Editorial

In midst of crisis:
There are reasons to hope, says Bishop Gregory

These days we Catholics may cringe - or even hide our heads in shame - when we hear bad news about a bishop who flees a car accident or about attempts to cover up more incidents of sexual abuse.

It has been a difficult time for the Catholic Church and its members. How do we cope with the scandals, the failings of church leaders? What does this mean for the future of our faith and our church?

I was really encouraged to read a recent interview with Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Gregory was interviewed by Msgr. Timothy P. Stein, editor of The Catholic Register, newspaper of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pa. The article was carried June 19 on Catholic News Service.

He hasn't lost hope. Bishop Gregory was elected to the national post on Nov. 13, 2001. Only a few months after he took office, he was plunged into dealing with the clergy sexual abuse scandal. Even his fellow bishops have said, "I wouldn't take your job for anything." But Bishop Gregory replies, "And I wouldn't give it to you for anything."

"I am glad to be of service to Christ, and glad to be of service to the church," he says. "I haven't lost hope, though there are times during the day - and sometimes several times a day - when I want to scream because I can feel my own limitations."

Spirit is working. Bishop Gregory believes "it's the Spirit who is working through me, through the bishops, the priests, and the lay people. It's at those moments that I remember that I need to surrender to the Spirit."

He admits that mistakes have been made. But he insists that "bishops and priests are good people. We love the Lord and we love the Lord's people."

He sees the current crisis in the Catholic Church in the U.S. as "a purification under the guidance of the Holy Spirit." He hopes this purification will "bring the clergy and the laity together in a more effective, more charitable bond."

Drawing together. One suggestion from Bishop Gregory: "We as clergy must learn to trust the laity more, to lean on them more, to make better use of their competence, and to draw from their holiness."

And he adds, "I would hope, in turn, that the laity will see bishops as true shepherds and teachers. I hope the outcome of what we're facing now would be less emphasis on power and privilege and more of an emphasis on service. I pray to see bishops more in the midst of the people as fellow believers - all of us, bishops, priests, and people, drawing together in a closer union."

Emerge stronger. What a powerful witness! Bishop Gregory's words give me hope, too. I agree with him that the clergy, religious, and laity must trust each other, pray and work together for the good of the church and the world.

We all have human failings, but, with God's help, we can overcome any obstacles. Let us pray for continued guidance from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and Mary our Mother - so that our Church may indeed be purified in these times of crisis and emerge stronger in the future.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

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To the editor:

In his column in the June 19th Catholic Herald, George Weigel made rather spurious comments concerning Western European culture as compared to our own. Europe has had 2,000 years of experience with regard to religious fanaticism. The Crusades and the Inquisition are but two examples. It shouldn't come as any surprise, then, that they are skeptical when they hear similar ominous tones coming from the leader of the largest and richest country in the world.

It is reassuring that we have a leader who professes his faith in words, no matter how late it was in coming. But George W. Bush's words do not match his actions.

It is not reassuring when the leader of the free world declares war on two countries and threatens to invade two, three, or God knows how many other countries in the name of world peace or when our leader squanders the prosperity that was left to him and seeks to plunge future generations into debt so that the richest one percent can get a tax cut while the poorest 10 percent get nothing.

In Europe the average person gets six weeks of vacation a year compared to two weeks in this country. In Europe health care is available to all and a college education is free and guaranteed to all who want it. In Europe the ratio of pay for CEO to worker is 40:1 compared to 400:1 in this country. At what point do profits cease to be adequate and become obscene?

For an example of unbridled corporate greed we only have to look to the small community of Jefferson half-way between Madison and Milwaukee, where the workers at the Doskocil Meat Packing Plant are on strike against their new owners, Tyson Foods. They are on strike because Tyson has proposed a wage and benefit cut of 30 percent as well as no retirement plan for new hires.

Tyson freely admits that it is not a question of economics. They can easily afford to give them a decent contract, but it is their philosophy to undercompensate their workers. Is this an example of American ethics that Mr. Weigel would like to see emulated in Europe?

Granted, there is a huge cultural gap between the United States and Western Europe and we are obviously on the losing end.

Jerome Joyce, Madison