Shocked by Oscars
I am sure that people who loved “Brokeback Mountain” are still in shock over it’s loss to “Crash” in the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards.
Did you hear the “Oh, no” scream from Richardson?
Mel Solomon
Richardson
Being gay and Catholic is possible
It is becoming more problematic to be both Gay and Catholic.
On the one hand, you have a church that condemns GLBT people at the drop of hat. On the other hand, you have certain parts of the GLBT community who think it is not ethical for GLBT people to be Catholic.
The recent Vatican instruction on gay priests was not a doctrinal statement about the moral status of homosexuality, but rather a prudential judgment about who should be admitted to seminaries. Prudential judgments are by definition open to question.
However, rhetorically the Vatican can punch, and has been known to use its elbows and the occasional low blow in the clinches.
Certainly one cannot read this document and arrive at any other conclusion than it is a mean-spirited and homophobic.
A syndicated gay columnist recently wrote an article saying that the GLBT community should out any clerics we can, forcing them to support gay rights or be seen as hypocrites.
But in striking out at the Vatican, I think it is important not strike out at GLBT Catholics in the process. The columnist engaged in what borders on an irrational attack on gay priests.
Such an attack also denies the ability of GLBT Catholics to trust their own moral experience when it comes to assenting or dissenting as matter of conscience on the church’s current positions.
Many GLBT Catholics stay in the church because of their deep love for their parish communities, and many do challenge homophobia in the church through debate.
The debate, is taking place, and gay Catholics betray no disloyalty or impiety to either the church or the GLBT Community by participating, and remaining with in the church.
Joe Murray, U.S. convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
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This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, March 17, 2006.