Following letter is from the Dallas Morning News Cyberletters files for 12-4-03, online at http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/letters/stories/120403dnedicyberletters.77d4e.html
'Weasling out,' Bishop Galante?
Re: "3 Catholic Democrats back same-sex ruling – Despite possible church penalties, presidential candidates speak up," Dec. 1 news story.
So, Bishop Joseph Galante of Dallas thinks the position of Catholic politicians who support legislation favorable to same-sex marriage, abortion, etc., to be "weasling-out."
It is amazing that a member of the group (the American bishops) responsible for failing to protect children from predator priests, and who continue to shift blame and point fingers, has the audacity to make this statement.
Much has been written by the bishops' council regarding the steps being taken to prevent such abuse in the future, but I have not seen a single statement as to the bishops' efforts in identifying the root cause of these crimes.
Many Catholics recognize that the rule of celibacy for priests attracts some men who are psychologically unable to establish normal social relations with others. Additionally, Catholics raise priests to a status higher than that of other men; a practice not discouraged by the church itself. Given this special status, priests are free of the scrutiny that might raise red flags if their actions were performed by other men (sleepovers for young boys in the rectory, overnight trips with adolescents, etc.).
These are the issues the bishops should be addressing. Yes, it will take courage to suggest to the pope that it is time to re-examine doctrine and practice that are detrimental to the people of the church. But it is past time the bishops did so.
Speaking as a Catholic myself, I think Bishop Galante might better look in the mirror long and hard before accusing anyone of "weasling-out."
J.F. Hoffman, Frankston, Texas
Catholic
Politicians: Bishops undermine their own criticism
12:04 AM CST on Sunday, December 7, 2003
The separation of church and state is constitutionally guaranteed in this country, but what about the separation of religion and life?
The parallel questions arise every time the issue of Roman Catholic politicians who take positions contrary to church teachings on hot-button social issues – usually abortion rights but now also same-sex marriage – comes up, as it did at last month's meeting of U.S. Catholic bishops. The bishops discussed how to treat lawmakers of their faith who vote to permit abortion, which the official Catechism condemns as an "abominable crime." Same-sex marriage now is in play as well, since three Catholic Democratic presidential candidates have endorsed the Massachusetts Supreme Court's ruling opening the door for gay unions.
Like many Americans, we instinctively recoil from religious leaders telling secular lawmakers what to do. But how do you judge someone like Archbishop Joseph Rummel of New Orleans, who in 1962 excommunicated Catholic lawmakers who tried to prohibit the church from integrating its schools? Would the world have been better off had the good archbishop – or the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. – held his peace? Today, critics of Pope Pius XII criticize him not for speaking out against the Nazis but for not speaking out often enough. It's funny how people seem to mind religious leaders commenting on political issues only when they don't like what they have to say.
The church-and-state argument for silencing religious leaders regarding public affairs is a canard, but we still hope the Catholic bishops avoid the unnecessarily divisive and inflammatory step of banning these lawmakers from the sacraments of their faith. Ultimately, however, we recognize that this is a matter for Catholics to decide according to their rules. Like NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and any organization, the Catholic Church has a right to decide who gets to belong to it. Besides, no American politician is forced to be a Catholic.
But we can't help noting that the country's Catholic bishops deliberate this issue with their moral authority greatly diminished by the sex abuse scandal. The rules they adopted to clean up the mess don't include provisions for holding themselves concretely responsible for the abominable crimes against children they allowed. These churchmen would be a lot more persuasive in holding Catholic politicians to account for what they regard as serious moral failures in governance if they held themselves to an equally strong standard.
Online at:
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/stories/120703dnedicatholic.9a0ca.html
Grace in truth, not in secrecy.