Priests, hypocrisy, and Denial

The leaders of the Jesuit Order and others are concerned about this new "directive" coming out of Rome concerning gay priests. Gay Roman Catholics are no longer going to be considered worthy of becoming priests, and those who have been or still are may not be qualified either.

What in the world did they expect? There has been a systematic effort to rid the Roman Catholic Church of homosexuals. In 1986 Cardinal Ratzinger, now the pope, came out with the teaching that homosexuals are "intrinsically evil and objectively disordered." The USCCB produced "All Our Children" which tried to lessen the blow to gay and lesbian ministries and persons, but that document has all but been forgotten, and has been dismissed by church leaders.

Organizations such as DignityUSA, who minister to gay and lesbian Catholics, were thrown out of many Roman Catholic churches in 1986. The dioceses like Rochester, where Dignity was still supported by priests saying Mass, were eventually forced to stop that practice. The rational given in Rochester was the need to focus its priestly resources at the parish level, but the directive to end this practice came from Rome.

Sr. Jeannine Gramick and Fr. Robert Nugent founders of New Ways Ministry were ordered to be silent. Thoughts, written words, and talks regarding homosexuals as being in alignment with God's creation and persons capable loving fully human relationships are forbidden and dealt with harshly. Fr. Nugent complied with Rome's silencing, Sr. Gramick did not and continues to speak out.

Over the past number of years gay and lesbian persons have been gaining recognition as full members of society and being accorded the rights thereof. No longer comfortable in the closet these families are asking for equal treatment under the law. And you will never guess which organization is at the forefront of opposing these families. Yes, you guessed it, the Roman Catholic Church. The Church's stance is that these families receive no benefits of any kind that might actually make it look like a family. No health care, no sick leave, no death bereavement time, and no financial equality should be given according to the Church. The Church also states that the adoption of children by gay and lesbian persons is destructive to children.

Persons who wear a rainbow sash to Mass on Pentecost to let the Church know its gay and lesbian brothers and sisters are part of the body of Christ are denied the Eucharist. The Church says that it's a political statement. The Rainbow Sash Movement members wonder how showing the God given truth of their lives can be political. Politicians are now being denied or threatened with denial of the Eucharist if they don't vote as the Vatican wishes. Paul Martin, the Prime Minister of Canada, has been told he will be denied because he supported same-sex marriage and equal treatment for citizens of his country. Bishops are meeting in Rome this weekend to discuss how they should deal with politicians around the globe. Do you really have any questions about how this discussion will turn out?

When the Vatican told Bishop Matthew Clark of the Diocese of Rochester to ban priests from saying Mass for Dignity-Integrity Rochester, the reason given was that the priestly resources of the diocese were spread to thin for this to continue. It wasn't a very convincing reason, and the words didn't change any of the outcome. A priest told me after the ban that those who came and said Mass were hurt and pained by the bishops directive, but that they just continued to focus on giving the Eucharist to those they could. No priest has chosen to say Mass since.

Where were the voices of priests and bishops shouting out when homosexuals were deemed "intrinsically evil and objectively disordered?" Where are their voices when people and families and children are being demonized? Where are their voices when Roman Catholics are denied the Eucharist? Where are their voices when democracy is threatened? They are silent. There might be whispers, but knowone listens to faceless voices.

The Roman Catholic Church has spent the past twenty years trying to rid itself of homosexual persons. Did the gay priests and bishops and those that support them think they were immune? They watched as their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters were left out to dry. Now the chickens have come home to roost. Their silence may cost them more personally than they ever thought.

It's hard to have compassion and understanding for those who abandoned you. I'm sure they will want support, but supporting persons who shunned you is difficult, especially when it's now happening to them. However it wouldn't be Christian and Catholic to hold onto resentment, so I will pray for the Church and those it now sees as undesirable and not worthy.

Mudger