Vatican Museum staircase

A news story that sounds like the plot of a Dan Brown novel has been making headlines around the globe as it promotes the idea that Pope Benedict XVI was supposedly forced to resign by a group of gay prelates in the Vatican.

The Guardian newspaper reported:

“A potentially explosive report has linked the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI to the discovery of a network of gay prelates in the Vatican, some of whom – the report said – were being blackmailed by outsiders.

“The pope’s spokesman declined to confirm or deny the report, which was carried by the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica.

“The paper said the pope had taken the decision on 17 December that he was going to resign – the day he received a dossier compiled by three cardinals delegated to look into the so-called ‘Vatileaks’ affair.

“Last May Pope Benedict’s butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested and charged with having stolen and leaked papal correspondence that depicted the Vatican as a seething hotbed of intrigue and infighting.

“According to La Repubblica, the dossier comprising ‘two volumes of almost 300 pages – bound in red’ had been consigned to a safe in the papal apartments and would be delivered to the pope’s successor upon his election.”

While such a story could be true, the sensationalism, coupled with the paucity of facts, and being based on a “secret” document, all inspire serious doubts about its legitimacy.

Veteran church observer David Gibson downplays the possibility of the report’s veracity on his Religion News Service blog:

“I’m one of those who would say this is pretty massively overplayed. For one thing, Benedict’s resignation was most certainly the result of numerous factors, mainly revolving around the internal problems of the Vatican, of which sexual shenanigans were likely one — but hardly the only one, or even the principal one. His advancing age was the element that pushed it all to the brink.”

Reports such as this one, based on little fact, are dangerous because they perpetuate a myth that gay people are to blame for anything wrong or unusual in the church–the way that gay priests were scapegoated for the sexual abuse crisis.  Furthermore, it paints gay people as manipulative, power-hungry, clandestine.

The tragedy is that such myths will continue as long as gay people serving in the church must do so in secrecy.  By maintaining such a repressive atmosphere around LGBT issues, the Vatican has helped to foster a climate of suspicion and fear which paves the way for such speculation.  Could a “gay lobby” exist in the Vatican?  Given the repressive atmosphere, it seems very unlikely that any gay priest or prelate would have the courage to acknowledge his sexual orientation to another priest or prelate.

The sorry scandal of this story, which could be lost in the sensationalism around gay issues, is that power-mongering does indeed exist so blatantly at the Vatican.  Whether by gay men or straight men, this power-mongering seriously harms the church’s mission and credibility in the world.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

 

 

 

Tagged: Catholic, Dan Brown, David Gibson, Gay, La Repubblica, LGBT, papal resignation, Pope, Pope Benedict, Pope Benedict XVI, The Guardian, Vatican, Vatican City

For your Friday reading, here are some links of interest on non-Pope-related Catholic LGBT matters:

1) Bondings 2.0 previously reported on a transgender educator fired from a Catholic high school and the growing Catholic support for her. Bryan Cones at U.S. Catholic posted an update asking broader questions about how religious institutions respond to transgender individuals, including this example:

“I got a call from a woman religious in South Carolina who wanted to know if there were any resources to help a parish integrate a transgender child into their religious education program…this rural South Carolina parish was doing its best to learn how to welcome her and her family. I wanted to stand up and cheer.”

2) Polish lawmakers rejected multiple bills to legally recognize same-gender couples.  A News24.com article examines how the legacies of Catholicism and Communism contributed to this rejection.  This development goes against recent positive news from Poland regarding a transgender legislator and feature film about a gay Catholic priest’s struggles.

3) A Religion News Service  story profiles a French man who is both a retired Catholic priest and mayor of a town.  His story highlights the intersection of  Church/State relations and tensions around the intense equal marriage debate currently happening in that nation.

4) On The Jesuit Post, a seminarian wrote affirmingly of French bishops’ statement on same-gender relations, reported previously on Bondings 2.0 here and here.  His reflections include the following conclusion:

“Which is why I am so encouraged to see a document that takes the desire of homosexual persons  to love and to be loved seriously. Surely much good can come from acknowledging that homosexual people might not be aiming to destroy marriage, but instead yearning honestly and openly to find a path to live full, loving, and relational human lives.”

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Three days ago, we posted about Bishop Charles Scicluna of Malta expressing respect for the love of gay and lesbian couples.  Thanks to one of our readers, today we are able to provide video of an interview with Bishop Scicluna.  Though he clearly does not endorse marriage for gay and lesbian couples, he does show a pastoral sensitivity to the human relationships of same-gender couples that few bishops exhibit.   Towards the end of the interview, he explains the hierarchy’s use of the term “disorder” to describe sexual orientation.  Again, while his definition is not overwhelmingly positive, he does remove from the term any connotation of stigma and mental illness.  He also categorically states that people should not use the word “evil” to talk about gay and lesbian people.

Perhaps his most affirming sentences of the interview:  ”Love is never a sin.  God is love.”

You can view the short interview here:

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Bishop Scicluna, Family and Relationships, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, Homosexuality, Malta, marriage equality, Same-sex marriage, Same-sex relationship, Sexual orientation

A week from today, Pope Benedict XVI will resign. Already speculators have saturated Catholic conversations with who the next pope will be. Bondings 2.0 wants to know what qualities, visions, and backgrounds our readers desire in this person. For your reflection, we’ve excerpted from pieces by Catholic writers on their ideas about the next pope. After reading, we hope you will add your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sr. Maureen Fiedler, host of the radio program Interfaith Voices, writes at National Catholic Reporter:

“We also need someone who accepts and preaches the Gospel value of human equality for women and men, people of all races and ethnicities, and people of all sexual orientations.

“So we need a ‘gutsy’ pope: someone who would open up all roles in the church to anyone who qualifies spiritually and would not rule anyone out based on gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Such changes would likely mean standing up to lots of Vatican bureaucrats…

“But you know, most of all, we need someone who can relate to people so well that he is willing to host a picnic in Vatican Square, or maybe a potluck somewhere. I’d bring some great hors d’oeuvres.”

Maryland parish priest, Fr. Peter Daly, also writing at National Catholic Reporter about his desire for a pope with experience as a parish priest:

“The Benedictines have a saying about the selection of a new abbot: The abbot should be ne numis sapiens, ne nimis sanctus, et ne nimis sanus — not too healthy, not too wise and not too holy. In other words, they should select a regular guy. That’s what I hope for: a regular guy…

“I hope he has a lot of nieces and nephews who have challenged him around the dinner table and in family gatherings…Perhaps one of those nieces and nephews has come out to him as gay and he has had to love them still.

“I hope we get somebody who is in touch with his own humanity. It would be nice if he was a man who admits that he, too, is a sexual being who has struggled with human desires and impulses like everybody else.”

Lastly, E.J. Dionne writing in The Washington Post calls for a nun to be elected pope (and we at New Ways Ministry heartily echo his sentiments):

“It is time to elect a nun as the next pontiff…

“Matthew 25:40 contains what may be the most constructive words ever written: ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brethren, you did for me.’ More than any other group in the church, the sisters have been at the heart of its work on behalf of compassion and justice…

“The church needs a leader who has worked closely with the poor and the outcast, who understands that battling over doctrine is less important for the church’s future than modeling Christian behavior — and who sees that the proper Christian attitude toward the modern world is not fear but hope.”

What do you seek in the next pope? What qualities does that person need to lead the Catholic Church forward on LGBT issues?  Is there a particular person who models for you what a good pope should be?  Who would be your choice from the current College of Cardinals? Please leave your thoughts, idealistic ones and practical ones alike, in the ‘Comments’ section of this post.  We will try to follow-up on  our readers’ input in a future post.

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Benedict XVI, bisexual, Bishop, cardinals, Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholicism, conclave, E.J. Dionne, Election, Fr. Peter Daly, Gay, Interfaith Voices, lesbian, LGBT, Maureen Fiedler, National Catholic Reporter, Pope, resignation, The Washington Post, Transgender

Cardinal Peter Turkson

One of the names that is being bandied about as a prime candidate to become the next pope is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana.  As his name has surfaced, so too have reports that this African cardinal has a strong record of anti-gay attitudes.

His most recent comments accused gay priests for causing the sex-abuse crisis.  According to London’s Daily Mail:

“The African cardinal widely tipped to be the first black pope in modern history faced a firestorm of criticism last night after he laid the blame for clerical sex abuse crises at the feet of gay priests.

“Cardinal Peter Turkson, who comes from Ghana, told an American journalist that similar sex scandals would never convulse churches in Africa because the culture was inimical to homosexuality.

” ‘African traditional systems kind of protect or have protected its population against this tendency,’ he told Christiane Amanpour of CNN.

” ‘Because in several communities, in several cultures in Africa homosexuality or for that matter any affair between two sexes of the same kind, are not countenanced in our society,’ he continued.

” ‘So that cultural taboo, that tradition has been there,’ said Cardinal Turkson, 64. ‘It has served to keep it out.’ “

You can view the video of the Turkson interview with CNN’s Amanpour here.

Turkson made headlines last week when it was revealed that he supported Uganda’s draconian penalties for homoesexuality.  According to John Becker, writing on The Billerico Report blog:

“. . .Turkson is so anti-gay that he actually defended draconian laws that criminalize homosexuality and gay sex, including Uganda’s notorious ’Kill the Gays’ bill. Speaking last year to the National Catholic Register, Turkson opined that while the penalties imposed by such laws are ‘exaggerated,’ the desire of many Africans and African leaders to incarcerate or even execute their gay citizens is actually perfectly understandable, and that the ‘intensity of the reaction [to homosexuality] is probably commensurate with tradition.’ “

Turkson also added:

“Just as there’s a sense of a call for rights, there’s also a call to respect culture, of all kinds of people. So, if it’s being stigmatized, in fairness, it’s probably right to find out why it is being stigmatized.”

Becker cites another example of Turkson’s anti-gay attitudes:

“In January 2012, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered an address to the African Union Summit in which he called on African nations to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality and end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; the Secretary-General said that doing so was the only way to live up to the ideals of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Cardinal Turkson rebuked him:

‘We [the Church] push for the rights of prisoners, the rights of others, and the last thing we want to do is infringe upon the rights of anyone. But when you’re talking about what’s called “an alternative lifestyle,” are those human rights? [Ban Ki-moon] needs to recognize there’s a subtle distinction between morality and human rights, and that’s what needs to be clarified.’ “

Clearly, Turkson is not the right man for the top job.  While many church leaders have, through their comments, revealed their ignorance of LGBT reality, few have done so as boldly as Turkson has.  Let’s hope and pray that the old adage about papal conclaves comes true in his case:  ”He who enters the conclave a pope comes out a cardinal.”

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Africa, Ban Ki-moon, Billerico Report, Cardinal Peter Turkson, CCN, Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Gay, Ghana, John Becker, lesbian, LGBT, National Catholic Register, papal candidate, Peter Turkson, Pope, Turkson, Uganda

Bishop Charles Scicluna

In what seems to becoming a trend in Europe of slight affirmation of gay and lesbian relationships, an auxiliary bishop from Malta recently reprimanded a Catholic who negatively characterized those relationships as based on lust.

PinkNews.co.uk reports:

“Malta’s Auxiliary Bishop, Charles Scicluna, has stepped in to condemn a provocative letter written by zealous Catholic churchgoer Joe Zammit who claims there can only be lust and not love between gay people.

“Bishop Scicluna told the Sunday Times of Malta: ‘Joe Zammit has managed to do a great disservice to the Catholic ethos by presenting a caricature of the Church’s teaching on gay relationships.’ ”

Bishops Scicluna did not endorse marriage between gay and lesbian couples, but his comments reflect a new awareness on the part of some bishops in expressing respect and positive regard for gay and lesbian relationships:

“Bishop Scicluna maintained that ‘Gay people are not called to marriage which is the permanent union between one man and one woman open to the gift of parenthood,’ but then added, ‘they are indeed called to chaste friendship and chaste friendship is chaste love.’

“ ‘To say, as Mr Zammit keeps harping, that “there can never be love but only lust between homosexuals” is to deny the truth of what the Church teaches.’ . . .

“Bishop Scicluna felt compelled to step in and dismissed Mr Zammit’s comments saying his opinion ‘does not represent the teachings of the Church.’ ”

Bishop Scicluna joins the French bishops, British Bishops, and a Vatican official who recently made similar comments regarding respect for gay and lesbian couples.

Let’s hope and pray that American bishops will soon follow suit.   It will be a giant step forward if bishops can refrain from their inaccurate rhetoric which unilaterally disparages gay and lesbian couples.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Auxiliary bishop, Bishop Scicluna, Gay, Homosexuality, lesbian, LGBT, Malta, marriage equality, Same-sex marriage, Same-sex relationship

A new Polish film about a Catholic priest who is struggling with his homosexuality took the prize for the best gay-themed movie at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival.

Malgoska Szumowska

Entitled “In the Name Of,” the film was directed by 39-year old Malgoska Szumowska who told Reuters:

“They (the Catholic Church) don’t want to change anything. The church does not fit in with modern society. . . .

“Out of this conflict only bad things happen. I think they are extremely closed and intolerant… But I am not a politician or an intellectual. . . .

“We did not want to make a movie about an oppressive church… We wanted to make a movie about love.”

The film is expected to spark conversations, if not controversy, in heavily Catholic Poland.  But the filmmaker notes that the nation is changing, and it seems   a good time for such conversations:

“We have very strong discussions now in Poland, about the church, about homosexuality. We now have priests leaving the church.”

The Hollywood Reporter  carries a synopsis and favorable review of the film.  They note:

“Gay priests hardly raise an eyebrow anymore in Western films, but it is rare that their sexual angst is portrayed as sensitively as in Poland’s Berlin competition entry In the Name Of…., which hovers in an interesting middle ground between Gothic expressionism and psychological drama, heightened by a fine cast and outstanding performances. . . .The new film’s tolerance, propped up by a careful distinction between homosexuality and pedophilia, is unlikely to arouse much controversy among the kind of art house audiences the Memento title will attract, though it could provoke protest from traditional Catholic groups.”

Should the film be distributed in the U.S., Bondings 2.0 will update you with further reviews and discussions.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

 

Tagged: Berlin International Film Festival, Catholic Church, Cinema of Poland, Gay, gay priest, lesbian, LGBT, Malgoska Szumowska, Poland, Priesthood (Catholic Church)

While it is well-known that England and Wales are drawing closer to legalizing marriage equality, what is less well-known is the role that Catholics have been playing in bringing about this reality.

When Parliament’s House of Commons last week overwhelmingly voted to approve marriage equality, another strong statistic that emerged was that the majority of Catholic Members of Parliament (MP) also voted for the measure.  London’s Tablet magazine reports:

“Out of the 82 Catholic MPs, 47 – almost 60 per cent – were in favour of same-sex marriage. Of these, 32 are Labour, 12 Conservative, two Liberal Democrat and one SDLP. . . .

“Twenty-eight Catholic MPs voted against the bill including Sarah Teather, the Liberal Democrat former children’s minister. She said: ‘It was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever taken.’ “

St. Thomas More

One of those 82 Catholic MPs is Damian Collins, a Conservative who voted for marriage equality, and, interestingly, used St. Thomas More as his model for doing so.  In an essay in The Guardian, he stated:

“Saint Thomas More, Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor and a former speaker of the House of Commons is famous for the moral stand he took against his King, even though it cost him his life. . . . Thomas More is particularly remembered because he could not in conscience swear an oath recognising the Succession to the Crown Act 1533 which had the effect of annulling one of Henry VIII’s marriages and therefore changing the royal succession. He could not swear the oath because, although he would abide by the Act’s content, he could not in conscience say that he agreed with it. Parliament, he said, had the right to decide matters of marriage, and had the right to require all subjects, including Catholics, to abide by its laws, but it could not have the right to require Catholics in conscience to agree with them. As a result he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and then executed.

Damian Collins

“Last month press reports of a letter signed by a large number of Catholic clergy who opposed the Same Sex Marriage Bill asserted that if it passed that this could be seen as a return to the persecution that Catholics experienced during the English Reformation, because they would be required to acknowledge equal rights to marriage, against the teaching of the Church. I’m not sure that Thomas More would agree with this, and nor for that matter do I.

“The Same Sex Marriage Bill is not seeking to tell the different churches and religions what they should believe, or to restrict them practicing their beliefs as the do now. Churches will not be required to conduct same sex marriage ceremonies if they do not want to. The Catholic Church will remain free to teach that marriage is a sacrament of the Church, it is between a man and a woman, that its purpose is for the procreation of children, and that it is for life. . . .

“The Bill is an attempt to strengthen equality in our society, without compromising religious freedom. I believe that Thomas More would have understood this distinction, and regardless of how he would have voted (I would not seek to presume on a matter of conscience like this) I think he would have agreed that this was something that Parliament had the right to do.”

Conor Burns

Another Catholic MP is Conor Burns, a Tory who is also an openly gay man. PinkNews.co.uk notes that while Burns originally did not feel that the marriage bill should be considered, he has come to support it:

“He said he did not think there was a clamour for the gay marriage proposal but added: ‘That said, it’s being presented as bringing greater equality and as a gay man I don’t see how I can vote against something that’s presented as bringing greater equality.’ ”

Burns also added that he opponents of the bill strongly lobbied him to vote against it, and that he was shocked at the manner of presentation:

“ ‘The lobbying that has been undertaken by those against this bill has been some of the most unpleasant spiteful, hateful things that I’ve ever known,’ he said.

“ ‘Some of my constituents have written in opposing it. I don’t know what sort of relationship they have with their God but he’s not the God of compassion that I recognise. They’ve been hateful.’ “

Archbishop Peter Smith

Not surprisingly, Catholic leadership in Britain have opposed the marriage equality bill. One British bishop, however, has already admitted defeat in the matter.  PinkNews.co.uk repots:

“The Archbishop of Southwark has said he has accepted defeat and same-sex marriage will become law in England and Wales.

“Peter Smith, who is also vice-president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said he has reluctantly accepted the government proposals.”

Catholic British theologian Tina Beattie argued for marriage equality in the pages of The Guardian, handily debunking one of the greatest myths used against such proposals:

Tina Beattie

“I have never been able to understand the argument that same-sex marriage threatens marriage as we know it. Marriage is far more threatened by a consumerist culture in which the demand for instant gratification is worth the sacrifice of any relationship or responsibility which involves commitment and struggle, and by an ethos of sexual libertarianism which so easily mutates into predatory and exploitative relationships involving young and vulnerable people, and which fosters unrealistically high expectations of sexual performance among adults who ought to know better.

“In this context, society stands to benefit from any move towards a deeper understanding of the value of ‘lifelong fidelity and commitment’ between two people, whether of the same sex or of different sexes, as a basic building block for community and family life.”

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Archbishop Peter Smith, britain, Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Conor Burns, Damian Collins, England, Gay, lesbian, LGBT, Liberal Democrat, marriage equality, Member of Parliament, Same-sex marriage, Sarah Teather, St. Thomas More, t, Thomas More, Tina Beattie, Wales

Anna Grodzka, speaking in the Polish parliament

In a sign of the Catholic hierarchy’s waning influence over Polish politics, the nation’s first transgender legislator nearly assumed a top government office earlier this month.

Anna Grodzka was elected in 2011 to parliament from a conservative district in Krakow. Her election stirred anti-transgender opposition from fellow legislators. Several refused to acknowledge Grodzka’s gender identity while other members publicly disparaged her, and citizens have vandalized her offices.

Opposition has failed to stop Grodzka’s assent in Palikot’s Movement, Poland’s third-largest and progressive political party of which she is a member. The party’s leadership recently nominated Grodzka for deputy speaker of parliament, considered the second most powerful position in government. ABC News reports on the outcome:

“She lost that chance [for deputy speaker] on Friday when lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to keep the incumbent [Wanda Nowicka] in the job…

“Grodzka, who has expressed admiration for Nowicka’s work, was among those who voted to keep Nowicka in place. After the vote, she said she was not upset by the outcome.

“’I don’t regret it — believe me,’ she said.”

Grodzka’s election from a district in Krakow, where former Pope John Paul II was once archbishop, and her rise in national politics illustrate a further shift from the Catholic Church’s once-powerful control of the direction of government.

Her party, Palikot’s Movement, is raising its profile with an agenda of LGBT rights and resistance to traditional church influences. ABC News notes the significance this transgender member of parliament has had:

“Even so, the 58-year-old has already had a huge impact on the political scene, becoming perhaps the most prominent symbol of liberal change in a country that has traditionally been deeply conservative and overwhelmingly Roman Catholic…

“The social transformation has been visible in other areas too…But it is particularly notable for the new attention given to the rights of sexual minorities, an issue suppressed in communist times and after the fall of communism in 1989, as many Poles looked to the powerful Catholic church for guidance through the economic and social turmoil.”

LGBT progress in Poland is a reality, but Grodzka and others quickly point to the failure to pass a measure that would extend legal recognition to unmarried couples of any orientation as evidence that Polish bishops continue to bear weight and the nation is not equivalent to liberal Western nations yet. For now, Grodzka focuses on serving her constituents:

“’I am above all trying to be a normal politician, like any other person, but maybe even better. I am really trying so that people who observe me will know that transgender people are no worse in any way than any others.’”

We congratulate Ms. Grodzka  for her courage and fortitude and for her shining example!

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: ABC News, Anna Grodzka, bisexual, Bishop, Catholic, Gay, John Paul ii, Krakow, lesbian, LGBT, Palikot's Movement, Poland, trans, Transgender, Wanda Nowicka

Illinois Senate

The Illinois Senate passed a marriage equality bill on Valentine’s Day,moving that state closer to equality for every committed couple.  The Chicago Tribune reported:

“The Democratic-led Senate delivered a Valentine’s Day victory to gay and lesbian couples today, passing legislation for the first time that would allow same-sex marriage in Illinois.

“The gay marriage measure now goes to the House, where the fight is expected to be tougher. [Catholic] Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.”

 As expected, the state’s Catholic bishops’ efforts to deny LGBT couples their rights has been strong, but so have been those of pro-equality Catholics.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield wrote a message for Valentine’s Day condemning equal marriage rights. Think Progress summarizes the bishop’s message:

“Catholics who support their LGBT friends and family are destroying society, and gay people have a ‘condition’ that can be addressed by living a life of chastity. In other words, Catholics aren’t allowed to love gays and gays aren’t allowed to even experience love. Perhaps it’s not surprising that a man committed to a life of celibacy defines a ‘more authentic understanding’ of love as no love at all.”

Catholic laywomen directly challenged the bishop’s comments in a piece at The Huffington Post, arguing their case for Catholic support of marriage equality. Citing the bishops’ support for social justice as an extension of the Catholic call to hospitality, Cristina Traina and Karen Allen write:

“In any of those [anti-LGBT] positions, the bishops’ words sound cold rather than hospitable.

“They are distressing, too, because they imply that same-sex marriage destroys fidelity, commitment and family rather than affirming their value for individuals and society. Gay and lesbian couples who seek the full rights (and responsibilities) of marriage are far from the enemies of the ‘common good of society.’ In an era of cohabitation and serial monogamy, they and their allies may be marriage’s biggest champions.

“Despite our leaders’ profound ambivalence about us, gay and lesbian–and bisexual and transgender–Catholics and their allies contribute joyfully and faithfully to the life of the Church. We hope that our leaders will think twice before labeling us destructive, disordered, and unnatural. And we hope that they will reconsider their opposition to same-sex civil marriage, which puts them in a position of inhospitality rather than welcome.”

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago continued his long history as an outspoken anti-LGBT activist. Medill Reports describes the Cardinal’s efforts and how increasingly removed he is from mainstream Catholic thought.  They quoted Andy Thayer, the co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network, who led a protest recently at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral:

“‘Cardinal George has rarely let an opportunity to vilify our community go by, and so we are really angry with his opposition to our legal equality.’

“Many LGBT activists say they believe Cardinal George’s positions do not reflect the views of the majority of Catholics in Illinois…

“A majority of Illinois Catholics approve of gay and lesbian unions, according to polling data released in October 2012 by The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, as reported by Capitol Fax, a news organization covering state government.”

In the Chicaago Archdiocese, faithful Catholic laity used their Catholic faith as the basis for challenging Cardinal George’s actions. Parishioners of St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Evanston, which hosts a Gay and Lesbian, Family and Friends Ministry, wrote a letter to George inviting him to dialogue after harshly toned letters on marriage equality were read at Mass.

They emphasized their shared experiences of the goodness that LGBT relationships and families contribute to Church and society, saying in part:

“It is precisely because of this that we ask you to consider that the gay and lesbian couples who seek the full rights (and responsibilities) of marriage are far from the enemies of the ‘common good of society’ that you identify them to be. Such characterizations run completely contrary to our experience, leaving many of us disappointed, frustrated, and angry. This is not the truth we know, and we are compelled by our commitment out our Church and our society to speak that truth — to you and to our communities.

“In all of this, we have seen the gifts that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people have to offer our Church and our world. St.. Nicholas, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the communities of Evanston and Chicago have been well served by the courageous and loving witness of our GLBT brothers and sisters, including those who have chosen to live in partnerships and those who have accepted the awesome responsibility of providing a loving home to children.”

New Ways Ministry applauds Catholics supporting equality for witnessing to an inclusive Gospel.

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Andy Thayer, bisexual, Bishop, Bishop Thomas Paprocki, Cardinal Francis George, Catholic, Catholicism, Chicago, Cristina Traina, Diocese of Springfield, Evanston, Gay, Gay Liberation Network, gay marriage, Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois, Karen Allen, lesbian, LGBT, marriage equality, Same-sex marriage, Senate, Southern Illinois University, St. Nicholas Catholic Church, The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, The Paul Simon Public Policy institute, Think Progress, Transgender, Vatican

Just in time for St. Valentine’s Day, The National Catholic Reporter’s  website has posted a wonderful column by Nicole Sotelo, one of the newspaper’s regular “Young Voices” writers.  It is a love story.

Sotelo writes about a friend of hers, who happens to be a lesbian woman, who converted to Catholicism many years ago, and has stuck with her Catholic faith, despite the challenges from official structures.   Appropriate for St. Valentine’s Day, Nicole uses the metaphor of a love story to describe her friend’s relationship with the church, and she suggests that her friend’s faith is indicative of a new phase of Catholicism, emerging from the younger generation of our church:

“The prevailing attitude among many Catholics I meet is that young adults aren’t joining or staying Catholic, whatever ‘staying Catholic’ means to them.

“However, I have the privilege of meeting scores of young adults who are Catholic. No matter if they attend a parish on Sundays or keep prayer at home because they have been too wounded by church officials to attend Mass. They are still Catholic.

“I have often wondered what it is among my Catholic peers that causes them to stay. While they may have varying characteristics and personalities, I realize that one thing unites them all: They have a mature relationship not only with God, but with the church.

“They have gotten beyond the superficial courtship phase. They have made it past the seven-year itch. Most have even contemplated divorce at one time or another from the institutional church. But in the end, these young adults have a relationship with the church — the people of God — and one feels confident in remarking, ‘That’s a relationship that is going to last.’ “

Give yourself a treat this St. Valentine’s Day.  Read the whole column here.

 

Tagged: Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholicism, conversion, convert, Gay, lesbian, LGBT, millennials, National Catholic Reporter, Nicole Sotelo

Equally Blessed, the coalition of four national Catholic organizations that work for LGBT equality and justice in church and state, has launched a Valentine’s Day campaign on Facebook.  The campaign is sharing six Valentine messages that promote LGBT Equality, such as  ”Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, LGBT Equality Is Sweet, And So Are You,”  and “Love Is Love.”

Equally Blessed’s coalition partners are Call To Action, DignityUSA, Fortunate Families, New Ways Ministry

You can view all six messages on Equally Blessed’s website.

You can share the Valentine’s Day messages by going to the Facebook pages of either Equally Blessed or New Ways Ministry, or any of the other three Equally Blessed partners.

Keep checking Facebook throughout the day as each of the messages will be released at different times through the afternoon.

Help spread the message of love and LGBT equality by sharing these images with your Facebook friends!  Let’s make love and equality go viral this year!

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

 

 

 

Tagged: Call To Action, Catholic, Catholic Church, Day Valentine, DignityUSA, Equally Blessed, Facebook, Fortunate Families, Gay, lesbian, LGBT, New Ways Ministry, Valentine, Valentine's Day

Gay protesters kiss at a demonstration as popemobile carrying Benedict XVI passes.

Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy will be fiercely debated in the weeks leading up to his resignation on February 28. Already commentators are reflecting on the pervasive legacy that this Pope leaves regarding LGBT relations within the Catholic Church. Needless to say, not many are positive.

Michael O’Loughlin writing at Religion News Service labels Benedict’s views as “wrong and hurtful” with a lineage of destructive policies aimed at limiting LGBT individuals’ acceptance in the Church. O’Loughlin’s view is that Benedict is an elderly man who has lived sequestered in the Vatican for too long, thus preventing him from a realistic understanding of LGBT people. He writes:

“Benedict seemed unable to grasp that gay women and men long for the same things as their heterosexual peers: loving relationships, lives of dignity, and respect from their fellow human beings. He seemed particularly fixated on the bizarre notion that same-sex marriage would somehow herald the downfall of civilization and he said things that no pastor should ever preach, much less the pope…Benedict’s failure to act pastorally and kindly on these issues remains a great failing of his papacy.”

An article by Lila Shapiro at The Huffington Post recalls the persecution of Sr. Jeannine Gramick and New Ways Ministry faced under the Pope. As Cardinal Ratzinger who headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he oversaw persistent investigations into the public ministry of Sr. Jeannine and New Ways Ministry. Serendipitously, the cardinal and the nun found themselves in conversation on the same airplane at one point, about which Shapiro writes:

“When she boarded the plane, she saw Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became pope, sitting with two empty seats beside him. She mustered her courage and sat next to him. ‘When he found out who I was, he just smiled and said “Oh, I’ve known about you for 20 years,”’ she said.”

“…he asked her questions about her work, and then she asked him one. ‘I said, “have you ever met any lesbian or gay people?”’ she recalled. He said that he had — at a ‘demonstration of homosexuals’ in Berlin. ‘So that was his idea of meeting gay people,’ she said.”

Shapiro also interviewed acclaimed Jesuit author, Fr. James Martin,  who also identifies this interpersonal aspect as a key factor in predicting whether Benedict’s legacy of anti-LGBT policies will continue in the next papacy:

“‘There could be a change of tone if you get a cardinal who has had experience with gays and lesbians’…By ‘coincidence or providence,’ Martin said, the cardinals may chose someone with a gay family member, or someone who worked at a diocese that had gay outreach.

“‘So much of it is based on experience, in terms of how you even speak about gays and lesbians,’ Martin said. Pope Benedict, he added, ‘did not come to the papacy with a great deal of experience in that kind of ministry.’”

Many reflections will be produced about this anti-LGBT papacy and prospects for the future, but assuredly Benedict will not be remembered for his pastoral nature towards the gay and lesbian community. Shapiro elucidates just how heavily Benedict focused his anti-gay efforts after assuming the papacy:

“In his years as pope, his opposition to gay rights has not faltered. Benedict, a staunch conservative, has said since his appointment that saving human kind from homosexual behavior was as important as saving the rainforest from destruction. He has called same-sex marriage a “dangerous and insidious” challenge to society. In recent months, he sought alliances to oppose efforts to legalize same-sex marriages around the world.”

However, even suffering greatly under Benedict for decades, New Ways Ministry remains hopeful in this time of transition. Shapiro quotes Francis DeBernardo, the ministry’s executive director, on the potential legacy Benedict will have in resigning:

“’Whenever there’s an opportunity for a change, there’s always the hope that the change will be for the better…We need a pope who’s going to listen to the faith of Catholics, whose faith has told them that they should be supporting LGBT people, that they should be respecting the dignity and the human rights that these people have.’

“DeBernardo said he has seen glimmers of such a change from bishops and cardinals in Europe, who have stopped short of supporting same-sex marriage, but have made positive statements about same-sex relationships and civil unions. And while the Vatican remains one of the most powerful opponents to same-sex marriage and other gay rights causes, recent polls have shown that Catholics in the pews mostly support gay rights, with more than two-thirds of Catholic voters supporting legal recognition of same-sex relationships.”

Readers can view New Ways Ministry’s full statement regarding the resignation here and be assured that as commentaries develop and news breaks, Bondings 2.0 will continue to update on this important period in the Catholic Church.

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: bisexual, Catholic, Francis DeBernardo, Gay, James Martin, James Martin SJ, Jeannine Gramick, lesbian, LGBT, Lila Shapiro, Michael O'Loughlin, New Ways Ministry, papal, persecution, Pope, Pope Benedict XVI, Ratzinger, Religion News Service, resignation, Rome, The Huffington Post, Transgender, Vatican

More reactions from Catholic LGBT organizations on Pope Benedict’s announcement of his resignation.  For New Ways Ministry’s statement, click here.

EQUALLY BLESSED

Equally Blessed is a coalition of four national Catholic organizations which work for justice and equality for LGBT people in church and state.

“We join with Catholics around the world who are grateful that Pope Benedict XVI had the foresight and humility to resign his office for the sake of the church to which he has given his life.

“With the pope’s impending resignation, the church has an opportunity to turn away from his oppressive policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Catholics, and their families and friends, and develop a new understanding of the ways in which God is at work in the lives of faithful and loving people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We pray for a pope who is willing to listen to and learn from all of God’s people. We pray for a pope who will realize that in promoting discrimination against LGBT people, the church inflicts pain on marginalized people, alienates the faithful and lends moral credibility to reactionary political movements across the globe. We pray for a pope who will lead the church in looking the sexual abuse scandal squarely in the eye and make a full report on the complicity of the hierarchy in the sexual trauma inflicted on children around the world. We pray for a pope who is willing to make himself vulnerable on behalf of the voiceless, the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. “We pray too for Pope Benedict XVI, in gratitude for his devotion to the church, and in the hope that he enjoys a long and peaceful retirement.” DIGNITY/USA DignityUSA is a national organization of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender Catholics and their supporters.

“Like all Catholics, we appreciate that Pope Benedict put the needs of the Church first in determining he is no longer able to meet the demands of his position. We wish him a peaceful retirement.

“At this time of significant transition, we hope that the Cardinals who will elect the new Pope take time to listen to the people of the Church, and that they hear the voice of the Holy Spirit calling for a Pope who will be a Shepherd to all of God’s people. We hope for a leader who will work to heal the divisions of recent decades, and who values dialogue above conformity.

“As members of the Church who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, as well as family members and allies, we call on the Cardinals and the new Pope to enter into a true dialogue with our community. We call for an end to statements that inflict harm on already marginalized people, depict us as less than fully human, and lend credence to those seeking to justify discrimination. We call on our Church not only to embrace but to champion the dignity and equality of all humans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We call on all members and friends of DignityUSA to enter into a period of prayer and reflection as we prepare for the conclave.”

FAMIGLIE ARCOBALENO (Rainbow Families, an Italian LGBT group)

“I simply think that this Pope is obsessed by homosexuality and he acknowledged that a new Church is needed by our society.

“I’m optimistic, I think that the new Pope could only be a better one. The Vatican has understood that they have made a lot of mistakes, on human rights, on LGBT rights, on condoms, on new families and on modern needs of contemporary people.

“Now we need a Pope able to listen to everyone, a Pope who understands that the churches are running out of people because of a blind policy and that the Church can not be obsessed by homosexuality.”

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

 

 

Tagged: Benedict XVI, Catholic, DignityUSA, Equally Blessed, Famiglie Arcobaleno, Gay, lesbian, LGBT, New Ways Ministry, Pope Benedict, pope resignation, reaction, Vatican

Pope Benedict XVI

The following is the statement of New Ways Ministry’s Executive Director Francis DeBernardo on the announcement of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation:

The news of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation has surprised the Catholic community worldwide, and here at New Ways Ministry we are praying for the future of the church and for the pope’s health.

We are praying, too, for LGBT Catholics and their families and friends, whose lives were made more difficult living under Benedict’s reign both as pontiff and as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), where he served previously.  For the last three decades, Benedict has been one of the main architect’s of the Vatican’s policies against LGBT people.

New Ways Ministry directly experienced those harsh policies several times over the years, most notably in 1999 when the CDF attempted to silence our organization’s co-founders, Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert Nugent.  Fortunately, we have survived the many attempts by the Vatican to end our ministry, and, thanks to the support of so many Catholics, we have emerged stronger for it. During the CDF’s investigation of her ministry, Sister Jeannine serendipitously met Cardinal Ratzinger on a plane in Europe, and they had a conversation together about her case and about ministry to LGBT people.    Sister Jeannine recalls that, despite their disagreement, she was impressed with him as a man dedicated to the church.

Benedict XVI’s dedication to the church, particularly to its intellectual life, has indeed been admirable.  We pray that a new pope will combine his intelligence with true and deep pastoral concern for the lives of the people of the world.  A new pope needs to be a listener who can discern the signs of the times in light of the Gospel.

Is it inevitable that the next pope will be as conservative as Benedict has been?  Certainly not.  History reminds us that no one expected the election of Pope John XXIII in 1958, and in calling the Second Vatican Council, he clearly moved the church into a more progressive era.  We trust that the Holy Spirit will guide our church in the days and years to come and that our faith, hope, and love will be strengthened by our next spiritual leader.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: Benedict, Catholic, Catholic Church, Gay, Jeannine Gramick, lesbian, LGBT, New Ways Ministry, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John XXII, pope resigns

An assistant principal at a Catholic high school in Cincinnati is about to be fired because he wrote statements in support of marriage equality on his personal blog.

 

Mark Moroski

News.Cincinnati.com reports about the decision directed against this Purcell Marian High School staffer:

“The Archdiocese of Cincinnati placed Moroski on administrative leave Feb. 4 and plans to fire him, Moroski said. He says he has hired a lawyer.

“Moroski refused to take down his statements on the blog.

“ ‘I believe in Catholicism,’ Moroski said in an interview. ‘But my conscience will not permit me to recant my statement.

“ ‘I put it up there because I really truly honestly believe it,’ he added. ‘I’m absolutely willing to lose my job over this. The only difficult thing for me now is the students.’ ”

Moroski admitted that he knew he was making a statement that was not in accordance with church teachings about marriage, but his conscience directed him to do so.

Of course,  church teaching clearly states that we must follow our consciences, so, in reality Moroski is following church teaching by stating his beliefs.  In doing that, he is teaching his students an invaluable lesson about the importance of following one’s conscience–a very Catholic lesson.

On January 27th, Moroski wrote the following statements on his blog, www.mikemoroski.com:

“I unabashedly believe that gay people SHOULD be allowed to marry. Ethically, morally and legally I believe this. I spend a lot of my life trying to live as a Christian example of love for others, and my formation at Catholic grade school, high school, 3 Catholic Universities and employment at 2 Catholic high schools has informed my conscience to believe that gay marriage is NOT something of which to be afraid.”

Since then, Moroski has posted several times about his reflections on the situation, including this post, entitled “Prayer”:

“Many folks are beginning to say that they will pray for me to repent and realize the error in my ways.

“I, too, am praying for them to realize that this stance is NOT an attack on them or their church.  It is about trying to make us all a little bit better.  And who knows, I may be wrong in God’s eyes.  I have no idea what God thinks.  I just try to live my life in a way that doesn’t harm anyone.  And I realize all of these other folks feel the same way about their lives.  I respect that.

“But my conscience tells me that I am not doing anything wrong.

“Between the two camps of prayer, I fully expect that we will find God in the middle.”

Moroski’s case is similar to the New Zealand teacher who was fired last year for criticizing his principal’s derogatory comments about lesbian and gay parents.   Unfortunately, it is similar to the increasing number of cases here in the United States where employees of Catholic institutions are being fired either because they support marriage equality or because they have married a same-gender partner.

Instead of teaching students about the primacy of conscience, the Archdiocese is instead teaching them about homophobia.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Minsitry

Tagged: Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Catholic, Catholic school, Catholicism, Cincinnati, Gay, lesbian, LGBT, marriage equality, Mike Moroski, Moroski, New Zealand, Purcell Marian, Same-sex marriage

Kate Childs Graham

The ALL ARE WELCOME series is an occasional feature  which examines how Catholic faith communities can become more inclusive of LGBT people and issues.  At the end of this posting, you can find the links to previous posts in this series.

For most Catholics, experiences of inclusion in our local parishes during liturgy or various social events are central elements tying us to the faith. A supportive, positive local community can build us up in the face of a wayward hierarchy or, alternatively, tear us down with its rejection.

Kate Childs Graham writing in National Catholic Reporter highlights the experiences of one young adult struggling to find welcome in the faith she loves. Kate narrates the story of Danielle, a college student in Texas who grew up in the same parish, St. Phillip’s, where she now mentors as a peer educator. Kate continues:

“Danielle came out of the closet at 15. The director of religious education at St. Philip’s was one of the first people to accept her.

“She told me, ‘That’s cool,’ Danielle recalled. ‘Just don’t be too gay.’

“So she continued to educate and walk with ‘her kids’ — as she calls them — in the confirmation class. But then, the parish got a new priest and a new director of religious education.

“’He said that being gay is bad,’ Danielle said. ‘I never heard any priest I knew talk like that.’”

After finding welcome, Danielle suffered rejection as a Catholic lesbian due to parish staffing changes. Motivated by fear that she would be asked to stop peer education or be unable to assume leadership of the mariachi choir her family ran since 1969, Danielle went back into the closet.

Danielle’s new personal ministry to attend Mass with LGBT young people who were thrown out of  Confirmation class for their identity, and then plays music at four separate parishes on Sundays. For now, Kate writes:

“Danielle knows the church she loves has a long way to go, but her prayer is pretty simple: ‘I just want my parish to be a bit more accepting.’”

Positive parish-level responses to LGBT individuals and families are sometimes the simplest acts with the greatest effect we can have for our communities. New Ways Ministry maintains a national Gay-Friendly Parishes and Faith Communities list in attempting to identify those communities who strive for welcome and inclusion.

Bondings 2.0 is curious about our readers’ experiences.

• Is your Catholic parish accepting of LGBT individuals and/or families?
• What do professional ministers and lay leaders enact that creates a better atmosphere?
• In your experiences, what are common obstacles to changing a parish’s culture?
• What are good strategies?

We welcome you to leave your answers to these questions and more below in the “Comments” section.

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: bisexual, Catholic, Catholic LGBT, Gay, Gay Friendly Parish, gay-friendly, hope, inclusion, Kate Child Graham, lesbian, National Catholic Reporter, New Ways Ministry, parish, Transgender, welcome

 

Archbishop Vincent Paglia

Earlier this week, we reported on positive comments about same-gender couples made by Archbishop Vincent Paglia, head of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family, and noted that it seemed to be part of a trend among international bishops in making positive statements about the relationships of lesbian and gay people.

Since that time, a news account has emerged which claims that Paglia has backtracked from his original statement.  The National Catholic Reporter carried the Religion News Service story:

“A top Vatican official blamed the media for ‘derailing’ his recent remarks on possible legal protections for unmarried couples, while reaffirming his support for British and French bishops who have been vocal opponents of same-sex marriage.

“His remarks were widely repeated, with some interpreting it as a softening of the Vatican’s stance just as bishops in France and Britain are furiously opposing the legalization of same-sex marriage.

“In an interview Wednesday on Vatican Radio, Paglia said he had been ‘very surprised’ by the way his words had been reported by ‘some media.’

” ‘Not only were the words not understood … but in truth, and perhaps knowingly, they were, as it were, derailed,’ he said.

“For the archbishop, recognizing that ‘norms that protect individual rights’ can find their place in “existing (legal) systems” is “completely different” from approving same-sex marriage.

Though the archbishop may not be pleased with the way the story was reported,  I think it is incorrect to say that his second statement was “backtracking” from his first one.  He was very clear in the first statement that he did not support same-gender marriage.   Yet, what was news about that first statement was the positive comments about protecting lesbian and gay relationships.

It does not appear that he has backtracked from those positive statements at all.  And those statements were indeed a step forward.  No Vatican official had ever offered any words that could be construed as an alternative way to support lesbian and gay couples, as Paglia did.

In the second news story, DignityUSA Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke offered the real hope that sustains many pro-LGBT Catholics:

“. . . real hope on this front comes from the people, not the hierarchy,’ as Catholics ‘continue to grow increasingly supportive of civil recognition of same-sex couples’ relationships.’ “

Paglia’s affirmative comments, as well as those recently made by French bishops and British bishops, may indicate that the positive support of lay Catholics for LGBT people is, in fact, moving up the hierarchical ladder of the church.

Paglia’s comments may not have gone as far as many of us would have liked, but they certainly are a step in the right direction.  And it’s a good thing that he did not back away from that.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

 

 

 

 

Tagged: Archbishop Vincent Paglia, Catholic Church, DignityUSA, LGBT, Marianne Duddy-Burke, marriage equality, National Catholic Reporter, Paglia, Pontifical Council for the Family, Religion News Service, Same-sex marriage, Vatican Radio

Back row, left to right: Patrick Wojahn, Aliaksandr Paluyan, Kiryl Prasniakov, Irina Solomatina, Bob Shine
Front row, left to right: Sr. Jeanne Gramick, FrancisDeBernardo, Natallia Mankouskaya

New Ways Ministry welcomed a delegation of LGBT advocates from Belarus yesterday who are currently touring the United States to learn about LGBT leadership in this nation.  They visited New Ways Ministry’s office in Maryland because they wanted to connect with a religious organization that works for LGBT equality.

Staff members Francis DeBernardo and Bob Shine joined co-founder Sr. Jeannine Gramick and supporter Patrick Wojahn in explaining the ministry’s purpose and programs. The New Ways Ministry representatives set the work within the broader context of LGBT rights advocacy, giving particular emphasis to the role that Catholics have been playing in marriage equality victories in recent years.

Kiryl Prasniakov, Aliaksandr Paluyan, Natallia Mankouskaya, and Irina Solomatina then explained their struggles in Belarus to support the LGBT community. Free speech and assembly rights are severely limited with public demonstrations frequently leading to arrests and police brutality. Police have raided four gay clubs in the last two months and travel restrictions imposed by the government have limited international fact-finding delegations.  However, all spoke positively of progress being made, and they remain optimistic and undaunted by their struggles.

Belarus is a less religious nation than the US.  Eastern Orthodox Christians are the dominant denomination, and this church has close ties to the government. The delegation seemed curious that US Catholics so freely speak their minds.  They were particularly intrigued that US Catholics speak earnestly with their bishops and clergy about supporting the LGBT community.

Sister Jeannine said of the morning meeting: “I was delighted to know that the women in the delegation were strong feminists and were glad American Catholic women were likewise. That was a highlight for me that they really perked up over feminism.”

Bob Shine commented: “The dangers these human rights activists confront daily gives me a helpful perspective for our work in the United States. While the challenges from the Catholic hierarchy and anti-equality activists in this nation are frustrating, the freedom we have to dialogue openly and honestly cannot be understated.”

Francis DeBernardo observed:  ”I was amazed at their courage in working under such a harsh and oppressive legal system.  These men and women are doing important and heroic work, and it was an honor to meet with them and be inspired by their example.”

The Belarusian delegation will be hosted at the White House this week before traveling to California, Texas, Alabama, and New York through February. LGBT advocates, like these from Belarus, are sponsored through a newly-implemented leadership program administered by the US State Department.

New Ways Ministry sends our new friends many blessings as they continue their travels and for the work that lies ahead of them in their homeland!

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Tagged: .by, Aliaksandr Paluyan, Belarus, bisexual, Bob Shine, Catholic, Francis DeBernardo, Gay, international, Irina Solomatina, Jeannine Gramick, Kiryl Prasniakov, lesbian, LGBT, Natallia Mankouskaya, New Ways Ministry, Patrick Wojahn, State Department, Transgender

French legislators play Scrabble

Legislators in Britain and France made significant gains towards legalizing marriage equality this week, passing parliamentary tests that nearly ensure full victory later this year.

The British House of Commons concluded six hours of intense debate by approving a marriage equality bill’s second reading in a 400-175 vote. The bill now enters committee for review and amendments before the House of Commons will likely approve it in a third reading and send it to the House of Lords for their vote, where it is expected to pass later this year.

The New York Times reports on the debate in Parliament, noting the lackluster efforts of an opposition who knows they are defeated:

“By comparison [to the debate in France], the debate in the House of Commons was mostly understated, with a strong undercurrent of realism among lawmakers who oppose gay marriage but sensed that the battle was already lost, not only in the crushing parliamentary majority favoring change but in a wide variety of opinion polls that have shown strong public support.”

However, given recent efforts by the Catholic bishops in England reported by Bondings 2.0 (view links below), it seems likely that anti-equality opposition will continue trying to defeat the legislation.

Across the English Channel, the French National Assembly, in a 249-97 vote, passed a vital article that defines marriage as a contract between two individuals without reference to their gender. The margin of victory is a positive sign that a law will be fully passed by mid-2013, even as assembly members continued debate over adoption rights and other amendments this week.

Attaining legal equality for same-gender couples and their families has been a hallmark initiative of the left led by President Francois Hollande, although the BBC reports French citizens are split with only about 60% supporting equal marriage rights.

Catholic right organizations have led the campaign against equal rights through massive demonstrations, with both sides acting extremely in preceding months. Bondings 2.0 has reported on these protests, along with more positive language from the French bishops that recognizes the goodness of same-gender relationships. Links to these are provided below.

On a lighter note, the Daily Mail shows two French assemblymen playing Scrabble during the proceedings – with fully commentary on their word choices, if you are interested.

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

Recent Posts on Britain

February 5, 2013:  Marriage Equality a Closer Reality in Britain, But What Will the Consequences Be?

January 14, 2013: Extreme Protests from Both Sides of the Catholic Marriage Equality Debate

January 10, 2013: Bishops in United Kingdom Attack Marriage Equality on Several Fronts

Recent Posts on France

January 30, 2013: Excerpts from French Bishops’ Document Which Affirms Same-Gender Relationships

January 25, 2013: Bishops in France Release Hopeful Statement on Same-Sex Relationships

January 16, 2013:  Catholic Anti-Equality Protesters March in Paris, Fail to Reverse French Government’s Plans

 

Tagged: britain, Catholic, Conservative, David Cameron, France, Francois Hollande, Gay, gay marriage, House of Commons, House of Lords, Labour, lesbian, LGBT, Liberal Democrats, Marriage, marriage equality, New York Times, Same-sex marriage, scrabble, ssm, Transgender