Sigh

A classic case illustrating my stumbling block with Roman Catholicism:

Catholics are still welcome to attend, but the lack of official involvement amazed Graham biographer Bill Martin, who characterized the archdiocese's reasoning as a "change in policy" from Mr. Graham's 1991 Central Park crusade. Back then, he said, 630 Catholic churches cooperated with the crusade and information on the meetings was handed out at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

That 1991 stance had been a huge shift from Mr. Graham's first New York crusade in 1957, he said, when Catholics boycotted the event and Catholic clergy were instructed on how to counter Mr. Graham's preaching.

"So maybe something's come down from above saying not to be involved in this," Mr. Martin added.

Mr. Zwilling said he didn't remember any such cooperation from churches back then, but Catholic clergy in 1991 did receive names of Catholics who answered Mr. Graham's altar calls at the Central Park event.

In a column to be released Saturday in the diocesan newspaper the Tablet, Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio outlined the significant divide over how Catholics and Protestants understand salvation.

The bishop said he welcomed Mr. Graham into the area and promised to follow up on any names given to them by crusade organizers.

How do Roman Catholic commentators respond. Well, one of my favorites wrote this:

But I actually do see the dioceses' point. This is a Protestant evangelical event. Why should a Catholic diocese work hard to get its people out to it?

Oh, I don't know. Maybe to help introduce people to their Savior. Apparently not everyone in "The Church" would agree.