Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Boy, Did I EVER Get This Bishop Wrong!

A couple of weeks ago, I reacted hastily and angrily to what appeared to be criticism of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, by Bishop Rene Henry Gracida. I subsequently apologized for my initial comments.

Now, after reading this interview in the Winter/Spring 2007 issue of Catholic Men's Quarterly, I'm prepared to recommend that Bishop Gracida be named Archbishop of Manly Man Blogdom:
CMQ: Bishop Gracida, we've not heard of too many "hunting bishops." In fact, you are the only one we've heard of who regularly hunts. Are you alone among the Church's bishops in the United States as a hunter?

RHG: No. While I do not know of all the bishops in the United States who enjoy hunting, I do know of several. I have hunted with Bishop John Yanta of Amarillo and Bishop Charles Grahmann of Dallas. I know that Bishop Robert Carlson of Saginaw hunted pheasants while he was Bishop of Sioux Falls, and I had been planning on joining him on a pheasant hunt in South Dakota, but then he was transferred to Saginaw. There may be others.

CMQ: Some Catholics, and probably people of other faiths, are suprised to learn that priests and bishops enjoy the sport of hunting. Perhaps, to them, it seems so contradictory to the popular image of Saint Francis and his love of all God's creatures.

RHG: I can understand and appreciate the sensitivity of people who have a great devotion to Saint Francis. I have less patience with those who campaign to save the whales or baby seals and who are equally strong in support of aborting human babies. No doubt there are some hunters who hunt only to put a trophy on their wall, but I have never hunted anything that was not intended to feed either myself or others. Similarly, I have little patience with those members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) who are opposed to the killing of any animal and who are blind as to how any of the meat they purchase at a food market got there.

CMQ: I know you are a friend and hunting partner of our regular contributor, Fr. J. Patrick Serna. Did you hunt before meeting Fr. Serna?

RHG: Yes, I hunted as a teenager growing up in Texas, where hunting is very much a way of life for many, if not most, boys and men. I joined the Boy Scouts of America when I was twelve years of age and participating in the activities of that wonderful organization developed in me a lasting appreciation for outdoor life and activities such as camping, hiking and fishing.

CMQ: Bishop Gracida, you saw combat duty during the Second World War. Could you tell us something of your war experience? ...

RHG: I was a tail gunner and then a flight engineer on B-17 bombers in the 303rd Bomb Group (H) of the Eighth Air Force. I flew 32 combat missions over Germany ...
My Comments:
Outstanding!

I recommend you get your hands on a copy of this issue of Catholic Men's Quarterly so that you can read the entire interview. I received a complimentary copy of this edition in the mail the other day, and based on what I've read so far, I intend to subscribe.

As a side note, I believe it was Fr. Serna, mentioned by the interviewer, who ripped me a new one in my comment boxes for my initial statement about Bishop Gracida. Boy, was he was definitely correct that I had misread this bishop based on such scant evidence as the bishop's out-of-context remarks about Gen. Pace. I once again acknowledge my error.

Give us MORE bishops like Bishop Gracida!

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2 Comments:

At 4/04/2007 8:30 AM, Blogger John Duns said...

Mr. Anderson, I am very glad and happy to see that you are getting "the bigger picture" regarding Bishop Rene' H. Gracida. His backbone is titanium, his orthodoxy is always dead on (as is his marksmanship with a rifle or shotgun), his courage overwhelming, I would label him a polymath in the erudition department, and pastorally, well, he's simply the man... he is truly one of my heros, and I thank God every day for letting him be my spiritual father. God bless you and may your blog continue to bring greater glory to God and His kingdom. Fr. J. Patrick Serna

 
At 4/27/2007 11:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

In my life I have met and/or been in the direct presence of many "great" men including Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, General Powell, General Schwarzkopf, and many others.

The fact is that not one of them measure up to Bishop Gracida.

 

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