Reading comprehension test

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Jan 18, 2005

The Kansas City Star , introducing an interview (regrettably no longer available online) with that city's new coadjutor archbishop, finds an anonymous chancery official worried that the new man might not have "a spirit in the diocese of collaboration."

Question #1: How would you define a "spirit of collaboration" in the archdiocese that is home to the National Catholic Reporter?

Another concern, the Star tells us, "was whether Finn would be simply a conduit for the Vatican's statements on abortion, birth control, ordaining women, priestly celibacy and other matters rather than being a careful interpreter of those positions to the faithful..."

Question #2: How does a "careful interpreter" handle controversial Church teachings in the archdiocese that is home to the National Catholic Reporter?

Eventually-- once everyone has been instructed on how to think-- the Star lets the new man speak for himself. And now we can understand those conveniently anonymous people are worried. Coadjutor Bishop Robert Finn says:

I think there was a period when I, as a priest, was more reluctant to preach from the pulpit about things that would be viewed as controversial. I always thought, for example, that if I get up and speak about artificial contraception and its destructive effect on the unity of marriage and the purposes of marriage, that that's going to turn people off and drive people away. But, at a certain point, I was helped to realize that those who were trying to live that day in and day out deserved to hear it from me as a sign of support.

Question #2: Is the new archbishop going to be popular with the National Catholic Reporter?