Conservative Catholics had criticized the Pope with a "Correction". Now, many bishops, theologians and other prominent Catholics are reacting - and defending Francis in an open letter. Even a former German Bundestag president has signed.
Francis is to be defended with a new international initiative against attacks by Catholic critics. The group "Pro-Pope Francis", in which Catholics from the church and public life are represented, addresses directly the Pope in an online-accessible letter. "With this public letter, we are expressing our gratitude for your courageous and theologically well-founded leadership", says the website "www.pro-pope-francis.com".
The "pastoral culture" of Francis stands for a manner of dealing with the people in which not the law but the compassion should have the last word, their website says. And, "They dream of a 'church as mother and shepherdess'. In addition to the initiators, the theologians Paul Zulehner (Vienna)
Here with Cardinal König
and Father Tomas Halik (Prague),
more than 100 signatories of the open letter are currently available (as of Tuesday). These include, for example, the Austrian retired bishops Paul Iby, (Eisenstadt)
and Helmut Krätzl (Vienna),
the Abbot of Pannonhalma (Hungary), Asztrik Varszegi,
the Prague auxiliary bishop Vaclav Maly
and the former bishop of North Aliwal (South Africa). Among other things, the Berlin sociologist, Andreas Lob-Hüdepohl, the Jesuit and chief editor of the "Voices of the Times", Andreas Batlogg,
Father Batlogg SJ (a thoroughly modern Jesuit)
as well as the former President of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Thierse,
A modern Socialist, Wolfgang Thierse
have signed up from Germany. In addition, there are around 1,000 "supporters" who have participated online in the campaign.
Answer to the Pope's "childish correction"
In the letter, ask the Pope not to deviate from his way, and assure him of his support. Francis has been able to reform the pastoral culture of the Catholic Church in a short time. He has taken to his heart the "wounded" peopl, but also the wounded nature. "They see the church at the edges of life as a field hospital," it says.
The background of the initiative is a "childlike censure" of conservative clerics and theologians, who demanded the pope distance himself from "heresies". The signatories take the view that Francis "directly or indirectly" encouraged heretical positions on marriage, morals, and the doctrine of the sacraments. Among them are the German writer Martin Mosebach, the former head of the Vatican bank IOR, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, the former chairman of the national research council in Italy, CNR, Roberto de Mattei, and the philosopher and priest, Antonio Livi, former dean at Lateran University , Among the signatories is Bernard Fellay, General Superior of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X.
The open letter
Highly esteemed Pope Francis!
Your Pastoral Initiatives and their theological justification are currently being strongly attacked by a group in the Church. With this public letter, we express our gratitude for their courageous and theologically well-founded leadership.
In a short time, you have succeeded in reforming the pastoral culture of the Catholic Church from its original origins. You have taken to your heart the wounded people, the wounded nature. You see the church at the edges of life, as a field hospital. Your concern is every single person loved by God. The last word in dealing with men should not be a legalistic but a mercifully interpreted law. God and His mercy characterize the pastoral culture that you wish for the Church. You dream of a "church as mother and shepherdess". We share this dream with you.
We ask you not to deviate from this path, and assure you of our full support and our constant prayer.
The signatories
