Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Bishop McManus Interview
The Catholic Free Press has an interesting interview with Bishop McManus who just celebrated the 2nd anniversary of his installation as Bishop of Worcester. In the interview, Bishop McManus identifies areas of challenge for the diocese including evangelization and stewardship. Evangelization needs to be done in the politcal sphere, in the classroom and in the parishes.
The church is not a museum. It is faith community that is alive today because the Lord and master is alive today. We need to convince people of that, Bishop McManus said.
“We have to present ourselves in a way that is courageous and without apology. We need to say to people that you may think this (faith) is not important. But we are here to tell you that this vitally important. And sooner or later ... you will find out how important it really is,” he said.
The bishop has no tolerance for those who want to use their leadership roles to advance their own opinions rather than Church teaching.
[Bishop McManus] said religious education teachers are not there “to give their personal opinion or a faulty theology; they’re there to present the teaching of the church as the church wants it presented. I have no tolerance whatsoever for religious education people in the Catholic schools or in our parishes thinking that somehow their personal take on a theological issue or a pastoral issues is as valid as the church’s. They are there in that context as a teacher of the faith to pass on the faith of the church.”
Bishop McManus also addresses the problem of fiscal responsiblity for the diocese, including the need to look at triming diocesan administration. The bishop appreciates the generosity of the laity, again highlighted in the Partners in Charity appeal now being conducted in parishes. Of 58 parishes who began their appeals in Lent, 43 have met or exceeded goals, with all of the remaining 15 parishes over 80% of their goals.
The church is not a museum. It is faith community that is alive today because the Lord and master is alive today. We need to convince people of that, Bishop McManus said.
“We have to present ourselves in a way that is courageous and without apology. We need to say to people that you may think this (faith) is not important. But we are here to tell you that this vitally important. And sooner or later ... you will find out how important it really is,” he said.
The bishop has no tolerance for those who want to use their leadership roles to advance their own opinions rather than Church teaching.
[Bishop McManus] said religious education teachers are not there “to give their personal opinion or a faulty theology; they’re there to present the teaching of the church as the church wants it presented. I have no tolerance whatsoever for religious education people in the Catholic schools or in our parishes thinking that somehow their personal take on a theological issue or a pastoral issues is as valid as the church’s. They are there in that context as a teacher of the faith to pass on the faith of the church.”
Bishop McManus also addresses the problem of fiscal responsiblity for the diocese, including the need to look at triming diocesan administration. The bishop appreciates the generosity of the laity, again highlighted in the Partners in Charity appeal now being conducted in parishes. Of 58 parishes who began their appeals in Lent, 43 have met or exceeded goals, with all of the remaining 15 parishes over 80% of their goals.
