Kasper the Friendly Ghost

Greetings Lenten people. Vatican Radio reports today on Cardinal Walter Kasper's new book, timed impeccably for the Synod on the Family entitled 'Gospel of the Family'.

Overcome by the temptation to blog and breaking my fast, may the Lord permit me to highlight comments made today by the friendly ghost or 'spirit' of Vatican II, Cardinal Kasper.  

Robert Mickens is, understandably, cock-a-hoop over the 'radical' direction of the Church under Francis, as is Hans Kung, and both appear delighted over the names of those who are close to the ear of Peter. So they should be. It would appear that from Bobby Micken's angle and from that of Hans Kung, everything is going according to 'plan'. There is no need, according to Hans Kung, for him to be a 'Pope critic' anymore. The truth, of course, is that Hans Kung didn't criticise the man in the Office of the Papacy, but the Office of the Papacy itself. He could always recognise the personal qualities of the Office-holder, but really wanted a Pope who would run down the Papacy, managing the Church as a Dalai Llama type figure-head, and establish a modern Church that was ashamed of Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis on Lenten retreat

If His Holiness Pope Francis came out tomorrow and laid down the law to dissenters on marriage, family, the Sacraments and the transmission of human life, Hans Kung would, I am confident, miraculously become a 'Pope critic' once more. What we have in Hans Kung, therefore, is not someone who 'loves the Pope' in the traditional understanding, but who is attracted to the cult of personality surrounding a Pope with a demonstrably 'new vision' of the Church that, so far, does not resonate greatly with that of his predecessors.

James Preece asks today whether this is going to be another 'Humanae Vitae moment' for the Church in which dissidents are disappointed. I've already expressed my pessimism on that matter and solemnly predict the Synod will be a momentous disaster of unprecedented proportions. I, for one, will not feel humiliated if I am wrong and the truth of Our Lord Jesus Christ prevails at the Synod. I will be overjoyed. But...



I think it was Alec Guinness who always maintained that the script for Star Wars always lacked a certain 'imagination'. Pray for the Pope and the Church's enemies.