From the Catholic Courier:
State’s bishops to honor Bishop Emeritus Clark
Bishop Emeritus Matthew H. Clark will receive the John Cardinal O’Connor Award for Extraordinary Service, in honor of his years of commitment to the public-policy agenda of the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s bishops in matters of public policy.
Bishop Clark also will be recognized for his pastoral service, having served more than 50 years in the priesthood, and his 33 years as Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester.
The award will be presented by Bishop Clark’s close friend, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany [These two men are attached at the hip (along with Fr. Tom Powers)], at the end of the annual Catholics at the Capitol Mass at 1:30 p.m. March 20 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany. Bishop Clark also will deliver the homily at the Mass.
In its announcement of the honor, the Catholic conference cited Bishop Clark’s commitment of expanded participation of the laity, particularly women, in the life of the church. It also cited his promotion of Catholic social teaching, the diocesan expansion of Catholic Charities, and his defense of church positions on matters of human life [Really?], including opposition to abortion and capital punishment, and family life, including the traditional understanding of marriage [REALLY??].
Pope Benedict XVI has already honored Bp. Clark by accepting Clark’s resignation the moment he returned from summer vacation.
Tags: Bishop Clark, Keeping the Spirit Alive, Progressive Drivel
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It just shows how low are the expectations of other Bishops for themselves. Who knew you could get an award for sitting in a chair for over 30 years?
Yea. Say a very rare occasional statement about the sanctity of life But don’t ( and please correct me if I am wrone)
1. Never personally bless all the pro lifers going to Washington Dc for the march of life.
2. Never pesonally thank those high school students fron Mc Quaid who would pray in front of an abortion clinic.
3. Suppress Fr. Muggavero for his pro life actions.
4. Never pray in front of an abortion clinic.
5. Never order your diocese, you are in charge of, to donate to the Woman’s Care Center.
6. Allow people like Hillary Clinton to speak within a Catholic Church and then never read the offending priest the riot act.
7. I am sure there are others who have many more offending actions.
I’m just thankful the winter has passed. Let them have their dishonest score-keeping.
Regarding the homosexual issue, the complaints about him inviting homosexuals to mass and failing to ask them to repent. I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Jesus said go and sin no more, but didn’t the sinner come to Jesus and were they not in a public place where sinners of all kinds gathered? Possibly Bishop Matt feels it would be counterproductive to invite a group of homosexuals to show them that Jesus loves them and then tell them what sinners they are. Possibly the bishop feels it is God’s duty to speak to them personally and that his duty, as a man, not Jesus, was to bring them to God. Isn’t there anything that the bishop did to deserve praise?
Good thought Sallyane but Jesus also said” Go forth and teach the gospel to all nations” That implies that shepherds need to proclaim the gospel. How many thousands of clerics lost their lives for preaching.
If I were a practicing homosexual , invited to mass, and nothing was said about my lifestyle, I might assume that nothing was wrong and my lifestyle was being affirmed. And hearing what was going on at mass such as “kissing” there would be nothing there to think the opposite.
Possibly Bishop Matt feels it would be counterproductive
Let me make an analogy using Evangelium Vitae on abortion. EV says that it is ok for a politician to support incremental legislation–meaning legislation that doesn’t ban abortion altogether, but limits abortion for the time being. The kicker is that this is only permissible if the politician’s “absolute personal opposition to procured abortion was well known.”
We can apply the guiding principle of this to homosexuality. Thus, ministries for homosexuals are ok. Homosexuals coming to Mass is ok. In fact, if they have repented, been absolved, and are not in a same-sex “marriage”, they may take communion.* But this is only acceptable if the people in charge of the ministry (either directly or giving approval like a bishop in a diocese) are absolutely opposed to homosexual acts and same-sex “marriage” and that that opposition is well known.
Sadly, Bishop Clark’s opposition is not only not well known, there is sufficient evidence that he is in favor of them (See the diocesan banishing of a true ministry like Courage from the diocese whereas a false one like Fortunate Families gets support among other things.) which means his ministry is a false ministry.
Isn’t there anything that the bishop did to deserve praise?
I have seen this blog praise Bp. Clark. It is a rare thing, but it has happened.
*(As an aside, there shouldn’t be so-called “Gay” or “LGBT” Masses in the same way there shouldn’t be alcoholic’s Masses or Thieves’ Masses).