New contender for bishop of the year award

Archbishop of Milwaukee, Jerome E. Listecki recently used his pastoral authority to let folks know in a news release that the organization Young Catholics for Choice may be young and ok with abortion, but they sure aren't Catholic.

Full text of the bishop's statement (with my emphases and comments):

"It has come to my attention that an organization calling itself “Young Catholics for Choice” has recently entered into collaboration with Family Planning HealthServices of Wausau. Through media advertising, “Young Catholics for Choice” is attempting to convey the message that Catholics can disregard Church teaching regarding contraception, abortion and human sexuality in general and remain Catholics in good standing. [Should we file this under 'catechesis FAIL' or 'secular outlook WIN'?]
Nothing could be further from the truth. [Now that's a bishop who knows how to bish!] While people can call themselves whatever they want, it is my duty as a bishop to state clearly and unequivocally that by professing and disseminating views in grave contradiction to Catholic teaching, members of organizations like “Young Catholics for Choice” in fact disown their Catholic heritage, tragically distancing themselves from that communion with the Church to which they are called. We pray that they may reconcile their position which is contrary to the Catholic Faith they claim to profess." ["Nothing could be further from the truth," "grave contradiction" "disown their Catholic heritage" " tragically distancing themselves, " "contrary to the Catholic Faith" - no mincing words here!]

Bravo to Bishop Listecki! May these misguided people come to know the truth that sets them free.

On a somewhat related note, as much as these "Catholic" groups annoy me to no end, they do kind of point out that the Catholic Church is the Church. I mean, it would be so very easy for these "Catholics" to simply become Episcopalian and have all these beliefs affirmed. Heck, they'd even get some liturgy, and women's ordination.

But that's not enough for them. I think, deep down, buried under several layers of "what-do-a-bunch-of-old-men-in-Rome-know-about-life?" scorn, they know that the Catholic Church is what she claims to be. And that scares them into staying. They continue to dissent, continue to try to change her, but they know that they cannot leave Jesus's Church.

So while they've leaped off the back of the Barque of Peter, they've still got a rope tied to the ship. They think they're doing the Church a favor by trying to tug her towards "modernity."

However, hopefully sooner rather than later, they'll realize that, while that ship has its barnacles, it has weathered the Albigensians and the Arians, the Manicheans and the Modernists, the Nestorians, Napoleon and the Nazis, the profilgate popes and the Protestants.

"Young Catholics for Choice" won't be able to budge her. With the pope at the helm, the Church will sail on, with the between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Eucharist as the guides, no matter what.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!