I had the opportunity to attend a lecture last night by Cathy Cleaver Ruse, the official pro-life spokesperson for the U.S. Catholic Bishops.
The spiritual director for the Schindler family was in attendance, and after the lecture, he asked Ruse what the U.S. Bishops were doing to stand up for Teri Schiavo. After some quips about being video taped, and a prolonged silence, Ruse revealed that she had been specifically instructed that the Schiavo case is considered a strictly local matter, and she is not to speak to it at all. Keep in mind this is the national pro-life spokesperson for the U.S. Bishops.
Never mind the fact that the Schiavo case is in the national spotlight, with news outlets all over the country running the story. Never mind the fact that there are commentaries in the Washington Times, articles in the New York Times, opinions in the Los Angeles Times. This is the story of our times, an incredible opportunity to publicly affirm the value of all human life, and educate the faithful on end of life issues, and the U.S. Bishops are remaining silient, not accidentally, but willfully.
One would hope that the abuse scandal had taught the bishops something, but it seems it is business as usual at the UCCB. Needless to say, such actions seriously undermine the credibility of the bishops on the life issues as a whole.