Victim advocacy group protests controversial cardinal's upcoming visit (Catholic Caucus)

Advocates for victims of clergy abuse are protesting a decision by a local Catholic group to bring a controversial former Vatican official to Washington this weekend to celebrate a Latin Mass at one of the country's most important Catholic churches.

Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos is scheduled to lead a first-of its-kind "solemn Pontifical Mass" on Saturday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Northeast Washington. Castrillon, who served as head of the Vatican's Congregation of the Clergy, made international headlines when a 2001 letter he wrote to a French bishop surfaced last week....

In response, the victim advocacy group Survivors' Network of Those Abused by Priests announced it was sending letters to Pope Benedict XVI and Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl protesting Castrillon's lead role in Saturday's Mass and calling on them to condemn his remarks and replace him in the Mass.

The group is planning a news conference Tuesday afternoon to enumerate their objections. Meanwhile, the local group organizing Saturday's Latin Mass said they are surprised by the uproar. Leaders of the Washington-based Paulus Institute said they have been planning the Mass since their organization's inception three years ago, and they had hoped it would be the highlight of their efforts to promote sacred liturgy and the traditional Mass said in Latin, which has become a rarity in recent years.

"The reason we invited him is it's a complicated Mass. There aren't a whole lot of bishops who can say it and are available," said Paul King, president of the institute. "The cardinal's personality or that identity associated with him, for the purposes of the Mass are not important. We invited him because he's done this lots of times."

I don’t have a link for this yet, as I got in an e-mail under an hour ago, but Cardinal Hoyos has stepped aside from offering the Mass, and they’re looking for another bishop to replace him.

In consultation with His Eminence, Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, The Paulus Institute has agreed to seek another celebrant for the Pontifical Solemn High Mass taking place on April 24th. This action will help maintain the solemnity, reverence and beauty of the Mass.

The Paulus Institute was formed for the propagation of sacred liturgy. The Traditional Latin Mass planned for April 24th honoring Pope Benedict on his five-year inauguration anniversary is a liturgical event much bigger than the individual celebrant. Cardinal Castrillon was approached to celebrate the Mass early in what has been a three-year effort because of his special experience in celebrating this form of Mass and his efforts under Pope John-Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI in encouraging the traditional form of the Mass, full liturgy and sacraments.

We are in the process of seeking another Bishop to celebrate a Pontifical Solemn Mass on Saturday and are confident that one will agree. However, in any event, a beautiful, dignified Traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday at 1PM and will be the first time in nearly a half century this has occurred. All Catholic faithful are encouraged to attend. ... See More

The Paulus Institute regards all sexual abuse as tragic and a heinous sin and supports Pope Benedict’s fight to rid this disease from the Church. It stands on the side of every victim of clerical sexual abuse and earnestly desires to bind up the wounds done to their human dignity, to vindicate their civil and canonical rights, and to help them in the restoration in Christ of all they have lost.

To that end, The Paulus Institute supports the directives by the Supreme Roman Pontiff and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that all bishops should report crimes of sexual abuse to the police in accordance with the requirements of civil law. However, the Paulus Institute is not competent, nor does it have the facts, to form an opinion about the about recent media reports concerning Cardinal Castrillon.

The Paulus Institute requests respect for the human dignity and civil rights of all who participate in this sacred liturgy and observance for the tranquility and good order of the celebration.

Just had a call from my friend in DC, giving the same news.

Very sorry to learn of this. I am not sure if I agree with this decision or not. It’s true that the SNAP people might have discredited themselves by staging a spectacle, but it would have been wrong of the Paulus Institute to instrumentalize the Mass to achieve that end. And of course the media would have had a lot of fun with accusations against the Cardinal, while papering over any sacriligeous stunts by demonstrators. OTOH, it’s not good to allow the enemy to determine the agenda.

Tough call. I’m sure Paulus has been pondering this longer than I have, and with more information. I am confident another bishop can be found to celebrate, and that this liturgy will go forward. Best wishes.

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