As of this writing, Wisconsin Bishop Ricken has made it clear that the actions and positions of JOSHUA, ESTHER, WISDOM and the Gamaliel Foundation are consistent with the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching. His concerns are NOT related to anything WISDOM, the local organizations, or Gamaliel have done.Some background on Gamaliel.
The Bishop’s concerns seem to have more to do with process and structure, and the form of our relationship with the Diocese. It seems that his concern has to do with accountability in the event that anything were to go wrong in the future.
The Bishop has established a Task Force, which is mostly comprised of Catholic members of ESTHER and JOSHUA, to look at the concern the Bishop has expressed, and to try to find some solutions. In the meantime, Gamaliel Executive Director Greg Galluzzo and WISDOM Organizer David Liners have both offered to meet with the Bishop and other diocesan personnel to help to find some good resolution to the Bishop’s concerns.
We all send our prayers and blessings that this situation will be resolved amicably for all involved.
On Feb 26th, 2010, Bishop Ricken wrote the following
After prayer, study, and reflection, it is clear to me that principles of the Gamaliel Foundation are inconsistent with the tenets of our Catholic Social Teaching. It is not fitting for a Catholic entity to enter into a formal association with another organization when there is such a conflict of principles. JOSHUA and ESTHER, through their affiliation with WISDOM, are also affiliated with the Gamaliel Foundation.I can't find anything on the Diocese of Green Bay stating that Bishop Ricken has changed his stance here. Is this the koolaid that Gamaliel members drink?
2 comments:
Would you be surprised to find that Gamaliel is playing with word-meanings?
I wouldn't, but we'll wait a bit and see what happens next.
This has to do with Diocesan funds; one suspects that the Bishop will find a way to stop spending Diocesan dollars on those programs.
Well no.
Well the other aspect is on the parish level. Each church becomes a "member" of ESTER(for example) and takes money out of the collection plate to support.
I think he's basically going to have to have the diocese start their own organizations that follow Catholic principles and are *not* associated with Gamaliel.
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