Archbishop Milingo Excommunicated

[melikalani]

This is so sad. Both Papa John Paul II and Papa Benedict XVI had tried to help him remain faithful. We should pray for him.

[url="http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/d2_en.htm"]http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vi...miche/d2_en.htm[/url]

[quote]COMMUNIQUE CONCERNING ARCHBISHOP EMMANUEL MILINGO

VATICAN CITY, SEP 26, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today released a communique concerning the present ecclesial position of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo. The text of the communique is given below:

"With great concern, the Holy See has followed the recent activities of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, emeritus of Lusaka, Zambia, with his new association of married priests, spreading division and confusion among the faithful.

"Church representatives of various levels have tried in vain to contact Archbishop Milingo in order to dissuade him from persisting in actions that provoke scandal, especially among the faithful who followed his pastoral ministry in favor of the poor and the sick.

"Bearing in mind the understanding shown, also recently, by Peter's Successor towards this aged pastor of the Church, the Holy See has awaited with vigilant patience the evolution of events which, unfortunately, have led Archbishop Milingo to a position of irregularity and of progressively open rupture of communion with the Church, first with his attempted marriage and then with the ordination of four bishops on Sunday, September 24, in Washington D.C., U.S.A.

"For this public act both Archbishop Milingo and the four ordinands have incurred excommunication 'latae sententiae,' as laid down in Canon 1382 of the Code of Canon Law. Moreover, the Church does not recognize, nor does she intend to recognize in the future, these ordinations and all ordinations deriving from them; and she considers the canonical status of the four supposed-bishops as being that they held prior to this ordination.

The Apostolic See, attentive to the unity and peace of the flock of Christ, had hoped that the fraternal influence of people close to Archbishop Milingo would cause him to rethink and return to full communion with the Pope. Unfortunately the latest developments have made these hopes more unlikely.

"At times of ecclesial suffering such as these, may prayers intensify among all the community of the faithful." [/quote]

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote]Moreover, the Church does not recognize, nor does she intend to recognize in the future, these ordinations and all ordinations deriving from them; and she considers the canonical status of the four supposed-bishops as being that they held prior to this ordination.[/quote]

Does that mean they're not validly ordained, or simply aren't being recognized with regard to the law?

[prose]

Man... This doesn't come as a surprise at all, it just should have happened earlier before so much confusion was created.

[Mateo el Feo]

My feeling is, this might be sad for archbishop Milingo; but, the Church is sending a clear message that its authority should be respected and not trampled upon.

[thessalonian]

I just saw this on CNN. It was long overdue. This should end the saga of this very confused man.

I would think they are ordained but illicitly so.

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

Nevermind.

Edited September 26, 2006 by thedude

[Didymus]

[quote name='thessalonian' post='1075803' date='Sep 26 2006, 03:29 PM']
I just saw this on CNN. It was long overdue. This should end the saga of this very confused man.

I would think they are ordained but illicitly so.
[/quote]

yeah, because the matter of the sacrament is a male

[Fides_et_Ratio]

the Church is slow to excommunicate until you start performing your own ordinations it seems..

[Era Might]

Yes, because that's a VERY serious matter. Basically, by ordaining Bishops without the consent of the Holy See, you ensure the ability for a schismatic group like the SSPX or Milingo to exist for centuries apart from the Church. This Milingo affair is particularly dangerous, because he could potentially take all those Priests who left to marry and have them set up their own Churches throughout the world, with valid (but illicit) Masses.

[Laudate_Dominum]

yikes! no doubt a charitable anathema given the circumstances.

[PadrePioOfPietrelcino]

It is always ad to see someone move away from Jesus and his family

[cappie]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1075702' date='Sep 27 2006, 03:21 AM']
Does that mean they're not validly ordained, or simply aren't being recognized with regard to the law?
[/quote]


From Dr Peters

Update, Sept. 26: The Holy See regards the activities of Abp. Milingo as grounds for excommunication, and has declared him such. Press Release (Italian). Amy Welborn has an unofficial English translation. Here is the VIS version. There is some very interesting language herein, including: 1) the Holy See has repeatedly, but unsuccesfully, tried to contact Milingo; and 2) the Holy See does not intend to recognize these ordinations, this a remark sure to provoke canonical and theological discussion. For now at least, it seems that whatever Milingo actually did on Sept. 24 was either an ordination, an attempted or pseudo-ordination, or is otherwise being viewed as an equivalent act subject to censure under 1983 CIC 1382.

An observation: in the post-conciliar reform of canon law, criminal law or sanctions was cut to the barest of bones. Since then, many canonists have noted that the canonical descriptions of many crimes seem too narrow to encompass within their strict terms (per 1983 CIC 18) the variations with which actual offenders commit their deeds. While the facts on Milingo are being sorted out, keep alert to the possiblity that, as the living organism which it is, canon law is expanding, in its terms or interpretations, before our eyes to help the Church confront better the multiform duplicities of human behavoir.

[url="http://www.canonlaw.info/blog.html"]http://www.canonlaw.info/blog.html[/url]

[Paladin]

They really didn't even need to excommunicate him; Millingo did it himself latae sententiae. I guess it was bound to happen, what with all the craziness he's been up to. Very unfortunate, especially since schismatic confusion in the African Church is sure to result.

Millingo: The Anti-Arinse.

[Lil Red]

bumper cars

[Lounge Daddy]

hhmmmmmm... interesting stuff
he had it comming - the foot needs to come down at some point, before damage is done, and that damage spreads

I would say that I’m surprised it took this long... but I am really not
God’s Church operates in Her own time, on Her own level --- with prudence and patience… and I trust and hope that this is the case with all matters of God’s Church.
Thanks be to God.