Andrew Sullivan prints an email in which Cardinal McCarrick is praised and Archbishop John Myers of Newark is criticized. McCarrick is depicted as gay friendly, a politician, and not prone to pushing people on the Church’s difficult teaching. Meanwhile Archbishop Myers is said to be uninspiring and pompous, insensitive for not allowing eulogies (which the Church doesn’t allow in any case), and mean-spirited and unfair for refusing Communion for pro-abort politicians.
Sometimes the excoriation of your enemies is a clear indication of who you are than the praise of your friends, which I think is true in this case. However, sometimes it is instructive to see just who does praise you and for what they praise you, as in Cardinal McCarrick’s case.
“People like Archbishop Myers? They just don’t care. Do what I say, or don’t bother coming. The Church is so much the worse for it. And it’s why I’ve begun attending a wonderful and welcoming Episcopal church down the street.”
“The Church is so much the worse for it.” How come? ‘Cause the e-mailer decided to attend that Wonderful And Welcoming Episcopal Church Down the Street?
Not to sound mean spirited, but maybe The Church is so much the better for it?
I’m not so sure that the Church is any better for it. It is less trouble for all involved, and now he can feel good about himself. But leaving… We aren’t a club. We promise to be obedient to the Church; leaving is the act of a petulant child running away from responsibility.
The Church is wounded by separation, from Martin Luther to the writer of this e-mail. It doesn’t solve anything and it doesn’t help anything.