This is the former archbishop of St. Louis, who was kicked upstairs to a sinecure in Rome, and who now has been further removed from any position of influence in Rome or in the US Catholic Church. Until Pope Francis promoted him out of the Congregation of Bishops, he had a voice in who would become bishops in North America, which is one reason we have such politically active hard-right, openly pro-GOP bishops in the USA. He gave the interview below to a Polish Catholic newspaper. To compare his role with that of the Chief Justice in the American system is a mistake. Essentially, if there is to be any appeal from the Roman Rota (which deals with marriage nullity, church trials, and episcopal decisions) or the Apostolic Penitentiary (which deals with matters concerning the forgiveness of sin in the Sacrament of Reconciliation,) then he heads a tribunal handling the matter. If your problem is that speeding ticket you go in Vatican City, hes not involved. Even if you are an American. He does not hand down decisions on matters like whether American Catholic politicians who are in the Democratic Party must be kept from participating in the Eucharist.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 01:02:18 +0000
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