Cardinal Robert Sarah has hit out at critics of Benedict XVI, accusing them of “vulgarity and baseness” in their responses to the former pope’s preface to the cardinal’s latest book.
“The arrogance, the violence of language, the disrespect and the inhuman contempt for Benedict XVI are diabolical and cover the Church with a mantle of sadness and shame,” Cardinal Sarah said. “These people demolish the Church and its profound nature.”
In a preface to Cardinal Sarah’s book The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise, Benedict XVI wrote that Pope Francis deserved praise for appointing Cardinal Sarah to oversee the Church’s liturgy.
But critics have accused the former pope of meddling in Church politics and trying to undermine Pope Francis.
“A Christian does not fight anyone,” Cardinal Sarah said. “A Christian has no enemy to defeat. Christ asks Peter to put his sword into his scabbard [Mt 26: 52-53]. This is the command of Christ to Peter, and it concerns every Christian worthy of the name.”
In a speech at the Sacra Liturgia conference in Milan, the cardinal also lamented the practice of receiving Communion standing and in the hand.
He cited how Pope John Paul II, even when he was “wracked with sickness”, always knelt in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
The cardinal also quoted St Teresa of Calcutta as saying: “Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.”
Jesuit leader ‘believes Church teaching on Devil’
A spokesman for the Jesuit superior general has said his comments on the Devil must be read in context.
Fr Arturo Sosa Abascal told El Mundo: “We have formed symbolic figures such as the Devil to express evil.”
A spokesman for Fr Sosa told the Catholic Herald: “I think it is not right to isolate particular phrases from the totality of the response on the question of evil.
“Fr Sosa was asked to comment on the question of evil. In his response, he pointed out that evil is part of the mystery of freedom. He noted that if the human being is free, it means he can do good or evil; otherwise, he would not be free. The spokesman went on: “Like all Catholics, Father Sosa professes and teaches what the Church professes and teaches.”
The spokesman was then asked whether Fr Sosa believes that the Devil is an individual with a soul, intellect and free will. He replied: “As I said in my response yesterday, Father General Arturo Sosa believes and teaches what the Church believes and teaches. He does not hold another set of beliefs apart from what is contained in the doctrine of the Catholic Church.”
Pope praises Italy over migrants
Pope Francis has told the Italian president Sergio Mattarella that he looks at the nation with hope because generations of Italians are inspired by the “dignity of the person, family and work”.
He praised the “welcoming of numerous refugees who have landed on your shores”, the rescue work in the Mediterranean and the network of volunteers who help new arrivals. He said the care of migrants should not be shouldered by just a few countries.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.