A story in today's newspaper says Roman Catholic Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado warned voters against backing politicans who support abortion rights, stem-cell research euthanasis and gay marriage. They should not receive Communion, he said.
Elsewhere, the Journal notes in an editorial that the church's National Review Board, set up in the wake of the sexual abuse scandals, isn't getting cooperation from the bishops. They are "backsliding," according to Anne M. Burke, the board's interim chair, delaying their "audit of compliance" with the church's 2002 charter against abuse. And, says Burke, they didn't mention their desire to delay it. She figures that was "to make sure that they (these matters) did not come up in any discussions with the national media..."
Contradiction? Well, if so, the Roman Catholic Church is not the only religious institution guilty of that. All institutions put their interests before their preachments and their believers.
That is what it means to be an institution.