So WYD officials have announced that the Argintinian band RESCATE will be performing at World Youth Day after all. According to them, they’ve investigated and the allegations against RESCATE were false. They say the cancellation of the band’s participation in the event was due to internal confusion among WYD organizers.
RESCATE, for its part, has issued a statement seeking to clarify matters.
In their clarification to WYD, RESCATE stated, “From Spain, where we are on tour at the time, we write with heavy hearts to communicate to you our deep consternation over the comments about certain phrases we used that were construed to seem to be against the Pope Benedict XVI”.
“We feel that the declarations that RESCATE is accused of making referring to the Pope, during an interview in Chile and that have been published in different websites, have been taken out of context”.
“It was never our intention to disqualify or ridicule the Pope, nor discredit his authority as the maximum authority of the Roman Catholic Church nor underestimate his influence as a world leader, and therefore we humbly request your forgiveness if we have unintentionally offended anyone in any way.”
“We respect Benedict XVI as the maximum spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, we have not meant to offend his person or office in any way. We are praying for him, that he will be greatly used by God everyday of his life and especially on this World Youth Day where so many young people will be gathered together awaiting his words,” the statement concludes.
For my money, as someone who has been repeatedly misquoted by the press in an attempt to whip up controversy, if someone comes out and says that they were misquoted, that they don’t support the sentiments the press conveyed, and that they’re sorry that they became an occasion of offense then we owe them the benefit of the doubt. The burden of proof at that point is on those would say that the press got ir right.
I’m glad to hear it. It’s nice that things aren’t bad as they first seemed.
The retraction means more to me than anything else, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the prayers helped, maybe the press really did get it wrong–whatever happened, it does seem that things aren’t as bad as they were or seemed, and that’s a relief.
Make that “retraction or clarification/correction”, since I’d have to know exactly what the situation was to determine which it was.
I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. I still wonder why they could not find a Catholic group.
Scott
Very nice statement. I hope it’s a great concert!
FWIW, here’s what they said:
“En lo personal, pensamos que el Papa no es el representante de Dios en la Tierra. Jesús vino para evitar cualquier intermediario entre Dios y el hombre, por lo que nuestra relación con Él es directa. Me parece que la fuerza del Papa es más política que espiritual. Y lo que haya dicho en relación al rock, lo hizo en un momento y en un cargo muy diferente al que tiene ahora. Este Papa tan ortodoxo, tan rígido y poco ecuménico ante los ojos de algunos, quizás sorprenda por los cambios que pueda llegar a tener, obligado por una cintura política que no podrá eludir. Venir a reemplazar a Juan Pablo II, obviamente, tiene un contenido más político que espiritual”
Translating:
“Personally, we think that the Pope is not God’s representative on Earth. Jesus came to avoid any intermediary between God and man, because our relationship with Him is direct. It seems to me that the Pope’s strength is more political than spiritual. And what he’s said about rock was in a moment and in an office quite different from the current one. This Pope, so orthodox, so rigid and so little ecumenical before the eyes of some, who knows, will surprise them with the changes that he may bring about, forced by politics that he won’t be able to avoid. Replacing a John Paul II has, obviously, more political meaning than spiritual.
Augustine: So what they were really doing was questioning the “papacy” itself and not just “the pope”. So, it was all just taken out of context and they should get the opportunity to come and play before your large crowds. Right?
Is it just me or has the “taken out of context” defense been used just a little too often?
And they accuse the Pope of being “more political than spiritual”? These guys are back-pedaling as fast as they can, and why? Because they don’t want to lose a good gig.
Motivated by politics, they have concocted a response that says little, hides much and will barely fulfill the minimum required to get them back on stage. If they had any guts or spirituality they would stand by their earlier statement and let WYD go hang.
Chris,
I’m in no way defending the band, just providing a translation of what they said, FWIW.
Whatever they said in the interview, the quote was damning. However, their statement either clarifies or corrects their views on both the Pope and on the Papacy. They’re still clearly not Catholics, but we all knew that.
I agree with Lurker, they should have been able to find a Catholic band…
God bless.
Tim,
Apparently, it was enough to get them back on stage… :-/
I think the particular slew of performances RESCATE is included in was meant to be an ecumenical portion, hence the openly Protestant band.
My opinion is unchanged: they are wrong in their beliefs, but because conversion is still a possibility, I say they should play.
Praying that their hearts and minds will be open to the fullness of truth found in the Catholic church. May the witness of Catholic youth, lead them to this truth.
I understand that the band is not Catholic, and that is fine. I listen to a number of protestant Christian bands. But you should not expect to be welcome at a party after badmouthing the host in public.
Why could they not use this ecumenical ooportunity to emphasize what we have in common? That would show the world something.