“Early ‘markers’ [of Obama’s record on the life issues] are not encouraging in this regard but hope needs to spring eternal and while Notre Dame may have acted way too early and too generously, I am more alarmed that the rhetoric being employed is so uncivil and venomous that it weakens the case we place before our fellow citizens, alienates young college-age students who believe the older generation is behaving like an angry child and they do not wish to be any part of that, and ill-serves the cause of life. Notre Dame has in the past and continues to give this local Church fine, professional and very Catholic women and men who both know and live out their faith. Most of them I know are ardently pro-life and like myself are probably disappointed with their alma mater. They and I will choose to convey our sadness to the Board of Trustees and Administration in a calm and dignified manner.”
— Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg.
Yes once again more alarmed at the rhetoric than a President that advances death of the innocent. Though I would agree agree that angry reactions will to little to advance the pro-life cause. Though I wonder if he would include the Cardinals and Bishops who have spoken out and with the President of the USCCB Cardinal George today calling it an “Extreme embarrassment” to Catholics?
As for him being ardently pro-life. Yesterday was the 4th anniversary of the forced starvation of Terri Schiavo and unfortunately Bishop Lynch was her bishop. His voice was not one of those opposed and upset about this murder and in fact he called it a “family dispute.” After her death he issued a press release that didn’t even manage to spell her name right. Adding insult to injury he later allowed Michael Schiavo to get married in a diocesan parish despite the fact that he probably incurred the canonical impediment known as crimen (1983 CIC 1090 ยง 1) for his part in his wife’s death.
He also was rather dismissive about the effects of FOCA on Catholic hospitals and allowed a man to be charged with”criminal trespassing” for handing out pro-life flyers in the parking lot of St. Jude’s Cathedral during mass. The same bishop reduced the practice of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in local parishes and allowed the dissident group Dignity to hold Masses in the diocese.
5 comments
Well, keep in mind that Archbishop Nienstedt called the President “anti-Catholic.” It wasn’t the most measured way of speaking…
Clayton,
What Archbishop Nienstedt said was the total truth which was absolutely refreshing. And in a very concise manner I might add. Aren’t you sick of the usual limp wristed responses from our bishops? If they were all like this great bishop we wouldn’t have such large numbers of Catholics who don’t know their faith, who vote for pro-aborts and who whine about rhetoric. We have remained too “civil” while the uncivil killing of babies has gone on for over 40 years.
Isn’t it hard to take the rhetoric in the Bible from our Lord toward some scribes and Pharasees? How about the harsh words of St. Paul toward the various citizens of the cities he evangalized. What would he say about our modern worship of Moloch and sacrifice of babies to him? What would his opinion be of the high priest of Moloch, President Obama? Finally, what did God do whenever his people were infected with the worship of false gods like Moloch? This is what I fear, not harsh but true words that hurt feelings.
Schiavo works at the Pinellas County Jail in Largo, Florida. So close yet so far. He belongs behind bars there. Kudos to one of the deputies who bravely pasted a “Terri was Murdered” bumper sticker on her SUV for all to see. I used to go to Espiritu Santo Church in Safety Harbor, FL until I found out about the great sacrilege that took place in allowing that murderer to “marry” there. That Church has been desecrated but reconsecrating probably won’t be done anytime soon by Bishop Lynch.
The arguments given by Father Jenkins, and Bishop Lynch, are precisely those used by the German hierarchy in the 1930s for their non-criticism of the Fuehrer.
St. Polycarp had a different attitude.
The arguments given by Father Jenkins, and Bishop Lynch, are precisely those used by the German hierarchy in the 1930s for their non-criticism of the Fuehrer.
St. Polycarp had a different attitude. There is a neglected virtue called courage.