Catholics of Vision-Canada and the media.

The Catholics of Vision-Canada (CVC) petition is now circulating around the country. Most dioceses have banned it from Church premises, but not all. The leading exception is the Victoria diocese of Bishop Remi De Roo, which covers all of Vancouver island.

The Island Catholic News, an independent monthly supported by the bishop, printed a four-page insert on behalf of CVC, together with ballot and address. All the freedoms CVC asks for--of research and teaching, of conscience, of choosing celibacy or marriage for priests, of freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation, of access to the sacraments by divorced and remarried Catholics who have not received an annulment; of women choosing to be priests; of helping to choose bishops; and of democracy in developing Catholic sexual teaching--all were made to look harmless, indeed, to seem the direct outcome of the Second Vatican Council. The whole was bolstered with quotes from Church documents.

Simplifying for the media

The CVC strategy of simplifying the faith, or emotionalizing it by relying on personal accounts, is perfect grist to the media mill. The group's purported struggle has all the elements of a good story: unhappy souls, who have been traumatized by an authoritarian Church, now attempt empowerment and change.

The CVC are portrayed as not only reasonable but faithful Catholics whose only intent is to bring a fossilized, despotic Church--which they love desperately despite these fundamental flaws--into the light of the 20th century.

Even more tempting for the media, these people are usually only too willing to encapsulate their experiences in sound bites or pithy quotes. It's almost too good a story to be true--and it isn't.

Nevertheless, the media has rallied to the CVC cause. In February most dioceses would have seen this kind of publicity as, for example, in Saskatoon, with a local columnist declaring this to be a "Challenging time for Catholics," and then explaining the CVC version of what the Church should look like (John Cherneski, Star-Phoenix, Feb. 21, 1997). In that city it is Shirley Handley, assistant at the former Diocesan Synod, who heads the CVC outreach. In Regina it is former priest Emil Kutarna (of Corpus).

On the national level a similar effect was achieved by the Benmergui Live TV show (noon on CBC Newsworld, Feb. 27) with views of participants noted but never explored in depth. After all, the show has to be tittilating and fast moving.

Defenders at disadvantage

Making CVC look like innocent, well-meaning Catholics is doing a disservice to everybody. It permits the CVC to advance its subversive agenda without challenge.

Moreover, exclusive reliance on emotional experiences puts those who would argue doctrine and tradition in an unfavourable light, since they appear legalistic and uncaring. And their often undisguised derision at cliche dissident woes can appear harsh and judgemental.

Very few people like to be perceived as lacking in compassion. Even a bishop might trip over himself trying to appear, if not compassionate, at least reasonable--the difficulty being, of course, that reason in this case is defined by the media.

The Ottawa Citizen, for example, reported the Archbishop of Ottawa, Marcel Gervais, saying that he agrees with CVC people on many points: a compassionate church, yes; increased ecumenical and inter-faith action on behalf of social justice, certainly; consultation with the laity in developing teaching on Catholic sexuality, fine; consultation with laity before bishops are appointed, "we are doing it already." The ordination of women, no, that's off limits; a call for greater freedom, no, that's too simplistic; as for "freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation," "we agree with that already." (O.C. Feb. 7, 1997).

Catholic Insight has brought many articles on the CCCC in past issues, documenting time and again that these are not innocent, slightly confused Catholics. They have very specific goals to radically change the Church. These views are disguised to make them palatable to the average person.

In his book Christ and the Media, Malcolm Muggeridge observes that the media, and especially television, have "provided the Devil with perhaps the greatest opportunity accorded him" since the Fall.

And Satan, he added, can get far more mileage out of seemingly humane good people than with an obvious tyrant: "King Herod has always had a bad press for slaughtering the innocents, but let Screwtape keep it in mind that nowadays a good campaign on the media for legalised abortion will facilitate the slaughter of millions on the highest humanitarian principles before they are even born."

It's an insight to keep in mind as we are regaled with tales in the press and on television of our malcontent brothers and sisters, who call themselves "Catholics of Vision," as they circulate their petition around the country.