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| Picture show Cardinal Dew with Lutheran bishop Mark Whitfield in 2017, celebrating the reformation in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington. |
Cardinal Call-Me-John: Do Not Say You Are “Baptised a Catholic”. By Jean Doyle
Wellington Cardinal John Dew, New Zealand, is known for his preferential option for protestantism.
This explains his latest action aimed at undermining the Church's faith: the document "Baptised Together in Christ. Adopted by Lutheran Church of New Zealand and New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference 2021."
It was produced by the Commission for Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue, which dates back to 2017 when Dew celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation with Lutherans in the sanctuary at his cathedral. Its most egregious part comes at the end under “Pastoral Practices.” It invites Catholics and Lutherans to participate in services in each other’s “churches.
Mixed mariages are encouraged to bring their child for baptism in the Church of their choice. Both of their pastors/priests may participate at the event.
Catholics and Lutherans are encouraged to speak of being baptised “into the Christian Church,” “into the Christian faith,” or “into Christ.” They may say that they were baptised in the Catholic or Lutheran Church but are discouraged from saying that they have been baptised Catholic or baptised Lutheran.
According to the 2018 census, in New Zealand there are 470,000 Catholics and 3,585 Lutherans.
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