It was Bishop Cushing, who as one "well respected" was promoted to Cardinal Cushing - - read below to learn a little about the man behind the silenced, slandered and excommunicated Fr. Feeney. Today's BODers carry the torch of +Cushing.
LinkArchbishop of Boston Cushing, was made a Cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope John XXXIII in 1958.
He was also one of the cardinal electors in the 1963 papal conclave, which selected Pope Paul VI.
He was on good terms with practically the entire Boston elite.
Cushing built useful relationships with Jєωs, Protestants, and institutions outside the usual Catholic community.At the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) Cushing played a vital role in drafting Nostra Aetate, the docuмent that officially absolved the Jєωs of deicide charge.He was deeply committed to implementing the Council's reforms and promoting renewal in the Church. In an unprecedented gesture of ecuмenism, he even encouraged Catholics to attend Billy Graham's crusades.He was a member of the NAACP.
Oh, and his sister was married to a Jєω
Link May 1945 - Cushing attends interfaith dinner
Link Nov. 1948 - Archbishop Cushing, dwelling on the need for brotherhood, pledged the friendship of American Catholics with Jєωs.
Link April 1949 - Archbishop Cushing says teaching the dogma of No salvation outside the Church is “teaching ideas leading to bigotry.” Group is censured for publishing quarterly magazine contending that persons dying outside the Church could not be saved.
Link April 1949 - New catechism is changed, now upholds Boston College and Archbishop Cushing claim that there is salvation outside the Church.
Link Oct. 1949 - Fr. Feeney silenced by Archbishop Cushing for preaching there is no salvation outside the Church.
Link April 1949 - Cushing states: “This absolute requirement of an explicit desire to join the Catholic Church, as a condition of salvation is clearly wrong. All theologians hold that faith and charity or perfect contrition involving an implicit desire to join the Church suffice for salvation.”
Link Feb. 1953 - Cushing excommunicated “heresy priest” for disobedience, not for heresy.
LinkNov. 1970 - Cardinal Cushing receives praise from the Jєωs
Jєωιѕн leaders expressed sorrow today over the death yesterday at the age of 75 of Richard Cardinal Cushing. Archbishop of Boston since 1944 and a friend of Israel and the Jєωs. Philip E. Hoffman, president of the American Jєωιѕн Committee, said “Jєωιѕн people throughout the world will always remember with satisfaction Cardinal Cushing’s efforts to achieve an honest and meaningful statement on the Roman Catholic Church and the Jєωs five years ago in Rome at the Second Vatican Council.” Cardinal Cushing he said, “was at the forefront in this tremendously important endeavor,” and “the positive results of Vatican Council II will be a lasting memorial to the Cardinal.” World Jєωry. Mr. Hoffman said, “has lost a friend and champion.” Seymour Graubard, national chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith. said Jєωs the world over will always remember the dramatic plea Cardinal Cushing made on the floor of Vatican Council II five years ago in Rome. “His distinctive voice echoed through the chamber as he asked the Council to “cry out” against “any inequity, hatred or persecution of our Jєωιѕн brothers,”
The UAHC official added that Cardinal Cushing “was a liberal in the truest sense of the word, practicing the principles of ecuмenism long before the term became fashionable.”
Cardinal Cushing, whose efforts at ecuмenism extended to ѕуηαgσgυє oratory, received a rare tribute when he implored Vatican Council II to reject the doctrine of Jєωιѕн guilt for the death of Jesus. The bishops, who normally do not applaud speakers, did so for him.
Link July 1977 - Fr. Feeney, silenced in 1949, excommunicated in 1953 for condemning the teachings of Boston College that persons outside the Church could attain salvation after death, was reinstated in 1972 without having to recant his position.