My Daily Domestic Diigolet 07/12/2008

We are the best educated laity in history, but one of the worst catechised. A cursory look at statistics shows this. And whose fault is this? Well, as bishops it’s your job–your vocation–and responsibility to teach, sanctify and rule. You’re doing a pitiful job. In fact, in the light of your collective performance in the last forty years, if you were in the private sector you would have been fired. If you were soldiers, as you are supposed to be in the Church Militant, you would have been eliminated from the service. One American in ten is someone who has left the Church! some where between twenty and sixty percent of us do not believe in the Real Presence! Just over half of us feel that homosexual activity is morally permissible!
This is not the result of effective teaching. And, if we have not been effectively catechised, the fault lies in only one place–you.

But I don’t expect to hear even one of you say that. Because I can’t seem to find even one of you who will accept responsibility. When we were racked by scandals from your collective failure–a failure of at least sixty percent of the bishops currently sitting– to protect children from unworthy, predatory priests, you hid behind words, behind blaming the therapeutic community, passing the buck in ways that would make a bureaucrat proud. You know, if a bishop stood up and said that he was sorry, and that the problems ultimately stemmed from his failure to appropriately oversee the clergy in his diocese, most of us would think he was a hero. Instead, you cite “mistakes”, “errors”, “misinformation”. No. You failed in your duty. But I have yet to meet a bishop manly enough to admit that.

Gentlemen, right now there is a protest outside your meeting place. The Catholics protesting are not advocating any change in teaching, or in disciplines, or even cash accountability: all they want is for twelve bishops, out of 250 to enforce canon 915, the enforcement of which documents issued by the USCCB call for. I don’t expect that to happen. Especially when you consider the situation of Micheal Pfleger. Cardinal George, considering that persons who support material evil, specifically abortion, shouldn’t present themselves for communion, and considering that the Pope, who holds your promise of obedience, has said that politicians who work to uphold and further abortion aren’t to be admitted to Holy Communion–how do you justify the continued possession of faculties to preach, and the position of pastor, by priest who supports a politician who voted against protecting children born alive after a failed abortion from being murdered by physicians?