CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER, PREFECT OF HOLY OFFICE, SEVERELY CRITICIZES THE RESULTS OF VATICAN COUNCIL II

Juan Arias, Rome

        The German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Faith, previously the Holy Office, the highest doctrinal authority in the Church, after the Pope, has spoken out strongly against the results of Vatican II. In a long interview conceded to the weekly "Jesus," he speaks of the urgency of "restoring" the Church, he criticizes the episcopal conferences and the American theologians, he calls some non-christian religions "reigns of terror," he warns against the danger of an African council, and admits that a real personal devil exists. These statements by the so-called "gendarm of Pope Wojtyla," have had a strong impact in the Vatican, especially in the more progressive circles who are inspired by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Casaroli.
        The affirmations of Ratzinger, as theologian and the first German to head the most important congregation of the Roman Curia, whose actual real head is the Pope himself, are a resume of an interview lasting several hours, and which will be published in the form of a book.
        One of the most disconcerting chapters, and which will not fail to raise a strong controversy, is the one which attacks the episcopal conferences, and which calls for returning to the old system which reserved more power to the individual bishop. "The episcopal conferences," affirms Ratzinger, "have no theological basis, as do on the contrary the individual bishops; they have only existence for practical reasons, and it is important not to forget this. In many of the episcopal conferences the espirit de corps, perhaps the desire to get along well with the group, or even a compulsion to conform, pressures the majority to accept avant garde positions of the minorities."
        As regards Vatican Council II, Ratzinger affirms: "The results were totally opposite to the hopes of all." He adds, "We had hoped in renewed Catholic unity and the results have been a pattern of autocriticism leading to self-destruction. We had hoped for a new enthusiasm, but the results have been discouragement and boredom." He concludes that the post-conciliar period has been "decidedly negative for the Catholic Church." And this for the entire Church, for the Prefect of the Holy Office affirms that there is a crisis of faith in all of the continents with one exception, namely Communist countries where "the Church is persecuted."
        In Latin America the crisis is due, according to Ratzinger, to "Marxist influences," and affirms that dialogue with the liberation theologians is impossible since "they accept as fact the illusionary goal of utilizing the class struggle as a means of achieving reforms and eliminating misery and injustice." In Europe and the United States, the crisis lies in "permissive morality" and blames North American theologians, "who have not been capable of defending Catholic ethics as being reasonable."
        What we need badly now, says Ratzinger, is to create bishops "who are capable of opposing with strength the negative worldly tendencies," in as much as "he is totally ignorant of the nature of the Church and the nature of the world, who believes that these two can meet without conflict or that they be somehow mixed." Therefore we must urgently oppose "the many worldly cultural tendencies adopted by post-conciliar euphoria."
        Extremely harsh also were the words used by Ratzinger in passing judgment on other religions: "After the Council," he says, "their value has been over emphasized; paganism painted as being serene and innocent is one of the illusions of our time. In fact, there exists the active presence of the devil, and from this only Christ can free us. For this reason we must continue to preach Christianity to these non-Christian religions which are in many instances reigns of terror."
        The first reactions in the Roman Curia have been of surprise. Some are questioning the prudence of a personage such as Ratzinger, who is charged with vigilance over Catholic orthodoxy, should express himself publicly in this manner, giving the impression of wishing to stigmatize nothing less than Vatican II itself, and criticizing the episcopal conferences, which are the only democratic structures instituted by the Council for the Church. And all of them wonder if this interview has been made public with or without the knowledge of the Pope, although it is acknowledged that Cardinal Ratzinger above all others enjoys the confidence of Pope John Paul II, and is considered a "theological bastion."