Much of this is true as far as it goes. It fails to mention, however, that no single bishop or archbiship or cardinal—regardless of USCCB title—has the power to speak ex cathedra, to issue fiats as to what the Church believes or must teach. It’s only when they speak in communion with the pope that their opinions on faith and morals have real weight. New York’s archbishops/cardinals over the years—Hayes, Spellman, Cook, O’Connor, Egan—seemed to have belonged to a religion completely different from what the Chicago/Boston/LA leaders were touting. If Dolan hangs tough, he’ll be the sixth consecutive Conservative New York church leader since the 20s. None of this portion of the Catholic hierarchy ever preached “the seamless garment” line. There is most definitely a hierarchy of evil, and God help the bishop who equates redistribution of wealth or repeal of the death-penalty, for that matter, with abortion justification.