Group of Bishops Using Influence to Oppose Kerry

Yesterday the New York Times ran a story entitled “Group of Bishops Using Influence to Oppose Kerry” by David Kirkpatrick and Laurie Goodstein. In it they criticize Archbishop Charles J. Chaput for speaking out to a group of Catholic college students gathered in a sports bar in Denver regarding Senator Kerry's support for abortion rights.

Why is it, when the secular media reports about a Catholic bishop leading his flock in the way he should be leading; on ecclesiastic matters, the have to spin it into a negative story? This depicts them picking on poor Senator Kerry, thus supporting President Bush in the process. That is not the case. The fact is, if Kerry did not go against the teaching's of the Catholic Church, certain bishops in this country would not speak out against his support for abortion, gay marriage, fetal stem-cell research, human cloning and euthanasia, would they?

If so many bishops were not luke warm on this matter it would not seem so political. But you can’t dismiss the fact that according to Church teaching and Canon Law, bishops like Charles J. ChaputIf and Raymond Burke of St Louis, are right on this issue. If these bishops were criticizing other matters, then we could make a case for "using influence to oppose Kerry." Why can't people like David Kirkpatrick and Laurie Goodstein understand that this is not about Kerry and Bush, or support or opposition? It's about the body of Christ and the assault on humanity, Catholic morality and the Church. If Kerry was as good a Catholic as he claims to be, he would be compelled to let his faith influence and guide his decisions on such matters instead of pandering to voters and going against his own convictions. I don’t buy the “I oppose but…” argument, never have. I see it for what it is…pandering.

It seems to me that they (David Kirkpatrick and Laurie Goodstein) are politicizing this issue, and trying to sway voters into siding with Senator Kerry. Thus using their influence of the media to oppose Bush. That’s what’s really going on here. They would have you think the big bad Catholic bishops are unduly criticizing the Senator for political reasons and undermining him. In reality the opposite is true. The bishops are not criticizing Kerry for political reasons; they are trying to save his (and everyone’s) soul. That’s their job; remember?

When certain bishops looked the other way during the sex abuse scandal, the media was quick to jump all over them and report how they were neglecting their duty and ultimately their flock. Now they’re spinning this story into a negative one, when all they’re guilty of, is doing their duty and leading their flock on matters of the Church. This is hypocrisy at the highest level. Which is it? Should we slam them for not doing their job, or for doing their job? The media can’t have it both ways, and as a practicing Catholic, frankly I’m getting tired of it. The Church has gone to great pains to correct the problems of the Church going forward and I applaud the bishops for protecting the Church in this matter. The Church has a right to protect itself and lead their flock in communion with what they believe to be objective truth. If the Church is mandated to stay out of the state, then the state (and the media) should stay out of the Church as well.

I like the direction the Church is going here. I also like the trend the laity is going as well, to a more conservative view, both spiritually and politically. Liberalism has not been good for the Catholic Church and it’s not consistent with objective truth but rather more in line with subjective relativism, but that’s another story.

Group of Bishops Using Influence to Oppose Kerry