If that is the standard, should the American flag also be removed from the Nativity School grounds because that emblem, too, has been coopted by some who promote disrespect and contempt for the rule of law, as was the case at the U.S. The bishop of the Worcester, Massachusetters, diocese has criticized the Nativity School in Worcester for displaying flags with Black Lives Matter and gay pride emblems because, with respect to the Black Lives Matter emblem, it "has at times been coopted by some factions which also instill broad- brush distrust of police and those entrusted with enforcing our laws."
If discrimination, or more subtlety marginalization, against any minority whether due to race, ethnicity, or gender attraction are his excuses to not embrace all people as our brothers and sisters then he is recreating the atmosphere of which I remember. Some of it was subtle and sometimes overt but in all cases it was intended to marginalize those of us whom the dominant culture considered "the other."īishop Robert McManus refers to what he believes are the divisive philosophies behind Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ community and that these are not consistent with Catholic moral teaching. I can still remember anti-Catholic sentiment, as well as anti-immigrant sentiment, when I was a schoolboy. However, our own history as a religion in this country teaches us we were once not part of the mainstream and we needed to convince the larger culture that we belonged. Granted the two symbols in question speak of political movements. Threatening the catholicity of a Catholic school because it displays symbols of inclusion belies the concept of universality. It is unfortunate that lesson is lost on Bishop Robert McManus. needs little additional help in emptying out its churches.Īs far back as I can remember in catechism classes, we were told catholic means universal. With activities like those of McManus, the church in the U.S. It is fashionable for New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and other bishops to rail against "secularism" as a main reason why so many are shunning religious practice in today's society. This type of behavior seems to be ingrained in their DNA.īut shouldn't we expect the DNA of a Catholic bishop to be more geared to compassion or at least the sense to mute his criticisms on issues related to vulnerable people who already are being scapegoated by ambitious politicians and some of their impressionable followers, not to mention a far too numerous group of religious leaders? I would expect the likes of Governors Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott to express their indignation toward anything related to Black Lives Matter or the LGBTQ communities because attacking these citizens scores political points and opens the way to higher political office for them. bishops, this time Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, for their creative way of inflicting needless pain on the most vulnerable of our citizens. I must admit to a grudging "admiration" for a significant number of U.S. It would appear that the bishops' formation did not include the Gospel passage relating Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well (John 4:1-42), and the Lord's persistent rejection of the Pharisaical insistence of adherence to dogmatic "law." The hierarchical Catholic Church is proving itself irrelevant. bishops' conference, with its stout crew of culture warriors, is heading for its new home port, docking at the Council of Trent. Under the helm of Archbishop José Gomez, the ship of the U.S.