Cardinal denounces careerism in bishops

Retiring after 14 years as head of the Vatican's Congregation of Bishops, Cardinal Bernardin Gantin told the Italian Catholic magazine 30 Giorni he was "very shocked" by the upwardly mobile ambitions among many bishops. He recommended that canon law be changed to keep bishops in their dioceses permanently except in special cases. He also said the cardinal's hat should not be associated with certain archdioceses, as it is with Chicago and New York, but should be given only for individual merit. Gantin, 77, from Bénin near Nigeria, became in 1960 the first black African archbishop in modern times. He is the dean of the College of Cardinals, and thus will chair the conclave that elects the next pope.

Jesuit theologian Richard McCormick told fellow theologians (story, this page) such careerism could easily lead bishops to a "suppression of one's true thoughts and convictions." It weakens the "presumption of truth" of official church teaching when bishops agree with it just to please higher-ups and advance their careers.

People's role in choosing a bishop

Following their successful We Are Church referendum in 1995, the Austrian church reform movement developed procedures to enable local churches to participate in choosing their bishops . During 1998, the French We Are Church movement adopted the model and sent copies to the French Bishops' Conference and to 22 dioceses with a bishop vacancy. This European development may stimulate thought about a U.S. model. A translation from the French is now posted under "International Church Reform" on the CTA website at www.cta-usa.org.

In its 1990 Call For Reform, CTA claimed "our responsibility, as committed laity, religious and clergy, to participate in the selection of our local bishops, a time honored tradition in the church."

CHA disputes story about rape victims

The Catholic Health Association (CHA) has challenged the accuracy of the May 1999 ChurchWatch story, "Rape Victims Rebuffed at Catholic Hospitals," and of the recent study by Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC) on which the story was based. In May CHA distributed to its member hospitals a printed response to the CFFC study. In June Fr. Michael Place, CHA President, sent CTA a letter quoting extensively from the same response.

CHA contends that Catholic hospitals do provide emergency contraception to rape victims, and that CFFC used flawed survey methodology in its phone survey of 589 Catholic hospital emergency rooms to claim otherwise. CHA also objects to "incorrect and misleading statistics" used in the CFFC study and in the ChurchWatch story to argue that mergers between Catholic and non-Catholic hospitals, and numbers of counties with a Catholic hospital as sole provider, are rising sharply. Place says an "independent analysis commissioned by CHA" shows that "a total of 32 transactions between Catholic and other-than-Catholic hospitals took place in 1998, 32 in 1997, and 28 in 1996 -- hardly the escalation claimed by CFFC."

For a copy of CHA's response, call CHA at 314 427-2500. To obtain the CFFC report in question, "Catholic Health Restrictions May Be Hazardous to Your Health," contact CFFC at 202 986-6093.

Correction

ChurchWatch (May 1999) cover story, "Vatican contraception views obstruct U.N. population talks," neglected to credit Catholics for a Free Choice by name as the leading faith-based organization challenging Vatican views, and the lead group in the campaign to downgrade the Vatican's special U.N. status as a "nonmember state permanent observer." For more information, contact CFFC at 202 986-6093. CFFC@igc.org

Gumbleton at Dignity/USA

At press time Auxiliary Bishop Tom Gumbleton of Detroit was still scheduled to address the biennial national convention of Dignity/USA Aug. 6 in Denver. It is the first time a bishop is speaking at a Dignity convention since Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen welcomed the organization to Seattle in 1983. Meanwhile, Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput sent a letter telling all his priests not to support Dignity or encourage their people to participate, because Dignity has goals which depart from church teaching.

Thunder from the Right

The diocesan newspaper of Lincoln, Neb., is still vilifying the CTA members whom Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz excommunicated in 1996. A reader wrote in to ask if a CTA Nebraska publication was right to claim three U.S. cardinals had disavowed Bruskewitz's action. The paper called the claim "a figment of the imagination" of Jim McShane of the "Call-to-Action sect, and warned that "followers of that religion try to lure unwary Catholics into their errors." As usual, McShane waited till his anger cooled enough to write a thorough, non-confrontational reply.

McShane cited chapter and verse of 1996 published statements from Cardinals Bernardin, Mahoney and Law, disavowing the Bruskewitz excommunication. Bernardin told the press one week after the excommunication he thought cutting off CTA members served no good purpose, only exacerbated the situation. Mahoney told the L.A. Times, "Penalties are a last resort. We need to employ all other pastoral measures." Law's archdiocesan paper, with his approval, said that "excommunication should be a last resort only after extensive consultations with the hierarchy of the U.S.," and faulted Bruskewitz for not consulting other bishops.

Chittister retreat

Joan Chittister's book, "Heart of Flesh: A Feminist Spirituality for Women and Men," is available as a retreat: 10 45-minute talks on five videos for $125. Benetvision, 814 459-5994 msbpr@juno.com