Bad Reaction | Commonweal magazine

Are the U.S. Catholic bishops determined to wage a partisan culture war? Why aren't they chastened by the massive exodus from the Catholic Church - 1/3 of adult Catholics, and a drastic decline in the respect in which it is held by youth? The Commonweal editors discus the issues. - GWC

Bad Reaction | Commonweal magazine: "Conservative Catholics complain that too many liberal Catholics instinctively greet every statement from the Vatican with suspicion, skepticism, or derision. It’s a fair point. The motives and judgment of those who appear unthinkingly hostile to all hierarchical authority should be questioned. Patient attention to the legitimate concerns of others and the presumption of goodwill on the part of those we disagree with are essential virtues.

Unfortunately, patience and the presumption of goodwill were not much in evidence in the response of the U.S. bishops and many conservative Catholics to President Barack Obama’s compromise on the question of mandated contraceptive coverage for employees of religious-affiliated institutions. Even before all the details of the president’s proposal were known, the bishops rejected it and then upped the ante by insisting that the only possible solution was to repeal the mandate altogether. In other words, the bishops are now demanding that no employer be required to offer free contraception coverage to its employees."

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