PellClick on the Robinson link especially. It really is a shame that we have the spectacle of bishops embarrassing themselves so publicly and thoroughly thanks, seemingly, to the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
Let’s see if I have this straight:
One bishop is given the thankless job of being the front guy on a nation’s priest sex predator crisis. He learns something and writes a book that includes things other bishops find uncomfortable.
They don’t bother to read the book, and worse they criticize and spread outright lies about the contents. Heh.
Lay people know better and come to hear the author speak anyway.
The other bishop, well regarded by Rome and traditional/conservative Catholics worldwide, is caught passing misinformation, then gives a pretty flimsy excuse.
What on earth is the Congregation for Bishops doing anyway? Shuffling the cathedrae and making pretend work as similar numbers of sees remain open.
Thanks for this post. I’m sure I would have missed these articles otherwise. And while they are depressing, I’m happy I read them.
Yes, what is the Congregation of Bishops doing? I am more and more starting to agree with you about the moving around of Bishops. Give them a diocese of then leave them there. I can understand moving suffragan bishops to metropolitan sees. But moving around bishops just from one diocese to another just seems lazy. Find new bishops.
Robinson is an interesting case – I really do agree with him that it seems like all discussion is being discouraged. Maybe its my Jesuit education at work, but I can’t see how discussing the problems and theology can be a problem. Maybe we will discuss these issues and find out the original teaching was the best one, but still the discussion won’t tear us apart.
Thanks for your great blog, it can be a breath of fresh air.
And let’s keep in mind that all Robinson is saying is to discuss. He’s not jumping the gun and saying outright particular things should change. It shows the fear in the upper hierarchy for their carefully constructed clerical culture. Change can be a horrible thing. Imagine a cardinal having to cook his own dinner one or two nights a week.