After the Vatican decision, Bishop Bruskewitz said he felt a duty to lead the people under his pastoral care away from organizations perilous to the faith.
"Parents have to tell children that they can’t test everything in the medicine cabinet or drink everything under the sink," the bishop explained. "The church is our mother and gives us these instructions as protection against dangers we might not perceive. … It is liberating, not enslaving."
The bishop said he hopes people affected by his ruling will remedy their situations without delay.
"The Lord loves everyone and died for everyone, and he wants all to be saved," he said. "The best lesson that can be learned from everything that has happened is that one finds happiness, joy and satisfaction in obedience to the church."
Bishop Robert F. Vasa of Baker, Ore., was vicar general of the Diocese of Lincoln in 1996 and general secretary of the diocesan synod that issued the decree of excommunication.
Upon hearing of the Vatican’s response, he said, "There never was any question of the bishop’s right to do this and the suitability given the circumstances. I’m pleased to see that the Holy See has publicly affirmed Bishop Bruskewitz’s decree and authority."
Reactions, via the Lincoln paper:
Local CTA member Jim McShane, who signed the original appeal of Bruskewitz’s ruling, said the local group has never received any response from Rome or been given the opportunity to state its case to Vatican officials.
“This letter is very unfortunate,” McShane said. “I’m deeply distressed by it. There’s every evidence that Rome is acting on misinformation.”
Rather than getting correct information about the beliefs and purposes of Call to Action from members of the organization itself, Vatican leaders have received incorrect information from Bruskewitz, McShane said.
For example, today’s Register article includes a list of claims about Call to Action which McShane says are not true — such as that CTA members do not support the Nicene Creed, which is a statement of faith for Christians, or that they consider belief in the incarnation (divinity of Christ) to be optional, and doubt Jesus’ virgin birth.
“No one in CTA has ever suggested that I give up the Nicene Creed” or other basic doctrinal beliefs, McShane said.
McShane also pointed out that Re had his name wrong in the letter — calling him John rather than Jim. He also took issue with Re’s statement that McShane and other members of CTA “will understand that their line of action is causing damage to the Church of Christ.”
Rachel Pokora, president of Call to Action-Nebraska, said she plans to continue attending church in the Lincoln Diocese and taking communion, as she has in the past.
“It will be interesting to see what the implications (of Re’s letter) are,” she said. “Will other dioceses take stronger actions against Call to Action?” So far, Bruskewitz is the only bishop to issue an excommunication ruling.
Patty Hawk, a Nebraskan who is co-president of the national board of Call to Action, expressed chagrin that the Vatican did not respond to the CTA’s requests for due process and that Bruskewitz chose to communicate through the newspaper rather than talking with CTA members directly.
“It makes me sad that this is the way Bishop Bruskewitz has chosen to deal with members of his faith community,” she said.
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