In a papal audience he gave this week, Pope Benedict addresses the furor that has resulted from his announcement that he intends to bring the schismatic Society of St. Piux X, including outspoken anti-Semite Bishop Richard Williamson, back into communion (http://zenit.org/article-24934?l=english). Benedict notes that his goal is to offer mercy to these brothers in Christ who find themselves estranged from the Catholic church, and whose suffering is “sharp” as a result of that estrangement.The pope also makes an astonishing statement about the theological views the SSPX group holds—presumably, their rejection of Vatican II (and the anti-Semitic views more members of SSPX than Williamson espouse?). He states that his hope is, in readmitting this schismatic group to communion, he will spur the group to “complete final necessary steps to arrive to full communion”—that is, to reconsider their erroneous theological views:
Precisely in fulfilling this service to unity, which determines in a specific way my ministry as the Successor of Peter, I decided some days ago to concede the remission of the excommunication incurred by four bishops ordained without pontifical mandate in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre. I have carried out this act of paternal mercy because repeatedly these prelates have manifested their sharp suffering in the situation in which they found themselves. I trust that following from this gesture of mine will be the prompt effort on their part to complete final necessary steps to arrive to full communion with the Church, thus giving testimony of true fidelity and true recognition of the magisterium and the authority of the Pope and the Second Vatican Council.
Well, isn’t that special? In November, Maryknoll priest Roy Bourgeois was given thirty days to “recant his ‘belief and public statements that support the ordination of women in our Church, or (he) will be excommunicated’” (http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2545). Father Bourgeois was told that he would be placed outside communion if he did not renounce theological positions Rome regards as erroneous.
The SSPX group, by contrast, are told that they will be readmitted to communion, and then, it is hoped, they will correct their theological errors. Outspoken anti-Semites (and misogynistic homophobes) are welcomed by Rome with open arms. Someone who attends a women’s ordination ceremony is shoved from communion.
Can anyone say double standard? Big old double standard. To the millions of Catholics who have been told we do not belong because we question the ban on artificial contraception, the pastoral treatment of divorced and remarried Catholics, the teachings about gay and lesbian persons, the church’s complicity in fascist violence, the willingness of pro-life bishops to support unjust wars, the refusal to ordain women and married men, and on and on, this readmission of misogynistic, homophobic anti-Semites who reject an ecumenical council of the church is nothing short of astonishing.
And nothing short of scandalous.
We, after all, are not given a chance to correct our views after we are accepted back into the fold. To the contrary, we are told in no uncertain terms that we are not welcome until we mend our ways.
Nothing short of scandalous . . . . Homophobic, misogynistic, anti-Semites have a place in the church of Benedict XVI. Those who support women’s ordination or welcome of gay and lesbian human beings do not.
