Replies

Dear NYer,

Many of us who think highly of Archbishop O'Malley, and who wish him well, and believe he will do fine in his new position, are nonetheless disappointed.

The discussion would go little further here if there were not a stout defense of permitting public sinners who endorse radical evil to receive Holy Communion.

"This was O'Malleys Installation Mass. His is coming into a diocese rife with problems and simmering like a cauldron. On Wednesday, he needed to set a tone and he more than accomplished that."

And I understand why he did what he did. But I think it was a serious misjudgement. I think it would have prompted MORE healing as the faithful Catholics of his See would have seen that he was quite serious about all aspects of Catholic life.

"At least one of the abuse victims that accepted his invitation to the mass, had not stepped into a catholic church in 40 years."

I don't think that this person would have not accepted the invitation if Comrade Kerry had been privately told not to approach the Blessed Sacrament.

"According to the trads, though, this was an opportunity to draw blood. Confront the politicians in front of family, leaders from other religious groups, sex abuse victims and the pope's representatives."

Well, I'm not sure that anyone around here would call me a "trad", least of all the trads [trads, your thoughts on this question are welcome], LOL, but to me, it wasn't about "drawing blood".

It COULD HAVE been about saying, "A lot of things are going to change for the better here in Boston, and quick. And this is one of them. We will no longer humor politicians who are bad Catholics, who endorse the murder of millions, we will not longer avert our eyes when they commit sacrilege. If they wish to be Catholic, then now is the time for them to make that choice. If they wish to protect mass murder, then they have made their choice."

But heck, NYer, it wouldn't have ever come to that. Honestly, I don't think it would have been very confrontational at all. The archbishop blinked. If he hadn't blinked, Comrade Kerry would have. I don't think for a moment that Comrade Kerry would have approached if he'd been told he'd have been refused.

"Did you not listen to O'Malley's homily or were you too focused on the pews, looking to beam a spotlight on Kennedy and Kerry?"

I didn't see the Installation Mass at all. I was at work while it happened, and living in the Washington-Baltimore region, it wasn't available on broadcast TV later. I don't get cable. Coverage in the Washington Times was not extensive. I don't read the Washington Post, generally. What I know about it, I read here.

"You are no better than the Pharisees who watched every move that Christ made and sought to trip him up."

I hope that this isn't addressed to me. It is an insult.

sitetest

Many of us who think highly of Archbishop O'Malley, and who wish him well, and believe he will do fine in his new position, are nonetheless disappointed.

As the expression goes .... "you can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time."

*Well, I'm not sure that anyone around here would call me a "trad", least of all the trads*

No, I wasn't referring to you.

*I didn't see the Installation Mass at all. I was at work while it happened*

So was I ... my supervisor, however, had an appointment so I watched it (volume turned low) over the internet. It was repeated at 10pm on EWTN.

He delivered his homily in 4 languages! Spanish, Portuguese, Creole and the body of it was done in English. The Offertory Prayers were given by representatives of just about every ethnic group in the Boston area.

*I hope that this isn't addressed to me. It is an insult. *

Again, it was not addressed to you.

All I ask is that everyone give O'Malley a chance to do what he has been brought there to do. His first priority is resolving the 500+ lawsuits pending against the diocese. As one news station reported:

Gary Bergeron, 41, who said both he and his younger brother were sexually abused by the late Rev. Joseph Birmingham in the 1970s, was one of dozens of alleged victims who were invited to attend the installation ceremony. Some chose to decline the invitation, but Bergeron attended with his parents.

"I think that his message was on target on all aspects," Bergeron said of O'Malley's homily. "Today is the first time I've felt a compassion from a church official in a long, long time."

Please cut him some slack! And, while you're at it, please read his homily. LadyDoc posted it to the religion forum.