Word: bishops
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Biden, in contrast, knew what was coming. Delaware's Catholic leaders have never sought to withhold communion from the senator because of his support for abortion rights. But in 2006, then-Wilmington Bishop Michael Saltarelli pressured Biden's high school alma mater into dropping plans to name a new student center after him, citing a 2004 statement from the USCCB: "Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles...
While he accepted Bishop Saltarelli's directive, Biden can be feisty about defending his Catholic faith. At one 2005 political event, he memorably vowed that "the next Republican that tells me I'm not religious, I'm going to shove my rosary down their throat." That spirit, along with his Scranton roots, could attract him more sympathy from fellow Catholics when criticized by church leaders. "His blue-collar background may inoculate him in ways that it couldn't for John Kerry," says Bill Roth, president of the Catholic Democrats...
...stopped there, Biden would have been fine. But he went on to argue that there was a debate about the question in the Catholic Church, throwing in a Thomas Aquinas "Summa Theologia" reference for good measure. It was that extra flourish that got the attention of the bishops, according to Father Thomas Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center. "Politicians should not do theology," says Reese. "Whenever they start interpreting Catholic teaching, they invite Catholic bishops to jump all over them." Within days, Cardinal Justin Rigali, who heads the USCCB committee on pro-life activities, and Bishop William Lori...
...moral problem. There's a hole in that young man's heart. Solving problems like this will require changes in government policy, but it will also require a change in hearts and a change in minds. That's a lesson that friends of mine like Pastor Rick Warren and Bishop T.D. Jakes know well...
...realization that Williams would prioritize unity over change came when he balked at appointing as bishop the openly gay priest Jeffrey John. In this, Williams aimed to assuage the protests of a number of more traditional bishops. In a painful meeting, Williams persuaded John to withdraw his candidacy - an act that many liberals in the church saw not only as a capitulation but also as a missed opportunity to plant a flag for his true convictions. "Had he gone through with it," a gay vicar in Wales and a friend of Williams told TIME over 18 months ago, "We would...