Cordileone, the Lion Hearted Archbishop of San Francisco, Teaches Us to Defend the Truth

By Deacon Keith Fournier
1/30/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Archbishop Cordileone is one of those whom I have called Benedicts Bishops.

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone understands his mission and shows us all how to articulate the changeless truths which must be defended in this urgent hour. He is an apologist of the highest order, a defender of the faith. His courage in the face of cultural and social revolutionaries who seek to eviscerate the moral foundations of western culture is an inspiration.

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Catholic Online) - There was a wonderful article on the heroic Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, in the January 28, 2013 edition of the UK Catholic Herald entitled "All our detractors can do is call us names". Mary O'Regan held a lengthy discussion with the Archbishop while he was in London. His responses revealed the reason why his last name is so apropos. In Italian "Cor di Leone" means "Heart of a Lion". His incorporation of that fact into his Episcopal coat of arms is no surprise.

The article explains the influences which led to the Archbishops response to God's call by giving the reader an interesting exposure to his family upbringing. It offers an overview of the development of his priestly vocation and early service to the Church. It covers a wide range of interesting subjects including his love for the Liturgy and his understanding of the hermeneutic of continuity. It is a well written piece and well worth the read.

However, I found the responses of the Archbishop wherein he explained to the writer how he defends the unchangeable teaching of the Catholic Church to be the most instructive. There is much we can learn from his manner - and his rhetoric - in defending the truth. His courage in the face of cultural and social revolutionaries who seek to eviscerate the moral foundations of western culture is an inspiration.

When the announcement was made that he would assume the leadership of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, shock waves rippled through the main stream media. On September 22, 2012, before his installation, Maria L. La Ganga wrote an article in the Los Angeles Times entitled, "In San Francisco, Prop. 8 backer to head Catholic Church"

It began with these words: "The announcement by Pope Benedict XVI has been dubbed the "Bombshell by the Bay." Next week, a key player in the passage of Proposition 8 - a man who has decried the "contraceptive mentality" of modern life - will become the leader of the Catholic Church here in the city that thrust same-sex marriage onto the national stage, the birthplace of the Summer of Love."

She was disturbed by comments made by the Bishop at a news conference in July, "when discussing the cultural challenges his new diocese would present" he said the issues revolved around "issues of family life and, essentially, come down to our understanding of the human person, the purpose of our human sexuality, what God calls us to do and how he calls us to live and how he calls us to love." Of course, he was absolutely correct.

Archbishop Cordileone is one of those whom I have called Benedicts Bishops. I believe he was strategically chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for the task he faces in San Francisco, and beyond. In continuity with the 2,000 year teaching of the Catholic Church and the proper understanding of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Benedict XVI is re-securing the foundation stones of the Catholic Church in the United States in strategic Episcopal appointments.

The Pope's selection of Bishops proceeds from his conviction that the Church - and the message of authentic and true human progress which she offers the world - is the only antidote to the the collapse of the West. The task of re- building the Church so that she can in turn re-evangelize the culture has not been easy. And, it will probably get even more difficult. The old adage is true; it always seems darkest before the dawn.

I conclude with some excerpts from the UK Catholic Herald written by Mary O'Regan. They demonstrate how Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone understands his mission and shows us all how to articulate the changeless truths which must be defended in this urgent hour. He is an apologist of the highest order, a defender of the faith. His responses to Mary O'Regans questions are instructive for our work:

"He consistently uses level-headed logic in arguing against same-sex marriage. He says: "Truth is clear. Wanting children to be connected to a mother and father discriminates against no one. Every child has a father and a mother, and either you support the only institution that connects a child with their father and mother or you don't. Adoption, by a mother and father, mirrors the natural union of a mother and father and provides a balanced, happy alternative for when a child may not be reared by their biological parents."

"I tell him that I'm searching for good theological answers against gay marriage, but he corrects this notion by saying: "If you use theology, you will play into their hands and they will say you use religion to control people. Marriage isn't ...

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1 - 9 of 9 Comments

Robert Hill
2 months ago
Dear Mr. Somerton, I agree with you entirely. Gay is as gay does. In fact, I'm not sure I'm as comfortable with Archbishop Cordileone's quote, or that of Cardinal George ("...like repealing the law of gravity..."). Not everyone will see the two as equally ludicrous, insofar as the latter is clearly not possible, whereas the impossibility of the former will *not* be clear to those whose consciences have been formed by Hollywood and the libertine/pagan/ atheist alliance. Practically speaking, redefining breastfeeding or gravity is harder to do than redefining marriage, because these things are fairly clear cut, whereas some mistakenly think marriage is merely a social construct, not tied to the good of raising children—a contractual arrangement rather than a foundational social unit, or, dare we say, *holy* matrimony.

The law is a teacher, and when the government "legalizes" things, society (or at least Caesar) tells the innocent that they are okay, i.e., morally acceptable. (We also imply that morals are relative.)

So I'd say legalizing gay marriage is more like legalizing hard drugs (human consumption of what is essentially poison). And if law aides and abets evil, then we are "slouching toward Gomorrah," to quote the late Judge Robert Bork.
ac
3 months ago
he makes it all look so easy - I will be praying for him and more like him to be in the news!
kathy
3 months ago
It's sad to think that someone may lose his or her livelihood, because they take a position that goes against public thinking. There is such a fine line between tolerance and acceptance, and yes, I agree that too much tolerance can lead to acceptance, without even realizing that one has done so. We as Christians will be faced one day with choosing, end times tell us so. I do not want to have to explain to God, why I chose man and not God. Who are we trying to please? I will always chose God.
abey
3 months ago
Let the Catholic Church (withholding the Complacent ones) be known in the future, to its resistance against gay agendas, the very antithesis to the family order totally contrary to the words "Be fruitful & Multiply", as the Church that loved God by keeping His word.
Clinton C Somerton
3 months ago
Thanks be to God for the courage of Archbishop Cordileone! Let us all pray for this servant of God to remain strong in love and truth.

One note, however: The person interviewing the Archbishop made reference "gay people and lesbians". This is a mistake. As the Archbishop himself points out, there is no such thing as homosexual "marriage", and we should avoid using that incorrect and deceptive phrase. In the same way, Christians (and all people who believe in authentic human sexuality) should reject labelling people "gay" or "lesbian", and instead recognize that homosexual behaviour is not "who they are", but "what they do". Christ came to set captives free and to make all things new. That will never happen if we cling to and use sexual labels which effectively say to God "No, you can't heal me." It becomes our affirmation of a lie.
Tom McGuire
3 months ago
All who are callee detractors do not undermine western civilization. Some of us see major shifts that will bring all humanity into a world civilization that requires new understanding and ways of talking about eternal truths. If all who disagree with the Archbishop are called detractors how does this encourage needed dialogue? Is not the primary responsibility of an Archbishop to promote and encourage ecclesia communion?
Deacon Dana
3 months ago
Wonderful article, Deacon. How blessed we are that Pope Benedict XVI will leave behind such good and faithful shepherds as the Archbishop. It is these men who will lead the Church through the true renewal that will come.
David
3 months ago
Thank God for lionhearted bishops!
Ann Couper-Johnston
3 months ago
May that other lion, the Lion of Munster, Clemens von Galen, who as Bishop of Munster stood up to Hitler (and even the Nazis didn't dare touch him; they feared an uprising if they did) pray for this one, and for all of us who are in the day of battle.

St Michael the Archangel, pray for us!

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