Pope’s defenders offer a breath of fresh air

FOR most faithful Catholics, the Easter speeches in defence of Pope Benedict were a welcome breath of fresh air and not a moment too soon.

Most of us were beginning to wonder would the church ever begin to speak out in its defence. Both Fr Raniero Cantalamessa and Cardinal Angelo Sodano are to be congratulated for speaking out and articulating the voice of the faithful in defending the Holy Father. The liberal/feminist witch-hunt against Pope Benedict was identified most accurately by Rabbi David Rosen, director of the American Jewish Committee’s Department of Interreligious Affair, when recently he stated: “One cannot avoid the conclusion that there is a widespread begrudging attitude towards Benedict XV1 in the media and even hostility in some quarters; and it is not too difficult to analyse. As a generalisation it is fair to say the media is generally liberal-fundamentalist and very aggressively secular. The reasoned/rational approach of the Pope is anathema to such a world view.”

It’s called hitting the nail firmly on the head.