What would Jesus do?

After warning, family of autistic teen attends different church

The gist: Church of St. Joseph bans autistic teen from church and has received a restraining order against him. Arrest of mother was threatened if restraining order was violated. Mother considers violating restraining order, but decides to go to a neighboring community's Catholic church instead. They have no problem there.

I'm sure that's what Jesus would have done: file a restraining order.

In fairness, the accounts of the teen sound fairly disruptive. Some members of the church felt their safety was in danger, though that could have a lot to do with people not fully understanding autism. It sounds like the church did not even try to offer any accommodation to resolve these concerns beyond banning the kid when their tolerance ran out.

New sins list leaves some gaps

The Vatican released a list of new sins. They just want to make sure you know that "creating poverty" is not something Jesus would have endorsed, should you have been wondering.

Mark Moford writes about this development in the San Fransisco Chronicle and identifies some holes in the new list.

• Though shalt not kid thyself

Thanks to Haddayr for posting about this first.

Sexual politics and the Catholic Church

Two stories this week detail troubling incidents emanating out of Catholic schools. First, a woman was told she couldn't officiate a Catholic school boys basketball game because "women weren't allowed to be in positions of authority over men." The name of the school, incidentally, is St. Mary's.

I'm no expert on Catholic theology, but I did attend 11 years of old fashioned Catholic education, and this strikes me as a perversion of Catholic thought. Yes, the Catholics will probably be among the last to allow women to serve as full members of the clergy. Their rationale is that priests and bishops serve in the function of the Apostles and that Jesus didn't select any women Apostles. But the Church, as far as I know, has not in recent times asserted that women have a lesser role in non-clerical matters or within the family. Contrast that to the Southern Baptists. The Catholics just don't want a woman to bless the host because I guess that means no transubstantiation would occur due to the fact that Jesus was only talking to the male Apostles at the Last Supper. Perhaps realizing this, or worried about the growing media attention, the school clarified that it had nothing to do with women's authority over men, but some strange policy regarding keeping the sexes apart in the physical education setting during the adolescent years. (I guess my high school violated this policy, we had co-ed phy-ed.)

Second, in Minnesota, a young, unmarried Catholic school teacher was dismissed after she became pregnant. This type of hypocrisy drives me crazy. The teachings in the New Testament, as I understand them, surround about loving one's neighbor, forgiveness, and not judging. Furthermore, this sends a clear message: "You should be ashamed and banished if you become pregnant outside of marriage." How often do unmarried men in Catholic institutions get similar treatment if they father a child? The worst part is the message to other Catholics, particularly the kids in the school, that it is the better course of action in facing an unintended pregnancy to quietly get an abortion. Is that what the school officials wished this teacher had done? Because that is the message relayed. How many unmarried Catholics in that community will see that and realize that they will have to get an abortion if they get pregnant and wish to stay a part of the community?

I'm pro-choice. But if a religious group opposes abortion on moral grounds, fine. I just wish there would be some consistency in their positions and not demonize those who decide to continue the pregnancy.

News Topic: Bishops

Today's random news topic deals with bishops. All are from today's news. Some may be of more interest than others. (I know everyone will be clamoring for the last one.)

• Archbishop objects to Clinton appearance at Catholic university
• Winona bishop says cemetery vandalism may show 'satanic attitude'
• Not all political issues of equal value says Bishop DiMarzio
• Bishop doesn't want to rebuild West Deer church after fire
  
• Catholic radio show comes to Rockford, Ill.; bishop's show now Web accessible