Tomorrow and Tomorrow: A Closed Church, Again

The recent activities of the U.S. Catholic bishops—to judge by the way my telephone rings—have caused a great deal of divisiveness in the Church. Many puzzled Americans wonder what is happening.

It is a classic Catholic temptation. Note, first, that the generation of young bishops and priests of the Vatican II era (1962-65) is now coming into full power. Archbishop Quinn of San Francisco and Archbishop Roach of the Twin Cities are two such. A new class always has its own ambitions.

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Michael Novak

Michael Novak was a Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.

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The recent activities of the U.S. Catholic bishops—to judge by the way my telephone rings—have caused a great deal of divisiveness in the Church. Many puzzled Americans wonder what is happening.

It is a classic Catholic temptation. Note, first, that the generation of young bishops and priests of the Vatican II era (1962-65) is now coming into full power. Archbishop Quinn of San Francisco and Archbishop Roach of the Twin Cities are two such. A new class always has its own ambitions.