Yes I've noticed this, too, even about "good" bishops:
They often talk a good game, but we don't see a lot of action.
I wish the clergy and the faithful could sit down and have a discussion about these matters, and ask bishops point blank: why isn't Canon 915 applied? Why do politicians whom we know oppose Catholic teaching continue to receive Communion?
Now, it is my understand that the bishop is the one in charge of Canon Law in his diocese. He applies the law the way he likes.
But above and beyond the issue of Canon Law, isn't there a theological problem here? Isn't it basically blasphemous to allow a renegade Catholic to take Communion?
Isn't it the bishop's job to make sure that kind of blasphemy doesn't happen? (Above and beyond concerns about scandal!)
I find that the way the clergy operate in the Western World is opaque. Now I've met Archbishop Prendergast briefly and I love the man. I don't have the relationship with him to ask those hard questions of him.
I don't know why he never instructed his clergy to deny Dalton McGuinty communion (and others!).
But shouldn't I?
Shouldn't the laity have some idea about how an Archbishop governs?
Shouldn't I be able to know why he never renounced the Winnipeg Statement?
And the thing is: Archbishop Terry is one of the good guys. I don't think he's some raging liberal. They don't talk like him.
Why are we so in the dark about how our bishops think?
I know people get all upset about Father Thomas Rosica and the fact that he called conservative Catholics "The Catholic Taliban".
But I always liked the fact that he said it because it was blunt and honest.
I wish more clergy would be a little more forthright.
But I know that they don't because if they did, they would be courting trouble.
They don't want to rock the boat.
But isn't the fear of rocking the boat what's got us into this mess in the first place?
I wish we had more clergy who were unafraid of rocking the boat.
That's what I love about Pope Francis.
