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| One wonders how much further the papacy will sink itself in the swamp of papal infallibility before some pope grabs Fr Kung's cane and saves the Church from complete cultic irrelevance. |
The following is taken from Clerical Whispers, and I don't have much to add to the message Fr. Kung has sent. Why in the world would one celebrate Vatican II when the last three popes have almost completely sold it out in favor of Vatican I notions of papal infallibility? The Church really should be having a true memorial service, not a celebration.
Theologian Hans Küng has turned down an invitation to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council at the German Katholikentag at Mannheim, held from tomorrow until Sunday.
The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), Germany's largest Catholic lay organisation which is organising the Congress and has more than 12 million members, invited Fr Küng and the former President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Walter Kasper, to participate in their "Council Gala".
But four days before the congress was due to begin, Fr Küng declined.
"I was honoured to receive the invitation but is one really in the mood to celebrate at a time when the Church is in such sore distress?" Fr Küng asked in his four-page reply.
"In
my opinion there is no reason for a festive Council Gala but rather
for an honest service of penance or a funeral service," he said.
Not really the last three popes, one can't blame JP I (of blessed memory).
ReplyDeleteKüng is right. I also wonder if his most recent book, "Can the Catholic Church Be Saved" will appear in English. I for one would run, not walk, to get a copy to read!
DeleteMe too !!
DeleteThanks Col. I'm trying to find the rest of Hans Kung's letter to the ZdK preferably in English but I can use Google translate if not.
ReplyDeleteI'd be grateful if you could let me know if you come across it or a link.
Blessings
I would too. I have been looking and waiting and looking for some written response from Hans Kung to the sad state of affairs in our Church - although in a way, what more can be said than what is here.
DeleteKaren and Philomena,
ReplyDeleteIf you have not already read Matthew Fox' book on saving the Catholic Church, you might be interested in it: "The Pope's War: Why Ratzinger's Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved." dennis
Dennis-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation. I have Fox's book and read it with great interest. I've been interested in Kung's take in events in Europe.
Kathy