“Rationalize it all you want.”
ROTFLMAO!! That is one of the funniest things I've ever read on FR!
I point out the precise words of Msgr. Fleetwood which you choose to ignore or reason away and I'm the one rationalizing!! Too much!! LOL!!
“The Pontifical Council for Culture is that department (Dicastery) of the Roman Curia which assists the Pontiff in the exercise of his supreme pastoral office for the benefit and service of the universal Church and of particular Churches concerning the encounter between the saving message of the Gospel and cultures,”
I see nothing in what you quote about expertise in discerning the New Age content of works of literature or of film.
“JPII put Fleetwood on this Council and you may not want to see them as experts on culture, but they are.”
Actually, no. False. If you were to actually closely read the mission of the council, part of its mission is to gather OTHER experts (from outside the Vatican - people who are actually and really experts on various cultures, religion, religious indifference, etc.) for conferences, talks, discussions of cultures, religious indifference, the interaction of non-believers and the Church generally.
There is nothing stating that the officials of the council are they, themselves experts on cultural matters. Just the opposite. The main role of the council is to facilitate dialogue, not to provide expert opinion on specific works of literature or film.
There is nothing stating that it is the competence of the council to provide authoritative guidance on specific works of literature or film. You are reading into the mission what you wish to see. Also, even if it were actually true (which it isn't) that the actual members of the council were meant to be experts on culture, there is nothing there that even remotely suggests that they would also be experts on New Age stuff.
“When Pope Benedict defaults to the “Chief Exorcist” or the Priest in the OP, then they have more standing. Until then, the Msgr he did default to, says HP is not New Age and not harmful.”
Actually, it was Cardinal Ratzinger (or more accurately, his office) who sent along the letter to the council. He wasn't yet pope. Moreover, he sent along the letter in question with a note suggesting disapproval of Harry Potter stuff.
That Msgr. Fleetwood has a favorable view of the oeuvre should suggest to you that there is diversity of opinion even within the Curia of this work.
It should also suggest to you that this matter doesn't rise to a particularly high enough level of concern to the Church that it cares to work through that diversity of opinion to an authoritative answer to the question.
“The last I will say on the subject is,...”
It really should be, as the argument that the off-hand comments of a curial functionary are somehow authoritative teaching isn't really tenable.
“... you can find what you want on the internet.”
LOL! I went to the VATICAN WEBSITE and quoted from the VATICAN WEBSITE what the purpose and mission of the council is. Is that insufficiently authoritative for you?? ROTFLMAO!!!
“My own Pastor, who my daughter was intelligent enough to ask, agrees with Msgr Fleetwood. AND he read the books for discernment. ‘Nuff said.”
That's nice. I don't necessarily disagree with Msgr. Fleetwood. Or your pastor. To me, it seems that there is room for diversity of opinion on the topic. Of course, that's how Msgr. Fleetwood appears to see it, as well, but of course, in this instance, you reject the Vatican's “authority” on the subject. I don't.
sitetest
>>I point out the precise words of Msgr. Fleetwood which you choose to ignore or reason away and I’m the one rationalizing!!<<
Lol! The man’s modesty and not wanting a fight is very noble. Not feeding the loons who hate The Church with infighting, is as well. Perhaps you have no clue of the dance that the hierarchy does to prevent being targets, but I can tell you that having an Uncle who is the former head of the Propagation of Faith and a Bishop, I do. Msgr. Fleetwood did well here.
So again, Cardinal Ratzinger defaulted to Msgr Fleetwood. If it’s good enough for the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and future Pope, it should be good enough for any Catholic.
No need to get all tizzied out sitetest. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you.