Vatican stance on gay clergy criticized

Boston Globe ^ | March 4, 2002 | Michael Paulson

[Jim Noble]

The Vatican, in its first comments on the clergy sexual abuse crisis, declared this weekend that gay men should not be ordained as priests.

The comments by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the chief spokesman for Pope John Paul II, were made at a time when a growing body of research suggests that a large proportion of Catholic priests are gay, and scholars who study sexuality and the priesthood said any effort to bar them would lead to a dramatic reduction in the number of priests in the United States.

[BlackElk]

You have OWK pegged! Very nice!

[Stone Mountain]

If you mean that the priesthood should screen out those with a sexual interest in five-year olds, I'm sure they already do that.

How would they do that?

[OWK]

My only desire was to have a run for office so I could have my voice heard. This was blinding me to the truth. Once I discovered the truth I decided that it would be better to not associate with that group even if I only got to work for political change from the sidelines. My bigest mistake was listening to them at all.

Uhhhhh... Yeah.... That must have been it.

[OWK]

You have OWK pegged!

Who?

BlackElk?

Never heard of him.

[grania]

If scripture doesn't allow women to become priests, that's fine...it can't happen (this is not the time to bend or reinterpret rules)

But couldn't nuns be given an expanded role in this time of crisis? The Boston archdiocese already had a shortage, and it would be foolhardy to loosen the standards for ordination at this time.

The thing is, the nuns are already there, and many of them can do whatever you ask of them...a lot are dedicated, intelligent, and religious women.

[OWK]

I ran at one time as a Libertarian because they asked me and there where no positions open for me on the Republican ticket.

They asked you?

That's not what you said last time.

Did they come door-to-door in your neighborhood?

[Protagoras]

Why is the Roman Catholic Church and its governance any of YOUR business?

Unless you are Roman Catholic you cannot comment on the church?

[Marysecretary]

Don['t forget the anti-abortion stand. That's probably as big as the anti-homosexual stand, if not bigger.

[Khepera]

Well actually they called me because someone who knew me told them I wanted to run for office. Sort of door to door I guess. They where desperate for candidates to fill slots on the ballot.

It's your libertarian party at work. Don't complain to me about it.

[OWK]

Well actually they called me because someone who knew me told them I wanted to run for office.

So you expect us to believe that your desire to run for office was so great, that you were willing to embrace the mantle of a political party which was diametrically opposed to everything that you stand for?

Or do you expect us to believe that your principles mattered less to you than your ability to run for office?

Would you have run under the American Communist Party banner if they had asked?

Or perhaps the White Supremacist banner if they had asked?

Based on your statements, I can't see why you wouldn't have.

[Khepera]

I believe you will think anything you want and will spread your poison far and wide. I do remember telling you it was a mistake for me to run even though I realized that there was no chance of winning even as I was there. The libertarians are lucky to get 2% of the vote. I did however want to get a feel for how a campaign was run and saw it as an opportunity to gain that experience. So you can attempt to paint invalid pictures of reality (A hallmark in liberal thought) but others will see quite a different image.

We are all human and make mistakes. I own up to mine and hope others will understand. If they do not then there is nothing to do but pray for their souls. I have been praying for you OWK for quite some time.

[Marysecretary]

Wow, that is shocking and sad. Having had a son who was molested by a neighbor many years ago and never learning about it until recently, I am incensed at the thought of these priests touching these kids. May there be an especially hot place in hell for each one of them!

[OWK]

I do remember telling you it was a mistake for me to run even though I realized that there was no chance of winning even as I was there. The libertarians are lucky to get 2% of the vote. I did however want to get a feel for how a campaign was run and saw it as an opportunity to gain that experience.

Yes of course... That's why you found it necessary to run as a Libertarian (even though you despised and loathed everything they stood for).

It all makes perfect sense.

Not.

[OWK]

So you can attempt to paint invalid pictures of reality (A hallmark in liberal thought) but others will see quite a different image.

An invalid picture?

You ran for public office as a Libertarian.

There's nothing invalid about that picture.

And it's not like this is ancient history.

It was just a few years ago.

[Khepera]

It is much better to attack my statements out of context isn't it? I thought you where here to discuss the issue of Gays in the church. I was under the impression you where going to tell us that its Ok to have Gay leaders in the church. I must have been wrong about that because you are so far off topic. I'm flattered you find me so interesting but the purpose of this thread is quite different from the topic you wish to discuss.

My personal life and its details are unimportant in light of the purpose of this thread. Grow up and stick to the subject at hand. You must have some opinion on the redeeming qualities of having homosexual priests. Other than the opportunity for our young children to engage in perverted sex acts.

[1 FELLOW FREEPER]

Right you are!!

[chatham]

From what I saw of his remarks, at church, on TV, it wasn,t the end on the world for anybody, I certainly don't feel he should have been arrested.

Perhaps many Catholics should have said more over the years and perhaps the Archdiocese of Boston wouldn't be about to collapse.

If Law was a leader and a man of courage he should have stopped these abusive clerics in their tracks years ago and he wouldn't have to suffer Mr Lynch's remarks which may be true.

Lynch's life may have been destroyed by some cleric,there is certainly adequate evidence of abuse.

By the way do we have undercover police at all masses in all dioceses?

[Khepera]

Ok so that's what you believe. Now how does that pertain to having perverts in the church and their effect on our children?

[OWK]

Now how does that pertain to having perverts in the church and their effect on our children?

How does your suggestion that all libertarians are perverts pertain to this subject?

Physician, heal thyself.