Friday, September 25, 2009

Abortion: not my field

Lots of American sites have picked up and been outraged by Roger Cardinal Mahoney's interview in which he says when asked about abortion, "That is not my field, immigration, that's my field."

19 comments:

Annie said...

Words fail me.

Crux Fidelis said...

Should we be surprised? Wasn't it His Eminence who recommended Rupert Murdoch for a Papal knighthood (St Gregory, I think)?

JARay said...

What on earth can one say when an Archbishop ducks the issue of abortion?
True, he did say that he was not in favour of it but to have nothing else to say is an utter disgrace.
I am aware that he has built a large barn as a Cathedral and has participated in very sensual "Liturgical dance" Masses. Immigration is his "scene", what on earth does that mean?!
I am glad that I will only have to answer for what I have done and not done, when I come before my final Judge.
JARay

Elizabeth said...

The Cardinal is prepared to lead his sheep only when it comes to immigration. Lets hope none of the immigrants are pregnant or would that be out of his realm.

All one can say is that there are many closed mouths in hell.

or

as C S Lewis reminds us in his Screwtape Letters

“A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all – and more amusing.”

George said...

I'm not passing any judgement but in my minds eye I just see the faces of hundreds of millions of aborted babies weeping and I see Our Blessed Lady weeping as she comforts them, because the Cardinal's response was to turn his back on the reporter's question.

This is a blatant denial and the words "No! I do not know Him!" reverberate very loudly indeed.

A shameful cop-out when confronted by the most important 'World issue' of our times. Such a missed opportunity for Pro-Life witness on prime News TV for such a high ranking Catholic cleric. Where exactly does this 'Shepherd' think that he is leading his flock?

Kate said...

Sadly there appears to be a similar situation in E+W. I have heard of a Bishop avoiding discussion about pro-life matters as he 'isn't the Bishop with that responsibility'!

gemoftheocean said...

As far as I can discern it's outside my own bishop's field to discipline a priest for instructing EMs to "stop following people if they walk away with the Host." Roger Mahony is a clown. And Tod Brown completes the trifecta of chaos in Southern California.

Victoria said...

I can't imagine that Cardinal Mahoney became the man he is when he got the cardinal's hat; he must have been this kind of priest for much of his priesthood. Who are the people who have recommended this man for promotion in the Church hierarchy? Were there no orthodox people in Rome to check this man's Catholicity? I could say the same for a number of bishops here in Australia also.

Sadie Vacantist said...

The cabinet model as favoured by many bishops' conferences leads to this type of culture where one bishop can legitimately say that this is not his area of expertise or 'portfolio'. The constant imitation of secular models of governance by the post-Vatican II Church is the problem here and stems from the last War. The victory by the Allies and the Soviets over Nazi Germany has led to an excessive deference to all things emanating from Western liberal institutions and even, bizarrely, from the hard left but never the 'right'! The Pope has fallen into this trap with his latest but frankly strange and verbose encyclical. It's no surprise that the Germans theologians, in particular, at Vatican II were so deluded. Heenan went on record to say that he found them out of touch with reality. Mahoney is a product of similar delusions and in particular President Johnson's "Great Society" which further developed the socialist project begun under Roosevelt, the latter of course being one of WWII's patron saints.

Unknown said...

Time for His Excellency to go.

Dilly said...

Couldn't he have just quoted his great hero in the White House, who said it was "above his paygrade"?

me said...

I can't judge the man because all this post has reminded me of,are the times I have remained silent due to selfish reasons.I would be a hypocrite to condemn him,and keep quiet about my own failings in areas.I am trying to improve,with the help of God's grace.May God help him too,in his shortcoming and use this event to give him a moment of spiritual clarity.

pelerin said...

Having read Sadie it never occurred to me before that bishops were delegated different sections of faith when talking to the media. I must be very naive but I always imagined if a bishop were asked to comment on some dogma or belief, then he would do so whatever the subject to the best of his ability.

This particular cardinal had the opportunity to put forward the Catholic view on life but sadly failed. I could not call him 'a clown' as gem has done - we must respect the office even when they make mistakes. But if this is the result of what happens at bishops' conferences with them being delegated certain subjects on which to specialise, then perhaps revision is needed in this sphere.

gemoftheocean said...

Frankly, "immigration" isn't his field either. And it's certainly not a cardinal's job to advocate wholesale acceptance of ILLEGAL immigration.

He wants US taxpayers to pick up all their welfare, healthcare, schooling if they should swim across the Rio Grande or from elsewhere.

Well, EMERGENCY care is mandated by law and that's acceptable, Contrary to what you in the UK have been told people don't get hit by cars and left to die in the street if they don't have insurance. Anything beyond that and advocating for people to stay who are under threat of death for religious persecution is beyond his ken and competence.

It's none of his flippin' beeswax other than those two issues. And #1 is already covered by law, and so is, to a large extent #2.

Sadie Vacantist said...

Pelerin ~ Richard Williamson is the ultimate antidote to this post-War culture. He doesn't believe nor trust anything governments tell him. Even their official "histories" are to be questioned.

Take your pick: RM or RW!

Kirt Higdon said...

Sexual predation by priests under my authority is not my field; covering up for it; that's my field.

OK, to dispense with the sarcasm and to speak in sorrow rather than anger. Cardinal Mahoney has been a catastrophe for the LA Archdiocese. When he first arrived, he gave indication of being not just a good pastor, but an exceptionally good one. He even joined with Operation Rescue in anti-abortion demonstrations. But soon he fell in with the local establishment, including the Hollywood establishment. He accepted a major bribe from the mayor of Los Angeles and even wrote an editorial for the LA Times to claim that the building of a new stadium to accomodate a new pro football team was a matter of Catholic social justice. In general Cardinal Mahoney has been more reminiscent of the Borgias and
Della Roveres than of any decent princes of the Church.

And then there is the new cathedral - not just the ugliest church, but the ugliest building of any type I have seen in my life. One of my daughters, who did some secretarial work on the construction of this monstrosity, informed me that Cardinal Mahoney did not want even a cross dispayed in the interior, but was coerced into this by the pressure of donors.

At the present time, good Catholics seethe with anger at Cardinal Mahoney and some avoid even functions at their own parishes where he might show up. I have no idea how many have transferred their rage at Mahoney to rage at the Church as a whole, but there must be many.

Independent said...

"They forsook him and fled".

Independent said...

Historians distrust official histories, however unlike Williamson they stick to fact and do not indulge in malignant fantasies or far fetched conspiracies theories.

Supertradmom said...

How sad and what a scandal for the Church in the United States. For those of us who work at any level for pro-life, this comment is an insult.

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