Spokane Bishop Forbids His Priests From Engaging In Pro-Life Activism

Today, on this Solemnity of the Triumph of the Cross, comes the news that Bishop Blaise Cupich of the Diocese of Spokane (WA) has forbidden his priests and seminarians from engaging in pro-life activism.  I suspect Peter Kreeft had him in mind when he made the statement featured in my post from yesterday.

They are forbidden from praying in front of Planned Parenthood or any other abortion mill.  Moreover, they are forbidden to promote such activities.  He went so far as to name the "40 Days for Life" effort as one of the forbidden activities.  He went on to forbid the distribution of any pro-life materials on church grounds, save for those published by the Washington Catholic Conference.  I suppose that means that advertisements for post-abortion healing are also forbidden?  Such materials are allowed in my church; they fly off the literature racks.  That should give us an idea of how many Catholics hurt from abortion.  Is the bishop really cutting off that avenue of help for these poor people?

Now what are his reasons?  He allegedly said that he doesn't want anyone who "represents him"  to be associated with "extreme" pro-lifers who use graphic pictures of aborted babies.  If this is true, this statement is an utter disgrace for a bishop.

It is supremely ironic that news of this is breaking on this Solemnity of the Triumph of the Cross.  We celebrate the Cross today, with His Precious Blood shed for us.  We do not flinch from the Cross, in all its raw pain and brutality, for such was the price paid for our redemption.  How then does a bishop of Jesus Christ order his priests to turn from the babies who are being slaughtered in his diocese?  He doesn't want his priests to be "extreme"?  Does he not realize that Jesus seemed "extreme" to Caiaphis and the other religious leaders of Jerusalem?  With whom does Bishop Cupich identify - Jesus or Caiaphis?

In all fairness to the bishop, there has been no public statement from his diocesan offices.  However, it would be incumbent upon him to clarify any misunderstandings (if indeed this is merely a misunderstanding).  To that effect, I urge all to contact him.  The diocesan site is http://www.dioceseofspokane.org/; contact information is found therein.  First let's ascertain the truth and then we'll go from there.  More later.

The Corapi Situation

As most know by now, Father John Corapi was accused by an unidentified woman of "abusing" her.  I won't rehash that entire history here; you can read it on his new blog.  At any rate, his faculties were suspended and it seemed that he was given no rights whatsoever to defend himself.  Agree with this or not, John Corapi has decided to forego public ministry as a priest.

As you read through the comments, you'll notice a variety of mindsets.  There are those who state quite plainly that they always believed he was an egotistical fraud.  These adolescents don't deserve the time of day.  There are those who understand why he's chosen the route that he did.  While I have no basis of opining on his guilt or innocense, I do know that the hierarchy's investigative processes are fatally flawed.  He didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of obtaining fair treatment.

Then there are those who I might call the sappy petulant whiners, waxing oh-so-sanctimoneous in their disappointment in Corapi's decision.  I'll try to sum it up in a hypothetical paragraph: "Oh Father, why didn't you submit?  Our Lord is trying to purify you!  Perhaps He wants you to engage in contemplation!  You should submit even as He was scourged!  You must learn humble submission"  As I read all this, I thought of how Our Lord denounced the Pharisees who sought to lay heavy burdens and not lift a finger to help.  They seem to want Corapi to fall on a sword for them so that they can "be edified" from afar.  With "friends" like those, who needs enemies?

An important note - I am neither theologian nor canon lawyer.  I've no knowledge about Corapi's innocence or guilt.  On the other hand, I don't think that the other few hundred folks who've commented have any more credentials than do I.

Today Corapi announced that he filed for civil damages for defamation.  Before there's any self-righteous sniffing about him "taking the low road" or other such nonsense, let's consider two things.  First, let's consider how scandalous it is that Corapi would have to seek relief from a civil court as opposed to canonical court.  Second, he did this on the advice of both Bishop (Emeritus) Rene Gracida and the founder of his religious society.  By the way - I commend to your reading a post by Bishop Gracida, as he sheds much-needed light on this situation from a bishop's vantage point.