AmericanPapist Comments
"Archbishop" Wuerl is a weenie and a disastrous appointment. He's materially cooperating with evil. By by, Wuerl. Tom
This should be a writing assignment at some Catholic High School or College:
"Compare and contrast Archbishop Chaput's response to Speaker Pelosi and Archbishop Wuerl for clarity, effective writing, and orthodoxy."
Clarity is what is needed...the problem with bishops like Archbishop Wuerl is they just end up sounding like the politicians they should be chastising. This is what happens when you either a) try to be liked by everyone or b) try to find a way not to condemn someone who is important who really has been a bad boy or girl and deserves a sound public thrashing. Sometimes a kick in the butt is what is needed, and Archbishop Wuerl's type don't know how to do it.
Give us, O Lord, more bishops like Archbishop Chaput. Give them your wisdom with spines of steel and the grace to rule wisely.
St. John the Baptist before Herod Agrippa; St. John Fisher before Henry VIII; St. Thomas Becket before Henry II. None of our bishops will be facing anywhere near as serious a reprisal as the above did. They'll just have people calling them names.
The opening line, "We respect the right of..." sounds diffident and pretentious. I tell people, just get your point.
I can't believe people are criticizing Archbishop Wuerl for not being "tough" enough. Will you only be happy when he is burning Pelosi at the stake?
As the Archbishop of DC, he had the duty to clarify Church teaching on this matter. Which he did - he left no room for anyone to think the Catholic Church has ever supported abortion at any time. It was in his style, but all people have specific personalities which they bring to their vocations.
I wrote a more lengthy response about the various response styles of bishops here. It is presumed that each bishop knows his own flock best. In spite of the fact that I would like to see a some lightning bolts and zapping coming from the chanceries, if a bishop thinks the most pastoral thing his flock needs is a subdued response, then I have to respect his call. If however, his inaction is motivated by more worldly concerns, then woe to this bishop. He will have a tough time explaining it come Judgment Day.
Francis,
No I don't think Archbishop Wuerl was especially clear. He certainly was not as precise as Archbishop Chaput.
Frankly, if Archbishop Wuerl had corrected Ms Pelosi, instead of passing the buck to her bishop, back when she (and other pro-abort politicians) publicly received communion at the Stadium Mass in Washington DC, she may not have been bold enough to spout such errors this week, thus creating more scandal.
We are living in a time of so much grey that the ability to tell white from black, good from evil has almost disappeared. We need our Catholic Shepherds to speak clearly and, yes, apply a smack with the staff every so often to the sheep who are visible and vocal in defiance of the Church's teaching.
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