THE SILENCE OF THE SHEPHERDS. Based on Michael Chapman's Remnant Article. Many "Catholic" members of Congress are Catholic in name only. Catholics vote for them thinking they are Catholic but these Catholic politicians might as well be Jews as they oppose everything the Catholic Church teaches. They support abortion, birth control, homosexuality, embryo experimentation and oppose aid to Faith based organizations and parochial schools. As a result, these public leaders engage in objectively mortally sinful behavior which if not confessed will lead them to Hell upon their death. They also spread scandal and confusion, which hurts the faithful and the Church. And yet America's bishops largely are silent. Most do nothing as error spreads. A bishop rarely rebukes a Catholic public figure who is spreading error and poisoning young souls. Thus, it is not unfair to say that by their silence many U.S. bishops help foster scandal, false teachings and sin. The bishops, as a group, may issue a letter (usually under Vatican pressure) calling Catholic politicians to task. But such letters are rare. Many people don't read them. And prelates and priests do not read them in public or from the pulpit in church, where the faithful need to hear it. When did you hear Cardinal Bernard Law, for instance, publicly chastise Sen.. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) for his public support for abortion and contraception? Never! And Edward Cardinal Egan, when he headed the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., did he ever publicly--and firmly and clearly-- condemn the pro-abortion and anti-Catholic positions of Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)? Never! .Does Egan, now Archbishop of New York, say anything in public about the pro-abortion and pro-homosexual actions of New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani? Never! Or has Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington, publicly called on any pro-abortion Catholic member of Congress to mend his ways, go to confession, and practice the Faith, lest he risk losing his immortal soul? Never! McCarrick is silent. The unchallenged errors of pro-abortion Catholic politicians may influence clergy and laity alike. It may lead one to conclude, for example, that "if the bishop says nothing about Congressman X's pro-contraception views, then they must be all right." Or, "why should I not practice birth control? My Catholic senator supports it, and he's a good friend of my bishop. He even receives Communion from my bishop. Evil may indeed triumph when good men do nothing. It is a bishop's job and that of his priests to ensure that the Truth is taught and error condemned Critics complain that Pope Pius XII did not do enough to save the Jews during World War II. He did not speak out enough, they say. He did not publicly condemn the criminals in charge in Berlin, claim critics. Yet today, America's bishops do little--if anything--to
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.