Michael Sean Winters on the Coup Attempted by Viganò & Cronies: "Francis Did Act" & "Vigano Is More Than a Little Obssessed with Homosexuality"

I appreciate Colleen and Sarasi for pointing to Michael Sean Winters' statement today on the attempted coup staged by Viganò and his cronies, entitled "Vigano letter exposes the putsch against Pope Francis." Here's an excerpt:

Vigano alleges that Pope Francis lifted sanctions against McCarrick that had been imposed by Pope Benedict. Indeed, the headline on the Edward Pentin story that broke the news of this testimony reads "Ex-nuncio Accuses Pope Francis of Failing to Act on McCarrick's Abuse." But, Francis did act. He is the one who removed McCarrick from ministry in June.The central focus of this testimony is the claim that Benedict issued sanctions against McCarrick: "the Cardinal was to leave the seminary where he was living, he was forbidden to celebrate [Mass] in public, to participate in public meetings, to give lectures, to travel, with the obligation of dedicating himself to a life of prayer and penance," Vigano writes. 

During the Benedict papacy, with my own eyes I witnessed McCarrick celebrate Mass in public, participate in meetings, travel, etc. More importantly, so did Pope Benedict! If Benedict imposed these penalties, he certainly did not apply them. He continued to receive McCarrick with the rest of the Papal Foundation, continued to allow him to celebrate Mass publicly at the Vatican, even concelebrating with Benedict at events like consistories. (See photo above taken in 2010.) But, as Vigano tell is, it is all Pope Francis' fault. 

Vigano is more than a little obsessed with homosexuality and names prelates whom he accuses of supporting efforts at "subverting Catholic doctrine on homosexuality." Filmmaker Stone was obsessed with the grassy knoll. Back in my seminary days, when one of the seminarians would give evidence of this kind of obsession, making wild claims about homosexuality, its sources and its effects, ignoring the emerging scientific and psychological data, the rest of us would look at each other and someone would say, "I would like to take a look at her dance card." 

Something similar is playing out all this summer. Bishops and archbishops speak about gay people with such hatred, you ask yourself how a minister of the Gospel could speak so nastily about other human beings and then it hits you: They are not speaking about other human beings. and you've got to wonder if what you are watching is self-hatred unfolding.