Mrs. Pelosi and Scandal

Mrs. Pelosi and Scandal
Question

Judie,

I admire the work you do, however, I think your criticism of the Bishops regarding their treatment of the Pelosi affair is scandalous. We don’t need all 300+ bishops issuing statements because it would it would turn to a ludicrous situation. Mrs. Pelosi gave the bishops a perfect opportunity to teach Catholics and non-Catholics about the Church’s position on abortion and our bishops responded properly. The handful of statements issued were more than adequate.

Remember as Catholics we are obligated to treat Mrs. Pelosi in a charitable way and keep in mind how Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery – with mercy.

Let’s not forget that the responses to Mrs. Pelosi are a spiritual work of mercy – instruct the ignorant.
Answer by Judie Brown on 8/30/2008:

Dear Joe

Thank you for your views on Speaker Pelosi and the statements several Bishops made in order to clarify Church teaching. I am not quite sure how what I wrote in my opinion/commentary could be construed as a scandal.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains scandal as follows:

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."86 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing.87

Thanks for your comments, Joe.

Judie Brown

No comments:

Post a Comment