Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, like San Francisco’s Archbishop Cordileone, has backed the protest of Bishop Thomas Paprocki against the decision by the Chicago archdiocese to honor Senator Richard Durbin despite his unwavering support for abortion.
That makes three, out of 440 bishops in the US, who are calling Cardinal Blase Cupich to account for this scandalous betrayal of fundamental moral principles.
As a group, the US bishops, voting in their conference, approved a policy stipulating that pro-abortion politicians should not receive public honors from Catholic institutions. Why is it, then that when a prominent prelate blatantly violates that policy, not even 1% of his brother bishops lodge a public objection?
Even if other bishops are calling Cupich privately, and urging him to reconsider (and I wonder), that quiet approach does not remedy the confusion that this award has already caused. And am I right to call it “confusion?” Actually the message seems quite clear: a prominent politician can ignore Church teaching, with no disciplinary consequences (in this life).
We lay people can shout ourselves hoarse, but we can’t speak with the same authority,. Nor do we have the moral duty to defend Catholic teaching. Until our bishops begin to hold each other accountable— in public— things aren’t going to get better.
As of today I read that there were a total of Five bishops that have objected to the Cupich award to Durbin. This is one week after the announcement. This is 5 out of 439 active and retired bishops in the USA. So... one percent.
Jesus said that He would leave the 99 to go rescue the 1. It might need to be reversed and leave the 1 and go rescue the 99.
perhaps a dope-slap!