A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics

Some more developments in the Voris case January 13, 2012

Some updates on the Real Catholic TV/Archdiocese of Detroit imbroglio – someone has started up a blog on the same day AOD released their second press release stating RCTV “was not authorized to use the name Catholic” which is trying to dig up dirt on Michael Voris and the organization.  I won’t like to it, but it looks and reads to me like a funded operation – they’ve spun out several well researched posts in less than 10 days, posts that required many hours of research to put together.  So, my guess is someone is being paid, or at least helped out a great deal, to put these “questions” or assertions out there.  In fact, looking at the timing of Ed Peter’s major post on this subject, the AOD’s second press release, and the creation of this mystery blog (I’ve seen few blogs so cagey about the identities of the bloggers) – all Jan 3 – you could say there was a concerted PR effort underwahy on that date. If you’re a curious catholic, I’m sure you can find this blog I’m talking about, but I’m not going to do their job for them with a link.

Secondly, and I meant to post this a couple days ago but haven’t gotten to it yet, JoeK at Defend Us In Battle addresses just this PR angle.  He feels – and substantiates pretty well – that the AOD is intentionally trying this case in the court of public opinion, and that they don’t want it to be a canon law issue, but a PR issue, which they hope to win.   JoeK has an extensive background in public relations, and feels the Archdiocese of Detroit’s campaign has been an orchestrated PR campaign from the get-go:

The only portion of this dispute that turns on Canon law is the Canon law question of whether the AOD can Canonically prohibit RCTV from using the name ‘Catholic.’ Beyond that, this matter has nothing to do with Canon law. In the most recent Vortex, Voris himself admits that they will not be making Canonical arguments about this issue. He issues a call to prayer.

If this isn’t about popular opinion, blogs, and what people “think” why are so many “gigs” being wasted on it? Why has Dr. Peters written three blog posts about it? Why does Father Z. put up posts that essentially are copies of Dr. Peters’ posts, only so that people can use his [Fr. Z’s] com-box for discussion? Why have other blogs who rarely write about such things made this a “hot topic” on their blogs? I will tell you why, again. This was meant to be, and has become, a public opinion battle. [and the canon law issue is mostly a big head fake to direct attention away the deliberate effort to decide this case in the court of public opinion]

[This is key…..] The reason that so many are on Voris’ side in this is simple: walk into a parish anywhere and you are likely to find what he talks about on the Vortex everyday. This is true in the Archdiocese of Detroit, I was a parishioner there in several parishes. Bloggers who write and talk about the faith everyday know that Voris is on to something, even if they don’t like his method, tone, or hair. He is willing to say in public, what most are only willing to say to their close friends: there are serious problems in our parishes and it seems that priests and Bishops turn a blind eye to them. [This simple statement should be blown up,  magnified 5 trillion times, hung from the sky, shouted from the rooftops, proclaimed, discussed, prayer over, etc., etc constantly every day until changes start to happen.  All Voris has done is to identify and PUBLICIZE what so many faithful Catholics already know – our Church is a mess, and drastic change is needed immediately] This being the case, when a Bishop, who many consider to be very orthodox and loyal to the Church, comes out and tries to silence that voice… people are left in a quandary.  [I, for one, am not in a quandry. Even though Vigneron is ostensibly one of the more ‘orthodox’ bishops, he ain’t that orthodox.  Bishops hate criticism.  Voris has a big voice.  Stir in a bit of “encouragement” from some elements at USCCB, and voila – a bishop trying to shut down RCTV]

The faithful want an authentic version of the faith. [And, more, many of them feel they aren’t getting it at their home parish] They want to hear the Pope say something, and then witness it in their parish. Parents want to teach their children about the faith, and have it affirmed in homilies at Mass. The youth want a faith that they are willing to go against the culture for. People know what is real when they see it, and frankly… in many parishes – THEY DONT SEE IT. So when someone like Voris says what many have been thinking, they gravitate to him. He becomes the “real” to them. So when matters like this come up, and complex Canonical issues are involved in what has been made to be a “popular opinion” battle, people will do what they can to back their man. That being said, I don’t believe that “might makes right,” I am simply observing the landscape.

This isn’t about Canon law. Archdioceses don’t put out press releases on issues preemptively to make the point that they need to deal with a Canonical issue. Someone convinced the good Archbishop that they could acheive whatever ultimate end they are seeking by waging this in the public realm. They were wrong. The good Archbishop should root out his faulty advisors and start addressing the real problem here: modernism and heterodoxy run amok. [Another statement that should be shouted from the rooftops – modernism and heresy run amok are killing the Church] The world is in upheaval, and people want a strong bold leader. They want words and action. One entity in this dispute has waged a war of words, the other has waged a war of words and action. Specifically prayer.

So realize… this isn’t about Canon law…………. I just hope the good Archbishop realizes that the longer he lets those in the AOD wage this war attempting to convince people that this is about Canon law, the worse it becomes for him. The blogosphere is speaking, and it isn’t echoing many praises of the AOD.

[End Quote]

I heartily endorse all the above.  This is an intentional campaign of destroying the reputation of RCTV, under the mask of a canon law issue.  I note once again, RCTV has not been directed to do anything, publicly, and I don’t think they have been privately, either.  Repeated statements to the effect that “the AOD does not consider RCTV authorized to use the name ‘Catholic'” do not constitute an order or directive in a direct sense. I brought that point up to Ed Peters via e-mail, and he hasn’t seen fit to address it, to my knowledge.  He certainly hasn’t replied to my e-mail. 

Michael Voris has said many things that are embarrassing and inconvenient for bishops to consider.  Could this issue have devolved down to a question of either taking on those issues that Voris repeatedly points out, or simply squashing the inconvenient voice?  Accurate or not, that is the impression many have of the situation.  That does not redound well to the reputation of the Archdiocese of Detroit, no matter how this plays out.  As JoeK said, they’re losing.

I have a feeling that even if this voice is squashed, there will just be more that rise up in his stead.