Some Cheers and A Qualified Jeer For Catholic Bishops New Executive Director For Social Justice Issues - Jonathan J. Reyes

I posted on some rather big news in USA Catholic land at  Background on New Catholic Bishops Executive Director For Social Justice Concerns - Jonathan J. Reyes

So far the most noted PUBLIC sort of qualified negative reaction seems to be coming from Mr Winters. See
The Reyes Appointment . I on the whole disagree for the most part , but is an legitimate question he asks as to his resume as it pertains to perhaps the lobbying activities he will be involved in. I do agree with Mr Winters in his post More on Reyes Appointment that  Phil Lawler and Dr. Jeff Mirus should be more careful about implying things about Dr Reyes predecessor Catholicism.

At the very least they are putting their name to the complaints. I am not quite sure the same can be said of those against this appointment. It will be interesting to see how some major secular newspaper articles report on this and what  some "background" voices say

I thought a very good piece was by  Matthew Schmitz at  Jonathan Reyes, the Bishops’ New Man in D.C. Based on what he sees  of Dr Reyes work in Denver Mr Schmitz says :

This is why I find Reyes’ appointment so cheering. His career thus far suggests that he sees the Church’s social conscience—defending the unborn, feeding the hungry, visiting the imprisoned—as inseparable from the life of prayer and celebration of the sacraments. The bishops should be applauded for appointing a man who seems to understand that true charity never severs the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

I agree . Mr Winters in both his posts says :

And, my friends who worry about the USCCB becoming an arm of the GOP have this to console them: No matter the inner machinations of the conference, those of us who are committed to social justice have 120 years of explicit social teaching on our side.

It is never quite clear what alarms these people about Dr Reyes and what is being unsaid. But I have to think if Mr Schmitz is correct in his observation that does not go against 120 years of EXPLICIT social teaching.

Still as we see more stories on this appointment in both the religious and secular press may I make a radical suggestion. That is consult some folks in the Archdiocese of Denver that actually know and have worked with the man.