Cardinal Sarah stands firm against the Pope

Cardinal Sarah does not respond to the Pope's request

No denial in sight

It has never happened before. Francis had publicly corrected the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship. In a letter to him the Pope contradicts him and demands a reply. But he is silent.

In a theological debate initiated by him Curial Cardinal Robert Sarah has not responded to a request by Pope Francis for a denial so far. It deals with the question of who has the last word in liturgical translations in the respective national language. According to research by the Catholic News Agency (KNA), Sarah by Tuesday apparently did not respond to a request from the Pope to publicize his response to statements by the Cardinal on the Internet. The cardinal from Guinea leads the Congregation for Divine Worship in the Vatican.

Canon 838 of the canon law specified

Francis had specified in his decree "Magnum Principium" Canon 838 of the canon law. For the translation of liturgical texts, therefore, it is above all the national episcopal conferences that are responsible. They should only confirm these with Rome. So if there is there a concern about the change, no alternative translations should be written.

Sarah, however, sees the final decision still with Congregation for Divine Worship. At least that is the result of a post that Sarah let be published on the French Internet portal, L'Homme Nouveau. Several other portals took over this text or quoted excerpts from it.

Letter to the Cardinal

Francis then addressed a letter to the Cardinal questioning Sarah's authorship, but at the same time urging him to promote the dissemination of "this, my answer" on the relevant websites, as well as to all episcopal conferences and members and advisers of his Dicastery".

As confirmed by L'Homme Nouveau editor-in-chief, Philippe Maxence on request, the text was written by Sarah himself. So far, the Cardinal has also made no denial. Also, no request was made to the editors to publish a reply from the Pope. "If I had received something like that, then I would have published it," says Maxence. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has not yet commented.

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