Posted on 05/08/2012 1:39:48 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday (May 5) called on Catholic colleges and universities in the United States to do more to affirm their “Catholic identity,” particularly by ensuring the doctrinal orthodoxy of their faculty and staff.
Speaking to a group of bishops from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming, who are in Rome on a regularly scheduled visit, Benedict said there has been a “growing recognition” on the part of Catholic colleges of the need to “reaffirm their distinctive identity.”
But “much remains to be done,” the pope said, singling out the church law requirement that Catholic theology teachers “have a mandate from the competent ecclesiastical authority,” usually the local bishop.
That requirement was introduced more than 20 years ago by Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, according to the Rev. Scott Brodeur, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. But there has been “continuous resistance against it.”
“If he is repeating it it is because it has not yet been fully implemented,” Brodeur said.
Benedict's remarks come a few months after U.S. bishops denounced Sister Elizabeth Johnson, a theology professor at Jesuit-run Fordham University in New York. Johnson's book "Quest for the Living God" does not accord with "authentic Catholic teaching," said the bishops' doctrinal committee.
Benedict said Saturday that the need for theology professors to be faithful to church doctrine becomes “all the more evident” when considering the “confusion” created by “instances of apparent dissidence between some representatives of Catholic institutions and the Church’s pastoral leadership.”
“Such discord,” the pope added, “harms the church’s witness and, as experience has shown, can easily be exploited to compromise her authority and her freedom.”
Benedict also urged American bishops to ensure that young people receive a “sound education in the faith,” saying that this is the “most urgent internal challenge facing the Catholic community in your country.” Affirming a university's Catholic identity “entails much more than the teaching of religion” and should be achieved by encouraging students to embrace faith in “every aspect of their education,” the pope said.
Since I am not Catholic, let me ask you FReepers who are: why can’t and/or doesn’t the Mother Church boot and/or excommunicate these politicians who are obviously anti-Catholic in their embrace of the murder of unborn children and the celebration of sodomy?
I am NOT a Catholic, but I believe it boils down to “Love the Sinner, but hate the sin”.
What would be achieved by ex-communication of every politician who disagrees with the Catholic beliefs?
Would they become embittered enemies, or would they give up their beliefs and humbly fall down on their hands and knees and beg forgiveness? Somehow, knowing the sin of “Pride”, and knowing that many Politicans excell in this particular vice, I see this policy creating far worse enemies than it would win friends. If the Politician is an active member in any church - time, self-examination and prayer can, has and will, change the the mind of many a proud man and woman.
If the Pope thinks this is at all possible, his faith is greater than anyone had imagined.
Excellent answer, Hodar.
Many more prayers are needed for those who have fallen away, that they will give up the sin of pride.
They can excommunicate such politicians. They simply choose not to.
Some of this is related to bad past experiences the Church has had picking sides in political battles where they lost (Mexico and France come to mind). Once you shoot at the King and miss life becomes a whole lot more complicated for you and your followers.
But a lot of them are simply conflicted by their “social justice” leanings (Ted Kennedy may have been responsible for killing millions of babies...but look what he did for the poor) and a desire not to have conflicts with the laity on issues perceived to be partisan.
I am NOT a Catholic, but I believe it boils down to “Love the Sinner, but hate the sin”.
What would be achieved by ex-communication of every politician who disagrees with the Catholic beliefs?
That is the question of the century! Personally I wish they would do just that. Other faiths have no trouble giving people the boot over less.
Contrary to what many people believe, the Church is not a political organization. It is certainly not a top-down "dictatorship," but a bottom-up community. With believers in every country, hundreds of languages and customs, wide latitude is given to Catholics in their daily practices, although the basic dogma is always crystal clear. Also, one other point to understand - the local Bishops are the main administrative managers of the Church, not the Vatican.
Frequently, the individual’s behavior ex-communicates themself.
It need not be an overt action or declaration by a Church official.
The fact that individual continues to proclaim an affiliation, or takes the Sacraments, doesn’t change that.
Sebelius has been excommunicated by her Bishop in Kansas. So you can’t say ALL.
Excommunication is a penal measure which essentially prohibits a Catholic from exercising his faith -- he can physically attend Mass, but that's all -- until he repents, formally, of whatever egregious sin caused the excommunication. The point is primarily to encourage the person to repentance.
Formal excommunication by name (called ferendae sententiae in canon law) is almost unheard-of for persons who aren't theologians and can't be misconstrued as speaking for the Church.
All that having been said, I think we're way overdue for the application of canon 915 (denial of communion to manifest, grave, public sinners) for persons like Pelosi and Biden.
(As Salvation mentioned, Sebelius has already been told not to present herself for communion by her diocesan bishop in Kansas, and the Abp. of Washington has said he'll abide by that as well.)
Thanks for the details on these matters...I was unaware of the distinctions. SFF
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