REVERBERATIONS OF THE SCANDAL IN THE VATICAN

George Offerman

An article out of Life Site News has recently reported that several members of the Pontifical Academy for Life are fearing for the future of this organization, due to the scandal that occurred last year, when the head, Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella openly chastised fellow Archbishop Jose Cardosa Sobrinho of Olinda and Recife, Brazil for outright ex communicating Doctors and other medical professionals that performed abortion on twins from a 9 year old mother who had been raped.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020802.html

Archbishop Fisichella blasted Archbishop Cardosa Sobrinho for his decision, and Archbishop Fisichella essentially went along with the international media in their condemning the Brazilian Archbishop for his move. This ended up causing great harm not only to the hierarchical position of Archbishop Cardosa Sobrinho in his own diocese, but a greater scandal to the Church at large, by sending a clear message that upholding the clear mandates and teachings of the church are forbidden, if they cause tension and conflict.

Archbishop Cardosa Sobrinho was correct in his interpretations of church teachings, and actually applied the proper Cannons to stop this atrocity. This Brazilian Archbishop was acting in faith and in essence, was chastised for doing so. There is though that this was done, due to wanting to ‘soften’ relations between the Vatican and the Obama Administration. If this is true, it goes to show how sin progresses and grows, as this election is having international ramifications.

Archbishop Fisichella’s ‘selling out’ is giving cause for the pro death camps to have hope in legalizing child killing in much of Latin America, including Brazil. This movement is being spurred on by the Obama Administration and others, with the intent to export our debauchery, and it now has the blessings of the Pontifical Academy for Life. This does not bode well for the pro life movement in general, and specifically the work to keep child killing illegal in Latin America, with the assistance of the Catholic Church.

This scandal continues to reverberate through out the Catholic world, as well as the pro life world. To have the top Prelate in such an authorative position undermine the authority of another Archbishop, as well as the church teachings is an abomination. And to do such, under the guise of ‘softening’ the relations between the Vatican and the Obama Administration, is the largest admission that the Churches teachings are negotiable and changeable, if it is seen important enough to do so.

What are we, as Christians and Catholics, supposed to make of this? Do we begin to make up our own rules now? Who has the authority to teach on issues of faith and morals? Are we obligated to listen to leaders, even if they are Bishops, when they are in error? These are now questions that are up for discussion, and the secular world now has a great amount of ammunition to shoot at an institution, that has lately shown far too many poor judgments and has had its share of scandals. This is only adding to them.

Where is the faith in the Jesus that we preach? Why are too many, in positions of power, staying silent on this matter? Where are the cries and demands for Archbishop Fisichella’s resignation? This man should be removed from his post immediately, and be taught the basics of the faith that he claims to represent. There aren’t words in the English language accurate enough to describe the treachery and betrayal that Archbishop Fisichella has dealt to the faith and the pro life cause. This is one of the moments that the verse from Mark 9:42 comes to mind: “Whoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone be hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea”