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Friday, May 8, 2020

Honesty Counts: Cardinal Sarah and the Withdrawal of His Signature from the Appeal

What a sad state of affairs. If you read my post earlier today, you know about the Vigano letter/petition, APPEAL FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD to Catholics and all people of good will. 

Among the several dozen original signers was Cardinal Robert Sarah. But after the letter was published, he denied signing it which led to a letter of fraternal correction from Archbishop Vigano.

According to the timeline described by Archbishop Vigano, the cardinal agreed to support the petition on May 4th in a telephone conversation. Archbishop Vigano recorded it. On May 7th at 8:43 a.m., Vigano called Sarah to get the phone number of Cardinal Mueller who apparently also agreed to sign since he's listed on the letter. At that time, according to Vigano, Sarah didn't ask to have his name removed. 

At 3:00 p.m the same day, Vigano officially released the letter to the press and others. 

At 5:48 p.m. almost three hours after the letter was already circulating. Sarah sent a text message to Vigano asking to have his name removed. Vigano didn't see the message for a few hours, but it was obviously already too late.

What happened next is truly shameful! Cardinal Sarah tweeted that he never signed the petition, an act of casuistry if there ever was one. I can see a Jesuit like James Martin saying with a straight face. "I never signed the letter." (Heh, heh....I just gave permission to include my name verbally, so I'm not really lying.)

I'm glad Vigano recorded the conversation. Like Edward Pentin, who fortunately recorded Cardinal Kasper's disparaging comments about the African bishops during the Synod on the Family, Vigano's reputation is also under fire. Cardinal Sarah's denial made every name on the list of signers suspect and slandered Archbishop Vigano. 
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano

How could he do it? Why not just admit he had a change of heart?

His response to Vigano's letter of correction was a sanctimonious tweet:
I will not speak to this petition, which today seems to occupy a lot of people. I leave to their conscience those who want to exploit it in one way or another. I decided not to sign this text. I fully accept my choice. + RS
What kind of answer is that? He did decide to sign and then changed his mind. He doesn't deny or attempt to correct Vigano's claims. One can only assume that he did exactly what the archbishop described in his letter.

That the slander was committed by a man many of us hold in high esteem is the epitome of disappointment. I've read two of Cardinal Sarah's books, The Power of Silence and God or Nothing. I'm almost finished with From the Depths of Our Hearts and The Day is Now Far Spent waits in the queue on the bookshelf. I'm not sure I'll read it now. 

The situation is profoundly ironic in view of the accusation against Sarah claiming he manipulated and misrepresented Pope Emeritus Benedict as co-author of their book on the celibate priesthood, From the Depths of Our Hearts. Sarah was rightly incensed, and he came back with a strong defense insisting that the pope did, indeed, co-author the book. So how could he turn around and commit the same injustice against Archbishop Vigano that was done to him? I'm heartbroken. I'm always heartbroken when I witness betrayal. And I no longer trust Cardinal Sarah.

That's the problem with lying. You betray trust. And trust is hard to win back. 

Cardinal Sarah, we never knew ye....until now. And now...well...It doesn't appear that Vigano is lying....which leaves only one alternative. 

The credibility of one more bishop bites the dust. Pragmatism, once again, trumps honesty and truth. We just never expected that of Cardinal Sarah.

Lord Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, have mercy on us!

9 comments:

  1. Not only did he lie, he then doubled down once caught in the lie. This is what’s most concerning, for it reveals a very deep flaw. I will pray for him, and pray for an end to the several messes we find ourselves in. God is in charge.

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  2. My heart is so heavy right now. Our beautiful Catholic Church is filled with so much discourse and division. Lord Jesus come. Take Care of the vineyard You have planted. We need you.

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  3. “ Pragmatism, once again, trumps honesty and truth.”

    Wow, that quote says it all. I spoke to my ICKSP pastor about my belief that Bergoglio is, by his heresy, not pope and that he should not be remembered in the canon. I also spoke of my belief that the misrepresentations of Catholic doctrine in V2 documents make them invalid - null. I asked if he would be willing to not include Bergoglio in the canon.

    The pastors reply, “What can I do? We need to be pragmatic about the whole situation.” That was all I needed to hear. Men who appear very Holy & orthodox, who celebrate a beautiful mass and teach wonderful sermons - are “pragmatic”.

    I knew at that moment that I, like most Catholics, don’t have faithful pastors to help guide us to heaven. There is always that ‘something’ or a dividing line in the sand that they are not willing to cross. Pragmatism trumps truth IMHO.

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  4. Satan will enter the Church. Cardinals will oppose cardinals. Bishops will be against bishops.... The church will be filled with those who accept compromise. Satan will lead many priests and religious away from God.
    ~~~~ from the Messages of Our Lady at Akita to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa

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  5. Soo disappointed, my heart does not have enough space for my grief over our Church. God help us soon.

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  6. Sorry, Cardinal Sarah was never a man to trust. Do a little poking around on the internet and you'll find many more public irregularities on him compared to Catholic teachings. The problem is some of the time his correct positions are lauded and well publicized so people only see those good things. He is a far cry from a Cardinal Arinze.

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  7. I'm sorry for anyone deeply disappointed. Cdl. Sarah has made his pro-Francis position clear for quite a long time, so he was not someone I trusted. No matter what Francis said or did, Cdl. Sarah was ultimately supportive. Of all the things that Bergoglio has done, I think one could argue his breaking of the First Commandment in the Vatican garden was the worst, and having the black, demonic bowl representing Pachamama brought up to the altar of God.
    That alone should have resulted in a cacophony of protest and outrage. People, and the entire church of former eras, would have stormed the gates. Only those who spoke out publicly and identified it as an outrage against God should be listened to from then on. Did Sarah?

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  8. I'm with you on +Sarah 100%. I have trusted him with 'reservations' for some time now. With this latest betrayal of truth, I have lost ALL trust in him, along with ALL respect. He is no better than all the rest of the wayward Bishops that go along to get along w/the fake Francis Church. Done with him.

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  9. Great analysis. “An act of casuistry” — is an especially excellent summation! Bravo!!

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