Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani has criticised the Prefect of the
Congregation for the Faith, Gerhard Ludwig Müller for opening up to
Liberation Theology.
Müller, whom Benedict XVI nominated leader of the
Congregation in 2012, is the co-author – alongside liberation theologian
Gustavo Gutiérrez – of the book “Dalla parte dei poveri. Teologia della liberazione, teologia della Chiesa” (“On the Side of the Poor: Liberation Theology, Theology of the Church”),
a recent Italian edition of a book they wrote in German in 2004.
A
great deal was written about the book in the columns of Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano. Gutiérrez met with Pope Francis last September.
Cipriani is Archbishop of Lima and the first cardinal to head a
diocese belonging to the Opus Dei. He had already criticised the Prefect
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith once a week or so ago
about his stance towards Liberation Theology.
The Peruvian cardinal
still seems to feel strongly about it, as is clear in this interview he gave in Spanish.
Answering a question about some previous statements he made, Cipriani
said: “I still say (Müller) is naive. Gustavo Gutiérrez concelebrated
mass with the Pope and 25 other priests. At the end of the mass, the
Pope greeted everyone and he did the same with Gutiérrez. Let’s not make
up stories about an audience and some reconciliation now.”
The interviewer mentioned an answer given by the Prefect of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Prefect apparently said
he was not bothered about being naive but stressed the importance of
“reconciliation” among the “parties” within the Church.
“I don’t agree
with his statement about parties within the Church. I think he has got
it wrong. Mgr. Müller’s job is to defend the sound doctrine of the
Catholic faith so he should stop being naive and be more prudent. I say
this with all humility.”
Regarding Pope Francis’ recent decision to confirm Müller’s position
as head of the Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith, Cipriani
remarked: “He knows what he’s talking about when it comes to theology
and is editing Ratzinger’s Opera Omnia, or complete works. He is an
academic with a university background. No one questions his intellectual
abilities.”