Section One
Friday,
April 8, 2005
Volume 33,
Issue 14
Sat, Nov 21, 2009
IN THE SGN
SECTION ONE
Front Page
MORE/ALL
SECTION ONE
STORIES
SECTION TW0
Arts & Entertainment
John Paul IIs legacy |
||
 |
||
| John Paul IIs legacy on Lesbian/Gay Issues is not admirable | ||
| A Statement by Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director New Ways Ministry
Pope John Paul II was a leader of deep piety and strong convictions. His moral leadership was heeded not only by Catholics, but by politicians, philosophers, and religious leaders throughout the world. He was a man whose ideas were deeply formed by coming of age in his native Poland, occupied first by the Nazis, and then by the Communists. These experiences of oppression inspired his deep concern for social justice. He will be remembered for his strong voice on human rights and dignity. Unfortunately, his record on Gay/Lesbian issues is not as admirable. His 26-year pontificate was marked by an end to dialogue on many theological issues, including homosexuality. He closed the windows of renewal that were opened by Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council. Specifically, under his leadership, many important steps were made to stifle the Gay rights movement in the Church and in society: the publication of a 1986 letter on pastoral care of homosexuals, which, in fact, curbed many pastoral innovations being developed; silencing theologians like Charles Curran, who sought to update the Churchs view on homosexual relationships; trying to silence the pioneering educational and pastoral ministry of Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert Nugent, founders of New Ways Ministry; removing powers from prophetic bishops like Bishop Jacques Gaillot of Evreux, France, and Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen of Seattle, who made bold statements of Lesbian/Gay equality; trying to prevent the 2000 World Pride celebration from occurring in Rome; made strong attempts to prevent same-sex marriage initiatives from being enacted in secular governments. We pray for the repose of his soul, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will provide our Church with a leader who shares Pope John Paul IIs strong voice and moral courage, but who will provide us with a Church that is more open to dialogue, reconciliation, and Gay/Lesbian equality. Lesbian/Gay Catholics and their families need a leader who offers a healing hand after John Pauls pontificate which often caused them so much pain. Located in Mt. Rainier, Maryland, New Ways Ministry is a 28-year-old national Catholic ministry which seeks to build bridges of justice, education, and reconciliation for Lesbian/Gay Catholics and the wider Church community. |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
 GENERAL GAYETY Leslie Robinson |
 NOT THINKING STRAIGHT Madelyn Arnold |
