By A.S.
Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Robert Sarah´s resignation from the post of the head of the Vatican’s liturgy department. Cardinal Sarah was considered one of the more conservative figures in the Vatican, and, unlike Pope Francis, a proponent of a more traditional Catholic liturgy.
The statement of the Holy See Press Office was released on Saturday, notifying the public that the conservative Cardinal Sarah stepped down from his leadership position. There was no news about any specific reasons or about a possible successor. As required by church law, Sarah submitted his resignation when he turned 75 last June. Often cardinals are allowed to remain a few years longer in their posts, but this was not the case with Cardinal Sarah.
Unlike Pope Francis who is a supporter of mass migrations into Europe, Cardinal Robert Sarah was very wary towards such developments and critical toward both, mass migrations and liberal ideology.
Cardinal Sarah expressed his concerns most vividly in an interview, conducted in 2019, for a French publication Valerus Actuelles, stating that those who exploit the Bible to promote mass migrations are pushing the false interpretation of the scriptures. “It is a false exegesis to use the Word of God to promote migration. God never wanted these rifts”, he said. He added that “if the West continues in this fatal way, there is a great risk that, due to a lack of birth, it will disappear, invaded by foreigners, just as Rome has been invaded by barbarians.” Talking about the danger of Islamization, he said that he himself comes from a Muslim country and that he should know what he is talking about.
“If Europe disappears, and with it the invaluable values of the old continent, Islam will invade the world,” Cardinal Sarah said. “And we will totally change the culture, anthropology, and moral vision.”