Mark Silk, at RNS, is even less enthusiastic about the USCCB response than I am, and he makes some good points, especially the fact that the USCCB's most fundamental complaint was about the four-part definition, and the White House should deserve more credit for removing it. Reading Silk's piece, and a slew of emails this morning, I want to add another thought. The bishops need to engage the administration quickly, because their oh, so tepid response has greatly disheartened those moderate Catholics who have been lobbying the administration on behalf of the Church's concerns and emboldened those who do not want to see any accommodation of the Church's concerns. This is politics, my friends, and whatever the internal politics of the conference, it is vital that the bishops not miss the boat.
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