Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, 85, Dies; Held Liberal Views (original) (raw)
Europe|Cardinal Carlo Martini, Papal Contender, Dies at 85
Advertisement
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
Cardinal Carlo Martini, Papal Contender, Dies at 85
- Aug. 31, 2012
ROME — Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most influential progressive thinkers, who once was considered as a possible successor to Pope John Paul II, died in a Jesuit retreat near Milan on Friday. He was 85.
His death was announced by the Archdiocese of Milan, where he had been archbishop for 22 years before retiring in 2002. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for some time.
In the later years of Pope John Paul II’s tenure, Cardinal Martini was frequently mentioned as a contender to be the next pope, especially by members of the church’s progressive wing. But in the 2005 conclave after the pope’s death, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a hard-line defender of the faith, was the choice, becoming Pope Benedict XVI.
In a message sent on Friday to the current archbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola, Pope Benedict praised Cardinal Martini as an “authoritative biblical scholar” and “a zealous prelate.”
A Jesuit who was a respected expert on Scripture and the early church, Cardinal Martini espoused liberal, if diplomatically couched, views on a range of subjects — including priestly celibacy, the right to die, condom use and even abortion — that sometimes put him at odds with church doctrine.
In 2005, for instance, the Catholic News Service described him as having expressed “openness to the possibility of allowing married Latin-rite priests under certain circumstances,” as well as to the ordination of women as deacons.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Advertisement