UNITED STATES
National Catholic Reporter
Sep. 12, 2012
By Brian Cahill
Opinion
A friend who is a faithful Catholic and is at daily Mass once told me the Catholic hierarchy’s idea of communication and public relations seems to be purchasing thousands of gallons of kerosene to pour on the flames they themselves ignited.
The loss of credibility and moral authority of American bishops comes from the abuse scandal, the insensitive treatment of women and gays, and the emphasis on orthodoxy and authority. But the bishops also have been ineffective at public relations. There are many examples.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, head of the Vatican’s highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, said the failure of “knowledge and application of canon law” was a “significant contribution” to the sex abuse scandal. He seems to be saying that if only those pedophile priests had paid more attention to their canon law class, they would have behaved themselves, and if all the delinquent bishops had just consulted their canon lawyers, they never would have covered up any of this.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan navigated his way through the national conventions, but commenting on President Barack Obama’s health care mandate, suggested that if contraception is available, perhaps prostitution services should be available for men with erectile dysfunction. Dolan also compared homosexuality to incest and reminded us that “we bishops are pastors, not politicians,” and reassured us that “it’s not that we hold fast, that we’re stubborn ideologues, no.” Dolan has trumpeted his friendship and admiration of vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, saying he “wants to see him in action.”
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