Sandro Magister: "Even Pope Francis is distancing himself from the former and taking sides with the latter. And staying on good terms with Cardinal Müller. And promoting the African Sarah. All unyielding defenders of the Catholic doctrine on marriage."
ROME, March 20, 2015 – “This does not resolve anything,” Pope Francis has said with regard to the idea of giving communion to the divorced and remarried. Much less if they “want” it, demand it. Because communion “is not a badge, a decoration. No.”Read more >>
In his latest big interview Jorge Mario Bergoglio threw cold water on the expectations for substantial change in the doctrine and practice of Catholic marriage, which he himself had indirectly fostered:
... “Overblown expectations,” he called them. With no more references to the innovative theses of Cardinal Walter Kasper, which he had repeatedly extolled in the past but now seems to be keeping at a distance.
On the other hand, for some time now Pope Francis has looked with growing attention and esteem at another cardinal theologian, who upholds ideas on the “Gospel of marriage” that are perfectly in line with tradition: the Italian Carlo Caffarra, archbishop of Bologna.
[Hat tip to Paul Borealis]
5 comments:
So what does this mean? Has Francis changed his mind? Was he never really supportive of Kasper's 'theology' after all?
Will we ever know?
It's all politics, in my opinion. Pressure meets counter-pressure. Two steps forward, one step back, but "Forward! Always Forward!"
It means more confusion and ambiguity. At this point, to clarify doctrine it would take a clear papal statement EXCLUDING remarrieds and active homosexuals from taking communion. And when is the last time you have read a clear pall statement?
Kasper has become so closely associated with extreme positions on key family issues that Francis, who clearly embraces those same positions, feels he can best advance them by shunning Kasper and relying on the more obscure henchmen with whom he has packed the upcoming synod to carry on the original tar baby's work. Watch their moves, not Kasper's.
When cardinals elect a new pope, they blow smoke. When the Caudillo Pope wants to advance a controversial agenda of doubtful Catholicity, he does the same.
Great advice, Anon. It's like the shrewd Richard Nixon once observed: it's not the periods of open conflict you have to watch out for, but the periods of quiet ("peace"). That's when issues are being decided behind closed doors.
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