ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY DOLAN - GENIAL ENFORCER OF ROME'S CONSERVATIVE WRIT

From NewsBusters:

On Sunday's 60 Minutes, CBS correspondent Morley Safer interviewed New York Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan and pressed him on the his commitment to traditional Church teachings: "No question that you're conciliatory, that you like to have dialog, but underneath that you're an old-fashioned conservative. I mean, in the sense of right-wing conservative."

Dolan turned Safer's characterization around: "I would bristle at being termed 'right-wing.' But if somebody means enthusiastically committed and grateful for the timeless heritage of the Church, and feeling that my best service is when I try to preserve that and pass that on in its fullness and beauty and radiance, I'm a conservative, no doubt."

Our neighbor called to tell Grandpère to watch as Morley Safer interviewed Archbishop Dolan. GP called me into the room, and I wish I hadn't gone, because I felt a little ill during Abp. Dolan's performance during the interview. In my opinion, Safer went easy on the archbishop, however Safer did say:

Despite the jolly open demeanor, he's about as conservative as they come....He is unwavering on what he calls the 'settled' questions: abortion, birth control, ordination of women, gay marriage, and celibacy."

And that is that! All settled and done.

The "jolly open demeanor" was very much in evidence. Abp. Dolan smiled and laughed often, nudging and patting Safer on the shoulder. I told GP that he seemed very much like a salesman to me, which I suppose is what an archbishop is called to be in these troublesome times for the Roman Catholic Church, especially an archbishop who was recently elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The thing is, I'm not buying what he's selling.

SAFER: What do you make of the Church's response to the abuse scandals?

DOLAN: When you think of what happened, both that a man who proposes to act in the name of God would've abused an innocent young person, and that some bishops would have in a way, countenanced that by reassigning abusers, that's nothing less than hideous. That's nothing less than nauseating. The second story, Morley, is the Church's reaction to that, which I think has been good. It's been strong. It's been rigorous.(My emphasis)

I found the caveat, "in a way" quite troublesome. You either countenance child abuse, or you do not. There is no "in a way" that diminishes countenancing child abuse. The entire interview disturbed me a good deal. The phrase that ran through my mind as I watched and listened was, "De Nile is not just a river in Egypt." - not very original, I know, but there it is.

Abp. Dolan again:

Yeah, there would be – yes, I think there would be changes in the Church. But I don't think they're the ones you have in mind. I don't want to see changes in the Church when it comes to celibacy or women priests or our clear teaching about the sanctity of human life and the unity of marriage between one man and one woman forever. I'd love to see changes in the Church in the very area that you're hinting at over and over again, in the perception of the Church as some shrill scold. We need to change that. (My emphasis)

Well, for crying out loud, archbishop, the church needs to stop scolding! If the hierarchy would stop threatening with excommunication the Roman Catholics who disagree that the issues you mention are "settled" once for all, then the church might not be perceived as a "shrill scold".

After I wrote the words above, I saved them and left them, partly because I was quite busy with other matters. Then, too, when I departed from the Roman Catholic Church, I promised myself that I would not be a bitter ex-Catholic, obsessed with ranting against the church I left. I confess that I have not always been successful in my determination. My reaction to Abp. Dolan was visceral, and I know that we must examine our visceral reactions closely before we settle into their meaning for us. However, I also believe that to ignore our instincts is perhaps not the wisest path to follow.

For those reasons and because, as I've said, I was quite busy yesterday, I never completed the post. Then, through a link from MadPriest, I was led to Jan's post at A Church For Starving Artists on the interview. Jan's wise words, which I quote below, impressed me greatly.

One of the biggest spiritual issues of our day is the need to be with people in the throes of Real Life. It's tempting to be "the entertaining pastor" or the "funny pastor" or merely "the smart pastor." But the 21st C Church is sorely in need of the equipping pastor who models servanthood and compassion, the pastor who is unafraid to grapple with the deepest issues of our lives, the pastor who sees people with the eyes of Jesus.

Jan's entire post is well worth a read. I thank her for the push to complete the post - for better or for worse. If for worse, the responsibility is all mine and not Jan's.

More on the interview at CBS News.

Photo above from the New York Times article from February of this year on Abp. Dolan's election as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The article states:

Archbishop Dolan also does not outright deny the sacrament to dissenting Catholic lawmakers, but he is genial enforcer of Rome's ever more conservative writ.

UPDATE: Ann V. alerts me to the article in the Washington Post on a poll by the Post and ABC News:

The question was straightforward: “Do you think it should be illegal or legal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?” In February 2010, an astounding 55 percent of white Catholics said "legal." In the current poll, the number jumped 8 points to 63 percent.

My question is what about non-white Catholics?

Not that the poll will change any minds amongst the hierarchy.