What is Rome Thinking?

I admit that today I am feeling particularly frustrated and irritated with some of the bishops in this country. I'll try to remain charitable while at the same time speaking the truth.

First, let me say that I have seen some encouraging examples set by a few...very few...bishops. For example, Archbishop Dolan wrote a stern letter to Obama - yay! I do appreciate this, but at the same time, I picture Obama smirking at the letter and saying, "Yeah? Or what?!"

But then there is the matter of Bishop Cupich in Spokane. Here's a post from Mark Shea's blog, Catholic and Enjoying It!:

Yet another reader who used to live under Bp. Cupich echoes the other traumatized prolife readers who have written to describe the wreckage wrought on the prolife movement by this shepherd everywhere he has gone:
     Spokane prolifers should prepare to stand strong without the leadership of their priests who are bound    
     to  respect and obedience. It is only going to get worse in the upcoming election year when priests will
     want to support prolife candidates. The prolife movement survived here due to the steadfastness of the
     laity. You can do it. Nothing is impossible with God.

I have not heard one positive word from people who attempted prolife work under Bp. Cupich. It looks like the prolife movement in Spokane is not merely on its own: it is facing opposition from its bishop. Sad. On the bright side, as my reader says: nothing is impossible with God. It's not the end of the prolife movement in Spokane. Just a setback. There are still ways to do God's work there, particularly for laity. Time to get creative! Start by doing it with love for Bp. Cupich and not in an atmosphere of polarized media circus as in Amarillo. Perhaps he will finally see that the prolife movement is on his side and not a liability.

And now our diocese will be subjected to Bishop Cupich's idea of what the music for the new translation should look like. Frankly, having watched some of the you-tube video of his ordination as bishop of Spokane, I'm not particularly optimistic.

We still anxiously await the appointment of a new bishop for our diocese. But while I HOPE for a good bishop, I dread the possibility of what we might get. I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that Bishop Skylstad and Archbishop Vlazny are doing some of their own lobbying for a particular type of bishop, if not a particular man. There has been some grass roots effort to express to Rome the need for a strong, orthodox, EF-friendly bishop. I guess I didn't think I needed to add "pro-life" in my request, but maybe I should have.

What's the chances Rome is listening to the likes of me? After all, these bishops are all buddies, aren't they?

Sigh.