Canadian "Catholic" Dissident Paper Banned from Diocese

The Catholic New Times newspaper is similar in many ways to the National unCatholic Reporter. Both publications continue to promote dissent and heterdoxy.

PEMBROKE, Ontario, April 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pembroke Bishop Richard Smith, the current President of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops, has banned the dissident Catholic New Times newspaper from parishes in his diocese. "I am hereby directing any parish that facilitates distribution of this newspaper to cease doing so immediately," wrote Bishop Smith in a letter to all pastors dated February 11.

The February edition of the 'Catholic New Times' "editorial comment contains views which are clearly at odds with the teaching of the church on faith and morals," Bishop Smith said. "In my judgement, it is not appropriate to have copies of this newspaper made available through our parishes, as this could be interpreted as diocesan approbation of its views."

Bishop Smith should be praised for his stance against those who would pervert the faith and teachings of the Church. More bishops should do this to 1) cause the conversions and repentance of those responsible for such scandalous publications, or 2) to be effective in reducing the publication's readership. Both goals, I believe, are highly laudable.

The Catholic New Times' decades long dissent from Catholic teaching on major issues such as abortion, same sex 'marriage' and a female priesthood, is not news, but it is a source of constant scandal to many laity and faithful clergy.

More here.