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Instead of Scapegoating, Instead of Scapegoating, Church Ought to Repent CPCSM Ought to Repent

By Michael J. Bayly (Executive By Clayton Emmer (Executive Coordinator, CPCSM)  Coordinator of Absolutely Nothing)  Star Tribune, September 8, 2005 The Weight of Glory, November 2, 2005 Pope Benedict seems certain to issue a Pope Benedict seems certain to issue a directive barring gay men from directive urging prudential judgment ordination as Roman Catholic priests. about ordaining same-sex attracted men For the majority of Catholics – and in as Roman Catholic priests. For a particular gay, lesbian, bisexual and histrionic minority of Catholics – and in transgender (GLBT) Catholics – such a particular, a select subsection of development is akin to rearranging the politically active gay, lesbian, bisexual deck chairs on the Titanic. It's a and transgender (GLBT) Catholics – desperate, misguided and futile ploy – such a development is sure to lead to and one that signals the need for urgent outright of those who reform within a Catholic Church rapidly experience same-sex attraction, and so declining in credibility. they believe it is time to declare that the ecclesial sky is falling. It's a desperate, For a start, how credible is the Vatican's misguided and futile ploy – and one that appeal to the language of psychology in signals the need for urgent reform justifying its ban on "disordered" gay within a CPCSM rapidly declining in men, when the mental health and credibility. medical professional associations do not consider homosexuality to be any type For a start, how credible is the of "disorder"? CPCSM's appeal to the language of civil rights in justifying its advocacy for The Vatican's frequent claim of an specifically "gay" rights, when the intrinsic link between homosexuality whole notion of same-sex attraction as and pedophilia is similarly devoid of an ethnic designation is a bald-faced any scientific backing and is thus attempt to usher in the language of civil erroneous. Reactionaries within the rights to defend not human dignity, but church, however, continue to bolster a that contradicts said dignity. such a claim with "research findings" from groups such as the National CPCSM’s frequent claim of an intrinsic Association for the Research and link between homosexuality and Treatment of Homosexuality (NARTH). ethnicity is similarly devoid of any ecclesial backing and is thus merely contentious to the apostolic teaching

1 Yet what isn't reported is that neither and the witness of the communion of NARTH's findings nor its saints. Reactionaries within the church, are seldom, if ever, offered to peer- however, continue to bolster such a reviewed journals for critical analysis. In claim by simply and baldly declaring it short, the group lacks any respect from to be fact. Yet what isn't reported is that the wider scientific community. CPCSM's rants and methodology are seldom, if ever, subjected to critical Despite this, the Catholic Church's analysis or the discernment of spirits so official "support group" for GLBT characteristic of life in the Church. In people, "Courage," often substitutes the short, the group lacks any respect from word "homosexuality" with the the wider ecclesial community. NARTH-coined phrase, "same-sex attraction disorder" – a term Despite this, CPCSM’s official "support unrecognized by any professional group" for GLBT people often health association. Following NARTH's substitutes the agenda-laden word lead, some members of Courage even “gay” for the less explosive adjective consider their "disorder" to be curable, "same-sex attracted". Following the and explain its origin using debunked lead of concupiscence, the moral path of theories of dominant mothers, distant least resistance, some members of fathers and abusive family relations. CPCSM even consider their "God- given" attractions to be an excuse for The quackery of NARTH is clearly immoral behavior, and explain its origin endorsed and encouraged by some using the theological trump card of within the leadership of the church. It's “God made me this way.” not surprising, then, that this same leadership fosters the erroneous The quackery of CPCSM is clearly connection between homosexuality and endorsed and encouraged by some pedophilia. This is all the more within the leadership of the church. It's deplorable when one surveys the not surprising, then, that this same findings of mainstream scientific studies leadership fosters the erroneous that refute any link between connection between homosexual homosexuality and the sexual abuse of activists and the heroism of civil rights minors. These studies conclude that "the leaders such as Martin Luther King and that homosexuals are particularly Rosa Parks. This is all the more attracted to children is completely deplorable when one surveys the unsupported" (Groth and Birnbaum), findings of mainstream biblical studies and that "a gay man is no more likely and the lived witness of the communion than a straight man to perpetrate sexual of saints that refute any link between activity with children" (Stevenson). homosexual behavior and holiness of life.

2 Yet despite the overwhelming evidence Yet despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the Vatican insists on to the contrary, CPCSM insists on blaming gay priests for the ongoing blaming heterosexual bigotry and sexual abuse scandal within the church. clerical celibacy for the ongoing sexual Without doubt such a scandal exists, but abuse scandal within the church. who is really to ? Who should be Without doubt such a scandal exists, but held accountable? Pedophile priests who is really to blame? Who should be must be brought to justice, that's a held accountable? Pedophile priests given, as must members of the church must be brought to justice, that's a hierarchy who knowingly ignore such given, as must members of the CPCSM priests' criminal activity and simply who knowingly ignore the apostolic transfer them to other parishes or teaching and the witness of the saints. dioceses. Yet what of the structures and attitudes that surround, enable, and even Could it be that the scandal is so encourage and reward such deplorable overwhelming because of the culture of actions? death’s dysfunctional love affair with contraception and sex as self- Could it be that the scandal is so gratification instead of self-donation – overwhelming because of the church's one more reflective of imperial hubris dysfunctional hierarchical culture – one than of the model of community offered more reflective of imperial hubris than by the Holy Trinity as explained by of the egalitarian model of community John Paul the Great in his Theology of offered by ? It is a culture clearly the Body? It is a culture clearly prone to prone to face-saving silence and fear-mongering rants and conspiratorial conspiratorial efforts at covering up and efforts at covering up the dangers (moral scapegoating rather than and physical) of not paying attention to acknowledging and reporting long-term the language of the body, the of abuse of children and youth. original solitude, original unity and the call to communion which at the It is clear that the Vatican has failed in heart of the family, the fundamental unit many ways. It has failed in promoting a of . teaching that reflects the diverse of human sexuality; it has failed in It is clear that the CPCSM has failed in encouraging GLBT people in particular many ways. It has failed in promoting a to celebrate and integrate their God- teaching that reflects the beauty of an given of sexuality, preferring instead authentic human sexuality; it has failed to promote through groups such as in encouraging GLBT people in Courage, a -based preoccupation particular to integrate their God-given with sexual repression; it has failed to gift of sexuality through asceticism, a protect children from sexual abuse by rich sacramental life, and a deep prayer

3 pedophile priests; and it has failed to life, preferring instead to promote, hold itself fully accountable for its own through groups such as Dignity, a complicity in this abuse. concupiscence-driven preoccupation with genital expression at all costs; it It is time for Catholics to publicly and has failed to protect children from vocally reject the misguided sexual abuse by pedophile priests; and it scapegoating tactics of the Vatican and has failed to hold itself fully accountable to demand an end to its discriminatory for its own complicity in this abuse. policies preventing not only gay men, but also married straight men and It is time for Catholics to publicly and women from entering the priesthood. It vocally reject the misguided is time for Catholics to demand an open scapegoating tactics of CPCSM and to and thorough accounting of the real demand an end to its discriminatory issues behind the church's tragic sex policies that attempt to prevent not only abuse scandal. Only then will we see a the Vatican, but also all practicing reformed priesthood and a renewed Catholics from living in a deep and Catholic Church - one truly universal integral way the call of the new and open to the of all its members. evangelization. It is time for Catholics to demand an open and thorough Michael J. Bayly is executive accounting of the real issues behind the coordinator of the Catholic Pastoral church's tragic sex abuse scandal. Only Committee on Sexual Minorities, a then will we see a reformed priesthood Twin Cities-based independent and a renewed Catholic Church - one coalition. He can be reached via the truly universal and open to the gifts of group's website, www.mtn.org/cpcsm. all its members.

Clayton Emmer is executive coordinator of absolutely nothing. He can be reached via his website, www.doxaweb.com.

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