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PDF versionNCR's person of the year for 2010
Dec. 31, 2010
Daughter of Charity Sr. Carol Keehan
An NCR Editorial
NCR has never named a person of the year, and we might not again in the future. However, as we sent our last print issue to press in the waning days of 2010, we felt the need to single out one American Catholic who showed extraordinary leadership and courage this last year.
In the spring of 2010, as the national debate on health care reform seemed deadlocked, Sr. Carol Keehan, the Daughter of Charity who is president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, led her organization to endorse the legislation and thus helped pass it through Congress. The move put health care coverage within the reach of an additional 32 million Americans.
In a video message delivered to the Catholic Health Association convention in June, President Obama praised Keehan: “Your work, your passion, your commitment helped make the difference, and you did so in a way that protects your long-standing beliefs and the beliefs of so many others across the country.”
Catholic bishops and conservative commentators were not pleased. The bishops had not endorsed the legislation, and they expected all Catholics to follow their lead. They called the health association’s position “a wound to Catholic unity.” The bishops held a closed-door meeting in June to discussion the association.
Through the summer and fall, the association and Keehan were the butt of scathing attacks by conservative commentators. Relations between association leadership and the bishops were said to be strained. Numerous people told NCR the Catholic Health Association was keeping its head down and waiting for its relationship with the bishops to heal.
And then, last month, Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted withdrew the “Catholic” designation from St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center because he said the hospital wouldn’t accept his full authority about a medical case that he had deemed to be an abortion. The hospital had said it was acting to save a life.
As NCR tried to report on St. Joseph’s losing its Catholic status, we sought comments from ecclesial authorities and canon lawyers. Despite copious commentary produced over several months from ethicists and moral theologians who reasoned the hospital had acted compassionately and morally, no one had much to say for the record on this latest development, beyond acknowledging Olmsted’s right to do what he thinks best in his own diocese. No one, that is, except the Catholic Health Association, led by Keehan, who supported the hospital.
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As Catholics, we agree on essentials, but can, and often do, disagree on the application of essential beliefs, as in the St. Joseph’s Hospital case. When we disagree, we do it respectfully, as the Catholic Health Association has done. Sometimes it takes special courage, as in the health care legislation and the St. Joseph’s Hospital situations.
We also can’t help but note that with the Vatican in the midst of two investigations of U.S. women religious, many people have counseled the women to keep a low profile. In this atmosphere, Keehan, a woman religious, continues to take courageous stands.
And that’s why Sr. Carol Keehan is NCR’s person of the year for 2010.
Editor's Note: Because of the high volume of comments we've received for this editorial, we are temporarily turning them off so we can moderate. Please remember: Comments should be charitable and appropriate. Personal attacks on writers, fellow commenters, and public figures are not allowed.
Congratulations, Sr. Carol
Congratulations, Sr. Carol Keehan. We need more people like you who are willing to stand up for what is truly Right and Just.
Sounds like the Preface of
Sounds like the Preface of the Most Holy Trinity:
Vere dignum et iustum est, æquum et salutare...It is truly right and just, proper and helpful toward salvation, that we always and everywhere give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, Almighty and eternal God.
I'm thinking this is best done by following the Magisterium of the Catholic Church rather than the magisterium of Sr. Keehan.
Magisterium to be effective
Magisterium to be effective always seeks expert council. It also needs to be subjected to intelligent challenge. That is the history of the Catholic Church.
Hildegard, Catherine, Theresa - all gave counsel and more often challenge to Popes and Bishops. Many of the lives of saints are filled with episodes when the Bishop was confront and sometimes when they actually learned something.
I hope we are always and everywhere giving thanks for the knowledge and wisdom, the intelligence of the laity. God has blessed many that are not ordained, some religious and some secular. These gifts are to be used for the community. Even the most authoritarian bishop should know this.
Good point! Let's see what
Good point! Let's see what the councils/saints have said:
"Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes."
-Gaudium et Spes 51, Second Vatican Council
"The woman who purposely destroys her unborn child is guilty of murder. The hair-splitting difference between formed and unformed makes no difference to us."
-Saint Basil the Great, 4th Century
In addition, one of the saints you cited, St. Catherine of Sweden, happens to be the patron saint against abortion and miscarriages.
I agree with you that we should challenge the bishops. For example, we should challenge them to boldly and unreservedly preach the Truth and to encourage the Traditional Latin Mass in their diocese. But we should NOT ask them to question 2,000 years of constant teaching against abortion because it's sometimes inconvenient.
Since the first century, the Church has deplored all abortions. This teaching already HAS been challenged and at every point it has been reaffirmed. THAT is the REAL history of the Catholic Church.
The point is that the Bishops
The point is that the Bishops lied about the health care bill, Olmsted is lying about the the "direct abortion" at St. Joesephs, the bishops lied about sex abuse, they were accessories before and after the fact to the rape of children, and it's more than high time they were called down.
Sorry, the bishops have
Sorry, the bishops have apparently forfeited their right to preach boldly about any moral issues. This is not me saying this; this is the reality of what has happened in our church. No one turns to the bishops as they did in the earlier days of the Church, even up until 10 or 15 years ago. You may not like it, but it is a fact. Now, if you and your conscience are attuned to their every word, then you should follow their lead. For many, they have no moral authority and have not had it since they chose, and you must remember that they are the ones who chose, to put the interests of their fellow priests ahead of those of the body of the church when the priest scandal occurred. They will have to earn their way back to being the moral voice of the Church. I think that Jesus, were he to return today, would lump them with the Pharisees. Sorry, trust and authority must be earned, then carefully used.
The bishops can not read the
The bishops can not read the plain English of their own Ethical & Religious Directives (ERDs) and they try to excommunicate those of us who follow the plain English of their ERDs. We in the Catholic health community will not stomach that, and if it means disassociating our institutions from the diocesan bishop, then so be it. Before too long, the ERDs will apply to no one, because none of us can ethically or financially (violation of federal law i.e EMTALA and malpractice lawsuits)afford to follow them as re-interpreted by the current crop of Pharisee/Scribe American bishops.
To follow the Magisterium of
To follow the Magisterium of the Church I would have to believe that it is Christian to excommunicate a 9 year old girl pregnant with twins fathered by the rape of her step-father for having an abortion that saved her life. I would have to believe that it is following Jesus to allow two people to die at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix rather than endeavoring to save one of the lives (even if it was just a woman). To follow the Mageristerium I would have to distance myself from my youngest daughter for having a fifteen year, loving relationship with her partner, who we also love, for being 'intrinsically disordered'. I don't think so!
To quote from an editorial from several years back in NCR -- beware of creeping infallibilism.
Shirley, AGREED!!! We must
Shirley,
AGREED!!! We must NEVER just throw out another human being. No matter what anyone THINKS they have done. "Judgment is mine, saith the lord. But the popes and right wing fundamentalist Catholics ALWAYS for get that, ALWAYS!!!
They are totally convinced, they and only they, actually know the mind of God.
Shame on them. That's called the sin of Pride.
All the best to you and yours--
bob
But it is O.K. to throw out
But it is O.K. to throw out the human baby, by direct killing of him or her?
That is the issue. It is never allowed to directly kill an innocent person even to save the life of another. That has been a natural law position apart from any theology from the dawn of humane thought. We must do everything the Mom wants to help her other than killing her baby. To kill the innocent is cruelty and uncivilized as difficult as it might be to watch another die because of a refusal to do so. But allowing to die is just not the horrible act as is the killing of the innocent.
There is no such thing as a
There is no such thing as a "right wing fundamentalit Catholic" just as there is no "left leaning Catholic". If you are authentically Catholic you follow the teachings of the Church and that makes you orthodox. If you are anything but orthodox then you are not Catholic!
Keep up the anti-life,
Keep up the anti-life, anti-marriage, anti-family nonsense, it looks like its working?
If we say, "We have fellowship with him," while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. 1Jn1:6
When women find out the truth
When women find out the truth about the harmful consequences of abortion, they will reject it whether it's legal or not.
God, nor His Church, is wrong about abortion.
Just because you cannot understand that excommunicating those responsible for killing an innocent human does not mean that you are right and God is wrong.
Joann on Jan. 02, 2011. You
Joann on Jan. 02, 2011.
You stated:
"When women find out the truth about the harmful consequences of abortion, they will reject it whether it's legal or not.
God, nor His Church, is wrong about abortion.
Just because you cannot understand that excommunicating those responsible for killing an innocent human does not mean that you are right and God is wrong."
---------------------------------------
You only see every situation in a black/white picture. Women whose lives are in direct jeapordy from a pregnancy---cannot always reject, what you call abortion. They cannot, if they have the responsibility of raising other children.
What our Church officials fail to see (and apparently you as well) is that there is a difference between being a HUMAN and between being a HUMAN PERSON.
A HUMAN PERSON's life is expanded beyond a biological level. It is a life that is composed of an intricate, multi-level existence whose pillars rest on a physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual levels. There are experiences, memories, successes and failures---laughter and tears---that make up the composite of a HUMAN PERSON'S life. This is not shared by a fetus.
Human persons have families---parents, siblings, marriage partners, children, friends----that grace their lives with a dignity, a quality---that cannot just be put in the same category that our Official Church wants to look at it.
As Catholics we believe in the infinite dignity of the human person who receives the sacraments and shares in God's life because of these sacraments. This cannot be brushed aside as an incidental in looking at life/death situations. As a human person---a woman's life is not just a mathetical equation written on a board which equals the biological life of a human.
I do not believe in wanton destruction of human life. Abortions in my book are wrong. But I do consider that there are extenuating situations, that need to be individually looked at case-by-case. These are heart-wrentching decisions that need to be made. And I don't believe that the Bishops should be throwing spiritual penalities upon individuals who have had to make them for human persons.
Fake catholics abound here.
Fake catholics abound here. sr. is a heretic and so is this publication.
I am always amused by
I am always amused by liberals who warn against 'creeping infallibilism' when they are often the most dogmatic, intolerant and self-assured people you could meet. The infallibility of the Catholic Church is something different from this kind of liberal bigotry: it is a position arrived at after many centuries of reflection on the nature of faith and morals. By creating this 'award', the NCR is directly betraying the Catholic Church of which it claims to be an expression. Most of your contributors - especially Richard McBrien, Joan Chittister, and Bishop Gumbleton - are a disgrace to the Church. I think it would be more appropriate if they joined the Episcopalians or liberal Methodists than continue to claim Catholic membership.
To not follow the Magisterium
To not follow the Magisterium of the Church is to not be Catholic.
You are free to ignore the Magisterium, but if you do you are not Catholic.
A Catholic recognizes that the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church, the very pillar of truth (1Tim 3:15) founded by Almighty God in person. Therefore a Catholic submits to God through His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
"You can go anywhere to play checkers, but at the chess club play chess."
But please don't leave. Remember that the Catholic Church is God's family. Where will you go that is better? You should stay and study. Pray and learn WHY God gives us His graces through The Church.
I Feel the church would be
I Feel the church would be better served by people like Sister Keehan, rather than Bishops that are out of step with the teachings of Christ.
Bishops need too look at what is just and not the justice of right wing nut cases. Christ is the final judge not some bishops who are out of step with social justice issues that Christ was very clear about.
Your selection of Sr. Keehan shows what the true message of Christ is all about.
God Bless to you Sister Keehan and your courage too stand up for what is right.
THERE IS NO " RIGHT WING " OR
THERE IS NO " RIGHT WING " OR "LEFT WING " OF GOD.
only misguided people think like that.
Your premise is FALSE to begin with.
Except that and the rest will follow.
Many here see a schism
Many here see a schism between priests vs. non-ordained people. Actually, Canon Law is the rule, all the rules.
Any Catholic who obtains an abortion; performs an abortion, helps a woman obtain an abortion, any Catholic who supports abortion, like politicians, is a heretic subject to latae sententiae excommunication.
The "Catholic politicians," Catholic journalists, National Catholic Reporter and Carol Keehan are all heretics.
Canon Law is absolute. Those who dissent are not entitled to be called Catholic, may not participate in the Sacraments and are dead to God.
"It was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace.
For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,
So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:
And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,
Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleaness.
For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil."
God be with you.
Hm. I see the church I left
Hm. I see the church I left behind so many years ago because of its hateful treatment of women is still filled with short-thinking, intolerant prigs who spout abominable language that says little but looks "godly". If this is Catholicism, I'll continue to gladly embrace the humanity of atheism, wherein we are responsible for our own actions and not required to be judgmental of others, as this poster seems to be.
GodOfHellFire, it must be painful to live in your world. I pity those who love you, although I also admire them, since they must love you despite your hatefulness. Take counsel from those who love, GOH, instead of the blackness of your soul.
the god of hellfire writes
the god of hellfire writes "Actually, Canon Law is the rule, all the rules."
Actually Jesus is the rule, all the rules, the way, the truth and the Life.
Jesus says, Love one another. Jesus says, Love thy enemies. Jesus says, Judge not. Jesus says, announce Good News to the Poor, inclduing debt forgivenes in a Year of Jubillee. Jesus says the Sabbath was made for us, not us for the Sabbath. Jesus reviles those who place a heavier burden upon us.
Jesus says sell all that you have and give the money to the poor and then come follow.
Jesus says feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, receive the alien at the gate, heal the sick, and all other good things that show love, really and truthfully, love.
Was it Saint Augustine who said, Love and do what you want?
GodofHellfire: I hereby dub
GodofHellfire:
I hereby dub you Jonathan "Caiphus" Edwards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinners_in_the_Hands_of_an_Angry_God
Amen! Amen! Amen! See
Amen! Amen! Amen! See Judges 21:25!
AMEN to that! What with the
AMEN to that!
What with the 'copious' amount of dissent that is so prevelent within the Church today one is often left to wonder what is truly Catholic and what is not. (Of course, the 'Catholic' designation on this very publication could and is open to debate in many circles but that is whole other issue).
I hearly concur that we should give thanks to the Lord and worship him in union with the Church Christ our savior founded and the magisterium that is in full union with our pope, the sucessor of Peter. Not Sr. Keehan, Fr. McBrien or any of the other psuedo-magisterium that serve only to help confuse and deunify that which is truely sacred. May God have mercy on their immortable souls for leading so many astray (and on my soul too, but for other reasons).
Having grown up with Latin
Having grown up with Latin and just recently enjoying some Cistercian chant, I was charmed by the first verses. What a surprise to find a lack of praise for Sr. Keenan. I also grew up under Good Pope John. So I've evolved I guess. I think the old men of the magisterium desperately need women's voices. We all do. I'll go with the wisdom of people who work among the poor LONG before those who live in secluded palaces. Thanks to Sr. Keenan for opening up this country's health care to those who do not live in such seclusion.
Well said Latin Fan. The
Well said Latin Fan. The National Catholic Reporter cannot be taken seriously by true Catholics. This organization reminds me of an infiltration group that has found it's way into the Catholic Church, (antichrist). The bible says you will know them by their works. Test them for verification.
The Magisterium of the
The Magisterium of the Catholic Church is a man made construct. I would prefer to follow the Gospel of Jesus. Are you aware that the Latin mass is the THIRD language, and that the original was Aramaic? In order to follow the directive of Jesus: "go to preach to all nations" they had to use the language of the people they sought to convert. This meant Greek for the Greek man in the street, and Latin for the Latin man in the street. It follows that when speaking to African tribes, for example, to speak in their language. By latinizing the Jesuits' attempt to Christianize the Far East--China for example--we lost the entire area. You need to read Church History.
Thank you for honoring Sr.
Thank you for honoring Sr. Carol Keehan. I was educated by the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg, MD. The Daughters have a long history of nursing, teaching, and caring for the poor. We need more people like Sr. Carol and Sr. Margaret McBride who are "in the trenches," who have the love and compassion of Jesus, and who are courageous enough to do what is right.
Yes- congratulations to a "
Yes- congratulations to a " Woman For All Seasons" and
and kudos to a real Catholic newspaper who writes the Truth
in His Name so well. God bless you.
Heresy abounds here. you will
Heresy abounds here. you will be no more like arianism and other heresies. The gates of hell will not prevail against Jesus' Church.
Sister Keehan showed
Sister Keehan showed "courage"? How? By agreeing with the media about abortion being "OK"? The Catholic Health association that she leads also approves abortion in case of ra/pe and incest and "health of mother". That's the popular idea - that's not the Catholic idea. That's not courage - that's bending to popularity instead of having the courage to stand up for what is really right which is never the popular or media idea. Why BE Catholic if you are not going to BE CATHOLIC. Jesus said "either you are for Me or against ME!" There is no inbetween. Mother Teresa of Calcutta showed courage - she stood up against the forces of evil and said abortion was WRONG. The woman given an abortion by St Joseph's was not sick enough to be in the ICU. Now, either St Joseph's is a crummy hospital or she was not all that sick. Many Doctors, Catholic and non Catholic, have said they have had PH patients stay in bed until the pregnancy is at 25 weeks when they can take the baby in a c-section and save the baby. Right now, that woman going into St Joseph's expecting CATHOLIC health care, not only became the mother of a dead baby, something which many women never get over psychologically, but also if the mother survives she may have as high as 150% higher risk of breast cancer (see the Janet Daling studies - Daling is pro choice by the way). And Sister Keehan defends those criticizing the Bishop and his action? Shame on NCR for claiming to be Catholic and giving this woman an award. Either defecate or get off the pot. Either be Catholic or don't be Catholic - we do have freedom of religion here but there is NO SUCH THING as "Catholic and pro choice".
SueW on Jan. 02, 2011. You
SueW on Jan. 02, 2011.
You stated:
"Sister Keehan showed "courage"? How? By agreeing with the media about abortion being "OK"? The Catholic Health association that she leads also approves abortion in case of ra/pe and incest and "health of mother". That's the popular idea - that's not the Catholic idea. That's not courage - that's bending to popularity instead of having the courage to stand up for what is really right which is never the popular or media idea. Why BE Catholic if you are not going to BE CATHOLIC. Jesus said "either you are for Me or against ME!" There is no inbetween. Mother Teresa of Calcutta showed courage - she stood up against the forces of evil and said abortion was WRONG. The woman given an abortion by St Joseph's was not sick enough to be in the ICU. Now, either St Joseph's is a crummy hospital or she was not all that sick. Many Doctors, Catholic and non Catholic, have said they have had PH patients stay in bed until the pregnancy is at 25 weeks when they can take the baby in a c-section and save the baby. Right now, that woman going into St Joseph's expecting CATHOLIC health care, not only became the mother of a dead baby, something which many women never get over psychologically, but also if the mother survives she may have as high as 150% higher risk of breast cancer (see the Janet Daling studies - Daling is pro choice by the way). And Sister Keehan defends those criticizing the Bishop and his action? Shame on NCR for claiming to be Catholic and giving this woman an award. Either defecate or get off the pot. Either be Catholic or don't be Catholic - we do have freedom of religion here but there is NO SUCH THING as "Catholic and pro choice".)
--------------------------------------------
Gee, SueW, it is really easy to spout what being a "Catholic" is---when nothing that you have said is "Catholic".
What you are displaying is the "devotional---let's follow the leader (Bishop Olmsted, even though he is blind) mentality. Jesus spoke of the blind leading the blind.
Sue W. You are right on! :)
Sue W.
You are right on! :) The women is a coward. "You will know them by their fruits."
2 comments to your inane
2 comments to your inane diatribe.
1) In the recorded history of the medical literature, NEVER has a pregnant woman with PH in acute heart failure and on a ventillator at 11 weeks survived to 20 weeks without a therapeutic abortion. I can guarantee you the hospital had every intention of employing medications and bedrest, but her PH was too severe.
2) The last thing in the world she has to worry about is breast cancer. First, she needs to worry about not getting pregnant again. She should have been sterilized, which actually would be licit under ERD 53 as it would alleviate the ability of a present and serious pathology (PH)to kill her and a simpler treatment was not available. Unless of course you consider abstinence from intercourse within the marital bond "a simpler treatment". That comes nowhere near the definition of treatment, because doing nothing has never been defined as a "treatment" but rather a lack of treatment.
53. Direct sterilization of either men or women, whether permanent or temporary, is not permitted in a Catholic health care institution. Procedures that induce sterility are permitted when their direct effect is the cure or alleviation of a present and serious pathology and a simpler treatment is not available.34
And again, as it relates to her risk of breast cancer, this poor woman is much more likely to die in the next 10-15 years due to the progression of her PH, not to mention she would already be dead and ineligilble to contract breast cancer should she have followed your advice and gone through an agonising death by drowning in the fluid collecting in her lungs due to her acute heart failure secondary to her pregnancy and PH.
There are some people within
There are some people within the Catholic church that still give up hope for the institution, and it certainly is not the bishops.
ARB
why would a site who claims
why would a site who claims to be Catholic promote a woman promoting abortion I hate to tell you but Satan has entered your organization you might need an exterminator
Truly Right and Just ?????
Truly Right and Just ????? "Sr." Carol stood up for more abortions within the Obama health care bill. May God have mercy on her soul.
Yeah for Sr. Carol Keehan for
Yeah for Sr. Carol Keehan for acting with integrity which always costs. Thank you NCR for recognizing publicly her courage in the face of authoritarianism.
Congratulations, Sr. Carol
Congratulations, Sr. Carol Keehan. We need more people like you who are willing to stand up for what is Right and Just.
Shame on you NCR. I vote
Shame on you NCR. I vote that you are no longer a Catholic newspaper as I say that St. Keehan is no longer a Catholic nun. You both create and bolster division in our church through disrespect for the magesterium and the papacy, the true teachers of our Catholic faith. I ask the Lord to forgive you both, which He does. Now I have to work on forgiving you and working to stop you from creating further damage to our Catholic Church.
abbyschult, Thank you for
abbyschult,
Thank you for underscoring the ultimate truth of God's love even as you try to egodrive your way around it.
YOU have taken offense at the choices and YOU harbor division -- not God. Perhaps the work should begin with returning to God's mercy rather than punishing others personally and politically.
God forgive repentant sinners
God forgive repentant sinners not defiant ones.
Abby do you realize God made
Abby do you realize God made you call Sister Keehan a Saint?
Thank You God!
God bless Sister Keehan and the NCR!
Since you weren't born 2000
Since you weren't born 2000 years ago or died on a cross and rose again, I am not sure you get to determine who is or isn't Catholic. I believe that it is God who calls us and who blesses us in faith.
Your work and mine is always to be forgiving, and to be vehicles of unity through the Holy Spirit. The church is in need of great healing as is our world. I doubt you could blame a great deal of that on NCR or Sr. Carol. I was say that advocating for health care and informing Catholic people or not great sins, if they were since at all. They pale in consideration with the sexual abuse by priests, war and violence in many parts of the world, people suffering and dying of AIDS, poverty and disease, genocide. This is what we should work to eradicate, not berating nuns or newspapers.
We are Catholic as God calls us to love this world and to be good stewards of our gifts. We are not Catholic because we follow a bishop.
Please stop calling yourself
Please stop calling yourself a Catholic. You do not belong in the Catholic church. The people who sit in the pews and pretend that refusing to follow a clear direction from the USCCB or the papacy is ok are in error. You are one of them. Jesus was obedient, even to death on a cross. So was Mary. They went to temple; they obeyed and followed the Torah. What do you need priests for or anyone in authority - you are the authority - right? I personally want all you liberals to be excommunicated. Then you could form your church based on your own 'interpretation' of the gospel.
Disagreement and disrespect
Disagreement and disrespect are not always the same. I realize to many it is difficult to see, but often times, I believe, disagreeing shows a deep love and respect.
I think this is an important
I think this is an important distinction John David. Thank you for stating it.
Yours is such a
Yours is such a heart-breaking letter. Yes, there is damage in the Church. But is shining a light on what has been done, and who is responsible, and how we can fix it is NOT the problem. And, Oh my heart!, THOSE PROBLEMS AND THE ABUSE OF POWER BY PRELATES are what you should be praying about. (How dare you declare that you have to "work on forgiving". )
The law is clear; Sister Keehan and all the others are interpreting it correctly. Instead of BELONGING to our faith, we should be concentrating on LIVING it. And reminding ourselves that the Church is NOT the pope, NOT the bishops, and certainly NOT those who wrap themselves in "laws" and forget the message of God. The damage that has been done to the Church is certainly serious, but it is mostly due to the so called leaders who are abusing their power and missing the point. And, oh yeah, to those who are defending them.
Following the laws of the
Following the laws of the church is living the gospel of love. Your defiance and rationalizing brand you as a destroyer of the unity Christ wants for His church. I ask you, do you have a regular confessor, an approved Catholic prayer group? How often do you go to Mass? Do you sit with Him in Eucharistic Adoration every week? That is called living your faith. That sustains and guards you and strengthens you to have compassion and mercy, helps you to make hard choices to follow Him, to carry your own cross. Have you read the Catechism or do you just read scripture and make things up? You are not a Catholic ladybug, not in my eyes.
Are Bishops the only ones who
Are Bishops the only ones who control the word Catholoic?
How may we Cathoilcs accept the moral teaching of a group of men who have favored the image and finances of the Catholic Church over the rights of children? We call ourselves a Pro Life Church. When one child is "abused" in a Catholic hospital, one bishop can take the designation of Catholic away from that hospital. What do we do with the designation of Catholic for a Church that does not protect the lives of children in "Catholic" organizations? Sadly ecceliastical cover up has been practiced in the Catholic Church for a very long time. Would the Bishop of Rome withdraw the term Catholic from Bishops' Conferences that did not protect the safety of children under their care?
Patrick Murphy
Good questions however they
Good questions however they have nothing to do with Sr. K. and her 'decision' to support the deliberate murder of a child in the womb. Or NCR's approval of her complicity in that murder by giving her an award. First things first, my friend. Finding fault with bishops does not get you out of submitting to their authority. Finding fault for you seems to be a smokescreen that prevents you from looking at your problem with authority.
NCR has NEVER been a Catholic
NCR has NEVER been a Catholic newspaper.
I would totally agree with
I would totally agree with that. Not even close!
Ye shall know the Truth and
Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free!
Keep coming back!
agreed. NCR should not be
agreed. NCR should not be distributed to Catholic parishes. Is there any way to stop that distribution?
Amen! thus sister is totally
Amen! thus sister is totally confused. Very sad she call herself catholic.
Perhaps, abbyschult, you
Perhaps, abbyschult, you should consider that it is PRECISELY because of her love and respect for the Church that Sr. Keehan does what she does. If that love, respect and devotion were not present, she would say and do nothing, be non-caring and walk away. But because she knows the Church could and should be and do better as in the health care and Phoenix hospital cases, she courageously and lovingly speaks out. She needs no forgiveness in these matters nor does Sr. McBride.
May all of us who believe
May all of us who believe that as Christians we can do better, be inspired and encouraged by Sr. Keenan and Sr. McBride. May we have the courage to expose our arrogance to the God of Mercy and may we have the humility to be open to having our hearts transformed.
Sr. K has neither love nor
Sr. K has neither love nor respect for the Catholic Church. She has love and respect for her vision of some future church in which she and her other defiant friends can call the shots. Her compassion is laced with 'sister savior' visions that prevent any real love for the Body of Christ from surfacing in her, and you as well I suppose. Again I ask you people who pretend, like the good sister, to be Catholics: do you have a regular confessor, an approved prayer group, attend Mass 2-3 times a week, sit with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, read the catechism? If not, then I think you like your own opinions more than Jesus and His bride, the Catholic Church.
Abbyschult's posting cannot
Abbyschult's posting cannot be for real. She is being facetious... right?
I cannot think of anything that has created more division in the Catholic Church, than the world-wide sex scandal. This was not just a few errant priests here and there. No, it was a conspiracy of major proportion, hidden by the hierarchy of the church, including the Pope. Surely no one believes that the Pope is so stupid that he did not know about it. The Pope is a highly educated, maybe brilliant individual, who was JP2's right hand.
This is just a time in church history when clergy simply chose against the people and in favor of protecting themselves. A very human response. A very untrustworthy response. The system has not changed. They are still human. And they are still untrustworthy, until the system for choosing church leaders is changed and the laity have a say in the process.
What do you actually know
What do you actually know about the reforms in our Church that have been put in place in America as a result of the sex scandals? Have you read Erlandson and Bunson's book on the sexual abuse crisis?
Sexual abuse of children is celebrated in our culture - there is an increase in child pornography and the sexualization of our children races along in the media and literature and the arts. I do not hear you crying out about our permissive society that kills the unborn, hustles the elderly into nursing homes and euthanasia, and tempts us all to look at ourselves as objects, sexual and otherwise. Your tragic focus on the priests and bishops who are trying to lead us through this culture of death is truly heart breaking. I say again, who is your regular confessor? how many times do you go too mass each week and receive the eucharist? do you have a regular approved prayer group - not with people who are rebellious of authority. Do you spend any time with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. Do you read the Catechism - of just read scripture and make stuff up to suit your opinions?
abbyschult on Dec. 31,
abbyschult on Dec. 31, 2010.
You stated:
"Shame on you NCR. I vote that you are no longer a Catholic newspaper as I say that St. Keehan is no longer a Catholic nun. You both create and bolster division in our church through disrespect for the magesterium and the papacy, the true teachers of our Catholic faith. I ask the Lord to forgive you both, which He does. Now I have to work on forgiving you and working to stop you from creating further damage to our Catholic Church."
---------------------------------
1) According to your comments, the Catholic Church was created by the
magesterium and papacy---not by Jesus Christ. So the Catholic Church is a
cult?
2) Sr. Keehan (like all Sisters) makes her vows to God---not to any Bishop or
to the Pope. The vows are received by the major religious superior of each
congregation. Her membership in the religious congregation depends upon
the religious congregation---not the bishop. So you cannot state that
Sister Keehan is 'no longer a Catholic nun.' But she is most likely a
'saint' for trying so hard to 'love her neighbor as herself' as commanded
by Jesus. Too many bishops don't fully understand what Jesus stated in
by the Great Commandment.
3) The Church belongs to Jesus. We have had (study Church history), a
multitude of 'scumbag' popes, cardinals, and bishops. They caused schisms,
caused scandals (2 or 3 popes at one time), brought about the Protestant
Revolt by their sinful life-styles. And you are stating that NCR and Sr.
Keehan are 'damaging the Catholic Church'?
I think that you hit the bubbly stuff (in celebration of the New Year), a little too early---and your comment resulted after you opened and partook of the bottle.
Jesus gave Peter the keys to
Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom. Benedict is Peter's successor. If you do not believe that you are not Catholic. How do you practice your faith? Mass 2-3 times a week. Reverence for the Eucharist, the real presence - Eucharistic Adoration every week. Regular study of the Catechism? Opinions are like assholes - everyone has one. There is no substitute for the facts and you do not seem to be interested in them. If you do not like authority or tradition, go elsewhere. I've been sober for 30 years by the grace of God.
Before I was able to open the
Before I was able to open the rest of the article, I was hoping that you had chosen Carol Keehan. Thanks for taking this wonderful initiative.
Carol Besch
Somewhere along the line, a
Somewhere along the line, a myth has been developed, that there can only be one voice and one opinion for the sake of "unity" and conformity with the magisterium. The bishops also work for one voice among themselves in conformity with the voice of the Vatican or the Pope. It is amazing that bishops around the world do not necessarily share the opinion of the American bishops - the German bishops for instance rejected the demand of the Vatican for a renewal of their liturgical prayers and they continue to request that the questions of the celibacy requirement be discussed. It seems obvious, to me at least, that most great movements are born from discernment - honest discussion and disagreement, with an openness to the idea that no one person or even a small number of persons holds the whole truth. Listening to the voices of the Spirit working through the entire community requires a sense of humility and openness - not arrogance and power. Without this openness, we will continue to stumble along, thinking that we can see while we are blind.
Charles, Many thanks for your
Charles,
Many thanks for your most excellent insights and analysis. I agree, totally!
I think that the last luminaries(lights)left/remaining in what was once "OUR" Catholic church are the nuns and the more normal un-fundamentalist non-cultist Catholics.
Until the Vatican and JPII hooked up with the GOP and gave us St.Reagan and St.Friedman of the Republicans. I was never aware that there was such a thing as right wing cultist Catholics. I knew about screwballs like Sen. Joe McCarthy and his McCarthyism. But I never thought there were so many just like him and apparently almost entirely attached to the Repub party.
"McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence"-- from Wikipedia. I like the part about the lack of evidence. Sounds just like that altar boy Bill O'Reilly and his buddies:Hannity, Beck, Limball, Van Susteren,Cavuto, etc,etc,etc.
NOW, I know better. I wish it wasn't true and I am saddened to have to learn of such things coming from the Catholic church--actually the Vatican and the papacy--NOT from reasonable normal Catholics.
I am comforted by reminding myself that the last luminaries are still standing,at least for now! AND, hopefully for always!!! Also I comfort myself with the sure knowledge that Christ was The loving Son of God, just as God the Father is a loving God.
God is NOT the problem. Religion, any and all religions that serves politics are very much the problem!!!
It is amazing and somewhat painful that some of the best work in improving the world society,the Family of Man,God's creation, comes NOT from the Catholic church but from others such as Pres. Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dali Lhama and others like Rev. Jim Wallis, et.al. They are my heroes. How I wish that our church would be at the forefront of that group,instead of not at all. And even worse, at the very cause of the worst of those perpetrators, all Repubs.
Shame on me for voting for some Repubs. After the corrupted election of 2000, never again! Though I hold to a few of their positions, I cannot abide in their illegal/unlawful and corrupt actions. Actions really do speak louder than words. Money really is the root of all evil. All wars are about economics/money including the war in Iraq and the war on America and especially the middle class, aka the Culture Wars. USMC Gen. Smedley D. Butler and later Pres.Eisenhower defined/outlined and reported on this phenomenon so clearly.
It seems that when money and GIANT egos enter the room everything else is thrown out. Apparently money values and corporate values trump all human values!!!
Excellent selection and well
Excellent selection and well stated rationale.
Well stated comment - thank
Well stated comment - thank God for courageous leadership!
Hooray! Kudos! NCR shows its
Hooray! Kudos!
NCR shows its true colors once again--let's canonize the nun who thinks it's okay for a hospital to DIRECTLY ABORT an innocent child.
And don't pretend for a moment that, when you attack the child's placenta, it's somehow "indirect" abortion.