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CNS Story:
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BISHOPS-BIBLE Nov-16-2004 (600 words) xxxn
Bishops' statement on Bible study sent back for review
By Patricia Zapor
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The U.S. bishops Nov. 16 took to heart the resolve they pronounced a day earlier to control the number of projects the conference undertakes and voted to put off issuing a pastoral statement on the use of the Bible by Catholics.
The proposed pastoral message would include a theological overview of Catholic teachings on the Bible. It would use research by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate based at Georgetown University about Catholics and the Bible as the basis for instruction on teaching about it and studying it.
The recommendation for the statement came from a task force appointed in August 2003 to review the findings of the CARA study, which was commissioned by the bishops' conference. The task force comprised of five bishops would oversee hiring a writer for the statement, which would be submitted for approval by all the bishops next November.
Task force chairman Bishop William B. Friend of Shreveport, La., noted in introducing the proposal that funding would be sought from outside sources to pay the costs of developing the pastoral statement. Sales of the publication would be expected to cover the costs of printing it.
But in discussion about the proposal, several bishops rose to question whether it was appropriate to be developing something new that had not gone through review by a formal committee and advance approval of expenditures, as will now be required under rules they agreed to a day earlier.
The new procedures were prompted by concerns raised by bishops in the last few years over how to control costs and the increased number of projects undertaken in their name.
Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Diego questioned whether it was appropriate to be adopting two documents that did not go through that new process. A National Pastoral Initiative on Marriage was scheduled to be discussed and voted on the same day.
"The issue is, are we doing too much," said Cincinnati Bishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. "It seems we are saying we are going to go on a severe diet sometime next year. In the meantime, let's have another helping of what we are used to."
Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan warned that, if the bishops put aside the pastoral on the Bible in light of the previous day's actions, the next day's newspaper headline would be: "In an attempt to cut expenses, bishops decide not to encourage reading the Bible."
Several bishops rose to support the pastoral statement, arguing that especially in areas with large numbers of evangelicals the Bible is an important part of ecumenical efforts.
Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb of Mobile, Ala., said "it would be a disaster" in terms of public relations and in certain joint ventures with other faiths to set aside the statement.
"There should be some respect for initiatives that are already underway" when the new procedures were adopted, he said.
Archbishop Pilarczyk had the last word before a vote on his motion to send the pastoral statement idea back through the committee process.
He reminded the bishops that the conference does not exist "for good public relations, but to do the work of the church."
"The issue is not whether it's a good idea (to encourage study of the Bible) or whether we should follow the processes approved yesterday," Archbishop Pilarczyk said. "The question is whether we are serious about what we did yesterday or not."
His motion was approved by a 137-102 vote.
The public portion of the meeting was adjourned for the day before the bishops could get to the marriage initiative.
END
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