THIS DOG WON'T HUNT

Pope Francis removed Bishop Martin Holley from the Memphis Diocese and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville has been appointed Apostolic Administrator until the next Bishop is appointed.

The Vatican insisted that Bishop Holley's removal was based on his administrative decisions related to the organization of the Diocese. 

In June, the Vatican sent two Archbishops to Memphis  as part of what is known as an  "Apostolic Visitation” or fact-finding mission. 

The Archbishops supposedly looked into the Priest reassignment concerns as well as whether Bishop Holley's assignment of a Canadian Priest to the high-ranking Diocesan position of Vicar General followed proper legal procedures.

Now, tell me, while there are so many other issues which the Holy See has had to confront regarding the administrative decisions of Bishops, are we really supposed to believe that Bishop Holley, one of the very few African-American Bishops, was removed for having made decisions regarding the assignments of Pastors?

It has taken decades to address the administrative catastrophes of Bishops in their handling of the homosexual predation of young boys, seminarians and even Priests.

But, we are told that Bishop Holley was removed almost immediately after an Apostolic Visitation because so many Pastors felt aggrieved that they had been re-assigned.  

And we are supposed to believe this nonsense?

And isn’t it interesting that Bishop Holley has accepted his removal without any appeal of or without any comment regarding the Holy See’s actions.

The bureaucratic lethargy of the Holy See prompted a Justice Department investigation in Pennsylvania Dioceses in the wake of a damning report by a State Grand Jury.  

The acceptance of Cardinal Wuerl’s resignation from Washington, DC took years to process and only after both the Clergy and the laity of the Archdiocese rose up in arms regarding the Cardinal’s mismanagement of sexual abuse cases while he was Bishop of Pittsburgh years and years ago.

But, Bishop Holley makes unpopular personnel changes (a duty well within his discretion as a Diocesan Bishop) and the Holy See strikes like lightning.

Excuse me, but as they say down South, “this dog won’t hunt”.

Something is missing.

Of course, the truth will out in the end and the Holy See will be responsible for yet another scandal or breach of trust.

How sad indeed!