God Bless Our Bishops
Two stories that I found encouraging. One was Bp Soto giving a speech at a LGBT event in California. The other is a letter from the Canadian Bishops Conference on the 40th aniversay of Humanae Vitae. They are significant because they are two very solid, orthodox teachings by bishops in places where historically the church has been quite liberal. In both California and Canada the church’s teaching on sexual morality has been declared dead many time. But Christianity is a religion of resurrection. What we are seeing is nothing less than that. Both these teachings use the recent writings of Pope Benedict and John Paul. They talk about sexuality in a positive way but leave no doubt that what has always been wrong is still wrong. This is exactly what we need. It is exactly what we have been getting from our popes and increasingly it is exaclt what we are getting from our bishops.
Priests and deacons need to take not and take courage. This is what Catholic teaching looks like. Bp Soto was preaching to the most pro-gay Catholics you can think of. He didn’t water down the church’s teaching one bit. Canadian clergy, you don’t have to think you will be all alone if you teach about contraception. Your bishops are with you. What more do you need?
John Paul said the church can never impose anything. It can only propose things. Even inside the church that is true. The popes have proposed Catholicism to the bishops. They, after 40 years, have accepted the proposal. It needs to move out to the rest of the church. Bishops teaching in unity with the pope have great power. I think we are starting to see some of that power finally being used.
