I know I’m a little behind the times on this, but I wanted to throw my two cents in. Deal Hudson has organized a summit of “conservative” Catholics to meet with US bishops and discuss the future of the Church in the US. First, now we know why Deal was so quick to let Cardinal McCarrick off the hook for his meeting with the so-called “liberal and moderate” Catholics in July. If he had come down hard on McCarrick for meeting with them, then he wouldn’t have been able to convince the cardinal to meet with his group.
I think it’s a bad idea anyway, because what it does is give certain bishops a pass. They can now say, “Look, we’re meeting with everybody, left, right, center, so you can’t criticize us for coddling those who hold heterodox views.” Even Frances Kissling gets it.
Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, gave a tongue-in-cheek approval for the meeting. “The July 7 group were the moderates,” she said. “These on September 8 are the conservatives. I wish the bishops would meet with the far left. I am still waiting for my meeting.”
I’m not opposed to the leaders of the bishops’ conference meeting with orthodox Catholic laymen to discuss the problems in the Church today, but let’s face it: they didn’t come to orthodox Catholics first. It was only after their hands got caught in the cookie jar that they agreed to this meeting. And now they can show up, nod sagely, and ignore everything that’s said and claim to have been open to dialogue with people “across the spectrum,” as if heterodoxy and orthodoxy can be equated.
Very well put, GOR. Better than I put it myself.
Very helpful, GOR. (You too, Dom.)
I knew I didn’t like this “meeting” idea but couldn’t figure out why.
It’s all PR. God help me, but Fran Kissling makes a lot of sense here.
A prayer reminiscent of the first bishops—“Help us, Lord, we’re sinking!”—might be advisable.