Malaysians concerned over new pope, reform

[emad]

Apr 26, 2005
By Anil Netto

PENANG - Pope Benedict XVI, previously Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, formally began his pontificate on Sunday, after being inaugurated in an open-air mass celebrated in Rome's St Peter's Square. But the ceremony was not a celebration for all, with certain Malaysian Catholic activists and clergy worried that the Church under the new pope will become more insular and clamp down on movements working with the poor.

"My initial reaction was one of shock, rather than exclaiming 'thanks be to God'," said Catherine, a Church worker involved in poverty issues here who only wanted to be identified by her first name.

"I fear the Church has become polarized. On the one hand, you have all these Christians working among the poor and who need the support of the Church. And on the other, you are trying to return to orthodoxy," she told Inter Press Service, referring to Ratzinger's formal inauguration three weeks after the death of his predecessor, John Paul II.

The Catholic Church in Asia needs to develop the themes that Pope John Paul II had spoken about, such as the impact of globalization on Third World countries, she said. "I hope the new pope realizes that the Church needs to move in the direction of acting in solidarity with the poor and the marginalized."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/GD26Ae03.html

[bleedingheart]

1. I keep saying it over and over again, the church wins converts

when it treats people with compassion and views things more liberally.

A return to "orthodoxy"....what does that really mean?

For me it means that they will lecture you on your poverty, how it is your cross to bear...and meanwhile don't stop having kids because we need more Catholics.

I recall going to mass a few years ago and they had a priest from Indonesia asking for us to give more money for their mission...but as I told my husband, they won't give these people birth control to insure that they can feed the children they do have without adding more mouths to feed.