Every day, Aleteia offers a selection of articles written by the international press about the Church and the major issues that concern Catholics around the world. The opinions and views expressed in these articles are not those of the editors.
Monday 14 March 2022
1 - Why Pope Francis is not going to Ukraine
2 - The Orthodox clergy of Amsterdam separate from the Moscow Patriarchate
3 - Archbishop Bode supports a sexual morality that "enhances consciences" rather than "limits freedom"
4 - Nordic Bishops ‘concerned’ about German Church’s synodal path
5 - Committee appointed to oversee preparations for Pope’s visit to South Sudan
Why Pope Francis is not going to Ukraine
In Argentina, a Todo Noticias editorialist explains why the former archbishop of Buenos Aires will not travel to Ukraine to try to stop the conflict, responding to those who find him too inactive or indecisive. One of the criticisms is that he does not name Russia, Vladimir Putin or the invasion by name. But, as the journalist Sergio Rubin, the Pope's biographer, points out, the Vatican still sees itself as "the actor of last resort to restore peace" and therefore cannot "blow up all the bridges." Finally, in a country where the Catholic Church is an ultra-minority, mediation by the Pope has few chances of success, since Francis has little leverage. By going to Ukraine, the Pontiff would therefore be pursuing a diplomacy that would not only be imprudent but also unrealistic.
The Orthodox clergy of Amsterdam separate from the Moscow Patriarchate
The Russian Orthodox parish of Amsterdam has chosen to leave the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, in protest against the positions of Patriarch Kirill in favor of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. "The clergy unanimously announced that it is no longer possible for them to function within the Moscow Patriarchate and provide a spiritually safe environment for our faithful,” explained a statement published on the parish website. The four priests concerned said they had taken this decision "with a heavy heart." The announcement prompted an impromptu visit from an Archbishop who explained that Moscow was keeping a close eye on their actions. This is not the only act of protest against the pro-war stance of the Moscow patriarch: last week, Metropolitan John of Doubna, who oversees some 60 Russian Orthodox parishes in Western Europe, asked Patriarch Kirill to intervene to stop the "bloodshed.”
Archbishop Bode supports a sexual morality that "enhances consciences" rather than "limits freedom"
In light of the end last week of the German Bishops’ spring Plenary Assembly, the vice-president of the group, Archbishop Franz-Josef Hermann Bode, spoke in an interview about sexual morality in the Church. “Until now, we have severely restricted people's freedom with sexual morality [...] We must finally open up the Church's teaching in many areas, starting from the Christian paradigm of freedom,” says Archbishop Bode, adding that he stressed the importance of individual decisions of conscience. According to the German prelate an “ethic of negotiation” prevails in relationships in our society today, whether heterosexual or homosexual. However, Archbishop Bode would like to put forward “the Christian norm of love,” highlighting that a “partner should never be objectified.” He also states that although some within the Church consider him to be betraying tradition, while others think he is not progressing fast enough, the history of the Church has always been subject to all kinds of changes.
Nordic Bishops ‘concerned’ about German Church’s synodal path
In an open letter at the end of their Spring Plenary Assembly, the eight Scandinavian bishops - from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland - expressed their concerns about “the orientation, method and content of the Synodal Path of the Church in Germany.” Stressing the "strong bonds" between the German and Nordic Churches, they emphasized that true reforms in the Church are always “set out from Catholic teaching founded on divine Revelation and authentic Tradition.” Reform, they added, must always defend Catholic teaching and never "capitulate to the Zeitgeist" ("spirit of the age"). The Church, they added, is not "a project, the object of our agency" but must be "rooted in Christ.”
Committee appointed to oversee preparations for Pope’s visit to South Sudan
A four-person committee from the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSCB) has been appointed to work with the government to prepare for Pope Francis’ trip in July. “As Nation and Church, we feel honored and exulted by the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to South Sudan,” said Local Ordinary of the Juba Archdiocese, Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla. “It will be a great moment for all South Sudanese to rally for peace and reconciliation and we hope the Holy Father will encourage all of us to move the path of dialogue, peace and justice for the consolidation of peace in the country.” He also thanked the Pope for his recent appointments of bishops in the country, as many dioceses were vacant, and underlined the ecumenical aspect of the visit.
