Cardinal Pell on ‘Authentic Catholicism vs Cafeteria Catholicism’
Ireland

"I have found in all my work as archbishop that in order to do anything you first have to know where you are and what you are trying to do.

"Two things are probably at work here in the same way as in Australia; within all the Christian communities and, certainly the Catholic Church, there is a fundamental tension between the people on one side — who we might call Gospel Christians — who give priority to the New Testament, to Christ and to the Word of God and, what you might call liberal or radical Christians, who give the priority to the contemporary understandings.

"Good pastors will work in a communal way with their people but, in the Catholic tradition, the priests are the leaders; not in a dictatorial way, but, nonetheless, they are the leaders."

Leadership Role of the Priest

"I recall the story of a poor priest from one of the Low Countries who, before he could take up his appointment, had to go along and be interviewed by the parish council. The parish council said that unless he was prepared to bless homosexual unions they would not let him take up his job. I don’t want that approach and I am sure that you do not either.

"In Sydney I managed to achieve a situation where all the major appointments have gone to people who are genuinely and deeply committed to the full Catholic programme.

"This is so important because you do not want people in leadership positions who can undermine what you are doing, for example people in the liturgy office who don’t believe in priests or in the sacrifice of the ministerial priesthood." Full Article

12 August 2011
St. Jane Frances de Chantal