The following is a letter from the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal George, to his priests. I present the entire letter so that you can see the entire context. After I will have a few comments. Emphases mine.
ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO
February 1, 2009 OFFICE OF THE ARCHBISHOPDear Father,
I am writing just to touch base on a few items at the end of an intensive Christmas season and in the middle of the economic crisis and the pressure of political events, especially here in Illinois. Even though I see each of you only sporadically, all of you remain daily in my prayers, especially at Mass. Prayer encourages all of us by keeping our lives centered on the Lord, who keeps us together as his priests.In the current economic and social crisis, the Church’s ministry can take on crucial importance for those tempted to despondency and even despair. The Church should be the glue that holds individual lives and society itself together when faith in other institutions falters. This remains so, I believe, even in the midst of continuing problems surrounding the abuse of minors by some priests. Response to these events, in some instances, has as much to do with discrediting the Church as it has to do with helping victims to heal. This double goal has been clearly and publicly stated by some lawyers and some victims’ groups. The crisis will therefore remain with us for some time, not only in our ongoing efforts to help victims, which is the work of many years, but also in separating true from sometimes false claims about some priests and about the Church in general. The only adequate and long lasting resolution to this crisis is your own loving and effective care for your people, especially children.
As we approach the Lenten season, we should begin to think about how to preach what forgiveness means. This is a constant theme in St. Paul’s letters. If there is a spiritual root of many personal and social crises, it is the loss of belief in the possibility of forgiveness. People know they sin; they don’t believe, it seems, that forgiveness is possible or that it could make any difference in their lives. Civil law is based more on vengeance than on forgiveness, and that attitude often permeates lives and society itself.
The administration of President Obama has helpfully encouraged people to hope, which is a theological virtue as well as a psychological attitude. In our country, we often use what amounts to religious language in public, but we use it to speak of ourselves rather than of God. The danger in this is diminished if we help our people to situate our hopes for our country and ourselves, finally, in God’s loving providence. This is a moment that calls for immersing ourselves in the situation in order to try to interpret it in the light of salvation history, of God’s will for all his people. It is, I believe, a moment to be addressed.
As priests, we find the source of hope not only in our prayer but also in our fraternity. Difficult times should draw us together rather than drive us apart. As President of the USCCB, I find myself more drawn into concerns outside the Archdiocese than I had expected to be; and I am grateful to Fr. Canary and the Vicars for what they do to keep in good contact with all of you.
In this Year of St. Paul, the doctor of grace, each of us should make a retreat. About a third of the presbyterate, if statistics are right, doesn’t make an annual retreat on a regular basis. I’m going to ask the episcopal vicars to be especially encouraging about the retreat this year. One of our pastors wrote his people last year about his love affair with God. It was a beautiful letter. The annual retreat is a time to renew that affair and enjoy it.
Thank your for your prayers for me and your friendship with me and one another.
Fraternally yours in Christ,
Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
Two things in this letter stand out to me. First is the mention of the dual nature of the response to the abuse crisis. Many use the crisis as a club with which to beat the Church yet give not a whit for the victims. Certainly this is true enough. This scandal clearly still weighs heavily on the mind of the Cardinal. It should. Just a few months ago, the Cardinal announced a $12.7M settlement for a case that occurred 2002-2006 ($77M in total to date) and released his own depositions. The Cardinal accepted responsibility for the failures. It is clear from this letter that the scandal is still very real and very fresh for the Cardinal. I hope it stays that way. Whether or not the enemies of the Church use these scandals for their own nefarious ends, the scandals must stop.
The other thing of note in the letter is the reference President Obama. I had to read it a few times to ascertain whether the Cardinal is lauding or criticizing the President. I am still not sure. First Cardinal George states that the Obama administration is encouraging people to hope. How exactly is the administration encouraging people to hope. They talk down the economy whenever they can. Obama himself tries to use fear to get his own way threatening that if he doesn’t get his Spending package immediately we may never recover. Never. That is not a very hopeful thing to say. His administration has reversed the Mexico City policy. Not a lot of hope there. I think it is entirely false to claim that the Obama administration is encouraging hope. They are doing quite the opposite.
Cardinal George rightly goes on to say that true hope comes from God, not from politicians and not from ourselves. This might be viewed as criticism of Obama’s mantra of Hope during the campaign. If it is indeed a criticism, it is well hidden and too polite by half.
I do not really disagree with much in this letter but I am bothered. I am bothered by language. The Cardinal has no problem directly criticizing the lawyers and the victims groups by saying they are equally motivated to discredit the Church as defending the victims of abuse. Heaven knows that this is certainly true of some of these groups.
But why the direct criticism of those defending victims and polite and very well disguised criticism for a President and administration determined to make the slaughter of innocents as widespread as possible.
I admit the possibility that I am reading too much into these comments, but it seems upside down to me.
February 9, 2009 at 2:57 am
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, we pray for politicians each week during the petitions. This week we prayed for politicians to lead us out of some economic problems.
Since politicians lead us in to most of these economics problems,
it seems sort of like praying for a plumber to fix your sink, after he broke it earlier that week.
I think it would be more more effective to vote out the skunks that cause problems rather than pray for them. I’ll pray for their souls, but they are responsible for their own actions.
February 9, 2009 at 3:36 am
I am often discontented with my archbishop when I believe that he has missed opportunities to speak against the culture of death.
But he is the archbishop, not I.
February 9, 2009 at 3:48 am
It is unquestionably the case that President Obama is a source of hope for many of his supporters. It may be an incomplete hope. It may be a falsely ordered hope. But hope it is, nonetheless. And the Cardinal is right for making note of this and of linking this hope with the very real theological virtue of hope.
Mr. Obama got elected on the following messages (in no particular order):
1) Americans are called to the service of the common good, not just the selfish pursuit of their own pleasure.
2) It is possible to forge common ground between political opponents based on their common humanity and citizenship.
3) It is right and good to walk into to the future with optimism and without fear.
4) Society owes protection and dignity to its weakest members.
These themes are deeply Christian – indeed especially Catholic. Now, I would argue (as would, I suspect, most people who read this blog) that many of Mr. Obama’s policies are a mixture of wrong and evil.
But that doesn’t change the fact that millions of Americans just voted for a guy whose rhetoric is as closely aligned with the ideals of Catholic engagement with the public realm as is that of any candidate for the Presidency in recent memory – maybe ever. The fact that his policies do not live up to this rhetoric is indeed a tragedy. And we should all work to block the advance of Obama’s agenda.
But to look at what just happened in American electoral politics and not see signs of (yes) hope for the Gospel of Life is to be exceptionally and problematically jaded. America just demonstrated for the first time in decades a willingness to vote for its highest ideals. It pains me to say that, as I’m a Republican and passionately pro-life. But sometimes the truth hurts. “My side” hasn’t made a pitch as transparently moral and challenging in my lifetime. And shame on us. But Obama just demonstrated that such a pitch can win elections and can get people to cross party lines and re-examine their past voting behavior.
That fills me with hope. Because the dirty secret of the pro-life movement is this: We don’t “win” if we get 5 out of 9 Supreme Court justices to overturn Roe, and we don’t “win” if we get 51% of the public to vote pro-life. Because an ordinary “political” advantage on a topic this contentious and fundamental simply will not put the issue to bed. Outlawing abortion in a country where 45% of people still think abortion should be legal only buys some time until the other side can mobilize and win back the middle to its cause. Really, truly winning this fight means convincing 80% of Americans that legalized abortion is the moral equivalent of legalized slavery. That type of transformation takes exactly the kind of lofty rhetoric and post-partisan energy that fueled Obama’s victory.
February 9, 2009 at 4:38 am
I am sure that His Eminence is personally a gentle and holy man for whom I have a great deal of love and respect on that level. But as far as his political fortitude and savvy go, well one must understand that Chicago is awash in liberal Democratic corruption and is run as one-party state…with control of power resting with the Party and its leadership starting with mayor. Moreover, this corruption is also closely tied in with the large number of prominent Catholics who are liberal Democrats and who feast at the same trough of power and pork.
It’s very difficult to speak out frankly and often, as the Cardinal should on moral issues. To do so is to risk disfavor with political power. Plus he also chair of that unfortunate group known as the USCCB that breeds invertebrates among its staff.
But to credit any virtue to the “hope” coming from the President’s public relations people and general manure spreaders was singularly unfortunate in his letter to our priests.
I assume that most of us now like the old Soviets can learn to read these letters and statements with sufficient grains of salt. I am also sure that the Cardinal does not want building permits or zoning needs delayed nor affect the contributions of such plums as the Big Shoulders support for inner city Catholic schools.
I pray for Cardinal George each morning…and hope that the Lord is his ultimate guide during these increasing difficult and dangerous times.
February 9, 2009 at 6:33 am
I hate not being able to use my name, but I’m in the thick of things in the archdiocese so prudence goes a long way – Freedom of Speech does not protect against repercussions in more subtle, personal ways.
Cardinal George ordained me, and I’ve seen things up close and personal. I’ve participated in the presbyterate and the life of the archdiocese.
To any who are frustrated by things here, just think:
1939-1945 Europe – Pius XII – Axis – Allies – Human frailty – Fear – Office – Christ.
Pray. Give it some thought. And see if you can find a connection.
It can be very easy and tempting to second guess our own acceptance of Calvary.
I hold my own personal judgments or commentaries to my prayer and interior dialogue with God.
Ultimately, each of us, as St. John of the Cross wrote in his “Dichos”: In the evening of our life, we shall be judged (either: ‘on our love’ or ‘by Love’).
Christus Vincit – Christus Regnat – Christus Imperat.
February 9, 2009 at 1:34 pm
“The fact that [Obama’s] policies do not live up to this rhetoric is indeed a tragedy…”
…and damned obvious from looking at his record prior to the election. THAT is the real tragedy.
As to Cardinal George, some people can have a legitimate complaint, while placing themselves in a poor position to complain. Had he — and let’s not forget his predecessor, who created the mess in the first place — been able to do the right thing all along, the ambulance chasers would all be kept at bay.
Notice I say “been able.” I’m not convinced that events were entirely within the Cardinal’s control, again on account of his predecessor. People tend to ignore that, to observe that we are dealing with a group of adults whose behavior is virtually out of control, and who cannot necessarily be removed en masse.
February 9, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Patrick,
You are right to read with a salt shaker in hand, but I think sd has responded best, imho.
February 9, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Cdl George is saying that Obama has very helpfully put the theological virtue of hope into our national conversation in a very big way. But he is speaking about himself. Priests should use the moment to talk up hope, too, but hope in God’s loving Providence.
What is the problem with this? He is sugggesting a kind of pastoral jiu jitsu, where the momentum of the opponent is used to advance one’s own victory.
“Hope” is in the air. Great! Let’s use the moment to tell people to hope in God, not in men. “Put not your trust in princes.”
February 9, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I won, so hope means what I say it means. Now get with the program.
February 9, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Lee Gilbert
You said “What is the problem with this?”
As I said in the piece, “I do not really disagree with much in this letter”
My concern is about language and the clarity and forcefulness of it. A point overlooked by most. I have given up hoping that people will respond to the actual points I make. People will regularly read into your posts things that are not there and so there is no point in getting excited over it.
The combox is open on this site and I like it that way. People can, for the most part, say whatever they want. It would be nice if every once in a while somebody cared about what I actually wrote.
February 9, 2009 at 3:36 pm
“It would be nice if every once in a while somebody cared about what I actually wrote.”
If indeed you meant what you wrote as I understand it,you wrote about the importance of the exact meaning of words. The word being tossed about in this case is “hope.” The example used by the Cardinal is misplaced. Obama does not speak of hope in the theological sense, but in a political agenda. We look to a human being to solve our problems for us, even when we should be looking to ourselves. Or to God. Using a buzzword ripped from the headlines is a desperate attempt to appear relevant. It would not have been that difficult to leave the meaning of the word better than it was found.
February 9, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Of all the virtues, three cannot be attained by man alone: Faith, Hope, and Charity. That is why they are called the Theological Virtues. An atheist, a pederast, a garden variety sinner can attain virtues–prudence, fortitude, wisdom, even piety–but, without the grace of God, no one gets Faith, Hope, or Love.
Funny, of all of the virtues out there, Obama struck on a Theological Virture to be his gift to America. This is why Obama’s promise of Hope is frighteneing–Hope is not his to dispense, unless he is God…
Kate
February 9, 2009 at 6:40 pm
It is about perception. No matter what the Cardinal say or did not say, his reference to Obama’s initiative gives an appearance that gives the impression that Obama’s programs are blessed from a spiritual aspect. And that is not true.
Archbishop Chaput was clearer in
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15019
February 9, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I just saw a post by BHO. Sir, may I ask, “Now that you’re president, are you in the right pay grade to answer or understand when life begins?”
February 9, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I guess I’m really at a loss here. HOW ON THIS GREEN EARTH can yet still MORE abuse have been going on from 2002 – 2005 when everything was hitting the fan??? GEEZE! It makes me want to turn over tables.
I am not blaming the Cardinal for the abuse of some wayward scoundrel in priests clothes (and unfortunately, we all know there are far too many of them wondering around these days), but I just want to know who is on watch. O tompora! o mores!
The one thing I think we can rightly fault the Archbishop is the fact that St Sabinas parish (o, excuse me, “faith based community”) still has Pfleger at the helm.
For those here who aren’t aware, the primary duty of the Inquisition was to seek out and punish abusive priests and clergy (or those pretending to be). When you hear about all those people being burnt at the stake, those were the majority of them. And I say it’s high time to get out the flint-stones. Apparently that’s the only thing these demonics understand.