The Bishop of Malolos the Most Reverend Jose Oliveros has complained that the healing masses of Father Fernando Suarez, a Canada based priest violated Vatican rules. The Manila Times reports on the issue.
The bishop cites the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ruling instituted by no other than Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who is now known as Pope Benedict XVI.
Churches with an episcopal form of government give territorial authority to bishops. Anyone who wants to minister to congregations within a diocese has to get the go ahead from the bishop. But it seems that Suarez did not bother to ask Oliveros for permission.
But Oliveros was quoted to have said "I cannot unfortunately say that [whether Suarez is a real healer], although some people claimed they were healed. It needs further study, maybe, on the part of us bishops,”
Fine but Oliveros may have legit concerns according to canon law of whether Suarez has the right or not to dispense the sacraments in his diocese. If he had stopped at that issue then we can respect his stand.
But to publicly say that he had doubts on Suarez healing powers after that complaint is in bad taste. While I may doubt as a scientist if Suarez' s mass goers were indeed cured, the human being in me would gladly give the benefit of the doubt. Why gripe on a point of canon law when it seems he had doubts on Suarez's source of grace?
If Oliveros was pastoral enough he need not say these words in a press con but gently remind his flock what really is indeed healing grace.
Oliveros would be served well if he leafs through his Bible especially in the Gospels first before he leafs through Ratzinger's theological works. When Ratzinger wrote his theology he had not the grace of infallibility! In contrast Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote inspired infallible Gospels!
Jesus Christ has a lot of strong words to describe Oliveros' attitude. If you want to find what those are, read your Bible this National Bible Month.
The bishop cites the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ruling instituted by no other than Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who is now known as Pope Benedict XVI.
Churches with an episcopal form of government give territorial authority to bishops. Anyone who wants to minister to congregations within a diocese has to get the go ahead from the bishop. But it seems that Suarez did not bother to ask Oliveros for permission.
But Oliveros was quoted to have said "I cannot unfortunately say that [whether Suarez is a real healer], although some people claimed they were healed. It needs further study, maybe, on the part of us bishops,”
Fine but Oliveros may have legit concerns according to canon law of whether Suarez has the right or not to dispense the sacraments in his diocese. If he had stopped at that issue then we can respect his stand.
But to publicly say that he had doubts on Suarez healing powers after that complaint is in bad taste. While I may doubt as a scientist if Suarez' s mass goers were indeed cured, the human being in me would gladly give the benefit of the doubt. Why gripe on a point of canon law when it seems he had doubts on Suarez's source of grace?
If Oliveros was pastoral enough he need not say these words in a press con but gently remind his flock what really is indeed healing grace.
Oliveros would be served well if he leafs through his Bible especially in the Gospels first before he leafs through Ratzinger's theological works. When Ratzinger wrote his theology he had not the grace of infallibility! In contrast Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote inspired infallible Gospels!
Jesus Christ has a lot of strong words to describe Oliveros' attitude. If you want to find what those are, read your Bible this National Bible Month.
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