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

[The Iguana]

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?"

Good riddance.

Maybe later I'll work up the moxie to pray for her.

[Alas]

The real danger lies in the courts sytems

No, the real problem lays with the voters of this country. We vote not for honesty and integrity, but party and lining our own selfish pockets.

[uncbob]

We vote not for honesty and integrity, but party and lining our own selfish pockets.

Very true but those that don't even though supposedly protected by the constitution are going to be persecuted by left wing courts

[RobbyS]

I think that for too long we have ben denying the obvious: that Father "Limpwrist" was not actually gay. I rememember qhwn Cardinal Bernardin was accused-falsely it seems-- of molesting some guy, the buzz around was that as archbishop of Cincinatti he had allowed gays to infest the seminary. I personally dismissed this, but the evidence is now all too clear that this reaches into the episcopacy. I personally suspect Cardinal Mahoney, and think the brouhaha about the woman was a sham to cover his real past.

[ladyjane]

Interesting. An interview of someone who dashes out of the church but no interview of anyone who stayed.

[anniegetyourgun]

Re #29 - you are so right to bring up that point. This priest would be serving time if he dared speak such truth from a Canadian pulpit. Coming soon to our town?

[grumpster-dumpster]

"Christine Schubert of St. Paul dashed out of the cathedral midway through the homily. ..."

Knowing quite a few of you have made valid observations on the above comment; I don't want to beat this dead horse. Rather, let's take a look at the following two paragraphs which illustrate the medias fixation on the "value" of homosexuality in our society:

"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."

Notice the flow of the paragraphs. First the article introduces an 'heroic' woman who maintains her dignity and freedom of thought against the 'homophobes' described in the next paragraph. The following paragraphs clearly indictes support for the woman, and reenforce the idea that to be against 'homosexuality' is to be: "incredibly horrifying and irresponsible."

This is what truly makes me mad about the 'media's' reporting of these issues! This story could have stood on it's own without adding a 'controversy!' Why was it important to add the dissenting opinion of one or two... when the real story was: "Why did so many stay...and even applaud?"

IMHO the 'media' is afraid of truth, morality... and real people who want to live moral and decent lives!

Kudo's to the Msgr!

[Land of the Irish]

Fr. Clark should be made a Cardinal rather than the likes of Law or Egan.

[OldFriend]

It's not a breath of fresh air to blame 'American society' for the sins of those in the church who broke the rules of the church and the laws of our country and were protected by the church. When my kids came home with the excuse that they did something wrong because everyone else was doing the same thing wrong it didn't fly too well around our home.

It's the result of deciding there really is no right or wrong and we have to see both sides that brought us to this terrible place.

I don't recall any condemnation of Mario Cuomo during his years in office. He was against the death penalty......good by church standards, he was FOR abortion.....no comment by the church. These conflicted signals allowed corruption to flourish in the church.

Catholic universities are so secular as to unrecognizable from the liberal left universities where everything goes.

[mwl1]

This speech is more of the circle-the-wagons mentality.... akin to "our priests just cannot help themselves because of popular culture giving us sex 24/7."

Nonsense. Where is the grace of God that is supposed to inoculate these men from temptation. This pathetic excuse could be used by any adulterer in America, and it does not wash.

I am a life-long, practicing Roman Catholic. Go ahead and freep me. I am disgusted by the Church's attempt to deflect blame onto others.

The Church is not the victim. The innocent children are. There are NO mitigating factors to this horror and betrayal of trust.

[uncbob]

Catholic universities are so secular as to unrecognizable from the liberal left universities where everything goes.

That's why I quit contributing to my Alma Mater YEARS ago . I wrote them a letter stating my reasons

[RobbyS]

I don't recall any condemnation of Mario Cuomo during his years in office. He was against the death penalty......good by church standards, he was FOR abortion.....no comment by the church. These conflicted signals allowed corruption to flourish in the church. I recall that an auxiliary bishop in the area, I don't know which diocese, did criticize Cuomo. But I didn't hear any condemnation by the Cardinal and the bishop was treated like someone ins his dotage.

[ejo]

Yes, if I had been present I would have given him a STANDING ovation. We need to hear more of this from every pulpit, I'm quite sure there are many priests on the same wavelenght and hopefully this may give them the courage to follow same.

[concerned about politics]

Bill Blakemore, ABC news reporting from the Vatican Sunday refered to the "problems with homosexuality in the church." It's the first time a reporter called it that ! Especially on ABC. It was a split second at the end of the report, and my husband caught it too. We wondered how long it would take before people just spoke out and said what the problem really was.
I have a feeling the Popes meeting is about this. It seems odd for a reporter to mention it unless that's what the talk around the Vatican is.
The Catholic church has to come clean and condemn homosexuality to clean itself. Americans aren't all that stupid. They know it was "homosexual" priests that molested the kids.

[ELS]

I don't recall any huge assault by the liberals on celibacy then.

Have you ever heard of the sexual revolution that began in the 1960's?

[RobbyS]

And you are deflecting blame away from the men who actually molested children. Let us not forget what the crime of the bishops: they were protecting men who had performed criminal acts, and who were the men who attacked these children--actually they were usually boys in their teens? They were gay men. The same type of person who is now trying to force their way into the Boy Scouts. Please understand: gays do not reproduce: they recruit!

[ijcr]

In the days of yore,three magic words sent the entire congregation heading for the doors. "Ita missa est".

[randog]

My thoughts, too. She's probably listed in the reporter's rolodex under "religion/basher".

[sinkspur]

When I sat down to read the papers, I found an article about how Catholic Church Canon Law treats molestation of boys by priests much more leniently then sexual contact by priests with adult women.

Paul Harvey mentioned this last Thursday. I've been looking for the article myself, but have been unable to find it.