Roman Catholics: The Cardinal as Critic

Leo-Jozef Cardinal Suenens, 65, is Primate of Belgium and Archbishop of Malines-Brussels, one of the largest Roman Catholic dioceses in the world. Lately he has taken on another role as well: outspoken critic of the Vatican. For years, Suenens has been known as an ecclesiastical progressive, but he argued his case for church renewal quietly —in books and behind the scenes at the Second Vatican Council. Last May the cardinal changed his tactics. He gave an interview to a French Catholic magazine, Informations Catholiques Internationales, which was quickly published in five other languages. It was perhaps the most encyclopedic...