Remembering Cardinal Francis George, OMI | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The death of Cardinal George is hardly a surprise. I suppose if anyone is a witness on why to avoid active euthanasia, its is Francis George - as his depression could have made it a realistic option - but that was not in him. An article by him on the topic would have been the capstone of his legacy, at least for conservative Catholics.
I never really met the Cardinal, but did hear him say Mass at both the Annual Gathering in Chicago and at the Centennial Mass for Catholic Charities at the National Bascillica of the Immaculate Conception (which is how you are supposed to say it, the official title is clunky, as is calling St. Pio by St. Padre Pio or fittling Pope in St. John Paul the Great's name. That he devoted so much to the movement for Catholic Charity says all you need to know about him as bishop. The doctrinal arguments are just recreation, which I will join in with the memory of Francis George one last time.
I actually like the new-old translation, if only for reasons of international Church unity. The prayers are somewhat clunky, but no one really listens to those anyway - they may has well be in Latin - and that was before the translation change. The Eucharistic Prayer options are not unlovely in most spots and it just takes some gettng used to. I call it the new-old translation because much of it could have been taken from the pre-Vatican II English follow-on pages. It is an accomplishment that the priest still faces the people and that English is actually used - however this reform will likely be as far as the counter-revolution goes.
As for the Evangelicals - they exist on the left as well as the right. It is odd that in places where they still think the Pope to really be the anti-Christ, they follow his lead on abortion and birth control - as if they had anywhere else to go. Of course, the bishops are not alone on opinons on reform. Catholic Health and Catholic Charities staked out a separate position and it carried that day enough for Catholic votes to push the reform over the top, Catholic legislators who know they were doing the right thing and it would cost them re-election. Pity that misnamed outfits like the Susan B. Anthony Fund made that happen and that some bishops took it upon themselves to get revenge over the nuns - a revenge that Pope Francis has ended.
The contraception and religious liberty flap was regrettable because the Bishops allowed themselves to be made sport of for what turned out to be an effort by Valerie Jarrett to make it an issue to mobilize women for the election. The election is over - Valerie's guy won and nothing will change that. Its time to stand down.
Now we come to the city on the hill imagery. Gary Wills and E.J. Dionne will likely have something to say about that too - but a Catholic bishop invoking it is almost comical. The whole idea behind the Massachusetts colony was to get away from English Catholicism, which was tainted by the Romanism of what they believed to be the anti-Christ. The irony is tragic. Luckily, all the little explosions of fervor tend to peter out quickly and I don't see right wing Protestant Evangelicals taking the stage again. If anything, the Disciples of Christ are the true heirs of that original movement (at least as far as my family history goes) and they are decidedly NOT conservative. They are still faithful - indeed, faith abounds on the left - with faith being reliance on God and not adherence to the social structure called the Church.
The nation is not known for its peculiar peculiar Chrisitianity - but for the peculiar freedom that it resides in, including the lovely debate just engaged on whether contraception should be ressurected as an issue fifty years after Griswold v. Connecticut (and the answer is still no). Still, a debate on the conscience of an employer and of each employee is wonderful to have, not because the employer has any say but because it opens the door to talking about the evils of capitalism - and I will debate that any day, any hour. Those who disagree had better bring a first aid kit because it could get messy.
That bundle of rights and adherence to good government under the separation of powers defined by John Adams and Montesque is what distinguishes Ameria, as well as our instinct to jump into every fight, even when it is not a good idea. Iraq is case in point and Afghanistan is gettng that way, but only because we have not sent Wes Clark to negotiate our way out. Still, much of that culture is derived from the kind of univeral brotherhood practiced not by the Church, but by the Masons. Before touting our American ideology, lets make sure we know where we get it. Its not the Church but a group where, even though they now allow Catholics in, the Church has not returned the favor.
On the Neo-con thing - neoconservatives are former liberals who believe in a strong defense, especially where it regards support for the state of Israel. Any Catholic is advised not to support what has become the blood bath of our time. There is no other acceptable use of the term and I am sure it did not apply to the Cardinal and I am sure it applies to one Michael Sean Winters. Nothing more and nothing less. The Cardinal was simply a Traditionalist, or maybe a Neo-Trad to deliniate him as one like St. John Paul the Great (their leader), who is not publicly rejecting Vatican II, but not shy about tinkering with it.
There, one last set of arguments in memory of Frank George. Rest In Peace.
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