Allen sees US bishops holding together on health care

October 01, 2009

As John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter, the US bishops have avoided an open split within their ranks by taking a carefully calculated position on health-care reform proposals:

In recent years, the script for the bishops’ involvement in American politics has become distressingly predictable. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops hammers out a balanced statement purporting to represent a consensus; a few bishops take much more sharply defined positions, often with clear partisan overtones; those statements breed counter-statements; voilà, faux unanimity gives way to obvious division, blunting the church’s political effectiveness because it seems to lack a clear message.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• U.S. bishops maintain unity on health care (National Catholic Reporter)