During the synod, I asked various synod fathers about Cardinal Danneels and why he was chosen as a papal delegate. They all express ignorance, say they have nothing to say, or don’t know anything about it.

Yes, I asked a number of bishops, too. They have no opinion about it either. Is it a conspiracy of silence?

No, they don’t know how to react to it. They’re afraid, that’s the issue, so no one dares criticize the Pope for that decision. That’s for certain. They could comment, but they play innocent or naïve.

Still Controversial: Cardinal Danneels and the Conclave of 2005 (603)

German journalist Paul Badde recounts the actions of the Belgian cardinal — whose participation in the recent family synod drew criticism — at the time of Pope Benedict XVI’s election.

Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels (r) with German Cardinal Walter Kasper in 2008.

– Wikimedia Commons/Carolus/CC-BY-SA 3.0

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ choice of Cardinal Godfried Danneels to attend last month’s Ordinary Synod on the Family as one of his 45 papal delegates was heavily criticized on account of the Belgian cardinal’s record.

The archbishop emeritus of Mechelen-Brussels advised the king of Belgium to sign an abortion law in 1990, told a victim of clerical sex abuse to keep quiet, and refused to forbid pornographic, “educational” materials being used in Belgian Catholic schools. He also once said same-sex “marriage” was a “positive development,” and congratulated the Belgian government for passing same-sex “marriage” legislation, although he has sought to distinguish such a union from the Church’s understanding of marriage.

The cardinal, who was pictured standing next to Pope Francis on the loggia of St. Peter’s basilica on the night of the Pope’s election, also admitted in September to being part of what he called the St. Gallen “mafia” club that was opposed to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

German journalist and author Paul Badde reported on their ca