Anti-Bishop Venom On the Right

I think some of us on the left tend to under-estimate the degree of nastiness bishops have to put up with from their right wing flanks. Maybe that is because we dismiss the far right extremists as kooks. But, they are noisy kooks. Think of the attacks on CCHD, and the way the bishops have resisted efforts to dismantle that signature anti-poverty program. Or of Father Guarnizo, the communion-denying priest who basically called Cardinal Wuerl a liar last week.

Now, we have two new examples of far-right attacks on the bishops. The first is an article in the American Spectator that calls out Cardinal Wuerl for his handling of the Guarnizo case and argues that the cardinal has been derelict in his duty. The author notes the stance of Cardinal Raymond Burke on the issue of denying communion, conveniently ignoring the fact that many conservative canonists agree that Guarnizo went too far. The author is clearly unaware of the role of a bishop in his own diocese when he writes: "Cardinal Burke has spoken; the case is closed." Perhaps someone should inform the Pope that Cardinal Burke disapproves of the way he, and his predecessor Pope John Paul II, dealt with the issue of denying communion - they didn't do it.

But, what truly shocked was this sentence: "I've heard Church insiders call the cardinal 'Wuerl the girl,' a reference to his precious personality." What does this have to do with anything? Isn't this just a slur cast at Cardinal Wuerl? Why publish such a thing?

The other example comes from a group calling itself Concerned Roman Catholics of America (CRCOA) although I think Crazed Roman Catholics of America might be more appropriate. They are calling for protests at the upcoming Catholic Religious Education Conference, annually sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. They think the event is a hotbed of dissent and want all good Catholics and all good bishops to stay away. Here is their throwdown to Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles: ""Why does L.A.'s new, reputedly orthodox Archbishop José Gomez bring back the same dangerous speakers whom his predecessor Cardinal Roger Mahony brought in year after year? Jesus commanded us not to doubt but to have faith (Mt 14:31, 21:21). The Bible warns against people who sow doubts in Christians' minds (I Tim 4:1; II Tim 4:3, 4)." I have to say the words "Reputedly orthodox" jump off the page, do they not.

It's a big Church and there is room for everyone. But, it is more than a little interesting to me that most of the truly vile, nasty attacks on the hierarchy come not from the left but from the right.