We have more evidence of bad catechesis in Colorado and it’s not limited to the pews. Several priests in Bishop Michael Sheridan’s Colorado Springs diocese have publicly opposed his letter on Catholic voting and politics, from the pulpit no less.
“When he said, ‘I want you all to know I don’t agree,’ everybody started clapping,” Vigil said. “Don’t get me wrong, bishops have the right and responsibility to teach,” [Fr. Bob] Kinkel said later. “But we have an old adage in the church - ‘In the middle is where the truth is.’ I think the letter is an extreme. No other bishop has said anything like this. We need to be able to continue to say, ‘Look at the whole spectrum of what the candidate is about.’ “
Really? Where is that old saying, Fr. Kinkel? It may be old and a saying, but it’s not the truth. Here’s another saying: Trying to straddle every issue is like trying to straddle a lion’s pit. Eventually you’ll get bit on the ... sensitive area. But then we have this: “Kinkel said he had not read Sheridan’s entire letter.” Well, why not? If he’s going to disagree with it, don’t you think he should have actually read it first? Or is he pre-disposed to publicly challenging his bishop? I hope Bishop Sheridan makes it clear to Father Kinkel what it means to pledge obedience to your bishop. Very clear.
Update: Apparently Fr. Kinkel is not in Bishop Sheridan’s diocese, but in the Denver archdiocese under Archbishop Chaput. While that relieves him from the obedience question, it still shows questionable judgment for him having used his puplit for such purpose. He also apparently invited the media to witness his tirade; how else to explain that a newspaper reporter happened to be present?
