Our Concern is with 'man-made' rules, not doctrine...

Shut out of center

As a member of Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity, I am saddened by the response of Bishop Edward Braxton as to why FOSIL may not use the McCormick Center at the Cathedral in Belleville (as we have in the past) for our annual John XXIII lecture on Nov. 12. Ron Modras, our speaker, is on staff in the Theology Department at St. Louis University; he studied under then Cardinal Ratzinger.

The bishop stated "the parish could not host any group that questions/opposes ... the teachings of the church." We do not deny any essential church teaching. Our concern is with the man-made rules such as mandated celibacy, no ordination of women, and lack of lay participation in many areas.

FOSIL has tried to meet with Braxton to discuss who we are and what we are about, but he refuses to meet. His predecessor, Bishop Wilton Gregory, met with several members of FOSIL every few months. He must have deemed our mission in accordance with church teaching because he never denied us use of Cathedral's facility. Is Bishop Gregory not orthodox?

Jeannine Warford
Belleville

Kudos should go to Bishop Braxton of Belleville for closing the door on another group of wayward children...

A number of thoughts come to mind as I read and re-read this letter. This assertion that "man-made' are irrelevant when it comes to one's Catholicism seems to permeate the thinking of so many of those who reject the Church. I notice this phrase being used much more often now since it was used extensively by the rebels of St. Stanislaus. Perhaps, I never paid much attention to it before, since it was coming from pseudo-Catholics.

It also seems a stretch to assume that because Bishop Gregory allowed them to spread their errors, Bishop Braxton should do likewise. Maybe Bishop Braxton understand the futility of trying to talk with those whose purpose is to cast doubt on Church teaching and sow dissent among the remaining Catholic faithful?

It makes me wonder, too, just what these people would define as "essential Church teaching."

While the 'FOSIL'ites may be prohibited from meeting on diocesan property, the Ursuline Motherhouse in Belleville has no problem with providing a meeting place for them to encourage each other in dissent. And the person responsible for the Diocesan Calendar apparently has no problem posting the dates and times of these meetings on the diocesan web site here.

I wonder, also, if the Usruline Sisters are being blessed with many new vocations?