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A Small Town Paper poses Challenge to Catholic Faith - Where's the Bishop's voice?

The Diocese of Pembroke is one of those small semi-rural dioceses that comprise the majority of Catholic Diocese in Canada. Like most of these dioceses, there are one or two small local dailies that have traditionally been seen as being supportive of the activities of the Catholic churches within their community, focusing as they do on local events.

The Pembroke Daily Observer is just such a paper.

However, the days when such papers spoke only to local concerns seems to be coming to an end as more and more editors and publishers of these community based papers are publishing editorials and articles that present a challenge to Catholic morality and teaching. The Daily Observer, in an editorial published on Friday Nov. 13th, addresses the question of euthanasia, coming out strongly in favor of a proposed piece of legislation that is currently before the Canadian House of Commons.

It has been the practice of most Canadian Bishops to not engage in debating such issues in the local papers, a position that reflects their belief that the voices of such small publications do not have much influence in the greater scheme of public discourse, and because they have not wanted to alienate these mediums of local opinion. In this they have followed the traditional example of local politicians who tend to keep their "heads down" in the face of a moral controversy or storm. Just as the editorial calls out these local politicians to take a stand on the moral questions of the day, so too by extension does it challenge other community leaders to do the same.

I remember many years back when, as an assistant at the Cathedral, I sat at the table and listened to the then Bishop try to explain why he did not forcefully enter into the abortion debate in the local press because he didn't want people to think he was an "extremist"; and that he left it to Bishops in larger dioceses, and the provincial and national conferences of Bishops to make the case for the Church in such matters. He seemed to hold to a common wisdom that one should not diminish his office or local influence by engaging in contentious issues within his own back yard.

Well, it would seem that the days when this folk wisdom which has been their traditional modus operandi needs to come to an end. If the Bishops of today are not willing to fully, forcefully and faithfully object to these voices calling for change that is incompatible with Catholic morality within their own smaller communities, (even if it means receiving potentially unfavorable coverage in their local media,) then the forces of the culture of death will win, thanks to the bishop's lack of courage.

Bishop Michael Mulhall, the Bishop of the Pembroke Diocese has followed this old manner of dealing with local media for he has been virtually invisible within his Diocese when it comes to addressing such questions in the local press. Now that the local Pembroke paper has come out with a position that is entirely in contradiction to Catholic and Christian values, it is time for that to change.

It is long past time for Bishop's voices to be heard, not just within the confines of their Cathedrals, but also within the local mediums of public debate, even if it means that some of them might suffer the slings and arrows of local leaders whose opinions and respect they try so hard to cultivate. Today's new media will no longer afford them the opportunity to leave it to other Bishops, nor to the collective expressions of Bishops conferences to make the case for the faith.

I pray that he, and other Bishops of similar dioceses might at last realize that the fight for Catholic moral values has now been brought to their doorstep in the pages (virtual and real) of their local small town media. They need to be willing to make the case of the faith, using a language and argument that is clearly and easily understandable by the common man (or woman) that comprise the readership of these local papers.

Bishop Mulhall; are you listening? Your Catholic community is, and they need to hear your voice.


Here is the web address to the Observer Editorial. A link to it can also be found in the Referenced Articles box.


http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2174360

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