The Song of St Louis

It appears the St. Louis Post Dispatch is itching to widen the debate of Archbishop Burke's decision to pull his support from a Catholic Charity function featuring a concert show casing Sheryl Crow.

An editorial by Jane H. Sommer attempts to trump the good Archbishop by quoting her interpretations of Bible passages. Sort of playing bishop herself. She first paints Archbishop Burke with a brush stroke of hypocrisy,

...does he wish to encourage or deny support to the very children whom the professed center of his life, Jesus Christ, proclaimed: “for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

She doesn't however, mention Ms Crows support of abortion and the thousands of lives that takes everyday.

Jane Sommer second thought is confusing. I don't know what she's trying to say about " written code that kills and the Spirit that gives life". Kind of a mixture of self scripture interpretation.

Secondly, in light of the Archbishop’s adherence to a very strict interpretation of church law, one might ask if, at the heart of his Scriptures there is not an injunction about a new covenant ‘not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life.’

She continues by enlighten us with Ms Crows life crosses.

Thirdly, how might he evaluate his own efforts in behalf of suffering children and individuals worldwide in comparison to those of a cancer survivor who has given over countless hours to these endeavors as well as to human rights, most certainly at great financial sacrifice to herself?,

Sheryl has had some difficulties in life and she is to be commended in her battle with Cancer but the Archbishop isn't withdrawing his support because of these hardships. He is being the shepherd he was chosen to be. Living the vocation he chose to answer and one he has lived everyday of his life as a priest. I don't think Ms Sommers really knows what responsibilities a bishop has or what a priest has to sacrifice.

Lastly, Sommers puts the good Archbishop in his place with a selected passage

In the end, one can only hope for the possibility that not only will significantly more people donate to such a worthy cause as the Costas event, but that those giving their time, talent and love to this occasion will surely be seen as individuals who have fulfilled Jesus’ words, “as you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.”

The “scandal,” indeed, is not in the singer, but in the song of the Archbishop.

"One of the least of these" I guess doesn't include the unborn.