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Bruskewitz Excommunication Time Line

Why A Time-Line is important:

 As this page is posted on the internet, Call to Action has just completed its mandatory appeal before Bishop Bruskewitz of the Lincoln Nebraska Diocese. As expected the appeal was  rejected.

The next step in this ongoing controversy is Call to Action's promised appeal to Rome. A listing of events leading up to the excommunication might have a significant bearing on the outcome of the appeal to the Holy See. The timing of events will help to show which party (if any) has been acting with less then good will.

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Compiled from Internet and NCR Reports

May 3rd 1996 Update

3 Feb - Call to Action Nebraska organizes and celebrates Eurcharist. Election of Steering committer

8 Feb - Bishop Bruskewitz forbids Fr. John McCaslin from celebrating the Eucharist in the Lincoln Nebraska diocese.

3 March - Call To Action Nebraska Sends Notification Letter to the Bishops of 3 Nebraska dioceses.

---- Two Weeks Pass, No Acknowledgement of CTA Letter. Bp. Bruskewitz remains silent. ---

16 March - Several secular newspapers Report on the Formation of Call To Action Nebraska.

19 March - Coincidence? Secular newspapers report on CTA and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz takes first Action. Writes first letter to CTA theatening excommunication.

22 March - Class Action Excommunication threat issued by Bp. Bruskewitz and made known to CTA by publication in the local Lincoln Nebraska diocesan paper.

24 March - CTA asks for a face to face meeting to iron out differences.

---- 12 Days Pass, no acknowledgement of CTA Letter. Bp. Bruskewitz remains silent. ---

5 April In a formal petition to Bp. Bruskewitz, CTA appeals the Bishop's action and asks for a hearing.

11 April Bp. Bruskewitz agrees to meet with 2 members of CTA. He blames the group for all the bad publicity which resulted from his actions. Tells the CTA officers that there is nothing to discuss and sites Vatican II as supporting his position that Catholics must obey and keep silent.

24 April In a Letter to Call To Action Bp. Bruskewitz rejects the Call to Action Appeal. Quoting Lumen gentium the bishop says that"in matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in  the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent of soul."

??? Will Call To Action make an appeal to Rome?