Pope Benedict and Bishop Williamson.

An outrageous fuss was made recently in the media about Pope Benedict's re-admission of Bishop Richard Williamson to the Church.

This media response has included an outcry against the teaching authority of the Pope and the Church, and a demand that it become a Church in which doctrine is decided by some form of democratic consensus. The facts of the case, seen in terms of Canon Law, have been ignored and the public relations aspect magnified out of all proportion.

The most unfortunate aspect of this debacle is the comments made, and trumpeted by the media, by dissident Catholics. Until the Church effectively tackles these dissidents, Catholics will increasingly be confused about their faith, or continue to lose it entirely.

Toronto, ON