Abstract
I always enjoy being with friends, like tonight, because I can leave my Kevlar vest in Denver. I do a lot of speaking, and while most of the people I meet are wonderful folks, not everyone is always happy to hear what I have to say. In fact, one of the distinguishing marks of debate both outside and within the Church over the last 40 years is how uncivil the disagreements have become. Being a faithful Catholic leader today—whether you’re a layperson or clergy—isn’t easy. It requires real skill, and in that regard, I’ve admired the great ability and good will of Bishop Murphy for many years. So it’s a special pleasure to be with him tonight. New York’s Cardinal Edward Egan is another leader who’s given extraordinary and sometimes difficult service to the Church. I’m not really surprised by the environment in our country or in our Church because Msgr. George Kelly saw it coming 30 years ago. I read his great book, The Battle for the American Church, as a young Capuchin priest when it first came out in 1979. I remember being struck immediately by George’s very Irish combination of candor, scrappiness, clarity, intelligence, and also, finally, charity—because everything he wrote and said and did was always motivated by his love for the Church. I also remember George’s sense of humor, which was vivid and healthy, and which probably kept him so generous and sane. He was a man’s man and a priest’s priest—and his commitment to Catholic family life, Catholic education, and Catholic scholarship has remained with me as an example throughout my priesthood. George and I became friends through our mutual friend, Father Ronald Lawler, O.F.M. Cap., and after I became a bishop in South Dakota, he would often call me or write me with his advice, and I was always happy to get it, because it was always very good. So I’m grateful for a chance to acknowledge my debt to him. We have a full evening, so I’ll be very brief. I want to quickly sketch for you the picture of an anonymous culture. But everything I’m about to tell you comes from the factual record. This society is advanced in the sciences and the arts. It has a complex economy and a strong military. It includes many different religions, although religion tends to be a private affair or a matter of
Published Version
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