Thursday, October 5, 2006

Hot-button issues: Inclusion vs. exclusion

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan continues a series of "Herald of Hope" columns in our Catholic Herald on some current controversies. This one is on what it means to sayw "All Are Welcome", as the contemporary hymn says.
I have been intrigued by recent commercials by some other churches — very attractively done, by the way -- trumpeting their "openness" to everybody, even if, I guess, their beliefs and moral choices are clearly at odds with the teaching of Christ and his Church.

Meaning the teachings of Christ and his Church per the Archbishop and the textbook I use for Christian Formation? Or meaning the teachings of Christ and his Church per my parish pastors and Catholic Herald columnists and op-ed writers? Those aren't always the same. Hence the problem when he says
... all are welcome -- but, to what? To a community whose primary task is to call people to a conversion of life to bring our beliefs and actions into conformity with the teachings of Jesus!

Update: Here's a nearby example from Isabelle Kallie's report for WBAY, Catholic School Teacher Fights in vitro Firing.
Romenesko says in October 2004 she informed her principal that she was pregnant after undergoing the procedure, and was fired days later. Romenesko says she spoke with a priest and says she was never told what she was doing was immoral in the Church's eyes.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:56 PM

    Clearly the Church of S.E. Wisconsin won't be effectively evangelizing anytime soon.

    One of the responsibilities of being the guardian of Truth is to share it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It surpasses understanding how this woman's case has drawn ALL the media attention...

    Or is the last name significant?

    ReplyDelete