Notre Dame Abruptly Sacks Only Admin Member to Protest Obama

LifeSiteNews ^ | 9/2/10 | Kathleen Gilbert

[xzins]

Sad that the guy doing the right thing is the guy in trouble. Guide him, Lord Jesus.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I know how you feel. But the "orders" he's under from "Rome" are not from the pope, but from his CSC Superior headquartered in Rome. And there's probably four more heads on the totem pole between that guy and the pope. The Church isn't a papal autocracy, though I often find myself wishing it were.

In April '09 I spent a lot of time getting the info on Notre Dame's Trustees, Fellows, and Administrators, all the way up to the CSC Superior in Rome, so we could phone, send letters and emails, etc, to protest the Omabanation, but to no avail.

As for the Pope, he's on his way to England, Scotland, and Israel -- England, where Dawkins and Hitchens want to have him arrested for the crime of being against condoms, Scotland where Catholic properties are being sold off for restaurans and mosques, and Israel where Shimon Peres wants Benedict to intervene with the raggies to release Gilad Shalit, as if he were not only infallible, but omnipotent as well. (Pray for him.)

I don't think he's focusing, right now, on an Associate Vice-President for Resident Affairs in South Bend, Indiana, who got a handshake and a pink slip probably for being prolife (though no one would admit that.) Alas.

Personally, I'm so mad at the CSC's I could spit staples. And as for that Judas Jenkins...

[Let's Roll]

It is way past time for ND alums to get serious about with holding their monetary support of the “Golden Dome”.

[rbosque]

Well, I recall that Catholic Universities were supposed to adhere to a mandatum, which I would have imagined would extend to the behavior of the school’s staff. It just seems incredible to me that a priest would deliberately thumb his nose at the Church and it’s teaching especially in regards to ‘life issues’. I remember sending the school a letter years ago over their decision to show the Vagina Monologues. Perhaps the powers that be need to remove the school’s Catholic Charter...

[Mrs. Don-o]

I know how you feel. But the "orders" he's under from "Rome" are not from the pope, but from his CSC Superior headquartered in Rome. And there's probably four more heads on the totem pole between that guy and the pope. The Church isn't a papal autocracy, though I often find myself wishing it were.

In April '09 I spent a lot of time getting the info on Notre Dame's Trustees, Fellows, and Administrators, all the way up to the CSC Superior in Rome, so we could phone, send letters and emails, etc, to protest the Omabanation, but to no avail.

As for the Pope, he's on his way to England, Scotland, and Israel -- England, where Dawkins and Hitchens want to have him arrested for the crime of being against condoms, Scotland where Catholic properties are being sold off for restaurans and mosques, and Israel where Shimon Peres wants Benedict to intervene with the jihadis to release Gilad Shalit, as if he were not only infallible, but omnipotent as well. (Pray for him.)

I don't think he's focusing, right now, on an Associate Vice-President for Resident Affairs in South Bend, Indiana, who got a handshake and a shiv in the back probably for being prolife (though no one would admit that was the reason.) Alas.

Personally, I'm so mad at the CSC's I could spit staples. And as for that Judas Jenkins...

[Mrs. Don-o]

Sorry for the double post. Either my computer is messed up, or the FR site is messed up (or both.)

Yeah, the present Bishop of ND should challenge their right to call themselves Catholic. How did that happen at other formerly-Catholic institutions, e.g. Manhattanville? By their own choice and initiative, or were they forced? I don't know the history.

The tagline is to remind me...

[Albion Wilde]

... in an era when Notre Dame has become more of a brand gay communist front and less of a [Christian] community...

Fixed it.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I agree with your sense of outrage. I want to ping you to my response at #62

PART of what most people (including most Catholics) don't realize is that the Cath. Church is not a papal autocracy-- which is why the direct line of responsibility in every wincing instance does not go straight to the pope.

With ND as just one example, the University is a corporation controlled by its Fellows and Board of Trustees, who are basically answerable to nobody. The CSC religious order (which is not under the local bishop) has a controlling majority, or (I'm not sure of the exact wording of the by-laws) at least a plurality on both of these boards, but they are unlikely to get pulled unless they commit either an indictable crime or a canonical delict. Aside from that, they are well-insulated by tenure, by-laws, canonical procedural due process, etc.

Even then, they are answerable to their own Superior (the top CSC guy in Rome), and he's basically answerable to nobody unless he commits and indictable crime, heresy, apostasy, schism, that sort of thing.

For better or for worse, the Church is in administrative fact far, far more decentralized that most people suppose. 99.99% of the "power" in the Church is voluntary compliance, personal loyalty, and customary (as contrasted to canonical) expectations.

This is not to cover up, excuse or deny the fact that the lack of direct whap-upside-the-head discipline is a gut-twisting scandal. Those bishops AND superiors bear a crozier for a reason: because they are supposed to protect the lambs and dismay the wolves, and not the other way around.

In theory, it is possible for a bishop to "suppress" (yank the credentials of) any religious order in his diocese. I can only remember that happening once in my lifetime: Cardinal McIntyre ousting the IHM's in Los Angeles, and that would have been 40+ years ago. (There might have been others, but I don't know about them.)

Priests and bishops? The overall composition of the clergy changes by attrition. Bishops die off or retire, new bishops are appointed--- that's where the pope has his main direct influence, and, as you can plainly see, that's gradual, as in glacial. Otherwise, you have to try to bring people around by dialogue and persuasion when you can, pressure tactics when you must (e.g. public protest, going after the donors, etc.)

And of course, people are doing that right now. Big time.

[rbosque]

Thank you for your thoughtful response; I guess like many Catholics, I am dismayed. I have been fortunate that I am the recipient of many graces, so I can say with a high degree of certainty that these things that happen (seen and unseen) are Satanic-driven. There are so many assaults against the Church that it is a great wonder why God hasn’t intervened personally. But I am grateful He is patient which means He is patient with us, but this can’t last forever. My blood boils over these things, if people really knew what would ultimately happen to them if they don’t repent, they would be on their knees walking to their nearest confessional. Being a good Catholic isn’t enough, more prayers and sacrifices are in order; a re-dedication and consecration by everyone in the Church is needed.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You are absolutely right about penance and re-dedication, starting right here with moi.

"For what I have done and what I have failed to do..."