Wednesday, October 10, 2012

"She Ain't Even Gonna Go to Heaven": Catholic Bishops as Archie Bunker



"She ain't even gonna go to Heaven!"



Someone needs to send this "All in the Family" episode to Archbishop Nienstedt (Cordileone, Myers, Dolan, every bishop in the land) so he can take a good look at himself in the mirror.  

Archie Bunker now sits on Catholic episcopal thrones.  And, in consequence, woe betide the people of God and the gospel we're given to live and proclaim.

(A note of thanks to Dan Savage and Matt Algren for commemorating the 35th anniversary of this ground-breaking episode of "All in the Family."  As Dan notes, it's amazing how "depressingly revenant relevant*" it remains.  There are days I wonder if we've moved forward at all in these areas in the last half-century.

Of course, I do see strong, encouraging forward movement in much of American society.  But in the Catholic church--with our current Archie Bunker crop of bishops--every step forward by Americans in general and the people of God has meant two steps backwards for our "pastoral" leaders, though.

And so, again: woe betide the Catholic people of God and the gospel we're given to live and proclaim!)

*Wow.  Ms. Spell-Check, who corrects what I type without a by your leave, is in poetic mode today.  Revenant, indeed!

No comments: