Bishop Thomas Olmsted is quickly showing himself to be a part of a new class of American bishops who take seriously their duty as shepherd of the flock. In only his most recently bold action he banned from speaking on Church property any public official who advocates positions contrary to Church teaching. Ignatius Insight interviewed the bishop recently.
In it he explains what he meant when he said that the primary responsibility for whether or not to receive Communion rests with the person coming up for Communion, not with the priest.
IgnatiusInsight.com: When there was so much discussion about presidential candidate John Kerryf we’re not, we respond according to our most basic and sinful passions: greed, selfishness. The following is a case in point:
[Hat tip to Amy]Children’s Hospital under siege
Late Tuesday, Gov. Blanco spokeswoman Denise Bottcher described a disturbing scene unfolding in uptown New Orleans, where looters were trying to break into Children’s Hospital.
Bottcher said the director of the hospital fears for the safety of the staff and the 100 kids inside the hospital. The director said the hospital is locked, but that the looters were trying to break in and had gathered outside the facility.
The director has sought help from the police, but, due to rising flood waters, police have not been able to respond.
Bottcher said Blanco has been told of the situation and has informed the National Guard. However, Bottcher said, the National Guard has also been unable to respond.
It’s getting bad and only going to get worse.
I wonder if many of the people who stayed in NO did so not so much because they couldn’t leave, but planned to loot at any opportunity.
Were those trying to break into the Children’s Hospital hoping to get drugs? Nothing else makes sense since they wouldn’t have any use for bedpans.