Rainbow Sash Movement: Catholic Spectacle

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Catholic Spectacle

Catholic comings and goings remind me of the Simpson’s

In a talk to the National Catholic Men’s Conference this past weekend, Senator Sam Brownback criticized the commonly held notion that abortion should always be allowed in cases of rape, reports the Associated Press.

“Rape is terrible. Rape is awful,” Brownback said to the approximately 500 conference attendees, but then asked, “Is it made any better by killing an innocent child? Does it solve the problem for the mother that’s been raped?” Killing is terrible but this view is only applied to poor women. What about the killing in Iraq? If the Just War concept is complex, so is abortion. Talk about smoke and mirrors.

Cardinal Francis George in Chicago plays the bungling card once again. Rev. Michael Pflager allegedly threatened a gun store owner at an anti-gun rally last month. Pfleger used the word "snuff," which is slang for murder. After complaints from the National Rifle Association, the archdiocese released a statement quoting George, who said, "publicly delivering a threat against anyone's life betrays the civil order and is morally outrageous, especially if this threat came from a priest." In response the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who also spoke at the rally, said gun associations were twisting Pfleger’s use of the word “snuff” to stifle his activism and divert attention from the issue of gun violence. Apparently the Cardinal is still smarting from accusations of racism with his handling the St. Sabina’s softball league incident some years ago of which Fr. Pflager was and is presently pastor. George just can’t seem to get this pebble out of his sandle.

The four Roman Catholic bishops of Massachusetts sent letter to state legislators today, urging them to vote in favor of a proposed ban on gay marriage at Thursday's Constitutional Convention.

The uniformed statement of the week comes from none other than Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston. He sent a letter to each of the state's legislators, saying that by sanctioning same-sex weddings, the state has taken away the rights of children by "redefining marriage in a way that is indifferent to the absence of mother or father." It would be nice for the Cardinal to explain just how expanding the definition of marriage is in anyway affecting children.

Then there is Thomas J. Tobin, the bishop of Providence, R.I., wrote last week in a column in the Rhode Island Catholic criticizing Rudy Giuliani, a Republican presidential candidate of the same faith, for statements on abortion that he labeled hypocritical. Where in God’s name do these bishops come from? Most probably a dysfunctional seminary
system.

On the positive side US Catholic Bishops said Common ground must be found for national and international common action on climate change with special attention to the common good, especially for the least in the developing world, those most affected by global warming, said a U.S. bishops’ official. When our Bishops speak to the real issues that are facing our world we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. Why do they feel control of our pelvic areas is so necessary?

Posted by Joden on June 12, 2007 09:24 AM | Permalink