Corinthians 5:1)

"When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people." ~ (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

[terycarl]

I can tell you what I do not want to be associated with. I do not want to be associated with the sexual violence of young children and the systematic coverup of paedophiles and their crimes.

what an asinine reply.....the incidence of child abuse among protestant clergy FAR outnumbers those in the Catholic clergy. In most cases, Catholic and protestant, the cases are far more homosexual then paedophilic. When you decide that name calling is your goal, find out what you are talking about or shut up.