A Jesuit in Honduras announced today that the Catholic Church has “lost all credibility” because it doesn’t support the Hugo Chavez wanna-be Manuel Zelaya’s return as President.
Well, there goes 2,000 years of what we’d have to call a pretty good run for the Catholic Church. Last one out of the Vatican, be sure to turn off all the lights.
Well, before we completely shut down Catholicism let’s check out what the good Jesuit is saying in the news piece.
The biased lede of this story from Reuters is pretty laughable as it adopts a point of view that says the Church has really blown it this time.
Honduras’ powerful Roman Catholic Church has backed the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya, surrendering a chance to be an impartial mediator because it would rather take sides in order to counter the influence of Venezuela’s leftist president, Hugo Chavez.
This is not an opinion piece. This is supposed to be news. It didn’t even do the old trick of formulating some bombastic accusation and ascribing it to someone.
It becomes clearer later, however, whose opinion the journalist is parroting. Psst…it’s the aforementioned Jesuit.
The piece continues:
Leaders of the Catholic Church, which polls show is the most respected institution in the conservative Central American country, have backed the ouster and thrown their weight behind the interim government installed by the Honduran Congress…
Ismael Moreno, a Jesuit priest and radio commentator who is not part of the hierarchy, put it more bluntly. “The Church has lost all ability to mediate,” he said. “It has lost all credibility.”
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga has said Zelaya’s ouster was justified due to his unconstitutional power grab. Cardinal Rodriguez, however, did oppose Zelaya’s expulsion from the country.
Hardly, a radical stance, I’d think. Fr. Ismael Moreno has been less moderate, I think it’s safe to say.
I know that political fights can get ugly and passions run high but we should hesitate before saying the Church has lost all credibility because you disagree with a political stance of a Cardinal.
So, I guess, Catholicism can limp on from this grievous blow after all. Somehow.
July 16, 2009 at 11:28 pm
A Jesuit talking about who has losing all credibility is like an Episcopalian talking about who has lost all legitimacy.
July 17, 2009 at 12:03 am
You specify "Jesuit" four times (before you ever mention his name). An ax to grind have we?
July 17, 2009 at 12:44 am
Yes. I'm the problem here.
July 17, 2009 at 1:48 am
Just in from Reuters: "Troll: Catholic Blogger Has Lost All Credibility"
A troll in the blogosphere announced today that a Catholic blogger from New Jersey has "lost all credibility" because he specified "Jesuit" four times before mentioning his name. 'If only the trolls couldn't read and count,' lamented the Catholic blogger….
July 17, 2009 at 3:13 am
The issue isn't the credibility of the blogger – By framing the news in such a way as to indict a "Jesuit, Jesuit in Honduras, good Jesuit, and aforementioned Jesuit," you imply that the man's order is more an issue than his identity otherwise.
***
I just did some research (perusing all your entries tagged "Jesuits"), and found that it seems you really just don't like Jesuits much. It really seems like you've got some ire there. Is this the case? Why all the vitriol?
July 17, 2009 at 4:36 am
I did some MORE research (perusing all your entries with any tag) and realized you don't write about Jesuits every week, let alone every post. And according to your posts, you don't eat live kittens, either.
Boy! is my face red! I apologize profusely.
July 17, 2009 at 4:52 am
Anonymous posting has its drawbacks. 🙂
Matthew, that's a class in trolling right there: anonymous, but asking you to explain your personal feelings; using loaded words like "ire" and "vitriol"; applying the term "research" to a procedure that even a nonrobotic monkey could do, etc.
On the other hand, regular readers know that Capuchins incur your wrath. Sure, they feed and cloth the poor, but that's just a ruse to hide their army of caffeine-addicted monkeys.
July 17, 2009 at 4:53 am
Yes, congrats, Anony, you just cracked the new Da Vinci code. Matt doesn't like the Jesuits that water down Catholic teachings and morals. My world is devastated.
Whelp! Time for plan "B": Have a sex change and then marry a Lesbian priest. Everyone, please in lieu of gifts, fund an abortion.
In unrelated news, you rock LarryD. Hi-larious.
July 17, 2009 at 5:33 am
This is anon @ 6:28 (not to be confused with the other(s) here). As someone who was "educated" for 4 years by the Jesuits, I can say they have lost all credibility at being Catholic. Yes, there are good Catholics who happen to be Jesuits. But one really has to wonder why they would choose that order.
July 17, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I agree the Jesuits are a disgrace at this point. It is unfortunate that such a heroic historic order has gone the way of the dinosaur.
It is a wonder to me why this order is not suppressed.
July 17, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Call me Ismael!!! A Jesuit saying the Church should back a Chavez thug!!! St. Ignatius must be banging his head against the wall in Heaven for the last 50 years.
July 17, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Georgetown is a Jesuit Univeristy… need I say more.
Now everyone is saying… Georgetown is Catholic… what?!?!
July 18, 2009 at 12:49 pm
The fruit of Liberation Theology, not Ignatian Spirituality
July 18, 2009 at 2:49 pm
The Church is like a walking person. One step is firmly anchored on a established position while the other steps into unchartered territory. The Jesuits are like that forward step that ends up tripping mines or stepping on poop at times. I admire those who take personal risks for the sake of the community and truth and many of those are Jesuits. Other SJs persist in error because like Lucifer they've become too bright and need to wear shades.
July 18, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Church: Jesuits Have Lost All Credibility