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"That meeting, alas, was secret, and they had invited only those who might be characterized as church liberals. The story leaked, as stories do. Many, I among them, thought that holding a secret meeting to discuss a scandal borne of secrecy was ham-handed and tin-eared, at best. Why were only those who share one point of view asked to attend? Why was there no follow-up in terms of a statement from the participants on what was discussed, suggested, declared?"

Now, see, that's why I would like to be filthy rich.

Because if I were, the complete text transcript of that meeting would be all over the Internet, the complete audio transcript would be looping on one of my radio stations, and the complete AV transcript would be played once a day on all my TV stations.

Anyway, I regained my composure and concluded my remarks with some hard advice. I said the leaders of the church should now--"tomorrow, first thing"--take the mansions they live in and turn them into schools for children who have nothing, and take the big black cars they ride in and turn them into school buses. I noted that we were meeting across the street from the Hilton, and that it would be good for them to find out where the cleaning women at the Hilton live and go live there, in a rent-stabilized apartment on the edge of town or in its suburbs. And take the subway to work like the other Americans, and talk to the people there. How moved those people would be to see a prince of the church on the subway. "They could talk to you about their problems of faith, they could tell you how hard it is to reconcile the world with their belief and faith, and you could say to them, Buddy, ain't it the truth."

I didn't know if this had hit its mark until the meeting was over, when an intelligent-looking and somewhat rotund bishop spoke to me as I waited for a cab. I was trying to rush to the airport and make the next shuttle home.

She says it all with such impassioned ferver, but she does not live it herself.

Peggy - get off the Shuttle and go ride Amtrak or Greyhound home, like a normal person. First, you might discover that most people, even the working poor, don't live in rent controlled apartments.

The cardinal and the bishop were said to be embarrassed when news of their meeting broke. Those often characterized as conservative asked for a similar meeting; the cardinal and the bishop obliged.

Does anyone know who decided which bishops would attend this meeting and why they were chosen?

" So, we are demoralized. But there is help. I spoke of the scene in Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion,"...

Thanks for posting this article. God works in mysterious ways. Someone at the Vatican thinks the clergy needs to see this film too.

VATICAN OFFICIAL ENDORSES "THE PASSION"

Irondale, Sept. 14 (EWTNews) Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, the top Vatican official in charge of the Congregation for the Clergy has given his endorsement to Mel Gibson's upcoming film, "The Passion", putting to rest speculation that the film in any way distorts Catholic teaching. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, after viewing the film, granted an interview to Italian reporter Antonio Gaspari.
In an excerpt from the interview obtained by EWTNews, the Cardinal said "I would like all our Catholic priests throughout the world to see this film. I hope all Christians will be able to see it, and all people everywhere." He described the film as "...a triumph of art and faith. It will be a tool for explaining the person and message of Christ. I am confident that it will change for the better everyone who sees it, both Christians and non-Christians alike." Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos disputes any notion that the film is in any way anti-Semitic."