How will Card. O‘Brien’s Liberal Views Affect the Church?
Sept 11, 2004
Keith O'Brien will be the third Scottish cardinal since the Reformation. But how will the liberal's view affect the Church, and how will he handle his critics at home?
(dailyrecord, Oct 20 2003) At a Mass to celebrate his creation as Scotland's new cardinal, he told the congregation: “I'm available for cuddles in the porch afterwards.”
The Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh will receive his cardinal's red hat from the Pope at an open-air Mass on the steps of St Peter's in Rome tomorrow.
The cardinal-elect has been forced to defend himself against what he calls “friendly fire” from within his own Church.
The small Scottish group Catholic Truth group said it was a “body blow and a serious sign of how far the church has declined.”
O'Brien is open to arguments on what used to be taboo topics, such as homosexuality, married priests and birth control.
On homosexual priests, he said: “If they are leading a celibate life, then God bless the men.”
His critics say he undermines what used to be the great strength of the Catholic Church clear moral leadership.
The confusion has increased since O'Brien's promotion was announced.
After a bold restatement of his liberal line, he seemed to climb down with a public declaration he would bow to the Vatican's authority on all the subjects on which he had been rebellious.
O'Brien confronted his attackers head-on at a Mass to celebrate his appointment.
He argued homosexuality, married priests and birthcontrol were open for discussion because they were part of Church law not part of God's law like abortion and murder, on which,he said, there could be no compromise. He has a habit of admitting uncomfortable facts. He once said: “If it's true that 10 per cent of men are gay, then it follows that one in 10 priests and yes bishops will also be gay.”
On married priests, he confronts the hypocrisy of allowing them in other branches of the Catholic Church.
In England, a number of churchmen who converted from Anglicanism are married, yet were allowed to become Roman Catholic priests.
Asked if it might apply to himself (a question no one would have dared to ask any of his predecessors), the 66-year-old archbishop just smiled wryly: “Oh, no I'm too old.”
There has been a backlash. In an obvious challenge to the new cardinal, Archbishop Conti sent a letter to all his parishes, attacking the contraceptive culture and the equation of homosexual relationships with marriage.
O'Brien was unrepentant: “If there is an issue on which I want to speak out, it does not matter who is against it. It's my job. Like St Paul, it is to preach the gospel in and out of season.”
O'Brien believes the Vatican is “disengaged” from ordinary Catholics. His priority is to strengthen their faith and stop them drifting away.
How will Card. O‘Brien’s Liberal Views Affect the Church?