Allow me to recall something that happened. Joseph Ratzinger, an expert at the Council, was also the private secretary of Card. Frings, Archbishop of Cologne. Blind, the old Cardinal largely utilized his secretary to write his interventions. Now then, one of these interventions became memorable: it was a radical criticism of the methods of the Holy Office. Despite a reply by Card. Ottaviani, Frings sustained his critique.[Hat tip to Sir Anthony S.]
It is not an exaggeration to say that on that day the old Holy Office, as it presented itself then, was destroyed by Ratzinger in union with his Archbishop.
Card. Seper, a man full of goodness, initiated the renovation. Ratzinger, who did not change, continues it.
It would be good to keep this episode in mind.
Translaton by: A. S. Guimaraes
Saturday, January 04, 2014
De Lubac on Ratzinger and the "destruction" of the Holy Office
Cardinal Henri de Lubac, in Entretien autour du Vatican II (Paris: Cerf, 1985), p. 123, writes:
I rather doubt that followers of Padre Pio were saddened by the news of its destruction.
ReplyDeleteGood point, IANS.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteRatzinger eventually got to taste his own medicine and he did all right. In fact he was excellent.