NCCB & Death Penalty

[HagiaSophia]

The U.S. bishops say that there has been a “dramatic rise in Catholic opposition” to the death penalty, and are launching a campaign to end its use.

Named the “Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty,” the effort will be launched on Monday.

Participating in the press event will be, among others, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C, and John Zogby, who conducted the survey that demonstrated U.S. Catholic’s opposition to the death penalty.

zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=68022

www.zenit.org
Code: ZE05031821
Date: 2005-03-18

 

[Joe_Kelley]

It is interesting that they give there has been a “dramatic rise in Catholic opposition” to the death penalty, as their reason for launching a campaign to end its use. The presence of Zogby in the press conference supports the suspicion that they are acting on polls rather than moral belief - rather like many politicians one might name.

Which way did the parade go? Tell me quick. I’m their leader and have to get in front.

 

[stumbler]

If it’s not Catholic teaching, why are they involved?

And if it is Catholic teaching, why did they wait so long?

 

[HagiaSophia]

stumbler:

If it’s not Catholic teaching, why are they involved?

And if it is Catholic teaching, why did they wait so long?

I suspect because the snail mail, the email and the phone calls (I won’t even mention the blogs and media reports) during the election campaign, produced such a blizzard in certain diocesan and national council offices, that I’m not quite sure they are all dug out yet.

McCarrick and Gregory took the point of it, since they were the “point” of the council during the camapaign – Gregory has mercifully escaped to a new diocese, but McCarrick has been searching for an issue in order to show that he and the council are active in “pro life” issues and to try and regain some of the face they lost.

This is one they think they can latch onto in a more “public” way.

As an aside, does it strike anyone else here a bit odd, that since the council meets so often and I assume they all have each others phone numbers, that they have to pay Zogby to tell them what the American Cathholics in the US are thinking on an issue? Wouldn’t you thnk each bishop had a clue as to what was going on in their own diocese?

 

[Linda_H]

HagiaSophia:

I suspect because the snail mail, the email and the phone calls (I won’t even mention the blogs and media reports) during the election campaign, produced such a blizzard in certain diocesan and national council offices, that I’m not quite sure they are all dug out yet.

McCarrick and Gregory took the point of it, since they were the “point” of the council during the camapaign – Gregory has mercifully escaped to a new diocese, but McCarrick has been searching for an issue in order to show that he and the council are active in “pro life” issues and to try and regain some of the face they lost.

This is one they think they can latch onto in a more “public” way.

As an aside, does it strike anyone else here a bit odd, that since the council meets so often and I assume they all have each others phone numbers, that they have to pay Zogby to tell them what the American Cathholics in the US are thinking on an issue? Wouldn’t you thnk each bishop had a clue as to what was going on in their own diocese?

Well then why haven’t they jumped in to try to protect a daughter of the church, they have not been heard speaking out for Terri!
Linda H.

 

[HagiaSophia]

Linda H.:

Well then why haven’t they jumped in to try to protect a daughter of the church, they have not been heard speaking out for Terri!
Linda H.

For two reasons that I can think of - however it does in large part depend on the leadership by the head of the NCCB.

Reason 1) When events or issues arise in one specific diocese, other bishops refrain from public comment pretty much. They leave it to the ordinary of the diocese involved.

Reason 2. Once the Vatican or a prominent spokesperson from the “vicinity” of the Vatican has spoken, pretty much the other bishops shut down. The consensus is “they outrank” us.

As events continue to unroll here however and with the furor building, someone up in Washington may nudge someone next to him and say “think we oughta say somthing?”

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Linda H.:

Well then why haven’t they jumped in to try to protect a daughter of the church, they have not been heard speaking out for Terri!
Linda H.

Zogbyhasn’t shown that she has sufficient popular support, and they won’t get approval from the New York Times.