Bishops meet with Quinn

The Chicago Sun Times has an interestingly odd story today about yesterday's meeting of the Bishops of the Province of Illinois with Governor Pat Quinn (D).

Abdonm M. Pallasch, a political writer, begins saying the Bishops "were taking him [Quinn] out to the woodshed, but just four sentences later reports "Quinn said most of the talk at the two-hour meeting was about areas where he and the bishops agreed."  That doesn't sound like much a woodshed, unless Pallasch means in a rather unconventional way.

Responding to Quinn's statement, the Bishops said the meeting "was a meeting between pastors and a member of the Church to discuss the principles of faith, not the works of faith."  What is more, the Bishops

wanted to remind the Governor that conscience, while always free, is properly formed in harmony with the tradition of the Church, as defined by Scripture and authentic teaching authority. A personal conscience that is not consistent with authentic Catholic teaching is not a Catholic conscience. The Catholic faith cannot be used to justify positions contrary to the faith itself. It is a matter of personal integrity for people who call themselves Catholic to act in a manner that is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. In addition, since he holds a highly visible and influential position, the Governor’s statements about conscience or other matters of faith can affect many other people for whose spiritual care bishops are responsible.

The Governor, together with many "Catholic" politicians, still doesn't seem to understand that.