OK, I admit it, I have this love/hate relationship with the Roman Catholic Church. However, of late, it seems that the Roman Church keeps doing things to reinforce the latter emotion. Just a few days ago the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia honored it's 200th anniversary by offering it's members a plenary indulgence. Shades of Pre-Reformation days, not to mention Pre*Vatican II(!).
Then on July 11 Pope Benedict XVI issues a declaration which essentially says that Protestant churches are mere "ecclesial communities" and their ministers effectively phonies with no right to give communion. Ahhhh! Shades of Pope Leo XIII, who in his "Apostolicae Curae", stated much the same thing back in the late 19th Century when he stated that Anglican Clergy were not really consecrated with the right intent to carry on Apostolic Succession! Even Pope Leo XIII couldn't fault that the Bishops of the Anglican Church, which he knew had an actual physical succession of Bishops within the Anglican Church from the Bishops consecrated before the break with Rome. Needless to say, the skinny on that gets involved with the ordination form in the Book of Common Prayer and we don't need to get into that here. What does result is a significant setback to unity. One would have hoped that the Pope would have been bigger than that.
I wonder if this Pope realizes that even Protestants look up to him and for many of the faithful who are Protestants this represents an offensive statement which diminishes his influence and respect.
Ecumenism has certainly been struck a severe blow. Someone needs to remind him that "People who live in glass houses should NOT throw stones!" My father who is a Roman Catholic convert and is staunchly Roman Rite, said this very thing the other day. He reminded me that once upon a time there were three popes! Three popes all at once! So, one is left to wonder about Roman Rite ordination and Apostolic Succession.
Then Benedict XVI reinstates the use of the traditional Catholic Latin (Tridentine) Mass! One can only wonder why!? Another huge step away from Vatican II. (One can only wonder how many priests these days can actually speak Latin?) The current Mass is actually an older form dating to the 2nd Century AD.
Now, as if to add insult to injury, the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to settle its clergy sexual abuse cases for something like $600 million! What on earth were they thinking? Then of course, one is left wondering just how many cases of clergy sexual abuse that they had in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles!?! Hello! Earth to the Archbishop of Los Angles! How do you spell BANKRUPT?
Pax aye,
CuldeeDeacon †
pope
