I think he was one of those breeds of men who were always of the center left, but whereas someone like Walter Kasper became a bit of a progressive boogeyman, he looked for areas where he could not only work with those across the ideological spectrum, but, as is the case with the Catechism, irrevocably put his mark on things and help steer them.
Ironically such future cases might not be as readily apparent. As the Churches globalizes in its appointments, and there is increasing pressure to have laity in positions that used to be solely clerical, you won't need to see such flexibility and tactical thinking, as the future trend will probably just be if the pope can't find a bishop ro cardinal as an ally on the cause, he'll turn to a member of the laity, at least for the intellectual firepower.
Interesting how in both the film of Sister Act and the stage production (based on the photo of Michael Schonborn), the Monsignor wears his stole on top of the chasuble.
The cardinal’s work on the Catechism is undoubtedly his greatest contribution and for this he deserves much praise.
As for his theological perspective, I think he always had some left ward tendencies, but what separated him from more liberal clergyman was his reverence of revelation and his resourcement outlook. He always saw Revelation, Tradition, and the Fathers as authoritative and not to be relativized.
I am worried about priests refusing to be named a bishop, because it is a sign of disobedience and lack of trust in God. It never ends well for those dioceses or for those who refuse to take on the cross assigned to them by God.
But in this particular case it is also a fault of Cardinal Schonborn, who has promoted liberal priests and bishops in Austria who probably don't care much about obedience or trusting God, but don't want the additional workload.
The Cardinal, for example, forced the resignation of an Austrian bishop-elect because he supported the Traditional Latin Mass and because he had written that some natural disasters were chastisement from God (which they are, but our modern morally lax society and clergy fail to see the obvious unlike people in the past). He also prevented the good conservative and brilliant Austrian Bishop Andreas Laun, auxiliary bishop of Salzburg for over 20 years, from getting his own diocese. Cardinal Schonborn was good in harming the Church in Austria and fooling Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. That he could not even find someone to replace him in Vienna confirms his poor leadership of the Austrian Church in the last 30 years.
A priest only promises respect and obedience to his ordinary. He doesn't promise respect and obedience to the pope (although he owes submission of intellect and will to the magisterium like every Catholic). There are good reasons why a man may decline a call to the episcopacy. Since the process is so secretive, it wouldn't be uncommon for the priest to decline because of valid reaons that were not known to those who were leading the process. Things like a diagnosis of a serious illness or condition, past difficulties, or an honest assesment that the man does not have the requisite gifts to accept the call.
I think he was one of those breeds of men who were always of the center left, but whereas someone like Walter Kasper became a bit of a progressive boogeyman, he looked for areas where he could not only work with those across the ideological spectrum, but, as is the case with the Catechism, irrevocably put his mark on things and help steer them.
Ironically such future cases might not be as readily apparent. As the Churches globalizes in its appointments, and there is increasing pressure to have laity in positions that used to be solely clerical, you won't need to see such flexibility and tactical thinking, as the future trend will probably just be if the pope can't find a bishop ro cardinal as an ally on the cause, he'll turn to a member of the laity, at least for the intellectual firepower.
Interesting how in both the film of Sister Act and the stage production (based on the photo of Michael Schonborn), the Monsignor wears his stole on top of the chasuble.
The cardinal’s work on the Catechism is undoubtedly his greatest contribution and for this he deserves much praise.
As for his theological perspective, I think he always had some left ward tendencies, but what separated him from more liberal clergyman was his reverence of revelation and his resourcement outlook. He always saw Revelation, Tradition, and the Fathers as authoritative and not to be relativized.
I am worried about priests refusing to be named a bishop, because it is a sign of disobedience and lack of trust in God. It never ends well for those dioceses or for those who refuse to take on the cross assigned to them by God.
But in this particular case it is also a fault of Cardinal Schonborn, who has promoted liberal priests and bishops in Austria who probably don't care much about obedience or trusting God, but don't want the additional workload.
The Cardinal, for example, forced the resignation of an Austrian bishop-elect because he supported the Traditional Latin Mass and because he had written that some natural disasters were chastisement from God (which they are, but our modern morally lax society and clergy fail to see the obvious unlike people in the past). He also prevented the good conservative and brilliant Austrian Bishop Andreas Laun, auxiliary bishop of Salzburg for over 20 years, from getting his own diocese. Cardinal Schonborn was good in harming the Church in Austria and fooling Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. That he could not even find someone to replace him in Vienna confirms his poor leadership of the Austrian Church in the last 30 years.
A priest only promises respect and obedience to his ordinary. He doesn't promise respect and obedience to the pope (although he owes submission of intellect and will to the magisterium like every Catholic). There are good reasons why a man may decline a call to the episcopacy. Since the process is so secretive, it wouldn't be uncommon for the priest to decline because of valid reaons that were not known to those who were leading the process. Things like a diagnosis of a serious illness or condition, past difficulties, or an honest assesment that the man does not have the requisite gifts to accept the call.
Did you like his note to Pope Benedict XVI though? https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253379/cardinal-schonborn-calls-ganswein-book-unseemly-indiscretion-confirms-key-detail-of-benedict-papacy
I’m grateful for his service to the Church. We’ll not soon see his like again.