Why aren’t the bishops raising holy hell?

“As you do for the least of these, you do for me…” Jesus

Where is Thomas Becket when we need him?

“Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?” Nearly a thousand years have passed since Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was martyred at his altar for his defiant defense of church and people against the unjust decrees of King Henry II.

This January, only days in office, the American president reneged on his government’s contract with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services to assist desperate people fleeing war and persecution find new lives in the safety and freedom guaranteed by the United States Constitution.

On Monday the bishops quietly acquiesced to this arbitrary act as they announced the “decision not to renew the cooperative agreements with the federal government related to children’s services and refugee support.”

Methinks those priests could have been way more meddlesome.

Perhaps they could have followed the example of Thomas Becket. Perhaps they could have followed the example of Oscar Romero. Perhaps they could have raised holy hell.

One out of five Americans identifies as Roman Catholic. That puts the American bishops at the head of an organization that lays claim to the attention of 52 million American adults; 52 million adults who can reasonably be thought to share, or at least pay lip service to, the Gospel values of love of neighbor, service to the needy, preference for the poor and protection for the persecuted. That is a block of potential voters who ought to be righteously pissed off when the most desperate and vulnerable are not just abandoned but vilified and ostracized by a president and administration claiming to act on their behalf.

Where is the eruption of outrage from every diocesan chancery? Outrage on behalf of decent people. Outrage on behalf of the Gospel itself.

This was no time for a milquetoast announcement of surrender, simpering with sorrow and apologetic impotence, but for a declaration roaring with outrage and challenge – to the powers that be and to the people who put them there.

And to the people who would see justice done.

Consider this…the canceled program came to about $100 million last year. That would be less than two bucks a year from each adult Catholic to support and protect “the least among you.” Why isn’t that challenge being laid down from every pulpit? Why isn’t the basket passed in every parish, at every Mass, to assure that the Church does as Jesus told it to do?

How long until our bishops finally speak truth to power? Overturn the tables of our modern money changers? Refuse to render unto Ceasar what Ceasar has no claim to?

Where are our meddlesome priests?

Where is Becket? We need him

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