Is the US Conference of Catholic Bishops becoming the new religious right? - VIDEO
By: Cahir O'Doherty | Published Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 12:00 PM | Updated Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 12:00 PM
Cardinal Timothy Dolan
Jesus of Nazareth came to earth to prevent men and women from using condoms to prevent HIV. That much seems certain.
His greatest plea to humanity was to oppose every form of birth control. In the case of sex trafficking victims or unaccompanied minors, he wanted to make particularly sure that they and all statutory rape survivors should give birth against their will.
That, believe it or not, is the face of Christian compassion as currently practiced by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
You think I exaggerate? The fact is that our Bishops have taken a massive rightward tilt in recent years that now has them comparing President Barack Obama to Hitler and Stalin from the pulpit, using the kind of extremist language that's endearing them to Pat Robertson and the Tea Party right.
Here's Bishop Daniel Jenky of Illinois discussing the president this week:
"Hitler and Stalin, at their better moments, would just barely tolerate some churches remaining open, but would not tolerate any competition with the state in education, social services, and health care. In clear violation of our First Amendment rights, President Obama – with his radical, pro-abortion and extreme secularist agenda, now seems intent on following a similar path."
Really Bishop Jenky? Do you fear you're about to be thrown in a Siberian gulag to break stones and be re-educated? Really? ---------------- Read more:
Apparently Bishop Jenky is genuinely feeling very Armageddoney these days. "Now things have come to such a pass in our beloved country," he grouses, "that this is a battle that we could lose, but before the awesome judgment seat of Almighty God this is not a war where any believing Catholic may remain neutral."
Battle, War, Stalin, Hitler. Them’s fighting words. Boy things have gotten kooky in religious right land.
In contrast, may I inform you of a truly Christian act that almost - but not quite – received no mention in the press recently?
It involves Carl Siciliano, the Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, the organization in New York City that provides food, shelter and dignity to the epidemic numbers of young LGBT teenagers rejected by their religious parents and forced into homelessness here.
Siciliano recently wrote an open letter to Cardinal Timothy Dolan to call his attention to the crisis issue.
Siciliano pointed out that ‘studies indicate that religious parents are significantly more likely to reject their LGBT children, and that he and other religious leaders who fight against the acceptance of LGBT people as equal members of our society bear some responsibility for the hundreds of thousands of LGBT youths suffering homelessness on the streets of our nation.'
Siciliano invited the Cardinal, who is President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, to visit the Ali Forney Center in the city to see first hand the harm caused to children by religious homophobia.
Instead, Dolan sent a stung reply to Siciliano, claiming that he had felt personally attacked by the letter, which he called inflammatory. Dolan wrote that he was simply following the church's teachings.
But, glaringly, Dolan didn’t say a word to say about the plight of the gay kids who had been kicked to the curb by their own parents. He didn't plan to meet with them or hear about their plight at the center, because he made no mention of Siciliano's invitation in his reply.
If the Cardinal was asked for bread, he instead threw stones. I'm sure he probably told himself that Siciliano (who founded the center in 2002) was simply using the kids as political pawns. You could almost believe that too that if it weren't for the fact that Siciliano runs the shelter and Dolan does not.
Jesus would have gone, I bet. In fact, Jesus would have ministered to them. But these are gay kids, so Cardinal Dolan needn't bother with them because it would compromise the clear teachings of the church. Better that the Cardinal should adhere to his church than busy himself with the plight of homeless teenagers who nobody knows and with no to family support them and nowhere to turn.
It's what Jesus asks of him, after all.
Let’s face it, Dolan is a man of the world, it's how he got the job. He knows that gay kids have no political clout and that no powerful people will champion them. If he felt free to utterly ignore their plight in his letter it is because powerful people can still do so without consequence.
Interestingly, not everyone within Dolan's orbit shares his hard right views. Recently Joseph Amodeo resigned from Catholic Charities after reading Cardinal Dolan's dismissive reply to Siciliano. To underline his objection, Amodeo has just launched a petition again asking Dolan to meet with some of NYC's homeless LGBT youth.
But Cardinal Dolan will never meet with them. His church's clear teachings would be tarnished by the association. He needn’t even mention their existence.
Besides, he has bigger fish to fry. Catholic bishops are currently planning to oppose the administration on contraception, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and New York State's law granting marriage equality to gay couples.
They're not going to do this quietly. In fact the USCCB is reportedly planning an election-year public relations blitz that may include TV and radio ads, social media, and pastors and priests raising these subjects continuously from the pulpit.
Playing politics in an election year, whilst claiming their religious rights are being attacked, and doing all this without ever paying a dime of tax, they’ll be hard to believe. Either this is Stalin and Hitler's America or it isn't. Until they're taxed for their political pronouncements like every other PAC they probably won't care.
To all the extreme Pro-Lifers: The policies of the fossil-fuel loving Republicans will eventually lead us all to "burn on earth" - why wait for Hell? Read Mark Lynas book "Six Degrees"! As for outlawing abortion, we've already tried enforcing morality with Prohibition - see how well that turned out! I believe it made millionaires out of some Irish Catholics, while not deterring those who were determined they were going to drink. Who hasn't heard of coat-hanger abortions before it was legal? If my Church and the church of my ancestors as far back as I can determine, starts following the Jerry Fallwell dispensationalist rapturists and hypocrites, I'll be "voting with my feet" and find another church that actually follows Christ.
stuartgina | May 31, 2012, 12:12 PM EDT
With all these bishops speaking out about the church why should they continue to be tax exempt? It's time to take that special privilege away.
AMWilson | Apr 23, 2012, 08:34 PM EDT
Lots of good posts here. Jesus said to render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and he never mentioned that His church should be exempt. I say this as a practicing Catholic, but RCC tradition is largely derived from the teachings of St Paul, and if anyone here is curious about the "divergence" between the message of Paul and the message of Jesus, I highly recommend Obery Hendricks' "Politics of Jesus".
eiriamach | Apr 21, 2012, 05:38 PM EDT
About the suggestion that it's time to end tax exemption for RC organizations because of the bishops' political activities, I've been looking for a summary of how much money would be involved. Haven't found it yet, but I learned from NETWORK how much of our federal tax money RC organizations actually receive: "more than $1.5 billion went to Catholic organizations over the past two years. An increase from $12.45 million (2008) to $57.89 million (2011) in USDA food assistance to Catholic Relief Services; An increase from just over $440 million (2008) to more than $554 million (2010) to Catholic Charities; Increases in Dept. of Labor grants to Catholic organizations such as Catholic Charities of Kansas for ex-offender reintegration and other programs from $300,000 (2009) to more than $5 million (2011); An increase of HHS funding for Catholic Medical Mission Board global health activities from $500,000 (2008) to $7 million (2011)." That tally does not include what the tax would be-- if the IRS levied it-- on the revenues of Catholic hospitals, agencies, and schools and USCCB lobbying to the tune of $57 million. The Obama administration has been very generous to the RC Church!
redhand32 | Apr 21, 2012, 08:03 AM EDT
I was raised a Roman Catholic. But, it remains very clear today that the RC Church hierarchy is the very same one that blessed the Blue Shirts sailing off from Dun Laoghaire to Spain to fight for fascist Franco in the 30s. Herr Ratzinger and his Leutnants threw sincere Catholics under the bus by their [un]handling of the pervert priest conspiracy and the hyper right wing endless campaign as evidenced by the Dolan "response" to genuine need. I reject them as I reject even some of my own hypocrite family of right wing Church deacons, and "right thinking" bigots whose every other word is fear and loathing of minorities, immigrants, black Presidents, -- change of any kind ! Who needs them. I and those I support, are 2 collection plates the richer each Sunday.
Nicoletta | Apr 20, 2012, 08:38 PM EDT
We can only hope and pray!
eiriamach | Apr 19, 2012, 07:47 PM EDT
JuneAnnette, I do not think it's fear of lawsuits from homosexual priests that's behind the Pope's Holy Thursday homily against discussion of sexual morality issues. For an insider's view of the depth of hypocrisy in RC's treatment of its many homosexual priests, see the online Spiegel 11/22/2010 "Interview With Gay Theologian David Berger: 'A Large Proportion of Catholic Clerics and Trainee Priests Are Homosexual.'" This Pope's motives are becoming clear. First, he offered a fast track into RC for Anglican priests who would not accept women bishops in their Church. No one took him up on the offer until he wrote a canon law to excommunicate anyone who assisted at the ordination of a woman! He made "women priests" as serious a crime as a priest's molesting a child. Then the conservative Anglicans took the bait, and now there are two RC Ordinariates for ex-Anglicans! What else does Benedict want to accomplish? To bring the ultra-conservative SSPX back into full RC communion. But SSPX demands that Benedict virtually dismantle the reforms of Second Vatican Council, and they are rabid about homosexuality-- see Berger's words about writing on gay issues under SSPX editors on his theology journal. So now, to satisfy SSPX and to be in a position to claim that there's no schism, Benedict silences all discussion. Would you believe it? So much tyranny and corruption, all in the name of a semblance of UNITY! The USCCB marches in goose step to the SSPX beat when they think they're obeying the Pope.
eiriamach | Apr 19, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
Moral judgment depends on having the relevant facts. But Dolan refuses to learn from known facts; he will not admit he caused harm. Siciliano's letter lists the real results of the USCCB's publicly opposing LGBT rights: "The number of LGBT youths left in abject destitution and homelessness after being driven from their homes is estimated by the federal government to be between 120,000 and 240,000. Many of these youths have no way to support themselves except through prostitution. In New York City 20 percent of the homeless LGBT youth become infected with HIV. Youths who are rejected by their families suffer from elevated rates of depression and other mental illness; they are much more likely to abuse substances. Most alarmingly, LGBT youths who are rejected by their families are eight and a half times more likely to be suicidal than those whose families accept them." He compares the bishops' treatment of gay youth with their treatment of sexual abuse victims-- another horrific "mistake": "numerous bishops ... enabled the abuse of thousands of children by failing to remove sexual predators from the ranks of the priesthood." That horror alone, he argues, should have inclined the bishops to protect gay youth from danger. They cannot call it a mere "mistake" when they persist in immoral political activity once the harm it does is clear.
eiriamach | Apr 19, 2012, 08:37 AM EDT
The Bishops' Conference now has its vengeance against the nuns also. According to today's NY Times report, the Vatican has acted on the recent "visitation" inquisition into the beliefs of US Nuns. The "visitation" was scheduled after the Leadership Conference of Women Religious supported the Obama Health Care plan in 2010 while the bishops were opposing it. The Vatican was alerted to the fact that the 1500 nuns "challenged church teaching on homosexuality and the male-only priesthood, and promoted 'radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.'” If that's what the Vatican thinks is "radical feminism," they probably expect women not to appear in public except black-veiled from head to foot-- Oh, wait, that is how women must dress when they meet the pope! The nuns' communications director reacted to the news: "'I would imagine that it was our health care letter that made them mad,' Sister Campbell said. 'We haven’t violated any teaching, we have just been raising questions and interpreting politics.'” Discussing policies and peaking out for justice, however, are enough to bring down the wrath of the bishops and censorship by the Curia. To Catholics, I say silence gives consent. When will you take back your Church from the tyrants?
jamieLM | Apr 19, 2012, 08:20 AM EDT
Jesus healed the sick and fed the poor. I've never heard that he asked anyone if they were gay or lesbian before doing so. Jesus had compassion for everyone and his actions showed that - something that's lacking today in many Christian churches. Where's the evidence that Jesus promoted discrimination and encouraged bigotry and hatred for a certain group of people in the name of "Natural Law"? @sailmaker - good post.
IrelandNorth | Apr 19, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT
If a Jesus did come to earth, and s/he was actually divine, I imagine s/he came as a way-shower rather than a saviour - to perpetuate universal codependency! Theocrats have had an easy ride for years in Ireland/USA/UK and elsewhere, where they can hide behind elevated pulpits and engage in highly-subjective lengthy monologue without challenge, a reason why they usually decline invitations to debate. They're just not used to good ol' fashioned Greek philosophical discourse. But justifiable tough love by parents is often necessary in extreme circumstances like addiction.
sailmaker | Apr 19, 2012, 12:22 AM EDT
Dolan had best be careful lest he meet his real nemesis: not Obama, but the Internal Revenue Service. If the good Bishop and his cohorts in the pointy hat crowd launch off into the parish arena with their political cabal, churches stand to lose their tax-exempt, 501(c) status and will be required to pay federal taxes on church income. If Dolan thinks that they will be swayed by claiming God is on his side, the IRS will likely remind him in a definitive way that rendering unto Caesar will come first, and a regular check will be just fine, thank you. Wonder if Dolan has thought this through?
seanomelb | Apr 18, 2012, 11:25 PM EDT
Well!! I did not think calling the archbishop a devil warranted my post been pulled. He is evil incarnate and if I believed in a hereafter he will return to his true realm "Hell" and administer to his pedophile flock.
sirpeter | Apr 18, 2012, 11:08 PM EDT
Well in all fairness there is no difference be Capitalism(Obama),Fascism(Hitler) and Communism(Stalin).They all worship the one God~Monetarism.
tombegs | Apr 18, 2012, 10:07 PM EDT
No matter how cynical I try to become, they make it impossible for me to keep up with them I really do wonder how these lunatics took over the US Catholic BIshops Conference. Guess I have to blame the ideologically driven agenda of (ST. God help us all) John Paul II and now his lackey the Nazi pope. Don't think that the Church can sink much lower.
pilib04 | Apr 18, 2012, 06:28 PM EDT
Cahir O'Doherty has it right about the American Bishops. They are quite Right Wing. How much a swing it is might be less than imagined. American Catholic bishops were extremely right wing during the 1950's. These same bishops were incredibly silent during the civil rights and peace movements. The racist nature of the bishops is what really bothers me. They would never treat a white President in the way they have treated President Obama. It is very insulting and anti-American.
PiperMac52 | Apr 18, 2012, 05:53 PM EDT
The church can neither be on the side of the "left" or "right". It needs simply to enforce the immutable teachings as handed from Christ to the Apostles, which included natural law as established by the Creator. It is because of apathy among the Hierarchy and allowing liberals to control the Seminaries and educational institutions where heresy and moral relativism reigned with a wrong headed interpretation of VII, why the church is in the state it is. Finally the Hierarchy realizes they must step forward.
rugbyplayer | Apr 18, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT
Of course, the RC Church leadership historically has always been on the side of Fascism. Cardinal Dolan of New York and his other episcopal loud mouth cohorts in the USA and elsewhere, pompous and arrogant, are promoting class hatred, hatred of persons in the LGBT community, and stealing taxpayer monies to further their venomous cause. And let's not forget that the Vatican, Pope and Curia, are supporing these follies.
PhlutiePhan | Apr 18, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT
Obama has already sent a message to Putin that once he is reelected that he will have more flexibility. Putin is a Communist and Putin finds no problem with because he is centimeters away from being the same. Catholicity is run in America by Irish Men. In the book by Jodi Kantor (who is Jewish), she related that Michelle resented deeply the influence of Irish male Catholic politicians in Chicago. This is all about the "revenge of the nerds" and his Nebuchadnasser view of world socialism. He wants this vision of radical Jesuits in which there is a religion which is democratic in the true sense of Communism. Women want freedom from the restrictions of motherhood through abortion as a type of contraception. The Irish Catholic bishops are resisting this and once the election is fait accompli, he will take off his sheepskin and once again show himself for the decadent wolf that he really is. He will go after the American bishops. Cardinal George of Chicago has already stated that he would "die in his bed, his successor die in prison, his successor will be publicly executed". As a Navy veteran, this is no joke. There is no paranoia. There is only angst over the truth.
jimgordo1 | Apr 18, 2012, 11:00 AM EDT
Let's get a few facts straight - USCCB SUPPORTS the ACA (Obamacare), but opposes the mandatory birth control (contraception/abortion) provisions of it, as they should. The Choice lobby have always proclaimed that contraception and abortion are a matter of conscience. Doesn't that work in boht directions? If my conscience tells me that contraception and abortion are wrong, why should I be forced to support it and offer it to my employees? Is that not Freedom Choice? The Church has ALWAYS opposed contraception and abortion, so that's nothing new! Both Bishop Jenky and Cardinal Dolan are INDIVIDUALS who are expressing their own personal opinions. BTW, while the USCCB is opposing gay marriage, I think you'll find they are SUPPORTING the Defense of Marriage Act. The Church has never opposed LGBT persons. The Church has always said that if you are inclined in that fashion, so be it, but remain celibate. In fact, the Church delivers that same message to those who are straight.
CelticQueenUSA | Apr 18, 2012, 10:50 AM EDT
Dusgusting man of the cloth! No Christian compassion coming from his vile heart. What would Jesus do? He created these people as well as the self rightious. Our world if going back to Hitler like times but the enemy is WITHIN!!!
hollabackgurl | Apr 18, 2012, 10:17 AM EDT
The speech by this Bishop Jenky is one of the most ignorant and divisive (he even encourages his congregation to challenge their own families) I have ever heard. I'm amazed. It's like he hasn't opened a newspaper in 100 years.
22 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.RootsPursuit | Nov 04, 2012, 08:47 AM EST
To all the extreme Pro-Lifers: The policies of the fossil-fuel loving Republicans will eventually lead us all to "burn on earth" - why wait for Hell? Read Mark Lynas book "Six Degrees"! As for outlawing abortion, we've already tried enforcing morality with Prohibition - see how well that turned out! I believe it made millionaires out of some Irish Catholics, while not deterring those who were determined they were going to drink. Who hasn't heard of coat-hanger abortions before it was legal? If my Church and the church of my ancestors as far back as I can determine, starts following the Jerry Fallwell dispensationalist rapturists and hypocrites, I'll be "voting with my feet" and find another church that actually follows Christ.
stuartgina | May 31, 2012, 12:12 PM EDT
With all these bishops speaking out about the church why should they continue to be tax exempt? It's time to take that special privilege away.
AMWilson | Apr 23, 2012, 08:34 PM EDT
Lots of good posts here. Jesus said to render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and he never mentioned that His church should be exempt. I say this as a practicing Catholic, but RCC tradition is largely derived from the teachings of St Paul, and if anyone here is curious about the "divergence" between the message of Paul and the message of Jesus, I highly recommend Obery Hendricks' "Politics of Jesus".
eiriamach | Apr 21, 2012, 05:38 PM EDT
About the suggestion that it's time to end tax exemption for RC organizations because of the bishops' political activities, I've been looking for a summary of how much money would be involved. Haven't found it yet, but I learned from NETWORK how much of our federal tax money RC organizations actually receive: "more than $1.5 billion went to Catholic organizations over the past two years. An increase from $12.45 million (2008) to $57.89 million (2011) in USDA food assistance to Catholic Relief Services; An increase from just over $440 million (2008) to more than $554 million (2010) to Catholic Charities; Increases in Dept. of Labor grants to Catholic organizations such as Catholic Charities of Kansas for ex-offender reintegration and other programs from $300,000 (2009) to more than $5 million (2011); An increase of HHS funding for Catholic Medical Mission Board global health activities from $500,000 (2008) to $7 million (2011)." That tally does not include what the tax would be-- if the IRS levied it-- on the revenues of Catholic hospitals, agencies, and schools and USCCB lobbying to the tune of $57 million. The Obama administration has been very generous to the RC Church!
redhand32 | Apr 21, 2012, 08:03 AM EDT
I was raised a Roman Catholic. But, it remains very clear today that the RC Church hierarchy is the very same one that blessed the Blue Shirts sailing off from Dun Laoghaire to Spain to fight for fascist Franco in the 30s. Herr Ratzinger and his Leutnants threw sincere Catholics under the bus by their [un]handling of the pervert priest conspiracy and the hyper right wing endless campaign as evidenced by the Dolan "response" to genuine need. I reject them as I reject even some of my own hypocrite family of right wing Church deacons, and "right thinking" bigots whose every other word is fear and loathing of minorities, immigrants, black Presidents, -- change of any kind ! Who needs them. I and those I support, are 2 collection plates the richer each Sunday.
Nicoletta | Apr 20, 2012, 08:38 PM EDT
We can only hope and pray!
eiriamach | Apr 19, 2012, 07:47 PM EDT
JuneAnnette, I do not think it's fear of lawsuits from homosexual priests that's behind the Pope's Holy Thursday homily against discussion of sexual morality issues. For an insider's view of the depth of hypocrisy in RC's treatment of its many homosexual priests, see the online Spiegel 11/22/2010 "Interview With Gay Theologian David Berger: 'A Large Proportion of Catholic Clerics and Trainee Priests Are Homosexual.'" This Pope's motives are becoming clear. First, he offered a fast track into RC for Anglican priests who would not accept women bishops in their Church. No one took him up on the offer until he wrote a canon law to excommunicate anyone who assisted at the ordination of a woman! He made "women priests" as serious a crime as a priest's molesting a child. Then the conservative Anglicans took the bait, and now there are two RC Ordinariates for ex-Anglicans! What else does Benedict want to accomplish? To bring the ultra-conservative SSPX back into full RC communion. But SSPX demands that Benedict virtually dismantle the reforms of Second Vatican Council, and they are rabid about homosexuality-- see Berger's words about writing on gay issues under SSPX editors on his theology journal. So now, to satisfy SSPX and to be in a position to claim that there's no schism, Benedict silences all discussion. Would you believe it? So much tyranny and corruption, all in the name of a semblance of UNITY! The USCCB marches in goose step to the SSPX beat when they think they're obeying the Pope.
eiriamach | Apr 19, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
Moral judgment depends on having the relevant facts. But Dolan refuses to learn from known facts; he will not admit he caused harm. Siciliano's letter lists the real results of the USCCB's publicly opposing LGBT rights: "The number of LGBT youths left in abject destitution and homelessness after being driven from their homes is estimated by the federal government to be between 120,000 and 240,000. Many of these youths have no way to support themselves except through prostitution. In New York City 20 percent of the homeless LGBT youth become infected with HIV. Youths who are rejected by their families suffer from elevated rates of depression and other mental illness; they are much more likely to abuse substances. Most alarmingly, LGBT youths who are rejected by their families are eight and a half times more likely to be suicidal than those whose families accept them." He compares the bishops' treatment of gay youth with their treatment of sexual abuse victims-- another horrific "mistake": "numerous bishops ... enabled the abuse of thousands of children by failing to remove sexual predators from the ranks of the priesthood." That horror alone, he argues, should have inclined the bishops to protect gay youth from danger. They cannot call it a mere "mistake" when they persist in immoral political activity once the harm it does is clear.
eiriamach | Apr 19, 2012, 08:37 AM EDT
The Bishops' Conference now has its vengeance against the nuns also. According to today's NY Times report, the Vatican has acted on the recent "visitation" inquisition into the beliefs of US Nuns. The "visitation" was scheduled after the Leadership Conference of Women Religious supported the Obama Health Care plan in 2010 while the bishops were opposing it. The Vatican was alerted to the fact that the 1500 nuns "challenged church teaching on homosexuality and the male-only priesthood, and promoted 'radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.'” If that's what the Vatican thinks is "radical feminism," they probably expect women not to appear in public except black-veiled from head to foot-- Oh, wait, that is how women must dress when they meet the pope! The nuns' communications director reacted to the news: "'I would imagine that it was our health care letter that made them mad,' Sister Campbell said. 'We haven’t violated any teaching, we have just been raising questions and interpreting politics.'” Discussing policies and peaking out for justice, however, are enough to bring down the wrath of the bishops and censorship by the Curia. To Catholics, I say silence gives consent. When will you take back your Church from the tyrants?
jamieLM | Apr 19, 2012, 08:20 AM EDT
Jesus healed the sick and fed the poor. I've never heard that he asked anyone if they were gay or lesbian before doing so. Jesus had compassion for everyone and his actions showed that - something that's lacking today in many Christian churches. Where's the evidence that Jesus promoted discrimination and encouraged bigotry and hatred for a certain group of people in the name of "Natural Law"? @sailmaker - good post.
IrelandNorth | Apr 19, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT
If a Jesus did come to earth, and s/he was actually divine, I imagine s/he came as a way-shower rather than a saviour - to perpetuate universal codependency! Theocrats have had an easy ride for years in Ireland/USA/UK and elsewhere, where they can hide behind elevated pulpits and engage in highly-subjective lengthy monologue without challenge, a reason why they usually decline invitations to debate. They're just not used to good ol' fashioned Greek philosophical discourse. But justifiable tough love by parents is often necessary in extreme circumstances like addiction.
sailmaker | Apr 19, 2012, 12:22 AM EDT
Dolan had best be careful lest he meet his real nemesis: not Obama, but the Internal Revenue Service. If the good Bishop and his cohorts in the pointy hat crowd launch off into the parish arena with their political cabal, churches stand to lose their tax-exempt, 501(c) status and will be required to pay federal taxes on church income. If Dolan thinks that they will be swayed by claiming God is on his side, the IRS will likely remind him in a definitive way that rendering unto Caesar will come first, and a regular check will be just fine, thank you. Wonder if Dolan has thought this through?
seanomelb | Apr 18, 2012, 11:25 PM EDT
Well!! I did not think calling the archbishop a devil warranted my post been pulled. He is evil incarnate and if I believed in a hereafter he will return to his true realm "Hell" and administer to his pedophile flock.
sirpeter | Apr 18, 2012, 11:08 PM EDT
Well in all fairness there is no difference be Capitalism(Obama),Fascism(Hitler) and Communism(Stalin).They all worship the one God~Monetarism.
tombegs | Apr 18, 2012, 10:07 PM EDT
No matter how cynical I try to become, they make it impossible for me to keep up with them I really do wonder how these lunatics took over the US Catholic BIshops Conference. Guess I have to blame the ideologically driven agenda of (ST. God help us all) John Paul II and now his lackey the Nazi pope. Don't think that the Church can sink much lower.
pilib04 | Apr 18, 2012, 06:28 PM EDT
Cahir O'Doherty has it right about the American Bishops. They are quite Right Wing. How much a swing it is might be less than imagined. American Catholic bishops were extremely right wing during the 1950's. These same bishops were incredibly silent during the civil rights and peace movements. The racist nature of the bishops is what really bothers me. They would never treat a white President in the way they have treated President Obama. It is very insulting and anti-American.
PiperMac52 | Apr 18, 2012, 05:53 PM EDT
The church can neither be on the side of the "left" or "right". It needs simply to enforce the immutable teachings as handed from Christ to the Apostles, which included natural law as established by the Creator. It is because of apathy among the Hierarchy and allowing liberals to control the Seminaries and educational institutions where heresy and moral relativism reigned with a wrong headed interpretation of VII, why the church is in the state it is. Finally the Hierarchy realizes they must step forward.
rugbyplayer | Apr 18, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT
Of course, the RC Church leadership historically has always been on the side of Fascism. Cardinal Dolan of New York and his other episcopal loud mouth cohorts in the USA and elsewhere, pompous and arrogant, are promoting class hatred, hatred of persons in the LGBT community, and stealing taxpayer monies to further their venomous cause. And let's not forget that the Vatican, Pope and Curia, are supporing these follies.
PhlutiePhan | Apr 18, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT
Obama has already sent a message to Putin that once he is reelected that he will have more flexibility. Putin is a Communist and Putin finds no problem with because he is centimeters away from being the same. Catholicity is run in America by Irish Men. In the book by Jodi Kantor (who is Jewish), she related that Michelle resented deeply the influence of Irish male Catholic politicians in Chicago. This is all about the "revenge of the nerds" and his Nebuchadnasser view of world socialism. He wants this vision of radical Jesuits in which there is a religion which is democratic in the true sense of Communism. Women want freedom from the restrictions of motherhood through abortion as a type of contraception. The Irish Catholic bishops are resisting this and once the election is fait accompli, he will take off his sheepskin and once again show himself for the decadent wolf that he really is. He will go after the American bishops. Cardinal George of Chicago has already stated that he would "die in his bed, his successor die in prison, his successor will be publicly executed". As a Navy veteran, this is no joke. There is no paranoia. There is only angst over the truth.
jimgordo1 | Apr 18, 2012, 11:00 AM EDT
Let's get a few facts straight - USCCB SUPPORTS the ACA (Obamacare), but opposes the mandatory birth control (contraception/abortion) provisions of it, as they should. The Choice lobby have always proclaimed that contraception and abortion are a matter of conscience. Doesn't that work in boht directions? If my conscience tells me that contraception and abortion are wrong, why should I be forced to support it and offer it to my employees? Is that not Freedom Choice? The Church has ALWAYS opposed contraception and abortion, so that's nothing new! Both Bishop Jenky and Cardinal Dolan are INDIVIDUALS who are expressing their own personal opinions. BTW, while the USCCB is opposing gay marriage, I think you'll find they are SUPPORTING the Defense of Marriage Act. The Church has never opposed LGBT persons. The Church has always said that if you are inclined in that fashion, so be it, but remain celibate. In fact, the Church delivers that same message to those who are straight.
CelticQueenUSA | Apr 18, 2012, 10:50 AM EDT
Dusgusting man of the cloth! No Christian compassion coming from his vile heart. What would Jesus do? He created these people as well as the self rightious. Our world if going back to Hitler like times but the enemy is WITHIN!!!
hollabackgurl | Apr 18, 2012, 10:17 AM EDT
The speech by this Bishop Jenky is one of the most ignorant and divisive (he even encourages his congregation to challenge their own families) I have ever heard. I'm amazed. It's like he hasn't opened a newspaper in 100 years.