Bugaboos galore
The following letter to the editor of the Scranton Times Tribune appeared February 19, 2009:
Bugaboos galore
Editor:
This week, Gerhard Wagner withdrew from his recent nomination by the pope as auxiliary bishop of Linz, Austria. Wagner notoriously blamed Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans residents’ permissive sexuality, referred to homosexuality as “curable” and called Harry Potter books “satanic.”
The Wagner scandal came as controversy continued to rage over another recent papal decision — the rehabilitation of Bishop Richard Williamson, a Holocaust denier, and several other bishops belonging to the Society of St. Pius X, an extreme, conservative group that protests the reforms of Vatican II, defends the Inquisition, takes a soft stand on slavery and, strangely, abhors shorts.
Locally, Bishop Martino criticized Misericordia University’s plan to host speaker Keith Boykin. That Boykin holds an opinion in conflict with orthodox Catholicity apparently makes him unfit to engage a Catholic audience (though the wacky opinions expressed above prevent none from holding positions of influence and authority within the church).
Bishop Martino’s own conflict with the Catholic tradition of supporting unions has not prevented him from speaking and acting to squash local Catholic schoolteachers’ attempts to secure their jobs and earn a living wage. Concerns over his engagement in such political activities, including his recent “list-making,” must fall into the category he calls, “bugaboos about separation of church and state.”
While the pope does back-flips to defend the indefensible, Bishop Martino marginalizes anyone who questions the church’s positions or his personal politics. The hierarchy rockets into deep space while the population of alienated Catholics grows.
Church, you’re breaking my heart.
LENORE ROGAN
LORDS VALLEY,PIKE COUNTY
Bugaboos galore
Editor:
This week, Gerhard Wagner withdrew from his recent nomination by the pope as auxiliary bishop of Linz, Austria. Wagner notoriously blamed Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans residents’ permissive sexuality, referred to homosexuality as “curable” and called Harry Potter books “satanic.”
The Wagner scandal came as controversy continued to rage over another recent papal decision — the rehabilitation of Bishop Richard Williamson, a Holocaust denier, and several other bishops belonging to the Society of St. Pius X, an extreme, conservative group that protests the reforms of Vatican II, defends the Inquisition, takes a soft stand on slavery and, strangely, abhors shorts.
Locally, Bishop Martino criticized Misericordia University’s plan to host speaker Keith Boykin. That Boykin holds an opinion in conflict with orthodox Catholicity apparently makes him unfit to engage a Catholic audience (though the wacky opinions expressed above prevent none from holding positions of influence and authority within the church).
Bishop Martino’s own conflict with the Catholic tradition of supporting unions has not prevented him from speaking and acting to squash local Catholic schoolteachers’ attempts to secure their jobs and earn a living wage. Concerns over his engagement in such political activities, including his recent “list-making,” must fall into the category he calls, “bugaboos about separation of church and state.”
While the pope does back-flips to defend the indefensible, Bishop Martino marginalizes anyone who questions the church’s positions or his personal politics. The hierarchy rockets into deep space while the population of alienated Catholics grows.
Church, you’re breaking my heart.
LENORE ROGAN
LORDS VALLEY,PIKE COUNTY
posted by SDACT at
9:42 AM
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