Vatican rejects Holocaust-denying bishop's apology

[Matilda]

"The Vatican has rejected an apology from a bishop whose denial of the Holocaust has caused international uproar.

A Vatican spokesman says British Bishop Richard Williamson has failed to meet the Catholic Church's demand for a full and public recanting of his remarks.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said a letter of apology from Bishop Williamson "doesn't seem to have respected the conditions" set by the Vatican on February 4, under which the bishop was to "distance himself absolutely and publicly" from his positions concerning the Holocaust."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/28/2503898.htm


I take it this means that Bishop Williamson will not be welcomed back
into the fold? What a shambolic mess.

The Vatican would have an army of reserachers at its disposal, and it's
hard to believe none of them could have found references to the Bishop's
remarks. And as there is ample historical documented evidence of the
holocaust, assertions that the evidence is false can only be based on
mindless anti-semitism. Not a good look for the modern Church.

This isn't the first time the Holy Father has got himself into hot
water, and I wonder whether his advisers are not doing their job
properly or is he something of a loose canon, blindly following his own
instincts? He is certainly not a fool, but he's doing little for the
overall image of the Catholic Church as a modern, relevant entity.

[DemBones DemBones]

1. I blame the Pope's advisors, just as I blame Obama's

advisors for not sussing out Tom Daschle's tax problems and problems with others chosen for the administration before decisions were announced. The Pope was dealing with the question of the SSPX in its entirety but somebody high up in the Vatican should have been looking at each of the four bishops individually.