Stephen J. Fichter, Thomas P. Gaunt, Catherine Hoegeman, and Paul M. Perl
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- February 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190920289
- eISBN:
- 9780190920319
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190920289.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter discusses Catholic bishops speaking out on issues of the day. Catholic Church teaching and tradition yields “conservative” positions on issues such as abortion and physician-assisted ...
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This chapter discusses Catholic bishops speaking out on issues of the day. Catholic Church teaching and tradition yields “conservative” positions on issues such as abortion and physician-assisted suicide and “liberal” positions on issues such as immigration, capital punishment, and assistance to the poor. Survey data finds that bishops tend to write more frequently about the Church’s pro-life teachings than its “liberal” social teachings. Most bishops say they ask Catholics to consider Catholic teachings when voting for candidates. Most bishops agree that the clergy sexual abuse scandal has made it more difficult for them to present or defend Catholic teaching in their diocese. This is especially the case in dioceses where the scandal has received more media coverage. In general, bishops say that criticism in the media is a greater problem for them in more secularized areas of the country.Less
This chapter discusses Catholic bishops speaking out on issues of the day. Catholic Church teaching and tradition yields “conservative” positions on issues such as abortion and physician-assisted suicide and “liberal” positions on issues such as immigration, capital punishment, and assistance to the poor. Survey data finds that bishops tend to write more frequently about the Church’s pro-life teachings than its “liberal” social teachings. Most bishops say they ask Catholics to consider Catholic teachings when voting for candidates. Most bishops agree that the clergy sexual abuse scandal has made it more difficult for them to present or defend Catholic teaching in their diocese. This is especially the case in dioceses where the scandal has received more media coverage. In general, bishops say that criticism in the media is a greater problem for them in more secularized areas of the country.
Stephen J. Fichter, Thomas P. Gaunt, Catherine Hoegeman, and Paul M. Perl
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- February 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190920289
- eISBN:
- 9780190920319
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190920289.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
During the past 30 years the Catholic bishops of the United States have captured the national headlines with their statements on nuclear disarmament and economic justice, their struggles to address ...
More
During the past 30 years the Catholic bishops of the United States have captured the national headlines with their statements on nuclear disarmament and economic justice, their struggles to address sexual abuse by clergy, their concerns about abortion and religious freedom, and their defense of refugees and immigrants. The nearly 200 bishops leading local dioceses, though, are a varied mix of Church leaders. In 2016 all of the bishops were surveyed with an eye to better understanding who are the bishops as individuals (their background, education, and experiences), what are their day-to-day activities, their challenges and satisfactions as Church leaders, how they manage their dioceses, and how they speak out on public issues. The data are enriched by frequent quotes and anecdotes from the interviewed bishops. During the past 25 years the Church has gone from Pope John Paul II to Benedict XVI to Pope Francis, and the Catholic Church in the United States, along with its bishops, are dramatically different. The bishops of the United States have had their leadership tested by the sex abuse scandals, the movement of Catholics from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West, and the arrival of more Catholic immigrants than they have seen in a century along with the ongoing decline in the number of priests and sisters serving the Catholic community. This book provides a unique and comprehensive view of who the bishops are, where they are from, and how they are leading the Church in the United States in the era of Pope Francis.Less
During the past 30 years the Catholic bishops of the United States have captured the national headlines with their statements on nuclear disarmament and economic justice, their struggles to address sexual abuse by clergy, their concerns about abortion and religious freedom, and their defense of refugees and immigrants. The nearly 200 bishops leading local dioceses, though, are a varied mix of Church leaders. In 2016 all of the bishops were surveyed with an eye to better understanding who are the bishops as individuals (their background, education, and experiences), what are their day-to-day activities, their challenges and satisfactions as Church leaders, how they manage their dioceses, and how they speak out on public issues. The data are enriched by frequent quotes and anecdotes from the interviewed bishops. During the past 25 years the Church has gone from Pope John Paul II to Benedict XVI to Pope Francis, and the Catholic Church in the United States, along with its bishops, are dramatically different. The bishops of the United States have had their leadership tested by the sex abuse scandals, the movement of Catholics from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West, and the arrival of more Catholic immigrants than they have seen in a century along with the ongoing decline in the number of priests and sisters serving the Catholic community. This book provides a unique and comprehensive view of who the bishops are, where they are from, and how they are leading the Church in the United States in the era of Pope Francis.
