Cardinal Marx pushes for reforms in Church
January 27, 2022
» Continue to this story on Deutsche Welle
CWN Editor's Note: Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich used the recent report on sexual abuse in the archdiocese as an occasion to press for fundamental reforms in the Church.
“There is no future for Christianity in our country without a renewed Church,” the cardinal told an audience at the Catholic Academy. “For me, the reappraisal of sexual abuse is part of a fundamental renewal.”
Cardinal Marx and the leaders of the German episcopal conference have explained their “synodal path”—calling for dramatic changes in Church teaching and discipline—as a necessary response to the scandal caused by the sex-abuse crisis.
The cardinal acknowledged his own “unforgivable” failure to act against sexual abuse in the past, and said that he was serious in his offer to resign (which Pope Francis declined). However, he said that the abuse scandal reflects “systemic causes,” and insisted on the “need for reform of the Church’s positions and its structures.”
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Posted by: wacondaseeds4507 -
Jan. 28, 2022 12:21 PM ET USA
Mr. Mandock nailed it. As for Cardinal Marx, it appears his approach to reform is to reformulate, to change not only operations/disciplines (structures) but also teachings (positions). How ironic that evidence of previous scandalous abuse of power by clerics (sexual in nature) is being proposed as the rationale for changes that have the potential for scandalous abuse of power by clerics (ecclesiastical in nature).
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Jan. 27, 2022 12:02 PM ET USA
Putting Christ ahead of man would be a good place to start. Prayerful consideration of the needs of the marginalized Catholics worldwide would be a good second priority. Catholic evangelization within every charitable effort would change the face of the Church towards Christ. Refusal to accept financial gifts from governments, oligarchs, and others working against Christ must become a high priority. Bringing the real Christ (not the "historic" Christ) back into seminary/education evinces reform.
