Are Yon an Ostrich-Catholic ?rnIn the April 2, 2000 Our Sunday Visitor, a nationalrnCatholic paper, its Editor in Chief condemnedrnwhat he called the “smears* and “slanders” directedrnat Catholic priests, and his case-in-point was the nowfamousrnKansas City Star study on homosexuality andrnAIDS in the priesthood, the verdict of which was: *itrnappears that priests are dying of AIDS at a rate atrnleast four times that of the general U.S. population….”rnThe Editor in Chief, a layman, allowed thatrnsome priests are “troubled and troubling,” but added,rn”Is this so unusual?… If sin is no stranger to us, whyrndo we expect it to be a stranger to our priests?” Fine.rnBut we do expect our priests to be models of Catholicrnmorality — don’t we? Moreover, just as marriedrncouples take a vow of fidelity, priests take a vow ofrncelibacy, and just as adultery is no garden-varietyrnsin, neither is violating the vow of celibacy.rnThe Editor in Chief then described “arnnew ritual” he’s worked out: “When I amrnwont to criticize a priest for somethingrnhe has done or failed to do, 1 pray forrnhim instead.” Yes, we all need prayer,rnbut let’s say the Editor in Chief’s priestrnhas the kneelers ripped out and endorsesrnpre-marital sex, abortion forrnteenage girls, and same-sex “marriage.”rnJust pray? Or let’s sayrnthe Editor in Chief’s acolyternson is sodomized in the sac- y4.y?:-rnristy or his penitent daughterrnis raped in the Reconciliation Room. Just pray?rnNew Covenant is a Catholic spirituality magazine.rnIn its July 1997 issue, its Editor, a layman, informedrnhis readers of a “resolution” he made: “I willrnnot criticize the clergy,” adding “I’ll extend that promisernto others in the Church.” Turning a blind eye tornimmorality, dissent, and heresy — what kind of spiri-rn^^^gPSvt?» ^r.r.-r,mrntuality is this^rnAlas, granting priests immunity from criticism isrnall too common in the Church today, and it involvesrna misplaced piety. While the office of the priesthoodrnis above criticism, priests who drag the nobility ofrntheir calling through the mud are not. Indeed, it’s anrnunconscionable injustice to the office to let them getrnaway with their odious words or deeds.rnImagine if all Catholics were silent about abusernand treachery. Why, sexual predators in the priesthoodrnwould never have been exposed and wouldrnstill be mutilating the lives and even destroying thernfaith of fellow Catholics. And dissentersrnand heretics, who alreadyrncontrol many Catholic institutions,rnwould have virtuallyrnfree rein.rnIt was the unwillingness tornface and deal with the corruptionrnin the Church that gave us the ProtestantrnReformation, and, sadly, this seeno-rnevil mentality is once again plaguingrnthe Church.rnWe at the NEW OXFORD REVIEW,rna feisty orthodox Catholicrnmonthly magazine, are mounting anrnoffensive to restore moral andrndoctrinal integrity to the Church.rn>.-i.g:-.^^fg:-.-.y.-‘*.u We “belong in every loyalrnCatholic’s arsenal,” says Fr. JosephrnFessio. We have “cheek,” says Newsweek —rnand we’re also cheap (see below). If you’re a willfullyrnnaive ostrich-Catholic, you wouldn’t like us, sornjust put your head back in the sand. But if you wantrnto be part of the solution rather than part of the problem,rnsubscribe today!rn(Please allow 2 to 8 weeks for delivery of first issue.)rnSPECIAL DISCOUNT RATESrnD One-year subscription $14 (regularly $19)rnD One-year student, unemployed, or retiredrnperson’s subscription $12 (regularly $16)rnD Two-year subscription $23 (regularly $35)rnName (Please print or type)rnStreet Address or P.O. BoxrnCity State ZiprnFOR FIRST-TIME SUBSCRIBERSrnn One-year non-U.S. subscription US$24rn(regularly $29) Payment must be drawn in U.S. ttollars.rn• Sample copy $3.50rn•* Our prices are so low because you can’t pay by creditrncard and payment must accompany order. Send letter or thisrncoupon with check payable to NEW OXFORD REVIEW.rnMai to:rnNEW OXFORD REVIEWrnRoom 209rn1069 Kains Ave.rnBerkeley CA 94706 I rnrn