First CCHD! Now Catholic News Service Has Gone South?

Actually, it has gone left.  Some might recall the justifiable uproar created in many diocesan newspapers during the 2000 Presidential race.  The Catholic News Service published an article entitled "Aside From Abortion, Lieberman Is Good on Catholic Issues".  Unfortunately some of the papers, such as the Catholic Standard, published it.  Many good Catholics cancelled their subscriptions, inducing the editor to issue what was a pathetic excuse for an apology (in other words, a damage control attempt).

Fast-forward now to this week's uproar at the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life.  Five prominent members have petitioned the Holy Father for the removal of its president, Archbishop Rino Fischiella.  He wrote an article last year that appears to condone the abortion of twins carried by a nine-year-old girl in Brazil.  Rather than rehash the details here, please read the Lifesitenews article.

It is important to note that Fischiella told media, including CNS, that all was resolved within the Academy.  However, CNS misquoted one of the petition's signers, Christine Vollmer (who head Venezuela's Alliance for the Family) as concurring with Fischiella's apparent white-wash.  Ms. Vollmer will be asking CNS to correct their misstatement.

Last year, Archbishop Raymond Burke, head of the Apostolic Signatura, said that "The bishops need to look at our Catholic News Service; they need to review their coverage of [the Church's moral and social teachings] and give some new direction.”