Viewpoint: The Church's Silenced Peacemaker
(Hat tip: Catholic World News)
College sophomore
In a church that empowers an offensive, gay-bashing, anti-Semitic leader [ED.: Is she referring to the Pope?] while silencing an international voice for peace, there is no place for disappointed Catholics like me.(emphasis and editorial commentary added)
I've measured my life in Sundays spent disappearing into wooden pews as priests follow the commands of the Church hierarchy, espousing love and acceptance on one hand and contradictory political propaganda on the other. Over the past month, I've watched the contradictions pile up - Catholic League President Bill Donohue basked in the glow of media attention for his criticism of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, while Detroit bishop and peacemaker Thomas Gumbleton was forced to resign his post.
The Catholic League, which earns its tax-exempt status protecting Catholics from "discrimination," recently created a media spectacle after Edwards hired bloggers Melissa McEwan and Amanda Marcotte. Both women criticized the Catholic Church's stances on issues like homosexuality, abortion and contraception, and sometimes used vulgar language in doing so [ED.: "Criticized"? Is that what they did? They're teaching you well there in Journalism school. You have the MSM bias thing down pat]. Such predilections earned the bloggers the label "brats" from Donohue, who has his own history of offensive language.
He called upon Edwards to fire the two bloggers immediately. Edwards responded by saying that while he disagreed with the bloggers' opinions and would not allow offensive language in his campaign, he would not fire them. Outraged, Donohue replied, "The bloggers are no longer the issue. Edwards is the issue." Apparently, the Catholic League will not tolerate tolerance [ED.: "Tolerance"? Is that what keeping bigots on your staff is called today? Only if you're a Democrat, apparently.].
Neither will the Church. In January, the Catholic hierarchy abruptly removed [Ed.: No, that was a LONG time coming.] a beloved Detroit leader from service. According to the Church, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton had already passed the retirement age of 75 and was due to retire. However, the 77-year-old and his parish assert that the Church had other reasons for getting rid of him - specifically, his recent support of legislation to extend the period during which a victim of clerical abuse may sue the Church.
With his own experience as a teenage seminarian abused by a priest, it seems Bishop Gumbleton has only followed God's calling to speak for voiceless victims of abuse. In his last words to his parish, he pointed out that there are pastors older than he who continue to serve the Church. This indicates that his removal must be the result of his outspoken efforts to protect victims of abuse. He added, "I don't regret (speaking on behalf of the victims) because I still think it was the right thing to do." Judging by the applause of his congregation, they thought he did the right thing, too. [ED.: When did Gumbleton EVER speak out on behalf of victims while the abuse was going on and when he was in a position to protect or remove pedophile priests?]
And so a man guilty of supplying medicine to hospitals in Baghdad, supporting a more accepting Catholic stance on homosexuality [ED.: "Enlightened" Catholics tend to be all in favor of the Church "updating" its teaching in this area.], comforting American hostages in Iran in 1979, testifying on behalf of conscientious objectors, fostering hope in his economically-depressed Detroit parish, and co-founding the international peace organization Pax Christi has been removed from service. Apparently, Donohue's disdain for gay people, Jews, and liberal bloggers is a more palatable stance [ED.: Oh, so maybe she was talking about Donohue rather than the Pope in that opening paragraph. But is Donohue really a "leader"? And he certainly isn't "empowered" by the Church. I still think there's some ambiguity in that opening stanza.].
The Catholic League's work to single out dissenters seems almost comical. After all, it need not look further than many of the people filling its pews [ED.: Is the Catholic League a church?] each week. More seriously, Donohue may be guilty of violating the League's tax-exempt status by interfering in political affairs [ED.: Now that's just stupid. Criticizing political candidates who are hostile to the Church or its teachings is part of what the Catholic League does. Does the Anti-Defamation League "violate [its] tax-exempt status by interfering in political affairs" whenever it speaks out against policies or politicians who do things it believes to be hostile to the interests of Jews?]. During the 2004 presidential race, Donohue even announced that anyone who voted for the "idiot" Democratic nominee John Kerry (who, by the way, is Catholic) in light of his refusal to condemn abortion was "cooperat(ing) in evil." But with such evils as poverty and war plaguing our world, doesn't it seem na've, even insulting, to attribute "evil" characteristics to a presidential candidate [ED.: Oh, you mean like the blogettes you were just defending have done re: President Bush?]?
Facing unforgiving public cynicism in the wake of abuse charges, the Catholic Church cannot afford to move backward. [ED.: Okay, here we go!] What it needs more than anything is progress [ED.: But, of course. And let me guess: "progress" gets defined by so-called "progressives" in the Church, rigtht?]. It needs more leaders who recognize and respond to the larger issues without being side-tracked by minor doctrinal disagreements [ED.: Yeah, all that stuff about abortion, respect for the Pope and the teachings of the Church, blaspheming the Holy Spirit, etc. - all that's about is just minor doctrinal disagreements.]. What it needs, undeniably, are more Bishop Gumbletons [ED.: Yikes! As if the last 30 years haven't proved this to be absolute hogwash.] - leaders who prove that seemingly idealistic values like international peace and unconditional love can translate into realistic goals, and who live their lives based on that truth.
While Bishop Gumbleton has worked to foster peace in the world's most wartorn areas, Donohue has represented Catholicism through petty attacks on presidential candidates. Unfortunately, his voice is the loudest. Where is our hope when the Church silences the peacemaker? [ED.: Gumbleton is a member of the Church hierarchy; Donohue is not. The Church can silence Gumbleton because when he speaks it can be construed as speaking for the Church. Donohue speaks for himself and his organization, not the Church. Just what does this aspiring "journalist" want the Church to do to silence a layman like Donohue? Excommunicate him?]
Emmarie Huetteman is an LSA sophomore and a member of the Daily's Editorial Board.
Labels: Anti-Catholicism, Bishops, Dissident Catholics
posted by Pro Ecclesia 8:53 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
the Catholic hierarchy abruptly removed
Abrupt like an Ent.
While you definitely have a valid argument concerning Donahue not being officially connected to the Church, I wonder why the majority of the rest of your argument was spent criticizing the journalist's character? "Wannabe" journalist? How does that add to your argument, beyond helping you come off as a fiery, self-righteous jerk? As if her journalism skills had anything to do with the idea of the article, which was, in my opinion, very well-written to begin with. It's too bad that God gave people who disagree with you the capacity to be good writers. Keep spreading the "Love" Brother.
You're right. I should have used the word "aspiring" rather than "wannabe". I used the term not to criticize her writing skills, which I grant you are pretty good.
I used the term to connote the fact that she's still in school, and the fact that she's still learning the art of the mainstream liberal/anti-religious bias that we see in most of the media. Later in my critique, I mention that I believe this young woman to have come close to mastering this technique by describing the patently offensive attacks by the Edwards bloggers on the Church and certain religious beliefs as mere "criticizing".
Apart from that, I don't believe I criticized this young woman's character. Was I harsh? Maybe. But so was the opinion piece written by Miss Huetteman.
She used her criticism of Bill Donohue (who, I grant you, is often worthy of the criticism he receives) as a way of attacking the Catholic Church and its teachings. When that happens, you bet I can be harsh in response.
Af for my coming off "as a fiery, self-righteous jerk", I thought I was fairly tame in the points I raised. I know many bloggers who would have been much less circumspect in their criticism.
I appreciate your feedback, and I hope that Miss Huetteman can appreciate mine, as well. This is certainly the type of reaction she can expect to recieve from people as she continues to write opinion pieces on controversial matters.
The girls writing skills are fine, her rhetoric is out-of-whack and inconsistent.
Thanks for your kind words Jay! I promise you that even here at a public college in the heart of Lutherndom there are plenty of Fidei Defensors in their own right.
Sadly there are also plenty like this journalst, "disgruntled Catholics." Similar articles appear in college papers all the time, the latest round here has had to do with the Vagina Mgls, but the narrative is always the same. BIG BAD CATHOLIC CHURCH vs. Courageous "Enlightened" "Catholics" who are the true voice of compassion.
The best angle to argue with this girl is on the grounds of "tollerence," where is Chesterton when you need him? To paraphrase a society obsessed with "tollerence," can not "tollerate" "intollerance" for what falls out of the party line. Edwards' bloggers attacks on the Virgin Mary are tollerable, Catholics objecting to this are not to be tollerated.
Get used to this article you just read this is pretty par for the course for college journalists and how they deal with the Church.
-FD
A fantastically written, elegantly posed and logistically conscientious viewpoint. The world needs more Gumbleton's but it could use a few more like this girl too.
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