www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Cardinal Arinze revisited

Dear Admin, L-Teen, L-Trad, and DavidB:


I concur!

AmdG
(Also in Hal's "line of business")

...and another thing:

If Georgetown accepted ONLY Catholic students, perhaps I could buy all of your arguments a bit more (not completely, but a bit more).

Problem is, it doesn't.

Yours,

hal

Hal,
Thanks for clarifying this and I do understand your point even more now.

Yes I agree, the Pope does act as a goodwill ambassador for all of Chrisendom, but I disagree that this is one of his roles.

The three roles of the pope are Priest, Prophet and King.

I know I may take some flak for this next comment but here goes.

If there is any weakness in our current pope, I would say that it is in he hasn't acted as King that much.

I believe it is time for a great King, someone to knock the Church back into shape.

And yes, there will be much yelling and name calling, as well as the removal of many bishops who are not acting for the good of the Church.


David, the Byzantine Catholic

Halychanyn, first of all, Cardinal Arinze did not get "in" anyone's "face", "scream" at anyone, or use the term "heretics".

He lamented the downfall of the family and mentioned some evils that have played a role in that downfall--among them, the acceptance of contraception, divorce, and the homosexual "lifestyle".

That is not his "social agenda", as you put it--it is the Gospel, and the social agenda officially espoused (laugh) by the institution at which he was speaking (Georgetown).

The Faith is the Faith. Christ came not to bring diplomacy but a sword. Deo gratias that there are still some prelates who realize that.

LatinTrad

Then it shouldn't call itself a catholic college.

So are you saying that if a catholic school accepts non-catholics then it shouldn't teach what the Church teaches?

If it didn't want catholic teaching then it should not have invited Cardinal Arinze.

By the way, do you disagree with anything that the Cardinal said? Or just that he said it at all?


David, the Byzantine Catholic

Dear Friends,

In fact, the current Pope John Paul II is well known for his angry gestures during his papal visits.

When in Nicaragua, I believe it was, he was being greeted by the members of the communist government cabinet.

There was a Jesuit (excuse me while I gulp) priest who was a member of the communist party etc.

He tried to kiss the Pope's hand, but the Pope withdrew it angrily, and in front of the world, gave that renegade priest the papal finger, yelling at him, "How dare you? First make yourself right with the Church, you . . ."

I remember that whole thing rather well . . .

And once during a sermon in Spanish, the Pope was interrupted by angry demonstrators.

He shouted at them, "Be silent!"

And they shouted back, "We want peace!"

And then he shouted back at them, "There is no one who wants peace more than me!"

At that, the Pope was greeted by loud and prolonged applause.

The Pope can go about hugging and kissing people, but he can also be quite tough and angry for the cause of right.

When it comes to defending church teaching, he takes no prisoners . . .

Also, up here in the Frozen North, we too have Catholic schools that are obliged to take non-Catholics.

I never liked that practice.

It was too often the case that non-Catholic Christians more faithfully adhere to the Gospel than the Catholics . . .

I do believe the next Pope will have to be tough and will have to show the world the Church stands for something - everything the world is against.

Alex

And I beleive Francis Cardinal Arinze was invited as Georgetown's 2003 commencement speaker not because he is a Cardinal but more so because he was the new Prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.

He is a Curial Cardinal, an "alter ego" of the Pope!

He spoke, and speaks, more FOR the Catholic Church and less for himself.

AmdG

Dear Byzantino-Filipino Amado,

Yes, and I don't see anything wrong with Catholic liberals getting a "shake-down" by a Cardinal once in a while.

It's the Cardinal's and the Pope's job to shake down a few guys.

In his correspondence with the iconoclastic Emperor of Byzantium in the 8th century, the Pope of the day not only told him off, but also reminded the emperor of his bad character and some other less than complimentary traits.

If a church leader can't tell someone off, what kind of a leader is he?

As our Esteemed and Revered Administrator said in his words to us here, which are always a source of inspired grace for me, the Gospel is uncomfortable.

I always feel uncomfortable when I read the Gospel.

I know it's talking about me.

Alex

Dear David:

I only take issue with where and how and in what context the Cardinal made his comments.

Yours,

hal

Dear LT:

The Cardinal may not have used the term "heretic," but you sure did.

As for Christ bringing a sword, that's very Latin of you.

Yours,

hal

So, I guess you want a happy free loving figure head who will not make anyone feel uncomfortable and will follow all dictates of political correctness?

Not a church I would ever want to belong to... Acutally I think it does exisit already..... but its not ours Thank God.


David, the Byzantine Catholic

Dear David:

No, I want someone who knows when is the right time to be stern and forthright (notice, not yelling and "in your face") and when it is right to take your foot off of the proverbial gas pedal.

Yours,

hal

Dear Amado:

Are you a Wanderer too?

Yours,

hal

Usually the accusation of "political correctness (such a hackneyed term anyway) is used by the Right to stifle any opposition or a proper debate.

Thanks Hal,
I can agree with that!

But, Cardinal Arinze was not yelling and was not "in your face" when he gave the commencement address at Georgetown, after all (again) it does call itself a catholic institution.

I also want to apologize for the flippancy of my last remark.....and I think you owe an apology to LatinTrad for that "how latin of you" remark.


David, the Byzantine Catholic