Cardinal Müller always seemed an odd fit for Francis, who elevated the German to become a prince of the church when he created his first batch of cardinals in February 2014.

As early as October 2013, with expectation rising in the church that Francis planned to open an avenue for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion, Cardinal Müller dampened the idea. In a long article published in L’Osservatore Romano, the church’s official paper, he wrote that the case for mercy “misses the mark.”

That pattern appeared again and again.

The pope proposed creating a tribunal to try bishops who mishandled sexual abuse cases, Cardinal Müller declared that the idea had “legal” difficulties, and the tribunal never came to be. Francis established a special commission to study the possibility of women as deacons, and Cardinal Müller flatly called the change “not possible.”

That dissonance between the pope’s inclusive messaging and Cardinal Müller’s door slamming intrigued Vatican watchers. Some Vatican analysts suggested that the cardinal played a useful role for Francis, perhaps as an ideological bad cop to his pastoral good cop, or as someone who provided political cover to protect the pontiff from conservative critics worried about the dissolution of the church’s orthodoxy.

But the powerful congregation, which Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, led for years under John Paul II, seemed weakened, or even ignored, under Francis. The number of theologians or priests investigated for advocating supposedly suspect views shrank. And the congregation’s proposed corrections to Francis’ watershed document, Amoris Laetitia, or Joy of Love, before its publication last year were ignored.

It was that document that provided the most public division between Francis and Cardinal Müller, who made it clear that he viewed the most controversial aspects of the document through the prism of church tradition, and rejected the possibility that divorced Catholics who had remarried without an annulment could receive communion.

During the pope’s trip to Philadelphia in September 2015, Cardinal Müller said “it’s not possible” for violators of church doctrine on divorce, homosexuality or abortion to be welcomed completely back into the church. “It’s not an academic doctrine, it’s the word of God,” he said.</s>For the second time in three days, there's been a high-profile exit from the Vatican administration. On Saturday, Pope Francis replaced the Catholic Church's top theologian, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller.

Müller, who was the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a department responsible for defending Catholic doctrine, was said to be "at odds with the pontiff's vision of a more inclusive Church," Reuters reported.

The news wire adds that Müller is among several cardinals who have publicly sparred with the pope, citing, "Mueller has criticised parts of a 2016 papal treatise called "Amoris Laetitia" (The Joy of Love), a cornerstone document of Francis' attempt to make the 1.2 billion-member Church more inclusive and less condemning."

The Vatican issued a brief statement that Müller's five-year mandate, which comes to an end on Sunday, would not be renewed. No further details were given.

"The Holy Father Francis thanked His Eminence Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller at the conclusion of his quinquennial mandate," the statement said.

No new position was announced for Müller, 69, who was appointed by former Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 and still has five more years before what's considered the normal retirement age for a bishop. Müller was actually the first Vatican official formally confirmed by Pope Francis after his election in 2013.

Müller's departure comes on the heels of fellow conservative Cardinal George Pell's, the Vatican economy minister who took a leave of absence Thursday. As NPR's Slyvia Poggioli reported, Pell took leave to defend himself after Australian police charged him with multiple "historical" sex crimes.

According to the Catholic News Service, the announcement of the pope's June 30 decision – the day he met with Müller — was anticipated by both English Rorate Caeli blog and the Italian Corrispondenza Romana blog, which "presented the pope's move as a dismissal of the German cardinal."

"While Pope Francis wrote in his exhortation on the family, 'Amoris Laetitia,' that church teaching on marriage had not changed, both Rorate Caeli and Corrispondenza Romana implied Cardinal Muller was let go because he insisted that divorced and civilly remarried Catholics could not receive Communion unless they made a commitment to abstain from sexual relations with their new partners. Other bishops and bishops' conferences have read Pope Francis' document as presenting a process of discernment that in certain circumstances could allow some couples to return to the sacraments."



It should be noted that in addition to discipline and matters of doctrine, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith also handles case of sexual abuse of minors for the church.

As NPR reported in 2014, Pope Francis had appointed a commission of both clergy and laypeople to advise the church on addressing abuse by clergy. But in March of this year, Marie Collins, a survivor of abuse by a priest, resigned from Pope Francis' panel citing "shameful" resistance within the Vatican to the group's efforts to protect children.

Collins spoke with NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro in an interview for Weekend Edition Sunday to be aired on Sunday, July 2, about the Catholic Church's response to its sexual abuse scandal.

Here's an excerpt from that interview:



"I think Pope Francis has got a commitment to doing what's necessary and he has tried. I think he put in place a commission, which was a very strong sign that he wanted to seek change. ... Pope Francis has shown that he is behind doing the right thing, he has the right attitude and he has back the pontifical commission. "But when it comes to having to face his own curia and resistance he has there, I don't think he has been strong enough. Although this weekend, we do see that he has replaced Cardinal Muller, who was the prefect for the congregation for of the Doctrine of Faith. "And Cardinal Mueller's dicastery was the one that was resisting change so may be a sign that he's not going to take resistance anymore and will push harder. But his attitude is right. He seems to understand abuse and the damage it does. It's just that things seem to move so slowly in the church. And every day children are at risk so there really can't be any acceptance of slowness or defensiveness or old views that are long out of date."



Müller's replacement Ladaria was born in Manacor, Mallorca, April 19, 1944, and was ordained to the priesthood July 29, 1973.</s>VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis on Saturday pushed out the Vatican’s conservative doctrine chief, tapping a deputy instead to lead the powerful congregation that handles sex-abuse cases and guarantees Catholic orthodoxy around the world.

Francis and German Cardinal Gerhard Müller had clashed, most recently over the pope’s cautious opening to letting civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion. Cardinal Müller had insisted they cannot,...</s>Pope Francis has dismissed the church’s chief of doctrine Cardinal Gerhard Mueller — one of the most powerful cardinals at the Vatican — and appointed a Spanish Archbishop to the role, the Vatican said on Saturday. German conservative Mueller, 69, who served a five-year posting as head of the powerful department responsible for church doctrine, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), had clashed with the pope over key reform issues.

He was one of the several cardinals who questioned Francis’s determination for the Catholic Church to take a softer line on people traditionally seen as “sinners”, including remarried divorced people who want to take Communion.

Mueller had also been caught up in the controversy surrounding the Church’s response to the clerical sex abuse scandal after his department was accused earlier this year of obstructing Francis’s efforts to stop internal cover-ups of abuse.

The Vatican said Mueller’s five-year term would not be renewed and he would be replaced by CDF Secretary Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, a 73-year-old Spaniard.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller is pictured in the cathedral in Mainz, Germany, Sunday, July 2, 2017. Pope Francis on Saturday declined to renew the mandate of German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that processes and evaluates all cases of priests accused of raping or molesting minors. (Andreas Arnold/dpa via AP)</s>It’s been a rough few days for the Catholic Church. First, Australian Cardinal George Pell — the third-ranking official in the Holy See — was charged with sexual abuse after the police received several complaints from alleged victims. Pope Francis made a statement by refusing to have the Vatican pay for Cardinal Pell’s attorney fees, and by putting him on leave, even though the cardinal maintains his innocence.

Now the pope — who has distinguished himself by making progressive statements that no other pope would’ve ever dreamed of making — is shaking things up again after he decided to replace German Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, Catholicism’s top theologian.

Mueller’s mandate, which only lasted five years, was not renewed. But this shouldn’t come as a surprise for Vatican followers, as Pope Francis and the theologian constantly argued about the pope’s intentions of making the Catholic Church more inclusive, and even a safe space for people that have historically been rejected by them — including homosexuals.

Traditionally, Mueller would’ve held his position until retirement — approximately for six more years — but he was replaced by his second in command, Archbishop Luis Francisco Landaria Ferrer.

Ferrer, a Spaniard, not only speaks the same language as Pope Francis — which could make things easier in order to avoid getting concepts lost in translation — but he is also a member of the same order, the Jesuits.

“They speak the same language and Ladaria is someone who is meek. He does not agitate the pope and does not threaten him,” said a priest who works in the Vatican.

With Pope Francis’ progressive statements and amendments to the traditional Catholic Church, it only made sense to have a person he can relate to in such a key position. The replacement alone is also an important statement on its own, giving hope to moderate and progressive Catholics of a more inclusive and less divided church under his mandate.

Interestingly enough, Mueller has also been in charge of presiding over sexual abuse allegations, so it is possible to believe that the change comes from a place of discontent of how such important matters used to be handled by popes before Francis.

As it seems, the Catholic Church might well be on its way to being more inclusive and open-minded.</s>(Photo: Reuters/Max Rossi/File Photo)Newly elected cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller of Germany smiles as he holds a news conference to unveil his book "Poor for the Poor: The Mission of the Church," with the preface written by Pope Francis, in downtown Rome, Italy, February 25, 2014.

In a major shake up of the Vatican's administration on Saturday, Pope Francis replaced Catholicism's top theologian, a conservative German cardinal who has been at odds with the pontiff's vision of a more inclusive Church.

A brief Vatican statement said Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller's five-year mandate as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a key department charged with defending Catholic doctrine, would not be renewed.

Mueller, 69, who was appointed by former Pope Benedict in 2012, will be succeeded by the department's number two, Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer.

Ladaria, a 73-year-old Spaniard who, like the Argentine pope is a member of the Jesuit order, is said by those who know him to be a soft-spoken person who shuns the limelight. Mueller, by contrast, often appears in the media.

"They speak the same language and Ladaria is someone who is meek. He does not agitate the pope and does not threaten him," said a priest who works in the Vatican and knows both Mueller and Ladaria, asking not to be named.

Since his election in 2013, Francis has given hope to progressives who want him to forge ahead with his vision for a more welcoming Church that concentrates on mercy rather than the strict enforcement of rigid rules they see as antiquated.

Mueller is one of several cardinals in the Vatican who have publicly sparred with the pope.

In 2015 he was among 13 cardinals who signed a secret letter to the pope complaining that a meeting of bishops discussing family issues was stacked in favor of liberals. The letter was leaked, embarrassing the signatories.

"Clearly, the pope and Cardinal Mueller have not been on the same page for five years," the priest said.

Mueller has criticized parts of a 2016 papal treatise called "Amoris Laetitia" (The Joy of Love), a cornerstone document of Francis' attempt to make the 1.2 billion-member Church more inclusive and less condemning.

In it, Francis called for a Church that is less strict and more compassionate toward any "imperfect" members, such as those who divorced and remarried, saying "no one can be condemned forever."

Conservatives have concentrated their criticism on the document's opening to Catholics who divorce and remarry in civil ceremonies, without getting Church annulments.

Under Church law they cannot receive communion unless they abstain from sex with their new partner, because their first marriage is still valid in the eyes of the Church and therefore they are seen to be living in an adulterous state of sin.

In the document the pope sided with progressives who had proposed an "internal forum" in which a priest or bishop decide jointly with the individual on a case-by-case basis if he or she can be fully re-integrated and receive communion.

After the document was published Catholic bishops in some countries, including Germany, enacted guidelines on how priests could allow some divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the sacraments.

But Mueller has said there should be no exceptions, making him a hero to conservatives who have made the issue a rallying point for their opposition to Francis.</s>Pope Francis has dropped the head of the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases just days after Cardinal George Pell was charged with historical sex offences.

The developments underscore how the Catholic Church's sex abuse crisis has caught up with Francis, threatening to tarnish his legacy over a series of questionable appointments and decisions in his four-year papacy.

Francis declined to renew the mandate of German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that processes and evaluates all cases of priests accused of sexual offences.

Francis named Mueller's deputy, Monsignor Luis Ladaria Ferrer, a Spanish Jesuit, to run the powerful office instead.

During Mueller's five-year term, the congregation amassed a 2,000-case backlog and came under blistering criticism from abuse survivors.

Mueller, 69, from Mainz in Germany, was appointed by the former Pope Benedict in 2012 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

He has been in charge of keeping the church's orthodoxy and presiding over sexual abuse allegations.

His conservative ideology has led to him clashing publicly with Pope Francis several times, as the pontiff forges ahead with his vision of a more inclusive church.

Not all within the Vatican were fans of new appointment Luis Ladaria.

One priest who knows both men said: 'They [Francis and Ladaria] speak the same language and Ladaria is someone who is meek. He does not agitate the pope and does not threaten him.'

In March, a prominent church reform group called for Mueller's resignation after accusations that senior officials had willfully ignored Pope Francis' decision to create a new tribunal to judge bishops who cover up sexual abuse.

Victorian Police have charged Cardinal Pell, a former Melbourne and Sydney archbishop and Ballarat priest, with multiple sex offences but the details of those offences have not been released.

Pell has protested his innocence and said he was looking forward to having his day in court after a two-year investigation, 'leaks to the media' and 'relentless character assassination'.

A litigation fund has been established for Catholics in Victoria to contribute to Pell's legal fees, the Herald Sun has revealed.

John Roskam, the executive director of the Institute of Public Affairs, said he obtained an account number and BSB from people 'assisting the cardinal' and passed it onto people keen to donate.

'The point of this [fund] is that there are a lot of people who want to support the cardinal and want to give him the opportunity to clear his name,' he said.</s>In a major shake-up of the Vatican's administration, Pope Francis has ousted the head of the Catholic Church office that handles sex abuse cases.

The move follows the high-profile exit of fellow conservative Cardinal George Pell, who last week took a leave of absence to return to Australia to face historical sexual abuse charges.

A brief Vatican statement said Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller's five-year mandate as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a department charged with defending Catholic doctrine, would not be renewed.

The position is the most important one that a pope fills in the Vatican hierarchy after the Secretary of State.

Most incumbents keep it until they retire, which in Cardinal Mueller's case would have been in six years.

The 69-year-old cardinal, who was appointed by Pope Benedict in 2012, will be succeeded by the department's number two, Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer.

Archbishop Ladaria, a 73-year-old Spaniard who, like the Argentine pope is a member of the Jesuit order, is said by those who know him to be a soft-spoken person who shuns the limelight — Cardinal Mueller, by contrast, often appears in the media.

"They speak the same language and Ladaria is someone who is meek. He does not agitate the Pope and does not threaten him," a priest who works in the Vatican and knows both Cardinal Mueller and Archbishop Ladaria told Reuters, asking not to be named.

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has given hope to progressives who want him to forge ahead with his vision for a more welcoming church that concentrates on mercy rather than the strict enforcement of rigid rules they see as antiquated.

Cardinal Mueller is one of several cardinals in the Vatican who have publicly sparred with the Pope.

In 2015, both Cardinal Mueller and Cardinal Pell were among 13 cardinals who signed a secret letter to the Pope complaining that a meeting of bishops discussing family issues was stacked in favour of liberals.

The letter was leaked, embarrassing the signatories.

Cardinal Mueller has criticised parts of a 2016 papal treatise called "Amoris Laetitia" (The Joy of Love), a cornerstone document of Pope Francis' attempt to make the 1.2-billion-member church more inclusive and less condemning.

Conservatives have concentrated their criticism on the document's opening to Catholics who divorce and remarry in civil ceremonies, without getting church annulments.

Under church law they cannot receive communion unless they abstain from sex with their new partner, because their first marriage is still valid in the eyes of the church and therefore they are seen to be living in an adulterous state of sin.

In the document the Pope sided with progressives who had proposed an "internal forum" in which a priest or bishop decide jointly with the individual on a case-by-case basis if he or she can be fully re-integrated and receive communion.

But Cardinal Mueller has said there should be no exceptions, making him a hero to conservatives who have made the issue a rallying point for their opposition to Pope Francis.</s>FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014 file photo, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller arrives for a morning session of a two-week synod on family issues at the Vatican. Pope Francis has declined to renew the mandate of the Vatican's conservative doctrine chief, tapping instead the No. 2 to lead the powerful congregation that handles sex abuse cases and guarantees Catholic orthodoxy around the world. In a short statement Saturday, July , 2017, the Vatican said Francis thanked Cardinal Gerhard Mueller for his service. Mueller's five-year term ends this weekend and he turns 75 in December, the normal retirement age for bishops.(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pope Francis ousts conservative cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller.