Abbey-Roads2

And hate crimes.

Reading the blogs again, I came across some new bishop-bashing comments (and posts) concerning our own Archbishop Nienstedt  and St. Louis’ Archbishop Burke.  (Archbishop Burke happens to be a doctor of canon law, hence the title of the post.)   A few weeks ago a Catholic men’s group wrote a letter to San Francisco’s Archbishop Niederauer  telling  him what to do to correct a mistake he made in giving communion to transvestite nuns in early October. 

I find it strange that many Catholics have so little respect for the apostolic office of bishop that some will publicly attack and dictate to the bishops what they feel the bishops should be doing.  (I’ve been guilty of this in the past as well.)  To be sure, there have been abuses by bishops in office in the past, nevertheless, bishops deserve a modicum of respect due to the dignity of the office.  After all, as laity, we are not on the level of the apostle Paul of whom it is often said, “rebuked Peter to his face.”  (Galatians 2:11)

Catholic protestants.

Although the most worrisome of the bishop-bashing really seems to come from the progressive Catholic side; from those who insist that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is guilty of teaching doctrinal matters - which in their view  - rise to the level  of hate crimes.  We know who these people are; the women who seek ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood, active homosexuals who seek the church to reverse its teaching on same-sex relations and allow gay marriage, and those who attack the Church for teaching against artificial contraception, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia.

These opponents of the Catholic hierarchy not only write audacious letters of rebuke, they stage open protests at cathedrals and rallies, attack the Church in media, and soon will attempt to make a federal case out of these matters.  It is happening in other countries and most likely will be coming to a U.S. court near you.

Yet who is persecuting who? 

Nevertheless, what fascinates me about the secularists who protest the authentic Magisterium of the Church when they teach on faith and morals (which indeed is the bishop’s duty), is that these “progressivists” are often hostile, venomous opponents of not only the Catholic bishops,  but Catholic Church doctrine itself.  Which begs the question, who is really being hateful in these situations - who is persecuting who?

[Photo credit: From the television series, "Burke's Law"]