Posted on 05/07/2012 6:30:26 AM PDT by marshmallow
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI called on America's Catholic colleges and universities to reaffirm their Catholic identity by ensuring orthodoxy in theological studies and accepting the oversight of bishops.
The pope made his remarks May 5 to U.S. bishops from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming, who were making their periodic "ad limina" visits to the Vatican.
While he acknowledged recent efforts by America's Catholic institutions of higher education to "reaffirm their distinctive identity in fidelity to their founding ideals and the church's mission," Pope Benedict said that "much remains to be done."
The pope emphasized the need for compliance with canon law in the appointment of theology instructors, who are required to possess a "mandate" from the "competent ecclesiastical authority," ordinarily the local bishop.
The requirement for a mandate was underscored in 1990 by Blessed John Paul II in his apostolic constitution "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," but many Catholic theology departments in the U.S. have yet to comply.
Pope Benedict said that the need for a mandate was especially clear in light of the "confusion created by instances of apparent dissidence between some representatives of Catholic institutions and the church's pastoral leadership."
"Such discord harms the church's witness and, as experience has shown, can easily be exploited to compromise her authority and her freedom," the pope said.
U.S. bishops have clashed with the administrations of Catholic colleges and universities on a number of occasions in recent years, with some of the most prominent cases involving invited speakers who dissent from Catholic moral teaching.
In March, Anna Maria University in Worcester, Mass., retracted its invitation to Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., to speak at the university's commencement, after Bishop Robert J. McManus objected to Victoria Kennedy's support for legalized abortion, contraception and same-sex........
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnews.com ...
and that’s why colleges like Georgetown invite Kathleen Sebelius to be their graduation speakers?
And Notre Dame crushes on obama?
He'll need a legion of bulldozers and some dynamite over at Georgetown University.
or at least, a legion ....
Perhaps what's needed is a herd of swine. Or congressmen ...
-—Bishop Robert J. McManus objected to Victoria Kennedy’s support for legalized abortion, contraception and same-sex........——
My bishop bump. He seems like a meat and potatoes kind of guy.
“He’ll need a legion of bulldozers and some dynamite over at Georgetown University.”
Followed by carpet bombing, some disinfectent, and complete removal of all matter to a depth of twenty feet.
With Notre Dame not far behind.
And while you’re at it, Your Holiness, Duquesne University here in Pittsburgh has all of the problems above, plus it is the most expensive school in town by an order of magnitude (aside from Carnegie-Mellon).
Got that, Georgetown?
Got that, Notre Dame?
Got that, Bishops? Then step in and follow the Pope’s instructions!
And how about Bishop Murry who told the dimocrat politician not to show up?
God bless these bishops with spines.
The legios of bulldozers are our PRAYERS!
Pray constantly that these Bishops will follow the Pope’s lead here!
And Obama is the biggest exploiter of the Seamless Garment useful idiots.
Frankly, I was surprised at Bishop McManus’s decision, but was pleased! My hubby has spoken with the Bishop about our pro-abortion Congressman, wondering why nothing has been said about his votes in Congress and public pro-abortion pronouncements. But I guess most Bishops in this country don’t want to wade into that political morass.
Notre Dame has a beautiful campus and fine artwork like the gigantic mosaic of “Touchdown Jesus.” If only they could disinfect it without destroying the buildings.
I attended Georgetown and go back for a visit occasionally
I’m convinced that no one there really cares any longer what the Vatican thinks, at least as long as they can pick and choose among doctrine that suites their ideology.
They may have a few individual Profs or Jesuits who are steadfast, but they are solitary and do not effect policy. I also believe that a majority of their administration actually welcome a battle with the Bishops, as it will help them burnish their liberal/leftist bona fides at DC cocktail parties. I submit as evidence the condescending and didactic letter sent to Paul Ryan recently by a large number of the Woodstock Theological Center staff.
Like most universities, GU has sold its soul to secular modernism, and for GU in particular, a Catholic identity can not compete with the lure of being the premier elitist university located in the capital of the empire.
-—But I guess most Bishops in this country don’t want to wade into that political morass.-—
I’m back to being disappointed again. But I’ll take what I can get.
Good thought! Will get down to it today!
Like the Pope said on his birthday - we don’t need strategic planning to handle emergency events like we are facing (Obamacare, Georgetown commencement, homosexual marriage), we need prayer - unity in prayer.
Prayers get answered, prayerful folks get awful belligerant, prayerful folks STAND.
That beats national strategy, spin efforts, and petitions. See Tea Party.
I think a lot of Christians, Catholics in particular, believe they should only pray for things to improve without ever praying for the Lord to destroy His enemies one way or another.
That doesn't mean praying to strike all of His enemies dead, but in some cases that's what it would take and the Lord is answering our prayers with the appropriate remedy. He can, as they say, sort them out.
JMHO.
Georgetown is not as bad as you think.
My daughter is finishing her sophomore year at Georgetown this week. I've spent a lot of time at Georgetown over the last two years. Georgetown definitely has a Catholic identity, even with the Jesuit influence.
The problem is that Georgetown has to coexist with the Washington Catholic establishment. Both Nancy Pelosi and her husband are on the Georgetown Board of Trustees. See the problem.
There are a surprising number of Georgetown students who are faithful, practicing Catholics and they aren't really discouraged by Georgetown in following a Catholic life.
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