Politics, the SSPX, and the Catholic League

While I've been closely following the story of the lifting of the excommunication of the SSPX bishops, especially in regard to Richard Williamson's comments regarding the Holocaust, I've been withholding my comments--all along it has seemed rather clear to me that Williamson's position on the holocaust had nothing to do with the action taken by the Pope.  I thought the row would die out soon.

However the story is alive and well and it's not just the press that's getting into it.  I wasn't sure what to think at first when I read that 47 Catholic Democratic members of the US Congress had written a letter to the Pope to voice their opposition. 

Certainly it was arrogant of them to do so, but keeping in mind Jewish-Catholic relations I understand how the lifting of an excommunication from a known Holocaust denier looks.  Nevertheless, it's pretty much an internal affair and can be easily explained to anyone with open ears.  I think our Catholic Democrat congress members acted in haste at least--and again, it was undoubtedly arrogant of them to assume they know better than the Pope regarding an internal Church matter.

But now comes the Catholic League with the perfect logic to discredit the letter writing Catholic Democrats.  After all, their position on abortion has everything to do with the why these folks in congress wrote to the Pope in the first place, right?

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Catholic League) - On January 29, nearly 50 Catholic Democratic congressmen sent a letter to Pope Benedict XVI stating their concerns over Bishop Richard Williamson’s comments questioning the historical record on the Holocaust. The bishop belongs to the St. Pius X Society, a group which recently had its excommunication lifted by the pope. The congressmen implored the pope to denounce the bishop’s views.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue spoke to this issue today:

“The congressmen’s letter to the pope smacks of posturing and hypocrisy, and is factually wrong. They begin by saying ‘we are writing to express our deep concerns with your decision to reinstate Bishop Richard Williamson to communion with the Catholic Church….’ The fact is that the pope did not reinstate the bishop to communion with the Church—he merely lifted the excommunication of the group to which he belongs. In order for the group to be fully reinstated, it would have to express its fidelity to the teachings of the Church, as well as the norms of Vatican II. In other words, the letter is based on a false predicate.

“Facts aside, this kind of posturing is a disgrace: for American congressmen to lecture the pope about an event in which he was personally victimized, and about which he has long condemned, is nothing short of arrogant.

“The hypocrisy is mind-boggling. They beg the pope to ‘publicly state your unequivocal position on this matter so that it is clear where the Church stands….’ How ironic that most of these very same Catholics fail to speak with clarity about what the Church teaches on abortion. Of the 47 signatories, the majority have a 100 percent NARAL score (meaning they vote with the radical pro-abortion group on every issue). The leader of this group, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, never agrees with the Catholic Church on abortion—her NARAL score is 100 percent.

Source

Sorry, besides a glaring logical fallacy, I can't help but see partisan politics at work in Donohue's statement.  Not everything is about abortion, even less what 47 arrogant members of congress have to say to the Pope about something they don't even understand.

Indeed we do know how Democrats in congress vote on abortion, and indeed we should voice our opposition in that regard, but their voting record on abortion in itself does not discredit every statement they make, regardless of how inaccurate or misinformed--or even true perchance--it may be.

I fear that an observer from the outside might come to have the opinion that the Catholic religion is one aligned with a political party, and that its chief concern has mostly to do with one issue.

Comments

[Carol O]

Williamson is not a name I'm familiar with, except as yet another mean futzy Trad-brat. If he has (ever) spoken of Christ, I do not know it. Has he? Because that is what we Catholics speak of: Christ's Good News. That is what he should be known for, as should Catholic politicians, etc. I look to the Holy Father not to babysit, but to lead. Perhaps the Trads and politicians should do so as well.

[Carol O]

And the same for Donohue.

[Pia]

I just read a breaking news item, that the Pope was unaware of his statements when the decision was announced to reinstate the SSPX, and that Bishop Williamson has been formally asked to renege on his position regarding the holocaust, otherwise the excommunication will not be removed in his case.

[Carol O]

I didn't see that yet, Pia, but then again, I also didn't know a horrible fire at Cardinal George's Chicago cathedral was called in at 6 a.m.

But having Googled the de-lifting of one excommunication matter, I came across blogster whisperings, and if I hadn't been involved in RCIA, I myself might have to wonder if an outsider might take one look at such glaringly public Catholics and wonder if someone needs to come evangelize Jesus to us. Honestly, who needs Jack Chick? We build in our own detractions/distractions.

For anyone to deny the Holocaust happened is to offer a slight against Christ Himself, and His mother and all His blood family. Any denouncement of the Holocaust is anti-Semitic, beginning middle and end, so if Papa Benedict wants to shut the sheepgate on such as that, it is truly the Catholic thing to do. But it's a Papa-thing, and I shall leave it to him.

[Pia]

Now the blurb is that Fr. Lombardi (who replaced Narra Vals as press chief, stated in an interview that the press office needs to be more connected to the various sections of the church and that more information has to be given especially on "hot" items such as this one was. Apparently, he believes the whole Lefebvrian affair came too suddenly and other Catholic press say it's something which has really had a negative impact on many Catholics all over the world. It seems as well that the whole reinstatement is iffy at best, because no one really believes that the Lefebs will wholly and unequivocably accept the teachings of the 2nd Vatican council. The pardon just may be retracted after all.

[Pia]

...and it may even be refused (more probable) by the Lefebs...

[Carol]

As I read yesterday, and uploaded as a page, it's conditional per dissenter. Williamson needs to recant his anti-semitism. Meanwhile, his proponents are defining the right meaning of "anti-semitism" just as Bill Clinton sought to define the right meaning of "sexual relations." Let them stay in schism until their hearts are converted. The whole thing seems to be, was the Pope aware of the great controversy of the lifing of one excommunication in particular (which is not reinstatement, by the way)? Some say he didn't know of Wmson's Holocaust remarks. I don't think a scholarly theologian and multi-book author living in the midst of Magisteria would've missed that anywhere along the way. I think he is brilliantly allowing the Body to weigh in on it; so far, his alleged "faux pas" have succeeded in waking Catholics globally.

[Pia]

Well,B16 is not my favorite pope so far, but I really think he wasn't aware of those statements, which apparently were pronounced almost at the same time of the lift.
I think this lift also created havoc in the Curia Romana, so he must be facing flack from all sides.
Personally, I wonder why did this thing that overturns one of JP2's decrees. The whole issue about the Tridentine Mass seems to have been in preparation for this lifting of the excomunication. I wonder if JP2 and Card. Ratzinger had argued about this way back when...

[C]

Well, absolutely nothing has woken up Catholics on this side of the pond until Benedict XVI-- and in Italy, too. Since people are so different, like Peter and Paul, it is possible that two papabile may've argued over this and more, but we are also speaking of "God's Rottweiler" as he was formerly known here.. what would make him lift the excommunications (with conditions, still!) if not the Holy Spirit? Would the Holy Spirit be saying that the need for Catholic unity in the world has become catholicly crucial? I'd guess so.