Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller has harshly criticized the way in which he was dismissed. In an interview with this newspaper, he said that Pope Francis "informed me of his decision [not to renew his appointment as CDF Prefect] in less than one minute” on his last working day at the CDF. [Friday, June 30 – His 5-year term was to expire Sunday, July 2. He said no reason was given to him. “I cannot accept such a way of doing things,” Miller underscored, distancing himself clearly from the Pope’s manner. “The social doctrine of the Church should apply even to the Vatican” with respect to how the pope’s co-workers are treated, he said. [OK, so now we are clear. He does not have any dissents with the pope – by which he obviously means doctrinal dissents, but he does object to the pope’s manners! But he sounded all sweetness and light about the pope in the interview he gave to another German newspaper the day he was dismissed.] The occasion for the interview was the death of Cardinal Joachim Meisner, who died July 3 in Bad Fuessing at the age of 83. Mueller said he had spoken to Meisner the day before that, and Meisner had referred to Mueller’s dismissal from the Curia, saying he was ‘profoundly struck’ by it. “The fact personally wounded him and he considered it a danger for the Church”, Mueller said of Meisner’s rection. But notwithstanding his criticism of how the pope dismissed him, Mueller gave assurances that Pope Francis has his loyalty. The former Bishop of Regensburg said that he would not react in any way to the choice of the man who succeeds him. He adds: “There are those who think I would lead a bandwagon of criticism against the pope… but [as a cardinal], I will continue to have the responsibility to concern myself about the unity of the Church and to avoid polarization if possible… [I have been] always loyal to the Pope and intend to remain loyal as a Catholic, bishop, and cardinal, because it is my duty”.