Mallon's Media Watch

Posted 9:27 PM by John Mallon | link

Emily Stimpson made this post last week and it mirrors my feelings having been away from the blogging scene. Except that I was away in Dallas at the bishops' meeting. There's part of me that wants to pile on the bishops over all they didn't do, as it seems many of my fellow bloggers are doing.

Frankly, because I saw a lot of grace there that the cameras did not see. There were secular journalists, print and TV, who were deeply touched by the sight of the bishops' public apology. There may well be some conversions coming out of this. I also spoke with many of the bishops and you could see the humiliation and sorrow on their faces. I saw many red eyed bishops, and I don't know if it was from exaustion or tears. Or both.

I was also blessed to go to adoration in the hotel function room the bishops used. I went at about ten till midninght and scattered in the room were numerous bishops and several cardinals, including Law, George and Bevelaqua. I left about 12:10 and they were all still there.

I hope you can all understand why I'm disinclined to engage in bishop bashing after witnessing this. I also witnessed a bishop, accused of shifting preditor priests around embrace David Clohessy of SNAP near tears repeating over and over again, "You have no idea how grateful I am to you; you have no idea how grateful I am to you."

The bishops I saw were all very humbled and with contrite hearts, at at this moment anyway, I don't think this is something we ought to spurn. "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." Clohessy himself asked the victims to suspend judgement.

I was even able to greet my old friend, Cardinal Law, with an embrace. I held him by the shoulders and said, "How're you doing? You're really getting beat up, aren't you?" To do this with a friend does not imply approval of what was done, but concern for someone deeply humiliated by the harm his actions permitted. I know Geoghan's victims, and but for the grace of God could have been one. That doesn't rule out compassion for the cardinal, as well as the victims. There are no winners here in the tragedy, but there is victory for all of us who are having our Church scoured out.

As for all they didn't address, it is not lost on them. Bishop Bruskewitz and Cardinal George spoke of dissent and the homosexuality question, and it was agreed that the document would be revisited and adjusted every two years. I for one have no intention of letting those two issues die.

I attended the meeting as an informal advisor to Governor Keating in adddition to being a journalist. Unlike Rod Dreher, I was able to get in despite the fact it was too late to get press credentials. This was because I was a member of the Governor's party. I didn't know I was even going until the Tuesday before, after a meeting with the Governor. To me it was providential. I wanted to go but made no attempt until I received this invitation.

Governor Keating is a no nonsense guy, not in awe of bishops, and will tolerate very little nonsense. I say give the bishops a chance before piling on.

So to add to Emiliy's post, EWTN maybe didn't show the hearts of the bishops, but I saw them up close.

Here is Emily's post of last week.

A Word Of Caution

After five days away from the blog circuit, I’m a little overwhelmed by everything I’m reading. It seems like everyone, bloggers, pundits, readers, are all getting their scorecards ready for this week’s conference in Dallas. Everyone’s got their own criteria for what will and will not make this conference a success: tougher policies, confessions of wrong doing, dialoging on various disciplines and doctrines, etc.

But as anticipation builds, I think we’re forgetting that this isn’t a political convention – it’s an assembly of God’s shepherds, and the implications of that difference are enormous.

Every last bishop on the floor can say all the right words and cast all the right votes, without any real and lasting good being done. They can stand before the cameras weeping, crying "mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa," without any real inner transformation taking place. They can pass policies that satisfy even the harshest of critics, without doing one pleasing thing in the eyes of the Lord.

The most important things that happen in Dallas, the things that God cares about the most, will not happen on TV. EWTN cannot show us the hearts of the bishops or of the victims who will attend the meeting. The television cameras won’t be present during the hours of quiet private prayer. We won’t hear the confessions these men make before God. We won’t see the rekindling of the Holy Spirit in their souls. We won’t know if one simple act of courtesy by a bishop will start the renewal of faith in the life of a victim.

We need to remember that the Holy Spirit is the one in charge of making sure this conference blesses the Body. And frustrating as it may be, He does not always work in ways that make sense to us or that we can easily and quickly evaluate.

Posted by Emily Stimpson, June 11, 12:08 PM

Amen, Emily.

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