Thursday, March 02, 2006
BENEDICT DROPPED THE TITLE OF PATRIARCH
of the West according to CathNews.
Pope Benedict, who reportedly made the decision himself to drop the title, evidently wished to eliminate any notion that the Holy See represents the Church of "the West," and is therefore separate from the Eastern tradition.
The designation "Patriarch of the West," which traditionally appeared in that list of titles just before "Primate of Italy," has rarely been employed since the Great Schism of 1054, which separated the Orthodox churches from the Holy See.
It was introduced into papal nomenclature in 1870, at the time of the First Vatican Council. Pope Benedict chose to remove the title at a time when discussions with the Orthodox churches have centred on the issue of papal primacy.
The Holy Father wishes to emphasise the service that the Bishop of Rome performs for the entire Christian community, as the focus of unity in the universal Church.
Will this mean that our bishops will now conclude that it is not necessary to do what he says?
Personally I don't think we can recover from the heresy in our midst without a Patriarch (or whatever one calls the man who govern the Roman Catholic Church). It does seem that Benedict has decided not to govern since being elected. Cardinal Rotweiler has been tamed. JPII also seemed to hold the papal office to be more of a leadership rule than a governance role.
Will someone else be chosen to serve as Roman Rotweiler Patriarch of the West? Will we have to muddle along without governance from Rome?
I can certainly see how this would serve ecumenism with the Orthodox. I just can't see how it will serve order in the Roman Catholic Church.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
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