The Tidings swipes at Cardinal McIntyre
Looks like Q here's recent remarks in memory of our Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, of happy memory, were much needed -- because, unbelieveably, some forces in our Archdiocese even now, nearly 40 years later, still resent him and attack him.
Case in point: This week's issue of Cardinal Mahony's mouthpiece The Tidings takes a heavy-handed swipe (click on this post's title) at Cardinal McIntyre. The Tidings takes a book about nuns and the hierarchy in the 60s, which mentions Cardinal McIntyre and the revolt of some Immaculate Heart sisters -- and assigns as the reviewer one Anita Caspary, who by sheer coincidence just happens to have been an IHM nemesis of Cardinal McIntyre.
Sorry, Tidings, but journalistic objectivity (admittedly a dated concept in this universal era of propagandize-your-readers "advocacy journalism") dictates that when you have a book about a dispute, any dispute, you assign the review to a third party, not to one of the disputants, and that you fully identify the role of any disputant you do let review a book about said dispute.
The book sounds wrong anyway; it seems to blame the vast and sudden exodus from the U.S. sisterhood in the 60s and 70's not on crazed radical feminism and Spirit of VatII-ism but on good prelates such as Cardinal McIntyre, who had the good of the sisters' souls in mind.
Anita Caspary's Tidings book review does accomplish one thing, though; it gives us a new liberal euphemism. She says, "more flexibility in the understanding of obedience." I think we all recognize that "flexibility" for what it is: Disobedience.
Case in point: This week's issue of Cardinal Mahony's mouthpiece The Tidings takes a heavy-handed swipe (click on this post's title) at Cardinal McIntyre. The Tidings takes a book about nuns and the hierarchy in the 60s, which mentions Cardinal McIntyre and the revolt of some Immaculate Heart sisters -- and assigns as the reviewer one Anita Caspary, who by sheer coincidence just happens to have been an IHM nemesis of Cardinal McIntyre.
Sorry, Tidings, but journalistic objectivity (admittedly a dated concept in this universal era of propagandize-your-readers "advocacy journalism") dictates that when you have a book about a dispute, any dispute, you assign the review to a third party, not to one of the disputants, and that you fully identify the role of any disputant you do let review a book about said dispute.
The book sounds wrong anyway; it seems to blame the vast and sudden exodus from the U.S. sisterhood in the 60s and 70's not on crazed radical feminism and Spirit of VatII-ism but on good prelates such as Cardinal McIntyre, who had the good of the sisters' souls in mind.
Anita Caspary's Tidings book review does accomplish one thing, though; it gives us a new liberal euphemism. She says, "more flexibility in the understanding of obedience." I think we all recognize that "flexibility" for what it is: Disobedience.
posted by Quintero at 5:01 PM
24 Comments:
"The floor of hell is covered with the skulls of bishops."
--St. Anathasius
Well, thank God for blogging. The worst enemy of those who want to control what the laity becomes aware of.
I know it cuts both ways, but for now, because of the net, the laity can now "check-up" on what HizEminence, any other prelate, or prominent Catholic says. It's no longer good enough to hear someone say something like, "Well, father said . . . Then it must be so."
Because of the net, the average lay person now has access to the CCC, references to the Magisterium, and of course the Code of Canon Law, among many other references, right at their fingertips.
There are no excuses left like, "those books are too expensive," "whose got time to read those tomes?," "the public library doesn't have books like those." One doesn't have to buy, lug, or leave the home if they want to read these references. If they got a computer and an internet connection, and a little savy with key-word searching on practically any search engine, they've got all they need to "check-up."
What nerve...Mahony isn't fit to undo Cardinal McIntyre's sandal.
History will remember McIntyre for his numerous accomplishments; Mahony will be remembered as a complete and utter failure.
Having said that, St. Basil is one of the ugliest churches around. It's almost a kind of precursor to Mahony's butt ugly "cathedral."
This blog is great. I do miss the pics, though.
RUBISH!
If you want a good read on the IHM story turn to the two volume biography of the good cardinal by Msgr. Weber. If you research some back issues on the Latin Mass Magazine there was several years ago a story of a psyhcologist telling his story..."How I ruined the IHM order". I tried to find that before posting but the Tidings article infuriated me.
Dear Mark P.,
It was good of you and everyone who attended Cardinal McIntyre's funeral to be there and offer your prayers for the repose of his soul.
That was a fine way to say "Thank you" to that giant of the Church and wonderful shepherd of our flock here in Los Angeles.
Thank you for letting us know what Cardinal McIntyre's funeral Mass was like!
I attended Cardinal McIntyre's Memorial Mass at the former Cathedral of St. Vibiana, as well as the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Basil Church. I could be wrong, but I don't remember there being a rendition of "Dies Irae" at eiher Mass but the rendition of "In Paradisum" at St. Basil's was soul-stirring.
Anonymous,
It was Dr. Carlson, I believe, and I heard him give the same talk at H.L.I.
He also said he later went back and tried to convince them that they had been hoodwinked, but they would no longer listen!
Kenneth M. Fisher
Mark P:
As I said, I could be wrong about "Dies Irae" so I will gladly yield to your memory. I'm glad you, too, found "In Paradisum" memorable. Cardinal McIntyre received the dignified farewell he so richly deserved.
Here's a link to a Culture Wars article on Carl Rogers and the IHMs.
http://www.culturewars.com/CultureWars/1999/rogers.html
Great. My kid saw the review, now he asks for more flexibility in my paternal approach to obedience so he can stay out and party.
Dear Suzie,
Thanks for the helpful link!
Dear Patrick,
Thank you for the chuckle!
And that's a great point you make. Where would Anita's "flexibility in our understanding of obedience" end?
Imagine what would happen to a recruit in boot camp who used that term to his drill instructor!
Do liberals who are in power in the Church let conservatives get away with "flexible obedience?" No, they lower the boom on them.
For example, were the off-on-a-tangent IHM sisters nice to the loyal IHM sisters who "understood" obedience to mean obedience to Cardinal McIntyre? Not exactly!
Suzie,
I went to the link and could find nothing on Carl Rogers?
Kenneth M. Fisher
For the interview with William Coulson (not Carlson!) which describes the IHM debacle, try http://www.ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/LATINM.TXT. Another good interview with Coulson about the influence of Carl Rogers & Humanistic Psychology is at http://catholiceducation.org/articles/homosexuality/ho0023.html.
Dear Jacqueline,
Thank you very much for these valuable links. It is good of you to supply them!
Moral pygmys swiping at a Giant soul!
Kenneth M. Fisher
Moral pygmys swiping at a Giant soul!
Kenneth M. Fisher
I grew up in Los Angeles,I as a young idealist African- American Catholic was a member of Catholics United for Civil Rights ( CURE ). Cardinal McIntyre was an absolute racist who drove many devout clergy and laity from the Church.
I no longer live in California but in 2008 as a 65 year old man I am still bitter that a man so low could have risen so high in the Catholic Church.
July 22, 2008 --
Dear Anonymous 5:33 a.m.,
I really hope you find much friendship and welcoming all through the Church today.
I know little about Catholics United for Racial Equality (CURE), but I've read that CURE held a sit-in in Cardinal McIntyre's office in 1963, and that the "official" response was "negative but polite."
Cardinal McIntyre is not exactly the only California cardinal ever accused of driving priests out of an archdiocese.
Could it be that some people have misconstrued as racism what were really Cardinal McIntyre's desires not to be subjected to pressure and not to adopt what he saw as a too-liberal political agenda?
Many people have left the Church since Vatican II, more of them from having "liberals" in authority than "conservatives."
May all of us Catholics shun racism and every sin, and may God give us the grace to leave all bitterness behind.
As I say, I hope you find every welcoming and kindness all through the Church today.
One big detail is missing about Anita Caspary's review of the book (so audaciously entitled) WITNESS TO INTEGRITY. Miss Caspary, the former Mother Humiliata, not only reviewed the book, SHE WROTE IT!
The last time I went to a reunion at IHHS it seemed that the "sisters" and their school are thriving.
McIntyre was a tyrant who ruined the Catholic grammar schools in Los Angeles.
Dear Anonymous 6:06 p.m.,
Today is April 9, 2010, and I'm answering the comment you posted today. Thank you for writing.
Thank you for your perspective about the sisters and their school.
I have never heard of Cardinal McIntyre "ruining" any grammar schools in our archdiocese.
On the contrary, he made all kinds of grammar schools, high schools and parishes possible -- through the foresight and stewardship with which he bought future sites for them all around our Archdiocese.
"Tyrant," if I may say, is not a helpful word to use. Aren't bishops supposed to guide their flocks, to lead them and command?
Hasn't Cardinal Mahony done that? What about all the bishops around the USA who have shut down, sold, and bulldozed many churches, often those in viable parishes, in defiance of the wishes of their flocks? That sounds a lot more like tyranny to me.
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