Sometimes I need to check my first impression.

I must admit that I was somewhat taken aback the other day by the bite contained in the Vatican Statement on Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn’s visit. It seemed by, by Vatican standards, a stinging rebuke even for a Cardinal from that hotbed of orthodoxy, Austria. I admit that I haven’t followed this particular story very closely but it, at first glance, seemed harsh.

But…

Then I saw that both Rod Dreher and Andrew Sullivan were both beside themselves over the rebuke.

Ex-Catholic Dreher declared the Cardinal to be “theologically orthodox.” Given Dreher’s shifting sand view of orthodoxy, I am not sure where that leaves the poor Cardinal. Dreher got himself so worked up over his post that he later added an update suggesting that Cardinal Sodano must have compromising info on the Pope.

UPDATE: If I were a cynic, I would say: what kind of secrets does Cardinal Sodano, the veteran defender of Maciel and curial antagonist to Cdl. Ratzinger during the Woytyla papacy, know to be able to get this kind of response out of the Pope?

Keeping it classy Rod.

And then…

Ex-heterosexual and Trig Palin maternity truther Andrew Sullivan thinks this all about, you guessed, it the gays…

Schoenborn has also questioned the Vatican obsession with demonizing and ostracizing gay people and gay relationships, along with its sclerotic bureaucracy and legacy of enabling Marcial Maciel.

So Sullivan thusly concludes that the Pope is thus four-square in favor of child rape.

Idiot.

Like I said, I still don’t know much about this story, but based on who the Cardinals supporters are, I would say that the Cardinal is lucky he didn’t get the Milingo treatment.