Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Divest Ourselves of DC Government Contracts

Apx. two weeks ago, an email notice was sent out from Bishop Knestout regarding the possible reduction in funding for DC homeless.

Now, there is nothing wrong with this and is always a laudible thing to do.

This week's Catholic Standard does give a bit more insight into this matter. You see, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington seems to have a contract with the city to run some of the homeless shelters.

Is this illegal? Nope. Immoral? Nope. Good policy? Nope.

I say that this is not good policy because once you begin to take money from the government, you not only have to abide by their rules (which may run counter to Catholic teaching) but more importantly, it makes you dependant upon them.

When there is a theat to them, we suddenly become very defensive and will do whatever it takes not to loose them. This is not the way it should be.

I encourage the Archdiocese to divest itself of all of these types of contracts.


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was surprised to see you had nothing concerning the obit for 48-year old “Catholic” Joseph Feuerherd, “National CATHOLIC Register’s”, editor-in-chief. According to “USA Today” the reason 53 million babies were killed in the U.S. during Feuerherd’s lifetime was because while he was opposed to the liberal killing of babies:

“in a Washington Post column, Feuerherd said he would vote for Barack Obama, "bishops be damned," after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved voter guidelines that cautioned against casting ballots for politicians who, like Obama, support abortion rights.
"To Catholics like me who oppose LIBERAL abortion laws but also think that other issues — war or peace, health care, just wages, immigration, affordable housing, torture — actually matter, the idea that abortion trumps everything, all the time, no matter what, is both bad religion and bad civics," Feuerherd wrote.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-05-27-Feuerherd_Catholic_obit_ST_N.htm

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/national-catholic-reporters-publisher-dies/

I was even more surprised to see that you had nothing on the column about four elderly VC II priests cruising public restrooms on their way to an Archbishop’s reception. Fancy slipping this into the Catholic Standard:

“Four priests carpooling on the way to a reception hosted by our Archbishop. At 60 years old, I was the youngest in the car. The others were aged 70, 74, and 75. Every twenty miles we had to stop. We planned our route around strategic pit stops, seeking the relief that plumbing can offer…”
Or so he says before giving a tour of the priestly soul: Old. Worried about retirement (not death, judgment, heaven, hell, but how to manage on $2000+ a month without a rectory thrown in). Hasn’t saved much (he’s talking money (despite receiving full salary to 75, but don’t suppose many souls either). Angry never got the choice assignments or made monsignor. No time to read (that’s why doesn’t know the Bible). Realistic about but discouraged by the inability of the lay priesthood “to color inside the lines” or to pass kindergarten (he’s not a rule enforcer, but a relationship builder). A great temporal building manager who keeps the light on and the door open while the sheep wander to and fro. Views VC II as a defining faith “moment”(exact quote) and the changes of the last half century as basically good (abortion, euthanasia, divorce, illegitmacy, destination marriages, porn, drugs, tattoos, gay marriage, what's basically bad about that?). In dialogue with culture (the world), not at war with it (not saving souls, but in dialogue with “the culture” – My kingdom is not of this world. You are in the world but not of it. We are not at war with flesh and blood but with principalities and dominions). “Have a healthy awareness” of the sins and failings caused by the sex scandals (note that word “healthy”). Tired because (wait for it) have four or five Sunday MASSES. [So these priests can hold their water for an hour?]

That's the end, but for this:
“Next year, if we are all still around, I hope we car pool again. That ride was the highlight of my evening. Four old friends, on a road trip through life. BUT NEXT TIME WE SHOULD PLAN A FEW MORE PIT STOPS. After all, it is the “Flomax express.””

Flomax or Viagra? Masses tire him out, but he can’t get enough of public toilets.

http://www.sjvc.us/ParishDiary/FlomaxExpress.htm

A WASHINGTONDC CATHOLIC said...

To Anon:

First, thank you for reading my humble writings.

Yes, I did not include anything about Joseph Feuerhard and the CNS article in the Standard. And you know the reason why? Time. Simply did not have time to put something together on it. Have to make some choices.

Now, on the "Flomax" express. Having read the writings of the author over the last few years, my gut feelings is that he was trying to make a point about the increasing average age of priests. He may be using "potty" humor used to get his point across, but I don't think it has anything to do with crusing bathrooms. I think you are reading too much into it.

Anonymous said...

It occurred to me that these pit stops might be bars - and the relief they were seeking was the kind alcohol has to offer... Certainly it does not make sense that he wants to stop at a few more public toilets next year (a pilgrimage of public toilets) -- but that's what he says.

In reading this and contemplating the spirtitual wasteland (or should I say vacuum of VCII priesthood), I also thought of this quote from John, since this is the season of "annoying" water (as my VC priest put it at last Sunday's (Feast of Pentecost) mass):

"And on the last, and great day of the festivity, Jesus stood and cried, saying: If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believes in me, as the scripture says: Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
John 7:37-38

During Lent I was doing a Stations of the Cross that said something like "help me to pour out my love so that I can be filled with your love," and I had this vision of my love as being this little bit of rusty residue at the bottom of a tin cup. While reading this column, I thought of these priests always thinking they have to go and producing nothing but a few drops of uric acid bitter as gall.

Seems a fitting punishment for what they've done to the lost and starving flock - a good shepherd goes after his sheep, he lays down his life for his sheep, but a hireling who works for a rectory and $2000 a month retirement...
uric acid bitter as gall.