Eight Habits of Highly Effective Bishops

Catholic Culture ^ | October 24, 2005 | Mary Jo Anderson

[hispanichoosier]

Excellent article! It reminds me of George Weigel's The Courage to be Catholic, wherein he describes steps that must be taken by American bishops to regain the confidence lost through the homosexuality scandal.

[NYer]

Mary Jo Anderson appeared on Johnette Benkovich's program last night. Here is a good example of a such a bishop.

* * * * *

In Loretto High School, a Catholic high school in Sacramento, California, there is student rebellion of sorts. A teacher who had served as a Planned Parenthood volunteer and publicly written in favor of facilitating abortion for students was terminated, thanks to William K, Wiegand, Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento.

At a recent open-house at the school, some parents sensed that something was very wrong. For example:

• a poster on one wall stating that "Our girls can be anything they want to be" and showing a group of girls dressed as a coven of witches;

• bookshelves displaying the books of notorious clerical dissenters; and

• another poster promoting an event sponsored by the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the name of which does not even hint that it is a Planned Parenthood donor.

Later that night the rightly very concerned parents discovered the inspiration for these decidedly un-Catholic displays in a Catholic high school. This article appeared on the front page of the Sacramento Bee:

A drama teacher at a Catholic high school in Sacramento was fired Thursday after church officials learned she had previously volunteered at an abortion clinic, school officials said Friday.

Marie Bain, 50, of Sacramento, who had taught at Loretto High School since August, was dismissed after a student's parent obtained pictures showing Bain escorting people into a Planned Parenthood clinic last spring.

The pictures were delivered to Bishop William K. Weigand, head of the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, who outlined the decision to terminate Bain in an Oct. 5 letter to the president of the all-female school.

"Obviously, the very public nature of Ms. Bain's previous volunteer activity at a Planned Parenthood Clinic is inconsistent with her position as a teacher at a Catholic high school and her role as a collaborator in the formation of Catholic women," Weigand wrote. "Abortion is gravely immoral and Ms. Bain's active and public participation in the procurement of abortions is morally inappropriate and unacceptable with regard to her work as a teacher at Loretto."

Reached at home Friday night, Bain acknowledged that she had been fired and that she had volunteered at Planned Parenthood before taking the Loretto job.

"There are many things I would love to say, but I don't want to jeopardize anything. I am pursuing many avenues," she said.

Bain's termination, announced Friday afternoon, was met with tears from students at the college preparatory school on El Camino Avenue. She was described as a passionate teacher with a dramatic personality who pushed her students to memorize their lines with precision.

Bain had been preparing her students for a four-day run at the end of the month of "The Young and Fair," N. Richard Nash's 1948 play about balancing one's idealism and personal ethics.

"She is exceptional" said Sister Helen Timothy, the school's president. "Students thought very highly of her."

"We lost a great teacher," said Cynthia Mitterholzer, the dance instructor who will take over for Bain.

Mitterholzer said teachers working at a Catholic school understand they must follow certain rules.

However, "I think that your personal life is your personal life, and she complied with everything asked from the school in her contract."

Weigand, who is out of town, was unavailable for comment.

The Rev. Charles McDermott, vicar episcopal for theological affairs for the diocese, said employing teachers who have volunteered at abortion clinics sets a poor example for students.

"To support abortion is contrary to the position the Church has held for nearly 2,000 years," he said.

"If you participate in that way, you are not qualified to teach in a Catholic school because teachers are inevitably role models."…

In July, a letter to The Bee signed Marie Bain of Sacramento voiced opposition to laws requiring teens to notify parents if they have an abortion.

"Like it or not, teens get pregnant," the letter stated. "And the most important issue is keeping them safe. Safe means access to reliable health care, not gut-wrenching red tape."…

She volunteered weekly for about nine months for Planned Parenthood, greeting patients and ushering them past anti-abortion protesters who frequently demonstrate outside clinics, said Katharyn McLearan, director of public affairs for the local Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

"We have protesters who hold very graphic signs and are very intimidating, and they sometimes come up to patients' cars," said McLearan. "She was there to be a friendly face and address their concerns"….

Weigand, in his letter, said the case serves to emphasize the importance of checking employee backgrounds to ensure that "those entrusted with forming responsible Catholic women at Loretto High School share our important Catholic moral beliefs and can serve in all respects as worthy role models for our young women."

Let there not be any confusion: the Catholic Church is not tolerant of abortion or those who facilitate and promote it because abortion is gravely sinful.

What is tragic, if the Sacramento Bee article is accurate, is that the Catholic high school principal and other faculty at the school saw nothing wrong with hiring and retaining a pro-abortion Planned Parenthood activist to teach at a Catholic girls' school.

Thank God for Bishop Wiegand.

The good bishop was absolutely right to terminate an employee who promotes and facilitates abortion and publicly wrote in favor of facilitating abortions for students.

What is most disconcerting is the report that it required the intercession of the good bishop to end Ms. Bain's employment by a Catholic high school. Photographic evidence of Ms. Bain's active participation at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Sacramento reportedly did not cause the school principal to take the necessary action.

When the same evidence reached the good bishop, he did not flinch. He did what needed to be done. Now perhaps the Catholic high school principal needs an extended leave of absence to go on retreat and pray.

[Rodney King]

"We lost a great teacher," said Cynthia Mitterholzer, the dance instructor who will take over for Bain. Mitterholzer said teachers working at a Catholic school understand they must follow certain rules. However, "I think that your personal life is your personal life, and she complied with everything asked from the school in her contract."

The Bishop should fire her, too.

[livius]

"She is exceptional" said Sister Helen Timothy, the school's president. "Students thought very highly of her."

And Sister Helen Timothy sounds like she needs a good retraining program in the teachings of the Church. The teacher may have been popular, but that certainly doesn't justify something so flagrantly immoral as escorting young women into a "clinic" to have their babies killed.

[badabing98]

well I'm from the Philadelphia Archdiocese and I still see the "happy clappy" masses all the time. It still happens at St. Titus in East Norriton. They still have the guitar and drum masses every satruday night. To top it off, before giving the final blessing, Father Wetzel will ask all of those who have birthdays to stand up and sing happy birthday. That is why I attend the local Tridentine Indult.

[Desdemona]

well I'm from the Philadelphia Archdiocese and I still see the "happy clappy" masses all the time.

The last 11 years worth of bishops of the St. Louis archdiocese are mentioned in this article and there are a number of this sort of Mass still happening around town. Separating the people from the "heritage" of being the birthplace of Jesuit folk music is proving difficult.

[Convert from ECUSA]

" "We need a thorough cleansing in house if we are to battle the culture of death right outside our doors. It's up to the bishop to set the example, to lead us in the fight — beginning with public prayer. Nothing short of a bishop who is willing to publicly confront evil will inspire us to take on the world," wrote one university chaplain. "Seen as a battle, each bishop leads a division." "

Amen and right on! And same for the eight points, especially number six. If they don't truly love the Mass, all other points are moot.

[pgkdan]

What is tragic, if the Sacramento Bee article is accurate, is that the Catholic high school principal and other faculty at the school saw nothing wrong with hiring and retaining a pro-abortion Planned Parenthood activist to teach at a Catholic girls' school.

Thank God for strong Bishops!!! Send us more Lord!

Now I think he should close the school until they can hire a principal and faculty better equipt to provide a genuinely Catholic education for these girls.

[pgkdan]

The Bishop should fire her, too.

And Sister Helen Timothy as well!

[Ohioan from Florida]

In July, a letter to The Bee signed Marie Bain of Sacramento voiced opposition to laws requiring teens to notify parents if they have an abortion.

"Like it or not, teens get pregnant," the letter stated. "And the most important issue is keeping them safe. Safe means access to reliable health care, not gut-wrenching red tape."

So that's what safe means, huh? Gosh, my definition is something completely different. I thought it meant security from harm and danger.

Does this woman think she is really helping pregnant teenagers to be safe from harm and danger by escorting them to an abortion facility, a place where they will be completely lied to about the effects on them physically, emotionally, and spiritually from obtaining an abortion? I'd like to write this woman a letter. She does more harm than she realizes. Good job, Bishop Weigand! We need more like you!

[Angelas]

Archbishop Curtiss is known for other things, too:

Nebraska prelate rebukes Catholics for critical letters to newspaper
By TERESA MALCOLM

Archbishop Elden Curtiss of Omaha, Neb., sent written rebukes to two Catholics who in letters to the local newspaper had criticized his decision to reassign a priest accused of viewing Internet child pornography.

To Jeanne Bast, an 80-year-old mother of 11 and a retired teacher at Catholic grade schools, Curtiss wrote: “I am surprised that a woman your age and with your background would write such a negative letter in the secular press against me without any previous dialogue. You should be ashamed of yourself!” Bast’s letter appeared in the March 13 issue of the Omaha World-Herald.

The archbishop also told Bast, “The church has enough trouble defending herself against non-Catholic attacks without having to contend with disloyal Catholics.”

In a letter to Frank Ayers, 58, whose letter was published in the March 9 World-Herald, Curtiss said, “Any Catholic who uses the secular media to air complaints against the leadership of the church, without any dialogue with that leadership, is a disgrace to the church.”

The archbishop concluded both of his letters by instructing the recipient to say a Hail Mary for him “for your penance.” The letters were copied to Bast’s and Ayers’ pastors.

The Omaha World-Herald learned of the letters and contacted Bast and Ayers, who confirmed the contents.

The letters that provoked Curtiss’ admonishments had criticized his handling of the case of Fr. Robert Allgaier, who has been charged with attempted possession of child pornography. According to the World-Herald, Allgaier was sent for counseling and removed from high school teaching duties in early 2001 after the archbishop learned he had viewed child pornography on an office computer at a Norfolk, Neb., parish where he was assistant pastor. Then in June 2001, Allgaier was transferred to St. Gerald Parish in Ralston, where he taught religion at St. Joan of Arc-St. Gerald Middle School.

The archbishop removed Allgaier from St. Gerald in February just before authorities brought charges against the priest, who has pleaded not guilty. In a statement, Curtiss said that psychologists and counselors had indicated that Allgaier was no threat to children.

In his letter to the World-Herald, Ayers, a parishioner at St. Gerald, questioned the assertion that children of the parish were in no danger, and called on the archdiocese to be forthcoming with the information it has about priests accused of deviant behavior. “Archbishop Curtiss should realize that these are our children,” he said. “We will decide whether we want to take the chance.”

Curtiss wrote to Ayers that he would be willing to discuss the contents of Ayers’ public letter and told him to make an appointment with his secretary. However, Ayers -- who at first thought the letter was a hoax -- told NCR that he hasn’t yet followed up on that offer. He said he would prefer the archbishop meet with the parishioners of St. Gerald Parish, who expressed this desire to an archdiocesan representative who met with them March 12.

“I don’t think he owes me a personal apology, but he does need to meet with people,” Ayers said, “because he seems totally out of touch with people in the archdiocese.”

In her letter, Bast said that Curtiss had shown “bad judgment” and that Allgaier should have been relieved of both his priestly and teaching duties immediately. “Archbishop Curtiss did a disservice to the people of the archdiocese and owes them a public apology for not being truthful and forthright about this problem from the very beginning,” she wrote.

Bast told NCR she sent the letter to the World-Herald because she didn’t expect any results from sending it to Curtiss. She said she felt sympathy for Allgaier, whose actions were wrong, but who has not been accused of any misconduct with children. “My issue is with the archbishop,” Bast said. “He’s another one of these bishops who just doesn’t get it.”

As for Curtiss’ response to her letter, Bast called it “very childish for a man in his position. He’s got more important things to do I think.”

Teresa Malcolm is NCR news editor. Her e-mail address is tmalcolm@natcath.org

National Catholic Reporter, March 29, 2002

[Salvation]

To read later.

[RKBA Democrat]

I agree that this is an "A" list article.

One statement bears repeating again and again: "It's no exaggeration to say that the health of a diocese is often reflected in the number and quality of its seminarians. In fact, it appears to be the case that when a diocese is faithful to Church teaching, vocations arise naturally."

If our churches provide leadership, inspiration, and are faithful to Church teachings, vocations sprout like flowers in spring.

It isn't the celibacy, folks. It's whether you inspire men and women to do and be something more. The Diocese of Arlington, Omaha and Lincoln are living proof.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

A Bishop is a sucessor to the Apostles. As such, he has a primary obligation to be Apostolic, and seek the conversion of non-Catholics within his diocese.

Sadly, this whole notion is entirely absent from that article.

[NYer]

As such, he has a primary obligation to be Apostolic, and seek the conversion of non-Catholics within his diocese.

This notion seems to have fallen by the wayside and replaced with 'ecumenism'. I was absolutely shocked to hear several of Marcus Grodi's guests (EWTN's The Journey Home) relate that when they approached a catholic priest seeking more information on the Catholic Church, they were told - "There's no need to convert. Just be the best (Anglican, Jew, Baptist, etc) you can be. Roy Schoeman, a Jew, knocked on several rectory doors before one finally opened up and admitted him into RCIA.

In my (reprobate) diocese, not only does the bishop not follow any of the 8 habits listed above, he is actively involved in 'ecumenism' by participating at other faith services and inviting them to write articles in the diocesan newspaper about their religious beliefs. It's no wonder so many catholics here feel right at home in the Evangelical Churches that are growing in leaps and bounds.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

It's no wonder so many catholics here feel right at home in the Evangelical Churches that are growing in leaps and bounds.

What? You actually saw some Catholics in Albany? Are you sure they weren't Old Catholics or High Church Lutherans?

[NYer]

You actually saw some Catholics in Albany?

Lol! They still call themselves catholics. Frankly, I can't fault them, given 28 years of heterodox teaching, and watching their parishes shut down by the bishop.

In nearby Watervliet, the bishop has closed 6 of the 7 parishes. Our parish is across the river in the City of Troy. Father acquired an old boarded up Episcopal/Methodist Church in Watervliet, for a good price (the RC Diocese will not part with any of its boarded up churches). With limited funds, Father and a small group of volunteers, have been working for the past 3 years, fixing up the EM Church and adjacent rectory, while we work industriously to raise the funds necessary to complete the project. You'll always find Father digging up tree stumps, scaling ladders or ripping down walls, dressed in clericals. Last month, several Watervliet residents approached him to inquire if this would be a Catholic Church. Father pointed to his Roman collar and assured them that it would be.

His heart truly goes out to these catholics who have lost their parishes. Being bi-ritual, along with the Maronite Divine Liturgy, Father plans to also offer the Latin Mass in both English and Spanish. Aside from his responsibilities to the Maronite Eparchy, he has been asked by the Albany Diocese to help out as Chaplain at a local hospital and to say Mass during the week at some of the priestless parishes, in order to consecrate a sufficient number of hosts for their priestless weekend liturgies. All of this on top of restoring the old church into which he plans to one day move his congregation. He also felt bad for the Watervliet K of C, which has been without a Chaplain for more than 2 years and took on that challenge. Father does not have a home of his own but rents rooms at a local rectory. Please keep him in your prayers. He needs them.

[Tax-chick]

My Bishop fits, pretty much.