Renato Cardinal Martino’s 50th Anniversary of Ordination is today!
He’s been called “an idiot” by one Catholic blogger. He was told by another blogger to “hush up!” Still another has described some of his actions as “act[s] of stupity.” A Catholic apologist has unabashedly characterized his work as “unworthy of responsible churchmen” and “the kind of sloppy language on social topics that regularly comes from some European churchmen.” A law professor submits that some of his vocalized ideas have “has brought the Church as a whole into disrepute.” An amateur theologian and economist has declared him “anti-American.” A journalist who reports many rumors as facts calls him a “loose canon” and that he has “created serious difficulties for the Vatican authorities.”
While these individuals seem to form a concensus, not one of them seems to really understand Cardinal Martino’s work at the Vatican, the contemporary mind of the Church on socio-political issues or the trust and confidence both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have placed in him.
My opinion on Martino? He is outspoken in his conviction and uses the media effectively to deliver biting comments on the evils in the world. I think he is exactly what the Roman Curia has needed.
Some highlights of Martino’s career:
- Ordained a priest in 1957
- Holds a doctorate in Canon Law
- Entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See in 1962
- Is fluent in English, Italian, French, Spanish and Porteguese
- Former Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
- Elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 2003
- Presided over the preparation of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
- Awarded the The Assisi International Center for Peace Among People “Pilgrim of Peace” prize
- Currenly the President of two Pontifical Councils: Justice and Peace and the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People
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