Bishop Gumbleton in Detroit is urging students to picket outside of the Cardinal's residence and demand their schools not close. What is most encouraging is the fantastic catechesis that Bishop Gumbleton has done for those students. They elicit such awe inspiring statements as:
Tristan Bryant, who had attended East Catholic High School in Detroit as a junior, will be looking for a new school.
"Everyone looks at this as just a school closing but it isn't," said Bryant, a Detroit resident. "It's about community and family.
"The archdiocese has a cathedral worth $20 million and they are closing schools. What is more important: Where you worship or the future?"
Yup, good job on that catechesis! The cathedral is of no importance compared to a high school that produces such shining examples of the faith as Tristan! Next week Tristan will be picketing demanding the diocese allow the high school provide the morning after pill, a GLBT club, and classes on the "sacrament" of divorce . . . because, after all, nothing is as important as the future!
What a load of crap! We have really produced the most self-absorbed generation of teenagers ever. Of course the future is "the most important thing" . . . they are the future . . . and a bunch of other ridiculously meaningless slogans they have been pandered with over the course of their educational career.
Well, surely you must admit that these children are entitled to a Catholic education -- their parents are bound to give them one, and it wouldn't kill the Church to help out, either. Also, you have to admit that there is some injustice in having a $20 million cathedral and closing schools.
You want to know what I think? If this were most other bishops besides Bishop Gumbleton, you would not be reacting this way. I think assuming that this boy is self-absorbed just because he isn't the most articulate person in the world is a lot to assume; I don't think he meant what he thinks you meant. Maybe you shouldn't be giving him such a hard time -- maybe, instead, you should be giving the bishops who are closing his school a hard time. Have you considered that, or can they do no wrong?
Posted by: Nathan | May 23, 2005 at 03:58 PM
Nathan,
Catholic schools have to close sometimes. I think it should happen more often. Many of them are pathetic excuses for a Catholic education.
A catholic education is not an entitlement. And it is not the case that the Diocese of Detroit is shutting down all of its schools, just the ones it can no longer keep open. The majority of these were once upon a time strong high schools but because of the white flight out of inner city detroit, they remain huge expensive shells. The diocese has to make decisions and I can assure you that they aren't being done without research and painful decision making.
And actually Nathan, I know Bishop Gumbleton. He's a veryy nice man. I think he is full of hot air and completely wrong about most of what he thinks the church is, or should be, but I am not particularly inclined to go around hating things just because he's behind them.
Maybe that's how you operate, Nathan, but out here in "not crazy land," some of us actually disagree with positions rather than groups or individuals.
I'm if sorry I don't fit into your pathetic stereotype of a "conservative" catholic.
Posted by: Stephen | May 23, 2005 at 04:14 PM
Stephen -- Sheesh, why all the vitriol? I was quite civil in my comment. I apologize for mischaracterizing your reasons for responding in the way that you did to these closings.
Since I don't live in Detroit, I can only accept your assertion that these schools are being closed for good reason. But then again, if there is a good reason behind it, then why is Bishop Gumbleton encouraging students to protest? Perhaps he doesn't think that there are good reasons behind it? I'd be more interested in hearing what he thinks about it.
As for the quality of Catholic education, I agree that it is, in many cases, lamentable. The solution to that is not to close the schools; the solution is to reform them. Now, if these schools are being closed for necessary financial reasons, that's something that can't be avoided. But I disagree that Catholic schools should be closed based on the quality of their education. The appropriate response to that, in my mind, is to improve the education -- not throw the baby out with the bath water. Isn't even the worst Catholic education better, in many respects, than the completely secular education received in public schools? Isn't the presence of God through sacramentals, religion classes, etc. -- however miniscule that presence may be -- better than no presence at all, as is the case in public schools?
Maybe I'm biased; I went to Catholic school, and if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't be Catholic today. The education wasn't the best, and there was room for improvement, but I can look back on it and recognize that, even if it wasn't at its best, it was still a lot better than the secular education I would have received at public school, an education that inherently denies the existence of God and his presence in the history of man.
I consider Catholic education an entitlement. Catholic parents must provide a Catholic education if they are capable, and the Church should assist them inasmuch as it's possible to do so.
But then again, maybe that's just my view from out here in "crazy land." ;)
Posted by: Nathan | May 24, 2005 at 12:20 AM
Okay, I overreacted . . . I admit it. It wouldn't be the first time.
I used to teach at a Catholic school . . . I often wished the students had gone to a public school . . . at least there the anti-catholic agendas of some of the teachers wouldn't be so scandalous.
Posted by: Stephen | May 24, 2005 at 01:02 AM
hmmmm... Bishop Gumbleton isnt a VOTF type is he?
Posted by: Lounge Daddy | May 24, 2005 at 11:55 PM
Bishop Gumbleton is a founding member of Call to Action (more appropriately named Call to Apostacy).
Posted by: Stephen | May 25, 2005 at 03:31 AM
Okay look i am tristan bryant formerly of east catholic high. and yes i am the one who made the statement. Okay first of all the shit because thats all it is concerning "Next week Tristan will be picketing demanding the diocese allow the high school provide the morning after pill, a GLBT club, and classes on the "sacrament" of divorce" That was an ignorant statement on your part first of all I am pro choice thats my decision okay and the GLBT i happen to be a gay man who went to catholic school and i kept my school and personal life secound. and classes on the sacrament of divorce i actually found that funny because since 1987 divorce was put into all the catholic religion books. so yes what you said may have been justified but it is still not your place to make that statement about me that had nothing to do with the issue at hand. i graduated from high school 4.03 and it was from a catholic school. but dispite you statement about my generation being the most self-absorbed teenagers. well i will admit we are self-absorbed. but we are this way because we were taught by judgmental hypocritical people who hide behind a computer screen and voice their opinions while we get out and say then in the open. and this comment here is not just something i said becuase in my radio brodcast i do as an internship i gave you an invitation to call in and sent you several emails with the station number and time or our airing and you failed to so yes im self-absorbed but the sad thing is...that people like you point it out to make your argument. Yes I am mad and yes thats your opinion so i respect it but now its time for mine you're a sad person who will die being mean surly and close minded. Now take that and shove it up your Being or Nothingness.
Thank you for allowing me to givw my opinion. Freedom of speech is truly a beautiful thing!
Posted by: Tristan Bryant | Aug 23, 2006 at 07:09 PM
For the record, I never received your email invitations, I would gladly have called in. Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: Stephen | Aug 24, 2006 at 12:33 AM