The Arizona Republic -- Opinions online print edition
May. 4, 2004 12:00 AM -- Link to the Opinion Article
Church teaching is very clear in its condemnation of any discrimination, violence or prejudice against anyone regardless of their race, gender or orientation.
This condemnation is based on the teaching that all people are made in God's image and likeness. This means that whether conservatives and fundamentalist like it or not, gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered human beings are made in God's image and likeness!
Secondly, church teaching is also clear that those who have been divorced and remarried, those who practice birth control, those who support the death penalty and those who support the war in Iraq also stand in conflict with the church. If we are going to condemn some for immoral behavior, let us also be consistent in condemning everyone's immorality.
But let us also remember that Jesus taught us to love our enemies and taught us not to judge, lest we be judged. Anyone's rush to orthodoxy must not at the same time negate the teachings of Jesus about compassion and mercy to be shown to everyone regardless of their orientation. -
The Rev. Vernon Meyer, Scottsdale
Note: Underlines added. Meyer seems to believe orthodox Catholics are "fundamentalists". There was a letter to the editor of the Catholic Sun some years ago in which Meyer blasted the "fundamentalists". Orthodoxy seems to be a source of irritation to him.
As of this moment Meyer has not yet removed his name from the Current NLS List.
FYI: An article from 2002 involving Meyer follows this post.
Lindsey Collom
The Arizona Republic -- Jun. 23, 2002 12:00 PM [Old article about Meyer]
Link to complete Article
A meeting touted as a forum for Catholics struggling with sexual scandals in the church caused a handful of parishioners to storm out of St. Patrick's Church in Scottsdale early Saturday.
About 80 Catholics from across the Valley attended the meeting led by the Rev. Vernon Meyer to air concerns about sexual misconduct by priests against minors and the crimes' subsequent handling by the church.
"There's a lot of people who have been voicing their opinions about this that I'm not so sure are competent," Meyer said, urging the congregation to know canon law and wait for solutions to emerge from Catholic leaders and Scripture.
Retiree Louise Kern of Scottsdale walked out after being rebuffed by the priest and several onlookers. She made a statement about the church allowing the Rev. Harold Graf of St. Joan of Arc Church in Phoenix to remain in service despite improper conduct with a minor 24 years ago.
"This place is a joke. That's why we came out here, because we thought this was a discussion of what's going on. He doesn't want to do that," Kern said. "We would never sit there and listen to what they've done with the Catholic Church or that hypocrite of a bishop [O'Brien]."
Kern said it was as if she were being lectured on the "do's" and "don'ts" of expressing opinion instead of being allowed to speak freely. But Joe Santa Cruz, 31, of Phoenix, said he felt the opposite.
. . . [snip, Excerpted article]
The discussion came a day after Bishop Thomas O'Brien of the Phoenix Diocese announced he would reprimand all priests found guilty of committing sexual acts with minors. He began by removing Graf, and the Revs. Joseph Lessard and Joseph Brecino from active ministry, a move he should have made earlier, Santa Cruz said.
"He did what he had to do, but he's a little late," he said. "I think the bishop should allow more discussion from the laity, more of a dialogue, listen to people's needs."
Kern said she and her husband, Neil, are longtime Catholics who are tired of the corruption being ignored.
"The people that Neil and I have respected most of anyone in our long life is Catholic priests, and these people do not deserve respect for what they've done to the church," Kern added. "They say we need to uphold the hand of the priest. I don't want to hold his hand. I want to give him the back of my hand."
Meyer said he's "just as ticked off" about the sexual scandal as anyone else, but he was more concerned about setting an amicable tone in the first meeting. He will facilitate follow-up forums from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday and Wednesday at the Scottsdale parish.
BZZZT!
Read some Aquinas and try again, Padre.
Note that nowhere in his very misleading letter does Meyer ever refer to the fact that, while opposing unjust discrimination against homosexual persons, the Church absolutely condemns sodomy.