Free Republic

Ever heard of Bishop Nunzio Galantino? Crux’s John Allen reported on him back in May. Excerpts: If you’re seeking the prototypical “Pope Francis bishop,” you need look no further than Nunzio Galantino. Francis overlooked all 500 Italian bishops to pluck Galantino out of obscurity and name him head of all Italian bishops. Galantino, appointed by Benedict XVI in 2011, was very last of all the bishops in a poll of the Italian episcopate requesting their input in who should govern them — yet Francis went to the back of the line to elevate him. Why? Allen writes: What did Francis...

Even though, as a general rule, the leadership of national episcopal conferences is elected by member bishops (c. 452), in Italy (long story made short) the pope personally appoints conference leaders. Pope Francis appointed Bp. Nunzio Galantino as Secretary General of Italian bishop’s conference a couple months ago. Galantino is calling for a “taboo-free discussion” of priestly celibacy, administration of holy Communion to divorced-and-remarried Catholics, and homosexuality (sic: homosexual acts?). His call for a ‘taboo-free discussion’ of these topics suggests, of course, that, till now, their discussion has been hindered by taboos, or at least, that Galantino thinks they have...

There was a puzzling piece at the Italian site Formiche, with comments by Bp. Nunzio Galantino, whom Pope Francis appointed as General Secretary to the Italian Bishops Conference. Let’s see a few quotes from His Excellency: I hope that the Italian Church can talk about any topic at all, about married priests, the Eucharist for the divorced, homosexuality, without taboos. “Without taboos”. Were this from someone other than a Catholic bishop, I would suspect the use of code language. ”Without taboos” sounds like code language for adapting doctrine to worldly trends. Also, Pope Francis signed off on the excommunication of...