When speaking about problems and not wanting to cope with them effectively one is said to be "sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich".  The image makes me think of this huge bird hiding its tiny head in the sand to hide and protect itself and all the time the whole bird is standing there for the world to see.  Its only in the ostrich's tiny brain that it thinks itself safe, hidden, and protected.

Well, quite honestly, I've never seen an ostrich do that.  It is most likely an urban myth.  I can live with myths for the simple reason that all myth is grounded in some truth and perhaps the myth about sticking your head in the sand isn't really about the bird but about one's attitude towards that which is true.

I continue to be awestruck by Catholic bishops world-wide.  I think they are becoming, if not already become, ostriches.  And I'm not talking about those large, two-toed, swift-footed, flightless birds which reside in Arabia and Africa (thank you Mr. Webster).  I'm talking about how these men are reaching new depths at hiding their proverbial heads in the sand.

These men are as out of touch with reality as a telegraphist is to email.  I listen to them speak about being orthodox, about being catholic, about dogma and doctrine.  I listen as they conduct public spectacles of themselves against the Jewish, Islamic, and Protestant bodies.  I watch as they take up mideval clerical attire and at the same time denounce modern technology, science, and medicine.  I hear them speak about the spendor of the Sacraments and at the same time actively and carelessly destroy priests who are the primary custodians of these Sacraments.  I watch them parade into churches and then with a penstroke close those very same churches because there aren't priests enough to staff them.

All across the country priests are fading away.  Many men are retiring due to health and age concerns.  Few young men are entering seminaries and why should they?  So they can be subjected to the modern Inquisition and Witchhunt surrounding dogma and doctrine?

I watch bishops insist on being "Roman" a new Ultramontanism that means an unquestioning loyalty to teachings and practices that no modern day Catholic, muchless modern day thinker can acknowledge as viable and true.  They are out of touch and out of control.

It is that unquestioning loyalty that makes these bishops ostriches.  They have buried their heads in the sand of history and pageantry believing that if they can just get everyone to pretend it's 1955 then the church will be okay.  But sadly, with each calculated misstep they find themselves presiding over a church that they cannot relate to.  From their episocpal mansions they cannot speak to families facing homelessness.  From their wealth they cannot speak to families facing hunger.  From their layers of silk and satin and ermine they cannot speak to men and women and children who can't afford second-hand clothes.  From their glorious Latin they cannot speak to the frightened Mexican or Guatamalan or Kenyan as they stuggle under the weight of "being strangers in a strange land".  From their misguided id they cannot speak to healthy sexuality and positive human relationships.

Ostriches they are:  plummed and aggressive.  And while they prance about, out of touch and out of date, the people suffer.  The people suffer.  Their spirits languish.  But who cares so long as the bishops feel themselves powerful and proud, full of themselves?  They promote a ministry that is dead and they refuse to embrace the thriving, prophetic and emergent ministries that can be seen everywhere.

The bishops have become not so much Judas but like all the disciples who "forsook him, and fled" (KVJ, Matthew 26: 56).  They have abandoned Christ.  They have abandoned the Gospel.  And in so doing they have abandoned the Church.

Bishops, one and all, this Good Friday lay down your mitres and crosiers.  Arise, rend your mantles, shave your heads, fall to the ground and sit among the ashes! (Job 1-2)

Oh bishops,  be ye warned:  "verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment" (KJV, Matthew 25:45-46).

PS:  Ermine is the white shoulder cape worn by bishops and takes its name from the ermine, an Old World weasel, perhaps it is appropriate bishops wear them about themselves but that's another story...