| Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Thu, 26 February 2009 10:01  |
 japhy
Messages: 480
Registered: October 2008
Location: Princeton, NJ |
Senior Member |
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DECLARATION
The Holy Father and my Superior, Bishop Bernard Fellay, have requested that I reconsider the remarks I made on Swedish television four months ago, because their consequences have been so heavy.
Observing these consequences I can truthfully say that I regret having made such remarks, and that if I had known beforehand the full harm and hurt to which they would give rise, especially to the Church, but also to survivors and relatives of victims of injustice under the Third Reich, I would not have made them.
On Swedish television I gave only the opinion (..."I believe"..."I believe"...) of a non-historian, an opinion formed 20 years ago on the basis of evidence then available and rarely expressed in public since. However, the events of recent weeks and the advice of senior members of the Society of St. Pius X have persuaded me of my responsibility for much distress caused. To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said before God I apologise.
As the Holy Father has said, every act of injust violence against one man hurts all mankind.
+Richard Williamson
London 26 February 2009.
My Blogs: Praying The Mass and The Cross Reference
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| Re: Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Thu, 26 February 2009 10:26  |
Karl
Messages: 1306
Registered: April 2004 |
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It is an improvement on his prior expression of regret, but it even a number of traditionalists are aware that it's not quite there yet, because he carefully dances around the core problem - the error of his opinion itself (and why certain errors of opinion in this matter are not mere matters of opinion but are fraught with grave consequences) - though leaving open the possibility that he may yet address it.
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| Re: Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Thu, 26 February 2009 11:50 |
PS4Ever
Messages: 1608
Registered: September 2007 |
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He was mislead by various studies. One knows by the amount of people who believe 9-11 conspiracies, moon landing theories, etc... that people can be convinced thoroughly of things very easily that the rest of us are not. And the second we stop allowing those people to express their opinions and close debate is the second we become a lesser society. People are misinformed all the time, but to say that there is to be no question of facts starts a scary slippery slope. The Bishop's views, no matter how wrong they are, are based on some sort of research - no matter how bad it is. He, as a Bishop, shouldn't be open about believing that the moon landing didn't happen, 9-11 was planned by the government, or that the holocaust was less destructive than history says. The Bishop should, instead, continue studying others' findings on the holocaust and thus be lead to the truth.
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| Re: Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Thu, 26 February 2009 12:07 |
Anne
Messages: 3816
Registered: April 2004 |
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Hmmm "...the second we stop allowing those people to express their opinions and close debate is the second we become a lesser society."
I agree with that statement but it is funny how you can say that about a traditionalist but not about progressive thought as in issues surrounding Holy Orders for women. Women and their supporters are suppose to shut up because the church says so but Bishop Williamson and his ilk should keep discussing and researching. Shouldn't your statement apply to both? 
[Updated on: Thu, 26 February 2009 12:07]
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| Re: Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Thu, 26 February 2009 12:35 |
Karl
Messages: 1306
Registered: April 2004 |
Senior Member |
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He's allowed to express an erroneous opinion. He just then needs to accept the consequences of that expression: his credulity (on the issue in question) being questioned, being called on the error and detaching from pride in correcting that error, among many other things. Also, this error & credulity, when seen in the context of his other intemperate statements (and that's being charitable) on matters Jewish, reasonably calls into question his good faith on matters Jewish [note: I did not say it thereby proves his bad faith - note the distinction], and that is also a consequence of his free expression.
When did free speech mean, everyone gets to say what they want and, so long as it's sincerely held by him/her, he/she is protected from critique? That's an interpretation beloved of ideologues left and right, but it don't wash.
Finally, apropos of Anne's statement, be careful about how rigorously you interpret the requirement of charity in critiquing another's statements: because you will have to apply that interpretation evenhandedly to others with whom you might be much more inclined to be infuriated. I could give a list, but I don't need to.
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[Updated on: Thu, 26 February 2009 12:35]
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| Re: Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Thu, 26 February 2009 12:45 |
Anne
Messages: 3816
Registered: April 2004 |
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"be careful about how rigorously you interpret the requirement of charity in critiquing another's statements: because you will have to apply that interpretation evenhandedly to others with whom you might be much more inclined to be infuriated. I could give a list, but I don't need to."
Indeed Karl...right back at you.
[Updated on: Thu, 26 February 2009 12:45]
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| Re: Bishop Williamson regrets his remarks and apologizes |
Fri, 27 February 2009 06:43 |
leoxiii
Messages: 139
Registered: June 2006
Location: New York City |
Senior Member |
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The gist:
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[C]hief Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Williamson's statement "does not seem to respect the conditions" set forth by the Vatican on February 4, when it ordered Williamson to "in an absolutely unequivocal and public way distance himself from his positions" regarding the Holocaust.
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- Joe
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