Posted on 11/05/2008 6:15:16 AM PST by NYer
Faithful Catholics in the US have been both stunned and gratified by the recent show of episcopal strength in dealing with the heretical nonsense of “Catholics” in public life who clearly misrepresent the Church’s teaching on vital issues. To date, more than fifty bishops have spoken out about this kind of misconduct or issued guidelines about voting at this critical juncture in our nation’s history. The trend is truly heartening. Let’s pray that it continues! Much more could be done, of course, but I am grateful that more bishops are standing up to strengthen and protect the faith of millions. Many have been longing for this show of valor from our fathers in the faith — and yes, they are our spiritual fathers. When they are strong, we are strong; and when they are weak — the flock is ravaged by wolves.
A few bishops deserve special mention. A good example is Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, CA, who stood up before the misnamed “Catholic Gay and Lesbian” conference last month and proclaimed the Church’s natural law teaching that homosexual acts are mortal sins. A whole group walked out of his speech in protest, and he was reviled afterward for daring to present Catholic teaching to them. The organizer of the conference actually apologized to the attendees for the talk! Bishop Soto made no apologies though. Likewise, San Diego Auxiliary, Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, has been the strongest champion of the legal effort to define marriage as between one man and one woman to combat the radical homosexual lobby in California.
Nor can we fail to mention the strong pro-life stances of Archbishops Burke (now in Rome) and Chaput (Denver) as well as Bishops Vasa (Baker, OR), Farrell and Vann (Dallas, TX), Martino (Scranton, PA) and Mallooly (Wilmington, DE) who are representatives of a group of other bishops who have made their voices heard forcefully on the Catholic voting issue.
It is not just in the US, however, where bishops have been applying their authority in an astonishing fashion. Here are just a few more of the good things happening around the world in the episcopal college:
Thankfully, there are many more examples of episcopal courage that we could add to the reflections but suffice it to say that there seems to be a new wind blowing through the College of Bishops all around the world these days. Perhaps that wind is originating from Bavaria, but whatever its origin, let us continue to pray for our bishops and priests who are always on the firing line between the culture of life and the culture of death. We also need to thank them personally when they speak out in order to encourage them to do even more! Now that the example has been set, let us hope that other bishops and priests will have the audacity of our hope in Christ to go out and do the same!
Many of the bishops were brave. Others were intentionally fuzzy.
They must now realize that the faithful are not being taught the faith, and we all have a duty to work hard to change that.
This priest is usually right on, but I’m not getting where he is coming from here. Speaking out about the simple Church teaching concerning abortion is only remarkable because of the comparison to what has been going on for the last couple of decades. It’s only barely half of what they should have been doing all along. Maybe I’m misunderstanding what “application of authority” means, but I reckon if any real “application of authority” was going down ol’ “practicing Catholic Scranton Joe” would have been a millstone around Obama’s neck.
Freegards, thanks for all the awesome pings
Speaking for those of us whose bishops take the "fuzzy" route because their primary devotion is apparently to the Democrat Party, I'm only too happy to praise those who spoke out -- doesn't hurt to give encouragement to those who do the right thing, even if it's overdue!
“Speaking for those of us whose bishops take the “fuzzy” route because their primary devotion is apparently to the Democrat Party, I’m only too happy to praise those who spoke out — doesn’t hurt to give encouragement to those who do the right thing, even if it’s overdue!”
Do you think that there might be a danger of bishops hearing only flowery accolades for their actions and becoming complacent because the laity seems to be satisfied that they are being such good warriors when it comes to baby butchery? I know all about fuzz...diocese of Richmond here, Catholic Dem gubbernor, Catholic Charities scandals, etc...
Freegards
| Over 100 Bishops Have Spoken Out on Priority of Life Issues Posted on October 28, 2008, 11:59 AM | Deal W. Hudson |
The USCCB has now reaped what it sowed. Generations of CINO’s who wouldn’t know their way to church let alone have any real understanding of or belief in the Catholic Church. Today I read on Steve Kellmeyer’s blog,The Fifth Column, that given the very good chance of the worst depression ever headed our way, that the parishes that have offered the PC protestantized wishy washy version of Catholicism are the ones who will go under. Fair-weather CINO’s will lower or cease their offerings rather than give up anything they deem important.It’s the ones that offer the EF that will flourish. That in turn will result in what should have been all along, Catholics who live their faith.
I’ve sat through countless homilies that mention being neighborly, “undocumented migrants”, you name the feel-good theology and I’ve had it preached to me. It wasn’t until I started to go to the Latin Mass that I heard what should have been said all along. Abortion is evil, evil surrounds us, and it is a sin to vote for an abortion loving candidate. To do so is to be complicit in murder.
My Archbishop and Bishop are on the list of those who spoke out. Too bad they inherited an archdiocese where CINO’s still rule.
I commend the bishops who took a stand.
However, many Catholics are absurdly ignorant of their faith, as even Catholic schools have replaced instruction with feel-good activities.
I have a college student who is shocked at how many of her peers do not know the difference between mortal & venial sins.
If they are clueless on kindergarten material, how can we expect them to understand the Church’s teaching on proportionalism?
We all need to start drilling the catechism, and parents need to stop thinking CCD is playtime.
Our parish has a program where they invite leaders of different faiths in to talk about what they believe. This is under the premise that the Catholic will then contrast and compare Catholic theology to, let’s see, this week it’s Hindu, I think, and will go home all warm and fuzzy having reached out to our brethren. Horse manure. All I need to know about the other guy is that they deny Christ as their Savior and the Church as the true church. End of conversation. Feeling warm and fuzzy already. In this day and age with internet access if I want to know about sikhs,muslims or buddhists I can darn well find out on my own time, but when a parishioner is at church a better use of church property,time and resources should be teaching the Faith!
Bishops had better get busy leading and teaching and spend less time at cocktail parties with politically connected CINO’s posing for that photo-op. I don’t care if it means calling on individual parishioners and grilling them with the Baltimore Catechism and kicking their flabby spiritual asses into shape. They might even try that particular exercise on each other.
The Catholic faithful have been doing the dog work for years. We have done our best to educate our families and the CINO’s around us. We aren’t perfect, but at least we know that Pelosi and Biden have lead many Catholics straight to the gates of Hell, and should be excommunicated ASAP.
ditto.
***The USCCB has now reaped what it sowed. Generations of CINO’s who wouldn’t know their way to church let alone have any real understanding of or belief in the Catholic Church. Today I read on Steve Kellmeyer’s blog,The Fifth Column, that given the very good chance of the worst depression ever headed our way, that the parishes that have offered the PC protestantized wishy washy version of Catholicism are the ones who will go under. Fair-weather CINO’s will lower or cease their offerings rather than give up anything they deem important.It’s the ones that offer the EF that will flourish. That in turn will result in what should have been all along, Catholics who live their faith.
I’ve sat through countless homilies that mention being neighborly, “undocumented migrants”, you name the feel-good theology and I’ve had it preached to me. It wasn’t until I started to go to the Latin Mass that I heard what should have been said all along. Abortion is evil, evil surrounds us, and it is a sin to vote for an abortion loving candidate. To do so is to be complicit in murder.
My Archbishop and Bishop are on the list of those who spoke out. Too bad they inherited an archdiocese where CINO’s still rule.***
You are not alone. I live in Iowa where the Catholic vote went substantially to Obama and the older Baby Boomer liberal CINOs still kinda hold sway. Our diocese is just coming out of bankruptcy and the liberals still don’t get it.
No matter; the new priests and deacons are much more conservative and we are moving in the right direction to erase much of the liberal social revolutionary activism of the last 40 years. Vatican II may have been very good; most of its outcome as taken by the laity and the American clergy was very bad. We are reclaiming the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Ransomed is right. I’m all for encouraging phone calls to the diocese but I want a Bishop who backs up what he says. Excommunicate Biden now. It’s pathetic that it’s the bishops who stood out who are the ones true to the Faith.This should be a given.
“All I need to know about the other guy is that they deny Christ as their Savior and the Church as the true church. End of conversation.”
Go, man, go!!!
It’s all that Eucharistic adoration and prayer that’s coming to fruition; this elction has brought out a lot of good!
Unfortunately, the stench of Bernardin's legacy is still in the building. It's going to take plenty of Clorox and air freshener to clean up the steaming piles of you know what which he left everywhere.
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