Posted on 06/23/2005 9:06:58 AM PDT by murphE
New York's massive Roman Catholic population will sit out this weekend's Billy Graham crusade in Queens because its parishes are too busy, spokesmen for the two closest dioceses say.
The 413 parishes in the Archdiocese of New York, representing 2.5 million Catholics, are too involved with school graduations, confirmations and the Vatican's emphasis on the Eucharist during 2005, spokesman Joseph Zwilling said yesterday.
The Graham crusade "asked if it would be possible for our churches to invite their people to come," he said, but "given everything happening in our parishes, especially it being the Year of the Eucharist, we didn't feel it'd be possible to ask our parishes to take on any additional activities."
Across the East River in the Diocese of Brooklyn, which lists 1.8 million Catholics, church leaders have also declined involvement, although the crusade will take place there in Flushing Meadows' Corona Park. Spokesman Frank DeRosa cited Year of the Eucharist preparations as a key reason.
Thus, none of that diocese's 217 parishes is among the 1,300 sponsoring congregations for the crusade, which is expected to draw up to 70,000 people a night for what's been billed as the evangelist's last American crusade. Neither are Catholics officially among the 15,000 volunteers amassed for the event.
The Rev. A.R. Bernard, crusade chairman, professed some puzzlement over the archdiocese's reasoning, noting Catholic involvement in other crusades.
"Those who were touched by the Catholic charismatic renewal will be there," he predicted. "You cannot judge by the leadership's protests because the lay people will come anyway."
Catholics are still welcome to attend, but the lack of official involvement amazed Graham biographer Bill Martin, who characterized the archdiocese's reasoning as a "change in policy" from Mr. Graham's 1991 Central Park crusade. Back then, he said, 630 Catholic churches cooperated with the crusade and information on the meetings was handed out at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
That 1991 stance had been a huge shift from Mr. Graham's first New York crusade in 1957, he said, when Catholics boycotted the event and Catholic clergy were instructed on how to counter Mr. Graham's preaching.
"So maybe something's come down from above saying not to be involved in this," Mr. Martin added.
Mr. Zwilling said he didn't remember any such cooperation from churches back then, but Catholic clergy in 1991 did receive names of Catholics who answered Mr. Graham's altar calls at the Central Park event.
In a column to be released Saturday in the diocesan newspaper the Tablet, Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio outlined the significant divide over how Catholics and Protestants understand salvation.
The bishop said he welcomed Mr. Graham into the area and promised to follow up on any names given to them by crusade organizers.
To forestall objections of "sheep stealing," crusade policy is that all Catholics attending the event who sign a card signifying a desire for salvation are referred to the diocese.
Another Graham biographer, David Aikman, said Mr. Graham had a "good relationship" with many Catholic prelates, such as the late Boston Cardinal Richard Cushing, who in 1964 praised the evangelist's talent for converting non-Christians, adding, "I only wish we had half a dozen men of his caliber to go forth and do likewise."
In 1997, Mr. Graham told New Man magazine, an evangelical publication, that "through the years I have made many friends within the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, when we hold a crusade in a city now, nearly all the Roman Catholic churches support it.
"And when we went to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, for the crusade [last year], we saw St. Paul, which is largely Catholic, and Minneapolis, which is largely Lutheran, both supporting the crusade. That wouldn't have happened 25 years ago."
Catholics are still welcome to attend, but the lack of official involvement amazed Graham biographer Bill Martin, who characterized the archdiocese's reasoning as a "change in policy" from Mr. Graham's 1991 Central Park crusade. Back then, he said, 630 Catholic churches cooperated with the crusade and information on the meetings was handed out at St. Patrick's Cathedral.That 1991 stance had been a huge shift from Mr. Graham's first New York crusade in 1957, he said, when Catholics boycotted the event and Catholic clergy were instructed on how to counter Mr. Graham's preaching.
"So maybe something's come down from above saying not to be involved in this," Mr. Martin added.
ping
Too busy....I guess they have a lot of sock drawers to rearrange.
Real simple: There is no Salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church.
What's your point Murph? Should Catholics be out there rallying in support for Billy Graham's Crusade, or should they be apathetic, ignorant, or hostile to it?
Most Catholics I know, respect Rev. Graham as a humble and honest man. I stress the honest part because there is a certain Catholic bias that many evangelical preachers are in it for the money. Not so with Billy Graham.
On the other hand, the Catholic way of worshipping and witnessing is very different than Evangelical Protestants. If you sat both in a room, there is more that they'd agree with than disagree with....but style, terminology and theology do differ.
My link to the original article is incorrect, if you would be so kind would you remedy this please?
http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20050623-095811-7347r
**"change in policy"**
How about a change in a Pope?
excuse me but NO church has salvation for anyone. The Bible which we both read and believe is the word of God says there is salvation in no other name but the name of Jesus Christ.
Church membership whether Catholic or Evangelical is not salvation for any.
Salvation requires repentence and a recognition of God's grace through the gift of his Son Jesus Christ as a substitution for our sins.
Yes, I remember reading about that. What's your point?
It's a good thing that those cards are being forwarded to the diocese. It would be horrible if those desiring salvation were directed to the wrong place.
While I agree with the dioceses' actions, their way of going about this is ridiculous. I'm Catholic and certainly would disagree with Billy Graham about some serious theological issues, but one would have to have a heart of stone to deny that Graham is a sincere and humble man who truly loves the Lord. That being said, it would be very confusing to Catholics, especially those who are not well formed in their faith (like most of my generation), to have the diocese promote Graham's revival. Graham's style and beliefs are not Catholic. I don't see why any Catholic diocese should feel that it is obligated to promote a non-Catholic religious event. Why can't the dioceses of New York and Brooklyn just come out and say this? Say that they respect Graham's work and wish him success, but they cannot promote this event for Catholics because of the important theological differences. This silly excuse that "we're too busy right now" is just ridiculous and dishonest. This excuse is probably going to sow more seeds of discord than an honest, straightfoward statement from the bishops would.
I wouldn't expect the dioceses or even the parishes to officialy 'invite' people to attend but the spokesmen seem disingenuous when they mention being so busy with the Year of the Eucharist. Especially the 'preparation' statement.
C'mon, it started last October, even Billy Graham can read the encyclical on line. If you're really busy with preparations you're a bit late off the blocks.
The statements by the spokesmen seem a bit stuffy. To me, anyway. Some of his sessions will run on week nights, won't they? I doubt the parishes are going to be busy every night of the week.
Given all that, Graham's a good man for seekers, from what I've seen on TV; but I get at least as 'meaty' a message from the average week day homily at my parish. I think my fellow parishoners comprehend the fact that Jesus Christ is their personal Lord and Savior, the one mediator between man and God. They seem fairly solid on the basics.
I think so too. Wouldn't it be more charitable and less cowardly to explain the reasons why the Church cannot support Catholics attending this event, the doctrinal issues involved etc.?
You're pretty sure 'most' Catholics do not pray to Jesus Christ, are you? As a fact? Personal observation?
You might find most of a billion Catholics would beg to disagree with you.
But isn't the Church the pillar and foundation of truth? And didn't Jesus establish a Church? And doesn't Jesus require much more than just shouting out his name "Lord, Lord" to get into Heaven? Don't we have to eat his flesh which is real food and drink his blood which is real drink in order to gain eternal life? Don't we have to be baptised in Water and the Spirit in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost? Didn't Jesus establish a real Church of real men who He would send the Paraclete to guide towards all truth? Didn't he give certain men the ability to forgive and retain sins?
Do you have any Scripture to back up your claim?
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