Virginia is for Orthodoxy
Six weeks after taking office, Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo is reshaping the Diocese of Richmond to bring it into close conformity with the policies of Pope John Paul II and orthodox Catholic teaching.
That intention is most obvious with DiLorenzo’s announcement last month that no one can be invited by parishes as a guest speaker without first being approved by the diocesan theologian, a post re-established by the bishop.
The bishop has also decided not to reactivate the diocesan “sexual minorities” commission that had advised former Bishop Walter F. Sullivan on gay and lesbian concerns.
Additionally, DiLorenzo removed a Virginia Beach woman from the diocesan women’s commission because her support for ordaining women as priests conflicted with the Vatican’s policy of restricting the priesthood to men.
DiLorenzo was appointed by the pope to succeed Sullivan, who ended a 29-year tenure as bishop last year after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. The new bishop took over the Richmond diocese, which includes 64,000 members in South Hampton Roads, on May 24.
... But DiLorenzo has also assigned Smith responsibility for ensuring that no one who deviates from Catholic doctrine is invited by a church group or parish to lead a retreat, hold a workshop or give a guest lecture “on Catholic property.”
[Full Story]
Looks like the new bishop has been pretty busy, and judging by the state of that diocese that the previous bishop left it in he has his work cut out for him. The idea of outside speakers being vetted first sounds like an extremely sensible idea that I would like to see instituted by other diocese. As he says this will totally prevent the problems and media attention when some speaker must be dis-invited.
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It's boogie time at the Beach! We are sooooo happy!
Suddenly, I want to move to Virginia. Not that my diocese isn't orthodox. Actually, I'm in the Diocese of Steubenville, and I love it here -- Bishop Conlon is doing a great job...
But in the not-too-distant future I may be in the Archdiocese of Miami, in Key West to be exact, so I'm a bit worried about orthodoxy. lol.
I am delighted by this, especially given the horror stories I've heard about the Diocese of Richmond when it was under the former bishop. I'm in the Diocese of Arlington, right next door, and it is nice to see a new resident who is cleaning up the neglected house, getting rid of all the trash in the basement, tidying up the yard, and using Lysol, Mr. Clean, and Swiffers with gusto! Bravo Bishop DiLorenzo!
This is what gets me, Jeff:
"The new bishop's choice as diocesan theologian was the Rev. Russell E. Smith, who already is the priest of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in New Kent County and a judge on the diocese's marriage tribunal that oversees annulments. The theology post had been vacant since 1998."
The theology post has been vacant for six years??!!
Now maybe I'm just overly-sensitive to this, as a [wanna-be] theologian. But, really, no wonder the diocese is in such bad shape. Telling, if nothing else.
P.S. Maybe the line should be altered, 'Theology has been vacant for six years in the Diocese.'