Dutch Catechism Criticized by Cardinal Commission of OWING'

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Dutch Catechism Criticized by Cardinal Commission of OWING' CourieV-Journal — Friday^ Dec. 6, 1968 Dutch Catechism Criticized By Cardinal Commission ATHME (From Courier-Journal Sources) lished; and likewise more recently a ed that the infallibility of the Church Borne — A commission of Cardi­ German translation has appeared and does not give her only a safe course nals, backed by Pope Paul VI, de­ finally a French translation". in continual research but the truth OF OWING' manded that the progressive Dutch The document then proceeded to in maintaining the doctrine of faith catechism return to strict Roman list ten major points in the Dutch and in explaining it always in the Catholic Orthodoxy on at least 10 dis­ catechism which should be subject same sense. puted points. to change. They are: 8. The ministerial or hierarchical Publication of the declaration by 1. God the creator (not only of priesthood and the power of teach­ six Cardinals named by the Pope to the world but also of angels and of ing and ruling in the Church. The study the catechism brought into the souls). The catechism should teach catechism should make clear that open the long-standing dispute over that God has created angels and cre­ the ministerial priesthood differs es­ the catechism and threatened to ates immediately individual human sentially from the common priesthood widen the already significant breach souls. of the faithful. between the Vatican and the ultra- progressive Dutch church. Furthermore the cardinals asked 2. Original sin or the fall of all that the new catechism clearly recog­ men in A.dam. The catechism is to The document traces a long his­ nize that the teaching authority and teach the doctrine that nan in the the power of ruling in the Church is tory of negotiation between Dutch beginning rebelled against God and and Roman delegates. given directly to the Holy Father and so lost for himself and his offspring to the bishops joined with him in The changes demanded were in the that sanctity and justice in which hierarchical communion, and that it Dutch catechism's liberal, nonliteral he. had been constituted, and that Is not given first of all to the Peo­ interpretations of such matters as the he handed on a true state of sin to ple of God to be communicated to all through propagation of human others. The bishops receive their existence of angels, original sin, the nature. virgin birth of Jesus, the nature and mandate from God, not from the people. significance of the Crucifixion, the 3. The conception of Jesus by the presence of Christ's body and blood Virgin Mary. The catechism should The catechism is also to point out in the Eucharist, church authority teach that the Blessed Mother was and moral theology. that the Holy Father and the bish­ always a virgin in fact and not mere­ ops in their teaching office do not The results of the study were made ly in a symbolic sense. merely ^assemble arM approve what known by the Vatican press secre­ 4. The "satisfaction" made by the whole community of the faithful tary, Msgr. Fausto Vallainc, at a Christ our Lord. Jesus, the son of believes. news conference at which he made God, freely died for our sins and special note of the document's lan­ It is also to be presented that the thereby abundantly compensated for Holy Father has the full power of guage with regard to proposed them. changes made by the Holy See's com­ ruling. mission. 5. The sacrifice of the cross and 9. Various points concerning dog­ the sacrifice of the Mass. The sacri­ matic theology. The catechism should "Naturally the declaration says fice of the cross is perpetuated in nothing regarding the opinions that stress the value of contemplating the the Church of God as the Eucharis- mystery of the Trinity, not only in are still debatable, leaving these at tic sacrifice. In the Eucharistic sac­ the full liberty of theologians," Msgr. the economy of salvation, but also in rifice, Jesus as the principal priest the eternal life of the divinity. Vallainc said. offers himself to God through the Msgr. Vallainc also noted that the consecratory oblation which priests Care must be taken that the cate­ tone of declaration is very positive perform and to which the faithful chism does not seem to say that unite themselves. miracles can only be brought about In its approach to making changes. by divine power insofar as they do "It recognizes the uncommon quali­ 6. The Eucharistic presence and not depart from that which the forces ties of the new catechism; it praises Eucharistic change. It Is necessary of the created world are able to pro­ its pastoral, biblical and liturgical that in the text of the catechism it duce. character; it approves the effort made be brought out beyond doubt that to present the Christian message in after the consecration of the bread 10. The text of the catechism is not a manner suited to the modern men­ and wine the very body and blood to make obscure the existence of tality. of Christ is present on the altar and moral laws which we are able to Is received sacramentally in Holy know and express in such a way that SIBLEY'S "It should be noted that the dec­ Communion. they bind our conscience always and laration does not make any con­ in all ciucumstances. Solutions of demnation, but underlines those for­ 7. The infallibility of the Church cases of conscience should be avoid­ mulations which are Incomplete or and the knowledge of revealed mys­ ed which do not sufficiently attend inexact without, however, ever using teries. It should be more clearly stat­ to the indissolubility of marriage. the word "heresy •'" The Dutch Catechism is a serious and thorough discussion of the bases of the Roman Catholic faith. It is ad­ dressed to adults and is not the list Catechism Commentary of questions and answers for chil­ dren preparing for First Communion that is usually associated with the term "catechism." Not 'Censure' of 'Heresy' It has had a large sale in the ori­ ginal Dutch edition and in English, French and German translations. The Vatican City — (RNS) — The Vati­ title, Dossier of the Dutch Catechism. translations were published without can's statement on the Dutch Cate­ New! Carefree "Calypso" China by Syracuse the.episcopal: imprimatur,— sanc­ chism is more of a documentary or a One informed source in Rome de­ tion by at least one bishop — that white book than a condemnation. clares, "The truth is that the Holy • -I.-.1 See does not desire to impose on the New! Now! The earthy china from Syracuse. Exciting, colorful, handcraftedl With is ordmarly required for a doctrinal The term "censure" used by some volume. The first printing of the press dispatches certainly does not Dutch editors what they call the •he great look of pottery and the great plus of Syracuse Carefree — real china English-language edition bears the represent the basic conciliatory tone 'Roman theology,' much less that you don't have to pamper. Free replacements are guaranteed for a year if it imprimatur of the Most Rev. Robert of the document they sacrifice its distinct merits, par­ F. Joyce, Bishop of Burlington, Vt, ticularly its excellent presentation, chips, cracks or breaks. It's oven-proof, stain-proof, dishwasher-proof. Colors who later withdrew it The Vatican Press officer, obvious­ so attractive to the modern reader. locked in forever. Sixteen piece starter set includes: 4 dinner, 4 salads, 4 cups, ly acting on instructions, pointed out 4 saucers. Featured above is "Largo" available in antique gold. The Cardinals took pains to recog­ that the statement is positive and "The Vatican only wants that the nize the "praiseworthy pastoral, full of praise for the catechism's pas­ present text avoid expressions that liturgical and Biblical character" of toral, biblical and liturgical charac­ the ordinary Christian might inter­ 16-piece starter set, Surf White, open stock, Reg. 36.20, special 27.95 the catechism and the "laudable pur­ ter. Its comments, he said are not pret in a sense not in line with the pose" of the authors to present the "condemnations" and the term teaching of the Church. This is not faith "in a way adapted to the un­ "heresy" is never used. too much to ask of a catechism, even 16-piece starter set, Colors, open stock, Reg. 48.00, special 36.95 derstanding and the thinking of the for adults." present-day man." What will happen after this de­ pends on the reactions to the Vati­ Does the catechism introduce new The eight-page document was sign­ can's insistence on clear expressions doctrines through calculated obscuri ed by the members of the special of traditional doctrines. ties and ambiguities? commission. They are Joseph Cardi­ Sibley's China, Fourth Floor and all suburban stores nal Frings of Cologne, Germany; Jo­ What stirred the Vatican into re­ The latter interpretation seems to seph Cardinal Lefebvre of Bourge, leasing the position of the six-mem­ be held by some theologians in Rome France; Lorenz Cardinal Jaeger of ber commission of cardinals, largely and also in the Netherlands who Surf White, oyster white intaglio Paderborn, Germany; Ermenegildo chosen from the resident bishops in point to the controversial writings Cardinal Florit of Florence, Italy; Europe outside of Rome, was the of some of the contributors to the wreath design Michael Cardinal Browne of the Ro­ publication in Dutch newspapers of catechism whose ideas are faintly man curia, and. Charles Cardinal many hitherto confidential and secret echoed in the catechism.
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