Cardinal Schönborn criticizes former Vatican Secretary of State

May 10, 2010

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna has told a group of journalists that Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the former Vatican Secretary of State, had "deeply wronged" the victims of sexual abuse by downplaying the importance of the issue.

On Easter Sunday, Cardinal Sodano surprised the congregation at a Mass in St. Peter's Square with an unscheduled statement of support for Pope Benedict XVI. In that statement Cardinal Sodano referred to criticism of the Pope's handling of the abuse issue as "petty gossip." While joining Cardinal Sodano in support of Pope Benedict, Cardinal Schönborn strongly objected to his characterization of the controversy.

Moreover, Cardinal Schönborn hinted that Cardinal Sodano-- who remains a highly influential figure in Rome, as the dean of the College of Cardinals-- had a history of underestimating the abuse problem. The Austrian cardinal said that in 1995, the future Pope Benedict pushed for a probe into abuse allegations against Cardinal Hans Hermann Groër but that Cardinal Sodano resisted the probe. Cardinal Schönborn had earlier told The New York Times in April that Cardinal Ratzinger had called for an investigation of Cardinal Groër, who served as Archbishop of Vienna from 1986 to 1995, but that “the other side, the diplomatic side, had prevailed.” Cardinal Groër-- Schönborn's immediate predecessor in Vienna-- eventually relinquished all his ecclesiastical titles in 1998, at the request of Pope John Paul II, as mounting evidence of his misconduct emerged.

During his session with Austrian newspaper reporters, Cardinal Schönborn made several other noteworthy comments:

• On homosexual couples, the cardinal said that an enduring same-sex union is preferable to a series of encounters, telling the journalists that “a stable relationship is certainly better than if someone simply indulges in promiscuity."
• Regarding Catholics who divorce and remarry, the cardinal said the Church might need to reconsider the idea that they should not receive Communion, pointing out that “many people don’t even marry at all any longer.
• Cardinal Schönborn argued that the Roman Curia is "urgently in need of reform," and said that Pope Benedict is working carefully toward that goal.

Cardinal Schönborn himself is one of the most influential prelates in Europe. A former student of then-Professor Ratzinger, he was the chairman of the bishops' committee that edited the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

 

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Further information:

• Cardinal accuses Vatican official of abuse cover-up (Reuters)
• Report: Cardinal attacks former Vatican No. 2 (AP)
• New York Times highlights Pope Benedict’s support of investigation of Cardinal Groër (CWN, 4/27)