Political Stupidity and Shame | National Catholic Reporter

Political Stupidity and Shame | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Demography still favors a more liberal Virginia - even in the face of racial gerrymandering.  Tea Party Republicans are simply dying off faster.  Additionally, more reliable minority districts will be easier to defend in low turnout years, so I am not so leery of this deal.

I Told You So: Immigration & LGBT | National Catholic Reporter

I Told You So: Immigration & LGBT | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I have not counted the votes, however I don't believe that the legislation will come to the floor very quickly - nor do I believe that either DOMA or Proposition 8 have any chance of survival on constitutional grounds.  Rest assured, like the HHS mandate, this is a dead issue.  Also, the myth that the Hispanic voters and caucus are socially conservative is just that, a myth.

MSW v. Sirico: Part III | National Catholic Reporter

MSW v. Sirico: Part III | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: First, we are responsible for both our individual acts toward the poor and our social acts to assist them (be they religious, cooperative or governmental).  Second, it is not only the Christian Democrats, but also the Social Democrats who build communities of care.  If we demonstrate the Gospel to the Social Democrats with our actions, perhaps that is the witness of faith we need to bring to them.  Another way to say social democrat is libertarian socialist, by the way.  Capitalism keeps its position intact by dividing the libertarian socialists and Christian Democrats.  It is time to end that division.

Sr. Simone Campbell at CACG | National Catholic Reporter

Sr. Simone Campbell at CACG | National Catholic Reporter More from our favorite traveling Nun.

My Favorite Congregational Minister: Rev. Lillian Daniel | National Catholic Reporter

My Favorite Congregational Minister: Rev. Lillian Daniel | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Two things about this issue. The first is that the spiritual but not religious may be uttering a prophetic voice to show where the Church has fallen short. The second is that this term is often used in reference to recovered Alcoholics who get their contact with a higher power primarily through the fellowship.

Faith & Secularism: It's Not Just for RCs Anymore | National Catholic Reporter

Faith & Secularism: It's Not Just for RCs Anymore | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Hopefully this is part of a change that will extend to the entire region, leading to a culture where sect and tribe no longer matter.  The way to settle the Palestinian question is to simply recognize each other's innate dignity. (as Torah requires).

Africa Faith & Justice Network Anniversary | National Catholic Reporter

Africa Faith & Justice Network Anniversary | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB:  Congratulations to them.  I would be happy too, however, if they acknowledged the primacy of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All of Africa, with Rome and Canterbury surrendering any governing union in his favor.

The Catholic Church & Women | National Catholic Reporter

The Catholic Church & Women | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB:  I went to Catholic grade and high school and the behaviors criticized occurred anyway (and the girls all wore uniforms).  All schools should work toward the balance of reward for achievement and true self-worth.  BTW, a female priesthood would make a difference.

MSW v. Sirico: Part II | National Catholic Reporter

MSW v. Sirico: Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Capitalism is not a free market entity.  It is the perversion of free markets, where those with the advantage of property ownership or expertise exploit workers for a profit.  A truly free market for wages would have everyone paid the same because the structures of the market would account for education (and who pays for it) and would resemble a product market, with each worker - especially in management - having to bid against all other qualified workers for the open position.  This would denude management of its control and usher in what could be called either democratic capitalism or more accurately democratic socialism.  It need not be governmentally managed, however there should be a governmental tax structure which provides for health care and a family wage for all workers -although firms could certainly provide these services as an offset to their tax bill.

USCCB briefs in two cases urge court to uphold traditional marriage | National Catholic Reporter

USCCB briefs in two cases urge court to uphold traditional marriage | National Catholic Reporter  My reaction: This argument fails on its face because to get married in the Catholic Church one must only be functional, not fecund.  If Canon Law argues that fecundity is not a requirement, they cannot argue it here.  The Church also needs to admit that its own hospitals caused part of the need for gay marriage because they would not honor the wishes of the family of choice in a gay couple (and make no mistake, these families of choice are marriages - just marriages without witness) while granting next of kin privileges to the family of origin in both decision making and visitation.  Had they behaved humanely, they would not need to file this amicus and would not be opposed to this issue now.  They also make the dangerous point that moral scorn is acceptable as religious preference.  As a church that was historically persecuted at the American founding (and still is in some parts of the American south), this is a dangerous argument.  We don't let the mob vote on the rights of individuals in the United States.  To assert that this is at all acceptable shows a deep misunderstanding of American law or individual rights.  Again, the Church is badly served by its lawyers and its hierarchy,.

Wieseltier Spanks Obama and Hagel | National Catholic Reporter

Wieseltier Spanks Obama and Hagel | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I don't see any grand strategy in the Obama foreign policy.  It is responsive to outside events, with action only when required because some actor crosses an acceptable line.  As far as Syria, we have no idea how deep we are involved.  I suspect much more than reported.  Indeed, I suspect the reporters on the ground know and aren't telling.  Ultimately, if Syria earns their own freedom, they will never be enslaved again by a dictator.  Now, if you want a Grand Plan, you should have looked at my Americans Elect campaign page.  I proposed restoring the Hashimite Dynasty to Syria with it controlling a large Arab state from the Cedars of Lebanon to Basra, with Israel ceding some heavily Arab and Palestinian lands to it to solve their demographic crisis.  I doubt if anyone in the Administration or the State Department as the stones to suggest such a thing.  American foreign policy is made carefully - they don't go in for grand solutions - it makes transnational industry nervous to do so.

MSW v. Sirico: Part 1 | National Catholic Reporter

MSW v. Sirico: Part 1 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Let me add three elements.  The first is that in many cases, people are poor because of bad public education and our aggressive war on drugs.  If all poor families had both parents and the parents received remedial literacy training to a functional level - and were paid to do so, poverty would almost be solved.

Second, everyone who works or is in a literacy program should receive an addition to their pay to care for each child to the tune of $500 federal and $500 state per month - which should come as an offset to an employer based consumption tax (technically a net business receipts tax - with the essential difference being that wages are not exempt). This is necessary because if firms provided such a premium on their own, many would fail in a free market - where if this were part of the tax system the employer might even get money back.

The third point is on the Affordable Care Act.  Its a lovely idea, however if health insurance company investors are more risk averse than the uninsured (whose subsidies may be too low), then the single payer system MSW hopes for will come about as these companies go bankrupt (unless of course wiser heads show up and drop the guaranteed coverage in exchange for a tax subsidized public option for those with pre-existing conditions.

Great News on Immigration | National Catholic Reporter

Great News on Immigration | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: At the end of the 111th Congress Lindsey Graham would be the 60th vote needed to pass the bill through the Senate (at which point, anchor babies became an issue and essentially killed the deal).  Having 4 per side is only 59.  One Republican is still needed for this deal to come to the floor, with no wavering by Democrats or anyone already on board (unless, of course, a unanimous consent agreement can be worked out to consider and vote on this - which would be a nice change).

Silk on Colo Hospital Case | National Catholic Reporter

Silk on Colo Hospital Case | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The Church's lawyers are very good at representing their clients before the court and very bad at representing them before Christ.  It is all the worse when the suit is by a member of the Church against the hierarchy.  Conscience should demand confession and restitution rather than resorting to legal defense at all.

Bruni & Wuerl | National Catholic Reporter

Bruni & Wuerl | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB:  The fact is still that the institutional Church will have to change in both its leadership structure and its treatment of those who with to develop doctrine.  This is the natural result of more modern management modes emerging (such as the non-profit corporation) and the improved education of the masses of Catholics in both scripture and science. The more the hierarchy fights against the Spirit of Prophesy in the Church, the more we all hear her voice. Natural law is for everyone, by the way.  No one can claim supremacy or the claim of truth through reason (rather than truth via position) has to be abandoned.

The Colorado Hospital Case | National Catholic Reporter

The Colorado Hospital Case | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: There is definitely a symbiosis between the sides on this issue.  Also, this is certainly not the first time the Church has been ill served by its lawyers.  This may not be one of them, however, as the lawyer's job is to deal in the civil law, not morality.

Pittsburgh Paper Profiles Cafardi | National Catholic Reporter

Pittsburgh Paper Profiles Cafardi | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: As I stated before, he is probably the best person to explain the limits of the Right to Life movement's strategy to the Holy See and have them finally understand it. He is also a friend to Obama, which is more than most other contenders can say.

Rigging Elections | National Catholic Reporter

Rigging Elections | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The GOP is trying last ditch efforts (which you are correct in predicting will backfire) because it will demographically fail.  While people remark on the amount of young people attending the March for Life, it must be remarked that this is a small minority of the total number of young people who could turn out who are in public schools.  Even among Catholic kids, many will come to different conclusions about sex (and politics) once they hit their late teens and early twenties.

GREAT Interview with Kaveny: | National Catholic Reporter

GREAT Interview with Kaveny: | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This type of analysis is refreshing, in that it differentiates between issues we can be morally certain about and issues we can actually do something about.  Roe is in the former, which is why it should have nothing to do with electoral politics (at least until the pro-life side introduces a bill that recognizes the unborn as people while also dealing with miscarriage, police power and tort relief).

Dionne on Obama & Reagan | National Catholic Reporter

Dionne on Obama & Reagan | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It looks like E.J. did not so much as come to praise Reagan but to bury him by voicing an uncompromising defense of liberalism.  We will see if Obama has the skill of Reagan in getting some moderate Republican votes in much the same way that Clinton worked with a core of liberal Republicans in the House to consistently roll Newt Gingrich on financial matters.

Mother & Child: "A Unity" | National Catholic Reporter

Mother & Child: "A Unity" | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Not only after birth, but throughout childhood.  Fathers should be supported to.

Roe, Libertarianism, Moralism: Bring Back the Seamless Garment | National Catholic Reporter

Roe, Libertarianism, Moralism: Bring Back the Seamless Garment | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: There is actually a strong core of libertarian pro-lifers, mostly those who follow Ron Paul.  The two are hardly mutually exclusive.  The core of that type of libertarianism is that people can do and think for themselves, as long as they don't damage others through force or fraud.  Those who consider an unborn child to be a person have no problem with abortion restrictions.  The complicating factor for the past 40 years has been that no one is willing to do the heavy lifting to recognize the unborn under federal law - which is an ugly process because the status of miscarried embryos is also a consideration (and the compromises required for this are big enough to drive a Planned Parenthood Mammovan through).  The onus to write a bill that deals with these issues is on the pro-life movement, which has so far preferred to use this issue for self-promotion rather than actually making progress in advancing the cause of life (and don't even mention a living wage to them, they will say that people should be responsible for their sexuality and not have kids).  A seamless garment of life means even the Church will pay a living wage, giving a salary bump of $1000 a month to any family that adds a child.

Fr; Crossin: Steps To Christian Unity | National Catholic Reporter

Fr; Crossin: Steps To Christian Unity | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The ultimate step must be the creation of more patriarchies in the western Church, so that all questions no longer lead to Rome.  I suspect an English speaking Patriarchy would quickly unify all Christian sects and Churches in the non-African English world (historically, the Patriarch of Alexandria has jurisdiction of the entire continent - something which should be respected in practice among Catholics, Protestants and Copts, although he may appoint national linguistic patriarchs in his see).

Cupich's Pro-Life Message | National Catholic Reporter

Cupich's Pro-Life Message | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is still up to the Pro-Life movement to say HOW it will protect life.  It may be that living wages, with the help of tax policy, may be enough in the vast majority of cases. If you wish to go beyond that and criminalize abortion, you have to examine what that would look like in a post-Roe world.  It is not so easy to envision - however it is the responsibility of the Pro-Life movement to fill in the details.  If they do not, then they are committing a fraud.

Royal on Culture | National Catholic Reporter

Royal on Culture | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Culture is more than tradition and the trappings of ceremony - it is the environment in which individuals and groups live.  Mary Douglass laid out a four culture matrix: Fatalism (some call it Despotism now), Individualism (aka Libertarianism), Hierarchy and Egalitarianism (aka Sectarianism).  Hierarchy often attracts members in extreme times, such as during wars.  I don't see that happening absent a campaign of Hell-fire and brimstone that threatens everyone who does not comply with Damnation.  If that is the New Evangelization, it won't work.  Indeed, it will do the opposite and push people into Individualism (even if they do it quietly in the pews) or into a new Egalitarian model of brotherhood in Christ.  I am not sure the modern hierarchy is up to that last one, unless younger bishops become ascendant.

The Israeli Elections | National Catholic Reporter

The Israeli Elections | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Iran would kill more Muslims in deploying nuclear weapons than they would Jews - and they would poison themselves as well with the fallout.  Additionally, they would not want to poison Jerusalem with radiation, so the Iranian threat is way overblown.  Iraq has more to fear, although I cannot see Iran hitting large Shiite populations either.  Three things are needed - the first is a core group committed to peace - which will likely arise out of the new generation.  The second is a brokered deal on boundaries for the entire region from Gaza to the Pashtun areas of Pakistan.  Third is a gut check for Israel as to whether they are willing to treat the Palestinians and Arabs as first class citizens or create a separate state for them from the north and the West Bank.  I suspect that the Holy of Hollies will never be returned to Israel from Axum until the former takes place.

More Conservative Claptrap | National Catholic Reporter

More Conservative Claptrap | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Banning abortion, banning guns and banning smoking are all "pro-life" positions  - the question is how much power you wish to give the government to enforce such prohibitions.  Do you want a free state or a police state - or rather, what mix of both do you desire?

More From Kaveny | National Catholic Reporter

More From Kaveny | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: She is hitting all the right notes, especially in citing the 2000 EEOC decision which made contraception itself cover-able, although not with first dollar coverage.  More importantly, she raises the claim of a faithful Supreme Court Justice who must balance her religious views against the legal matters in the case.  It is interesting to up the ante and add the possibility that the USCCB had decided that she must vote to deny this coverage or refrain from going to Communion (talking about putting a finger on the scale).  The response to such an action would of course be that she would have to recuse herself from the case, as would all Catholic Justices - leaving prior precedents in place.  Of course, in that case, because the USCCB is essentially a collection of papal appointees, such an act could be considered sedition in service to a foreign power and the Papal Nuncio would have to be expelled - turning the Roman Catholic Church back to a mission church.  If the American hierarchy were self-appointing, however, no such danger would exist and it could exercise more in terms of moral authority.

Camosy on Roe Anniversary | National Catholic Reporter

Camosy on Roe Anniversary | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Two points in response. Until the question of how this would occur is answered, the entire movement is suspect as being a scam to turn out Republican votes and raise funds. Second, the movement, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, would speak with more authority on this issue if it ordained women to the priesthood and episcopacy.

Saving Catholic Schools | National Catholic Reporter

Saving Catholic Schools | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: In the District of Columbia, even though the scholarship program has ended, students can attend Charter Schools that were once Parish Schools.  This sounds like a good model to me.  There is something about Catholic School, however, that adds a degree of discipline within the school that is not to be minimized.  Most importantly, having daily religion classes provides a far superior indoctrination in the faith than a weekly CCD class.  My 9 year old's inattention at Mass is testament of the difficulty of getting religion class only once a week at an early age.

DiNoia's Letter to SSPX | National Catholic Reporter

DiNoia's Letter to SSPX | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Cultural theorists maintain, with some authority, that the theological questions that separate sects of the same faith have as much to do with power politics, ethnic differences and control of the money than they do about the truth of theology, which makes such disputes all the more shameful when they involve the loss of life.

What Should Obama Say? | National Catholic Reporter

What Should Obama Say? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I don't expect much on policy issues, especially when they would be divisive.  I suspect he will mention a bit about this being the Martin Luther King holiday and the need for all engage in service.  The State of the Union will bring about proposals for tax reform, immigration reform and all the rest.

Kaveny Response Part II | National Catholic Reporter

Kaveny Response Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I still find it odd that the EEOC ruling, which sets the status quo for providing coverage through third party insurers, has not been mentioned.  Just a few comments on her comments.

She is spot on concerning the establishment clause - the Hierarchy is trying to make its dogma the establishment position (even though it has not listened to the other members of the Church - most of whom are more qualified to judge in this area because they actually have sex).  Indeed, their entire position on natural law is flawed, because natural law claims are solely arbitrated based on the truth - not on any real or imagined grant of authority - once you claim authority you are out of bounds on claiming natural law).  Finally, she is spot on in claiming that if institutions have a role in this, the National Institute of Medicine trumps anything the USCCB says regarding human health.

The only place the Church should be arguing against contraception is as a solution to the economic need of families - in which case it should be arguing for (and paying its employees) a tax supported salary increase for any family when it has an additional child of about $1000 a month.

Silk on Inaugural Prayers | National Catholic Reporter

Silk on Inaugural Prayers | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I think it sets a nice precedent to have the President's de facto pastor offer the benediction, although I still argue that either chamber's chaplain would be equally appropriate.  What would have been more interesting is selecting Reverend Jeremiah White from Chicago - just to freak out the Tea Party.

Profile of Denis McDonough | National Catholic Reporter

Profile of Denis McDonough | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: His national security experience makes him the perfect choice as we deal with a decapitated al-Queda, which seems to have turned into a hydra. Cut of one head and some fool pops up to grab his share of the glory.

The Vatican Ambassadorship | National Catholic Reporter

The Vatican Ambassadorship | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Both of these gentlemen are of good character and solid Catholicism - however the job of the Vatican Ambassador is to argue the Administration's views to the Pope, not the other way around.  On that basis, I would pick Cafardi.  Of course, if Obama really wanted to make things interesting, he would appoint retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland.  Then the Holy Father might benefit from some straight talk, as well as the Curia.

Kaveny Replies | National Catholic Reporter

Kaveny Replies | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Her response hits the nail on the head.  Hopefully MSW and the Bishops will take it to heart, although I would have preferred if she had mentioned the EEOC decision in December 2000.  I also disagree that the controversy was politically damaging for Obama. I believe it helped radicalize women, including Catholic women more than it lost them.  I am sure there are Catholic women who use this reason as an excuse to vote against Obama, however they were likely going to vote Republican anyway.

Gun Control: Can It Happen? | National Catholic Reporter

Gun Control: Can It Happen? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Good catch on the vileness of the NRA response, the culture of life argument and the need to involve pastors on this issue - however I don't believe for a second that the mega-church evangelical community will do any such thing.  As for AR-15's, if we had to rely on irregulars to defend this nation from an attack from Canada or Mexico, that type of gun would be the equivalent of a musket.  However, a standing army means no such irregular force is needed - so it is time to get the guns as a public safety issue.

Immigration Reform & the GOP | National Catholic Reporter

Immigration Reform & the GOP | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The Senate has always been the force behind immigration reform, although this time it may be population migration as second or third generation recent immigrants or well of Mexican-Americans move to GOP areas and simply vote Democratic.  The one sure way to make the issue go away is to end right to work laws and immigration restrictions on work entirely - taking away the incentive to hire undocumented labor.  While white xenophobia has something to do with blocking immigration reform among republicans, it is the Food industry which benefits from shadow labor which bears the majority of the blame for preventing compromise.  Note that when Lindsey Graham was about to get on board and pass something in the 111th Congress, the whole issue of birth right citizenship suddenly appeared - throwing a bomb into the process.  You can bet that this was not accidental.

Limits of the Prophethic Voice | National Catholic Reporter

Limits of the Prophethic Voice | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Bishops do not exercise the prophetic voice in the Church. The prophetic voice is always granted to those who speak truth TO power, not FROM power. Under a model with the bishops having this voice, Christ would have strived to become the High Priest, not someone executed at their request.

How To Select Bishops? | National Catholic Reporter

How To Select Bishops? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is time to abandon the whole process.  Papal selection was needed when the alternative was the selection by kings.  In the 21st century, the tierna should be assembled by lay permanent deacons who administer each parish and the clergy who celebrate the sacraments there, with the final choice made by  people themselves.  Much of the non-sense that goes on in the name of the Church would be avoided if the Holy Spirit was allowed to speak through all of our hearts rather than the politicians of Rome.  BTW, the property in each diocese must also be returned to the people and not held by the bishop.

Maryland Catholic Conference & Death Penalty | National Catholic Reporter

Maryland Catholic Conference & Death Penalty | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: In a democratic society the people are sovereign and obligated to protect innocents from dangerous people.  That definition includes some convicts who may be victimized.  If someone cannot be fixed, compassionate euthanasia may be a good idea (provided we actually take the time to try to treat them).  Secondly, life without parole is a form of the death penalty.  That is how convicts see it and it would be better to do the deed quickly.

Medicare & The Society We Want | National Catholic Reporter

Medicare & The Society We Want | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Funding birth care is not enough.  We must fund children until they are 20 and then hire them.  Take the financial pressure away from having children and the demographics may just be solved (or it may not - depending on whether women can accept the idea of men being primary parents and losing out on their careers as women used to).  The other problem is not cost control, it is price control.  Costs are already cut - and the industry is immensely profitable.  Until we regulate some aspects of medicine like a public utility (or go to single payer, which would do that), prices will continue to rise.

Politics & Doritos | National Catholic Reporter

Politics & Doritos | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The GOP does not understand that it needs to become an economically populist party and cede the wealthy to the Democratic elite.  They can start by banning Grover Norquist, the Walton family and the other big donors.

Flores on Culture of Life | National Catholic Reporter

Flores on Culture of Life | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The most moving part of the narrative against abortion is in the story of St. Joseph, who could have required Mary to drink bitter herbs to terminate the pregnancy as evidence of adultery and did not.  This is also emphasized in the story of the adulterous woman.  These acts were very pro-woman, which is not how I would characterize many in the movement just now.  Preach economic justice for families and have that preacher be a woman bishop and there will be no doubt as to your sincerity.

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid | National Catholic Reporter

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This is only a problem if Boehner lets it be and McConnell backs him up.  They won't in the end, although there will be no end of theater between now and then - mostly to sell concessions on Medicaid that really need to wait until next year.

Contra Kaveny | National Catholic Reporter

Contra Kaveny | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: There is no legal fight.  Insurance carriers have had to cover contraception since December 2000 as part of their policies or run afoul of the EEOC.  Once that fact is accepted, there are no issues and it is all histrionics.  Like in health care reform, where the Solicitor General said that irregardless of all other arguments, the mandate is a tax, the mandate is on firm ground.

Kicanas on Poverty | National Catholic Reporter

Kicanas on Poverty | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: There is truly a difference between poverty for simplicity and poverty from exploitation.  It is rather uncomfortable to talk about the latter - which is actually rather pervasive where people are poor and their goods are sent to our tables (or our waste is dumped in their back yards).  Sometimes it is necessary to name names rather than simply express solidarity.

Censorship on the Left Is Just as Ugly | National Catholic Reporter

Censorship on the Left Is Just as Ugly | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The Senate or House Chaplain would be perfectly appropriate.  At least he did not invite one of the local Catholic bishops or cardinals and face the spectacle of that controversy  - although the local Episcopal bishop might be appropriate, given the National Cathedral is in his denomination.  As for the minister in question, anyone who advocates reparation therapy is so far over the top, even if he recanted, as to be unacceptable in polite society.  Such junk science can be equated with Eugenics.  Sadly, many in the Catholic Church still hold to it, most notably Fr. Scalia in Arlington.

Henneberger on Gun Violence | National Catholic Reporter

Henneberger on Gun Violence | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The what is not that hard, the how is what is difficult.  The same ardent libertarianism that allows people to avoid treatment also keeps guns far too available.   While such people should be free to hold such views in the abstract, how we enforce these policies should be reigned in.  What applies to official secrets applies equally here - the Constitution is not a suicide pact.

2013: The Catholic Academy | National Catholic Reporter

2013: The Catholic Academy | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This seems problematic, as there is no channel for input by either faculty or students.  It is no accident that people under 40 are unchurched.  No one is listening to their needs.

New York Encounter 2013 | National Catholic Reporter

New York Encounter 2013 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect this will be a pep rally on contraception.  I will not be attending and will only mention to say that this kind of organizational promotion is not what the Master would have wanted.

Soto on Poverty | National Catholic Reporter

Soto on Poverty | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Its about time the Bishops earned some bandwidth for this type of message. More importantly is the message. Might I suggest that we focus on increasing the size of the child tax credit, making it refundable and distribute it through wages rather than through refund anticipation loan sharks.

Wieseltier on Ryan & Self-Reliance | National Catholic Reporter

Wieseltier on Ryan & Self-Reliance | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Unless one is rich, no one holds onto Randian beliefs long after they have to support a family.  They also head back to Church.  The young today are the same as the young of yesterday.

Cuba's On-Going Repression | National Catholic Reporter

Cuba's On-Going Repression | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This is not a society that is under the spell of fear.  For such a state to last for as long as it lasts, there are many true believers.  When Castro falls, there must either be a commission of reconciliation or socialism will simply go on.

2013: Gun Control | National Catholic Reporter

2013: Gun Control | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: We must do something about guns and it must eventually be done under the ruberic of public health rather than criminal law, as should our crisis in treating the mentally ill.  The fact that society lets mentally ill people and addicts buy guns to end our own lives and the lives of others but does not see fit to intervene on us when we are non-compliant with treatment is a grave sin that the society as a whole bears and the current carnage is the result.  Don't punish illegal gun owners, just take the damn things from anyone found not competent to handle them.

Worst Editorial Decision Ever? | National Catholic Reporter

Worst Editorial Decision Ever? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  A bit of history from a magazine that I never read (if I read either of the ideological rags, I would favor The Nation).

Carolyn Woo on Poverty | National Catholic Reporter

Carolyn Woo on Poverty | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: A reminder to remember the world.

When The Going Gets Crazy... | National Catholic Reporter

When The Going Gets Crazy... | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Funny.  The job of swearing in the President is entirely ministerial.  The proper judge of elections is the House when they count the vote of the electoral college.  Presumably they could challenge the requirement of the choice to serve.  Traditionally, such matters are not brought to a head to preserve comity, which is why the 2000 election was not challenged by the Democrats as a whole, even though some members did bring it up.

Two From Millennials | National Catholic Reporter

Two From Millennials | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: On climate change, I am skeptical.  We need to realize that the earth moves and changes constantly and we are a migratory species.  I don't believe we are nearly as warm as we were 1100 years ago.

Two From Millennials | National Catholic Reporter

Two From Millennials | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Robert's post is wonderful and it echos what I have been saying for a while now.  Christ's vision of Christian Marriage is radical and has neither member be the property of the other - nor is it necessarily based on gender.  Indeed, what makes gay marriage so radical as that both partners have equal social status - which should be the model for the sacrament.

2013: Immigration Reform | National Catholic Reporter

2013: Immigration Reform | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: What dooms immigration reform, if anything does, is an unscrupulous agri-business industry that thrives on undocumented labor.  If we seriously want to solve the problem of human bondage in the food industry, do a federal repeal of right to work law and repeal all immigration reform (or simply stop enforcing it).  The administration has done too much to meet the GOP on the enforcement side.  Maybe it should start going the other way.

As for tying gay rights to immigration, it won't happen.  There is no need for a legislative solution since both Proposition 8 and DOMA are clearly violative of the rights of an existing class worthy of protection.  (You can define worth of protection by attempts to persecute it - take that as it will on HHS - although that issue has been a moot point since December 2000 - at least as far as insurance companies go).

The other real problem is that the African American underclass might just take some of the jobs immigrants now take.  There may be fractures in the Democratic coalition that have not yet surfaced because the Democrats are having so much fun watching business Republicans and Tea Party Republicans fight over this issue.

What We Spend on Immigration Enforcement | National Catholic Reporter

What We Spend on Immigration Enforcement | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This could all be saved by opening the borders and ending right to work laws.  Fewer would come in (indeed, net entry is zero, there are no jobs).  This problem grows itself as there is job security in managing a large agency.  There is a great deal of fear that one sleeper will come in and fly a plane into a building.  There is little likelihood of that.  I don't see this president undoing the security state, but maybe someone in the future will come to his senses.

The War in Afghanistan | National Catholic Reporter

The War in Afghanistan | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is time to negotiate ethic and tribal zones for this region so there will be no more "taking territory."  If tribal elders cannot enforce discipline among fighters, new elders will.  We can't turn this into a western state.  The only thing we should do before we leave is to give an exit visa to any family with a daughter or any singe woman who wants to go. If enough women and girls leave, the men will behave.

Melady on Poverty at USCCB | National Catholic Reporter

Melady on Poverty at USCCB | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Part of the problem is definitional, as benefits are not included in the measure - however if you do include benefits and compare to what is essentially a decent way of life, the problem is even worse.  The Church needs to be more pro-active on this - inserting itself more, not less -into how the poor are treated.  We should certainly not leave them at the mercy of refund anticipation loan sharks who charge horrendous interest rates.  We should also grow into more adult education and expand our hospital system to house non-violent offenders and make sure they have real education and treatment - something they don't necessarily get from the prison industrial complex.  Finally, when was the last time you saw a Catholic Vo-Tech high school opened?

2013: The World | National Catholic Reporter

2013: The World | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Actually, continuing the war on drugs is what is killing the Mexican nation.  As for the Arab states, like the small states in our hemisphere, unification into larger regional states under a Hashemite figure head would be a fine idea (and could absorb the Palestinian regions as well).  In states where there is rationing and hunger, decontrolling the economy seems like an expedient.  In Europe, the answer is more fiscal federalism, with a unified debt and tax system to back their unified currency.  North Korea has a set of oligarchs backing their new great leader who will die off.  We will see what happens to him when the sham is over.  All of the solutions are essentially to adopt principles like those practiced here.  Of course, there are very real forces in American industry that hope this never happens (and you did not even mention Africa) - because an empowered world is American industry's worst nightmare.

Mental Illness & Us | National Catholic Reporter

Mental Illness & Us | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: We need to go beyond breaking down stigmas and rushing in to help.  No one should be deprived of the option of a caring, modern Catholic facility for acute mental illness, chronic mental illness, that horrible part in between which may require an intermediate committal, detox and even providing non-violent offender supervision rather than condemning these inmates to the for-profit system.

Thumbs Up on Hagel | National Catholic Reporter

Thumbs Up on Hagel | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Bipartisanship would be nice.  My standard is, will he be willing to cut.  Also of note is the fact that Wes Clark was not named, which shows tea leaves on Hillary not running if the General does take another shot while he still can.

2013: The New Evangelization | National Catholic Reporter

2013: The New Evangelization | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Right reason on morals can only derive from the divine humanism of Jesus Christ and his Church.  If at any time, piousness or oughtness having something other than a love for real human people in their real human situations comes into the equation, the teaching is about the hubris of the teacher and does not come from God.  Period.  The only alternative to such a proposal is a God that is not perfect and therefore unworthy of worship and I do not believe in such a god.  Evangelize this.  I promise you it will be seen as new.

Gehring on B16's World Day of Peace Message | National Catholic Reporter

Gehring on B16's World Day of Peace Message | National Catholic Reporter MSW.  MGB: We are finally getting our act together and building a chorus the right wing cannot ignore.

Berkowitz on Israel | National Catholic Reporter

Berkowitz on Israel | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Israel needs to determine whether it can survive as an ethnically divided state or make the great leap into secularism, settle for partition and, with or without a larger neighboring Hashamite super-state, or let the religious destiny of the nation take over and do what is necessary to treat the aliens in their midst well (whom are likely Arabs who were once Samaritan Christians) in order for the Holy of Hollies to be restored. Sadly, American neoconservative foreign policy is just itching for that last possibility - without necessarily realizing that treating Palestinians well is a requirement.

Sandy's Victims | National Catholic Reporter

Sandy's Victims | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Sometimes injustice also occurs from the failure of courage.  Like in New Orleans, some communities should not be allowed to rebuild.  It is not justice to do so if further tragedy is inevitable.  Because many of these communities had the benefit of generational, though undervalued, wealth, they should be moved as a whole to where they can be safe into an equivalent, not equal, economic situation - even if it costs more.

2013: The Republicans | National Catholic Reporter

2013: The Republicans | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB:The new GOP needs firebrands who can speak the language of both economic populism and social libertarianism - who believe in the equality inherent in what is called libertarian socialism - a philosophy not far from the guild socialism held by the Distributists who reacted to Rerum Nevarum - although without the commitment to agrarianism, since technology takes complex systems.

Hertzberg on Gun Violence | National Catholic Reporter

Hertzberg on Gun Violence | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This is still largely a mental hygene question, including not only access but mandated treatment.  Until someone is medicated both properly and comfortably, they are a potential danger.

Another B16 Home Run | National Catholic Reporter

Another B16 Home Run | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect the conservative Catholic media will try to ignore this.  It is our job not to let them.

2013: The Democrats | National Catholic Reporter

2013: The Democrats | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: In the end, the death rate for Republicans, who are older, will overcome what he lost to redistricting in 2010 - whether this occurs in 2014 or later, the old Republican vanguard and their fellows in the Knights of Columbus, the Hierarchy and the pro-life movement's leadership will soon vanish from the scene and be replaced by something much younger and more active.  Actually, this is likely to turn into two parties, as a single party state cannot hold in our system of government - and one of these parties is sure to be radicalized like in the days of old (referring to the 1930s).

Teachines the "Nones" | National Catholic Reporter

Teachines the "Nones" | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is indeed an improvement that tolerance is more common.  That could be because of teaching in primary school or it could simply be the astrology of the generation (something that was taught seriously back when Church governance models were solidifying).  To be honest, I trust astrology more than models of governance still practiced by the bishops.  These youth will not continue the Church as it is now - we will see something different in the very near future.  It will be fascinating and will occur even sooner than we think.

Longshoremen: A Model | National Catholic Reporter

Longshoremen: A Model | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Without radicalized workers, management will keep all the gains of productivity, or will shift labor offshore if slavery is cheaper than technology.  It is the fault of the labor movement for not being more supportive of unions in the south as well as the pro-life movement in the seventies and eighties for driving a wedge between workers and religion that many workers now support Republicans rather than their own interests with labor.

2013: The Church | National Catholic Reporter

2013: The Church | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Forget the HHS mandate.  It adds nothing to the discussion, since 3rd party insurance has covered contraception for the past 12 years.  Write it on your mirror and say it every day until you believe it. The only thing changing is co-payments being eliminated, which adds no cost (the Church should demand a discount, even though they don't actuarially don't deserve one).

As to Americanism, it is now essentially Doctrine post Vatican II, as the Church itself believes in religious freedom.  It is not and should not be considered heresy to think for oneself.  If the Church cannot justify natural law beliefs based on discourse and evidence, they are using authority, not reason.

The New Evangelization will be a dead issue if it is simply about enforcing doctrine and not about sharing the miracles of the incarnation and the empty tomb (as Michael has said) and what that means for us.  Sadly, the standard story of the Crucifixion as a blood offering rather than a vision quest where God comes to us to feel our pain (because we cannot approach God) dooms this years project to be a clerical project without much reach beyond it.  I expect nothing new here.

Dems For Life Get Ready To March | National Catholic Reporter

Dems For Life Get Ready To March | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I believe the March is the best possible demonstration of what is wrong with the pro-life movement.  It is about sentiment over content, which allows some very evil people to take advantage of its membership for their own financial and political ends.  The bishops should pull out and people should boycott until there is a cogent vision of what is actually to occur to reduce or eliminate abortion (or give up on the latter as an unattainable goal in the American constitutional system).