News

By Steve Jalsevac

November 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Nov. 5 TIME article pits Archbishop Raymond Burke against Boston Cardinal O'Malley over the issue of Church sanctions against pro-abortion Catholics. The article is said by US Catholic political analyst Deal Hudson to be “a tactical strike” on behalf of liberal Catholics “to divide bishops and to divide pro-life Catholics.” Hudson indicates it is no coincidence that the article was published at the same time as Planned Parenthood is also working to divide Catholics on the abortion issue and Catholic US House leader Nancy Pelosi is attempting to ram her abortion paying health care bill through Congress.

The TIME article, “A Tale of Two Priests” was written by senior editor Amy Sullivan who Hudson says has a clear history of writing articles disparaging and misrepresenting the Catholic Church's position on abortion. A LifeSiteNews search for articles written by Sullivan verified Hudson's claim.

Sullivan begins the TIME article with a bang claiming that in his September 18 address at an InsideCatholic event, Archbishop Raymond Burke “charged Boston Cardinal Seán O'Malley with being under the influence of Satan, “the father of lies.” Sullivan says, “Burke's broadside at O'Malley was inspired by the Cardinal's decision to permit and preside over a funeral Mass for the late Senator Ted Kennedy.”

The TIME writer goes on to imply that Burke and those who agree with him hold an inferior position that “abortion trumps all other teachings” versus that of those “who take a more holistic view of the faith.”

Deal Hudson responded to LifeSiteNews about Sullivan's article, stating, “the article is a tactical strike on behalf of the Catholic left. What is that strike? It is an attempt to divide bishops and to divide pro-life Catholics, you know, here go those who support Burke and here are those who don't.”

Hudson explained, “first of all, she perpetrates the myth that Archbishop Burke's move to Rome was a demotion which could not be further from the truth, the proof being not only his position as the head of the Apostolic Signatura, but also his recent appointment to the Vatican Congregation for Bishops.”

Second, Hudson stated, “it is not news that bishops disagree, but at a time when a prominent Catholic such as Nancy Pelosi is leading the charge, it is all too appropriate that bishops are publicly debating this issue.”  He added, “American Catholics would be greatly confused if no bishops were speaking out against her effort.” 

Hudson scored Sullivan for failing “to mention that the Catholic landscape in the United States has become so askew that the head of Planned Parenthood assumes the responsibility to lecture Catholics on the necessity of being pro-abortion.” The comment referred to the recent email from Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards in response to the USCCB campaign against the health care bill in which she wrote the U.S. bishops “don't speak for all Catholics.”

See additional Hudson commentary on the TIME article.

See later LSN Report:

TIME Got it Wrong – Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral

See LifeSiteNews Feature page, Kennedy Funeral Scandal

See additional articles by Amy Sullivan and critical commentaries:

The Catholic Crusade Against a Mythical Abortion Bill

Time's Amy Sullivan Misrepresents FOCA Battle, Obama's Abortion Support - NewBusters

The Catholic Choice

Time's Amy Sullivan Plays Up Teddy's Catholicism, Utterly Ignores His 100-Percent Record on Abortion, Gays

Time's Amy Sullivan Snarks About Those 'Furious' Pro-Life Catholics - Media Research Center Bias Alert