The collapse of the US bishops' conference

The collapse of the US bishops' conference 

Leo was correct. Americanism was a danger to the Church of the day. John Courtney-Murray discerned that American ideals of freedom of thought and religion should not be considered heresy.  Rather, they were what the Church should grow into. Vatican II examined this and with discernment, agreed with Murray. St. John Paul disagreed, both during the Council and as pope and appointed bishops who shared his views. Last week was a rejection of the work of the Council.

Discernment is not about unanimity. It is about listening to the Spirit and finding the truth.  This will not be some abstract truth defending the doctrines of the past, but a realistic assessment of what the Church is doing now. The reality is that the pro-choice position is correct in American constitutional law. Roe will not be changed and women will not be subjected to state power to investigate the end of their pregnancies to confirm they were not infanticide (with all that implies with criminal culpability).

The reason for hurrying up this process is that, should it extend past this November, it will not be promulgated by the 2022 election. Joe Biden is not the target of the letter. It is pro-choice voters. What the bishops need to discern is that the best pro-life position is not to condemn Biden but to support his economic agenda, both the minimum wage increase and making the expanded refundable child tax credit permanent and that supporting this should be required as a pro-life position. If the bishops did this, Republican Catholics would not be so quick to weaponize the Body of Christ.