It’s Sunday (barely), I’m Catholic, and I’ll be toddling off to the usual Mass at the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels here in Los Angeles.
But it’s with increasing disinterest that I attend any Catholic services at all since Ratzinger took the ring.
Church already looking more Republican under Ratzinger
At a confession last year before the election, I told a priest that it was hard enough to be a Catholic, but much harder to remain a Catholic if you also happened to be a Democrat. Of course, Cardinal Mahony here in LA is one of the most pro-union/pro-Democrat Cardinals left in America, but the Church is allowing the “life” issues to trump issues like peace and the poor, and it will only get more difficult for American progressives to remain even nominally Catholic at all during the Ratzinger pontificate.
Republicans get a lot out of the Republican-Christian alliance–Christians, not so much, just split churches and the frustration of pursuing one big phoney carrot they will never reach.
I’m here in Tucson and know how you feel. Luckily Bishop Kicanas has brought alot of focus on immigration and economic issues here, but I admit to also feeling increasingly uncomfortable given some of the documents pushing “non-negotiable” issues.
I told a friend the other day that I was appalled at the union of messaging between the radical right wing (fundamentalists) and the “conservative” wing of the Church. We have such a rich history of helping the poor and supporting labor unions, yet there seems to be a monopoly of messaging by pro-lifers and anti-gay rights amongst bishops, cardinals, etc. (including the new Pope) It has made me somewhat despondent.
There are so many of us in the pews that are committed to so-called liberal issues, I’m just hoping for a resurgence of our voices. Thanks for the diary, it is a good start.
with the right – they are even starting to oppose evolution now
before I’m excommunicated for being a Planned Parenthood member.
I’m old enough to remember the Catholic Church’s involvement in the Civil Rights movement. Growing up in the shadow of Notre Dame, Father Hesburgh was extremely active in those issues. Social justice was the hallmark of the Church in those days.
There was a piece on NPR this morning about employees of Catholic parishes trying to unionize and how the Church is way inconsistent with its encyclicals and its actual practice. Do as I say…
send a “Sign of Peace” your way hoosierspud. I feel the same frustration as I mentioned in another diary…
Keep up the good work with PP, I happen to consider that true family-values in action.
.
MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE
OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II
TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND FAITHFUL
FOR THE YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST
OCTOBER 2004-OCTOBER 2005
Is this the Apostolic Letter on topic of diary? Announced by JPII and not a new document of Benedict XVI.
Is there anything different to be discussed, or is this a Guardian rehash of fall 2004 —
If it is the same issue of Bishop Burke et al, it has been debunked by me in diary. The British and Guardian are very anti-papal and write hateful articles on Church of Rome. Often quoting organizations calling them catholics which they are not.
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