Fr. Raymond J. de Souza: Unpacking the Theater of Cardinal Marx’s Resignation

COMMENTARY: Pope Francis and the German cardinal clearly intended to communicate something of importance with their public exchange of letters. But what?

Father Raymond J. de Souza, EWTN News, June 15, 2021

Father Raymond J. de Souza Father Raymond J. de Souza is the founding editor of Convivium magazine.

I was wrong about the resignation of Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich.

I wrote here that “it is unlikely that Pope Francis would have permitted [Marx’s resignation letter] to be published if he did not intend to accept it.”

Wrong, but perhaps understandably so. Objectively it remains “unlikely” that a superior would permit someone to publish a resignation letter if he did not intend to accept it. But unlikely things sometimes happen, and Cardinal Marx’ non-resignation is one of them.

What then does it mean?

Pope Francis and Cardinal Marx clearly intended to communicate something of importance with their public exchange of letters. But what? What goal was being pursued? …

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