Retired Bishops Don't See Problem Partnering With Pro-Abort Orgs for Social Justice

[Yves_Congar]

lifesitenews.com/news/retired-bishops-join-pro-planned-parenthood-group-in-call-for-catholic-fund?

**Retired bishops join pro-Planned Parenthood group in call for Catholic funding of pro-abort orgs **

by Patrick B. Craine

Fri Jun 14 2:40 PM EST

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 14, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Ten Catholic bishops teamed up with a pro-Planned Parenthood group to a release a report this week that urges Catholic organizations to fund groups linked to the promotion of abortion and other acts opposed by the Church.

The 28-page report, released Tuesday by the advocacy group Faith in Public Life, targets Catholic critics of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, accusing them of adopting “McCarthy-era tactics” in their quest to rid the USCCB-run organization of problematic partnerships.

The CEO of the group Faith in Public Life is Jennifer Butler a ####ian minister who sat on a panel of “pro-choice clergy” at Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s annual interfaith breakfast in 2008. Moreover, the website of Faith in Public Life has published numerous blog posts defending Planned Parenthood.

The report was authored by John Gehring, Faith in Public Life’s Catholic Program Director, who once served as the USCCB’s Assistant Director for Media Relations.

The opening pages of the report include a list of endorsing groups and individuals, including nine retired U.S. bishops and one sitting bishop (Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenberg, South Africa). The retired bishops listed are Archbishop Fiorenza, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Bishop John S. Cummins of Oakland, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Bishop Ricardo Ramirez of Las Cruces, Bishop Peter Rosazza, Bishop Sylvester Ryan of Monterey, Bishop Joseph Sullivan, and Bishop John Leibrecht of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. Archbishop Fiorenza and Bishop Skylstad are both former presidents of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Read more here.

 

[Corki]

Wow! I am not sure anyone can really comment on this thread without violating forum rules about saying bad things about clergy. :sad_yes:

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Wow! I am not sure anyone can really comment on this thread without violating forum rules about saying bad things about clergy. :sad_yes:

The best I can do: “I’m thankful that -]they’re retired/-] enjoying retirement, and I hope their retirement becomes even more -]uneventful/-] peaceful.”

 

[VanSensei]

This…seems a tad off.

 

[Lancer]

The operative words for me are…“retired” and “former”. The only active bishop is from South Africa…that’s something for the Pope and this bishop’s…brother bishops in the South African Church’s “USCCB” equivalent.

I would like to see some of the Church’s Ethical and Moral theologians weigh in on Faith in Public Life’s (FPL) principal ethical arguments…for me…it is the simple moral principle…you can’t do evil…even if good comes from it.…that “sinks” their platform.

FPL was the principal money fund behind * Nuns on a Bus* political/social tour awhile back…to shoot the USCCB bishops and its *Fortnight for Freedom * in the “foot”… Father Z covered it in his news blog:

Mr. Gehring [former asst. communications/media director for bishops USCCB]is Catholic Program Director of “Faith in Public Life,” a group founded with help from a pro-abortion group long directed by John Podesta called the Center for American Progress (CAP); like the CAP it has received funding from billionaire atheist George Soros. These do not seem like eminent qualifications for telling bishops how to guide the Church. [Understatement is an art form.]

wdtprs.com/blog/2012/06/usccb-responds-to-group-funded-by-george-soros-which-issued-talking-points-for-newsies-to-catch-out-unwary-bishops/

Catechism is clear on moral and ethical issues and how we form our conscience…

III. TO CHOOSE IN ACCORD WITH CONSCIENCE

1786 Faced with a moral choice, conscience can make either a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law or, on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them.

1787 Man is sometimes confronted by situations that make moral judgments less assured and decision difficult. But he must always seriously seek what is right and good and discern the will of God expressed in divine law.

1788 To this purpose, man strives to interpret the data of experience and the signs of the times assisted by the virtue of prudence, by the advice of competent people, and by the help of the Holy Spirit and his gifts.

1789 Some rules apply in every case:

• One may never do evil so that good may result from it;

• the Golden Rule: "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."56

• charity always proceeds by way of respect for one’s neighbor and his conscience:

“**Thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience . . . you sin against Christ.”**57 Therefore "it is right not to . . . do anything that makes your brother stumble."58

If all the babies in the womb could voice/vote their opinion…this group would already be in the “dust bowl” of history.
Also…

BILL DONOHUE SLAMS THIS LEAKED SOROS-SPONSORED FAITH ORG’S E-MAIL COACHING MEDIA AGAINST CATHOLIC BISHOPS
Jun. 20, 2012 11:00pm Billy Hallowell

We’ve told you before about the George Soros-funded organization Faith in Public Life (FPL). As previously reported, Faith in Public Life received a two-year $450,000 grant in 2009 from Soros’ Open Society Institute (partially tied to the group’s work toward achieving immigration reform).
​

theblaze.com/stories/2012/06/20/bill-donohue-slams-this-leaked-soros-sponsored-faith-orgs-e-mail-coaching-media-against-catholic-bishops/

Lastly…as I look atheist George Sorros and his Center for American Progress…and at the pictures and bios and job duties as key players and operatives in FPL…on their website…I try to remember Saint Paul’s admonition and truth…

Ephesians 6:12
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSV-CE)

12 For we are** not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness** in the heavenly places.

Pax Christi

 

[livingwordunity]

Why would anyone support such a wicked thing especially when they are old and so close to their final judgment?

 

[JimG]

Here is an article about the organization “Faith in Public Life.”

 

[markomalley]

Here is an article about the organization “Faith in Public Life.”

FWIW, “Faith in Public Life” got $400,000 from George Soros’ “Open Society Institute” in 2007 and 2008 and $200,000 in 2009, . Discover the Networks has other links to leftist political movements.

 

[CarolNoel]

Have they all lost their minds

 

[JimG]

Apparently, “Faith in Public Life” also opposes the U.S. Bishops Fortnight for Freedom campaign on behalf of religious liberty.

 

[JMJSHJ]

Does the fact that they are retired have any real bearing on the scandal that they are producing?

 

[Tigg]

“**Retired **Bishops Don’t See Problem Partnering With Pro-Abort Orgs for Social Justice”

Be patient, folks, be patient!

 

[manualman]

What no (retired) Archbishop Rembert Weakland? That should have been an easy add to the list!

 

[Ridgerunner]

In no way am i surprised to see our former bishop, John Leibrecht was one of the group. Not the least bit surprised.

I am pleased with our new bishop, James Johnston, who encourages us to donate to a diocesan charitable organization that does real charitable works, instead of to CCHD.

Wonder if that makes Bishop Johnston a “McCarthyite”? If so, “McCarthyism” could use a few more like him. Imagine! Using the donations of the faithful to actually do charitable work! What is this world coming to?

 

[Corki]

Does the fact that they are retired have any real bearing on the scandal that they are producing?

Maybe. As retired Bishops, any opinion they express is subordinate to that of the ordinary. So, these opinions should not have much weight.

However, at least one “Catholic” publication holds the opinion that a retired ordinary should be given **more **credence since he is now free to express himself freely. The spin is that once they are no longer restricted by their official positions, they can be more honest. If you subscribe to this view the error of giving scandal is even more profound.