Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Arizona Catholics Protest the 'Silencing' of Edwina Gateley

PHOENIX, Ariz. (National Catholic Reporter) – Catholics in Phoenix took out a paid advertisement in The Arizona Republic June 8 headlined “Catholic Women Will Not Be Silenced” to protest the treatment of popular Catholic speaker and writer Edwina Gateley by the Phoenix Diocese, which is led by Bishop Thomas Olmsted.

They also gathered 2,000 signatures on a petition they said they said would give to Bishop Olmsted.

Gateley was contracted to give a weeklong retreat to religious women at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., June 1-8, but in March diocesan officials informed her they would be taping her presentations to monitor whether her talks conformed to Catholic teaching.

Diocesan spokesman Jim Dywer said June 13 that the purpose of the taping was to avoid prejudging Gateley. “We had heard that she had a reputation for giving statements that are antithetical to Catholic teaching. ... [But] we didn’t want to prejudge it. So we just figured we would tape it ... to see if she really does what other people claim she does.”

Dwyer said, “She balked at that, which is her right, but she decided to withdraw. Nobody here silenced her.”
Not to worry, though, for the group of malcontents, Call to Action, is on the case...What more could an unfaithful Catholic ask for?

Remember to pray for Bishop Olmsted.


No comments: