I've never been able to understand why people want to affiliate themselves with the Catholic Church when they also work so hard to undermine its teachings. It must be a "have your cake and eat it too" kind of thing.

I'd respect the Church a bit more if they were equally upset about politicians who are outspoken supporters of the death penalty and the Iraq War, despite being "pro life."

Dave, the right to life is extinguished by birth.

Dave, I actually think the Church is as outspoken about those issues on a macro scale -- death penalty, assisted suicide, war, famine, genocide and slavery are topics that come up frequently in sermons across the Archdiocese, and also in new bulletins, vigils, press releases, memorials, etc. There are many dozens of ways in which they do publicize those efforts.

I've found that it's only when the topic of abortion comes up, though, that it hits the mainstream news. You can't blame the Church for that, it just doesn't have the same appeal to the media.

...the Church is as outspoken about those issues on a macro scale -- death penalty, assisted suicide, war, famine, genocide and slavery are topics that come up frequently in sermons across the Archdiocese, and also in new bulletins, vigils, press releases, memorials, etc... I've found that it's only when the topic of abortion comes up, though, that it hits the mainstream news.

Huh, I guess I've missed all the times that the Roman Catholic Church threatened to excommunicate or withhold communion from people who didn't tow the doctrinal line about, say, the death penalty, war, and famine. Could it be that there is NO doctrinal line on those issues? I'm unaware that the Roman Catholic Church has apologized to all the folks whom it murdered during the Inquisition, say, let alone taken a stand against the death penalty (at least in the US). And the Church is (in)famous for tortured rationalizations for so-called "just war".

Where does Vlazny get off criticizing anyone.

Let's see,
1. protect pedophile priests
2. sacrifice the children of your "flock"
3. Bankrupt your archdiocese and almost lose churches that really belong to the parishoners,
4. Defend Levata and George who proceeded you in protecting pedophile priests.

Dosesn't sound like any shepherd I ever heard of. In fact you might even say his attitudes cruel, even in-humane.

We need a good women archbishop to run the Portland Archdiocese, not an out-of-touch, out-of-date relic from the old school of the establishment catholic hierarchy.

Do us all a favor and resign John

Your fond admirer , Joe

Yo, Joe...

He should talk.

Oh...There are lots of Catholics who like the atmosphere but hate the dogma. For some time, I've been fully expecting the American wing of the Roman church to go schizmatic. I know more lapsed Catholics than I do practicing ones, largely because they are unhappy with the heirarchy and the heirarchy's outdated and venal doctrine.

Oh...Cardinal Vlazny? If you don't want an abortion, don't have one.

Oh, wait...you already aborted your principles. Too bad.

Sorry to be so late to this thread, but to help joel dan walls be less "unaware", here is the Catholic Church's teaching on: (i) the death penalty, see Paragrah 2267, (ii) war, see Paragraphs 2307-2317, (iii) famine, see Paragraph 2269, all here http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c2a5.htm#2267

As for the Church's apologies, I believe this occurred most recently back in late 1999 and early 2000; see here http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000307_memory-reconc-itc_en.html
and here http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0003/12/sm.06.html, for starters.

Peace all.