Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Catholic Church, aka...

...the "Republican Party at Prayer," is all over the news this morning. 

First, it's at odds with its legislative arm, the GOP Congress. Apparently, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has a problem with Paul Ryan's draconian budget. From the Times article, "Catholic Bishops Protest House Budget": 

“Major reductions at this time of economic turmoil and rising poverty will hurt hungry, poor and vulnerable people in our nation and around the world,” the Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of Stockton, Calif., and the Rev. Richard E. Pates, bishop of Des Moines, wrote for the conference. “A just spending bill cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to the poor and vulnerable persons; it requires shared sacrifice by all.” 

Wait a minute. I thought it was the White House that was waging a "War on the Catholic Church?" 

Next, I turn the page and see, "Vatican Reprimands a Group of U. S. Nuns and Plans Changes." And my first response is, of course, There are still nuns? (The average age of an American nun is 70.) From the article: 

The Vatican has appointed an American bishop to rein in the largest and most influential group of Catholic nuns in the United States, saying that an investigation found that the group had “serious doctrinal problems.” 

The Vatican’s assessment, issued on Wednesday, said that members of the group, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, had challenged church teaching on homosexuality and the male-only priesthood, and promoted “radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.” 

The sisters were also reprimanded for making public statements that “disagree with or challenge the bishops, who are the church’s authentic teachers of faith and morals.” 

And my second question is, Why on earth do these women put up with a bunch of old men telling them what to do? 

Like much of the Catholic Church, I guess, it's a mystery.

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