St. Pat Msgr. Hits Gays On Scandal / Blames woes on 'disorder,' U.S. immorality

New York Daily News ^ | 4/22/02 | NICOLE BODE and GREG GITTRICH

[kattracks]

Edward Cardinal Egan's stand-in at St. Patrick's Cathedral pointedly blamed the priest sex abuse scandal yesterday on homosexuality, a "sex-saturated" society and a constant assault on celibacy by liberals.

In a 15-minute homily from the most prominent Roman Catholic pulpit in the city, Msgr. Eugene Clark labeled the United States "probably the most immoral country" in the Western hemisphere. He also called homosexuality "a disorder" and said gay men shouldn't be allowed to become priests.

Clark, 76, a longtime key player and conservative voice in the Archdiocese of New York, delivered his stinging homily as Egan and other U.S. cardinals left for Rome to meet with the Pope about priestly pedophilia.

After preaching about forgiveness, Clark detailed reasons he believes some priests victimized children. He appeared to place most of the blame on homosexuality, saying the theory that people are born gay "is not true."

"The tendency to homosexuality is a disorder, not a sin," he said. "But the practice of homosexuality is truly sinful."

Some parishioners in the packed pews shifted uneasily, others nodded in agreement and a few walked out. But Clark continued, arguing that it was a "grave mistake" to allow gays in the priesthood. He blamed American society for being "very protective" of homosexuality.

"Homosexuality became in the American exchange of views a protected area," he said. "And unfortunately ... homosexual students were allowed to pass through seminaries. Grave mistake. Not because homosexuals in anyway tend to criminality, but because it is a disorder."

'The Most Immoral Country'

Clark also criticized what he called "the campaign of liberal America against celibacy."

He theorized that priests who have a tendency toward sexually abusing children — a group he pegged at 3% of the nation's clergy — were affected by a barrage of sinful images in society.

"Liberated sex is offered to people all day long, all evening long," he said. "There is nothing quite like it."

"We know — we won't mention it outside the cathedral — we are probably the most immoral country certainly in the Western hemisphere and maybe the larger circle because of the entertainment we suffer and what it's done to our [country's] morals ...," Clark said.

Christine Schubert of St. Paul dashed out of the cathedral midway through the homily. "I left because I realized I have no desire to be connected with the institution of the Catholic Church," said Schubert, 27. "I thought, wouldn't it be great if the entire church walked out?"

But few did. Most parishioners stayed, and many applauded Clark after his sermon.

Marianne Duddy, executive director of Dignity/USA, the nation's largest organization of gay Catholics, called Clark's comments linking the sex scandal with homosexuality "incredibly horrifying and irresponsible."

"This is a poor attempt to deflect attention away from the church's culpability for the sexual abuse of minors by priests and its attempt to cover it up for decades," she added.

But Catholic League President William Donohue praised Clark. "He makes a great deal of sense and to have this said so articulately by one of the brighter priests in the New York area is very encouraging," Donohue said.

"The internal problem in the church is a lack of governance and due to diligence," he added. "But there is no question about it — this is a societywide problem that goes way beyond the Catholic Church."

With Gretchen E. Weber

[eastsider]

Because so many homosexual priests are active; we now have very influential clergy in chanceries and orders and seminaries protecting, or in the least remaining silent about, ALL of the homosexuals including, unfortunately, those who would abuse children.

A very telling point, TM. IMO, in many cases the tacit acceptance of homosexually active priests seems to have been rooted in an attitude of, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

[Almondjoy]

I don't disagree with you.. but I think clergy leaning to the right would have been faced with the same dilemma.

[Almondjoy]

It may not have been directly assoicated with the Catholic Church but religion was the sole reason behind denying an abortion.. two medical advances made abortion easier and safer so the mortality of rate of women having an abortion declined signifcantly. These had huge impacts on Roe vs Wade.. aslo the threat of back alley aboritons.. the spreading of dieases and the fact that the mortality rate would shoot back up were all causes for Roe vs Wade... it simply comes down to the fact that morality cannot be forced on to others... It's safer, more responsible, and the freedoms of Americans are in intact because he is LEGAL.

[afraidfortherepublic]

You (and others) keep saying "covered it up". My understanding is that these men were treated by certified psychotherapists and declared "cured" and sent back to work. That was the accepted treatment at the time. Now that that the psychotherapists have declared that this tendency is incuruble, everyone wants to scream "cover-up".

I don't see everyone in the country jumping all over the entire public school system every time a school board has hired a pedophile -- or the YMCA -- or the Boy Scouts. In fact, in the case of the Boy Scouts, the entire country seems to be jumping all over them for NOT hiring pedophiles.

[Domestic Church]

You posted good questions Sinkspur. I don't want a witch hunt either. On the outside we can't tell what the individual track records are unless we see something glaring(and sometimes we in the laity do.) And liking Opera is just an indication of refined musical taste that many have. Those who have been active in the gay bar community are the ones who should be first to go I would imagine...and their friends will have to be looked over carefully. This will have to be done from deep within but what if the guy at the top is in collusion with the gay mafia? It will take decades and decades in years and Rosaries.

[ventana]

All your points are good and valid, but parents now have to put the boob tube on hold for a minute and find out why 12 year old bobby is being told that he may not be sure about his sexuality. He may identify with and find attractive other boys, he is being told. Parents have to decide if this kind of confusing message wrapped up in the tolerance and understanding of "sexual orientation" which is coming to mean anything under the sun, is the sort of crapola they want to pay for one way or the other. V's wife.

[hattend]

Bump for Edward Cardinal Egan.

[ventana]

In a word: Why? V's wife.

[afraidfortherepublic]

...religion was the sole reason behind denying an abortion.

I'll agree with you only because early Christians did not kill their children -- whereas their contemporaries, the early Romans, just discarded any unwanted children, leaving them in the street to die or to be rescued by someone else. To me, that is one of the greatest signs that Christianity is the Way and the Truth. If pride were not one of the seven deadly sins, I would say that I am PROUD of the Christian stance on caring for helpless children.

This country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and that is why abortion was anathama and illegal. Roe v. Wade is an abomination and a great stain on this society. I pray for its reversal.

[Domestic Church]

"BUT NO They have to try and infiltrate existing organizations"

That's wht many are asking whether this is orchestrated a la Antonio Gramsci. Did this start back in the 30's when the large Universities and Colleges were infiltrated with socialist agenda?

[eastsider]

I can't imagine why. His first letter sounded like it was crafted by lawyers to provide legal cover for their client. Even yesterday's letter didn't acknowledge any wrongdoing, and although at least it sounded apologetic, it still struck me as more crafted than contrite.

[uncbob]

I don't disagree with you.. but I think clergy leaning to the right would have been faced with the same dilemma.

You may be right. The urge to cover up scandal is vety strong

[glory]

Oh, agreed, but I'm glad that we are getting to the root of the problem. I don't know the man to know if that was an intentional tactic about America being to blame to shift responsibility away or poor wording on his part. I suspect he is pointing at not only the church's acceptance, but society's acceptance of homosexuality as a whole as part of the problem.

[uncbob]

It's safer, more responsible, and the freedoms of Americans are in intact because he is LEGAL.

First of all it ain't safe for the unborn child . IT DIES

Secondly-- My freedoms are never made more INTACT when the constitution is raped which is what happened in ROE VS WADE by an activist judiciary

[Kevin Curry]

it simply comes down to the fact that morality cannot be forced on to others.

Prohibiting th murder of the most innocent and helpless in a community has always been thought to be a "morality" that can--indeed, must--be forced on the others. Roe v. Wade got around this by judicially legislating that some segments of society are free to murder with impunity and solely for personal convenience.

To make this ghastly murder psychically palatable, Roe v. Wade and the feminist lobby redefined the victim as subhuman (a definitional shift that is invariably applied to one's enemies in wartime as well) and postured it as a libertarian "freedom of choice" (the usual fig leaf employed by the politics of heedless self-indulgence) issue. Recast, the issue was not about destroying innocent human life, but the moral equivalent of having a wart removed.

If buying into that lie makes you more comfortable with mass murder, that's your problem. Just realize you are employing the same rationalization the the Nazis used to justify the holocaust and that the SCOTUS used in the 1850s to declare that some men, women, and children were mere personal property that could be disposed of at the convenience and will of the property owner.

I would be ashamed of being associated with such a brutal and inhumane legacy. Not so the pro-aborts. They have no shame.

[Domestic Church]

Joe Zwilling (spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York) is on WABC radio NOW chastising Msgr. Clark! Says he didn't hear all Msgr. Clark's remarks, but that Clark's suggestion that "homosexuals are somehow more inclined to pedophilia" than others, is "unfair."

Well, Joe Zwilling just lost all credibility didn't he, LOL! He obviously will have to go as he is part of the problem up there.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

religion was the sole reason behind denying an abortion.

This is not a fact. The major reasons behind the laws making abortion illegal were advances in medicine and the feminism of the suffragettes. Up until the early 19th century most physicians and other people had no idea that unborn children were alive, before the so called 'quickening' in the fifth month, which had been interpreted as the beginning of life. Abortion was not feasible after that point, and the realization that the child was alive led the medical associations to forbid physicians to assist in abortions.

Early suffragettes, such as Susan B. Anthony, recognized that the function of abortion was to allow men to exploit women for sexual purposes, without consequences. The fact that this is true is still demonstrated by the fact that abortion is more supported by men than women in America today.

[ELS]

morality cannot be forced on to others

That's a typical chant of the left as they force their "morals" on everyone else. The difference is that their morals are all relative, whereas Christian morals are absolute as defined and revealed by God.

[dighton]

In a 15-minute homily from the most prominent Roman Catholic pulpit in the city, Msgr. Eugene Clark labeled the United States "probably the most immoral country" in the Western hemisphere.

A bitter blow to Brazil.

[hattend]

Oops and major embarrassment. I was going to post a longer reponse but decided to just bump the thread instead. When I cut and pasted the first 2 sentences and then decided to cut it down, I cut the wrong name.

Sheesh, a little proofreading would have had me asking how did a Cardinal (my paste) get demoted to a Monsignor (title)? Sorry...oh well, here's an anti-sodomite, Pro-Msgr. Clark BTTT