A religious holiday is no excuse for Fox to pass up the chance to exploit a guest for partisan, divisive purposes - even if he is an archbishop!
On today’s Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace interviewed Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, ostensibly to discuss Pope Francis and his impact. But at about 6:35, Wallace pivoted to ObamaCare. It just so happens that Wuerl is part of a lawsuit challenging the contraception mandate. What a coincidence!
Check out how Wallace focused specifically on President Obama and sympathetically highlighted Wuerl's position. From the Fox News Sunday transcript with some corrections and my emphases:
WALLACE: You are part of a lawsuit that the Court of Appeals here in Washington will hear next month on the birth control mandate for ObamaCare. Now, under the law, the exemptions, the church proper is exempt, but you say that’s not enough. What is it that President Obama is missing?
WUERL: At the heart of our lawsuit is the constitutional issue. We have said all along that it is not the role of any administration, any government to tell us what is our ministry. We’ve said all along our identity and our ministry are one. When we listen to Matthew’s Gospel to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, that’s part of the gospel just like “Do this in memory of me” is. So, it’s not up to the government to say these are the things that are Catholic Church and these are the things that aren’t. And that’s why we’re ...
WALLACE: When they’re talking about a Catholic hospital or a Catholic school, even if they have non-Catholic workers, you’re saying, no, that is still part of the ministry.
WUERL: Because here, in the district, for example, in our Catholic schools in the inner city, the largest percentage of them are not Catholic. We’re educating them because that’s our responsibility as Catholics to educate, to help people get ahead in life. They don’t have to become Catholic to come to our schools. But as we've said all along, we do it not because they’re Catholic. We do it because we’re Catholic. But we don’t want the president to say if you’re going to do this, this is the way you must do it.
If Jesus Christ returned to earth, can there be any doubt that Fox’s first priority would be to find a way to describe him as hating President Obama, ObamaCare, Democrats and MSNBC – probably because of Benghazi?
Raised a Catholic, I became thoroughly disgusted by the unwillingness of the likes of him (and Dolan) to talk the talk of the very Church they claim to represent. But we now have an alternative in the Pope, himself, who is speaking out very forcefully against the lovers of wealth and power, especially within the Church. To the delight of onlookers, he’s already sent recalcitrant but influential clerics back to outlying parishes. I would like the Pope to open up more on social issues like divorce and homosexuality but his positions on socio-economic issues are in perfect harmony with the teachings of Christ. Some clerics who prefer to remain unnamed are calling him a …. Socialist! A Communist! Pope Francis beams happily back at those accusations and true Christians of all denominations are cheering.
The Pope is speaking out almost every week against practically every category that claims to further the cause of the Church while lining their own pockets and living in luxury. Cardinal Bertone, formerly Secretary of State, will probably have to move to spend his last years in more modest quarters within the Vatican or … perhaps even in a retirement home where he’ll have only his bedroom to call his own. Oh, wouldn’t that be loverly? And he wasn’t one of the worst ones, either.
The hierarchy is, of course, not pleased (I can hear Dolan’s teeth grinding from here) but the faithful are delighted and no longer willing to remain silent while their leaders violate the fundamental teachings of Jesus. Interesting times, indeed. Hip.Hip.Hourrah for Pope Francis 1 (the very first Pope to choose that name).
Over here, we celebrate Easter Monday and everybody’s headed for the countryside for a picnic. Gotta go.
Buona Pasquetta a tutti.
Didn’t Jesus have something to say about “render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s?” I kind of think He’d be more than willing to accept the “Caesar” role the government plays with Obamacare and wouldn’t have much of a problem with expecting people of other faiths working for the Church (in what are essentially NOT ministry-related, no matter how much the religious right pretends) to be treated BY the Church the same way they would be treated by any other employer.
On a slightly snide note:
“Second Coming of Jesus Christ is imminent and will happen in our lifetime”—2000 years and counting.
Don’t you think it’s about time to give up the fantasy?
