tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8994073177496022401.post6840997172902407388..comments2024-03-27T15:00:33.760+00:00Comments on Catholic Commentary: Is the bishop (or the parish priest) always right?Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09339499088443959192noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8994073177496022401.post-17804050115152111282010-03-12T11:59:42.056+00:002010-03-12T11:59:42.056+00:00Joe, nothing to do with this post but saw this and...Joe, nothing to do with this post but saw this and thought you might be interested:<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/12/vatican-advises-shorter-catholic-sermons<br /><br />Blimey, the Word verification for this is MOLOG!!<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />FrancisAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02808508494613360369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8994073177496022401.post-53987572689422652902010-03-12T11:51:03.173+00:002010-03-12T11:51:03.173+00:00Like Patricius, I didn't like the implied crit...Like Patricius, I didn't like the implied criticism of the bishops in the petition, but I regarded it as a way of giving encouragement.RJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13871618901190898384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8994073177496022401.post-88911835257475069232010-03-09T14:49:07.404+00:002010-03-09T14:49:07.404+00:00I think you are right to distinguish the office fr...I think you are right to distinguish the office from the individual holding that office. Bishops, Priests (and laity) are all simply human beings and, as such, capable of acting from good motives, but doing the wrong thing. As laity active within the Church we do, I believe, have the right to question the actions of those in leadership positions to the extent that we are seeking to understand the reasons for decisions being made. There is a distinction between questioning matters of doctrine and matters of the tactics in dealing with challenges to our right to live out our beliefs within the public sphere; it is the latter which is taking place at present.<br /><br />I do not doubt that the Bishops have good reasons for their silence and believe that in being silent in public they are enhancing their ability to influence in private and act for what they believe to be the better long-term outcome. I think the concern of many priests and laity who have been commenting in public and discussing these issues in private is that the CES and the Bishops are complicit in a watering down of the Catholicity of our schools and the education they provide, and that those active in education do not feel they get the active support of the Dioscese and CES - they instead feel that those in positions of authority within the Church spend their time doing the Government's bidding, rather than fighting their corner with Goverment. Whatever the truth, that is the perception.<br /><br />I believe that the current tactics of the Bishops in terms of how they explain themselves to the laity are backfiring on them, as the laity, upon whom they rely for the wellbeing of the Church both at a practical and financial level are wanting outspoken leadership, or at least reassurance that the Bishops hear their concerns and have good reason for what they do. This is the building up of a long-term feeling that the Church's identity is being eroded (although we must always be wary of the devout who can have a tendency to feel any engagement with the work taints them!) and that if this is not fought actively, over time we lose all that which makes us what we are. Continued apparent silence also gives greater scope to those who seek to read into the Pope's message at the end of the Ad Limima criticism of the Bishops the ability to continue to create mischief.<br /><br />Reasonable people of good will can disagree, and any frustrations and criticism should be expressed in that light, in my view. When they descent to personal abuse of overt challenges to the fitness in office of those who have been chosen by God to lead us, then we have gone too far.Matthew Hewitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17345776254632683104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8994073177496022401.post-5158316584711893912010-03-09T09:26:36.103+00:002010-03-09T09:26:36.103+00:00I think what you say is sound and I particularly e...I think what you say is sound and I particularly endorse your last paragraph. You seem to me to have a better insight into the situation in schools than many who are quick to criticise the bishops. After some thought, however, I finally came around to supporting the petition not because I agree with the implied criticism of the bishops, but because it occurred to me that the bishops might actually want evidence of lay antipathy to the bill. When so many Catholics in public life -e.g. like the Blair witch- casually dismiss Church teaching on such subjects, I feel it is important to let them know that there is real support out here.Patriciushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906131174326742939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8994073177496022401.post-41051550945363090942010-03-08T20:27:50.583+00:002010-03-08T20:27:50.583+00:00Thank you!
I've been mulling this over for da...Thank you!<br /><br />I've been mulling this over for days and hadn't quite found the words.Ritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15120333351409730480noreply@blogger.com