A Drizzle Over the Canonization Parade

From the "Santo subito" file, a bunch of liberal theologians think they can stop the JP sainthood train.... As my family likes to say, "Brains = No common sense...."

"We invite such persons (critical of the late pope) to overcome their shyness and timidity and formally express, with gospel freedom, facts which according to their consciences and convictions should be an obstacle to beatification," they wrote.

The dissidents presented seven points according to which, John Paul II should not be canonized.

While the theologians acknowledged John Paul's papacy had "positive aspects", their seven-point appeal included criticism of his rigidly conservative stand on issues such as contraception, limitations on the role of women, and of scandals in the Church, his rebuttal to discuss seriously and in depth the the condition of women in the Church.

It included the sexual abuse scandal that swept the United States in 2002, when it was discovered that priests who had molested children were moved from parish to parish instead of being defrocked or turned over to authorities.

The appeal criticised what it called a lack of control over some of the Vatican's "murky financial manoeuvres", specifically naming the Holy See's relations with Italy's Banco Ambrosiano, which went bankrupt in 1982.

The theologians said the Church's saint makers should also consider the "repression and alienation" inflicted on some theologians by John Paul, a reference to his moves to discipline promoters of Latin America's "Liberation Theology," which he felt was too close to Marxist social analysis as a way of helping the continent's poor.

Nevertheless, contrary to what they expected, the critics were listened to carefully by the Vicariate in Rome, in charge of the beatification process. The reason is simple: any canonization process requires the audience of any person that oposses the process, and up until this day, It had been almost impossible to find critics of the late Pope.

You've gotta love the irony that the press conference for this kabob was hosted by ADISTA. You might remember them -- they're the people who beat CNA and everyone else in getting their hands on this beauty.... (Which, of course, made its English-language debut here.) Giovanni Avena & Co. memorably dubbed Papa Wojtyla's Silver Anniversary "The Jubilee of Repression."
All around Rome, word is that a June beatification to be performed by Benedict XVI on his trip to Poland is in the offing.

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