Many theologians, like Prof. Nicholas Healy of St. John’s University in New York, write that theologians comprise “an alternative magisterium” to the teaching authority of the bishops. And in cases like the one at St. Joseph’s, the alternative magisterium often trumps the true Magisterium of the church. Catholic colleges and hospital administrators now “shop” for theologians who will support their decisions.
Bishop Olmsted has refused to allow this to continue. In his letter responding to Mr. Dean, the bishop wrote: “You have only provided opinions of ethicists that agree with your own opinion and disagree with mine.”
Concluding that “there can be no tie so to speak in this debate,” Bishop Olmsted said, “it is my duty as the chief shepherd in the diocese to interpret whether the actions at St. Joseph’s meet the criteria of fulfilling the parameters of the moral law as seen in the Ethical and Religious Directives.”
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Anne Hendershott: Catholic Hospitals vs. the Bishops
Many theologians, like Prof. Nicholas Healy of St. John’s University in New York, write that theologians comprise “an alternative magisterium” to the teaching authority of the bishops. And in cases like the one at St. Joseph’s, the alternative magisterium often trumps the true Magisterium of the church. Catholic colleges and hospital administrators now “shop” for theologians who will support their decisions.
Bishop Olmsted has refused to allow this to continue. In his letter responding to Mr. Dean, the bishop wrote: “You have only provided opinions of ethicists that agree with your own opinion and disagree with mine.”
Concluding that “there can be no tie so to speak in this debate,” Bishop Olmsted said, “it is my duty as the chief shepherd in the diocese to interpret whether the actions at St. Joseph’s meet the criteria of fulfilling the parameters of the moral law as seen in the Ethical and Religious Directives.”
Read it all.