Saturday, September 17, 2005

"This question must be answered"

Dom blogs about the long overdue apostolic visitation to U.S. seminaries and makes some good points. My ears pricked up, though, on the wording of some questions seminaries will be asked, according to a document leaked to the New York Times:

¶"Is there a clear process for removing from the seminary faculty members who dissent from the authoritative teaching of the church or whose conduct does not provide good example to future priests?"

¶"Is the seminary free from the influences of New Age and eclectic spirituality?"

¶"Do the seminarians or faculty members have concerns about the moral life of those living in the institution? (This question must be answered)."

¶"Is there evidence of homosexuality in the seminary? (This question must be answered)."

I smell a problem. If the second two questions "must be answered," that presumes that the first two are optional. And that's all wrong, in my view.

Shouldn't the issues addressed by the first two questions -- dissenting faculty members and whacko "spirituality" -- be at least of equal concern than the second two?