Links for 06/22/16 | National Catholic Reporter

Links for 06/22/16 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The main and only question on DAPA is not how we feel about immigration - or even how the justices feel about it. It is whether it is within the discretionary power of the President to not enforce the law for a certain class of people rather than taking cases in order with no special provisions. That is a question both of equal rights and of presidential discretion, not on whether the populace approves of immigration or not.

Archbishop Gonzalez is calling on solidarity in dealing with the current crisis in Puerto Rico. This comes as the Supreme Court makes it clear that the island is not dually sovereign and is therefore a colony. While Puerto Ricans in the United States (and for that matter, Anglos in Puerto Rico with a U.S. address) have full political rights, the mother island does not. It needs that help right now as the Control Board suggests potentially difficult changes - even as it tries to secure the island's future.

The key to understanding the Fortnight for Freedom is that is bemoans not a loss of religious liberty (the Church can teach what it wants), but religious power - even over non-Catholics in its employ (whose religious liberty rights they are actually wanting to abuse). Gone are the days where the people in the pews back the play of the bishops. That is probably a good thing - because very bad things happen under the rubric of Catholic religious power - and I am not even talking about child abuse. Luckily, the Sisters will stop them now before they do any real damage (especially on health care).

Mark Gehring gives us the good news on individual bishops who stand up for diversity. Of course, Atlanta would be one of these as Wilton Gregory knows a thing or two about being the target of discrimination. He should have a red hat. Props too for mentioning Sr. Carol and her role on the ACA. As I predicted, she is on point when it is needed - this time with the ACLU suit (which has zero chance, by the way - although for late term abortions I would rather see an induced birth with a baptism at a Catholic hospital than butchery at a clinic that does late term procedures). Bravo for mentioning Bishop Lynch of Orlando as well. The problem with bemoaning the loss of religious power is not only that it divides the conference, but that it is fighting for something that should not be on the agenda anyway. Moral power is what we need from the Church, not a valuable place for it in the Republican coalition with its annual publicity stunt, which only keeps people out of Mass the Independence Day weekend.

I am pleased that the Newman Center to be sponsored by Notre Dame (which is joyful enough on the whole Obama degree flap) but that it will be run by an experienced litigator who is now a priest - indeed one of the best and brightest of both worlds. Expect honesty over dogma and a much better memorial to Blessed John than that provided by the Cardinal Newman Society. It is grand that they are including music in their outreach instead of having it be an after-thought. It will be a great home-away from home for the Fighting Irish doing a semester in Ireland.