Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Catholic France
Many people might argue that what little solid Catholicism that was left in France was effectively destroyed in the French Revolution. The history of the Church in France has been checkered since that time. Mostly, the Church seems to have wander into a leftist sphere that seems to embrace more secular ideas than ones that are in line with the teachings of Rome.
Some conservatives have gone too far in the opposite direction and ended in a state of schism or excommunication although they will argue, erroneously, otherwise. Others seem to be meeting with unjustified resistance by liberals even when the former are backed by the Holy See.
The Pope now has a chance to put an archbishop in charge of Paris who shares the Holy Father's views on the Church and Society. Should he do that, it would send a clear signal to the universal Church that the secularists and liberals need to toe the line. It can be argued that many of the Pope's decisions and actions have already done this; but, such a visible appointment in the heart of Old Europe (as the east is now New Europe) could not be ignored. Chances are it will be lambasted by the "progressives" who would see us more become more like the Episcopal Church of the United States: visibly divided and lacking direction.
Some conservatives have gone too far in the opposite direction and ended in a state of schism or excommunication although they will argue, erroneously, otherwise. Others seem to be meeting with unjustified resistance by liberals even when the former are backed by the Holy See.
The Pope now has a chance to put an archbishop in charge of Paris who shares the Holy Father's views on the Church and Society. Should he do that, it would send a clear signal to the universal Church that the secularists and liberals need to toe the line. It can be argued that many of the Pope's decisions and actions have already done this; but, such a visible appointment in the heart of Old Europe (as the east is now New Europe) could not be ignored. Chances are it will be lambasted by the "progressives" who would see us more become more like the Episcopal Church of the United States: visibly divided and lacking direction.
