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LOCAL Commentary :: Protest Activity

Bad Beginning For Bishops in Chicago

Protests have dogged the Catholic Bishops conference in Chicago. Street critics challenge bishops on several fronts.
Protests have dogged the Catholic Bishops conference in Chicago.

First, the all-male hierarchy was taken to task by members of SNAP, the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests. SNAP criticized a modification of disciplinary procedures suggested by some bishops which would permit some pedophile priests to return to public ministry. Citing many lives impacted by priestly molestation, SNAP wants the zero tolerance policy maintained.

Then, on the official opening day of the quarterly conference, June 16, members of Gay Liberation Network (GLN) and the church-related Rainbow Sash Movement mounted a protest involving some 25 persons. Under a large banner proclaiming that "Opposing Equal Rights is BIGOTRY," protesters chanted, "Pray, pray, pray; We will still be gay," and "Gays and Lesbians Under Attack, What do We Do? Fight Back!" The bishops were condemned for seeking to impose one definition of marriage on the entire society, and of trying to change the subject from the priestly sex scandal.

In yet another assault on the bishops' sordid role in the pedophile scandal, a Coalition of Concerned Catholics named names in calling for 7 prelates to resign. Numbering some 50 protesters, a spokesman for this group condemned those bishops who had repeatedly transferred errant priests, but who have not been disciplined for their role in criminal behavior.
The coalition's flyer acknowledged that Boston's "Cardinal Bernard Law was forced to resign, but was then promoted to a high position in the Vatican!"

All protesting groups garnered lots of media attention.

All in all, it was a bad beginning for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, as its host, Cardinal Francis George, tried to put a smiley face on the proceedings. And there are still three more days for these robed reactionaries to run the gauntlet of negative commentary on their many assaults on human freedom.
 
 

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