Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City on #ViganoTestimony

Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City has made a statement about The Viganò Testimony.

[…]

As I mention our priests, seminarians and deacons, I want to thank the faithful of the Diocese of Sioux City who have offered support, prayers and encouragement to them and to myself. We all know that our beloved Catholic Church is undergoing a purification, and hopefully, a renewal. The news of the Archbishop Theodore McCarrick scandal, the grand jury report in Pennsylvania and the recent “Testimony” of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó have given us much to think about and to pray about.

Let me say this about the “Testimony.” In having read carefully the 11-page Testimony of Archbishop Viganó, I support and echo Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in his statement of Aug. 27, in which he stated, “The recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó brings particular focus and urgency to this examination. The questions raised deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers, innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the guilty may be left to repeat sins of the past.”

I believe Archbishop Viganó and, at the same time, we need more information.

In the matter of transparency in disciplining bishops, no one is above the law; and no bishop, regardless of diocese or rank or standing, may hope to evade the full and exacting moral law of our Lord Jesus Christ and the canonical laws of the church in the exercise of our duties. Therefore, let the harsh light of truth come, with its healing and freeing power.

Moreover, while renewing my respect for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, I join the greater part of my brother bishops in supplicating the Holy Father to make a clearer and fuller answer to the Testimony. My unshakeable loyalty to the Chair of St. Peter prompts me to beg its current occupant, Pope Francis, to undertake the necessary examination for the truth and to lead us courageously. This examination must happen for the church to heal and move forward, and it undoubtedly will happen, if not with our cooperation, then in spite of any attempts to avoid it. We bishops must be open to the truth and accept justice for our misconduct, if any be found.

[…]

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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6 Comments

  1. JamesA says:

    As you are wont to say, Father : OORAH !

  2. ajf1984 says:

    I once had the privilege of interviewing with His Excellency Bishop Nickless for a Director of Faith Formation position in his diocese. I was struck by his humility and clearly-prayerful manner, as well as the questions he asked of me. I’m gratified to see in his response to The Present Crisis ™ the same humble, prayerful approach, as well as his call for courageously seeking and embracing the Truth–whatever it may be!

  3. AA Cunningham says:

    The current occupant of the Chair of St. Peter is too busy meeting with infanticide advocating singer Bono to respond to you, Archbishop Vigano or the Dubia, Your Excellency.

  4. jaykay says:

    AA Cunningham: apparently they discussed the Irish Church’s abuse crisis (as described by the totally impartial Irish Times). Bono is a Protestant, evangelical. I wonder who brought up the topic, we don’t know, but I’d have called it damn rude on his part to have gone into that. There were Protestant equivalents to the “Magdalen asylums”, which is conveniently forgotten. Not to mention the notorious “Kincora scandal” of the early 80s. Of course, he’s always been one to grandstand.

    They also discussed capitalism as a “wild beast”, describing it as “amoral, if not immoral”. This from a tax exile. Yah couldn’t make it up, in it’s sanctimonious virtue-signalling. By both parties.

    Presumably the socialist wild beasts of Venezuela and too many other places weren’t discussed.

  5. Mallu Jack says:

    Bp. Nickless has previously been praised on this blog for:

    1. saying that we must “exorcise” the so-called “spirit of Vatican II”
    2. his “OUTSTANDING” (caps of Fr Z) pastoral letter
    3. his guidelines on Communion and EMHCs

  6. hilltop says:

    Without a scintilla of intent to diminish the force and accuracy of the Extraordinary Ordinary’s nickname, it may prove both timely and strategic to assemble a list of US Bishops also deserving of the descriptive “Extraordinary”. (Father Z?)
    If yes, I nominate Bishop Nickless.

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