The statements and actions of Cardinal Marx cast doubt on the firmness of his view of the entire content of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Newsroom (10/07/2022 4:15 PM Gaudium Press ) A characteristic example of the deviation of much of the German episcopate is the request last Saturday of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich – who “put on the shirt” – of the female diaconate: “I think the time has come when it should and must be open to men and women,” he said, referring to the Diaconate, according to a report by Infocatolica, quoting Die Tagespot.
The Cardinal’s words were spoken at a religious service in Munich, which commemorated the birthday of Ellen Amman, a Swedish-German politician who, even in her early days (1870-1932), advocated for the female diaconate.
With these statements, Cardinal Marx further clarifies his thinking regarding the guidelines of the questionable German Synodal Way.
Relative to these statements – which clash with Catholic tradition –, Cardinal Marx had already cast doubt on the firmness of his view of the entire content of the Catechism of the Catholic Church when he declared to the magazine Stern that it “is not carved in stone”, and that “it is licit to have doubts about its content”. The German Cardinal also stated in this context that “homosexuality is not a sin”, while failing to making a distinction between the homosexual person and the practice of homosexuality. In this sense, the Cardinal has repeatedly spoken out in favour of blessings for homosexual couples, a practice recently censured by the Vatican.
Cardinal Marx’s statements and actions often provoke controversy among cardinals. For example, in June of last year, Cardinal Gerhard Müller denounced Cardinal Marx as being responsible for the Synod failure in Germany.
Earlier this year, Cardinal Dominik Duka, Archbishop of Prague, accused Cardinal Marx and the Munich Archdiocese of having “defamed the elderly pontiff [Benedict XVI] and tarnished his reputation“, while pointing out a current approach of German bishops who use sexual abuse as an excuse to achieve “political” goals.
The statements now made by Cardinal Marx have provoked a reaction from groups such as Maria 1.0, which brings together German lay people, who said, through their spokeswoman, Clara Steinbrecher, that “I would like the Holy Father to stand firm, since the Cardinal of Munich has taken many turns in questioning the valid Magisterium.”
“The laity are very surprised by the clericalism of Cardinal Marx, who suggests with his statements that women only have equal rights in the Church through an ordained ministry,” stressed Clara Steinbrecher.
Compiled by Sandra Chisholm
