When Republicans seek the membership lists of particular Evangelical churches to set up “get out the vote” drives, the separation of church and state is threatened. Likewise, when Catholic bishops tell members of their flock that by voting in favor of the legalized killing of children they are in violation of the law of God and the precepts of their own religion.
But when Democrats mount the pulpits and rail against the Republicans, and when the hosting ministers make Sunday services look like a political rally, it’s just a friendly gathering.
Well, William Donohue of the Catholic League isn’t going to let them get away with that. The League has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service about a church in Miami where a predominantly black Baptist church hosted Al Sharpton and Terry McAuliffe who gave blatantly partisan and political speeches, advocating for one candidate against another. McAuliffe said, “Bush has misled us for four years and will not mislead us for the next four years. Get out to vote and we’ll send Bush back to Texas.”
“…Catholic students who attend Catholic colleges are more likely to lose their faith or become dissenters on Church teaching than those who attend secular or other-religion colleges.”
Should Catholics contribute to Catholic colleges which celebrate their commencement exercises by inviting pro-abortion figures to give the commencement address? Or by celebrating Ash Wednesday by having students take part in a lewd play which has the most lewd language and descriptions when it comes to lesbianism? Would it be a sin for a Catholic to give to such a college where the Jesuit President of the college says that the pro-choice position which advocates legalising abortions, but making abortion rare and safe, is arguable within Catholic theology? Or would there be a proportionate reason why a Catholic could in good conscience contribute to such a Jesuit Catholic college?
Also is it preferable for a Catholic student to attend a Baptist college, which took the position that these types of campus activities are forbidden, as well as forbidding dancing or drinking at campus parties, over such a Jesuit college, where these activities are allowed?
Thank God in Heaven! It’s about time that someone took the Dems to task for this blatant abuse. It doesnaptismal faith’ and it is saying to the world, `That’s who I am.’”
The bishops and the academic community have been dragging their feet on this for years. The requirement for the mandatum was issued by Pope John Paul in 1990 and the US bishops only published their guidelines on this in 2002. The bishops just don’t want a showdown with dissident theologians. They prefer peace and quiet rather than open debate. The only problem is that while they hither and dither, generations of Catholic students are being led astray from their faith.
We had an article in Catholic World Report in March 2003 called “Are Catholic Colleges Leading Students Astray.” It quoted a nationwide survey by the Higher Education research Institute at UCLA, which found that Catholic students who attend Catholic colleges are more likely to lose their faith or become dissenters on Church teaching than those who attend secular or other-religion colleges.
What are the bishops doing about it? Nothing, it seems. Rather they’re more concerned with not offending theologians or harming their “academic freedom.” Also notice that not a word comes from the college and university administrations. Are they supporting the mandata? Are they pushing their theologians to do the right thing? Are they creating a true Catholic intellectual environment? I guess we already know the answer to that.
]]>
3870
2004-08-30 14:19:49
2004-08-30 18:19:49
open
open
avoiding_the_mandatum
publish
0
0
post