The second and fifth questions posed by Donohue aren't bad ones. Especially the fifth: This former Roman Catholic made the painful, wrenching decision to vote with her feet more than a decade ago; I refused to stay where I wasn't welcome. And many Catholics who believe they are faithful to God's word and Jesus' message grapple with the same decision — including prominent gay and conservative Catholic columnist Andrew Sullivan, based on this, this, and this, from his blog. I can't tell these people what to do or what will work for their hearts and souls, but leaving the church was the best decision I ever made. This, from Sullivan:

It tears me apart to see no prospect of the Catholic Church ending its war on gay people and their dignity in my lifetime. In fact, I think it's getting worse; and the next Pope from the developing world could make the current one seem humane. Leaving the sacraments would be a huge blow to the soul; but the pope just called the love I have for my boyfriend "evil." That's a word he couldn't bring himself to use about Saddam Hussein. How can I recognize what I know to be true with what the Pope has just said? I cannot. It doesn't leave many options but departure.

The statement Donohue makes in question number three is patently untrue. An increasing number of Western churches — the Universal Unitarians, the Quakers, and some US Episcopalian churches are three examples — do bless same-gender unions. As for the fourth, it smacks of Santorumism, which makes it, like most of Donohue's anti-Kennedy rant, useless, insensitive, meanspirited, and unworthy of consideration.

I commend Patrick Kennedy for standing up to his church. We need to hear from more dissenting Catholic voices. God knows they are out there.

from All Facts and Opinions