Posted on 07/02/2017 9:02:01 AM PDT by ebb tide
The "Müller case"
(Roberto de Mattei, in The Time, July 2, 2017) The removal of Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller represents a crucial moment in the history of Pope Francis's pontificate. Müller, who was appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on July 2, 2012 by Benedict XVI, is only 69 years old. It has never happened that a cardinal far beyond five years from the retirement age of 75 years old has not been renewed for a second five years.
Suffice to think that there are prelates who, although ten years older than Cardinal Müller, still occupy important positions, such as Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, the same cardinal whose secretary was recently caught in flagrant From the papal gendarmerie, during a homosexual orgy of drugs within a Vatican palace. Coccopalmerio, however, had shown his appreciation for Amoris laetitia, explaining that "the Church has always been the retreat of sinners," while Müller had not hidden his perplexities at the opening of the Pontifical Exhortation, even with swirling statements.
In this regard, the dismissal of Cardinal Müller is an act of authority which constitutes an open challenge of Pope Bergoglio to the area of conservative cardinals whom the Prefect of the Congregation for the Faith was notoriously close to. Francesco moved with strength, but also with skill. He started burning around Müller, requiring him to lay off three of his most trusted employees. He then ventured up to the last the possibility of renewal, though never giving him explicit assurances. Finally, he replaced him, but not with an exponent of radical progression, as the rector of the Catholic University of Buenos Aires, Monsignor Víctor Manuel Fernández, or the Special Secretary of the Synod, Mgr Bruno Forte. The chosen one is Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, Jesuit, to date secretary of the Congregation. His choice reassures and disguises conservatives. What some of them do not understand is that what matters to Pope Francis is not the ideology of the collaborators, but the fidelity to his plan of "irreversible reform" of the Church.
More than Pope Francesco's victory, however, it should be said that the Conservatives were defeated. Cardinal Müller did not share the line of Pope Francis, and had been tempted to publicly advertise a position, but the current thesis in the conservative group was that it would be better if he kept his post silent rather than losing it by speaking. The Prefect had chosen a "low profile" line. In an interview with The Helm, he said that "La Amoris laetitia" must be clearly interpreted in the light of the whole doctrine of the Church. [...] I do not like it, it is wrong that many bishops are playing "Amoris laetitia" according to their own way of understanding the Pope's teaching, "but in another statement, he also expressed his opposition to" publicizing " Of the doubts of the four cardinals. This did not prevent its removal.
The "low profile", in the strategy of some conservatives, represents a lesser evil than the worst off of the loss of the place, conquered by the opponents. This "containment" strategy does not work with Pope Francis. What was the outcome of the story? Cardinal Müller lost a precious opportunity to publicly criticize Amoris laetitia and was eventually dismissed, without even having to notice it. It is true, as Marco Tosatti observes, that he is now more free to express himself. But even if he did, it would be the voice of a retired cardinal and not of the Prefect of the Church's most important Dicastery. The support of the Congregation of Faith to the four cardinals who go on their way would be ruinous to those who lead the Revolution today in the Church and Pope Francis managed to avoid it. The lesson of the story is that those who do not fight to lose, after defeat know the defeat. (Roberto de Mattei, in The Time, July 2, 2017)
N.B. Mueller’s replacement, Ladaria, is 73 years old; 4 years older than Mueller.
Ladaria has been secretary of the CDF for years (appointed by BXVI). He’s seen as more or less orthodox, but with a tendency to statements that can be interpreted as universalism and indifferentism, although at the same time, he has opposed these specific things. So he doesn’t represent a real change, IMHO.
What it does show is that the Pope thinks the CDF is meaningless and has no control over his statements. It is the custom of popes to pass formal documents - and even less formal addresses, etc. To the CDF for vetting. After the CDF suggested major changes to AL, the pope not only refused to accept the changes, but stopped submitting his writings to the CDF at all. The appointment of Ladaria is just a confirmation of the fact that it is yet another Curial office that Francis has decided to ignore.
The chilling take away is mentioned in the story. “Irreversible ‘reform’”.
No. This is not reorganizing the staff at your local bank.
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