Vatican Considering Barring Gay-Friendly Politicians From Sacrament
As a gay Catholic, I feel duty bound to speak out about the injust, persecution of gay priests, nuns, and parishioners by our current pope. I know I've been blogging a great deal about this issue lately, and I hope my blogs visitors will bear with me, because while this content may not be overly entertaining I believe it's extremely important to stand up and be heard when you witness an injustice. Thanks for reading.
The following article shows how far the pope's willing to go to force good Catholics into line with his gay-smashing agenda:
Vatican Considering Barring Gay-Friendly Politicians From Sacrament by Malcolm Thornberry 365Gay.com European Bureau Chief
Posted: October 2, 2005 12:10 am ET
(Rome) Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who legalized same-sex marriage in their countries, and about a dozen American politicians who support gay marriage - including San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom who issued marriage licenses last year to same-sex couples - could be refused the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church under a proposal being considered by the Vatican.
Catholic bishops meeting in Vatican City at the first synod led by newly anointed Pope Benedict XVI are expected to consider refusing communion to politicians who pass laws that violate church doctrine.
The synod gets underway today.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin called the proposal "unfortunate".
"I am a practicing Catholic, in fact I am a strong Catholic,'' Martin told a Vancouver news conference following meetings with visiting Mexican President Vicente Fox.
"But I am also a legislator and I believe in the separation of church and state.''
Martin said his responsibility as prime minister was to uphold Canadians' rights as defined by the courts and to take the widest possible perspective into account.
"I believe in the Charter of Rights and I do not believe the prime minister of the country can cherry-pick those rights,'' he said.
"Have I discussed (this) with senior churchmen, with bishops? The answer is yes, I have. But as far as any further comment, I'm a legislator and that's public and I will comment on my public position. As a Catholic, that's my faith and I'll keep that to myself.''
Martin's Liberal government passed same-sex marriage legislation in July after courts in several provinces ruled the existing federal marriage law was unconstitutional. Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government in Spain legalized same-sex marriage only days earlier.
The ban on the sacraments is supported by bishops from Spain and Canada as well as a number from the US. The proposal reportedly has the endorsement of Pope Benedict.
Before becoming Pope, Benedict had long history of attacking same-sex unions. As Cardinal Ratzinger he was the Vatican's most outspoken opponent of gay marriage.
Ratzinger was the author of the a 2003 Vatican directive to priests around the world calling for a proactive stand to stop governments from legalizing same-sex marriage and for a repeal of those those already on the books that give rights, including adoption, to gay couples. (story)
The 12 page document called on Catholic bishops and lawmakers to oppose the legalization of same-sex unions.
He opposes contraception and the use of condoms to combat HIV/AIDS, advocates a diminished role for women in the Church and has called for mandatory celibacy for priests.
In 1999 he ordered two Americans, Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert Nugent, to end their associated with New Ways Ministry which provides educational programs for gay and lesbian Catholics nationwide.
©365Gay.com 2005
The following article shows how far the pope's willing to go to force good Catholics into line with his gay-smashing agenda:
Vatican Considering Barring Gay-Friendly Politicians From Sacrament by Malcolm Thornberry 365Gay.com European Bureau Chief
Posted: October 2, 2005 12:10 am ET
(Rome) Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who legalized same-sex marriage in their countries, and about a dozen American politicians who support gay marriage - including San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom who issued marriage licenses last year to same-sex couples - could be refused the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church under a proposal being considered by the Vatican.
Catholic bishops meeting in Vatican City at the first synod led by newly anointed Pope Benedict XVI are expected to consider refusing communion to politicians who pass laws that violate church doctrine.
The synod gets underway today.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin called the proposal "unfortunate".
"I am a practicing Catholic, in fact I am a strong Catholic,'' Martin told a Vancouver news conference following meetings with visiting Mexican President Vicente Fox.
"But I am also a legislator and I believe in the separation of church and state.''
Martin said his responsibility as prime minister was to uphold Canadians' rights as defined by the courts and to take the widest possible perspective into account.
"I believe in the Charter of Rights and I do not believe the prime minister of the country can cherry-pick those rights,'' he said.
"Have I discussed (this) with senior churchmen, with bishops? The answer is yes, I have. But as far as any further comment, I'm a legislator and that's public and I will comment on my public position. As a Catholic, that's my faith and I'll keep that to myself.''
Martin's Liberal government passed same-sex marriage legislation in July after courts in several provinces ruled the existing federal marriage law was unconstitutional. Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government in Spain legalized same-sex marriage only days earlier.
The ban on the sacraments is supported by bishops from Spain and Canada as well as a number from the US. The proposal reportedly has the endorsement of Pope Benedict.
Before becoming Pope, Benedict had long history of attacking same-sex unions. As Cardinal Ratzinger he was the Vatican's most outspoken opponent of gay marriage.
Ratzinger was the author of the a 2003 Vatican directive to priests around the world calling for a proactive stand to stop governments from legalizing same-sex marriage and for a repeal of those those already on the books that give rights, including adoption, to gay couples. (story)
The 12 page document called on Catholic bishops and lawmakers to oppose the legalization of same-sex unions.
He opposes contraception and the use of condoms to combat HIV/AIDS, advocates a diminished role for women in the Church and has called for mandatory celibacy for priests.
In 1999 he ordered two Americans, Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert Nugent, to end their associated with New Ways Ministry which provides educational programs for gay and lesbian Catholics nationwide.
©365Gay.com 2005
posted by Leo at 2:44 PM
2 Comments:
Argh!! Frikkin' . . . pope and his . . . ignorant, backward, unloving, witch-hunting, exclusionary policies. Doesn't "Catholic" mean "universal", as in the universal church? How the hell does this guy justify a "universal church - except for 10% of the population and the people who support their rights?"
It's enough to make you miss JPII.
Sigh. I find I'm not very articulate on this subject because it makes me so SPITTING MAD - but thanks for posting the article and for your previous commentary on this subject.
Paul Martin did the absolute correct thing. He put aside his personal and religious feelings and did what was Right for the country.
Excommunicate him... it matters not :D
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