Selective Truth in Catholic Journalism?by Charles Molineaux To the Editor: The Arlington Catholic Herald, and any Catholic newspaper as part of its evangelizing mission, ought to be devoted to promulgating the whole truth in any news story. There were three distinct problems in this respect in the current issue (Jan. 15-21): 1) A major story on the retirement of Cardinal Adam Maida of Detroit, taking up more than half of page 3, mentions the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center but neglects to mention the $40 million backing of this white elephant furnished by him out of the assets of his archdiocese. As the Detroit News put it, "The financial mess at the ...Cultural Center was largely of his own creation." 2) A column by Douglas Kmiec appears on page 10 and, by way of biography, mentions only that he is a law professor and former Catholic U. law school dean. No mention is made of his controversial role in publicly supporting the election of the strongly pro-abortion Barack Obama for which Kmiec was once refused Communion (and, as a self-promoter, enjoyed the publicity when Cardinal Mahony, came to his rescue). In the understated words of Archbishop Charles Chaput, Kmiec's activism for Obama had done "a disservice to the Church." 3) The latest chairperson for the bishops' soi-disant "National Review Board" is announced on page 12. This is the window dressing board assertedly dedicated to protecting children (from which the original chairman was bounced, for committing candor in pointing out the secrecy of the bishops). No mention is made of the fact that this new chair has been a supporter and financial contributor to abortion extremist Obama. Two of these items come from the bishops' "Catholic" News Service, of course, and I would urge you to consider other news sources (RNS, Osservatore Romano, Catholic News Agency, The Catholic Thing, et al.). As to the crafty Kmiec, well, he hardly merits a platform in a Catholic newspaper. |