With regard to this case, Canadian institutions are increasingly baring all conversation on abortion, especially in places like Quebec. For once, LSN actually achieved results in getting a dissident priest kicked out of office for publicly preaching his views. Perhaps I am attributing too much weight to the articles, and perhaps the bishop in Montreal would have acted on his own, but I doubt it. LSN, although often sensationalistic, with article headlines that can be missleading, usually you can read the actual article and make up your own mind on the issues. Plus, you also have to bear in mind that they are competing against an increasingly anti-catholic media. The Globe and Mail, and the Toronto Star come to mind here. The Globe will publish anything that tars the Catholic Church in a bad light. It doesn’t matter how stupid or unfounded the charges are. Then you have to look at the tone of these articles. Even for the ones that are somewhat even handed, all you have to do is follow the trail of adjectives (…extreem views on abortion…radical religious right…etc…etc…). The Globe, along with the NY Times, has a thirst for Church scandals, and want nothing more than to link the papacy with every single priest who has a fall.
I think if LSN were to shut its doors, I think it would create a large void in the pro-life world. It is definitly not perfect, and I would agree with some that poo-poo their sensationalistic headlines, but they are getting results…
God bless,
Ut
