B NDINGS Vol. 29, No. 2 A Publication of New Ways Ministry Spring 2009 Blair Questions Papal Gay Policy BBC News cede ground on an issue like this, be- tic things this Pope stands for, but I went to ‘actually, it’s to do with believing April 8, 2009 cause attitudes and thinking evolve over think what is interesting is that if you homosexuality is wrong’ or ‘it’s to do time, where does that end? went into any Catholic church, particu- with believing this part of the ritual or Tony Blair has questioned the Pope’s His career is interesting in that he’s larly a well-attended one, on any Sun- doctrine should be done in this particular attitude towards homosexuality, arguing attacked in certain quarters for being day here and did a poll of the congrega- way’.” that religious leaders must start gay, and yet, at the same time, I don’t tion, you’d be surprised at how liberal- The Catholic Church opposes gay “rethinking” the issue. believe that has altered in any shape or minded people were.” marriage, teaching that, while homosexu- Some older Catholics form people’s opin- Asked if he meant that the average ality is not sinful, homosexual acts are. had “entrenched attitudes”, ion of him Catholic congregation speaks for the During his interview, Mr. Blair said while most congregations “You’d start having Catholic Church more than the Pope homophobia in society had receded since were more “liberal-minded”, to rethink many, does, Mr. Blair replied: “Well, I’m not the early 1990s and that his government’s he added. many things. Now, going to say that! On many issues, I introduction of civil partnerships had Mr. Blair, who con- my view is that re- think the leaders of the Church and the given people a “sense of liberation from verted to Catholicism after thinking is good, so Church will be in complete agreement. prejudice”. resigning as UK prime min- let’s carry on re- “But I think on some of these is- He added that Business Secretary ister in 2007, told the gay thinking. sues, if you went and asked the congre- Lord Mandelson, one of his closest advis- magazine Attitude that views “Actually, we need gation, I think you’d find that their faith ers during his time in British politics, had had to keep “evolving”. an attitude of mind is not to be found in those types of en- suffered from anti-gay prejudice “in some But he added that Pope where rethinking and trenched attitudes. quarters”. Benedict XVI also stood for the concept of evolv- “If you asked ‘what makes you reli- But Mr. Blair also said: “His “many fantastic things”. ing attitudes be- gious?’ and ‘what does your faith mean [Mandelson’s] career is interesting in both Last December the Pope comes part of the to you?’ they would immediately go into senses in that he’s attacked in certain angered gay and lesbian discipline with compassion, solidarity, relieving suffer- quarters for being gay, and yet, at the groups by arguing that blur- Tony Blair which you approach ing. ring distinctions between your religious faith. “I would be really surprised if they BLAIR continued on page 4. males and females could lead to the “self- “So some of these things can then destruction” of the human race. result in a very broad area of issues be- In a letter to bishops in 1986, when he ing up for discussion. That’s when I un- was a cardinal, he wrote: “Although the derstand why religious leaders are very Group working to overcome particular inclination of the homosexual reluctant.” person is not a sin, it is a more or less Mr. Blair, who has set up his own strong tendency ordered to an intrinsic faith foundation, was then asked: “Can sexual orientation bias moral evil, and thus the inclination itself you foresee a situation where in your must be seen as an objective disorder.” lifetime or mine, we would have a pro- Staff Report Asked about this comment, Mr. Blair gay Pope, for example?” Rio Grande Catholic—El Paso prejudice against their basic human told Attitude that “there is a huge genera- “I don’t know, is the honest answer. January 30, 2009 rights. They have a right to respect, tional difference here. I don’t know. Look, there are many friendship and justice. They should have “And there’s probably that same fear good and great things the Catholic Two years ago, a group in El Paso an active role in the Christian commu- amongst religious leaders that if you con- Church does, and there are many fantas- organized Luminarias Catholic GLBT to nity." foster respect for the right of homosexu- Similarly, Father Sparks wrote in als to be free of prejudice and discrimi- Catholic Update, "The same moral prin- nation, and to encourage their "active ciples apply to homosexual and hetero- role in the Christian community." sexual persons." Sexual activity is U.S. Catholics Lean Left "Many gays and lesbians had left rightly reserved to marriage, and in mar- the Catholic Church because they did riage should both be a unifying factor not feel welcome in the Catholic com- for the partners and be open to the pro- on Social Issues munity," said Angelina Lugo, one of the creation of children. founders of Luminarias. Lugo said, "Many gays and lesbi- 41% of all Americans. And 63% back By Daniel Burke "There were also parents who had ans, although certain of God's love for embryonic stem cell research, compared USA Today raised their sons and daughters as them, at times still encounter an unwel- to 62% overall. March 31, 2009 Catholics, yet they too, could not bring coming and unaccepting environment Catholics who attend church regu- their children back to the Catholic com- within some of our Catholic communi- larly hew more closely to church doctrine, munity." ties.” American Catholics are more liberal but are still more liberal on many issues Father John Stowe, moderator of The group meets once a month at than the general population on social than non-Catholic regular church atten- the curia for the Diocese of El Paso, said All Saints Parish Hall in central El Paso. issues like divorce and homosexuality, dees. of the Luminarias group, “It is admira- Lugo said Luminarias began with despite the Catholic Church’s longstand- Twenty-four percent of Catholics ble that those who are struggling with four people and has grown with the aid ing conservatism on both issues, accord- who attend Mass regularly say abortion is how to live their Catholic faith or per- of parents who were trying to bring their ing to a new survey. morally acceptable, compared to 19% of haps concerned about their connection sons and daughters back to the Catholic Catholics are more likely than non- non-Catholic regular attendees. And more to the Church because of their sexual Church. Catholics to say that homosexual rela- than half of Catholic regular worshippers orientation are gathering prayerfully to Attendance at meetings averages tions, divorce, and heterosexual sex out- say the same about embryonic stem cell reflect on their faith, the church and how around 15 people, she said, but one side wedlock are morally acceptable, research, compared to 45% of non- to live their discipleship faithfully and theological presentation drew close to according to an analysis by Gallup poll- Catholic worshippers. with integrity.” 75 people. sters released on Monday. The Gallup survey was based on in- In Church teaching all persons — The goal is to build a welcoming, In other areas, Catholics are nearly terviews with 3,022 Catholics adults con- heterosexual or homosexual — deserve affirming and worshipping service- identical to the population at large. For ducted in May of 2006, 2007 and 2008. the same respect. In December, 2008 oriented gay, lesbian, bisexual and example, 4 in 10 Catholics say abortion The margin of error is plus or minus 2 the Vatican repeated its condemnation transsexual community "that witnesses is “morally acceptable,” compared to percentage points. of violence and discrimination against to the faith by fostering the reign of God homosexuals. through reconciliation, unity and jus- Moral Acceptability of Issues, Among Catholics and Non-Catholics At the same time, the Vatican's rep- tice," Lugo said. % Morally Acceptable resentative to the United Nations voiced The group is still developing, she said, and is open to persons who want to Catholics Non-Catholics opposition to a U.N. declaration naming help in its development, or who want "to % % "sexual orientation" and "gender iden- obtain information, or enjoy the com- Abortion 40 41 tity" as new categories requiring special pany of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans- Death Penalty 61 68 human rights protection. sexual persons and their families and Sex between unmarried man/woman 67 57 Paulist Father Richard Sparks -- a friends in the Catholic community." Divorce 71 66 collaborator in drafting the U.S. bishop's Luminarias , she said, is trying "to Embryonic stem cell research 63 62 statement "Human Sexuality” -- wrote help heal the pains caused by prejudice Having a baby outside marriage 61 52 an article in 1999 citing the bishop's and bigotry, to nurture spirituality, and Homosexual Relations 54 45 teaching "that homosexual persons , like everyone else, should not suffer from to grow in our Catholic faith." Source: 2006-2008 Gallup Values and Beliefs polls Page 2 BONDINGS Vol. 29, No. 2 B NDINGS Speech goes on despite Spring 2009 Vol. 29, No. 2 bishop’s disapproval Francis DeBernardo, Editor By Jon Meyer Board of Directors WNEP.com February 17, 2009 "I think he has his job to do and I have my job to Mary Byers do and I'm happy I'm able to be part of a conver- Frank O’Donnell, SM A speech on gay marriage, sation here." Rev.