Thanks to Domenico Bettenelli at Bettnet for bringing this article to my attention.
I find it telling that some of the holiest bishops in the country (Bruskewitz, Chaput, Gomez, and Burke) have been more and more vocal in their criticism of the activities of the Lay National Review Board for the Protection of Young People put in place by Bishop Gregory to help with oversite of the Charter. What's interesting is that the bishops who are most critical are those bishops who are most reputable when it comes to ensuring that our young people will be protected. They are bishops known for their Orthodoxy and their holiness. In fact, they are Bishops who we want more bishops to emulate. Are they simply just concerned with protecting the clerical wall that seperates the clergy from the laity and serves to cover up clerical impropriety? Hardly!
I 've had my doubts about this Lay Review Board. It seems innapropriate to me that people like Leon Panetta, a known advocate of abortion, is put in place to advise the Bishops. I didn't quite know what their role was, and it seemed to me like a "corporate" solution to the problem rather than an expressly religious one. I just couldn't imagine St. John Chrysostom advocating this type of response.
So, what are we to do? We want our Bishops to be accountable . . . but do we really want them answering to us? Should they? Is that the method Christ used?
I don't know the answers . . . but there seems to be smoke on the horizon . . . we'll wait and see.
I too found this telling. Unfortunately, others such as Mahoney have jumped on board as well making it all very confusing.
Love the Blog
peace...
Posted by: pedroX | May 18, 2004 at 06:48 PM