The issues addressed in the two letters published Nov. 17 under the heading “On bashing . . . the archbishop” cry out for a more reasoned and informed response.
Both writers strongly imply that any criticism of any bishop’s action is disobedience and disloyalty. They would surely be surprised by the content of Canon 212 of the current Code of Canon Law, which states that the Catholic faithful “. . . have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to their sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church. . . .”
In the light of this text, one might more readily conclude that the pastors who signed the memorandum and forwarded it to their archbishop had a duty in conscience to do so.
Both writers regrettably attribute base motives to anyone who takes exception to recent actions of Archbishop Francis George. Perhaps instead of trying to read others out of the Catholic Church, the writers might ponder George’s response to this recent flap caused by publication of an internal memo from a group of 40 pastors. The archbishop expressed gratitude for the conversations the memo generated and also noted that there was no need for a defense “when there is no attack.”
The writers of these letters, neither of whom resides in the Archdiocese of Chicago, might examine their consciences and write another letter apologizing to the pastors whose loyalty and obedience they have wrongly impugned.
