The Catholic Church has been plagued with controversies over the past few years since Pope Benedict XVI took office. The past few weeks have been no exception.
Criticism arose when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was selected to succeed Pope John Paul II due to the conservative nature of his theological views. Recent decisions made by the Vatican have only added to the concerns of liberal Catholics across the globe. If the Catholic Church is going to maintain its flock, it needs to consider some serious introspection.
The most prominent controversy to come out of the Vatican recently involves the reconciliation of the Society of St. Pius X. Aggravated by the modernizing measures adopted during the 1960s at the Second Vatican Council, the society has turned a cold shoulder to the Vatican since the excommunication of four of its bishops in 1988. The consecration of the bishops had taken place without the necessary papal approval.
Pope Benedict XVI has long sought to reconcile the mini-schism created by the excommunications. It was not until several weeks ago, however, that the problems were finally smoothed over. All four bishops were reinstated, but the decision caused more harm than good.
Bishop Richard Williamson, one of the four reinstated, has come under scrutiny for his views on the Holocaust. Williamson has denied the full extent of the Holocaust's injuries against mankind for years. In a case of extreme negligence, the church reinstated him anyway.
Although the Pope has stated he was unaware of Williamson's views, the formerly excommunicated bishop made his beliefs public in an interview with a Swedish television station several days before the decision was made official.
I believe that two to 300,000 Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps, but none of them by gas chamber,"" Williamson said.
It is historical fact that nearly six million Jews perished in the Holocaust, but Williamson refuses to believe this. His remarks have stirred a firestorm of debate among believers and non-believers. The Vatican has since ordered Williamson to recant his Holocaust denial, but the bishop merely apologized for stirring the controversy and never retracted his statements.
Pope Benedict XVI may be motivated to restore unity within the Church, but his decisions only weaken its appeal to younger generations. The restoration of indulgences is another example of his naiveté.
The front page of the New York Times last week highlighted the Catholic Church's decision to reinstate the practice of indulgences. These handouts are available to Catholics who confess to their sins and agree to conduct extra prayers, pilgrimages or make charitable donations. Indulgences allegedly serve to reduce the amount of time Catholics spend in Purgatory before they are admitted into heaven.
The last great schism occurred as a direct result of indulgences. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in protest of the Church's selling of indulgences to help finance the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. Today's indulgences may no longer be monetary transactions, but they have been out of the spotlight for so long that younger generations associate them with the negative stigmas of the Middle Ages taught during history class. The Vatican may seek to highlight the importance of personal sin and confession, but their revival casts a negative light upon the modern Catholic Church.
Another recent misstep was overshadowed by the Williamson and indulgence decisions. Two weeks ago, the Pope selected Reverend Gerhard Maria Wagner to serve as bishop of a large Austrian diocese. The newly elected bishop has alienated much of the congregation already with his statements that Hurricane Katrina was ""divine retribution"" against a sexually explicit culture that tolerates homosexuality in New Orleans. He has repeatedly stated that global warming is a direct result of ""spiritual pollution"" and has denounced the Harry Potter books series for being ""satanic"" and corrupting the minds of the world's youth.If the Catholic Church honestly wants to maintain a respectable standing in the modern world, it needs to open its eyes and ears to the reality in which it exists. One can only hope the next College of Cardinals will select a pope with a realistic grasp of modern society.
Tom Hart is a senior majoring in history. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com
