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Gathering Liberal Catholics at Marquette

Marquette University’s “Gathering Points” lectures are “to provide opportunities for Catholics of all perspectives and backgrounds to prayerfully enrich their understanding and engage in substantive dialogue about Church issues.” Unfortunately, it looks like the next two Gathering Points lectures will be an opportunity for leading liberal Catholics to expound on why they disagree with the Pope and the bishops.

Coming to campus next week is Fr. Tom Reese, SJ, of Georgetown University’s Woodstock Theological Center. Fr. Reese was formerly the editor of the Jesuit magazine America, until the Society’s superiors in Rome forced him out at the Vatican’s behest. Fr. Reese is one of the most sought after pundits (“the regnant quotemeister”) in the nation by religion reporters, and he always provides a great quote for the Catholic left. Such as:

Interpreting the US bishops’ election-related statement on civic responsibility:
“Can a Catholic in good conscience vote for a candidate who is pro-choice?” said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. “What they are saying is, ‘Yes.’”

On Pope Benedict’s visit to America:
Reese, now a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University, says Catholic theologians are concerned that “the Vatican insists we continue to explain the gospel in the language of the 13th century.”

Regarding the ordination of homosexual persons to the priesthood:
“If someone is called to the priesthood by God but denied it by church officials, then it is not a violation of a human right; it is a violation of a divine right—the right of God to call whomever he chooses to the priesthood.”

The late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus often crossed swords with Fr. Reese. A brief taste from one such tangle:

The Jesuit father repeatedly blames the hierarchy of the Church, which he describes as “overanxious” and “authoritarian.” Appeal to authority on questions such as birth control, divorce, and female priests “did not satisfy an educated people who wanted to be convinced with arguments.” On those and other questions, one might note, the Jesuits have not been conspicuous in providing supportive arguments. The “creative ideas” of theologians were respected at the Second Vatican Council, he writes, but since then such theologians have been “attacked and silenced by the hierarchy.” As a result, he writes, theologians have been alienated. I expect that theologians comprise a very small portion of lapsed Catholics. “A secular comparison would be to see the church as a company where the management and research division were not on speaking terms. Would you invest in such a company?” Probably not, but, if the problem is that the research division is sabotaging the business the company is in, the answer might be to get a new research division.

In another instance, Fr. Richard dissected Fr. Reese’s thoughts on gay marriage. After Fr. Reese’s talk at Marquette, those who attend are encouraged to read this RNJ column.

Fr. Reese is one of the 26 signers of the statement in support of Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health & Human Services. (The statement is rebutted well by Fr. Arujo on the Mirror of Justice blog). Also signing the statement is the next Gathering Points lecturer at Marquette, already lined up for the fall – Lisa Sowle Cahill of the Boston College theology faculty.

Dr. Cahill was a member of Obama for America’s National Catholic Steering Committee (the Council may later have been dissolved). She also appeared in a Matthew 25 Network PAC video supporting his candidacy.

Looking at her policy positions, it’s no wonder she was such a big Obama-backer. She said that the kind of terrorism that happened on 9/11 is caused by economics, namely the oppression of the poor, as much as religion. Prof. Robert George reports that he was at a conference with Cahill, and when a panelist compared abortion to slavery, “Cahill said that African-Americans whose ancestors suffered the horrors of slavery could reasonably take offense at Hittinger’s comparing them to embryos.” She has written a book chapter defending some suicide and euthanasia on natural law principles. She writes that homosexual sex may be morally acceptable.

I suppose I should not be surprised that Marquette is bringing in two liberals for the “Gathering Points” lectures. But perhaps if Marquette is committed to a lecture series that includes “Catholics of all perspectives,” next year they can host George Weigel and Mary Ann Glendon!

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