Thursday, February 14, 2008

Broken Faith





There's a bit of trouble for Bishop Martino and the Diocese of Scranton.

It seems that after the highly publicized and lamented restructuring of the catholic schools, we still can't seem to focus on what's important.

The students.

You see, in the past the diocesan schools only had a union in selected schools, for whatever reason.

Not ALL schools. Selected schools.

Now, with the restructuring, which closed some schools and consolidated others, the diocese decided to not deal with a union at all. They asked the teachers who wanted positions in the new school system to apply for them. Those that were hired were given a 3% pay raise and full benefits.

That's a pretty good deal from a school system that had no idea how many former and new students would enroll.

Then the teachers got greedy.

The union officials, who have no jobs if there is no union by the way, went on a rampage. They demanded to be able to bargain on behalf of the teachers. They insisted that the teachers needed representation, and that they were the ones for the job.

They held prayer vigils outside the cathedral, they have enlisted every newspaper in their fight, and they continue attempt to force their will on the diocese.

From today's edition of the Citizen's Voice:

"We want to let parents know the bishop has broken faith with the teachers … and broken faith with the students and parents as well,” said James Lynch, union vice president.

Can someone please explain to me how by not wanting a union, the church has "broken faith" with students and parents? It is the teachers that have broken the faith with the students. The parish priests have no idea how the children are being prepared for the sacraments. The curriculum for first communion and confirmation are unclear. Calls to the schools have been fruitless. There are no answers to be had it seems. First communions and confirmations diocese wide may have to be canceled for the first time in the history of diocese, if it is not taken care of quickly.

It is the union that is causing problems, the teachers accepted contracts without the union, got raises without the union, but now they want a union?

And to top it off, the union officials are calling for parents not to give money to their parishes, but to "catholic" charities instead. "
That way, people can still tithe, but “not support a church that condones this type of treatment,” Lynch said Wednesday. In the advertisement, (the union took out in local newspapers) the union also addresses a possible work stoppage that would be a “last resort” if the diocese does not let teachers vote on union membership."

I hate to tell the union this, but a tithe is not the same as a charitable contribution. A tithe is meant for the support of clergy and the parish, so what they are really asking is for people to turn their backs on the church which provides them with so much, just so that a few people can keep their jobs in the union.

And a work stoppage? If I were the Bishop, I would fire them all.

What has happened to obedience? It would seem to me that the ones with the "broken faith" are the union officials, and the teachers and people that support them.

5 comments:

CatholicGirl said...

Hey, I agree with you about this. This "union" is a disgrace! I don't know how they can continue to call themselves Catholic, while, at the same time, they are bringing scandal to Christ's Church ... to Christ's bride. They are greedy, selfish fools who are clearly in it for themselves. If they truly wanted to evangelize students then they would SHUT UP AND DO IT! The word obedience is foreign to them. Next, they'll be pushing for women priests in the schools.

The Rockin' Traddy said...

Thanks for the comment!

While some in the area are espousing further disobedience to the Bishop and Diocese, I think we need to return to the days when we recognize our Bishop for what he is: an apostle of Christ in our midst.

We may not always agree with them, as I do not agree with the liberalization of the Church, but we do owe them loyalty and obedience.

Maybe a few well placed excommunications will snap them around. I can see the headlines now:Return to Medieval Times in Diocese of Scranton!

CatholicGirl said...

Yes, it makes me wonder if they even know what they recite during the Creed every Sunday - that "We believe in one, holy, catholic and APOSTOLIC church. It's a shame that a small group of teachers (appx. 200 in the union, compared to the 713 lay teachers in the Diocese) will so willfully drag the Church through the mud just to get what they want. It's almost as though they are enjoying it. What will the union say when the Vatican turns down the union's appeal ... will they resort to the kind of personal attacks they are publicly making against our Bishop? Will they also say that the Pope is unChrist-like and not following Church teaching? That the Pope needs enlightenment and is a union buster? Probably.

In my own little dream world, these fools would be denied Communion, excommunicated and then fired. We don't need heretics such as these teaching kids.

Sorry to sound so mean, but I'm tired of these "hippy, hand-holding during the Our Father at folk-music Mass libs" trying to wreck the Church. We know they will fail, but, dang, it's irritating!!

The Rockin' Traddy said...

Denied communion? Are you mad?

The Bishop's don't deny communion to baby killers like Kerry and Kennedy, and you want the union people to be denied communion?

Ah, what a lovely dream world it is. Can I come by for a while?

CatholicGirl said...

LOL! Like I said, 'tis but a dream.

In the real world, it wouldn't surpise me if some brave priest who did deny Communion ended up being taken to court over it!