I’ve been following the USCCB’s November meeting, and found much that was truly edifying: the order, the reverence with which the prayers were read, the Apostolic Nuncio’s exhortation to show the culture “the good, the true, and the beautiful,” and the priorities of the bishops all seem so strong. It’s really an exciting time, or as the nuncio said, potentially “a Kairos moment.”
One very interesting thing happened outside the meeting, at the press conference after the morning sessions. A press representative from America Magazine asked whether divisive, renegade, misrepresentations of Catholicism, especially in social media, were being adequately addressed by the bishops.
Currently America Magazine’s social media is running a headline quoting USCCB President Cardinal DiNardo, who laudably spoke about resisting division caused by hot-button issues.
It strikes me that America Magazine as a promotor of irenicism on hot button issues is an unusual role, and also that their call for more stringent episcopal oversight of independent uses of media is perhaps unintentionally ironic.
It is indeed an interesting time!
Yes America Magazine, the USCCB and its bishops support divisive, renegade, misrepresentations of Catholicism, especially in social media. Next question.
Yes, a kairos moment as the Church moves from orthodoxy and orthopraxy being optional to being forbidden and persecuted. And along the way, shut down those who speak the truth (what the parrhesia!).
I respectfully disagree with your assessment of the Bishop's vacation/meeting. Many of the bishops are portraying themselves merely as whiny politicians, and they are abusing their authority on the issues of migration and refugees. Those should be left to the laity, as the Catechism says at 2241 and as Gaudium et Spes implies at no.43.
They do not portray "beauty" when they constantly mis-represent Church teaching on prudential judgment/political matters. They show themselves to be much like liberal politicians.
"Parties there must needs be among you, so that those who are true metal may be distinguished from the rest. "
1 Corinthians 11:19
I take it you are referring to this paragraph of the Catechism:
"2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.
Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens."
The paragraph does not mention "the laity;" in fact, the very existence of this paragraph suggests the Church does consider immigration to be within magisterial competency.
I don't accept your characterizations of this paragraph, nor of the meeting–which has been fascinating in many ways.
Whatever can be said of the USCCB, it looks like all the right people are freaking out about the election of Archbishop Naumann