Bishop criticizes Father Curran on eve of lecture
October 27, 2010
Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas has issued a statement criticizing an upcoming lecture by Father Charles Curran, a priest of the Diocese of Rochester and leading dissenter from Catholic moral teaching. The onetime Catholic University of America professor now serves as a professor at Southern Methodist University.
According to a university announcement, Father Curran will criticize “the bishops of the US for claiming too much certitude for their position on abortion.”
“I wish to point out that the bishops of the US have never changed their position on the question of abortion,” Bishop Farrell responded. “The act of taking an unborn human life is wrong and has always been wrong … on the taking of innocent human life there is no room for ambiguity.”
“I regret that Father Curran has chosen to criticize the position of the bishops of the United States on this matter.”
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Further information:
- A Statement from Bishop Farrell (SMU Catholic Campus Ministry)
- Bishop Kevin Farrell objects to SMU professor's upcoming lecture on U.S. Catholic bishops and abortion law (Dallas Morning News)
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Posted by: bnewman -
Oct. 27, 2010 10:41 PM ET USA
I think the pro-abortion arguments given by a few priests have become unconvincing. Bishop Farrell was right to simply repeat the Church’s well-known and 2000 year-old teaching on abortion: His remark; “ …on the taking of innocent human life there is no room for ambiguity” was excellent. Can anyone except Peter Singer disagree? Forceful actions or statements would be over-the top I think, and give Fr. Curran ‘victim status,’ which he probably would like.
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Posted by: -
Oct. 27, 2010 8:28 PM ET USA
Do something, Bishop Farrell!
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Posted by: Gil125 -
Oct. 27, 2010 3:16 PM ET USA
And why is he speaking at all? The ordinary has the right, even the obligation, to approve or disapprove of clergy who speak in his see.
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Posted by: Hal -
Oct. 27, 2010 2:41 PM ET USA
The bishops have no one but themselves to blame.
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Posted by: ltoscan2645 -
Oct. 27, 2010 9:28 AM ET USA
once again I question the leadership of our Church, how Curran still be considered a priest in good standing, whay has he not been laicized?
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Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Oct. 27, 2010 8:36 AM ET USA
I thought the dinosaurs were extinct. Guess not. Old fossils like Curran, McBrien, Kung, etc are still wreaking havoc, granted from a position of increased irrelevancy. As they stare into the abyss of their impending mortality and see nothing but empty promises from the Father of Lies, may they repent and recant their heresies before the end.
