How to Annoy The Pope

Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo has gone a step too far and is now paying the price – he is no longer entitled to wear priestly vestments. The erstwhile leader of Zambia’s Catholics has offended the Pope to such an extent that he is now both excommunicated and defrocked and is no longer sanctioned to carry out any priestly duties – or wear the garb. The strange twist though is that he is still being held to his vow of celibacy. Even stranger will be the reaction of his wife when she finds out.

Yes there is indeed a Mrs Archbishop, a South Korean acupuncturist whom he wed in New York in a Moonie ceremony, one of those impersonal mass events that the Reverend Moon is so fond of.

And not only has the ex-Archbishop gotten married himself, but against the instructions of the Vatican, he has also ordained married men to the Roman Catholic priesthood and even tried to promote some married priests to the rank of Bishop.

Now I’m all for the marriage for priests to the women of their own choosing (if any woman would have them) but you can’t really join an organisation and then write your own rules and expect to get away with it.

St Paul’s advice in the Bible is that people should refrain from marriage but he goes on to underline the fact that he was not giving that advice as an instruction from God, just as his own personal view. Apparently the Catholic Church knows better.

On a more sinister note however Milingo has been a source of concern for many years because of his questionable exorcism and healing ministries, again unsanctioned by the Vatican.

But what about poor Mr & Mrs Malingo – they can no longer be referred to as Archbishop and wife. Nor can he be referred to as Father, although according to Jesus no-one should refer to another man as Father – again the Catholic Church seems to know better. At 79 years of age and in robust good health I’m sure the good ex Archbishop will be able to dream up new ways of annoying the Pope.