John-Henry Westen encouraging Catholics to go over bishops’ heads

In light of the burgeoning controversy over the Connecticut Catholic Conference’s provisional and contingent approval of the administering of Plan B to victims of sexual assault, John-Henry Westen encourages Catholics to write to both the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith in order to express “concern.” Perhaps I am a bit too traditional of a Catholic, but I would suggest that a clarification from the bishops themselves is the first appropriate step since neither the Pontifical Academy for Life nor the CDF has jurisdiction over the dioceses in Connecticut. Encouraging the faithful to go over the heads of bishops without first requesting from those bishops the desired clarification is not a very Catholic move, and it reeks of ultramontanism. No matter what your sentiment may be with regard to the decision of the Connecticut Catholic Conference, it is never appropriate to sidestep the bishop on doctrinal or moral matters unless that bishop or group of bishops is manifestly in error and obstinately refuses to clarify his or their decisions. Indeed, Westen’s ill-advised move encourages more disobedience in the Church, replacing the authority of the bishop with bureaucratic bodies whose authority is derived rather than intrinsic.