The word is out. Sister Helen Prejean, the tireless Catholic crusader against the death penalty has been uninvited from a Roman Catholic speaking engagement by a Bishop.

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Duluth, Minnesota, the Most Rev. Dennis Schnurr, disagrees with the good sister’s public criticism of President Bush’s war policies. She has publicly called for his removal from office.

Perhaps the Bishop doesn’t personally think he should have uninvited her? Perhaps powerful money interest Roman Catholics wanted her gone? You think?

The Duluth News Tribune ran an article on the issue: Diocese cancels nun’s Duluth talk because of anti-Bush newspaper ad. In the article they state in regard to the Bishop’s actions:

In a letter to some diocese residents sent Monday, Duluth Bishop Dennis Schnurr said the decision to cancel the event and Prejean’s address was based on her name appearing on an Aug. 3 New York Times advertisement calling for President Bush to be removed from office.

Schnurr said the ad was brought to his attention by lay people in the diocese.

“Upon reviewing the advertisement, I find that I share their concerns,” Schnurr said in the letter. “Therefore we have made the difficult decision to cancel her appearance.”

Perhaps the Bishop wasn’t listening, he was simply obeying the ‘lay’ Republican deep pockets in his diocese?

You can see the good sister’s take on these events at her website. She states in part:

I signed the ad because as a follower of the way of Jesus and a U.S. citizen, I cannot stand by passively and silently as I witness my government wage such grievous oppression and violence. It has been this same spirit of engaged citizenship that has for the past twenty years led me to speak out against the death penalty while encouraging my fellow citizens and my church to deeper reflection on the issue…

Exactly! Perhaps the Bishop forgot that sister is a U.S. Citizen and is entitled to have an opinion. She is also entitled to publicly advocate her views. More than forgetting the duties and rights of citizens, he has forgotten his obligation to speak truth to power. That’s telling the moneyed:

“There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

or

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

or

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

And he should remember:

…if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

The Church has a treasure in the sister’s work. It has a treasure in her voice. The Bishop should re-invite sister and pastor those who have complained, teaching them Catholic truth.

The Church’s message trumps politics and must always witness truth, tax exempt status notwithstanding.

Take a moment and let the Bishop know how to witness. Check out the Diocesan website which opened tonight to Psalm 27:7-9

Of you my heart has said, —Seek His face!—

If only…

Tip o’ the biretta to the Young Fogey who highlights the comments at The Gaelic Starover: Diocese Punishes Work of Mercy.