Jeune Street

In general, I'm in favour of religious leaders speaking truth to power, but I wonder how we are supposed to take this statement from African bishops:

“Many Catholics in high office have fallen woefully short in their performance in office,” the bishops wrote in an unusually direct document wrapping up a month-long synod, or meeting, at the Vatican on the issues facing the church in Africa. “The synod calls on such people to repent, or quit the public arena and stop causing havoc to the people and giving the Catholic Church a bad name.”

I mean, why just Catholic leaders? The consequences of tyranny are far more serious than just dragging the name of the Church in the mud; no one really thinks any less of the Church because Mugabe is (apparently) a Catholic.