ONE OF people involved in dismissing Róbert Bezák from the post of Trnava archbishop, Canadian Cardinal of the Catholic Church and Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops Marc Ouellet, expressed his willingness to meet the priest if he asks for it.
“The Holy Father decided, after very thorough personal acknowledgement of this case,” Ouellet said, as quoted by the TASR newswire, when commenting on Bezák’s dismissal during a visit to Slovakia where he attended the session of Consilium Conferentiarum Episcoporum Europae (CCEE). “I want to sincerely thank members of the Confederation of Bishops of Slovakia for unity and loyalty to the Holy Father in this painful situation.”
Ouellet also thanked all the believers for their fidelity and trust to the pope.
About 400 people gathered at the mass at St Martin’s Cathedral served by Ouellet, many of them supporting the dismissed archbishop who had been popular among Slovak Catholics. Another October 6 mass, officiated by Bratislava Archbishop Stanislav Zvolenský, will be attended by all chairs of the bishop conference, TASR wrote.
Bezák was known for appearing at cultural events and concerts, and was often seen in casual attire. This, too, was among the reservations voiced against him by the Vatican after a visit from the Holy See, which eventually led to his dismissal.
He was officially removed as archbishop on July 2, 2012 upon publication of an announcement in L’Osservatore Romano, the official daily newspaper of the Vatican. The Conference of Slovak Bishops (KBS) followed with a short statement: “Based on an apostolic visitation which took place between January 22 and February 1, 2012, the Holy Father recalled Róbert Bezák from pastoral management of the Trnava Archdiocese. We accept the decision of the Holy Father in the spirit of faith and filial obedience and we are asking for blessings for the church in Slovakia.”
Source: TASR, Sme
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
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