Catholics In The Public Square

The Holy Father has released his message regarding Lent 2012 (click here if you can't see embedded video).



Please notice that he did not say anything about "carbon fasts", unscrewing our lighbulbs or using less water when we bathe.  He speaks of conversion and of fraternal correction.  We might recall that the first of the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy is to Admonish the Sinner.  It means precisely that.  While we speak the truth in charity, we also recall that if we don't speak the entire truth, we exercise no true charity.

I commend to your reading this excellent article by Judie Brown, president of American Life League.  While she applauds the recent statements of the bishops in the wake of Obama's act of tyranny, she reminds us all that in many ways the bishops bear the blame for allowing themselves to be silenced and for not admonishing the pro-abortion politicians who claim to be Catholic.  She seems to complement the Holy Father's address quite well.

Both Mrs Brown and Father John Zuhlsdorf call for such fraternal correction from the bishops in the case of Nancy Pelosi, who flat out said that she supported Obama's act of tyranny against not only Catholics but all peoples of good conscience who are now seeing themselves threatened for abiding by those same conciences.  (click here if you can't see the video on Fr Z's post).  I echo Father Z's call for obedience to Canon 915 on the part of Cardinal Wuerl and Archbishop Niederauer in Pelosi's case.