![]() “Providence looks after us very well, you know.” “I would add that every pope is right for his time,” the cardinal said. Sarah said it is normal for the Church to experiences difficulties and divisions, but every Christian is called “to seek unity in Christ.” “The devil divides, sets people against each other.” God willing, he will help Africa avoid the colossal errors of theological innovation from which Latin America has yet to recover, and where the evangelical church is now devouring a Catholic lunch.“Those who place me in opposition to the Holy Father cannot present a single word of mine, a single phrase or a single attitude of mine to support their absurd - and I would say, diabolical - affirmations,” Sarah said. He loves the church, and can explain its faith he will instill courage, devotion, and perspective to the next generation of church leadership. He was once the youngest bishop in the world. The cardinal is an inspirational figure to Catholics there, particularly priests and bishops. If he has energy left to continue, and one supposes he does given his willingness to remain at his post after reaching age 75, Cardinal Sarah’s greatest impact going forward may be back in his native Africa. The loss of position will not silence Sarah when he feels it necessary to speak, any more than it silenced Cardinal Burke. ![]() If the church has become sclerotic in Europe and is in the throes of a deep crisis in America, its source of vitality will be outside those continents, particularly in Africa and Asia. There now remains only one other African at the highest levels of the church’s Roman hierarchy, Cardinal Peter Turkson, and only three others from outside the First World. Yet, the greater loss to the Curia may be the perspective of a man from the developing world, one who understands what the faith has to offer there. His departure will deprive the church’s central governing body, the Roman Curia, of an unapologetic defender of the faith, suspicious of theological innovations. In person, Sarah conveys the persona of a deeply holy and spiritual man – gentle, yet of immense courage and rock-solid faith. Still, the above is too ready an explanation. The book was a message of hope to priests in these dark times and a robust defense of priestly celibacy at a time some in the Vatican were conspiring to change those rules. It’s also true he suffered controversy when early last year, Pope Emeritus Benedict requested his name be removed as co-author to a book they had worked on together, “From the Depths of Our Hearts.” Yes, Cardinal Sarah was not a fan of certain liturgical innovations. Sarah’s orthodoxy invites suspicions of a continuing purge by the Holy Father of opponents to his project. Sarah’s dismissal was the Vatican equivalent of next-day delivery. (It took Pope Benedict, for example, 10 months to accept the disgraced Theodore McCarrick’s resignation.) There is no requirement that the pope accepts such a pro forma resignation, and Cardinal Sarah had indicated his willingness to continue serving in his post. 22 – eight months later – the pope accepted his resignation. ![]() ![]() Cardinal Sarah, a native of Guinea, Africa, submitted to Pope Francis his pro forma resignation upon turning 75 last year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |