Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops singles out Catholic Blog's Criticism of Gaillardetz

Socon or Bust ^ | 10/1/2009 | John Pacheco

[Paycheck]

Well, I must say that at least the CCCB is listening to the concerns of lay Catholics. That’s a good sign, indeed.

In a statement published today by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the bishops had this to say about Dr. Gaillardetz’s invitation to speak to them at their Plenary Assembly scheduled for October 19-23 in Cornwall, Ontario:

[Paycheck]

Well, I must say that at least the CCCB is listening to the concerns of lay Catholics. That’s a good sign, indeed.

In a statement published today by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the bishops had this to say about Dr. Gaillardetz’s invitation to speak to them at their Plenary Assembly scheduled for October 19-23 in Cornwall, Ontario:

Well-known and award-winning Catholic author and theologian Richard R. Gaillardetz has responded to attacks circulating on a blog about his having been invited by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to give two major presentations on the priesthood at the October 2009 meeting of the CCCB Plenary Assembly. The blog questions whether Professor Gaillardetz is faithful to the doctrine of the Church.

In a letter addressed to CCCB President Archbishop V. James Weisgerber, Professor Gaillardetz affirms his standing as a Catholic theologian who “fully embraces the teaching office of pope and bishops.”

Professor Gaillardetz is on staff at the University of Toledo, Ohio. A past member of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Theological Society of America, he holds a mandatum from Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza to teach at the University of St. Thomas School of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary, Houston, Texas. According to the norms of the United States Conference for Catholic Bishops for the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, a mandatum in the USA is “portable” unless explicitly revoked.

As agreed by the CCCB Permanent Council, the themes of his two Plenary presentations will be ” The impact of the Second Vatican Council on the priesthood and its reality today,” and “Reflections on the Relationship between the Ministerial Priesthood and the Priesthood of the Baptized.” (Source)

I’m pretty sure the CCCB is referring to this post about Dr. Gaillardetz’s fidelity to the Church’s teaching. And they sure do visit my blog enough too. The logs say so.

In point of fact, however, in the above post, I didn’t really attack him or even his positions at all. Steve and I simply did some snooping around the internet and found some stinging critiques about his writings from trusted and competent sources.

In my subsequent post on his position regarding women’s ordination, however, I do critique his view as essentially redundant.

Dr. Gaillardetz even offered a rebuttal to the post in question which can be read on the CCCB’s website here.

I will be responding in the near future to Dr. Gaillardetz’s letter.

My rebuttals and the evidence associated with them will be substantial.