With the appointment of Müller, who is one of the harshest critics of the Society of St. Pius X in Europe, hopes for a reproachment and eventual recognition of the Society are practically dead. It is hard to believe that there could ever be an increase of understanding and good will between this man and the Society. It is not only due to Müller's criticism of the Society in Germany (which is headed by one of the Society's most moderate regional superiors, no less), but also because of Muller's extremely liberal and Modernist theological opinions.

This is a man who has quite openly denied the dogma of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, transubstantiation, the universal salvific nature of the Catholic Church, and is also an enthusiastic supporter of Liberation Theology.

Müller should be investigated by the CDF, not given control of it!

This fact will not be lost on the leaders of the Society in their upcoming general chapter, but more than this, Müller's appointment ensconces a lock-step refusal to question any of the troublesome tenants contained in some documents of the Second Vatican Council.

As a diehard ecumenist, who questions the universal salvific nature of the Catholic Church, only a naïve fool would expect any measure of openness to a criticism of post-conciliar ecumenism or religious freedom on the part of Müller.

Sources

• UCA News — used with permission
• Image: Dominus mihi adjutor

Pope Benedict chose the fellow German and personal friend to succeed American Cardinal William Levada as prefect of the powerful congregation.

Bishop Mueller, who is 64, has led the diocese of Regensburg — home to the university where the Pope taught until 1977 — since 2002.

The former professor of dogmatic theology is a prolific author, his best-known work being a 900-page tome, "Catholic Dogmatics: For the Study and Practice of Theology".

Bishop Mueller was a student of liberation theology founder Gustavo Gutierrez — whose writings were scrutinized by the congregation under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

The bishop co-authored a book on liberation theology with Gutierrez in 2004 and each year since 1998 has gone to Peru for a course from Gutierrez and to spend time with farmers in a rural parish.

Until now Bishop Mueller has been president of the German Bishops Conference's Ecumenism Commission. He was also chief Catholic negotiator in theological talks with the Lutherans.

He is described as a timid man, a trait sometimes mistaken for abruptness by his colleagues.

In his own diocese he has set up an institute to publish the collected works of the Pope and has stemmed the influence of the We are Church movement.

In his new post Bishop Mueller will be the key Vatican player in the overhaul of the United States Leadership Conference of Women Religious demanded by the doctrinal congregation in April.

He will also have responsibility for ongoing negotiations with the Society of St Pius X, as well as taking over Cardinal Levada's other responsibilities as president of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and the International Theological Commission.

Sources:

Vatican Insider

Seattle Post Intelligencer

Image: Tz-online.de