pastors need not apply

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Nov 17, 2010

Over on the U.S. Catholic site, Bryan Cones doesn't merely tell us that the upset victory of Archbishop Dolan is a "really big deal." He demonstrates, with his own overwrought analysis, that the election has thrown the Catholic Left into panic. 

"Catholic right-wing bloggers pull off nothing less than a coup," Cones reports. Really? And here we thought it was the bishops who were casting ballots. Did the bloggers somehow rig the ballot box? Not likely. But Cones is hinting at an even less likely possibility: that conservative bloggers exercised undue influence over the voting bishops. Bryan, my lad, if we had that kind of power, we wouldn't stop with the USCCB presidential election. Does the CCHD still exist? Then conservative bloggers do not influence the bishops' decisions. 

The excitable Cones is consistent, however. Now that bloggers are pulling all the levers at the US bishops' conference:

There can be no doubt that the pastoral voices in the conference are now silenced, and the more confrontational figures appointed by Pope John Paul II are in the driver's seat.

A few questions arise:

• Since virtually every active member of the US hierarchy was appointed by either John Paul II or Benedict XVI, is Cones saying that the current Pontiff is less inclined toward confrontational Church leadership?
• Which Pope appointed the bloggers-- since we now  know that they're really in control?
• Is there a necessary opposition between "pastoral" and "confrontational" figures? Is it ever appropriate for a pastor to confront anyone or anything?
• Do you promise that the "pastoral" voices in the USCCB are now silenced?