A rchive Date
[ 29-05-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Canada ]
|
[http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/coren.html
The cardinal's rules
By MICHAEL COREN -- Sun Media
May 25, 2002
Seldom has the Roman Catholic Church in Canada been as discussed as it is now: the case of the boy who wanted to take his gay lover to the school prom; the wave of abuse revelations; the coming of World Youth Day.
Let me say immediately that I have great respect for much of Roman Catholicism and, excuse my boast, I have been one of its greatest defenders in the media.
But my goodness, it has flaws.
This was made abundantly clear to me some years ago when I interviewed then archbishop but now Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic of Toronto. He is the man considered by the Vatican to be the most important churchman in English Canada. He will vote for the next Pope. His views shape Canadian Catholicism.
"My fellow bishops tell me I'm too frigging pessimistic," was almost the first thing he said to me. I hadn't anticipated the vulgarity of his language, so I asked if he'd prefer me to turn off the tape recorder.
He said no. After all, he already had his own on the table - a demand of his office.
He then poured forth a wave of comments that left me surprised and disappointed.
Referring to a woman journalist who quoted a female critic of him he said, "She just wanted to sic the bitch on me - pardon my French." At this point his press secretary took a turn to ask if she should turn her tape recorder off. Her boss said no.
"I've yet to ever love my neighbour as myself, never," he volunteered. Then, with no prompting, "Look at Europe, God bless us. What's happening in Europe is that the white race is becoming extinct. North Africa is bursting at the seams with a demographic explosion, and I'm afraid that Europe is going to be overwhelmed again, not by military conquest, but by immigration from the Arab countries."
'INFECTED' BY LIBERAL IDEAS
He referred to the "disease of liberal" ideas and that people are "infected" by them. Of the late Spanish dictator General Franco, he said: "Not a bad fellow, he got a particularly bad press."
Then the interview ended and Ambrozic's press person reminded him he had another interview.
"Oh, I don't like that man, don't want to see him," he said.
His secretary began to explain.
"No, no," he rudely interrupted. "I don't want to see him, I don't like him. That's your job, to make up an excuse for me."
He seemed angry, aggressive, with an archaic view of the world. He didn't seem to like people very much.
I thought long and hard before I wrote what this prince of the Church had actually said. It was a Catholic friend who convinced me.
"If this had been a politician or a business leader, would you be hesitating?"
Of course not.
I then found out just how controversial criticism of the Roman Catholic Church can be.
Simply for reporting the truth, I was accused by critics of all sorts of things. I was an anti-Catholic bigot, I had somehow provoked the man, I was a liar, a criminal and, get this, even a pervert. Catholic pundits turned logical and theological somersaults in an attempt to justify and defend their man.
One priest wrote in a Catholic newspaper the most repugnant personal attack on me that I have ever experienced. The odd thing was, his name almost made it into my original profile of Ambrozic. The Archbishop had called this man into his office one day to tell him off. The priest came out of the interview and, according to an eyewitness, was almost in tears.
I thought it would be too embarrassing to name the poor fellow then, and I shall not do so now.
Fairly recently, I saw the cardinal at a function. In a spirit of reconciliation I reached out my hand, but he turned his head and walked away. Then I saw him again, just after a special mass.
Once again, I walked over to him and wished him well. But he simply rushed away.
It is the institution and not its leaders, Catholics argue, that we must consider. Perhaps. I'm just glad cardinals can no longer burn people at the stake.
Michael Coren is a Toronto-based writer and broadcaster. He can be emailed at info@michaelcoren.com and his web site is michaelcoren.com Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@sunpub.com
 World Fact Book (CIA)]]
|