The decision by the organizers of New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade to allow a group of gays from NBC to march openly under their own banner, “OUT@NBCUniversal,” was nothing short of a betrayal of all that was best in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, who have resisted this for more than two decades. That New York’s Timothy Cardinal Dolan welcomed the move, saying the organizers have his, “confidence and support,” is a scandal of epic proportion.
Lest any read these words and interpret them as unwelcoming of LGBT persons in the Church, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a letter to the world’s bishops in 1986 instructing them on the pastoral care of homosexual persons. Read it here.
Those of us who are horrified at the specter of New York’s Archbishop leading the parade as Grand Marshal, leading a banner announcing a contingent of out and proud gays past our beloved Cathedral (named for St. Patrick), will undoubtedly be called haters. As with all evil, listen to the epithets hurled at the faithful and then you have the identity of those doing the hurling.
Haters.
Catholics who love God, love His Church, love His order of creation are called haters for not supporting those whose lifestyle spits in the face of all that is holy. Is it really hateful to proclaim that children need both a mother and a father living under the same roof, and that this is part of God’s wise design?
Is it hateful to observe that mothers and fathers bring very different gifts and skill sets to the table, and that children need both?
Is it really hateful to suggest that God created a complementarity between the sexes and that humans are completed in their formation within a milieu that nurtures this dynamic complementarity?
Is it really hateful to suggest that the needs of children are the starting point of all consideration and not the needs or predilections of the adults?
If one is a supporter of the gay agenda, then the answer to all of the above is a resounding YES!
But who are the real haters? What do we say of those who say that a mother is an optional accessory in the life of a child, that motherhood itself is entirely unnecessary?
What do we say of those who say that a father is an optional accessory in the life of a child, that fatherhood itself is entirely unnecessary?
What do we say of those who rent women’s bodies as nothing more than incubators (and this includes many heterosexuals), who reduce women to the level of livestock: broodmares and bitches, all because of their own sterility?
What do we say of those who patronize an industry where women are artificially inseminated like so many cattle?
Who is at war with whom here?
What do we say of those people?
Here is what we DON’T say: We don’t cast them out of the Church. We don’t suppose that our sinfulness is more pleasing and acceptable to God than theirs. We don’t arrogantly assume that we will be heading to Paradise and that they will not.
We say to those people: Welcome brother. Welcome sister.
We accept them as individuals, but not as a militant class with an agenda that flies in the face of the Magisterium. No out and proud banners and, in fact, this is how the Ancient Order of Hibernians has dealt with this for 22 years. All are welcome to march, but not under a gay pride banner. They have their own parade for that. And what a parade it is. Filled with naked men in nothing but thongs. Until the parade route was shortened, the Gay Pride parade marched past St. Patrick’s Cathedral where men mooned the cathedral, gave it the finger, and chanted “Shame! Shame! Shame!” at it, and the faithful, by extension.
How the Cardinal can see this as an occasion of unity beggars the imagination. He has alienated his most faithful in exchange for… what?
If the openly gay group were the Courage ministry who struggle to lead chaste lives in accordance with God’s plan as articulated by the Magisterium, that’s a win-win. But that is not what happened here. He has alienated his most faithful by not standing against the AOH members of the committee and their change in direction to welcome the rebellion itself, to LEAD them along Fifth Avenue. Does he suppose that having paraded under their own banner they will abandon their lifestyle and flock to Courage, flock to confession?
This decision comes within the context of not waging an aggressive campaign against gay marriage in New York State, not speaking out against the move to admit openly gay scouts in Boy Scouting, welcoming the most anti-Catholic, anti-life president in history to the Al Smith Dinner, his enthusiastic comments about Michael Sam; not crossing swords with Governor Cuomo when he attempted to legalize abortion in New York for all 9 months, reduce penalties for botched abortions, etc.
Cardinal Dolan could take a page from Cardinal O’Connor. O’Connor didn’t budge an inch against the gates of hell that were turned loose on him by the gay community. He stood them down with the fortitude of a lion. At the same time he volunteered weekly at an AIDS hospice he created and insisted on being called, “Father John,” while dressed simply as a parish priest. He cleaned bedpans and wiped bottoms.
Humility and Fortitude in seamless union.
To be certain, the parade was losing the major corporate sponsorships that make the parade possible. Equally certain is that Cardinal Dolan could have led a boycott against those companies who dared to profane the parade in honor of his diocese’s patron saint. He could have rallied his brother bishops in this and sought the aid of wealthy Catholics to make up the shortfall until these businesses came around. He could have boldly proclaimed the instruction from the CDF linked above. He could have shown disgust and indignation at the allegation that any who are faithful to God’s wise design are haters. He could have stood for the dignity of women and condemned homosexual marriage and the use of women by gay men as broodmares. He could have stood for the dignity of lesbians and condemned artificial insemination as beneath their dignity.
But he didn’t.
There are some Catholic writers and commenters who criticize the actions of the bishops at every turn. That has seldom happened here. But there seems to be a blind spot when it comes to the gay agenda here in New York. It is dangerously seductive to think that one’s adversaries applauding us is somehow a triumph for unity.
It was never what Jesus envisioned for us when He reminded the Apostles that if they find the world hates them, to remember that it hated Him first.
It was never what Jesus envisioned for us when He said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you.”
It was never what Jesus envisioned for us when He said not to worry about what we will say when put on trial, that the Holy Spirit will give us the words.
It was never what Jesus envisioned for us when He reminded us that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Jesus did all He could to instruct us that there would be great strife and divisions, all in His name. He never, EVER said that there would be unity, though He prayed that all would be one as He and the Father are one. But that oneness does not come at the expense of the truth, otherwise the Cardinal’s pulpit becomes as hollow as the parade that the AOH committee members just defiled.
.
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Beginning tomorrow night, September 6 at 8 PM , Coming Home will have the Novena for Priests for the intentions of Cardinal Dolan. He needs the prayers, and I need the practice. Let’s all join in.
Update: A draft copy was inadvertently published a few moments ago identifying the AOH as having made the recent decision to allow gays in the parade. This has been corrected to show that it is AOH members on the parade committee. The AOH stepped back from direct involvement a few years ago.
As far as the parade goes, I’ll refrain from commenting because it seems like a local issue. But on this…..”Is it really hateful to proclaim that children need both a mother and a father living under the same roof, and that this is part of God’s wise design?”
Yes — it’s hateful to single parents. Or at least it’s a bit insensitive, implying that our families are somehow second-class, and outside of God’s design.
Lisa, while it may be no fault of your own, it is a virtually undisputed fact that children of single parents have a much tougher row to hoe in life. No amount of support from the rest of us can completely and adequately make up for the missing parent regardless of what caused the absence. Such is the broken world we inhabit, the world that God had in the beginning called “very good,” but went awry and needed a redeemer.
God bless your day,
enness
Lisa, I have often said it here and elsewhere that divorce is the failure of a moral good entered into and attempted in good faith by a man and woman. That children find themselves in single-parent homes is the result of a great good not working out. They get there by default, not by a priori design, whereas in gay and lesbian unions the absence of a mother or a father is a celebrated principle. That’s a great difference.
Lisa, suck it up and grow up. I was a single father who raised by 3 year old. The facts are what they are.
Gerry, wow, I agree completely with you my friend! My sons mother and I divorced in 2001, I made it a point to “touch base” with my son every day as I knew the importance of being part of his life. His mother passed nearly a year ago, Nov. 10th and now I call him every couple of days. At the age of 21 he wanted to get his own place and finds hearing from his Dad not necessary everyday, I do call him every few days but I do give him some breathing room.
I also find that our Archdiocese and Cardinal Doyle have been taking a real beating as of late, and I don’t blame either. The AOH gave in from pressure and let this group from NBC march in the parade. The AOH invited the Cardinal to be Grand Marshal, I don’t know if any Cardinal in the past has been offered this honor. Unfortunate that both decisions occurred in the same year. Is it a coincidence, or do these decisions really need to be attached?
The other attack on the Archdiocese that comes to my mind is in regarding to Bishop Sheen. I know this is off topic, I’ve read the statement form the Archdiocese and I agree. Bishop Sheen asked that St. Pat’s be his final resting place and Cardinal Cook granted his request. Cardinal Doyle has been in contact with Bishop Sheens family. As I can see the need to examine his remains and perhaps snip a piece of his vestments, we need to respect his remains and not “damage” him. You must admit, it would be wonderful to know that God has not decayed Bishop Sheens remains. Also, why can’t this not occur quietly, at the crypt in St. Patrick’s, perhaps a private mass at the crypt chapel, the Bishops family and those who need to be there…
Just my thoughts…..be well…God Bless
In my case, though, I made a decision to live apart from my partner, and not go with him on an overseas job transfer. The kids wanted to stay put, and I thought the disadvantages of moving would outweigh the advantages. This is why I bristled at “both a mother and father living under the same roof.”
It’s interesting that not a single person criticizes my partner for accepting this particular job transfer, but lots of people (friends, family and strangers) find fault with me for “selfishly” refusing to follow him, and tell me it’s my fault — my “choice” — that my kids are growing up without a father in their day-to-day lives. Amazing how people just to conclusions, and reduce a complicated situation to, “Well, it was YOUR choice not to follow him.”
My kids have a father, he’s in their lives, but he’s not under the same roof. Is this the “failure of a moral good?” I don’t believe it is.
Getting back to the subject of gay people….There were some two-daddy families at our school in San Francisco. They didn’t go the IVF route, they adopted kids (some with special needs/learning disabilities) and paid to educate them at Catholic schools.
[Lisa, I’ll never know what directs some comments to the spam folder, but that’s where this was sitting. Apologies. ~G.N.]
Did WordPress eat my comment….?
No Lisa…. I did.
No really, Lisa. I did. Dr. Nadal and his wife were kind enough to have me over for some tea, as it was their night of the month for Indian tea, which is known to be my favorite. While I was there Dr. N let me sit at the controls of his blog for a few minutes. At first I was a little overwhelmed by the large, medium and small nobs, and some nearly invisible nobs, and some with cryptic numbers, lighted dials, and the scores of levers (one ominous lever with red neon “BAN FOR LIFE” caught my eye), and the strange pulsating static and other electrical noises coming out of his Ancovox 230-5A Astrologic T-Series Blog Command Console. But after a few minutes I started to get comfortable behind the wheel, so to speak, and banned a few agnostics for life. (By the way, you came THIS close.) Anyway, your comment was rude, unmannerly (to say the least), and completely unacceptable, so I zapped it. In fact, I zapped it with such a flourish of indignation that I nearly spilled some Darjeeling on the console, at which point “Gerry” very gently took over the controls, throttled down a few levers and nobs, removed the key from the ignition, and as the mechanical humming lowered in pitch suggested that I perhaps had enough excitement for one day. Ah…. tea with the Nadals is always a treat! Meanwhile, watch your step, Twaronite! Next time they serve up a steaming pot of Assam with sweet cream, you might wake up the next morning without a convenient venue for your rather dubious wit and wisdom. Actually, as you probably guessed, I’m just kidding… I only banned the agnostics for a few weeks.
[…] « A Cardinal, A Parade, and the Sterility of Inclusivity […]
David Anthony Domet, what exactly do you mean by “suck it up and grow up,” which is kind of an odd thing to say to someone you don’t even know, who said only what I said in my first comment.
As for my comments going to the SPAM folder, I blame divine intervention for sending them where they probably belong.
pt-109, are you sure all you consumed was tea?
Lisa, Your decision is yours alone, and I won’t comment on the rightness or wrongness of it, never having met you or your family. But I think that in your heart, whatever the reasons for your separation, you are aware that children do best with both parents, that their father was not a nonentity in their lives. That’s God’s wise design.
pt-109, The Diluvian converter on the controls won’t engage since you played with them. Now what??? 😉
Well, I would argue that some things are much more important for children than “a mother and a father living under the same roof,” depending on the situation. As I always say, I have nothing against the traditional family, just the notion that all families must always strive to be traditional in all circumstances. Children need stability, security, and mature adult role models of both genders in their lives, and there are many situations that meet these needs.
And you are very kind to share your toys with your friend. I think you need to watch what he puts in his “tea” next time.
Lisa, I know Dr. Nadal can speak for himself, but perhaps it is a question of optimal vs. not optimal? There are, of course, different degrees of not optimal.
Dr. N, I’ve looked up Diluvian converters, and the price of a new one is exorbitant. I’m hoping you’ll accept a “previously owned” one from NASA, which is currently listed on ebay for $45,000. I know it was not what you were hoping for, but I hope our friendship won’t suffer if I make a bid on it.
[…] decision openly, warmly, and uncritically. These events created an outcry among Catholic writers, myself included. Among the rather strongly worded opinions was that of Msgr. Charles Pope, whose blog post on the […]
Lisa, pt-109 nails it regarding optimal vs. not optimal. That’s what I meant when I said they do best with their mother and father under the same roof.
pt-109, That Diluvian converter on eBay is the prototype, so it’s definitely Ante Diluvian. I’ll take it though, since the WP controls have backward compatibility (unlike humans in their socially and morally evolved form, who do not; hence the point of this blog).
You didn’t say they “do best” — you said they “need.” I would even argue with “do best,” because I’ve seen so many kids raised in non-traditional families do just as well as those raised in traditional homes. There are many roads that lead to “optimal.”
Lisa Twaronite: “I’ve seen so many kids raised in non-traditional families do just as well as those raised in traditional homes. There are many roads that lead to ‘optimal.'”
You make plenty of assumptions there, sister.
…because I have seen…. therefore there is…. blah blah blah.
Besides the obvious perpetual cries of frustration…. do your words display a complete lack of intuitive understanding of the unique love of both parents that is possible (but never guaranteed) from the very moment of a child’s creation? This is not to say other love is not important, or needed, or unique. It is merely optimal in the depths of the human soul in a way that can only be touched upon by personal intuition and human history, and our higher institutions of philosophy and religion and even science. It’s exegesis is elusive, at least for me, but writers like Dr. Nadal at least apply themselves seriously in addressing it.
You are a smart old goat, Lisa. Now it’s time to show the world what you can do!
Yes, it’s true — “because I have seen, therefore there is.” I trust my own observations, made over decades. They form the basis of many of my opinions.
And I do indeed lack what you call an “intuitive understanding of the unique love of both parents that is possible (but never guaranteed) from the very moment of a child’s creation,” because I have seen too many families adopt children with no biological connection, and these families have what looks to me to be this same optimal “unique love” that I feel for my own kids.
If it were only true. You’d still be a poor writer.
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
[…] he is entitled to my respect and obedience. There have only been a couple of times where I have publicly disagreed with him and written of it. It is not bishop-bashing, but rather the strongly worded disagreement of […]
I don’t really care for the rest of the comments, but I will say this as a child of a single parent who grew up in a divorced household and then got dumped on his grandparents: anyone who thinks children who are deprived of an emotionally stable traditional family are not also deprived of very necessary things to become a healthy, balanced individual in life, are – for lack of a better term – ignorant, or never went through that ringer themselves, or had some very extraordinary single parents or something to fill the void of either a mother or a father.
Any single parent kid, if you break him down enough, will tell you: they feel that void in their hearts, and when they see their friends with moms and dads who are stable and present and supportive and give guidance to them, they are reminded of what they do not have.
We survive. We cope. We adapt. We overcome.
But we still lack.