Quote of the Day

. . . [H]ere's why I call [Archbishop Timothy Dolan's recent] attempt to link opposition to gay rights to issues of life unwise: it backs the bishops into a dangerous corner where their lack of any profound respect for the real lives of real gay and lesbian human beings and the families these human beings are raising or to which they belong matters. And where this lack of respect for the real lives of some real human beings seriously undercuts their claim to cherish life.

When you treat the real lives of real human beings as if they don't count, you provide the world a message – one louder than words – about what you really mean, when you talk about respecting life. That message calls into question your claim to stand consistently and unambiguously for the value of life.

By linking gay rights to right-to-life concerns, the bishops make their own lived witness to the gospels a serious issue. They make their own lived witness to the value of life the most important aspect of their teaching about the value of life. They put the spotlight on themselves, on their treatment of their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.

And if what we see when the spotlight shines on them in this area of their behavior is not admirable and consistent with what they proclaim about the dignity of persons and value of life, if we see callous disregard for the value of the lives of gay and lesbian human beings, then it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that their commitment to the value of life means much of anything at all. . . .

– William D. Lindsey
"Archbishop Dolan's "State of the Union" Address:
Opposition to Gay Rights Part of Pro-Life Message"
Bilgrimage
January 23, 2011

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
A Catholic Statement of Support for Same-Sex Marriage
At UST, a Rousing and Very Catholic Show of Support for Marriage Equality
A Catholic Voice for Marriage Equality at the State Capitol
A Message for NON (and the Catholic Hierarchy)

Recommended DVD Resource:
Why You Can Be Catholic and Support Gay Marriage – A talk by Catholic theologian Daniel Maguire (Minneapolis, October 2010).