Winona Daily News Versus Pope Benedict and the Catholics of Minnesota

Tip of the Hat to the Catholic Key that brought this to my attention on Twitter today.

Boy did some newspaper folks in a op-ed department wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

See Our view: Church is picking unnecessary fight

Before I get into the op-ed a few words from Pope Benedict who it appears the staff were not listening to when he was in the UK last week or if they did think he is wrong wrong wrong.

From the Ancient Westminster Hall

Religion, in other words, is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contributor to the national conversation. In this light, I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance. There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere. There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none. And there are those who argue – paradoxically with the intention of eliminating discrimination – that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience. These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square. I would invite all of you, therefore, within your respective spheres of influence, to seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason at every level of national life.

Now to the op-ed. Let me say I always find it amusing when the press tells other to restrict their various first amendment rights please!!

So let's begin!!

Let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to pick on gay people than it is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give shelter to the homeless. It’s probably cheaper, too.
For just the cost of a stamp, some letterhead and a DVD, the Rev. John Quinn, the Bishop of the Diocese of Winona, has joined his other unmarried brother bishops in sending out kits to parishioners in the diocese, warning them of the impending danger of same-sex marriages.

Now this is a sort of constant theme they use here. They seem to want to do a US versus THEM dynamic. The laity versus the weirdo celibate Bishops.

Of course though they don't have to the courage to say it , it is clear they want to rest of Orthodox Catholic mortals that believe we have a role in the public square to shut up too or to be more precise don't use our right to petition our legislators

One other note I wish to being up . The Diocese of Winona does it part in trying to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and find shelter to the homeless. Did they happen to look at this newsletter Working For The Common Good Summer 2009.

Quinn, if you’ll excuse the phrase, pontificated about the dangers of same-sex marriage in the diocesan newspaper, The Courier.
Yet, when pressed on the issue by the Daily News, a diocesan spokesperson referred questions to the archdiocese of Minneapolis/St.Paul, saying this was really its bailiwick.

I suppose they are referencing this edition which can be downloaded here. See page two where it is discussed among other matters.

This most recent example should be doubly disappointing to area faithful.
First, if Quinn has the conviction of principles enough to espouse it in print, under his own name, then he should be courageous enough to defend such a position, rather than deferring to some distant authority.

Well let me say I can take no position if he should had talked to the brain trust at the Winona Daily News. Perhaps he should have. However looking at the quality of argument here they present maybe he thought "What Is the Point!!".

But even more troubling than Quinn’s silence is the position the church has taken.
It’s urging Catholics to take legislative action.

OH NO!!!

If the church wants to preach and practice a policy of discrimination and second-class citizenry from its pulpits, that is an established constitutional right, even if irksome and disconcerting.
If the church — Catholic or otherwise — wants to preach a message of homosexuality’s sinfulness, then it can only be considered free, religious speech, even if, we believe it grossly uninformed and patently hurtful.

Thank for the permission

But when the church starts urging political activity, especially using a vehicle as overt as the diocese’s own printed propaganda, then it crosses an equally hallowed line between church and state.
Any church’s authority is one of spirituality.
Yet, politics, especially in our American democracy, is decidedly secular.
When Quinn and other bishops urge political action, they go too far.

Now this is where the op-ed folks play the game where they pretend to be lawyers and Constitutional experts!! Now they never attempt to make the argument why oral speech from a Catholic pulpit gets more protection than something wrote in the Diocesean newspaper. Strange they don't do that since you know they are a newspaper.

They don't also cite any legal opinion or constitutional authority that the Church has gone "too far". They don't because they know they can't. The Church is very much operating within it's rights in the public square.

It would indeed to be interesting to see if this paper has objected to t Church involvement in issues varying from state execution, the support of immigration reform and the DREAM act, to SNAP, and other various social concerns.

If they did voice objections they would still be wrong. However one suspects their past op-eds have been selective in being critical of the Church based on if they were in common alliance with the Church at the time on certain issues.

Again we see this time and time again elsewhere. In fact go back to this newsletter Working For The Common Good Summer 2009 I quoted earlier.

It appears that the Winona Daily News had no objections to the political activity mentioned in most of that letter regarding the legislative session. Why not? If the Church is crossing that hallowed line of separation of Church and State why the silence the past year till now?

Nowhere do the bishops acknowledge that even if a marriage rights bill passed, it would never compel any church or denomination to perform weddings it didn’t approve of.

I don't think that is the Church's concern so why mention it.

That makes us wonder if the bishops aren’t just taking an opportunity to engage in gay bashing, because the threat gay marriage presents to Catholic clergy is almost less than minimal.

Ahh the being opposed to gay marriage is now "gay bashing" card.

Also note again they do the US versus them thing here. The remote clergy vs the rest of us Catholic folks.

Of course gay marriage will effect the Church as a body and individual Catholics in numerous ways. Just look at the what happen in D.C. as to how the Catholic Church had to close down certain services to conform to anti gay discrimination law. Further when something is made a fundamental right all sorts of new "protections" will come in that Catholics will be compelled to be obeyed by law. IT is the natural order of things. Now you might think that should happen but if so lets have that discussion.

Even area lawmakers — for example, Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, who introduced a marriage bill aimed at defining it as between a man and a woman — said the church’s interference seems ill timed, considering the massive budget problems looming.

It’s a scary thing when we urge the Catholic Church to follow the politicians’ lead.
If the church was really so concerned with families and the sanctity of marriage, it might realize that so many of the
families are hurting because of lost jobs. Lost jobs mean lost food, lost homes, lost opportunities.

I might be dense but I am not sure why the Church cannot be concerned and act on both. Has the Winona newspaper had an Op-ed saying that their legislature shall not deal with any matters at all unless it deals with job creation?

In a time of such hurt, such need and such brokenness, it’s hard to believe bishops would even spend the money and the political capital to fight a war that denies rights to some individuals, while granting them to others.
The bishops, including Quinn, would do well to remember: Just because God’s name is invoked, doesn’t mean the war is holy.

Now this is interesting. Now it appears they were against the Church being involved in political matters. But the two above paragraphs seem to indicate they have no problem if the Church uses it's it's "political capital" on other matters. Which is it?

Further in these "tough times" has the Winona Daily News stopped commenting on issues of the day that do not involved growth in jobs in Minnesota because it might hurt people's feelings?

We see recent Op-Eds :
Quran should be read, not attacked The Catholic Church In America invested time and resources in this debate. Should we shut up, stay out of it and not engaged our politicos?

Our view: English-only idea lacks wisdom I suspect the Catholic Church is not thrilled about this either- SHOULD WE SHUT UP and not to devote resources to this issue

Oh and look at this Our view: High court's decision holds church accountable (By the way the legal minds at the Winona Daily News very much overestimated the importance of the Supreme Court actions there).

Other views: Another techno-threat ... Textual harassment

Our view: This law is wrong - for Minnesota, too . AZ immigration law related which needless to say the Catholic Church has been involved in. Should we shut up and stay out MR Winona Daily News?