Inside the Pandora’s Box

Crisis Magazine ^ | January 2003 | Deal Hudson

[NYer]

I did a search before posting this article. If it's a duplicate ... many apologies. It's definitely a worthy read.

[Polycarp]

Good find.

“Why,” I then asked her, “if this is all you want, do I hear so many members of the VOTF challenging Church teaching?”

Indeed.

[Siobhan]

Great post. 3 cheers for Deal and for NYer too.

bump

[Desdemona]

The expertise of laypersons is welcome in the Church, but it cannot undermine the authority of the bishops in matters of faith and morals.

BUMP.

[WaveThatFlag]

. Anti-Catholics say that sexual abusers are incubated in a hierarchical, authoritarian structure where there is no public accountability or scrutiny.

But they don't really care about the crime anyway. For them, it's all about discrediting the Church because the Church says abortion and homosexuality are things to be avoided.

[yendu bwam]

The most absurd premise one hears from people in this group (and others like it) is that married clergy would solve the problem - as if men who would marry would go sexually abuse teenage boys. At its base - the Church needs to dequeerize itself. Not all homosexual priests are teenage boy molestors, but a significant fraction of them are. There is no fundamental reason that a man with a severe sexual disorder should be a priest. The Church must decide - put the safety of boys first (and the trust that parents and children should have with priests), or, alternatively, to put the importanc of ordaining sexually disordered men above that of the safety (spiritual and physical) of teenage boys and their families.

[.45MAN]

Thanks for the ping.

[yendu bwam]

Priestly celibacy is the most visible reminder that the Catholic Church stills believes in a truth that is not subject to public opinion or the democratic process.

Indeed.

[saradippity]

You post so many wonderful,informative articles. Thanks!!

[NYer]

You're welcome!! Just like to keep everyone informed.

[sinkspur]

Bishop Gregory’s decision to create a National Review Board was an important step, both symbolically and substantially, toward bringing bishops closer to lay experts who have not been complicit in the bad decisions of the past. (It’s regrettable that some bishops have taken umbrage at some of Governor Keating’s comments—the board is doing good work, and we need to move on.)

Egan in New York publicly and intentionally snubbed the Lay Review Board; he wouldn't say Mass for them, nor would he allow any of his auxiliaries to, either.

Egan's got skeletons, and he's scared to death of the other shoes that will drop in his direction.

What a childish, churlish man!

[fatima]

Bump.

[G Larry]

Yup!
If they cared about the crime, they'd go after the NYC school district for their years of coverup!
(avg. 300 cases/year!)

[WaveThatFlag]

If they cared about the crime, they'd go after the NYC school district for their years of coverup! (avg. 300 cases/year!)

The foster care system anyone?

[NYer]

Egan in New York publicly and intentionally snubbed the Lay Review Board; he wouldn't say Mass for them, nor would he allow any of his auxiliaries to, either.

His predecessor, John Cardinal O'Connor was a true leader. His funeral was a slap in the face of many catholic politicians who support the pro-choice agenda.

Who appointed Egan as his replacement? Was it Law? And, if so, what jurisdiction does he have over NY?

[Onelifetogive]

What I find telling is that in any article discussing what the teaching on the Church should be on a matter, neither side ever quotes scripture.

In this case neither the pro-celibacy nor the pro-marriage proponents look to the Bible for guidance.

??????

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

When the representatives of the Church (Paul and Silas) taught the Bereans, the Bereans looked to the scriptures for themselves to find out if the teaching was true. The scriptures were their ultimate guide, not the leaders of the Church. God called this "noble."

[katnip]

Who appointed Egan as his replacement? Was it Law? And, if so, what jurisdiction does he have over NY?

I thought the pope himself picked Egan and made him a cardinal to boot.

[heyheyhey]

You are correct, but…

In fact all of the Catholic Church teachings are based on the Sacred Scriptures. If you ever happen to read any Council documents or the Catechism of the Catholic Church you will find plentiful Biblical references.

It may seem (especially in this forum) that Catholics don't quote the Scripture as often as other Christians do, but for us it would be much like "reinventing the wheel." Matters of faith were already settled over the centuries, and they don't change with every new generation.

On the other hand, from time to time I see a Protestant minister waving the Bible as a proof of his/her Scripture-based preaching and often they would come up with the weirdest interpretation in the world while claiming, "it's all in the Bible."