Posted on 03/07/2012 10:14:16 AM PST by NYer
Cardinal Timothy Dolan sent a letter to his brother bishops earlier this week where he revealed a shocking conversation that recently took place at a meeting between White House and USCCB staff:
At a recent meeting between staff of the bishops’ conference and the White House staff, our staff members asked directly whether the broader concerns of religious freedom—that is, revisiting the straight-jacketing mandates, or broadening the maligned exemption—are all off the table. They were informed that they are. So much for “working out the wrinkles.” Instead, they advised the bishops’ conference that we should listen to the “enlightened” voices of accommodation, such as the recent, hardly surprising yet terribly unfortunate editorial in America. The White House seems to think we bishops simply do not know or understand Catholic teaching and so, taking a cue from its own definition of religious freedom, now has nominated its own handpicked official Catholic teachers
Let’s break this down so we don’t miss anything about the context or gravity of the situation:
1. This meeting was prompted because the White House decided to curtail and violate the religious freedom of the Catholic Church and individual Catholics.
2. The White House refused to consult with Catholic bishops while originally formulating and issuing this mandate. President Obama misled Cardinal Dolan when he promised the Cardinal he would be happy with the White House’s final decision.
3. The White House has continually lied about and misrepresented the opinion and position of the U.S. Bishops in this process (claiming, for instance, that they were always against Obamacare and that Catholic Charities USA supported their false accomodation). They have continued to act in bad faith.
4. The White House has also chosen to ally itself with liberal, left-wing Catholic dissenters like Sr. Carol Keehan throughout this process, thereby snubbing the U.S. Bishops and all faithful Catholics.
(Are you still there? Because now it gets really good….)
5. After all of this, when the White House finally gets around to inviting staff authorized by the USCCB to negotiate on behalf of them, the White House says what to them?! First, they issue an ultimatum saying all compromise is off the table. So what on earth are they supposed to talk about if the White House refuses from the outset to compromise in any way, shape, or form? The cynical answer is the White House, once again, simply wanted to establish the appearance of dialogue while offering zero substance.
6. Then, the White House proceeds to lecture the USCCB staff about how to interpret Catholic teaching! Can you imagine anything more offensive? Telling Catholics how to be Catholic? They show them a copy of the America editorial as if a) the staff has not already read it and b) the U.S. Bishops give a fig what the editors of America think.
7. Let’s read Cardinal Dolan’s line again:
The White House seems to think we bishops simply do not know or understand Catholic teaching and so, taking a cue from its own definition of religious freedom, now has nominated its own handpicked official Catholic teachers.
In other words, what we have here is NOT a failure to communicate. What we have here is an Administration and White House officials who believe they know Catholic teaching better than us. And who have the hubris to lecture us about what our faith teaches.
The editors of the Wall Street Journal comment:
As a study in ideology and power, the anecdote [of the White House meeting described above] is chilling, compounded by all the recent claims by Democrats and liberals that Catholics who actually abide by their faith are opposed to modernity. Such prejudice is supposedly defunct in contemporary America, except when it’s practiced against religion.
And not just any religion – Catholic religion.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t take kindly to my elected leaders lecturing me about what my faith teaches. Talk about the height of hypocrisy. Talk about an offense that cries out to the ballot box to be answered definitely.
Encourage them to get involved in their local parish or in a near by parish that better represents their beliefs and to work for the changes they desire. The laity, through their works, voices and prayers are the workmen of Christ and the instruments of change. Some within the Church have deviated because we allowed them to.
For me it begins with Catechesis. Every lapsed and former Catholic I know is the product of poor catechesis. Each of us has far more long term impact than we realize. Every wayward priest, bishop or Church official began their journey with the Catechism and at the feet of a volunteer. So did the saints and the pillars of our faith.
In his Catholicism series Fr. Barron recounts an exchange between Hans Kung and Henri de Lubac during Vatican II. As the two theologians were walking to a council session, Kung shared his frustrations with the institutional church. They approached the steps of St. Peter’s, de Lubac turned to Kung and said, “But she is still our mother.” Barron concludes: “We can’t treat her as ‘take it or leave it’…. No, the church is the place where we find the fullness of life, and that always has to be emphasized.”
It's not just a problem with "the HHS mandate." It's certainly not just a matter of "Church institutions." And it's double-dog definitely just about "contraception." The larger filthy tyranny --- Obamacare itself --- has to be taken down completely.
We live in interesting times.
you may well be the finest mind on FRepublic. You are always this good.
Sounds like a plan. Have you communicated this to Card. Dolan? Seriously.
I'll still pass on your recommendations.
This stuff infuriates me to no end, and I am not a practicing Catholic- far from it. I do wonder though, what the US Bishops were thinking when they supported Obamacare in the first place.
I find it ironic that the Catholic Church as an institution has supported so much of what Obama stands for. Now they are experiencing the same lying cheating, stealing, corrupt behavior the rest of us forsaw before Obama started squatting in the Whitehouse.
If your relatives have the energy and dedication I would encourage them to pursue the diaconate. Being ordained and working in service to the diocese and the bishop and not the specific parish or priest, they can resist a lot of nonsense and facilitate a lot of good.
Peace be to you.
I have seen that a few bad apples with sharp elbows can seem to intimidate and dominate parishes and eventually ruin parishes.
Good point. I'll ask them about that. They know I'm Protestant so they don't get into particulars.
Peace be to you.
And to you and yours also.
That's a shame, because they're playing into the Marxists' --and the devil's-- hands.
The Sacraments are a certain source of grace, regardless of the priest's sinfulness. Orthodox people are needed in the Church. Otherwise, the situation becomes more difficult for those that remain.
It will have NO CHOICE but to accept the different views!
Another thing that your relatives could do is get a recommendation for a parish from somebody that's straight-up orthodox, like say Father Zuhlsdorf ("Fr. Z") who runs the What Does the Prayer Really Say? blog. He does answer his Emails, and he knows people everywhere.
Our parish priest, who is as orthodox as they come, gave my daughter a reccy for a parish where she went to college. He was 100% on the money, too. Very conservative, old-fashioned parish within 10 miles of the craziest buncha Jesuit loons you'd ever want NOT to meet.
Even if it's some distance, at least they could get to Confession on a regular basis.
Thanks for the suggestions and insights.
BTTT!
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