UNITED STATES
Christian Catholicism
Jerry Slevin
Interestingly, the English common law and free press legacy in two former British imperial colonies, Australia and the United States of America, is energizing politically sensitive and fundamentally interrelated investigations of Catholic priest child abuse cover-ups by local bishops. Both former colonies are now federal democratic republics that apply common law concepts that favor individual rights, public proceedings and a free press. Ironically, these concepts originated in part as a reaction to biased and secretive monarchical procedures that are still fully operative almost uniquely under Pope Francis’ continuing canon law process.
It appears that local national political developments may soon lead to confrontations between Pope Francis and the political leaders, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Both lawyers, as young men Obama worked as an advocate for needy Chicago Catholic parishes and Abbott had been a Jesuit seminarian. Obama is frequently opposed by US Catholic bishops and Abbott is close to Australia’s sole Cardinal Pell. A close advisor to Francis, Pell reportedly has advised him especially on handling priest child abuse cases.
Coincidentally, Rupert Murdoch’s major media outlets generally play a key role in both countries, including the USA’s FOX News, which seemingly often features and favors the Catholic Church hierarchy’s views. Murdoch has been a papal knight for some years.
Francis’ top media advisor and reported Opus Dei affiliate, Greg Burke, had worked for FOX News following a stint at TIME Magazine, which just made Francis its “Man of the Year”. A coincidence? Perhaps. TIME has had declines in readership and Francis stories help magazines sell more. Burke at times seems pleased to discuss his efforts to “sell” Francis almost as some kind of hot new consumer product, which can be counter productive to Francis’ more powerful Gospel message to the poor. Perhaps, that may have been a factor in the Vatican’s recent retention of a high priced consulting firm to study the Vatican’s presently inadequate communications efforts.
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