Wed. Journal editor Dan Haley disapproves:
The giant hammer of the Roman Catholic archdiocese has landed at Ascension Church in Oak Park. On the pastor.
How else to explain the odd apology in the Sunday bulletin from Rev. Larry McNally? This summer McNally got way out front on the third rail issue of ordaining women. He also criticized Rome’s inquiry into America’s female religious orders.
He spoke from the pulpit, wrote a letter to the Sun-Times, and allowed/encouraged a petition drive outside the church doors calling on the church to change its stance and allow women priests.
In my opinion, Haley betrays extreme discomfort at requirements. Thing is, Fr. McNally ain’t nothin’ without Holy Mother Church, which has always had requirements.
He has a pulpit in a grand church building that preceded him by many decades, built by an organization that did so by many centuries. The organization is picky about who gets called Father in its ranks. That’s one of its longstanding requirements. Tut, tut.
Years ago, as president of a book-authors’ organization, I heard one of us bemoan the idea that you had to be a book author to get in. But it was one of our requirements.
Chicago Reader had a cover story many years ago in which the writer inveighed against standards — but had to abide by those of the editor. So it goes.
Get real, all ye requirements-deniers, editors, writers, priests, whoever you are. You ain’t nothin’ without ’em.
Later: At the same time, this forcing McNally to testify himself, as it seems to be, smacks of ecclesiastical hardball, prompting the question, Would Jesus have done it that way?
Blithe Spirit 
You could say that Jesus was one of the original requirement deniers when it came to his own religion, but that would be inaccurate. He was a requirement challenger and changer. Women can’t be talked with in public? He challenged and changed it by doing it. Must obey all the rules? Not if it got in the way of the primary law of love, of even if the disciples were hungry on the Sabbath. Got an “organization” that is “picky” about who gets in? Start another one.
My guess is that Jesus would have gotten along better with Larry McNally than Francis George or Jim Bowman, requirements or no.
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Well you guess wrong, Greg Pierce. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know, but whatever it looks like, Jim Bowman gets along very well with Jesus. Better than you, I bet, you consarned hair-splitter!
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I’ve never been accused of being consarned in my life. In fact, I’m not even sure what it means, but if you get along very well with Jesus, then I’ll take it as a compliment, because he’s my main man. Any friend of his is a friend of mine.
It is a drag, though, isn’t it, how he constantly is challening us to worry about those who are down and out in our Church and in our world?
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The down and out, yes: last refuge of libs, their claim to fame as good people. God help the rest of us. Q: Where do Greg et al. stand on budget cuts to save the sinking (ship of) state? But I digress . . . .
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Great pal James H.!
You’ve got a birthday coming up in a few days, no? Me too. Ain’t it fun to get old and take it easy for a while.
At any rate, what is it that you guess is official now?
About your superb thinking and writing, pleaae keep it coming. It opens up all sorts of thought & action & prayer avenues. Now, who in the world doesn’t need them? We all do, et moi le premier (pécheur).
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Joe, Birthday 29 Dec. Official that we’re friends, it’s how you do it in the age of Facebook.
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