Posted on 03/15/2012 2:27:13 PM PDT by NYer
I have little to add to Kathryn’s excellent summary of the U.S. Bishops’ statement “United for Religious Freedom.”
I do want to register my disappointment with Reuters, however, which attempted to muddy the waters of the bishops’ crystal-clear resolve the day before they issued their statement — while presenting absolutely no evidence to support that narrative:
“Facing small but clear signs of discontent within their own ranks, U.S. Catholic bishops may be poised to rethink their aggressive tactics for fighting a federal mandate that health insurance plans cover contraception, according to sources close to influential bishops…
… dozens of bishops, meeting this week in Washington, are likely to discuss concerns that their battle against the Obama administration over birth control risks being viewed by the public as narrow and partisan and thus diminishes the church’s moral authority, the sources said.
Once again these nameless, faceless “sources” are at work sowing seeds of doubt and discontent where there is none.
Actually, this time Reuters does eventually cite two sources by name — and boy, am I not surprised who they turn out to be:
“They’re going to have to look at not just what their moral theology tells them they should do, but at what political reality tells them,” said Thomas Reese, a Catholic priest and Georgetown University scholar who has written extensively about the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “These are strategic and tactical questions.”
Fr. Thomas Reese, eh? Now there’s a source with no credibility or contacts among the young bishops who are such a growing force for good in the Bishops Conference.
… but wait, there’s more!
Sister Simone Campbell, who leads a Catholic social justice network, said she has seen “internal divisions” emerging among the bishops about “what really matters” and where the church should focus its public megaphone. She expects the dissent to be aired this week at the closed-door meetings in Washington. “They’re going to have a big tussle on their hands,” she said.
Sr. Simone is most notable for orchestrating the behind-the-scenes nuns-in-support-of-Obamacare letter which helped pass the disastrous legislation that is the cause of this mess we are in — how, again, is she supposed to be a credible or dispassionate source? She’s certainly not a remotely informed source, when it comes to the bishops’ internal deliberations or frame of mind.
One again we are witnessing a blatant attempt by liberal Catholics to divide the bishops –and all of us Catholics– on an issue where there is actually incredible unity.
After all, every single bishop in the United States has condemned the Obamacare mandate with strong language, and their new statement renews that unambiguous message.
As George Weigel put it, the bishops have clearly said there will be “No Compromise.”
But that won’t stop liberal Catholics from trying to get their old friends in the media to carry water for them.
But make no mistake — the bishops are united and we stand united with them. And whenever we stand united like that, it terrifies the Catholic Left.
Notice the liberal media’s “go to” catholic sources.
Liberal Catholics = wolves in sheep’s clothing and enemies of the cross.
Liberal Catholics - A fifth column for the anti-Christ.
The Lib Catholics had the previous crop of Bishops in their pockets for so long, they just really be dismayed that the new younger Bishops aren't kowtowing to them.
Uh, that should read, “They MUST really be dismayed”...
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BTTT
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