Müller: We must make what has been entrusted to us shine out

“We can always learn something new and acquire an even deeper under standing of the riches of the Revelation.” These are the words of Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in an interview with the Vatican newspaper, ‘L'Osservatore Romano’.

In his conversation with reporter Astrid Haas, spoke about his new position.

“The problems we seem to be facing are immense, if we look at the universal Church, with the many challenges to be confronted and in the face of a certain despondency which is spreading in certain milieus and which we must overcome,” he said. “We also have the problems of groups – right- or left-wing, as people say – which take up much of our time and attention. This often gives rise to the danger of losing sight of our main task, which is to proclaim the Gospel and to explain the doctrine of the Church in a practical manner. We are convinced that there is no alternative to the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The Revelation responds to the great questions of the people of our time”.

Synopis of interview in ‘L'Osservatore Romano’.

Interview with the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

The crucial factor
We must make what has been entrusted to us shine out

“Faith is characterized by the greatest openness. It is a personal relationship with God which contains all the treasures of wisdom. For this reason our finite reason is in perpetual motion towards the infinite God. We can always learn something new and acquire an ever deeper understanding of the riches of the Revelation. We shall never be able to exhaust them”. Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said this in a long conversation with our newspaper. At the meeting in the ancient palace of the Holy Office Archbishop Müller also spoke of his arrival at the dicastery of the Roman Curia, of his determination to become a priest, of the time he has spent as a lecturer in theology and as a bishop, of his repeated visits to Latin America. And he explained that he had learned to know and appreciate Joseph Ratzinger from his Introduction to Christianity which, already in 1968, was a best-seller.
“I am grateful to the Holy Father for trusting me and for entrusting this office to me. The problems we seem to be facing are immense, if we look at the universal Church, with the many challenges to be confronted and in the face of a certain despondency which is spreading in certain milieus and which we must overcome. We also have the problems of groups – right- or left-wing, as people say – which take up much of our time and attention. This often gives rise to the danger of losing sight of our main task, which is to proclaim the Gospel and to explain the doctrine of the Church in a practical manner. We are convinced that there is no alternative to the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The Revelation responds to the great questions of the people of our time”.

ASTRID HAAS
July 26, 2012