Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:44 pm
Learn from Success?
Our Catholic bishops were successful in the State of Maine in their
support for the referendum against same-sex marriages, and again in
the House of Representatives' bill on Health Care which excluded any
government funding of abortions. A great deal of money from the Sunday
collection went into their efforts. The combined resources of the
Catholic bishops and the Mormon leadership were able to convince the
good people of Maine on the merits of their case. One might question
their tactics, but, be
that as it may, democracy worked for them.
Members in the House of Representatives felt the same Episcopal
pressure, and the great need for health care reform forced them to
compromise. Again the ethics of the biships' tactics might be called
into question, if fully known, but again it would appear that democracy
worked.
Hurray for the bishops! Well, maybe!
We hope and pray that our good bishops learned an important lesson
here. Even under the pressure of high-power advertising, and
whatever other measures used, it can be said that democracy worked in
their favor and the voice of the people was heard and effective.
Might they just trust the Holy Spirit to speak through the voice of
the faithful and use the democratic process to bring about needed
changes in the Church? Instead of mandating their own views from on
high, might they ask and follow their Catholic people's vote on
mandatory celibacy, contraception issues, women's ordination,
restructuring of governance, and openly trust God's people? Might they listen and learn from
the greater magisterium of Church, the sensus fidelium, on these
and other problem they face? Could it be that they don't trust God
enough to do this?
No doubt homosexual unions will continue in Maine, legal or not,
and, unfortunately, abortions will continue without federal money, but
at least the voice of the people was heard and effective. In the same
way the faith and judgment of the Catholic people will always succeed,
even if ignored, or suppressed by Episcopal attempts to manipulate and
control it. That is what Christ promised.
Would that they would learn that lesson!
Comments