Posts

Posted on

Bishops: Same-sex marriage ‘not in the public interest’

Legislation introduced by lawmakers in Washington state that would redefine marriage to allow same-sex marriage “is not in the public interest,” said the bishops of the state’s three Catholic dioceses.

“Marriage in faith and societal traditions is acknowledged as the foundation of civilization. It has long been recognized that the stability of society depends on the stability of family life in which a man and a woman conceive and nurture new life,” the bishops said in a statement released Jan. 13.

“In this way, civil recognition of marriage has sought to bestow on countless generations of children the incomparable benefit of a loving mother and father committed to one another in a lifelong union,” they said.

The current state law says that “marriage is a civil contract between a male and a female,” the bishops noted. “This same law also prohibits marriage to close-blood relations, a clear indication that the definition of marriage is related to bringing children into the world and the continuation of the human race.”

The bishops called on all citizens of Washington to support the current legal definition of marriage and contact their state senator and representatives to urge them to “defend the current legal definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.”

At the same time, the bishops asked everyone to join them in praying “for married couples and families and to do everything possible to support them.”
NCR: January 6-19, 2012

Subscribe to NCR to get all the news and special features that aren’t always available online. In this issue:

– US News: Message of Welcome
Ad campaign targets lapsed Catholics

– Special Section: Pro Life. Family’s ‘gift from God’; Bernardin’s legacy; and more

– World News: Kenya
Facing the pressures of rising food prices and climate change
Subscribe now!

The statement was signed by: Archbishop J. Peter Sartain and Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo of Seattle; Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Spokane; and Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of Yakima. It was released by the Washington State Catholic Conference in Seattle, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops.

On Jan. 10 in her State of the State address, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire announced her support for legalizing same-sex marriage. Three days later, 23 senators — 21 Democrats and two Republicans — introduced legislation that would make Washington the seventh state where same-sex couples are allowed to marry.

Gregoire told The New York Times in an interview that as not only a governor but as a lawyer, a wife, a mother and a Catholic, she has “struggled with this issue for the last seven years.” She described her position on the issue as having evolved, in part because of conversations she said she has had on the topic with her daughters, who have “grown up with kids who’ve got two moms and two dads.”

In their statement, the bishops said that “by defining marriage both in terms of the relationship between a man and a woman and its important role of guaranteeing the succession of generations, the state is recognizing the irreplaceable contribution that married couples make to society.”

Changing the law “would mean that the state would no longer recognize the unique sacrifices and contributions made by these couples, thereby adding to the forces already undermining family life today.”

Upholding the traditional definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman “does not depend on anyone’s religious beliefs,” they said. “Washington state’s present law defining marriage as ‘a civil contract between a male and a female’ is grounded not in faith, but in reason and the experience of society.”

The law now recognizes “the unique and irreplaceable potential of a man and woman to conceive and nurture new life, thus contributing to the continuation of the human race,” they said.

“Married couples who bring children into the world make particular sacrifices and take on unique risks and obligations for the good of society,” the statement said. “For this reason the state has long understood that it has a compelling interest in recognizing and supporting these mothers and fathers through a distinct category of laws.”

Complete Article HERE!

Posted on

Searches of Belgian Church Property Continue

Belgian authorities are searching the administrative offices of the bishop of Bruges a day after raiding similar offices in three other cities as they investigate whether church officials protected child abusers instead of their victims.

Peter Rossel, a spokesman for the church in Bruges, 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Brussels, confirmed Tuesday that the searches are ongoing. He said the church was cooperating fully with the investigation.

On Monday, authorities searched church offices in Hasselt, Mechelen and Antwerp. A judicial official close to the investigation told the AP on Monday the investigation, called “Operation Chalice,” could result in charges against church officials. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Complete Article HERE!

Posted on

Belgian Church Offices Raided in Abuse Inquiry

The Belgian authorities searched the offices of bishops in three cities on Monday, removing documents as part of an investigation into child sexual abuse that has plunged the country’s Roman Catholic church into crisis.

A spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecution Service, Lieve Pellens, said that the investigation, known as Operation Chalice, was an important phase in which officials were trying to establish whether there were grounds to prosecute priests on charges of negligence and failing to aid abuse victims.

“We have had around 200 statements from victims,” she said, “and based on these, and 87 civil claims, we wanted to look at the individual personal records of priests made by their superiors to see if, in these records that were kept by archbishops or bishops, there is anything useful.”

Of the 20 to 25 files removed, Ms. Pellens said, most were of old cases dating from the 1960s or 1970s, she said.

Last week, the church said that priests who had abused children could be required to pay damages if they were able to do so.

The issue of child sexual abuse has undermined the church’s credibility in many Western nations, as revelations piled up for months of cover-ups by bishops of priests’ misconduct. Belgium found itself in turmoil as hundreds of people came forward to offer harrowing accounts of abuse over several decades. The former bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, shocked the nation when he admitted that he had abused two nephews.

At the time of the crypt drilling, Pope Benedict XVI had called the action “deplorable.” A Belgian court later ruled that excessive force had been used, but the inquiry was allowed to continue on the condition that legal constraints were observed. The lawyer representing the church in the case, Fernand Keuleneer, said of Monday’s searches that had investigators “called the diocese, there would have been no problem.”

“These files would have been sent to them,” he said

Several of the documents related to priests who were dead, and Mr. Keuleneer said he was unhappy that files on at least one case not specifically requested had been removed.

The material seized might also have included documentation from victims who had asked not to have their testimony passed on the judicial authorities, he said.

The Belgian church is also leading an investigation into the allegations.

Nevertheless this was a more targeted search than the previous raid at Mechelen, Mr. Keuleneer said. “In June 2010, they just didn’t have a clue — it was a fishing expedition,” he said.

Complete Article HERE!

Posted on

Catholic bishops to flock: Fight same-sex marriage

Washington’s four Roman Catholic bishops have taken a foursquare stand against legalization of same-sex marriage, a cause rapidly gaining momentum in the State Legislature.

Catholics should contact their legislators and tell them to “defend the current definition of marriage” against legislation to legalize marriage between same-sex couples, the bishops declared in a strongly worded pastoral letter posted late Friday.

Society’s recognition of marriage is “related to bringing children into the world and the continuation of the human race,” argue the bishops, and any change of definition would add “to the forces already undermining family life today.”

The letter is signed by Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, Spokane Bishop Blase Cupich, Yakima Bishop Joseph J. Tyson, and Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo. It is published on the Archdiocese of Seattle web site.

“My first reaction, as a practicing Catholic, is that this is very hurtful,” said State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, chief sponsor of marriage equality. Murray is a gay man in a 20-year committed relationship.

Earlier Friday, 23 senators introduced legislation to allow same-sex couples to receive marriage licenses. The marriage equality legislation was requested by Gov. Christine Gregoire, who is also a Catholic.

The Catholic bishops root their argument in what they see as the role of procreation in marriage.

“Marriage is certainly about the public recognition of a relationship between a man and a woman,” said the letter. “But it is much more. Marriage in faith and societal traditions is acknowledged as the foundation of civilization.”

“It has long been recognized that the stability of society depends on the stability of family life in which a man and a woman conceive and nurture new life.”

The Catholic bishops argue that “civil recognition of marriage” has sought to bestow “on countless generations of children the incomparable benefits of a loving mother and father committed to one another in lifelong union.”

“Were the definition of marriage to change, there would be no special laws to support and recognize the irreplacable contribution that these married couples make to society, and to the common good by bringing to life the next generation.”

The definition of marriage has been undergoing change by courts and legislators. Six states and the District of Columbia have legalized marriage between couples of the same sex. Nine states, including Washington, have extended legal recognition and rights to domestic partners.

Several of the states where same-sex marriage is legal — notably Massachusetts and Connecticut — are heavily Catholic.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, a Catholic, pushed his legislature to approve same-sex marriage last spring. Another Catholic governor, Martin O’Malley of Maryland, is campaigning for approval. Gov. Jerry Brown of California, a former seminarian, has refused to defend a narrowly passed initiative that rolled back gay marriage.

Catholic bishops in Washington have taken progressive stands on numerous social issues. They have championed the rights of immigrants, defended social programs, opposed the death penalty, and even taken a strong position for restoring decimated Columbia River salmon runs.

But the statement released Friday upholds traditional Catholic teachings, and appeals beyond the faithful.

“Upholding the present definition of marriage does not depend on anyone’s religious beliefs,” the bishops argue. “Washington State’s present law defining marriage as a ‘civil contract between a male and a female’ is grounded not in faith, but in reason and the experience of society.

“It recognizes the value of marriage as a bond of personal relationships but also in terms of the unique and irreplacable potential of a man and woman to conceive and nurture new life, thus contributing to the continuation of the human race.”

The bishops end their letter by calling for practical action, adding.

“We urge you to contact your own State Senator and your two State Representatives to request that they defend the current legal definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.”

The letter will be made available — or read — at Saturday vigil and Sunday masses around the state.

The reaction is hard to predict.

Bishops often refer to their “flock,” but American Catholics do not behavie like sheep. An ABC News/Washington Post poll last spring found that 63 percent of Catholics in the U.S. support civil marriage betwen same-sex couples.

In Minnesota, where the Catholic Church is supporting a constitutional amendment entrenching heterosexual marriage, Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedy has issued a warning to priests:

“There ought not to be open dissension on this issue. If any have private reservations, I do not wish that they be shared publicly. If anyone believes in conscience he cannot cooperate, I want him to contact me directly and I will plan to respond personally.”

As in New York, the legislation introduced in Olympia Friday would allow churches and clergy full rights in terms of who they choose to marry, and whether to allow marriage on church property.

“As the bill is written, the church would never be forced to marry people of the same sex or divorced people,” said Murray.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/connelly/article/Catholic-bishops-to-flock-Fight-same-sex-marriage-2520855.php#ixzz1jjCZfmIT

Complete Article HERE!

Posted on

Bishops don’t speak for the flock on same-sex marriage

COMMENTARY — Joel Connelly

Our state’s Catholic bishops came out strongly against same-sex marriage this past weekend, and appealed for members of the flock to contact their legislators and tell them to uphold the traditional definition of marriage.

The bishops’ letter left this recently returned Catholic perplexed at the way my shepherds view their faith and human commitment . . . and how they treat people I know who are in loving, committed same-gender relationships, in several cases doing a splendid job of raising children.

The bishops used biology to defend the “present definition of marriage”, returning again and again to a theme they described as “the unique and irreplacable potential of a man and woman to conceive and nurture new life thus contributing to the continuation of the human race.”

We humans are, however, created by God as emotional and spiritual and reasoning beings. Is society to legally “recognize” committeed partnerships only for the potential and purpose of procreation?

“Jesus befriended those who were marginalized because He knew it was only in the security of loving, unconditional relationships that hearts and lives are healed,” argues writer Justin Cannon, reflecting the Christian faith as taught to us by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Not only healed, but enriched. I’ve witnessed a warm, very traditional moment over the years. A goofy, dreamy smile crosses the face of a friend, who after years of playing the field announces “Well, I met this woman (or guy)!” It signals a readiness to settle down. My natural reaction is to say, “You lucky dog!” and to be there, in affection and support, when the knot is tied.

Life together is a natural passage in life. Yet, according to “natural law” the Catholic church frowns on my friends who fall in love with somebody of their own gender. It violates nature, according to a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops statement, because such “inherently non-procreative” relationships “cannot be given the status of marriage.”

The church’s positions are, as state Sen. Ed Murray put it Friday night, “hurtful” as well as contradictory.

Out of one side of its mouth, the church condemns “all forms of unjust discrimination, harrassment and abuse” against gays and lesbians. At the same time, the Cathechism of the Catholic Church describes “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” as “objectively disordered.”

The bishops see themselves as shepherds, but American Catholics are not sheep. They think and act independently. A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that nearly three quarters of Catholics favor letting gays and lesbians marry (43 percent) or form civil unions (31 percent).

“Catholics are more supportive of legal recognitions of same-sex relationships than members of any other Christian tradition and Americans overall,” the survey concluded.

The church is also hurting itself: Its social activism, defense of human dignity and witness to peace should make it a beacon for all who seek justice. Instead, the church is pilloried as an instrument of reaction.

Its wounds are self inflicted, a classic case of clerical error. As the National Catholic Reporter put it, editorializing after New York legislators approved marriage equality last spring:

“Even if the bishops had a persuasive case to make and the legislative tools at their disposal, their public conduct in recent years — wholesale excommunications, railing at politicians, denial of honorary degrees and speaking platforms at Catholic institutions, using the Eucharist as a political bludgeon, refusing to entertain any questions or dissenting opinions, and engaging in open warfare with the community’s thinkers as well as those, especially women, who have loyally served the church — has resulted in a kind of episcopal caricature, the common scolds of the religion world, the caustic party of ‘no’.”

A couple examples: Bishop Nichlas DiMarzio of Brooklyn directed that his diocese is “not to bestow or accept honors, nor to texend a platform of any kind to any state elected official, in all our parishes and churches for the forseeable.”

Archbishop John Nienstedy of Minneapolis is pushing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. He recently issued a fiat to diocexan priests: “There ought not to be open dissension on this issue. If any have private preservations, I do not wish that they be shared publicly.”

These guys are losing touch, and costing the church credibility.

Public opinion, among believers and non-believers, is undergoing rapid change. The change is rooted in day-to-day human experience.

Contacts with gays and lesbians — as family members, co-workers and friends — underscores the absurdity of such phrases as “objectively disordered.” As NCR noted: “The label is not only demeaning but to contemporary Christians has no resonance with the heart of the Gospel.”

The best advice, which Catholic bishops in Washington and elsewhere should heed, came recently from Nicholas Cafardi, formerly legal counsel to the Diocese of Pittsburgh and formerly a board member of the bishops’ National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Youth:

“We need to give it up. This is not defeatism. This is simply following Jesus in the Gospels, who besides telling us not to act on our fears, also told us to render to Caesar what it Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. Civil marriage is Caesar’s.”

Complete Article HERE!