Pope Benedict XVI's Sinks His Teeth Into the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru
Constitution issued some general norms that were enforceable under canon law.
Since the promulgation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the history of relations between the Holy See and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru has been one of chronic disobedience by the governing authorities of that educational institution. Its governing bodies have been unfaithful to the original foundation and to the vision of the donors, and they have steered that institution to one that actively works against, and not in service to, the faith and morals of the Catholic Church.
Under current statutes of the university, the local Archbishop of Lima, Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, is the Grand Chancellor of the institution. When he tried to exercise his authority over the institution, he was sharply rebuffed, necessitating the involvement of the Roman Curia.
Over the last decades, the university's governing bodies have been equally deaf to the overtures of the Roman curia. Most recently, the university's governing assembly refused to recognize the warnings sent from the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education. In 2011, the Congregation sent a letter to Rector Marcial Rubio outlining the various ways that the university's statutes had to be changed to conform to the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae. The internal governing body of the university, the University Assembly, refused to conform to the requests.
The Secretary of State for the Vatican then became involved. Despite an apostolic visit and audit handled by Peter Cardinal Erdö on behalf of the Vatican Secretary of State, and despite numerous efforts to reach an amicable agreement, no reconciliation seemed possible. A final deadline for the university to conform itself to the requirements of canon law passed on April 8, 2012. Subsequent warnings went unheeded by the university.
Instead--based upon a false understanding of academic freedom--the Peruvian university showed its intent to act against the mission of the Church and to guide "its institutional initiatives according to criteria that are incompatible with the discipline and morals of the Church," said the decree issued by Cardinal Bertone.
So, after a series of decades-long efforts on the part of Church authorities--rebuffed each time by the university officials--the Church had no choice but to issue its sanctions.
So ends the history of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. Not with a bang, but a whimper.
While the institution cannot use the titles Pontifical or Catholic, the Secretary of State insisted that the Church still retained jurisdiction over the structure and institution itself. We hope that there may still be the possibility of reconciliation.
It would behoove the university officials to read the opening chapter of Thomas a Kempis's Imitation of Christ which begins with reference to the same chapter in the Gospel of John referred to in the university's motto:
"'He who follows Me, walks not in darkness,' says the Lord (John 8:12). By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ."
"The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ."
"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel compunction than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone."
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Andrew M. Greenwell is an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas, practicing in Corpus Christi, Texas. He is married with three children. He maintains a blog entirely devoted to the natural law called Lex Christianorum. You can contact Andrew at agreenwell@harris-greenwell.com.
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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.
Keywords: Cardinal Bertone, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru
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Andrew M. Greenwell: Informing Article! I am saddened to hear of more corruption w/in the Catholic Church. But I am more than >happy that Our Holy Father is doing something about it. And yes, as one said on this board, there are many more schools to be dealt with. A cleaning of house, as it were. Our Lady, Pray For Us. Blessings...
@Jack Gubbaloskis. There is no "People of God" issue involved at all. What's involved is a bunch of administrators and academics (both lay and clerical) that have lost the Catholic faith and dedication to the Magisterium. They have breached their trust to the University, its founders, its vision, and all the worldly assets that its benefactors dispensed for the purpose of enriching and furthering the education of young people within the boundaries of the Catholic faith. In a manner of speaking, they are thieves.
Jack, no, the Pope (who is Christ on Earth) is not joking. Pope Benedict condemned Liberation Theology, but did praise it in some respects: ideals of justice, rejection of violence, and its stress on "the responsibility which Christians necessarily bear for the poor and oppressed." You cannot apply "Catholic" to an institution and teach Liberation Theology, it is not in line with the teachings of the faith. I applaud the Pope for standing up for the church. Liberation theology has roots in Marxism, just do some research. People make mistakes, but the church does not. To mock the Pope or to posit that he is fallible is to say that Jesus himself and his ideals are flawed. There is enough confusion within the church, there does not need to be any more. God Bless!
The Pope must be joking. Our church is the church of the "People of God". Lay people have become much more aware of the Christian faith, especially, the women. I applaud the courage of governing assembly of the University to uphold the concepts of "Liberation Theology" which focus of freedom and justice. These concepts are alien to the so-called intellectuals in the Vatican. Civil law is above canon law when it comes to directing students to addressing the realities of daily living.
Example: if the university was named Coca-Cola University of Peru and they decided to serve Pepsi products against policy, I'm more than confident that Coca-Cola would have their heads. But what I am asking is if the university's name as is would be the same thing? For example, can I legally open up a "Mike's Catholic Lemonade" stand on the corner of the street without any legal ramifications ? I mean the pope can decree and decry all the way home, but does it have any more effect than a fleeing bandit snubbing an old-fashioned "Stop! Stop in the name of the Law !!" by an officer ?
If the Holy Father is truely intend on making this the first step of an academic house cleaning he can continue with Notre Dame and Georgetown.
In other words "Liberation theology" is moving away from the Apostolic faith, which can also be called as moving towards another christ, & is anybody's guess as to who the other christ is. Bodily liberation without Spiritual liberation is no liberation & as a matter of fact is slavery caused through rebellion against Christ, as the Bible calls it "the great deceit".
I follow Our Lord Jesus Christ. What did He institute and why? Praise God for Holy Mother Church, the Holy Father, and the Magisterium.
So after appointing Archbishop Muller, who is a follower of liberation theology, to head the Inquisition, Pope Benedict then attacks a university professing liberation theology? I think the good Pontiff needs to look closer to home.
University of Peru sounds a lot better than Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.