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| THE SPILL OF DISSENT |
| Raymond Arroyo |
| Raymond Arroyo is an internationally recognized, award-winning journalist, producer, and bestselling author, seen each week in more than 100 million homes around the globe on EWTN. He has worked for the Associated Press, the political columnist team of Evans and Novak, and as a Capitol Hill Correspondent. As host and creator of EWTN’s international news magazine, "The World Over Live", Arroyo has interrogated the leading figures of the day. Highlights include: The first, exclusive, sit down interview with Mel Gibson on the set of his film, “The Passion of the Christ” and a landmark interview with Pope Benedict XVI: the only English language conversation ever recorded with the pontiff. Arroyo and his work have been featured on "The Today Show", "Good Morning America", "Hannity and Colmes", "Access Hollywood", “CNN Headline News”, "The Laura Ingraham Show", and other programs. His writings have been published by Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Financial Times, and The National Catholic Register. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Arroyo is author of the New York Times Bestsellers: Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve and a Network of Miracles (Doubleday) and Mother Angelica''s Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality (Doubleday). |
Friday, June 04, 2010
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| This week in the United States, we have watched the appalling effects of an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Over the last month, the waters of the Gulf have been stained-- and now crude has made landfall, fouling the shores of my home state of Louisiana and neighboring states. Over 100 miles of coastline have been affected. Wildlife and fisheries in the region have been decimated. Coming on the heels of Katrina, the Gulf region is again suffering devastation that will last for decades. The Federal response has been pokey and frankly inadequate. The current administration was extremely slow to respond to this crisis and despite a few photo ops has still not taken a leadership role on the ground or allowed local officials a free hand to protect their own land and people. It put me in mind of the “spill of dissent” we have witnessed over the last few months in the Church. Dissent whether from politicians, leaders of so-called Catholic health organizations, or University presidents, confuse millions and sow seeds of relativism. If left unanswered and unaddressed by authentic Church authorities, (IE the Bishops and the Holy See) the dissenters become the de-facto authorities and lead the flock far from their home. In recent weeks the Bishops have issued statements condemning the dissent of individuals and groups like the Catholic Health Association for their role in the passage of national Health Care which funds abortion. But there are other equally toxic “DISSENT SPILLS” which must be addressed and cleaned up with haste. As the tragedy in the Gulf so painfully illustrates, waiting, and hoping that it will dissipate on its own is always a bad strategy. In this 24/7 news cycle, he who gets the story out first, usually wins the day. The dissent is getting out there, and spreading. Their voices of artful dissent are full throated and passionate. Too often the voices of correction and clarity are muted or non existent. All of these isolated leaks of dissent, whether they be Catholic funds used to support groups opposed to Catholic teaching or audacious religious sisters defying the body of bishops in public, add up to one thing: a break of faith. And if that break is not acknowledged and repaired, practically and spiritually, the long term effects will make what we are seeing in the Gulf appear minor in comparison. Please keep all those suffering from this tragedy in the Gulf coast in your prayers. Tell me what you think at raymond@raymondarroyo.com |
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