No public ‘correction’ of Pope, Cardinal Brandmüller says

December 27, 2016

Cardinal Walter Brandmüller—one of the four cardinals who submitted dubia to Pope Francis regarding the interpretation of Amoris Laetitia—has said that any “correction” of the Pontiff would be done privately.

Cardinal Brandmüller was responding, in an interview with Vatican Insider, to published remarks by Cardinal Raymond Burke, who has said that a correction of the Pope could be made sometime early in 2017. Cardinal Brandmüller said that Cardinal Burke was speaking for himself rather than as a representaive of the four prelates who had submitted the dubia—although he acknowledged that other cardinals might agree with Cardinal Burke.

At the same time, Cardinal Brandmüller said that he felt sure Cardinal Burke, too, would agree that any “fraternal correction” of the Pope should be made “in camera caritatis,” without a public statement.

Perhaps most important, Cardinal Brandmüller indicated that he still expects an answer from Pope Francis to the dubia. “We cardinals expect a response,” he said, “as a lack of a response would be seen by many within the Church as a rejection of a clear and articulate adherence to the clearly defined doctrine.”

 

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Further information:

• “Any fraternal correction proposed to the Pope must be presented in camera caritatis” (Vatican Insider)
• Prelates’ ‘correction’ of Pontiff could come early next year: Cardinal Burke (CWN, 12/20)