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JD Flynn

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16 Nov, 14 tweets, 4 min read

#USCCB20 begins with opening prayer from #USCCB vp +Vigneron of Detroit.

+Gomez, +Vigneron, and Bransfield in same room, at desks with plastic shield between them.

#USCCB20

#USCCB20

Bransfield explaining logistics for online voting. Further instruction will be provided.

Bishops entered meeting with 2-factor authentication. Bransfield now explaining that.

#USCCB20

As a housekeeping reminder for my tweeting of #USCCB20:

Unless something is in direct quotes, it's MY SUMMARY of what someone said, not a direct quote. Even if it's in direct quotes, I might not have gotten all quotes completely correctly.

+Gomez now congratulates +Gregory of DC on being named to the College of Cardinals.

#USCCB20:

+Conley of Lincoln recognized.

Conley just returned from an 11 month medical leave of absence for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and tinnitus.

Thanks bishops for prayers, support, notes during absence. Thanks +Pierre for support.

+Conley:"There's a lot of stresses on bishops today and it's only going to worse, I think, and we shouldn't hesitate to reach out and get help if we need it."

Says Cath Med Association has new initiative to support bishops with mental health if they need it (CNA will cover that)

+Gomez:

We are happy that you have recovered and you are in our prayers in a special way.

Gomez recognizes new bishops.

#usccb20

Bishops now pray for newly deceased bishops.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

14 in total since last meeting last year.

Bransfield now reads message from USCCB to Pope Francis.

Bransfield: We the members of the USCCB prayerfully turn our thoughts to Your Holiness. Thank you for your accompaniment during this time of trial: virus, social unrest, political tension, and missing the sacraments.

Bransfield reading letter to Pope:

We are grateful for your support. You are with us on virus, working for racial justice. We keep in prayer those who have lost loved ones, died in obscurity, struggled to regain the fullness of health, "those who long for the sacraments."

Bransfield reading letter to Pope:

Mentions immigrants, the unborn, and all those seeking God's mercy.

We recognize our personal call to build in the Church a community of belonging.

We recognize our need as bishops and brothers in Christ to work in solidarity w/ each other.

USCCB letter for pope did not explicitly mention McCarrick Report.

#USCCB20

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More from @jdflynn

JD Flynn

@jdflynn

18 Nov

The Church's communion is a communio of faith, governance, and sacraments.

We worship God together, profess one creed, and submit to the authority of that Church.

I have rarely been in a Catholic context in which that communion isn't strained.

But that shouldn't surprise us.

Each baptized person is tempted in different ways, is disordered in different ways, is flawed, broken, or malformed in different ways.

We each need God's sanctifying grace and abundant mercy in a way particular to our own brokenness.

And each of our sins is an obstacle to ecclesial communion.

So throw us into engagement w/ each other, and it's going to be a real freak show, to use a theological term.

The critical question is whether there's a common commitment to ecclesial communion, and how to get there

Read 5 tweets

JD Flynn

@jdflynn

17 Nov

Bishops who spent two afternoons discussing McCarrick Report, systemic racism in the U.S., and pandemic are being criticized for... for prioritizing abortion over those things after saying for two minutes that a Catholic president who supports abortion poses challenges?

It's not that I'm surprised, it's just that I'm always incredulous.

But don't worry! The bishops are also being criticized by the very same people who have been calling for them to say something like this, since, after all, they didn't say it on the timetable demanded by the twitterati.

Read 4 tweets

JD Flynn

@jdflynn

17 Nov

+Gomez at USCCB20:

Chairman of committees have expressed concern in the wake of the election.

Gomez:

We are facing a unique moment in our history. The president-elect professes the Catholic faith-- he has given us reason to think he will support some good policies, but also some that are at odds with our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion.

+Gomez:

Those policies present challenges to the common good and confusion to the Catholic faithful.

This is a difficult and complex situation. Initiating a working group to address this. Will provide more information shortly

Read 5 tweets

JD Flynn

@jdflynn

17 Nov

+Gomez at USCCB: Msgr Bransfield has served the USCCB generously for 13 years. He has been General Secretary and other positions. Our heartfelt thanks.

Msgr. Bransfield:
A couple of years ago, my cell phone rang and it Fr. Steve Dougherty. He had been my pastor, a seminary professor, and was my friend.

#USCCB20

Msgr. Bransfield:

I was late, and didn't know if I should answer, I didn't have time. Why did I answer?
"Hi Steve, how are you?"
"Brian, I'm dying."

My body stopped, my mind froze. The raw immediacy of those words struck hard.

#USCCB20

Read 17 tweets

JD Flynn

@jdflynn

17 Nov

At #USCCB20, bishops will now discuss racism.

+Fabre, chair of ad hoc committee against racism, will initiate discussion.

Yesterday, I spelled His Excellency's name incorrectly, several times. I apologize to His Excellency, and to you, dear reader.

The proper spelling is Shelton Fabre.

+Fabre: Racially-related events of the last summer confirm the truth of "Open Wide Our Hearts," the USCCB's 2018 pastoral letter on racism.

Read 52 tweets

JD Flynn

@jdflynn

17 Nov

At #USCCB20, +Coakley, chairman of domestic justice and homan development committee, presenting on coronavirus pandemic.

*human

#USCCB20 on pandemic:

+Coakley- bishops have advocated for the poor, the marginalized, elderly people, for Catholic schools and charities, for prisoners, and others impacted by crisis.

conference presses for "urgent relief that affects millions."

Read 50 tweets

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