Catholic Bishop Joins the Democratic Machine's Assault on Pro-life President Bush: Elmhurst College and Call to Action Team Up and Import Aging, Hippy Bishop Preaching to a Crowd of Geriatrics and Student Marxists
3/8/2004 9:45:00 PM
By Joann Kim - The Elmhurst College Leader
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| Bishop Thomas Gumbleton: Lectures on social justice, silence on the Gospels |
Catholic Bishop Joins the Democratic Machine's Assault on Pro-life President Bush
I am really concerned that Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit was chosen to address Elmhurst's annual Bernadin lecture recently. I saw Cardinal George in that same role some time back and he was positively awesome.
I attended and took notes, and found a few points you should know:
The Protestant Chaplain introducing him said the College had actually "partnered" with the heterodox and heretical Catholic group Call To Action to host the event.
The audience was full of elderly folks who made my 77-yr old parents seem like teenages. "Anybody But Bush" buttons and a pair of students wearing Kucinich tees were observed.
The organizers considered the event a coup and the assistant chaplain, a Catholic, declared - regarding the crowd's size - "we chose the right man"
I think we need to enlighten them, perhaps as a group. I would love to have a letter of concerned Catholics with DuPage roots circulated, and certainly a letter to Elmhurst College, plus a news article or two, would go a long way to enlighten the organizers or even the spectators of this travesty.
I do want to add that Gumbleton was not a fire-breathing dragon of protest, that he projected a kindly grandfather image to diffuse concerns.
Gays weren't mentioned. The topic was the War in Iraq. Just War theory or some balance of view was sadly lacking.
From the Elmhurst College Leader - 2/24/04
Only standing-room was available in the Founders Lounge Tuesday, Feb. 17, as many turned out to hear a politically charged lecture given by this year's speaker for the seventh annual Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Lecture crowd. Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, from the Archdiocese of Detroit, addressed the Elmhurst College community, including students, faculty and staff.
"I hope this lecture makes the Elmhurst College community uneasy," said EC Chaplain Scott Matheney, prior to the lecture. "Gumbleton is sharp in speech and will push the envelope." Matheney added the religious make-up of the college community is divided between a large amount of Catholics, followed by other denominations such as Jews, Muslims and those of other faiths, and this diverse population would add to the audience for the night.
Known as a very direct speaker, in past speeches Gumbleton has criticized prominent political figures such as former President Bill Clinton for his activity in Kosovo. The Bernardin Lecture tends to focus on topic of faith and values, but Gumbleton's political views added a contrast to this year's lecture.
"You can only imagine what he thinks about [President] Bush," Matheny said.The lecture began with introductions by Matheney, Jeff Hinko, President of SGA, and Jim Smith, EC assistant professor of sociology, leading to Gumbleton's speech.
Smith welcomed Gumbleton and described him as a man who approaches the world with "the New Testament in one hand and a newspaper in the other." As Gumbleton began, he explained that in his lecture, the audience may challenge his words and he accepted free thought and encouraged it. Gumbleton, an activist for social justice and human rights, focused his speech towards the ongoing war in Iraq and the social effects of war.His words and emotion were shown throughout and he took a full stance against not only the current Iraq war, but also the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Most of the focus of his discussion was directed towards the effects of the first Gulf War on Iraq's economic and social status.
"Baghdad was a fully mechanized and suburbanized town, but we destroyed that in 1991," Gumbleton said. "We intentionally bombed sewage plants, knowing the death toll that could be expected." He also explained the United States' use of uranium tipped rockets and missiles has permanently contaminated soil and water levels to the point where uranium levels are "one hundred fold" what they should be.His concluded with a statement that "through love" war could be deterred.
Gumbleton asked the audience to learn from him and that through the question and answer session, he could learn from the audience.When asked by an audience member how people should describe soldiers fighting in Iraq, he said not to portray them as heroes, because it is the hero-type stature that takes away from the humanness and reality of what war really is.
Gumbleton has been awarded Notre Dame University's achievement of "Peacekeeper" and is the founder of Pax Christi USA, a national Catholic organization, focusing on peace and justice. He is highly involved on the international and national levels for social justice. His international visits include trips to Vietnam in 1973 and 1989; Iran to visit with American hostages in 1979; and several trips to Iraq as a continuing effort to increase awareness and understanding for social justice.
The history of the lecture began in 1996, as Cardinal Joseph Bernardin was scheduled to speak on campus; however, before his scheduled lecture, he passed away. The speech was already prepared, focusing on values and ethics, and was read by the auxiliary Bishop of Chicago. Bernardin was bestowed with the Niebuhr Medal and the lecture was created in his name.
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