out again in again flynn again [more spin from Archbishop Harry Flynn]

cwnews.com/offtherecord ^ | 1/28/05 | Diogenes

[St. Johann Tetzel]

out again in again flynn again This past Wednesday Archbishop Harry Flynn issued a statement "to clarify remarks he made in an interview with Catholic News Service in December." CNS reports on the clarification: In a Jan. 26 statement, Archbishop Flynn said he met in mid-December with Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, to discuss "the difficult pastoral situation" of Rainbow Sash. Cardinal Arinze "did not in fact suggest an immediate change to the policy in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis," Archbishop Flynn said in his statement. "However, he did clearly indicate that this situation merits further study and that ideally all of the bishops who have pastoral care for the members of this movement should seek to adopt a uniform approach," the statement said. "This recommendation needs to be reviewed by those bishops involved in the near future." Everything CLEAR now? I have re-read Arinze's secretary's letter to Barbara Kralis several times, but cannot find a clear indication, or an unclear indication, or even so much as an oblique hint, that the situation "merits further study." Rainbow Sash wearers, the Cardinal says, are showing their opposition to Church teaching on a major issue of natural law and so disqualify themselves from being given Holy Communion. That reads to me like a conclusion -- Roma locuta est -- not like a provisional recommendation subject to review. It's interesting that, while the CNS article that ran last December was signed (by John Thavis), yesterday's CNS piece is unsigned, and -- though it fairly summarizes the earlier story -- does not provide a link to it. Here's the link, and here's the most troublesome sentence from the December interview: Archbishop Flynn said it was recognized that U.S. bishops have come to different conclusions about how to respond to Rainbow Sash members who present themselves for Communion, but he said he got no sense that the Vatican was pushing for a single policy on this. In December, Flynn "got no sense" that the Vatican wanted a single policy. In January, we're told that Arinze "did clearly indicate ... that ideally all of the bishops who have pastoral care for the members of this movement should seek to adopt a uniform approach." As clear indications go, that one's almost perfectly opaque. Since when do bishops "have pastoral care for the members of this [Rainbow Sash] movement"? Has RSM been accorded a chaplaincy status? And further, is Arinze's concern simply for "a uniform approach," such that he's indifferent as to which approach is finally adopted? Did Arinze use the word "ideally"? Pointless questions. Cynics among you will instantly leap to the conclusion that Flynn is caught in a double-bind; that one exit is blocked by the Kralis letter and the other by his interview; that gays somehow have him in a full-nelson; that he's laying down smoke destroyer-wise until he can rally some bishops or wait out the barrage. Being constitutionally sunny and eager to find the most seemly construal of the facts, your Uncle Diogenes will not endorse this negative interpretation. He will merely indicate that it merits further study.

Posted by: Diogenes Today 4:08 AM EST

[St. Johann Tetzel]

Archbishop says Vatican wants uniform approach to gay rights group

By Catholic News Service

ST. PAUL, Minn. (CNS) -- A Vatican official has recommended that U.S. bishops adopt a uniform pastoral approach for ministering to members of Rainbow Sash, a gay rights group, said Archbishop Harry J. Flynn of St. Paul-Minneapolis.

Archbishop Flynn allows members wearing the sash to receive Communion, while some other bishops do not.

In a Jan. 26 statement, Archbishop Flynn said he met in mid-December with Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, to discuss "the difficult pastoral situation" of Rainbow Sash.

Cardinal Arinze "did not in fact suggest an immediate change to the policy in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis," Archbishop Flynn said in his statement.

"However, he did clearly indicate that this situation merits further study and that ideally all of the bishops who have pastoral care for the members of this movement should seek to adopt a uniform approach," the statement said. "This recommendation needs to be reviewed by those bishops involved in the near future."

Archbishop Flynn said he was issuing the statement to clarify remarks he made in an interview with Catholic News Service in December.

In the December CNS interview, Archbishop Flynn said it was recognized that U.S. bishops have come to different conclusions about how to respond to Rainbow Sash members who present themselves for Communion, but he said he got no sense that the Vatican was pushing for a single policy on this.

The church teaches that homosexual acts are contrary to natural law and that the homosexual inclination is "objectively disordered." It also teaches that homosexuals must be accepted with love and respect and that they not be discriminated against.

Some bishops, like Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, have denied the Eucharist to Rainbow Sash members on the grounds that they were using the Eucharist to manifest opposition to church teaching.

On previous occasions, Archbishop Flynn has said that sash-wearers would not be denied Communion because members of the movement had assured him in writing that their presence at Mass was not in protest of church teachings.

[St. Johann Tetzel]

[St. Johann Tetzel]

Flynn is caught in a double-bind; that one exit is blocked by the Kralis letter and the other by his interview; that gays somehow have him in a full-nelson; that he's laying down smoke destroyer-wise until he can rally some bishops or wait out the barrage. Being constitutionally sunny and eager to find the most seemly construal of the facts, your Uncle Diogenes will not endorse this negative interpretation. He will merely indicate that it merits further study.

You gotta love Uncle Diogenes!

[Diago]

"Rainbow Sash wearers are showing their opposition to Church teaching on a major issue..."

What about a Bishop who has the Rainbow sash flying on his website?

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/images/rnbwtile.gif

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/images/tooosgif.gif

[Lilllabettt]

Another day, another muck up. Bishop Flynn is a real heart breaker, maybe even worse than Cardinal Mahoney. Disappointments, disappointments, so many times we have been disappointed.

[DBeers]

What about a Bishop who has the Rainbow sash flying on his website?

I agree with your contention that the website promotes homosexuality by congregating homosexuals and by omission that practically condones homosexual practice by not clearly providing the full teaching of the Church. The particularly teachings that clearly instruct opposition to the promotion or acceptance of homosexual activity or just discrimination of homosexual activism or homosexual activity.

I am aware of and commend public opposition efforts including those by Barbara Kralis in Saint Paul -I am curious if there are any public opposition efforts in Cleveland that I might assist by letter or publicize during my web travels to help in some way?

[Coleus]

out again in again flynn again      Flynn Flam

Cardinal Arinze Denies He Approved Archbishop Flynn Giving Sash-Wearing Gays Holy Communion

Reviewing the abuse norms: US-Vatican talks expected to be positive

Archbishop says Vatican wants uniform approach to gay rights group

Vatican Official Affirms Rainbow Sash Gay Activists Not to be Admitted to Communion

Controversial Priests Tapped for Jerusalem Center  Archdiocese bars clerics' group

[St. Johann Tetzel]

Yep. It turns out that the "Scuttlebut" on Flynn came from Cardinal Arinze himself. Bark Kralis is a gem, a real fighter and a gift to the Church here.