Posted on 05/12/2005 6:27:14 PM PDT by Coleus
Writer banned from speaking at retreat
Diocese of Paterson Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli has banned a writer who supports abortion rights and female ordination from speaking to a lay Catholic group on church property.
Angela Bonavoglia , a self-described "itinerant Catholic," was scheduled to speak tonight to a local branch of the lay group Voice of the Faithful at the Jesuit Loyola Retreat in Morristown. But at the last minute, the diocese asked the Jesuits there to "disinvite" Bonavoglia, saying that her views oppose church doctrine, according to a diocesan spokeswoman.
The ban marks the first time a Paterson bishop has specifically interfered with a meeting planned by Voice of the Faithful. Since its inception in 2002, the group, which openly questions elements of church dogma, has been banned from churches in the Archdiocese of Newark but has met about 20 times on Diocese of Paterson property. Though Serratelli has no plan to ban the group in the future, he intervened specifically in this case because of Bonavoglia's views on abortion rights, according to Marianna Thompson, the diocese's spokeswoman.
"This is a speaker who is not in tune with the basic teachings of the Catholic Church, including abortion," Thompson said on Tuesday by telephone. "While we affirm every person's right to free speech, we also hold fast to the doctrines of the faith and church teaching." Serratelli
Bonavoglia, of Westchester County, N.Y., has written two books, "The Choices We Have Made: 25 Women and Men Speak Out About Abortion," and "Good Catholic Girls: How Women are Leading the Fight to Change the Church." In a recent radio interview, she argued that the church's strict anti-abortion and anti-contraception stances have especially hurt women in the developing world. She said that the fact that women are shut out of ministry is one of the biggest problems plaguing the church.
Voice of the Faithful leaders, who are not uniformly for abortion rights, said they invited Bonavoglia to speak because she has written positively about their group.
They said she was not going to speak only about abortion but was planning to focus more broadly on women in the church.
"As long as we suppress dialogue, we're stifling the pursuit of truth," said Maria Cleary, a North Jersey Voice of the Faithful organizer. "The last time we looked, we were free to talk in this country."
Bonavoglia said in a telephone conversation on Tuesday that her views are widely represented in the Catholic reform movement and that shutting her out was shutting a whole group of Catholics out.
"I don't feel that it's fair to target me as a Catholic that has rejected church teachings," she said. "This hierarchy right now is lopping off whole groups of us for daring to hold an alternative, equally legitimate position.
"To forbid dialogue, to forbid people to bring their feelings and thoughts into our own church environment is an ominous direction for the church."
Instead of Loyola House, Voice of the Faithful will meet tonight at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, which is also in Morristown. While Bonavoglia was not happy about being banned from church property, she indicated that the new venue has one thing going for it.
"It has a woman pastor, which delights me to no end," she said.
Shouldn't they call themselves "Voice of the Faithless" instead?
I love the graphic.
If the "disinvitors" knew that Duke was going to speak a week before, I'd consider it a stunt by the disinvitors.
I don't like hot-doggin', whether done by ball players or Catholic bishops.
It's about time. I feel good reading an article like this one.
My former parish was also packed on Sundays, with catholics who had a poor understanding of the GIRM and could not recognize the liturgical abuses that abounded in the Mass served up to them each week. Whereas the priest who dares to preach straight doctrine is often castigated for his reminders. I prefer the narrow path over the super highway.
Went to the link of the church. I don't doubt that these folks are good Catholics, but why do we need to spend so much money and build churches that are so ugly? Catholics used to build beautiful churches, as anyone visiting Europe or even the older sections of American cities knows. The amazing thing is, most of these beautiful churches were built by Catholics who were quite poor. Now that many of us are wealthy and live in the suburbs, we build almost uniformly ugly churches.
Only on Free Republic is an empty church more fruitful than a packed church.
That guy's entire body (especially his hips, legs, and supporting foot) is so far out of line, it's a wonder he hasn't thrown his back out.
Our former ECUSA pastor invited a "liturgical dancer" once. She was AWFUL, she truly stank, and those of us who actually knew something about the art were cringing in our seats (I have a certificate in Theater and Dance, and my mom has been a professional dancer for 50+ years). I grabbed the pastor afterwards, and told him, "Look, I don't know what sort of theological justification there is for this sort of thing. But for heaven's sake, if you're going to do it, get a DANCER!" We never had another one.
Lol ... In fact, there was an interview in this week's National Catholic Register with a priest who has worked with Rattinger for many years. He assured the interviewer that the new pontiff 'knows' the US bishops quite well.
What's it been? 3 weeks? And the changes are arriving in a steady stream. It's quite interesting to watch them squirm in their seats. Our diocesan paper now 'reports' the Vatican news with no editorial comments. In a diocese run by an ultra liberal, that's a major shift in journalism!
I know the Bishops are starting to realize "there's a new sheriff in town" and his name is Benedict XVI!
Lol ... I've got an apple for you. I promise it will make you grow in wisdom!
Amen!
Its about time!
I've seen those churches like the one you used to attend, the "super highway" churches. As someone who lost her faith and regained it again, I must say that one of the factors of my lost was these "super churches" -- whose attendees are either 1)zombie-like when they aren't looking for stimulation or 2) an obnoxious combination of Dr. Phil meets cheesy 70s style hippy-dippy guitar playing "Catholic faith communities". They'd walk out right after communion, not evening waiting for the end of the mass. And then they'd run each other over to get out of the parking lot. BUT THE CHURCH WAS ALWAYS PACKED ON SUNDAY!
Like Walker Percy in his days in the wilderness before he converted, I too thought, "if this is salvation, I don't want it."
>>> "I don't feel that it's fair to target me as a Catholic that has rejected church teachings," <<<<
Bhahahh
You just hafta LOL at what lefts say
Excellent !!!!!!!
From the article:
a meeting planned by Voice of the Faithful. Since its inception in 2002, the group, which openly questions elements of church dogma,
At least they seem to have stopped describing VOTF as "a group formed in response to the clergy sex abuse scandal." Progress of a sort!
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