Vivificat gives background and summary of the heterodox group Call to Action and an analysis of their reaction to the Vatican approval of Lincoln, Nebraska’s Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz’s excommunication order for members of the group.
In essence, CTA says that Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s letter does not carry the force of an authoritative ruling, but their legal analysis is flawed because you don’t need a court ruling to uphold the simple recognition of the fact that a bishop is sovereign in his diocese. It’s supremely ironic that CTA is appealing to the authority of the Church when it is the rejection of that authority that got them in this situation in the first place.
They are also apparently engaging in a variant of “Oh yeah, well, I’m telling mommy on you!” by saying that they are writing a letter of protest to the USCCB and Bishop William Skylstad because Bruskewitz has not implemented the USCCB-mandated “safe-environment sex education” programs. Bruskewitz has made no bones about his contention that as sovereign ordinary of his diocese, he is under no obligation to implement particular programs for use in his diocese nor to submit himself to external audits by the bishops’ conference. Does CTA think it is applying some kind of pressure on Bruskewitz or engaging in some kind of retribution? Bruskewitz’s actions are already well known at the USCCB. If nothing has been done against him yet, who will move against him at the instigation at such infamous heterodox dissidents?
Technorati Tags:bishops, Bruskewitz, Call to Action, Catholic, dissent, doctrine, excommunication, heterodoxy
I wish that more Bishops would take the stance that Bruskewitz apparently takes, and that is:
“What are they really gonna do to me?”
Seriously. If you are a Bishop, aside from being unpopular (which I imagine is unavoidable, no matter how ‘good’ of a job you do), what could you possibly have to fear by acting orthodox? Unfortunately, the more wishy-washy bishops seem to have figured this out in regards to acting wishy-washy…
“They are also apparently engaging in a variant of “Oh yeah, well, I’m telling mommy on you!” by saying that they are writing a letter of protest to the USCCB and Bishop William Skylstad because Bruskewitz has not implemented the USCCB-mandated “safe-environment sex education” programs”
Interesting tactic, though I see one that can be tossed right back at CTA. Let’s ask CTA:
Have any of your members, clergy or lay, been accused of sexual misconduct? If so, will CTA open its records so to show how it handle/reponded to such cases? Does CTA carrying insurance to cover any liability related to sexual or other misconduct of it’s members?
Here in the Kansas City/St. Joseph Diocese, I often hear our Liberal Catholic brothers and sisters complain that Bishop Finn does not think he has to listen to the USCCB. I find that very interesting—maybe an insight to how they think the Church should govern. Maybe we should change the name of it to the Catholic Episcopalian Church of America.
btw – Domenico please let us know if you apply fot that job as editor of our Church paper. I might have to dedicate a decade or two for your success.
Thank you for the crosspost to Vivificat. Dom! Happy New Year to you and to your family! I’ll pray for your job situation! -Theo