Not surprisingly, Voice of the Faithful, that so-called “centrist” group that takes no stance on “controversial” disputes over Church teaching, condemned the decision by the Vatican to back up Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz’s excommunication of members of certain heterodox groups, including Call to Action, Planned Parenthood, an SSPX chapel, and the Freemasons. Which one of those do you think bothered VOTF the most?
David Alexander is on the case. First he excerpts their press release:
Voice of the Faithful is deeply disturbed at the action of both Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln NE and Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, head of the Congregation for Bishops. In our goal to be a ‘voice’ for faithful Catholics we call for an explanation of the process by which this decision was made. We are competent, educated people who understand the long history of this serious action and we see no justification for denying any person access to the life of the Church simply by virtue of her or his membership in a select group. Voice of the Faithful condemns the process by which a class of people was summarily excommunicated by a single bishop in the US. Instead, VOTF follows the long tradition of the Church where excommunication should be practiced rarely and individually with careful discernment.”
Now, under what circumstances should a bishop be able to excommunicate someone, according to VOTF? By their standard, no one in the history of the Church would have been excommunicated. In fact, they show a distinct lack of understanding that excommunication is in fact what we do to ourselves and a decree of excommunication is a notification of that fact. But David has his own good response to VOTF:
Technorati Tags:bishops, Bruskewitz, Call to Action, Catholic, dissent, doctrine, Voice of the Faithful
condemned the decision by the Vatican to back up Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz’s excommunication of members of certain heterodox groups, including Call to Action, Planned Parenthood, an SSPX chapel, and the Freemasons
If memory serves, only Call to Action was mentioned in the Vatican document.
The SSPX situation is moot since the chapel in question is no longer operating and the SSPX doesn’t have a presence in the Diocese of Lincoln.
we see no justification for denying any person access to the life of the Church simply by virtue of her or his membership in a select group
Really? How about the KKK or the Aryan Nation?
DCS, you are correct, of course. The Vatican letter was specifically addressing the Call to Action appeal.
“Instead, VOTF follows the long tradition of the Church where excommunication should be practiced rarely and individually with careful discernment.”
Isn’t this case an example of excommunication being practised “rarely and individually with carefull discerment”?
I assume what they really want Catholic Church USA to hold a vote on this matter (while we are voting for our bishops, etc.).
They’re yelling as members of VOTF because many of them were excommunicated as members of CTA. They’re the same people in many cases.
In Michigan, they have joint meetings. Same coffeepot, same people, same cookies. Saves time.