Bishop Bruskewitz Shoots Back at National Review Board

Catholic World News ^ | 3/31/06

[marshmallow]

Mar. 31 (CWNews.com) - Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, has responded sharply to criticism from the US bishops' National Review Board about his refusal to cooperate with the Board's "audit" of diocesan plans for implementing national guidelines on sex-abuse programs.

Bishop Bruskewitz released this statement on March 31:

Some woman named Patricia O'Donnell Ewers, who is the Chair of something called "A National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People", has said that her Board "calls for strong fraternal correction of the Diocese of Lincoln." The Diocese of Lincoln has nothing to be corrected for, since the Diocese of Lincoln is and has always been in full compliance with all laws of the Catholic Church and with all civil laws. Furthermore, Ewers and her Board have no authority in the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Lincoln does not recognize them as having any significance.

It is well known that some of the members of Ewers' Board are ardent advocates of partial birth abortion, other abortions, human cloning, and other moral errors. It is understandable then how such persons could dislike the Diocese of Lincoln, which upholds the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.

The words attributed to Ewers seem to confirm the suspicion that the members of her Board are unfamiliar with Catholic teachings, Catholic ecclesiology, and even the basic rudiments of the Catholic Catechism. Rather than concerning themselves with the Diocese of Lincoln about which they appear completely ignorant, Ewers and her colleagues would occupy themselves in a better way by learning something about the Catholic religion and the traditions and doctrines and laws of the Catholic Church.

The Diocese of Lincoln does not see any reason for the existence of Ewers and her organization.

[TradicalRC]

There is a time for embraces and a time to be far from embraces.

[steadfastconservative]

Bishop Bruskewitz is one of the few bishops with a backbone. Also, he is absolutely correct when he says that the National Review Board has no real authority. The whole Dallas Charter is nothing more than a CYA move by the bishops, one that Bruskewitz isn't going along with.

[k omalley]

Some years ago when I was still a feminazi, I sat up and took notice when Bruskewitz excommunicated some pro-abortion folks. At first it made me furious but then I started to think about what it means to be Catholic and I started to admire the bishop for his fortitude. One thought led to another and before I knew it I was an orthodox Catholic.

[It's me]

Bruskewitz couldn't care less about the media.

You mean he cares about the media? or did you mean:

Bruskewitz could care less about the media.




:o)

[marshmallow]

This is an oft misused expression and one of my pet peeves.

Think about it for a moment. He could not care less.

In other words, he cares so little about this, that it is not possible for him to care any less. That is, he does not care at all. "Bruskewitz couldn't care less", does not mean he cares about the media. It means he cares so little about it that he could not possibly care any less.

It is used in the same sense as expressions such as "I couldn't give a toss"......"I couldn't give a damn".....etc, etc....

"He could care less" has the exact opposite meaning.

AAC is correct.

[It's me]

I stand corrected.

:o)

[A.A. Cunningham]

Save this.

[Logophile]

Excellent.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

She looks like a little troll.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Some years ago when I was still a feminazi, I sat up and took notice when Bruskewitz excommunicated some pro-abortion folks. At first it made me furious but then I started to think about what it means to be Catholic and I started to admire the bishop for his fortitude. One thought led to another and before I knew it I was an orthodox Catholic.

God bless you sister!

[Salvation]

Welcome to the website of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln. We are home to over 89,000 Catholics in 136 parishes living in Southern Nebraska. Many talented and faithful people can be found in the service of Christ through the various institutions of our Diocese.

It is my hope that you will find this site informative and helpful. Please browse around and see some of the wonderful things occuring in the Diocese of Lincoln.

Thank you for visiting and we hope you come back again.

Most Reverend Fabian Bruskewitz
Bishop of Lincoln

 

http://www.dioceseoflincoln.org/

[ArrogantBustard]

ROFL!!! His Excellency shows just the right touch of contempt.

[ArrogantBustard]

How did that go?

Oh, yes: "You will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free."

Ain't that the Gospel Truth? Welcome aboard!

[Aquinasfan]

The words attributed to Ewers seem to confirm the suspicion that the members of her Board are unfamiliar with Catholic teachings, Catholic ecclesiology, and even the basic rudiments of the Catholic Catechism. Rather than concerning themselves with the Diocese of Lincoln about which they appear completely ignorant, Ewers and her colleagues would occupy themselves in a better way by learning something about the Catholic religion and the traditions and doctrines and laws of the Catholic Church.

Wow! I know the Church is opposed to cloning, but maybe we could make an exception in the case of Bishop Bruskewitz 8-)

[It's me]

Thank you....

I could care less.

;o)

[Milosierdzia]

I agree with your summation. Bishop Bruskewitz called a spade a spade. Additionally, Dr. Ewers doesn't have grounds for moral superiority over this good Bishop thus, anything that she might have to say is instantaneously invalidated.

[conservative in nyc]

Your post was quoted in a Lincoln Journal Star about recent national attention received by Bishop Bruskewitz:

--Snip--

Bruskewitz issued a statement pointing out that the review board has no authority over bishops.

“The Diocese of Lincoln has nothing to be corrected for, since the Diocese of Lincoln is and has always been in full compliance with all laws of the Catholic Church and with all civil laws,” he said. “Furthermore, Ewers and her board have no authority in the Catholic Church, and the Diocese of Lincoln does not recognize them as having any significance.”

Bruskewitz continued: “It is well known that some of the members of Ewers’ Board are ardent advocates of partial birth abortion, other abortions, human cloning and other moral errors. It is understandable then how such persons could dislike the Diocese of Lincoln, which upholds the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.”

His response has been posted on a number of Web sites and has received positive and negative comments. Catholic supporters have pointed out the Lincoln Diocese’s clean record on child abuse compared to other dioceses and praised Bruskewitz for upholding church teachings.

“Wow! I know the Church is opposed to cloning, but maybe we could make an exception in the case of Bishop Bruskewitz,” said one writer to the Web site www.freerepublic.com.

“Almost all the responses I have received have been extremely positive and supportive,” Bruskewitz said in an e-mail interview with the Journal Star. “I have received only a few negative remarks from very few people who oftentimes have made their negative remarks out of misunderstanding and misinformation.”

The annual audits are intended to assess dioceses’ compliance with guidelines adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002 for preventing and dealing with sex abuse. The Lincoln Diocese participated in the first audit, in 2003, but has declined to participate in subsequent annual audits.

--Snip--

More here:
Diocese in national spotlight