Posted on 04/18/2015 6:06:06 AM PDT by markomalley
A look at some of the signers of the open letter to Pope Francis.
Escalating the attacks on Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco for continuing to uphold Catholic teachings, 100 self-described “Catholic leaders” have signed an open letter to Pope Francis, calling for the archbishop’s removal. In a full-page ad in the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday, the petitioners claim that Cordileone has “fostered an atmosphere of division and intolerance” by asking K–12 Catholic-school teachers in the Bay area to “violate their individual consciences by accepting a morality code” based on the Church’s teachings.
“Instead of your famous words, ‘Whom am I to Judge?’Archbishop Cordileone has repeatedly labeled the behavior of our fellow brothers and sister (and their children) as ‘gravely evil,’” the open letter to Pope Francis reads. Concluding that the “City of Saint Francis deserves an Archbishop true to our values and to your teachings,” the signers charge that “the Archdiocese is threatened by Archbishop Cordileone’s single-issue agenda.”
The truth is that for many of those who signed the letter to the pontiff, the single issue of promoting same sex-marriage has been the motivating force of their activities for more than a decade. Sam Singer, the infamous public-relations maven who was hired to launch a media blitz to defeat the archbishop’s policy of strengthening the Catholic identity of San Francisco’s Catholic schools, is leading this attack against the archbishop but has plenty of help from disgruntled former employees of the archdiocese who are functioning as foot soldiers in the current war on Cordileone.
Among the signers of the letter is Brian Cahill, for example, who has been criticizing the Catholic Church for her teachings on homosexuality since long before Archbishop Cordileone ever arrived. Cahill publicly denounced Catholic such teachings even during his tenure as executive director of Catholic Charities/Catholic Youth Organization in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. In the San Francisco Chronicle 2011, he wrote, “I am a Catholic who voted against Proposition 8 in 2008 and contributed $1,000 to the No on 8 Campaign.” The opinion piece appeared under the headline “My Gay Son: The Face of Church’s Lack of Respect.”
It is understandable that Cahill would be less than welcoming to Archbishop Cordileone, who helped lead ecumenical efforts to pass Proposition 8 and ensure that marriage would continue to be defined as a union between one man and one woman. While still leader of Catholic Charities/CYO, Cahill, repudiating Catholic policies that prevented gay couples from adopting children through his organization, allowed several children to be adopted by gay parents.
In a story in the Bay Area Reporter in 2006, he was quoted as denying that Catholic teaching on marriage and family life prevented gay adoptions, and he “was optimistic his agency could find some way to resolve the issue without shutting down its adoption program.” In 2002, Glen Motola, director of programs and services of San Francisco Catholic Charities, adopted a child with his male partner. Even after the decree came from the Vatican in 2006 to end adoption by same-sex couples, Cahill was adamant that “any story saying his agency had stopped allowing gay parents to adopt was completely inaccurate.”
Cahill had plenty of support for his views. The article in the Bay Area Reporter continued: “Nanette Miller, a lesbian and member of Catholic Charities’ board, said she is also hopeful that the agency can come up with a positive solution, such as when the archdiocese figured out a way to adhere to the city’s requirement under the equal benefits ordination that it extend domestic partner benefits to employees so as not to lose its funding.” It should surprise no one that many of those who signed Thursday’s open letter to Archbishop Cordileone were former employees or board members of Cahill’s Catholic Charities/CYO, including Clint Reilly, former chair of the board, Catholic Charities; Suzanne Swift and Brian Switft, both former members of the board of directors of Catholic Charities/CYO. In addition to the board members, several of those who signed the open letter worked for Catholic Charities or the CYO as employees or volunteer coaches.
Archbishop Cordileone is not the first bishop Cahill has gone after. In 2012 in the San Francisco Chronicle, he attacked the U.S. Catholic bishops collectively for opposing the Health and Human Services contraception mandate. Claiming that “the bishops have no credibility with their teachings on contraception,” Cahill maintained that “the issue of conscience only seems to arise over matters of sexuality.”
Sam Singer knows that Brian Cahill is a “useful idiot” in his plan to destroy Archbishop Cordileone. Still, it is understandable that Cahill would like the Church to change her teachings on homosexuality. He loves his gay son and wants the best for him. Having lost his other son, John Francis Cahill, to a tragic suicide in 2008, he likely has made a commitment to removing any barriers to happiness for his son. But that is the real tragedy. Removing San Francisco’s archbishop would not change the teachings of the Catholic Church on homosexual behavior and same-sex marriage. In some ways it would only make things worse for the Cahill family, as they would have to acknowledge the role they have played in this most destructive campaign they have waged.
Cahill should know that this war is not over. More than 36,000 Catholics have signed a petition at Catholic Vote to support Archbishop Cordileone and to thank him for “showing us what true leadership looks like and for defending Catholic families, students, and an important principle of religious liberty in America.” The letter concluded with assurances to the archbishop that “Catholics across America are praying with you and for you. . . . Please know you are not alone.”
And to show their support for the archbishop’s efforts to ensure that teachers in Catholic schools remain faithful to Church teachings, a grassroots group of San Francisco Catholics have organized an “Archbishop Cordileone Support Day,” including a family picnic on May 16 at San Francisco’s Little Marina Green. Asked to wear blue to show support for the archbishop, participants are promised a puppet show, “a bouncy house for the little ones,” live entertainment provided by a Mariachi band, and kids’ games organized by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.
“The article in the Bay Area Reporter continued: “Nanette Miller, a lesbian and member of Catholic Charities’ board”
Why I don’t give a thin dime to this group any longer.
It is about time Catholics start standing up for Catholic beliefs.
I can’t even read this right now because it’s pissing me off so much. Maybe later today after I’ve had my coffee.
Catholic “leaders” my arse. These people can call themselves whatever but that doesn’t make it so.
’Archbishop Cordileone has repeatedly labeled the behavior of our fellow brothers and sister (and their children) as ‘gravely evil,’”
So by virtue of the fact that they are your “fellow” brothers and sisters they are above being evil? Placing human ties above the Commands of the Almighty isn’t a life plan.
“Violate their individual consciences by accepting a morality code ...”
Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t that the very reason for a religion, to subvert our individual, flawed wills to an inerrant higher power? Or is it just to provide a place to wear fancy clothes once a week and listen to organ music?
As a Protestant who taught in Catholic schools many decades ago, I applaud Archbishop Cordileone.
Good for the Archbishop. We are constantly battling evil influences both within and without. We always have to be watchful and firm in what we know to be right.
I have some friends and relatives who are gay. But that would not make me approve of homosexual acts.
I can still love them as children of God, and not endorse gay behavior.
Exactly right.
Acceptance of sodomite behavior is acceptance of them spending eternity in perdition. That is not the act of a friend or a loved one. That is, in fact, a hate crime.
As a then-episcopalian who attended Catholic school, I agree.
For a lot of people, the associated behaviors can be bad for emotional and physical health as well. IMHO, God wants us to be happy and unshackled by our bad behaviors.
“Gravely evil” sounds about right. Leaders? Maybe, of something. Catholic? It’s not for me to judge, but I hope the Archbishop excommunicates them along with their filthy money.
(Catholics United Against Catholicism, pronounced "Quack.")
I believe it was under analogous circumstances that Archbishop Joseph Rummel of New Orleans excommunicated Leander Perez and his crew in 1962 They were excommunicated for aggressively opposing the racial integration of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese starting in the 1963-64 school year.
Sometimes excommunication is the best communication.
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