Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne has used his personal website, that he established at Pentecost last year, to defend Pope Benedict XVI against allegations of "unorthodoxy" emanating from the Society of St Pius X (SSPX).

Answering at length questions sent in to him at http:/direktzu.kardinal-meisner.de Cardinal Meisner said: "The SSPX must take back its accusations that the Holy Father is not orthodox. Whosoever rejects doctrinal statements, wholly or in part, cannot be in full membership with the community of the Church."

Pope Benedict's endorsement of the idea of religious liberty (expressed in the Vatican II Declaration Dignitatis humanae) as essentially in continuity with the Tradition of the Church has been vocally disputed by many in the SSPX.

Above: The cardinal's webpage, where readers can email their questions and have them answered by Meisner personally