“Let’s you and him fight,” says the troublemaker. Sometimes he does it just for the fun of making trouble; at other times, because he wants a proxy to advance his own interests. For two years, the New York Times has regularly been picking fights between John Cardinal O’Connor and Governor Mario Cuomo. The latest is over a guideline reminding pastors that they should avoid giving a platform at parish events to speakers who oppose Roman Catholic teaching.
Immediately the eager reporter is on the phone. To the archdiocese: Did the newsletter have Cuomo in mind? Answer: No. To Cuomo: Did he think he was being targeted? Answer: He doesn’t know, but the guideline smacks of a denial of the right of lay Catholics to speak their mind.
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