As many of you know, I have been very critical of Archbishop Wuerl for not fighting hard for Catholic issues. However, it is important to give credit where credit is due.
The Archdiocese has decided to fight the issue of gay marriage in DC. According to the Washington Post:
Wuerl sent a letter to 300 local Catholic priests Tuesday reminding them about the Church's opposition to same-sex marriage, and he launched a round of media interviews to bolster the church's presence in the debate.
In his efforts to mobilize Catholics, Wuerl joins a group of Baptist, predominantly African American preachers in stepping up the pressure on D.C. officials to allow a public vote on whether same-sex marriage should be legalized.
"We will continue to let the voice of the Church, the teachings of the Church, be heard as clearly as it can be heard," Wuerl said. "That is why we have sent out so much material to our priests to help them explain this to our faithful people."
Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), who plans to introduce a bill this fall legalizing gay marriage in the District, said he will not be deterred by the Catholic Church's increased involvement.
"We have a long tradition in this city of evolving toward equality and a better, more expansive view of human rights, and in 2009 this includes marriage equality for same-sex couples," said Catania, who is gay. "I respect the bishop for his view . . . but we live in a representative democracy where there is a separation of church and state. We do not live in a theocracy."
Wuerl launched the media offensive on the same day that eight opponents of same-sex marriage, including Bishop Harry Jackson, filed a request with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics to hold a initiative next year defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.
The proposed initiative says, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in the District of Columbia."
But the elections board must first rule on whether the initiative request is valid. In the District, a referendum cannot be held on a matter that violates the city's Human Rights Act. In addition to other minority groups, the act protects gays and lesbians from discrimination.
In June, the board blocked an effort by Jackson to hold an initiative to reverse a council bill allowing the District to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. The two-member board cited the Human Rights Act in its decision.
"It is ironic that at the same time the city is asking for voting representation in the U.S. Congress, its leaders are denying residents the opportunity to participate in the democratic process for an issue with widespread implications for children and families," said Ronald Jackson, executive director of the D.C. Catholic Conference, who noted that 580,000 Catholics live in the District and suburban Maryland, the areas that make up the archdiocese.
Wuerl, who became archbishop in 2006, has largely steered clear of controversial political and cultural battles in the region. But in his letter to the priests, Wuerl writes that "marriage is a path toward holiness . . . so as members of the church we are obliged to be all the more attentive to the challenges that weaken marriage."
Wuerl, former bishop of the diocese of Pittsburgh, added that the Church is "committed to develop opportunities for parishioners to be involved to ensure that the true definition of marriage is upheld in the District of Columbia."
But Wuerl and Jackson, pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, could take their case to a broader national audience if the council rushes through a same-sex marriage bill without allowing the public to vote on it.
"This is not a local issue," said Wuerl, noting that other states are debating the issue. "People always look at the District of Columbia through a magnifying glass, and we need to be aware of that."
It is important to note that three of the DC Council members who voted in favor of this are Catholic: Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) is not only a member of Holy Redeemer Parish but she is on the Parish Council. Murial Bowser (Ward 4) is a member of St. Anthony's Parish. Vincent Gray (Chair) is also Catholic. However, I am not been able to identify which parish he is affiliated with.
Now, I also hope that our priests will stand with the Archbishop on this.
2 comments:
Wuerl only piles on, like a football player who can't make an unassisted tackle. If someone else champions a cause, sticks his neck out, and then gets a friendly following, Wuerl joins in.
You shouldn't congratulate Wuerl as much as those who stuck their necks out first; the African American gentlemen involved.
When it comes to the marriage thing, it's a matter of numbers. Wuerl was simply playing statistical probability. The homosexual lobby is still outnumbered in this issue.
Wuerl did this kind of thing in Pittsburgh all the time. It's his way of showcasing. For example, the Klan got a permit to demonstrate in the city, once. So, group after group organized a counter-demonstration. Wuerl joined in, and got his face on TV, making it look as if he were the leader of the counter-demonstration. He was just piling on then, and he is doing that now.
Finally, we are getting taking our heads out of the sand! Again, I am proudly Catholic and will return to Mass. If we really have the moxie (doubtful), add racism, the promotion of heterosexual marriage, and clear teaching on sexuality to the list.
Anonymous correctly states that Bishop Harry Jackson, respected author the 2008 book Faith and Policy stepped up alone to fight. This should not be. Still, Catholic inclusion brings teeth to the fight, since we have many members, missionary (social service)presence in city, and run a respectable educational system.
We are behind the curve when it comes to teaching sound theology in the area of homosexuality. Sadly, many of our members don't read their bibles and think that a good Catholic cannot speak out against homosexuality. Ignorantly, they believe that any distinction, even when based on God's Word, is discrimination.
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