Cardinal Müller : Delegated decisions on the family to bishops' conferences is an "anti-Catholic idea"

The French Magazine, Famille Chrétienne, is carrying an interview this morning with Gerhard Ludwig Cardinal Müller, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

This is only an excerpt from the interview with the rest in French requiring a registration. However, in this short question and answer, the Prefect states quite clearly that those in Germany such as Cardinal Marx who take the attitude that they are "not a subsidiary of Rome" are engaging in an "absolutely anti-Catholic idea." Cardinal Müller continues with general comments about the role of Episcopal Conferences that dioceses are not subsidiaries of the secretariat of an episcopal conference and that President "is nothing more than a technical moderator," and certainly not a little pope!

It appears that Cardinal Marx is becoming more isolated and exposed for what is, when it comes to the Church in Germany, a schismatic mentality 

The translation of the article is below with emphasis:



Cardinal Müller: "The bishop is to be a martyr by the word"
26/03/2015 - Par Jean-Marie Dumont

In this exclusive interview, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, answers questions raised in the Church at the Synod on the family. 

In a book of interviews on family, recently published in Italy and the United States, you encourage Christians to "choose the prophetic courage of martyrdom." Why?

The Church is not a philanthropic organisation. To say that we respect the views of all, we want good to all, is not enough. Present the Gospel as a single therapeutic message is not very difficult, but does not meet the requirement of Jesus. "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and if we speak all kinds of evil against you because of me," Jesus said. The first apostles, Church Fathers, the great bishops of the Church's history have so often sailed facing headwinds. How could it be otherwise for us?

Some doctrinal or disciplinary decisions on marriage and the family can they be delegated to the bishops' conferences?

 

This is an absolutely anti-Catholic idea that does not respect the catholicity of the Church. Episcopal conferences have authority over certain issues, but not a magisterium next to the Magisterium, without the pope and without communion with the Bishops. This is an absolutely anti-Catholic idea.

Recently, a German bishop said the Episcopal Conference he leads was not a "subsidiary of Rome". What about you?

An episcopal conference is not a particular council, much less an ecumenical council. The president of an Episcopal Conference is nothing more than a technical moderator, and as such has no special teaching authority. To hear that a Bishops' Conference is not a "subsidiary of Rome" gives me the opportunity to recall that the dioceses are not subsidiaries of the secretariat of an episcopal conference or diocese whose Bishop presides over the Episcopal Conference. This attitude makes the risk of waking some polarisation between the local churches and the universal Church, exceeded in the councils Vatican I and Vatican II. The Church is not a set of national churches, including the presidents would vote to elect their leader at the universal level.