The Leaks, the Curia, the Americans

I posted some links in the comment section of my blog yesterday on this topic, but as more comes out I thought that I’d put them in their own post, as this story is quickly becoming “the” story of the General Congregations.  Two of the links at the end of this post are the same as the ones posted in the comment section, two are new.

What will the leaks and the seeming “reprimand” of the Americans mean for the conclave?  It’s anyone’s guess, but the following posts have interesting analysis on what went down and why.

Sure to add to the conjectures, speculations, and gossip is this morning’s news that Cardinal Dolan will continue his daily updates from Rome on SiriusXM’s Catholic Channel.  He also taped his radio show yesterday after the “silencing.”  Does this mean he’s publicly disobeying?  No – his radio show and his daily updates are not press conferences, nor are they attempts to squeeze information out of him about the General Congregations.  Dolan sees his radio show as an extension of his vocation to shepherd his people and keep them informed about the Church.  We can argue about whether or not it’s a good idea to continue to do them.  But he’s doing it.  And I think it’s telling.

Like Father Robert Barron has to said before- our story is being told.  But it’s not being told by us; it’s being told by a culture who either doesn’t know us or doesn’t like us.  That’s also true in this case.  The stories are going to be written every day.  Who is going to be directing the narrative?  Cardinal Dolan clearly wants to make sure the leadership of the Church is.

Don’t get me wrong — these conversations have to be secret.  The secrecy of the General Congregations and the Conclave are vital and sacred and are not something to be dismissed because “this is the 21st century and we have a right to know what’s happening.”  No, we really don’t.  We have a right to know who our shepherd is at the end of this.

But I do think there’s a difference between healthy secrecy and unconditional, indiscriminate secrecy.  Should we know everything that’s happening in those meetings?  Nope.  Can we know something that is happening — from someone other than Father Lombardi?  I don’t see why not.

The world is craving to know what the Church is doing.  How often does that happen?  Cardinal Dolan has decided to capitalize on that.  And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

 

John Allen, as usual, has a great take on it (one of the few times I’ll encourage people to read the NCReporter): A Brief “Prague Spring” at the North American College

And Sister Mary Ann Walsh from the USCCB has her side of the story (she’s the director of media relations): The Papal Transition: No More Cardinal Interviews

How modern technology is affecting all of this, using Sister Mary Ann’s emails as proof: Like it Or Not, the Vatican Has Entered the Digital Age

And Father John Hollowell’s take on the leak the Curia and the Americans: The Reason the Cardinals Have Been Silenced

You need to read this.

If you’re feeling like me right now- and, actually, even if you aren’t- you need to read this.
Election Reflection for Warrior Catholics

On the good medical front-

It’s not fair to only post depressing stories about the fate of medicine.  I neglected to post this awesome story:

Catholic Hospital Chain’s Employee Benefits Include Coverage of NFP Training Costs

This hospital chain is run by the Sisters who educated me in middle school and includes the hospital where my father holds privileges.

Kudos to Franciscan Alliance and the Sisters!

Catholic Doctors

I want every Catholic American to read this thought-provoking article:

Is There a Future for Catholic Doctors?

Being a girl my age, I have lots 0f friends starting families.  Inevitably, they begin looking for doctors — ob-gyns, pediatricians, general practitioners.  I hear them lament that their doctors think they’re weird for practicing NFP, that their doctors push the Pill on them as soon as they deliver their first child, or that their doctors don’t understand how they want to raise their children.

I hear lots of complaints about doctors.  And yes, I feel their pain (I want a doctor who is willing to find a different solution to problems other than birth control).

But guess what?  If we think it’s bad now, it’s going to get worse.  (Thanks, Mr. Obama.)

*This post was written by a biased daughter of a general practitioner, a daughter who is tired of everyone assuming all doctors make millions of dollars and enjoy throwing medicine and tests at all their patients

Food for thought

“The Busy Trap” by Tim Kreider

I’d be interested to hear people’s thoughts. I definitely see myself in what he’s saying.

And that’s what made our OBX trip a few weeks ago so wonderful.

More later… I’m busy. Ha!

Zenit interview on HHS Mandate

This is one of the best explanations of why we must oppose the mandate, so please take the time to read it.  I didn’t want to copy the whole thing here — do blogging rules allow that? — but there’s a link to read the rest.  Please do!

http://www.zenit.org/article-34467?l=english

CONTRACEPTION MANDATE AND FORMAL COOPERATION

Christendom College Theology Professor Explains Moral Implications for Catholics

By Ann Schneible

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 16, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Catholic schools, hospitals, and charities throughout the United States are facing the possibility of being forced, by law, to violate Church teaching under the Obama administration’s Health and Human Services Mandate.

Under the HHS Mandate, most Catholic institutions will be required to pay for abortifacients, contraceptives and sterilization in their employees’ health insurance plans.

William H. Marshner is professor of theology at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He recently spoke with ZENIT about the moral implications that the mandate could impose upon American Catholics.

ZENIT: To start off with, why is contraception morally prohibited by the Catholic Church, and why is it immoral for us to pay for others who wish to use it?

Marshner: We can’t justly be forced to pay for it because that means that we’re cooperating with it. So the question is, why is the act immoral? I mean, if it weren’t immoral, we’d be okay to cooperate with it formally or otherwise.  Why is it an immoral act? Because it is a willful violation of a key part of a woman’s health, and a man’s health. Fertility is part of health. Pregnancy’s a healthy development. You cannot call contraceptive practice a medical service; it’s not aimed at a medical problem.

There’s a fundamental dishonesty about performing acts per se act for the procreation of children, and then covertly doing something to undermine those acts so that they can’t have that effect. It’s as though I said, let’s go off and play golf. I bet I can beat you. And unbeknownst to you, I have gone around and filled up the little holes so your ball can’t go in. This is a dishonest golf-game.  It’s also similar to saying, well, I’m going to play poker but I’m not going to lose any money.  How am I going to ensure that? Ace up the sleeve. A contraceptive is like an ace up the sleeve.  I’m going to play, but pregnancy’s not going to happen.  Why?  I’ve got an ace up my sleeve. It’s an internal chemical thing, or it’s an IUD, or whatever it is.  But contraception is a falsification of an act which ought to be a marital act.

read the rest here: http://www.zenit.org/article-34467?l=english

In the meantime

Until I get my next Rome update perfected and posted, check out this article from the WSJ: Social Issues and the Santorum Surge

In Mr. Bell’s telling, social conservatism is both relatively new and uniquely American, and it is a response to aggression, not an initiation of it. The left has had “its center of gravity in social issues” since the French Revolution, he says. “Yes, the left at that time, with people like Robespierre, was interested in overthrowing the monarchy and the French aristocracy. But they were even more vehemently in favor of bringing down institutions like the family and organized religion. In that regard, the left has never changed. . . . I think we’ve had a good illustration of it in the last month or so.”

…

To the extent that social issues have “come to define” Mr. Santorum’s campaign, it is in substantial part because liberal interviewers like Mr. Gregory have kept pushing them. If Mr. Bell is right, Mr. Santorum should end up benefiting politically, including in November if he is the nominee.

But what about voters who don’t make a high priority of social issues, who aren’t unwilling to vote for a social conservative but might be put off by a candidate who is—or is made to appear—a moralistic busybody? “The key thing along that line is the issue of coercion,” Mr. Bell says. “Who is guilty of coercion? I happen to think it’s the left.” Mr. Obama and his supporters are “going to imply that Santorum wants to impose all the tenets of traditional morality on the American population. He doesn’t. He just doesn’t want the opposite imposed on Middle America.”

on the Komen Mess

Wow, the last few days showed the world what happened when you seem to turn your back on Planned Parenthood, no?  Does PP and pro-abortion groups realize they lifted their mask and showed the world the gruesome face behind it?  To they realize they showed us they need to all take one of those anti-bullying classes that are so hip in schools right now?

I came out of my busy weekend to post this article-  Worth a read, especially if you haven’t been stalking the issue on twitter or the blogs:

Komen and Planned Parenthood: The Real Lesson

Open Wide the Doors

There’s more in downtown Indianapolis than Lucas Oil Stadium. : )

39 years, 50 million lives later

How long will we continue to let our future die?

www.toomanyaborted.com