AmericanPapist Comments
Do you think Cardinal Martini understands the "vow of special obedience to the Pope" he took as a Jesuit? Do you think the other radical Jesuits will understand? Maybe they should all repeat their vows.
They probably never meant what they said in their vows anyway.
Ironic? Or "reading the signs of the times"?
Hmm, you might argue me that way. ;)
I think the Pope tacitly reprimanded Cardinal Martini with his speach. He reminded him of his vow and now the ball is in the Cardinal's court.
As Benedict correctly noted in his speech the special fourth vow of obediece to the Pope only refers to a mission given to a Jesuit directly by the Pope. This is very clearly stated in the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus and Benedict referred to it correctly when he added the qualifying phrase "with regard to mission." People are forever misunderstaning the nature of this fourth vow, and they frequently think it means that a Jesuit can never criticize the Pope or disagree with him.
Dear Thomas (aka Amer. Papist),
I have noticed Pope Benedict has a particular pattern in how he prepares his presentations. He knows what his audiences need to hear, even if they do not want to here what he has to say. By reminding the SJ of its fourth vow, he is reminding it, and its members, to whom it and they are ultimately responsible. He is probably well aware of many shenanigans that come forth with fellows whose names precede SJ.
Therefore, it may appear ironic, but I would call it a reading of the signs of the times.
I hope he shuts the Jesuits down. The order has outlived its usefulness.
I beg to differ. From serving isolated Native communities in Canada to serving refugees in South East Asia to combatting child prostitution in Thailand to teaching the poor of Latin America to developing the faith of the people of East Africa to running Ignatius Press in the USA, Jesuits still play an important role in the world Church. Ad multos annos.
2 Visitors Online
Commenting by HaloScan
