A tale of two bishops – The Boston Globe

“After quite a few makes an attempt to talk together with her to assist her perceive the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is inflicting, and the hazard to her personal soul she is risking, I’ve decided that the purpose has come by which I have to make a public declaration that she is to not be admitted to Holy Communion until and till she publicly repudiate her help for abortion ‘rights’ and confess and obtain absolution for her cooperation on this evil within the sacrament of Penance,” Cordileone wrote in explaining his choice.

That’s wealthy. A Catholic archbishop accusing somebody of inflicting scandal.

4 years in the past, Cordileone took half in a gathering of bishops concerning the persevering with fallout from the bishop-led coverup of sexual abuse in opposition to younger folks by monks.

“We’ve heard how vital it’s to hearken to our folks,” he mentioned on the time. “I’ve held listening classes in my very own archdiocese.”

Listening, in fact, is the minimal response to the folks clergy abused, typically provided by those that barely hear in any respect. Penitence, and reparation, are tougher and rarer.

There isn’t any proof that Cordileone is listening to his folks concerning the observe of denying communion to politicians who help abortion rights. Polls present {that a} majority of Catholics help authorized abortion.

Taking part in to a budget seats, Cordileone is defying the needs of not simply his flock however his boss, Pope Francis, who has made it clear he doesn’t need to weaponize the Eucharist. Final yr, the pope suggested his American bishops in opposition to approving a coverage that will have denied communion to President Biden due to his help of abortion rights.

“What ought to a shepherd do?” the pope requested. “Be a shepherd and never going round condemning or not condemning. They should be a shepherd with God’s model. And God’s model is closeness, compassion and tenderness.”

Apparently, Cordileone didn’t get the memo.

Nonetheless ready for a bishop to ship a letter to a Catholic lawmaker barring them from receiving communion as a result of they help the dying penalty, which the church condemns as an assault on human dignity. Having been subjected to execution himself, Jesus Christ presumably wouldn’t be a giant fan of capital punishment.

Distinction Cordileone’s actions with O’Malley’s response to the trustworthy of St. Brendan. The pastor at St. Brendan, the Rev. Chris Palladino, had really useful to O’Malley that the church be closed, citing declining attendance and $1.6 million in wanted repairs. Father Palladino had introduced there can be no extra providers at St. Brendan after Could 31.

However O’Malley listened to a gaggle of parishioners who mentioned they hadn’t been given an opportunity to avoid wasting their church. He ordered Palladino to maintain the church open and requested a working group that can embody parishioners to give you a monetary plan by Sept. 30.

“It’s my hope that this extra time for parish planning will result in consensus concerning the perfect choices which are possible and may be sustained,” O’Malley wrote to parishioners.

Noreen Kelley, who like her grandmother and mom earlier than her, has sat in the identical pew at St. Brendan her entire life, was one of many parishioners who wrote to O’Malley, begging him to present them an opportunity to avoid wasting their church.

When she discovered that O’Malley had given them that likelihood, she cried.

“It feels so good to be heard, to be listened to,” Kelley mentioned. “He’s giving us a shot.”

The archbishop of Boston confirmed the great folks at St. Brendan one thing the finger-wagging, judgmental archbishop of San Francisco doesn’t perceive: respect.

Kevin Cullen is a Globe columnist. He may be reached at kevin.cullen@globe.com.