Quote of the Day

I think the church has fetishized genitality at the expense of a deeper and richer understanding of the possibilities of sexual love. Church teaching now acknowledges that the unitive dimension of sexuality is valid even when a marriage is infertile, but this defeats any appeal to natural law to defend the church’s opposition to gay relationships. The criterion of goodness in any sexual relationship is surely not reducible to every genital act (which is a major flaw in Humanae vitae). Rather, we need to ask how these acts are expressive of wider relationships of fidelity, commitment, and respect, which remain open to the “child” in the form of the vulnerable outsider.

– Tina Beattie
Quoted in "A Modus Vivendi? – Sex, Marriage and the Church"
Commonweal
January 14, 2012

NOTE: For Francis DeBernardo's excellent summary of this multi-authored Commonweal article, click here. Also, I added the links to the above quote. They do not appear in the original version.


Recommended Off-site Link:
Tina Beattie's Personal Website

See also the previous Wild Reed post:
Making Love, Giving Life
The Many Manifestations of God's Loving Embrace
A "Fruit" Reflects Upon the Meaning of "Fruitfulness"
Relationship: The Crucial Factor in Sexual Morality
The Non-Negotiables of Human Sex
Robert McClory on Humanae Vitae
Sex as Mystery, Sex as Light (Part 1)
Sex as Mystery, Sex as Light (Part 2)
Human Sex: Weird and Silly, Messy and Sublime
A "Truly Queer Theory" on Sex
A Wise and Thoughtful Study of Sexual Ethics
Getting It Right
Marriage: "Part of What is Best in Human Nature"
Quote of the Day – April 11, 2011
Beyond the Hierarchy: The Blossoming of Liberating Catholic Insights on Sexuality (Part 1)
Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 2)
Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 3)
Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 4)
Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 5)

Beyond the Hierarchy: The Blossoming of Liberating Catholic Insights on Sexuality (Part 5)

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Last summer I commenced a series highlighting the liberating insights on sexuality that are emerging and “blossoming” beyond the Vatican. It's a series that seeks to present the best of what Catholic theologians and scholars are saying about sexuality. These theologians, it should be noted, are not just Vatican stenographers, but men and women open to and receptive of God’s transforming presence throughout the entire church.

I continue this series today with an excerpt from Catholic theologian and priest Charles Curran’s article “A Vatican II View Could Allow for Gay, Lesbian Unions.” This article was first published in the September 5, 2003, issue of the National Catholic Reporter. Given the current debate in both church and society over marriage equality and religious freedom, Curran's article is perhaps more pertinent today than when it was first published.

Basically, Curran contends that a Vatican II approach to the relationship between law and morality could actually "justify the legalization of gay and lesbian unions even if one accepts the official hierarchical moral teaching on homosexual relations." The Vatican II approach, Curran points out, is in sharp contrast to the Thomistic moral law approach reflected in the 2003 Vatican document "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons." This document calls on Catholics to oppose legal recognition for gay and lesbian unions and to be non-cooperative with the enactment or application of these "unjust laws."

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[The Vatican's] understanding of law was enunciated by Thomas Aquinas in the context of an authoritative and paternalistic understanding of the state. Rulers direct the illiterate masses (to use Pope Leo XIII’s 19th century term) to the common good. The primary role of the ruler was to promulgate human law in the light of the divine and natural law and the primary role of the citizen (if we can even use that term) was to obey these laws.

Vatican II’s “Declaration on Religious Freedom” proposed a different understanding of the law-morality relationship in keeping with democratic societies and the much lesser role of law in such societies.

The “Declaration on Religious Freedom” deals with the law-morality relationship in its recognition of the limits of religious freedom. The Vatican II document accepts what Jesuit Fr. John Courtney Murray called the basic principle of the free society: “The usages of society are to be the usages of freedom in their full range. These require that the freedom of the human person be respected as far as possible and curtailed only when and insofar as necessary” (n. 7).

When should the state interfere with religious freedom or any personal freedom? When the public order calls for it. But what is the public order? According to the “Declaration on Religious Freedom,” the public order involves a three-fold reality of justice, public peace, and public morality (not just private morality). Thus, for example, we in this country with our great respect for religious freedom have nonetheless restricted religious freedom by prohibiting human sacrifice in religious rituals (justice), by prohibiting churches from ringing loud bells for a long time early in the morning (public peace), and by prohibiting Mormons from practicing polygamy (public morality).

Note two important differences between these two approaches. First, the Thomistic approach begins with God’s law as mediated by the natural and civil law; the Vatican II approach begins with human freedom. In both cases, the original starting point can be overturned, but where you start is all important and establishes a basic presumption. For Aquinas the basic presumption is natural law; for the Vatican II position the basic presumption is in favor of freedom.

The second difference concerns the purpose of civil law. In the Thomistic concept, the purpose of civil law is the common good, a hallowed concept in the Catholic tradition. The present document on homosexual unions uses the term “common good” eight times. However, in the Vatican II approach, the purpose of civil law is public order, which is a narrower concept than common good. The role of law in the Vatican II position is much less than in the Thomistic position.

The hierarchical magisterium, however, could use the Vatican II approach to argue against the legalization of gay unions on the basis of society’s need to protect and promote the importance of marriage and the family as a fundamental aspect of public order. But this is an empirical question on which people of good will can disagree.

The Vatican II approach could also justify the legalization of gay and lesbian unions even if one accepts the official hierarchical moral teaching on homosexual relations. One begins with the freedom of homosexuals to live together. Most in our society agree that permanent gay and lesbian unions are much better for society than promiscuous relationships. The state can support such permanent unions by granting rights such as health insurance and Social Security benefits. As a matter of fact, the legalization of permanent gay unions would not necessarily go against the importance of the family as a basic unit of society nor would it necessarily harm the children who could be adopted by such unions.

Without doubt, the Thomistic approach allows the pope and the Roman curia to make a strong case for the conclusion they want to support. But, in the process, they have turned their backs on the Vatican II teaching on the proper relationship between law and morality and have failed to recognize a legitimate pluralism in the church on the legal recognition of gay unions.

_______________________________

NOTE: For another "beyond the hierarchy" response to the 2003 Vatican document "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons," click here.


NEXT: Part 6

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 1)
• Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 2)
• Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 3)
• Beyond the Hierarchy (Part 4)
• The Vision of Vatican II
• Quote of the Day – January 3, 2012
• Ascertaining the Common Good
• Doug Mataconis on the Bishops, Religious Freedom, and Living in a Civil Society
• A Head and Heart Response to the Catholic Hierarchy's Opposition to Marriage Equality
• Persecuted "Enemies of the State"? Or Just Sore Losers?
• Responding to Whiny Catholic Bishops Who Cry Victim
• Joseph Palacios: "The Church is Not the Victim"
• John McNeill's Message to the US Bishops: "Enough!"
• A Church That Can and Cannot Change
• What Part of Jesus' Invitation to "Be Not Afraid" Don't the Bishops Get?

Recommended Off-site Links:
Two Catholic Bishops, Conscience, and the Common Good – Paula Ruddy (The Progressive Catholic Voice, June 14, 2009).
Archbishop Nienstedt on Religious Pluralism and the "Tragic Flaw" in the Separation of Church and State Doctrine – Paul Ruddy (The Progressive Catholic Voice, January 4, 2010).
Community Ethics vs. Individual Freedom: The Fox and the Hedgehog – Paula Ruddy (The Progressive Catholic Voice, June 25, 2011).
East Side, West Side: Opposing Views of the Good – Paula Ruddy (The Progressive Catholic Voice, November 8, 2011).

Images 1 and 3: Michael J. Bayly.
Image 2: Photographer unknown.

Photo of the Day

. . . I've looked at love from both sides now,
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall.
I really don't know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud,
To say "I love you" right out loud.
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I've looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange,
They shake their heads,
They say I've changed.
Well, something's lost but something's gained
In living every day.

I've looked at life from both sides now,
From win and lose, and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall.
I really don't know life at all.

– Joni Mitchell
"Both Sides Now"

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Out and About – March 2008
A Day at the Abbey
Chicago
Carlos (Part 4 of The Journal of James Curtis)
The Empty Beach

Image: "Eduard" (2008) by Michael J. Bayly.

What Part of Jesus' Invitation to "Be Not Afraid" Don't the Bishops Get?

One of the most interesting (and hopeful) aspects of Cardinal Francis George’s recent apology for comparing the gay rights movement to the Ku Klux Klan, is his admission that his remarks were “motivated by fear.” Specifically, the cardinal is afraid that the “Church's liberty” will somehow be compromised or threatened if civil marriage rights are extended to gay couples.

Where does such fear come from? Does Cardinal George really believe that gay couples are going to sue the church for not marrying them? Like it or not, the Roman Catholic Church is free to choose who it will and will not marry. That’s its right. A straight couple in which one or both parties is divorced cannot sue the church for not marrying them. And neither can a gay couple. This seems so clear. And yet the cardinal remains fearful. We know this because he is yet to say he will no longer work against the efforts of others to secure civil marriage rights for gay couples. Still, I’m impressed by his apology and consider it genuine.

Here in Minnesota I would very much like to see our own Archbishop Nienstedt issue an apology for his activism against the LGBT population of the state, and for aligning with groups such as Minnesotans for Marriage which state that same-sex parents are harmful to children. As with Cardinal George, Archbishop Nienstedt’s anti-gay rhetoric and activism are rooted in fear. Yet unlike Cardinal George, Archbishop Nienstedt is yet to admit it. But it’s there. Unmistakably so.

In his recent message to the priests and deacons of the archdiocese, for instance, Nienstedt says that those who support marriage equality are out to “eliminate the need for marriage altogether,” and that November’s vote on the marriage amendment will be the “one chance . . . to make things right.” “The stakes,” he insists, “could not be higher.” Fear is a great motivator for the uninformed and the already fearful, and I think the Archbishop knows it.

Perhaps all this fear about gay people should not be surprising, given that Pope Benedict himself models it. In a recent address to the Vatican’s diplomatic corps, for example, the pope said that gay marriage was one of several threats to the so-called “traditional family” that undermined “the future of humanity itself.”

Oh, really? How so? We don’t know because no explanation was offered by the pope. That’s because there is none. Consciously or unconsciously, it’s all fear-mongering with no grounding in reality.

For you see, in reality, no church will be forced to marry gay couples.

In reality, children flourish when raised within a loving family regardless of whether this family is headed by an opposite-sex couple or a same-sex couple.

In reality, humanity is blessed when the circle of inclusion and love and justice is expanded to include LGBT people.

In reality, the storm the bishops fear is of their own making.

Their fear of this storm, however, is, I believe, a genuine experience for many of them. In The Art of Being and Becoming, Sufi teacher and author Inayat Khan observes that “fear is an outcome of long-collected, unsolved problems. . . . Fear comes from weakness in facing the consequences of one’s condition, attitude and deeds.” I contend that the majority of those who comprise the Roman Catholic clerical caste have unresolved issues around their own sexuality. This generates all sorts of unfounded fears within them which they then project out onto others.

My prayer is that all who are fearful find the strength to face their “condition, attitude and deeds,” and discern the ways in which such things are expressions of fear and thus hurtful and harmful to themselves and others. As daunting as it may seem for those seemingly entrenched in their fears, the first steps of this journey of healing and transformation can be made, as evidenced by Cardinal George’s recent acknowledgment.

I also pray that each of us hear and trustingly respond to Jesus’ invitation to “Be not afraid.”

Only then will we no longer allow fear to motivate and determine our words and actions.

Only then will we be wholly receptive to being vessels of God’s transforming Love.

And as such living vessels we will, like Jesus, be boundary-breakers, transcenders of all forms of "authority-thinking" and joyful, not fearful, in our words and actions.

May it be so.


See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Be Not Afraid, You Can Be Happy and Gay
• Catholic Church Can Overcome Fear of LGBT People
• What Is It That Ails You?
• The Many Manifestations of God’s Loving Embrace
• Compassion, Christian Community and Homosexuality
• Trusting God's Generous Invitation
• The "Wild Gaiety" of Jesus' Moral Teaching
• Keeping the Spark Alive: An Interview with Mystic Chuck Lofy
• Doug Mataconis on the Bishops, Religious Freedom, and Living in a Civil Society
• Responding to Whiny Catholic Bishops Who Cry Victim
• Responding to Bishop Tobin's Remarks on Gay Marriage
• Progressive Perspectives on Archbishop Nienstedt's Ant-Gay Activism

Recommended Off-site Links:
In 2012 Bishops Join Fight to Repackage Discrimination as ‘Religious Freedom’ – Sarah Posner (ReligionDispatches.org, January 2, 2012).
Catholic Bishops Claim Laws Allowing Gay Adoption Violate Religious Liberty – Doug Mataconis (OutsideTheBeltway.com, December 29, 2011).
Did the Pope Claim Gay Marriage as a Threat to Humanity or Didn't He? – Peter Mongomery (ReligionDispatches.org, January 11, 2012).

Opening image: Artist unknown.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Cream

Some light fare today after a rather intense week . . .

Last night I had some friends over to my home in St. Paul for a Doris Day movie night. Day, as I'm sure my readers are aware, is the top-ranking female box-office star of all time. She's also one of the world's most renowned and highly successful recording artists.

The 87-year-old Day has been in the news recently, what with the announcement that she is the latest recipient of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the release last year of My Heart, her first album of new material since 1967's The Love Album. True, this "new material" is actually mostly a collection previously unreleased tracks recorded in the mid 1980s. Still, with its debut at No. 9 in the United Kingdom, Doris Day became the oldest female artist to ever have had a top ten album of "new" material on the U.K. Billboard charts.

Doris Day is, of course, a gay icon for many. The Advocate notes, for instance, that "Secret Love," a song Day recorded for the 1953 musical Calamity Jane, won an Academy Award for Best Song and was "quickly adopted as an early gay and lesbian anthem." She was certainly something of a role model for me as a little gay boy growing up in Australia. I'd watch The Doris Day Show and any and every Doris Day movie that was shown on TV. Also, I'm pretty sure The Magic of Doris Day was the first album I ever owned - bought for me, upon request, by my Aunty Phyllis when I was just a kid.

What is it about Doris Day that appeals to gay folks? I think it's her plucky determination to get done what needs to be done – despite all manner of challenges and obstacles. Oh, and her sunny disposition while doing so also appeals to many.


The first movie we watched last night certainly conveyed all these qualities. It was the 1967 spy spoof Caprice, in which Day plays a cosmetics consultant whose specialty is industrial espionage – "A spy," she claims, "who came in from the cold cream."

Here's what Kimberly Lindbergs of Cinebeats says of Caprice:

Caprice (1967) is a film often talked about disparagingly by people who’ve never actually seen it, and it’s nowhere near as awful as you’ve been led to believe. Yes, the film has its problems and its stars (Doris Day and Richard Harris, who’s rarely looked so good) don’t seem to have much chemistry on screen, but this entertaining spy satire also contains some really funny bits, well-done action scenes, fantastic Ray Aghayan costumes and a wonderfully polished pop-art look thanks to director Frank Tashlin and Oscar winning cinematographer Leon Shamroy.

The film's "pop-art look" and costumes were indeed fabulous! And the following will give you a taste of these aspects of Caprice.






The second Doris Day film we watched last night was far removed from the colorful and madcap antics of Caprice. It was the the 1956 "woman-in-peril" thriller Julie.

Here's how Turner Movie Classics describes Julie:

Set on the picturesque coast of Monterey, the film takes a dark turn immediately after the opening credits and we are plunged into a paranoid universe. Julie Benton (Day) is having serious doubts about her second marriage. To start with, Lyle (Louis Jourdan), her new husband, has an uncontrollable temper. . . . He's also insanely jealous and eventually reveals to Julie that he killed her first husband so he could marry her. When she attempts to run away from him, Lyle stalks her relentlessly, finally exploding in homicidal rage aboard an airplane where she is serving as a flight attendant.

Indeed, the film is somewhat of a forerunner to Airport 1975, with Day's character having to land the plane at the film's climax!

Yes, it was a night of great entertainment, good food and good company. And I want to send out a special 'thank you' to my friend Rick for providing the DVDs of two great Doris Day films we watched.

Above: Sitting center (in my Caprice-inspired shirt?!) with, from left,
Brian, Kathleem, Rick and Bob. Bob's partner John took this great photo of
the founding members of the Twin Cities' Doris Day Appreciation Society!

Recommended Off-site Links:
Doris Day Back in the Spotlight – Susan King (Los Angeles Times, January 5, 2012).
Caprice: A Review – Paul Mavis (DVDTalk.com, January 30, 2007).
Caprice Official Trailer

Photo of the Day

Image: Michael J. Bayly.

Quote of the Day

During a recent TV interview, speaking about this year's [Chicago] Gay Pride Parade, I used an analogy that is inflammatory.

I am personally distressed that what I said has been taken to mean that I believe all gays and lesbians are like members of the Klan. I do not believe that; it is obviously not true. Many people have friends and family members who are gay or lesbian, as have I. We love them; they are part of our lives, part of who we are. I am deeply sorry for the hurt that my remarks have brought to the hearts of gays and lesbians and their families.

I can only say that my remarks were motivated by fear for the Church's liberty. This is a larger topic that cannot be explored in this expression of personal sorrow and sympathy for those who were wounded by what I said.

– Francis Cardinal George, OMI

Recommended Off-site Links:
Cardinal George Apologizes for Linking Pride Parade to KKK – Manya A. Brachear (Chicago Tribune, January 6, 2012).
Cardinal George's Apology – Frank DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, January 6, 2012).
Dignity/Chicago Welcomes Apology from Cardinal George – DignityUSA (January 6, 2012).
Another Nugget of Gold from Cardinal George's Apology – Francis DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, January 7, 2011).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Quote of the Day – December 28, 2011
A Christmas Message of Hope . . . from Uganda
Quote of the Day – December 23, 2011
Doug Mataconis on the Bishops, Religious Freedom, and Living in a Civil Society

We Three . . . Queens

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. . . [The Magi] were Zoroastrian priests, astrologers, magicians, ancient shamans from the courts of ancient Persia. They were the equivalent of Merlin of Britain. They were sorcerers, high-ranking officials, but not kings – definitely not kings. But quite possibly, they were queens. We’ve always pictured them with elaborate, exotic, unusual clothing – quite festive, highly decorated and accessorized! . . . Also, the wise eunuchs, shamans, holy men were the only ones who had the forethought to go shopping before they visited the baby Jesus!

They also have shamanistic dreams. They deceive evil King Herod and actually play the precise role that many other prominent eunuchs play in the Bible: they rescue the prophet, this time the Messiah of God, and foil the evil royal plot against God’s anointed.

– Nancy Wilson
Excerpted from Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Bible
Harper Collins, 1995

Recommended Off-site Links:
Epiphany: Queer Eye for the Magi – Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Live Blog, January 6, 2012).
Three Queers from the East – Terence Weldon (Queering the Church, January 6, 2012).
The Sex Lives of Eunuchs – The Closet Professor (July 15, 2010)

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
What We Can Learn from the Story of the Magi
Feast of the Epiphany
A Story of Searching and Discovery

Image: Modern day eunuchs in India. Photographer unknown.

PCV Publishes Archbishop Nienstedt's Marriage Amendment Directives to Priests

The following media release was issued yesterday by the editorial board of The Progressive Voice, on which I serve as editor.

_______________________________

Archbishop Nienstedt’s Marriage Amendment Message to Priests:
“There Ought Not be Open Dissension on This Issue”

In an October 19, 2011 speech to the priests of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese, the text of which was recently obtained by The Progressive Catholic Voice, Archbishop John C. Nienstedt (left) declared that the “movement to protect and defend the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman . . . [is] one of the greatest challenges of our times.”

The Archbishop also stated that he expects “all the priests and deacons in this Archdiocese [to] support this venture and cooperate with us in the important efforts that lie ahead.”

"There ought not be open dissension on this issue," Nienstedt said.

Because of what he perceives as “the gravity of this struggle, and the radical consequences of inaction,” Nienstedt placed a “solemn charge” upon all archdiocesan priests:

On your ordination day, you made a promise to promote and defend all that the Church teaches. I call upon that promise in this effort to defend marriage. There ought not be open dissension on this issue. If any have personal reservations, I do not wish that they be shared publicly. If anyone believes in conscience that he cannot cooperate, I want him to contact me directly and I will plan to respond personally.

“When I first read the text of the Archbishop's speech I couldn't believe that he was telling priests and deacons to be silent if they were opposed to the marriage amendment,” says Paula Ruddy, parishioner at St. Boniface in Minneapolis and member of The Progressive Catholic Voice editorial board. “Is one's position on whether the State constitution should be amended a matter of Church doctrine? How are Catholics to form their consciences if their pastors are not candid with them?”

The Progressive Catholic Voice describes itself as “an online, independent and grassroots forum for reflection, dialogue, and the exchange of ideas within the Catholic community of Minnesota and beyond.” The text of Archbishop Nienstedt’s speech, written in the form of a letter and sent to priests who were unable to attend the October 19 gathering, came to the attention of the forum’s editorial board in early January. The members of the board chose to publish the letter as they are aware that the marriage amendment issue is one that many Catholics in the Archdiocese feel very strongly about. “We at The Progressive Catholic Voice also believe it is important to model a way of being church that is open, honest, transparent and participatory,” said editor Michael Bayly.

“The Archbishop’s message is problematic in many ways,” added Bayly. “As a gay man, I find it particularly offensive that he can’t even bring himself to name gay and lesbian people. We’re simply a ‘minority’ seemingly out to destroy the church and civilization. Such an absurd caricature would be funny if not for the hurtful and damaging consequences to individuals, couples and families resulting from the Archbishop’s anti-marriage equality activism.”

The Roman Catholic bishops of Minnesota, led by Archbishop Nienstedt, have long campaigned against civil marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. In a January 3 article on The Huffington Post, Bernard Schlager, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry at the Pacific School of Religion, wrote that such activism is “nothing other than a brazen – and unwise – attempt by religious leaders of one denomination to impose their views on everyone (regardless of religious affiliation, if any) throughout an entire state."

"It is one thing to prohibit marriage equality for Catholics in terms of the Catholic sacrament of marriage;" Schlager writes, "it is quite another thing for a bishop (or two or three) to work to restrict the rights of all lesbian and gay Minnesotans – non-Catholics and Catholics alike – who may seek civil marriage.”

Despite his criticism of the bishops, Schlager notes that “there are many, many churchgoing American Catholics who believe in marriage equality, as has been demonstrated by recent surveys that show significant support for gay marriage among Catholics in the US.”

The full text of Archbishop Nienstedt’s letter can be found here.



Recommended Off-site Links:
Archbishop Orders Minnesota Priests to Support or Stay Silent on Anti-Gay-Marriage Amendment – Andy Birkey (The American Independent, January 5, 2012).
Archbishop Nienstedt to Priests: Support Marriage Amendment or Be Quiet If You Disagree – Joe Kimball (MinnPost.com, January 6, 2012).
Minnesota Archbishop Tells Priests Not to Oppose Church Teachings on Marriage – Ben Johnson (LifeSiteNews.com, January 6, 2012).
Twin Cities Bishop to Priests: Toe the Line on Marriage or Keep Your Mouth Shut – John M. Becker (TruthWinsOut.org, January 6, 2012).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Doug Mataconis on the Bishops, Religious Freedom, and Living in a Civil Society
Progressive Perspectives on Archbishop Nienstedt's Anti-Gay Activism
A Head and Heart Response to the Catholic Hierarchy's Opposition to Marriage Equality
The Minneapolis (and Online) Premiere of Catholics for Marriage Equality
Responding to Bishop Tobin's Remarks on Gay Marriage
Tips on Speaking as a Catholic in Support of Marriage Equality
A Message for NOM (and the Catholic Hierarchy)
At UST, a Rousing and Very Catholic Show of Support for Marriage Equality

Image: Brian Peterson (Star Tribune).

Quote of the Day

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All thoughtful pilgrims learn that what matters is what we do on the trip and how we learn to love our fellow pilgrims.

– Ken Masters

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
The Onward Call
Quote of the Day – April 26, 2011
Waking Dagobert
Somewhere In Between

Rick Santorum: "A Very Radical Right-Wing Candidate for President"

In the closest Iowa Republican caucus in history, Mitt Romney narrowly beat Rick Santorum (left) by just eight votes yesterday for the GOP presidential nomination. Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who won the Iowa straw poll in August, placed sixth with just five percent of the vote. Earlier today she announced she was ending her presidential bid. Good riddance.

With his meteoric rise and success in Iowa, Santorum has been very much in the news – and, thankfully, under scrutiny (see here and here). Turns out he's not the uncompromising "full-spectrum conservative," that some make him out to be. He's still a disturbing and dangerous figure, however. This was brought home to me yesterday morning when, on the car radio, I heard Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman discussing Santorum with John Nichols, correspondent for The Nation. Here's a little of their conversation.

Amy Goodman: In 2003, a controversy arose over Rick Santorum’s statements about homosexuality and the right to privacy. In an interview with the Associated Press, Santorum said he believed mutually consenting adults do not have a constitutional right to privacy with respect to sexual acts. During the interview, he made comments that shocked many, saying, "In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. [Perhaps Santorum should read this] That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be." Those, the words of Rick Santorum, comparing homosexuality to bestiality in 2003. Are these issues being raised, John Nichols?

John Nichols: Not directly, but you went to the heart of the matter there, Amy. Rick Santorum’s appeal, his core appeal, is to the hard-right social conservatives, often referred to as evangelicals, but also a very conservative Catholic base, particularly in the eastern part of the state. [Many other Catholics, the majority I would say, are very much opposed to Santorum and his agenda.] Santorum has reached out to these voters, attracting endorsements from pastors, as well as from people involved in anti-gay-rights campaigning in Iowa. And there’s been a lot of that. Remember, Iowa was one of the first states to allow for same-sex marriage, and there’s been real battles on the ground here. Santorum has positioned himself on the anti-gay-rights side.

I do think it’s also significant, Amy, that you point out Santorum’s disregard for right to privacy. One of the less noted aspects of the Santorum campaign is his passion for amending the U.S. Constitution. He wants to amend it to ban abortion. He wants to amend it to restrict same-sex marriage and gay rights. He wants to put in a balanced budget amendment that is designed mainly to shift funding toward faith-based programs. He wants to shut down the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals out in California and the western part of the United States, because he sees it as a liberal court. This is really a very radical candidate for president, a very radical right-wing candidate. And that has appeal to a portion of the Iowa electorate, but it’s really a very small portion. And I think as people become more aware of this, Santorum is going to have an awful lot of questions asked about his stances, not just in the past, but right now.

To read the transcript of this entire conversation, click here.


Recommended Off-site Links:
Three-Quarters of Iowa GOP Voters Reject Romney, as Santorum Surges – John Nichols (Common Dreams, January 4, 2011).
Santorum’s Emergence Signals Divided GOP Base While Paul Gains from Dems’ Disenchantment with Obama – Democracy Now (January 4, 2012).
Iowa: The Meaningless Sideshow Begins – Matt Taibbi (Rolling Stone, January 3, 2012).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Amy Goodman and the “Sacred Responsibility” of Listening
Explaining Michele Bachmann to the Brits

Quote of the Day

. . . Let's be clear about what [Archbishop] Nienstedt and the other Minnesota Catholic bishops are doing as they try to derail any momentum for marriage equality in their state and, in the process, change the Minnesota constitution. While the creation of a prayer for recitation during Mass may seem to represent a seemingly harmless attempt by religious leaders to influence the voting practices of their followers, these bishops have also taken the unusual step of mailing 400,000 copies of an anti-marriage-equality DVD to Catholics throughout the state in fall 2010 and, more ominously, they have called upon Minnesota priests to set up committees designed to convince voters to pass a marriage amendment in November 2012.

The bishops' activities, in fact, are nothing other than a brazen – and unwise – attempt by religious leaders of one denomination to impose their views on everyone (regardless of religious affiliation, if any) throughout an entire state. It is one thing to prohibit marriage equality for Catholics in terms of the Catholic sacrament of marriage; it is quite another thing for a bishop (or two or three) to work to restrict the rights of all lesbian and gay Minnesotans – non-Catholics and Catholics alike – who may seek civil marriage.

It is important to point out, of course, that there are many, many churchgoing American Catholics who believe in marriage equality, as has been demonstrated by recent surveys that show significant support for gay marriage among Catholics in the US. . . .

– Bernard Schlager, Ph.D.
"How About a Prayer for All Marriages
(And All Committed Relationships Rooted in Love)?"
The Huffington Post
January 3, 2012

Recommended Off-site Links:
A Prayer for Archbishop Nienstedt – Sensus Fidelium (December 17, 2011).
Catholic family with lesbian sister weighs marriage amendment – Sasha Aslanian (Minnesota Public Radio, December 23, 2011).
Catholics for Marriage Equality MN

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Doug Mataconis on the Bishops, Religious Freedom, and Living in a Civil Society
Progressive Perspectives on Archbishop Nienstedt's Anti-Gay Activism
A Head and Heart Response to the Catholic Hierarchy's Opposition to Marriage Equality
The Minneapolis (and Online) Premiere of Catholics for Marriage Equality
Responding to Bishop Tobin's Remarks on Gay Marriage
Tips on Speaking as a Catholic in Support of Marriage Equality
A Message for NOM (and the Catholic Hierarchy)
At UST, a Rousing and Very Catholic Show of Support for Marriage Equality

Happy Birthday, Brendan

In Australia today (or rather, yesterday, given the time difference) my youngest nephew Brendan celebrates his 14th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Brendan!

The picture at left was taken by my sister-in-law (Brendan's mum) at Swallows' Ledge, Port Macquarie. That candle apparently sings "Happy Birthday"!


See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Happy Birthday, Brendan (2011)
Happy Birthday, Brendan (2010)
Happy Birthday, Brendan (2009)
Happy Birthday, Brendan (2008)
Good Times, Happy Memories
Remembering a Very Special Time
"Like Persephone of Myth . . ."
Another Time, Another Place

A Song and Challenge for 2012

For quite some time now part of my prayer life has involved praying for the paradigm shift in human consciousness that I believe God is calling humanity to embody. It's a shift – a movement, a journey – from greed to justice, from apathy to compassion, from mindless consumption to sustainability, from fear to love.

With this prayer in mind I've watched with great hope the unfolding of the Occupy Movement in this country and around the world. I see this movement as an embodiment of this paradigm shift that so many of us long to see realized.

And so as 2012 begins, I thought I'd share a wonderful song by my favorite vocalist, Dusty Springfield (1939-1999). It's from her 1990 electro-pop album Reputation – an album that actually played an important role in my coming out as a gay man. Written and produced by the Pet Shop Boys, the song I share today from Reputation is called "Occupy Your Mind," and has been described as "acid house existentialism." Lyrically, it's simply about striving to be conscious in the midst of confusion and disappointment. The song's extolling to "believe" is predicated, in my experience at least, on clarity, hope and courage. Of course, all the great religious traditions tell us that such awareness, such mindfulness, is the seedbed of compassionate action – and thus of transformation, our own and the world's.

It's great to see the expression, "occupy your mind," being used in positive and creative ways within the global movement for economic and social equality. I doubt, however, that many people know it's also the name of a song, and one sung by the late, great Dusty Springfield.

This is unfortunate as "Occupy Your Mind" is a very anthemic, pro-active song. I find it quite hopeful and empowering; its message both universal and relevant. And I love the way its different layers of sound are introduced, topped off by Dusty's incredible voice . . . "Satisfy your reason, it will occupy your mind. Even when you're dreaming, believe . . ."

About the song, Dusty said in 1990:"'Occupy Your Mind' was extraordinary . . . It's not really a song, it's a sound and I loved it for that reason. It's quite a meditation in itself."

Indeed.

Here, then, is Dusty Springfiled with "Occupy Your Mind." Enjoy!

Satisfy your reason,
It will occupy your mind
Even when you're dreaming
Believe

Find another meaning
To determine what you need
Experience this feeling
And believe
Believe

In a world so confused
. . . Believe

Love will pierce the dark cloud
Of unknowing and reveal
All that you were dreaming
And believe

These communications
Will descend on you en masse
So all I'm saying, baby,
Is believe
Believe

In a world so confused
If you feel love refused
Believe
In a life so defined
You could find time
To change your mind
Believe

Occupy your mind and you'll believe
Believe

Recommended Off-site Links:
Ten Ways the Occupy Movement Changes Everything – Sarah van Gelder, David Korten and Steve Piersanti (Yes! Magazine, November 10, 2011).
The Incarnation and the Occupy Movement – Jim Keane, S.J. (America, December 24, 2011).
Occupy: From Encampments to a Movement – RadioProject.org (November 29, 2011).
Linguists Name 'Occupy' as 2011's Word of the Year– Stephanie Gallman (CNN, January 7, 2012).
Occupy the Future – Noam Chomsky (In These Times, November 1, 2011).
Occupy Wall Street Protesters Condemn US Political Establishment – Sandy English (World Socialist Web Site, October 13, 2011).
Year of Global Uprisings From the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street: A Special Look Back At 2011 – Democracy Now! (January 2, 2012).
Occupy Wall Street, False Idols and a Moral Economy – John Gehring (National Catholic Reporter, November 2, 2011).
Compassion Is Our New Currency: Notes on 2011’s Preoccupied Hearts and Minds – Rebecca Solnit (TruthDig.com, December 24, 2011).
Historical Evolution or Violent Revolution: Choose – Joan Chittister (National Catholic Reporter, November 23, 2011).
What the Occupation Owes Anarchists – Nathan Schneider (The Nation, December 21, 2011).
Occupy Economics: Because We’re Teaching It Wrong – Yes! Magazine (December 5, 2011).
2011: A Year of Taking It to the Streets – Kevin Eckstrom (National Catholic Reporter, December 29, 2011).
The 12 Most Hopeful Trends to Build On in 2012 – Sarah van Gelder (CommonDreams.org, December 31, 2011).
Occupy Everywhere: Next Steps for the Movement Against Corporate Power – Democracy Now! (November 25, 2011).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Quote of the Day – October 1, 2011
Rocking the Cradle of Power
As the Last Walls Dissolve . . . Everything is Possible
Revolutionay Reconciliation
Quote of the Day – October 22, 2011
Something to Think About – November 30, 2011
Something to Think About – December 14, 2011

Image 1: Ezra Li Eismont.
Image 2: Photographer unknown.
Image 3: Mind(ful) Liberation Project.
Image 4: Democracy Now!
Image 5: Mihai Dela.

For more of Dusty at The Wild Reed, see:
Dusty Springfield: Queer Icon
The Other "Born This Way"
Remembering Dusty – Eleven Years On
The Sound of Two Decades Colliding . . .
No Stranger Am I
Remembering Dusty
Time and the River
Remembering a Great Soul Singer
Soul Deep