Bishop Bruskewitz Shoots Back at National Review Board

Catholic World News ^ | 3/31/06

[marshmallow]

Mar. 31 (CWNews.com) - Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, has responded sharply to criticism from the US bishops' National Review Board about his refusal to cooperate with the Board's "audit" of diocesan plans for implementing national guidelines on sex-abuse programs.

Bishop Bruskewitz released this statement on March 31:

Some woman named Patricia O'Donnell Ewers, who is the Chair of something called "A National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People", has said that her Board "calls for strong fraternal correction of the Diocese of Lincoln." The Diocese of Lincoln has nothing to be corrected for, since the Diocese of Lincoln is and has always been in full compliance with all laws of the Catholic Church and with all civil laws. Furthermore, Ewers and her Board have no authority in the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Lincoln does not recognize them as having any significance.

It is well known that some of the members of Ewers' Board are ardent advocates of partial birth abortion, other abortions, human cloning, and other moral errors. It is understandable then how such persons could dislike the Diocese of Lincoln, which upholds the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.

The words attributed to Ewers seem to confirm the suspicion that the members of her Board are unfamiliar with Catholic teachings, Catholic ecclesiology, and even the basic rudiments of the Catholic Catechism. Rather than concerning themselves with the Diocese of Lincoln about which they appear completely ignorant, Ewers and her colleagues would occupy themselves in a better way by learning something about the Catholic religion and the traditions and doctrines and laws of the Catholic Church.

The Diocese of Lincoln does not see any reason for the existence of Ewers and her organization.

[marshmallow]

Ka-pow!!!

Ironic that Bruskewitz has been singled out for admonishment even though his diocese has been largely untouched by the buggery brigade.

On the other hand, dioceses which have been a hot bed of sodomy and are currently in the process of auctioning off Church property or are negotiating deals with D.A.s, have been found by Ms. Ewers and her fearless band of auditors to be fully compliant with USCCB policy.

Aint that special??

[thegreatbeast]

Damn, no rest for the wicked (or Faithful), eh?

[Tax-chick]

Wowza! That's gonna leave a mark!

[B Knotts]

Some woman

LOL

Well said, your excellency.

[Piers-the-Ploughman]

Although I agree the content of the Bishop's statement, it sounds overly aggressive and strident and would be easily played that way in the media.

[NYer]

Domenico Bettinelli has also picked up on this story. Here's the link to his blog:

Bruskewitz pulls no punches

[A.A. Cunningham]

Bruskewitz couldn't care less about the media.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Ewers mentioned in:

Abuse Board (USCCB National Review) Member Is Abortion Activist

[A.A. Cunningham]

Patricia O’Donnell Ewers is an educational consultant whose clients include DePaul University and the Poetry Foundation. Previously, she was the fifth president of Pace University and the first woman to lead the institution, which has an enrollment of more than 13,000 men and women on five campuses in New York City and Westchester County. Prior to this position, Dr. Ewers was the Academic Vice President and a Professor of English at DePaul University in Chicago. She is a graduate of Mundelein University and Loyola University of Chicago, where she earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in English. She was Trustee, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, from 1985 to 1990, and on the Board of Directors of Fortune Brands, Inc., Catholic Charities, the NYU Downtown Hospital and the NYSE Advisory Committee. Married to John L. Ewers, Dr. Ewers is the mother of two and the grandmother of two. (appointed 2004; appointed chairperson 2005)

[SaltyJoe]

I hope this is the correct photo of the Bishop.

[franky]

I have reservations about someone who is an honored guest speaker with support from "Voice of the Faithful"

http://aps.naples.net/community/NFNWebpages/storyboard.cfm?StoryBoardNum=198&PageNum=120

[Martina]

It is well known that some of the members of Ewers' Board are ardent advocates of partial birth abortion, other abortions, human cloning, and other moral errors.

This is terrible. Why are they putting people like this in power positions in the church? I can't take it anymore!

[Domestic Church]

It's more than irony that Bruskewitz has been singled out...call it what it is - evil.

[RobbyS]

I agree that the bishop should tell them to go to hell. All they do is to cover for the real malefactors, such as the archdiocese of Los Angeles.

[TradicalRC]

Like Christ, he spoke with authority.

[Piers-the-Ploughman]

AAC wrote: Bruskewitz couldn't care less about the media.

And the media in general is very low on most orthodox Catholics' hope for conversion, yet they have the means to amplify and then of course distort and exaggerate what any of us says. This statement has elements of condescension and disdain and is fodder for such media abuse. Honestly, it surprised me to read it. The Holy Father could have dispatched this woman and the Board in a more tactful manner. Bottom line though, I am at risk of making a tempest in a teapot, so I mean to let this go.

[Mercat]

I live in the KCK, Leavenworth Archdiocese. I just checked their website and golly, we're compliant. Arrgg. I was just considering whether to pay for sending our granddaughter to Catholic School next year. I know that the public schools are just as bad. I can't home school her. Sigh.

[A.A. Cunningham]

You obviously are not familiar with Fabian Bruskewitz. Do a little research into how he dealt with CFFC. He does not need the permission of the Holy Father to address his critics in the manner he sees fit.

[MSSC6644]

Going along to get along is immoral, craven and stupid. Kudos to Bishop Bruskewitz. If only more Church leaders had his understanding, courage and faith, the battle might more easily be won.

[TradicalRC]

There is a time for embraces and a time to be far from embraces.

[steadfastconservative]

Bishop Bruskewitz is one of the few bishops with a backbone. Also, he is absolutely correct when he says that the National Review Board has no real authority. The whole Dallas Charter is nothing more than a CYA move by the bishops, one that Bruskewitz isn't going along with.

[k omalley]

Some years ago when I was still a feminazi, I sat up and took notice when Bruskewitz excommunicated some pro-abortion folks. At first it made me furious but then I started to think about what it means to be Catholic and I started to admire the bishop for his fortitude. One thought led to another and before I knew it I was an orthodox Catholic.

[It's me]

Bruskewitz couldn't care less about the media.

You mean he cares about the media? or did you mean:

Bruskewitz could care less about the media.




:o)

[marshmallow]

This is an oft misused expression and one of my pet peeves.

Think about it for a moment. He could not care less.

In other words, he cares so little about this, that it is not possible for him to care any less. That is, he does not care at all. "Bruskewitz couldn't care less", does not mean he cares about the media. It means he cares so little about it that he could not possibly care any less.

It is used in the same sense as expressions such as "I couldn't give a toss"......"I couldn't give a damn".....etc, etc....

"He could care less" has the exact opposite meaning.

AAC is correct.

[It's me]

I stand corrected.

:o)

[A.A. Cunningham]

Save this.

[Logophile]

Excellent.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

She looks like a little troll.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Some years ago when I was still a feminazi, I sat up and took notice when Bruskewitz excommunicated some pro-abortion folks. At first it made me furious but then I started to think about what it means to be Catholic and I started to admire the bishop for his fortitude. One thought led to another and before I knew it I was an orthodox Catholic.

God bless you sister!

[Salvation]

Welcome to the website of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln. We are home to over 89,000 Catholics in 136 parishes living in Southern Nebraska. Many talented and faithful people can be found in the service of Christ through the various institutions of our Diocese.

It is my hope that you will find this site informative and helpful. Please browse around and see some of the wonderful things occuring in the Diocese of Lincoln.

Thank you for visiting and we hope you come back again.

Most Reverend Fabian Bruskewitz
Bishop of Lincoln

 

http://www.dioceseoflincoln.org/

[ArrogantBustard]

ROFL!!! His Excellency shows just the right touch of contempt.

[ArrogantBustard]

How did that go?

Oh, yes: "You will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free."

Ain't that the Gospel Truth? Welcome aboard!

[Aquinasfan]

The words attributed to Ewers seem to confirm the suspicion that the members of her Board are unfamiliar with Catholic teachings, Catholic ecclesiology, and even the basic rudiments of the Catholic Catechism. Rather than concerning themselves with the Diocese of Lincoln about which they appear completely ignorant, Ewers and her colleagues would occupy themselves in a better way by learning something about the Catholic religion and the traditions and doctrines and laws of the Catholic Church.

Wow! I know the Church is opposed to cloning, but maybe we could make an exception in the case of Bishop Bruskewitz 8-)

[It's me]

Thank you....

I could care less.

;o)

[Milosierdzia]

I agree with your summation. Bishop Bruskewitz called a spade a spade. Additionally, Dr. Ewers doesn't have grounds for moral superiority over this good Bishop thus, anything that she might have to say is instantaneously invalidated.

[conservative in nyc]

Your post was quoted in a Lincoln Journal Star about recent national attention received by Bishop Bruskewitz:

--Snip--

Bruskewitz issued a statement pointing out that the review board has no authority over bishops.

“The Diocese of Lincoln has nothing to be corrected for, since the Diocese of Lincoln is and has always been in full compliance with all laws of the Catholic Church and with all civil laws,” he said. “Furthermore, Ewers and her board have no authority in the Catholic Church, and the Diocese of Lincoln does not recognize them as having any significance.”

Bruskewitz continued: “It is well known that some of the members of Ewers’ Board are ardent advocates of partial birth abortion, other abortions, human cloning and other moral errors. It is understandable then how such persons could dislike the Diocese of Lincoln, which upholds the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.”

His response has been posted on a number of Web sites and has received positive and negative comments. Catholic supporters have pointed out the Lincoln Diocese’s clean record on child abuse compared to other dioceses and praised Bruskewitz for upholding church teachings.

“Wow! I know the Church is opposed to cloning, but maybe we could make an exception in the case of Bishop Bruskewitz,” said one writer to the Web site www.freerepublic.com.

“Almost all the responses I have received have been extremely positive and supportive,” Bruskewitz said in an e-mail interview with the Journal Star. “I have received only a few negative remarks from very few people who oftentimes have made their negative remarks out of misunderstanding and misinformation.”

The annual audits are intended to assess dioceses’ compliance with guidelines adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002 for preventing and dealing with sex abuse. The Lincoln Diocese participated in the first audit, in 2003, but has declined to participate in subsequent annual audits.

--Snip--

More here:
Diocese in national spotlight