Re: Pastoral Letter of the Austrian Bishops
TERESA BENEDETTA, 2/16/2009 9:45 PM:
P.S. Meanwhile, the Italian news agencies are reporting that Pope Benedict has not yet acted on Fr. Wagner's request to withdraw his nomination. The announcement by the Diocese of Linz yesterday stated that the Vatican had granted his request.
Very, very interesting. I don't think that the Italian newspapers are behind. So perhaps the Diocese released that announcement expecting and hoping the Pope would accept Fr. Wagner's request.
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Here is Rorate Caeli's comment on the Bishop's statement:
Austrian Bishops in open revolt
Monday, February 16th, 2009
And they complain about the "Lefebvrist" Bishops?!
"Why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?"
From the
statement of the Bishops of Austria, signed and released today:
"4. There were problems of communication also in the recent appointment of an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Linz. The bishops are aware that Fr Wagner asked the Pope to withdraw the appointment. The theme of Episcopal appointments is therefore important because since the mid-eighties in Austria it has been associated with a number of problems. For many, the controversy over episcopal appointments led to a painful conflict, and they have triggered splits in the church,. It is precisely in this area that sensitivity is most appropriate. There is no question that the Pope is free to appoint bishops. The bishops do not want to go back in time where - as in 1918 - the Emperor alone chose the bishops. Even a 'popular choice' of the bishops would divide the church into parties and conflicts would be inevitable. We bishops are convinced that the procedure provided for in canon law for the selection and the examination of candidates has proved its worth, if this procedure is really followed. Therefore, before the Holy Father takes the final decision, reliable and thoroughly tested basic information must be provided on which he can rely. In Austria in the next few years a number of bishops are to be appointed. The faithful are legitimately concerned that the process of candidate search, examination of the proposals and the final decisions should be carefully undertaken and with pastoral sensitivity are possible. This can ensure that bishops are appointed who are not 'against' but 'for' a local church. We bishops will make every possible effort to support the forthcoming episcopal appointments in the sense of monitoring these procedures in close cooperation with the relevant Vatican offices."
....
"Trusting in God's help, we will overcome the crisis of recent weeks." [Adapted according to original text]
There was no true "crisis", but open revolt against the Pope, inflamed and supported by the shameless Bishops of Austria, first among them the Cardinal-Archbishop of Vienna. If the Pope does not intervene urgently in this case, if a PUBLIC response is not given - since the Bishops of Austria chose to make the matter public - the perception of the authority of the Pope in Europe is finished. The anti-Roman rebellion of the Austrian Bishops is intolerable.
Source: rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2009/02/austrian-bishops-in-open-rev...
[Modificato da loriRMFC 17/02/2009 03:36]