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Thursday, March 23, 2017

AN IMPLICIT CRITIQUE?

Cardinal: ‘By African standards, I’m not conservative, I’m ["Catholic"]

Cardinal: ‘By African standards, I’m not conservative, I’m normal’
Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, retired prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, is pictured outside St. Peter's Basilica after the closing Mass of the Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 25. 2015. (Credit: CNS photo/Paul Haring.)
Does the comment from Francis Cardinal Arinze I post below imply that conversations among cardinals who elect a pope are concerned that a pope might act as a non Catholic? This is quite a fascinating discussion given how the "spirit of Vatican II" has made possible two answers to this famous question which until recently always had only one answer! "Is the Pope Catholic?"

This is the comment from Cardinal Arinze of Africa in an interview with Crux about electing an African pope which you can read in full by pressing the title of this post from John Allen above, where the Cardinal also criticizes liturgical dance in Africa and other aspects of inculturation:

“If he [the pope] doesn’t deliver the goods, what do we gain even if he comes from my own village? For me, it’s not important. What matters is that he’s a Catholic!”

My comment: Recently Pope Francis in an interview said the same thing about the conclave that elects the next pope, that IT BE CATHOLIC. I wonder, given Cardinal Arinze's remark, full of implications, doesn't also imply that cardinals have raised the concern in private about the catholicity of a pope and the current pope's remark about conclaves is a snarky reply?????

Of course implied in the two "catholic" remarks is the two meanings of catholic. Pope Francis' remark has nothing to do with the Deposit of Faith that a pope is required to hand on, but rather, the international or universal flavor of the cardinal electors, that they be multi-cultural and diverse--catholic.

Whereas Cardinal Arinze's definition of Catholic is based upon faith and morals of the person elected pope, that he be Catholic. 


3 comments:

rcg said...

I think they are reacting to comments from their regions there people are making parochial comments. Many people think it is a representative position and that the Pope will do something to draw attention, if not help, to some cause or concern of that region. It is similar to the people who think it is some groups 'turn' to be president of the United States. They miss the point entirely.

TJM said...

AS usual, Cardinal Arinze is spot on, Francis, not so much

MR said...

Father, what are you thoughts on this? Why is this not getting much media attention?

http://eponymousflower.blogspot.com/2017/03/has-pope-francis-finally-addressed.html