Speaking of Father Cuenin (see post below), he was a featured speaker yesterday at Sacred Heart Parish in Lexington, Mass., for their series Women IN (sic) God’s Spirit. His topic was “Must I believe everything the Church teaches in order to be Catholic?” Based on his open dissent from fundamental Church teachings, so-called nonnegotiable dogmas, I think I know his answer to that. Seriously, if believing and professing what the Church teaches isn’t necessary to be Catholic, then what does it mean to a Catholic?
Other speakers include Mary Troxell, a Boston College professor, who asks what Pope Benedict’s papacy means for the future. I’ll engage in some prophecy myself and predict that she’ll say it means nothing good. Then we have the godfather of post-Vatican II religious education, Thomas Groome, on what makes us Catholic. My answer: certainly not post-Vatican II religious education.
Most interesting is that Father Brian Bachand, Archbishop O’Malley’s secretary and a very orthodox guy, is also on the speaker’s list. Remember the old Sesame Street song? “One of these things is not like the others…” This is an opportunity for Fr. Bachand to give them a shot of orthodoxy, something they aren’t likely to get from most of the others.