Catholic Press Attacks Call for Pope to Apologise to Templars
- The Insider

The Catholic media, predictably, stood up in opposition yesterday to calls for the Pope to apologise to the Templars.

It appears that the Catholic Herald does not recognise the case for an apology. The article quotes three individuals, one academic and two authors, who between them argue that the Templars ceased to exist and "deserved" to be oppressed, therefore no apology is necessary. These sentiments are echoed by the editorial inside the newspaper. The implication would seem to be that the Vatican is wrong to be "seriously considering" issuing an apology.

Yet the clear and legitimate case for an apology remains, as I will demonstrate. Firstly, we know that Vatican records vindicate the Templars.

Secondly, apologies have rightly and justly been expressed by the Vatican over similar issues, setting a reliable precedent. Finally, even if the Templars had been guilty of heresy, nobody sane would dispute today that it is wrong to torture and burn people alive under any circumstances.

The paper describes the humble and polite request for an apology as a "demand" and offers a defensive response, "we do not need to apologise", as though Catholics are somehow under attack which is manifestly not true.

Of course, the only response that is important is the response from the Vatican.


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FURTHER READING

The Times (30 March 2002) - Vatican file shows pope pardoned massacred Knights http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-252124,00.html

The Times (29 November 2004) - The last crusade of the Templars, page 13.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1379629,00.html

The Independent (29 November 2004) - Knights Templar seek papal apology for 700 years of persecution.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=587769