Paterno-Sandusky Story and the Inversion of Values: Gay-Bashing Meme Now Emerging

In the wake of the Penn State story, I continue thinking about the topic re: which I posted last Friday.  As my posting on Friday noted, for a growing number of Catholics (and for many people who are not Catholic), the fundamental claims that the Catholic church makes about itself are being radically belied at this point in history by the behavior of its most prominent leaders.  And by those who keep providing support to these leaders, and excuses for their behavior.

Occupying Catholicism: Terry Weldon and Jayden Cameron Report on Austrian Movement

Building on the excerpt I posted yesterday from Jamie Manson's recent keynote address at the Call to Action gathering, I want to point to two valuable summaries of what's happening right now in the Austrian Catholic church.  At Open Tabernacle, Terry Weldon compares the We Are Church movement in Austria, which has the strong support of a sizable proportion of Austria's Catholic priests, to the Occupy movement.

Colleen Baker on Insanity of Contemporary Catholicism: Paterno Held Accountable, but Benedict?

A powerful post by Colleen Baker right now at her Enlightened Catholicism blog (among many stellar posts recently) about just how insane things seem to have gotten in and with the Catholic church at this moment in history--insanity crystallized for many of us by the decision (which now seems a done deal) to elevate Mr. Lori of Bridgeport to the vacant archbishop's seat in Baltimore.  Colleen compares the response to the Paterno story to the response to revelations that the top leaders of the Catholic church have shielded authority figures abusing minors, and she finds the free pass long given to the latter insane: 

Joe Paterno Story: A Catholic Story?

On this theme, see (among a torrent of articles now pouring forth), Tom Roberts' "Abuse and Cover-Up: Penn State's Catholic-Like Scandal."

Feeding Hope: Jamie Manson on Louise Lears's Story and the Sacramental Power of the People of God

After writing today about Joe Paterno, and writing constantly about the Catholic bishops in recent days, I feel a sharp need for spiritual sustenance.  To feed hope inside myself and others.  

Daniel Avila Controversy Enters Public Square: A Newsy Video

I've blogged a number of times about how the stepped-up political activities of the U.S. Catholic bishops will necessarily have the effect of drawing more and more public attention to the bishops and the political-religious stances they want to promote in the public square.  This is how democracy works: enter the public square and make claims about your right to influence the direction of laws and public policy, and people will carefully scrutinize your arguments.  And they'll also scrutinize you as the maker of the argument, and will ask about the coherence between what you live and what you say.

The Joe Paterno Story: Musings

The Joe Paterno story has been told and retold recently, and I’m not sure I have much of interest to add to it now that Paterno has been fired by Penn State.  I do, however, have a series of questions/insights/hunches that I haven’t yet formulated as carefully as I hope to do in time.  Since these hunches remain in the formative stage, it might be better to call them inchoate musings about the Paterno story rather than full-blown commentary on it.