Father Tom explains everything

By Diogenes ( articles ) | May 06, 2009

 With 66 American bishops (at the latest count) explicitly opposing the Notre Dame honors for President Obama, why are most of the nation's Catholics still indifferent? The irrepressible Father Tom Reese has the answers. The bishops, he explains, have lost credibility because they have been trying to teach the faithful, when they should be listening. More specifically, they should be listening to Tom Reese. 

Oh, and there's a vast right-wing conspiracy to cause conflict between the Catholic Church and the White House. This conflict is caused entirely by sneaky Republican operatives, not by anything the Obama administration has done. Got that?

Fortunately, Father Tom tells us, the Vatican is more realistic in its appraisal of American political realities. (Isn't this refreshing? Tom Reese is defending the Vatican!) So those misguided American bishops who criticize Obama will be repudiated by their own people-- Reese is standing by on the alert, ready to report that repudiation whenever he sees it-- and by the Holy See as well:

The bishops will also be embarrassed when Pope Benedict welcomes President Obama at the Vatican, or are all these people going to tell the Pope that he cannot talk to a pro-choice President?

That all depends. Is the Pope planning to give Obama a platform for a major policy speech, and award him an honorary doctorate?