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The difficulty of COVID-19 vaccines and homosexuality as a potential connection to the clergy sex-abuse scandal are talked about, however by no means elaborated on. They’re meant to make Broglio seem excessive in comparison with most American Catholics. As all the time, it helps to hunt statistics on the beliefs of frequent Mass attenders, versus “American Catholics” generally.
The Related Press took a extra impartial tone. The story — underneath the headline “U.S. Catholic bishops elect Timothy Broglio as new president” — started this manner:
BALTIMORE — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Army Companies, who oversees Catholic ministries to the U.S. armed forces, was elected … as the brand new president of the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops.
Broglio, 70, was elected to a three-year time period from a area of 10 candidates. He’ll succeed Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who assumed the put up in 2019.
The archbishop of Baltimore, William Lori, was elected because the convention’s new vp.
Normally the election of a brand new USCCB leaders is a formality, with the bishops elevating the convention’s vp to the put up. However this 12 months’s election was extensive open as a result of the incumbent VP — Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron — will flip 75 quickly, making him ineligible to serve.
The ten candidates ranged from the comparatively reasonable Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, a staunch conservative. Cordileone made headlines this 12 months by barring Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Franciscan, from receiving Communion within the archdiocese due to her help for abortion rights.
The candidates had been nominated by their fellow bishops, who bypassed a number of of their colleagues who’ve been elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis.
The second half of the story options two individuals — one on the Catholic doctrinal left and the opposite of the suitable — to flush out the problems.
Whereas Broglio was not thought of as hardline a conservative as a number of different candidates, his election was not welcomed by some left-of-center Catholics who empathize with Pope Francis in his occasional conflicts with the U.S. bishops.
“I’m disillusioned Catholic bishops selected a brand new president who has a historical past of being a tradition warrior,” stated John Gehring, Catholic program director at a Washington-based clergy community referred to as Religion in Public Life. “At the same time as Pope Francis provides a greater path ahead for the church, too many American bishops double down on previous methods which have failed to interact and energize the devoted.”
The bishops’ annual fall assembly will conclude its public periods on Wednesday. It’s the bishops’ first gathering for the reason that U.S. Supreme Courtroom in June overturned the Roe v. Wade choice which had discovered a constitutional proper to abortion and returned the query of authorized abortion to the states.
Lori, chairman of the bishops Committee on Professional-life Actions, acknowledged that many Catholics favor legalized entry to abortion.
“The demise of Roe is a superb victory, however will probably be a Pyrrhic victory if we fail to win within the minds and hearts, at the beginning of our fellow Catholics,” stated Lori, who was elected vp of the bishops’ convention.
The story was picked up by dozens of print and on-line information websites, together with The Washington Publish on its web site. The AP story did function extra biographical data on Broglio and quotes from him. It additionally talked about abortion, homosexuality and vaccines — however did so in a a lot fairer manner and by offering context.
Faith Information Service, one of many largest information organizations that cowl faith, had on the eve of the vote tried to handicap the sector. The outcome was a tone-deaf have a look at the prelates searching for the USCCB presidency as if the one factor that issues is politics. Was this information or evaluation? As is commonly the case, it’s arduous to inform.
The part on Broglio learn as follows:
Whereas not a hardline right-wing crusader, Broglio, who misplaced in a runoff to Gomez in 2019, has staked out some conservative positions. If he wins, he might be seen as one thing of a continuation of Gomez’ management.
Final October, Broglio defended the usage of spiritual waivers for COVID-19 vaccines for his Catholic fees within the navy, setting himself other than even some fellow conservatives who rejected the usage of waivers.
In 2013, he issued guidelines that not solely prevented Catholic chaplains from being compelled to bless or witness a same-sex marriage, however barred them from collaborating in funerals that might “give the impression that the church approves of similar intercourse ‘marital’ relationships.”
Broglio has proven himself prepared to problem liberal politicians: In 2011, he revealed a public letter urging then-President Barack Obama’s administration to drop its authorized problem to the Protection of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a person and a girl.
The underside line: None of Broglio’s positions are in distinction with centuries of Catholic teachings on morality and intercourse. Additionally, there are definitely inconsistencies with chosen public feedback by Pope Francis on a few of the points RNS talked about above, however the Vatican usually leaves such papal statements on the market with out elaborating additional. It’s simple to seek out razor-sharp feedback by Pope Francis opposing abortion — interval.
RNS protection usually masquerades as information however ought to actually be labeled both “evaluation” or even “opinion” due to the best way a few of its reporters deal with these sorts of subjects The piece talked about above is a chief instance of such a evaluation journalism.
The Catholic press, in the meantime, additionally noticed Broglio’s election in numerous methods. The Nationwide Catholic Reporter, a newspaper on the doctrinal left, reported the election this manner:
The U.S. Catholic bishops’ convention on Nov. 15 elected Archbishop Timothy Broglio, a former Vatican diplomat who has supported spiritual exemptions for coronavirus vaccines and has blamed homosexual monks for the clergy abuse disaster, as their new president.
Broglio, who because the archbishop for the Army Companies is actually the nation’s chief Catholic chaplain, garnered 138 votes on the third spherical of voting on the bishops’ plenary meeting in Baltimore. He wanted 119 votes, a majority of the 237 complete votes forged.
Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, who completed second within the presidential voting, was elected vp in a separate spherical of voting.
Broglio, 70, has served in his present function since 2008. As a Vatican diplomat, Broglio served because the Vatican’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic and its delegate to Puerto Rico from 2001 to 2008.
Within the Nineties, Broglio served as non-public secretary for the late Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state underneath Pope John Paul II who was a staunch promoter and defender of then-Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, the serial sexual abuser and founding father of the once-powerful Legionaries of Christ spiritual order.
In 2018, Broglio supported a U.S. Air Power chaplain who in a homily blamed “effeminate” homosexual monks for clergy intercourse abuse. In an emailed response to a girl who complained concerning the priest’s homily, Broglio stated there was “no query that the disaster of sexual abuse by monks within the USA is instantly associated to homosexuality.”
Spot any doctrinal patterns there?
In the meantime, on the doctrinal proper, the Nationwide Catholic Register, famous:
BALTIMORE, Md. — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Army Companies, USA, was elected Tuesday to move the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for the subsequent three years in a vote of 138-99.
Archbishop Broglio shall be taking the function after serving for 3 years as secretary of the convention.
Archbishop Broglio was considered as a possible candidate for the function after he was almost elected to function vp for the USCCB in 2019 however misplaced a runoff election to Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron. The USCCB vp normally goes on to serve within the function of president, however Archbishop Vigneron is ineligible for the function of president because of the truth that he would attain the retirement age of 75 earlier than the time period expires in 2025.
The brand new president serves a three-year time period. Already, a number of identified, high-profile challenges await Archbishop Broglio. These embody the primary session of the XVI Strange Common Meeting of the Synod of Bishops in Rome Oct. 4-29, 2023; a nationwide eucharistic congress in Indianapolis in June 2024, the synod’s concluding session in October 2024, and the U.S. presidential election in November 2024.
Archbishop Broglio, 70, was born in 1951 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the place he attended St. Ignatius Excessive College. He acquired a bachelor’s diploma within the classics from Boston Faculty and went on to earn a bachelor’s diploma in sacred theology and a doctorate in canon legislation from the Pontifical Gregorian College in Rome.
Discover the distinction?
The emphasis is completely completely different in each these information tales. The Nationwide Catholic Reporter confused Broglio’s oblique connections to the Legionaries of Christ. The Nationwide Catholic Register, alternatively, caught primarily to biographical data to open its story.
They do put some dates on the market that journalists might want to notice of their planners, such because the Common Meeting of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2023 and a nationwide eucharistic congress in Indianapolis in June 2024.
Each newspapers revealed their preferences additional on their editorial pages. The Nationwide Catholic Reporter referred to as Broglio’s election “a mistake” and him as a “tradition warrior.” Listed here are the important thing passages:
After shedding the presidential vote, Lori was elected vp of the convention, so there was some hope that he could also be a moderating affect on the chief committee. However on the morning of the assembly’s second day, elections for different positions indicated a close to sweep for conservative candidates. Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma Metropolis defeated Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin for secretary. New committee chairs included Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois; and Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia.
Clearly a majority within the physique of bishops nonetheless want a tradition warrior mentality, regardless of the dearth of effectiveness of such a method within the church and society.
Lori’s handle as pro-life chair was titled, “Presentation on Life Points and Alternatives Following the Dobbs Choice”—simply days after the U.S. midterm elections wherein all anti-abortion initiatives failed, in each blue and pink states, regardless of huge spending on the a part of dioceses in these states.
In the meantime, Mass attendance is down at parishes and huge numbers of younger individuals are nonetheless heading for the exits. Regardless of Pope Francis’ makes an attempt to be a extra welcoming church, the U.S. bishops appear to be caught in the identical previous manner of doing issues.
As a substitute, the Nationwide Catholic Register, lauded Broglio’s election. Right here’s why and what they stated:
However allowing long-festering divisions within the convention to return to mild allowed the bishops, underneath Archbishop Gomez’s management, to deal with them. Measures like holding closed-door periods on the convention’s common meeting, crafting a Eucharistic coherence doc that acquired near-unanimous approval, and even, as we noticed final week in Baltimore, holding fraternal dialogues round round tables have all fostered a higher sense of brotherhood among the many U.S. bishops.
Now, in electing Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Army Companies as their subsequent USCCB president, the bishops have chosen a successor to Archbishop Gomez who’s distinctly suited to construct upon these renewed foundations of episcopal unity.
A lot is being made about Archbishop Broglio’s expertise as a member of the Vatican’s diplomatic corps, and rightfully so. In that capability, Archbishop Broglio discovered and employed the refined artwork of strategic dialogue, sustaining relations whereas pursuing key aims. Moreover, his current expertise as secretary of the USCCB probably yielded a deep familiarity with the best way the convention works and the way it may be led successfully.
Geography additionally issues. As archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Army Companies, with headquarters situated lower than a mile from the USCCB in Washington, D.C., Archbishop Broglio is able to train extra direct oversight over convention employees, guaranteeing that the varied focus areas and aims of the USCCB work hand in hand, not at cross-purposes. Moreover, his function as pastor of Catholics within the U.S. navy unfold out throughout the nation (and the world) provides Archbishop Broglio the chance to journey to completely different dioceses, studying extra concerning the state of affairs in numerous native Church buildings, and forging relationships together with his brother bishops.
Here’s a query to ponder: Does protection in elite mainstream information shops sound just like the Catholic left or the Catholic proper? Would it not be potential for mainstream journalists to cowl each side of those debates?
As Broglio’s election highlights, a majority of U.S. bishops could also be coalescing in an effort to fight what they see elevated secularism in American society. On the similar time, the mainstream and non secular press have staked out their positions and made their preferences identified.
The subsequent three years — two of which run similtaneously President Joe Biden’s time within the White Home and through the 2024 elections — might be much more unstable than the earlier underneath Gomez.
Studying a cross-section of protection from a wide range of sources will inform you numerous about what’s occurring and what’s necessary to the varied consistencies inside American Catholicism and the broader spiritual and political lifetime of Individuals.
FIRST IMAGE: A photograph of Archbishop Timothy Broglio through Wikipedia Commons.
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