Cardinal Red, Hot

Irish theologian and Joseph Ratzinger protege Vincent Twomey thinks the Primate of All Ireland should resign.

Ireland’s Deputy PM too.

Is it safe for Cardinal Brady to get kicked up into Rome? The Law seat is no longer open. But they’ve already investigated Irish seminaries. That pretty much leaves the Irish women religious. The long knives of Cardinal Law could reach across an ocean. Do you suppose Sean Brady is as vindictive?

Let’s be very clear in this continuing discussion on Catholic identity, especially as it’s framed by the Catholic Right. Every theologian might not have a mandate. And some Catholic institutions are the targets of petition drives. But notice the complainers in these instances are solid believers. They are far from truly scandalized. the real points of scandal are those who are literally obstacles to belief and faith. Few enough people on the fringes of faith and the Church were edged out by a theologian without a permission slip or by a political speaker at a Catholic university. The same cannot be said for the bishops who have disgraced their office by harboring predators, blaming lawyers and psychologists, and insisting they did nothing wrong.

The College of Cardinals is on the hot seat. They might not feel it yet. And the Right seems distracted by other things. But it’s there.