Cardinal: Catholic Church '200 Years Out Of Date"

[TampaYankee]

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, In final Interview Before Death Says Church '200 Years Out Of Date'

Reuters | Posted: 09/01/2012 2:57

ROME, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The former archbishop of Milan and papal candidate Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini said the Catholic Church was "200 years out of date" in his final interview before his death, published on Saturday.

Martini, once favoured by Vatican progressives to succeed Pope John Paul II and a prominent voice in the church until his death at the age of 85 on Friday, gave a scathing portrayal of a pompous and bureaucratic church failing to move with the times.

"Our culture has aged, our churches are big and empty and the church bureaucracy rises up, our rituals and our cassocks are pompous," Martini said in the interview published in Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

"The Church must admit its mistakes and begin a radical change, starting from the pope and the bishops. The paedophilia scandals oblige us to take a journey of transformation," he said in the interview.

In the last decade the Church has been accused of failing to fully address a series of child abuse scandals which have undermined its status as a moral arbiter, though it has paid many millions in compensation settlements worldwide.

Martini, famous for comments that the use of condoms could be acceptable in some cases, told interviewers the Church should open up to new kinds of families or risk losing its flock.

"A woman is abandoned by her husband and finds a new companion to look after her and her children. A second love succeeds. If this family is discriminated against, not just the mother will be cut off but also her children."

In this way "the Church loses the future generation", Martini said in the interview, made a fortnight before he died. The Vatican opposes divorce and forbids contraception in favour of fidelity within marriage and abstinence without.

A liberal voice in the church, Martini's chances of becoming pope were damaged when he revealed he was suffering from a rare form of Parkinson's disease and he retired in 2002.

Pope John Paul II was instead succeeded in 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI, a hero of Catholic conservatives who is known by such critical epithets as "God's rottweiler" because of his stern stand on theological issues.

Martini's final message to Pope Benedict was to begin a shake up of the Catholic church without delay.

"The church is 200 years out of date. Why don't we rouse ourselves? Are we afraid?"

Martini was much loved and thousands paid their respects at his coffin in Milan cathedral on Saturday. (Reporting By Naomi O'Leary)

See original article at:

http://www.huffingto..._n_1849173.html

[Guest EXPAT]

I would say that most churches are 200 years out of date.

[AdamSmith]

I would say they went out of date around the end of the Bronze Age.

[Guest rimchair]

Uncle Bill Maher went on a rant last night about the Catholic church, including that the Pope sells a invisible product, and, " what other business could you be in where your company gets caught running a child sex ring since forever and you still keep your customers?”

He's on a roll, don't miss it!

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-maher-mocks-tabloid-coverage-of-the-pope-tears-into-catholic-church-youre-selling-an-invisible-product/

[Guest hitoallusa]

Well the US government has a lot of problems as you can see so as other many private companies.. Every organization has problems and issues. There is nothing wrong with having issues to solve as long as there is effort to solve them appropriately. The Catholic Church may or may not come out of many issues that are dragging them down but we can't ignore or defy teachings of Jesus Christ. I believe his teachings will live on as great ideas of our forefathers will continue to guide us. So I'm optimistic.

[Guest zipperzone]

So I'm optimistic.

Gee whiz - that's a surprise

[RA1]

200 years is like last week-end to the Catholic Church. It is difficult in this day and age to wait upon an institution that moves with the speed of a glacier. Everything must have instant gratification. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the Church or the Chinese in this regard.

I am not a Catholic. I do not defend or attack the Church but merely try to observe. It is interesting to see marked differences between the US Church and its' iterations elsewhere. I personally know married couples who were given permission to use a raincoat in order to not start their family "too soon".

We could do several threads on what is going on with the Church but that also is not my intent.

Best regards,

RA1

[AdamSmith]

The Catholic Church

Jesus Christ.

With your deep reading of history and theology, you will please help us understand why you put those two diametrically opposed entities into the same post.

[Guest hitoallusa]

AS, you take my silly posts too seriously(?)... Just think my posts are from an old maiden without a husband going around the neighborhood gossiping and ranting about life.. I bet our MsGuy would come up with the verse that describes gossiping women in the Bible immediately if he were here. I miss him.

With your deep reading of history and theology, you will please help us understand why you put those two diametrically opposed entities into the same post.

[AdamSmith]

You are funny.

And kind. I miss MsGuy too.

[wayout]

The hierarchical structure of the church and the resulting "in-breeding" (for lack of a better word) producing cardinals (and a pope) who are mostly locked into very similar thinking will make changes painfully slow. Sounds as though Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, as a progressive, may have been someone that would have started some changes had he been elected after JP2. Not sure there is an easy answer but perhaps it is time for a third Vatican Council to seriously consider how to bring the church into this century (or at least last century).

[Guest zipperzone]

The hierarchical structure of the church and the resulting "in-breeding" (for lack of a better word) producing cardinals (and a pope) who are mostly locked into very similar thinking will make changes painfully slow. Sounds as though Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, as a progressive, may have been someone that would have started some changes had he been elected after JP2. Not sure there is an easy answer but perhaps it is time for a third Vatican Council to seriously consider how to bring the church into this century (or at least last century).

It will never happen & if Francis isn't careful he will be offed one foggy night. I think smothering with a pillow is their preferred method.

[AdamSmith]

I thought poisoned veal was what was used to off JP I.

[Guest hitoallusa]

Oh my my... I hope Francis doesn't get assasinated...

I thought poisoned veal was what was used to off JP I.