Wednesday, April 20, 2005
New Pope Warns Dangers of liberals
VATICAN CITY -- Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger made his final stump speech before being sequestered in the Sistine Chapel on Monday, lashing out at the trends he said were taking root in the Roman Catholic Church.
Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, used his homily at the mass dedicated to electing the next pope to warn cardinals and the faithful about tendencies that he considered dangers to the faith: sects, ideologies like Marxism, liberalism, atheism, agnosticism and relativism - the ideology that there are no absolute truths.
New Pope Denied Kerry Communion
"As a Roman Catholic cardinal, the new Pope Benedict XVI warned American voters against departing from church teaching at the ballot box, drew criticism from victims of clerical sex abuse and opposed married or women priests.
The majority of American Catholics told pollsters in recent weeks that they favored married clergy and a greater voice for the laity in the church - and it was clear Tuesday that liberals were anguished, conservatives delighted and others wary about Ratzinger's election.
He was an important player in the American dispute last year over the church's attitude toward Catholic politicians like Sen. John Kerry, who favor abortion rights.
With one bishop saying he would deny Holy Communion to Kerry, Ratzinger helped guide the U.S. prelates' discussion of the matter. The cardinal said that while bishops ultimately could decide to withhold the sacrament, they should meet with, teach and warn politicians first.
Ratzinger also said that voters would be guilty of "cooperating in evil" if they backed a candidate specifically because he or she supports abortion rights or euthanasia.
VATICAN CITY -- Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger made his final stump speech before being sequestered in the Sistine Chapel on Monday, lashing out at the trends he said were taking root in the Roman Catholic Church.
Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, used his homily at the mass dedicated to electing the next pope to warn cardinals and the faithful about tendencies that he considered dangers to the faith: sects, ideologies like Marxism, liberalism, atheism, agnosticism and relativism - the ideology that there are no absolute truths.
New Pope Denied Kerry Communion
"As a Roman Catholic cardinal, the new Pope Benedict XVI warned American voters against departing from church teaching at the ballot box, drew criticism from victims of clerical sex abuse and opposed married or women priests.
The majority of American Catholics told pollsters in recent weeks that they favored married clergy and a greater voice for the laity in the church - and it was clear Tuesday that liberals were anguished, conservatives delighted and others wary about Ratzinger's election.
He was an important player in the American dispute last year over the church's attitude toward Catholic politicians like Sen. John Kerry, who favor abortion rights.
With one bishop saying he would deny Holy Communion to Kerry, Ratzinger helped guide the U.S. prelates' discussion of the matter. The cardinal said that while bishops ultimately could decide to withhold the sacrament, they should meet with, teach and warn politicians first.
Ratzinger also said that voters would be guilty of "cooperating in evil" if they backed a candidate specifically because he or she supports abortion rights or euthanasia.
