Viganò Excommunicated: Conservative Archbishop Clashes with Pope Francis
Submitted by MAGA
Posted 3 days ago
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has been excommunicated by Pope Francis for the crime of schism. The Vatican's doctrine office imposed the penalty after a meeting of its members on Thursday, a press statement said Friday.
The office cited Viganò's "refusal to recognize and submit to the Supreme Pontiff, his rejection of communion with the members of the church subject to him and of the legitimacy and magisterial authority of the Second Vatican Council," as its reasoning for the ruling.
Viganò, who once served as the Vatican's ambassador to the U.S., has been a vocal critic of Pope Francis and his policies. He has accused the Pope of covering up sexual abuse allegations and has called for his resignation.
The excommunication means that Viganò is formally outside the church and cannot celebrate or receive its sacraments. Schism is considered one of the gravest crimes in canon law, as it threatens the unity of the church.
Viganò has created a following of like-minded conservatives and traditionalists over the years, as he delved deeper into conspiracy theories about everything from the coronavirus pandemic to the "Great Reset" and other fringe ideas.
During his time as envoy in Washington, Viganò also made headlines during Francis' 2015 visit to the United States, which as nuncio he helped organize. However, he arranged for Kim Davis, a Kentucky clerk at the center of the U.S. gay marriage debate, to be among a small group of people at the Vatican residence to greet Francis.
The Vatican later turned that claim on its head when it released footage of what it said was the "only" private audience Francis had in Washington: with a small group of people that included a gay couple.
Viganò's deception in inviting Davis to meet the pope appeared to put the two on what would become a collision course that exploded in August 2018. Viganò, who retired in 2016 at age 75, convulsed the Holy See with accusations of sex abuse in 2018, calling on Francis to resign.
The Vatican rejected the accusation of a cover-up of sexual misconduct and last month summoned Viganò to answer charges of schism and denying the pope's legitimacy. Viganò, who regarded the accusations "as an honor," said he refused to take part in the disciplinary proceedings because he did not accept the legitimacy of the institutions behind it.
Viganò restated his rejection of Vatican Council II, calling it "the ideological, theological, moral and liturgical cancer of which the (Francis') 'synod church' is the necessary metastasis."
The excommunication of Viganò is a significant development in the ongoing tensions between conservative and progressive factions within the Catholic Church. While some may see this as a victory for Pope Francis and his supporters, others may view it as a troubling sign of the growing divide within the Church.
As the Catholic Church continues to grapple with issues of sexual abuse, financial mismanagement, and doctrinal disagreements, the excommunication of Viganò is likely to further fuel the debate over the direction of the Church and the role of the Pope in leading it.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com
americamagazine.org
cbsnews.com
The office cited Viganò's "refusal to recognize and submit to the Supreme Pontiff, his rejection of communion with the members of the church subject to him and of the legitimacy and magisterial authority of the Second Vatican Council," as its reasoning for the ruling.
Viganò, who once served as the Vatican's ambassador to the U.S., has been a vocal critic of Pope Francis and his policies. He has accused the Pope of covering up sexual abuse allegations and has called for his resignation.
The excommunication means that Viganò is formally outside the church and cannot celebrate or receive its sacraments. Schism is considered one of the gravest crimes in canon law, as it threatens the unity of the church.
Viganò has created a following of like-minded conservatives and traditionalists over the years, as he delved deeper into conspiracy theories about everything from the coronavirus pandemic to the "Great Reset" and other fringe ideas.
During his time as envoy in Washington, Viganò also made headlines during Francis' 2015 visit to the United States, which as nuncio he helped organize. However, he arranged for Kim Davis, a Kentucky clerk at the center of the U.S. gay marriage debate, to be among a small group of people at the Vatican residence to greet Francis.
The Vatican later turned that claim on its head when it released footage of what it said was the "only" private audience Francis had in Washington: with a small group of people that included a gay couple.
Viganò's deception in inviting Davis to meet the pope appeared to put the two on what would become a collision course that exploded in August 2018. Viganò, who retired in 2016 at age 75, convulsed the Holy See with accusations of sex abuse in 2018, calling on Francis to resign.
The Vatican rejected the accusation of a cover-up of sexual misconduct and last month summoned Viganò to answer charges of schism and denying the pope's legitimacy. Viganò, who regarded the accusations "as an honor," said he refused to take part in the disciplinary proceedings because he did not accept the legitimacy of the institutions behind it.
Viganò restated his rejection of Vatican Council II, calling it "the ideological, theological, moral and liturgical cancer of which the (Francis') 'synod church' is the necessary metastasis."
The excommunication of Viganò is a significant development in the ongoing tensions between conservative and progressive factions within the Catholic Church. While some may see this as a victory for Pope Francis and his supporters, others may view it as a troubling sign of the growing divide within the Church.
As the Catholic Church continues to grapple with issues of sexual abuse, financial mismanagement, and doctrinal disagreements, the excommunication of Viganò is likely to further fuel the debate over the direction of the Church and the role of the Pope in leading it.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com
americamagazine.org
cbsnews.com
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