Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 78, of Germany, a doctrinal conservative, was elected the 265th pontiff Tuesday evening, choosing the name Pope Benedict XVI. Gay Catholic groups are bumming.
Gay groups:
"Gay and lesbian Catholics are going to be very hurt by this election because Cardinal Ratzinger was the lighting rod for so much of the anger they felt under the previous pope," said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the New Ways Ministry, a "gay-positive Catholic group. "We are very disappointed that the cardinals chose someone whose hallmark seems to be doctrinal authority," he said.
Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said, "Someday, the church will apologize to gay people as it has to others it has oppressed in the past. I very much doubt that this day will come during this pope's reign. In fact, it seems inevitable that this pope will cause even more pain and give his successors even more for which to seek atonement."
"We didn't have misconceptions that whoever won this election would all of the sudden be a marvelous change for us," said Sam Sinnett, national president of DignityUSA. "We have to be realistic about this."
Why this reaction?
From his position as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger issued instructions for Catholic lawmakers to oppose any effort to give legal status to homosexual unions in January 2003. "The Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favor of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral.
..."In no way can other forms of cohabitation be placed on the same level as marriage, nor can they receive legal recognition as such.
"If it is true that all Catholics are obliged to oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions, Catholic politicians are obliged to do so in a particular way."
Article comments
1 - stephanie holland
I am hoping that someone will right about the new law in Texas regarding gays and lesbians not being able to become foster parents. It would seem that after all of the troubles that Child Protective Services has had with the lack of foster care and the deaths of so many children at the hands of the parents under CPS' care, the state would be welcoming anyone with love and a happy home. It saddens me.
2 - Natalie Davis
Yes, the entire thing is consummately depressing.
3 - salmoncatchingbear
absolutely, surely a happy home where everyone is comfortable with who they are and what their life is about is all that children need, and all that authorities should be looking for?
i believe in nature not nurture, if it was the other way round surely you couldnt have two brothers, one straight one gay? could you?
4 - Eric Olsen
there is progress in some arenas, but it is halting and incomplete
5 - dfgdfgdfg
the pope is a horrible pointless scumbag who hates gays, it is insane he is so horrible in this way, he is a rubbish person,. and is evill chritstiainity is a a-moral faith, that loves gangsters like arnie, and bullies like joerg haiderm, but hates gays, whatever they o, even if they are celebate, it is insane how right wing it is, i am sure it is controled by the cia, and such, and was taken over by them in teh 1940s,
6 - dfgdfgdfg
the catholic church claims it supports love, then it bullies gays, it claims it suppotrts liove, then it suipports reginmes in central america that kuill people, it claims it supports love, but killed 250,00 people in 13th century france, by burning, it claims it su[pports lovem, but made deals wth hitler, it does not know what love or hate is, it is just hate and evil, and that is that
7 - garth green
guys and lesbians along with all other inequity workers shall feel the rathe of allmighty god jah rastafari.
8 - Pope Peter & the Moon Child
Feelin' down about the new Pope?
Pope Peter & the Moon Child is an arch Pagan farce, an outrageous, surreal and wickedly funny book.
This is an online version of a book published in 1996 by Pinko Press in London.
9 - Felix
I don't understand why these people give two hoots about what the Catholic Church's stance is on gay issues. Why are they Catholics in the first instance. Surely anyone with half a clue knows that all of the established religions have distorted and lied about Jesus's original message and have been infiltrated by those with power. Religion is merely a political tool of the Global Elites who use it to control the masses.