Your gift counts double until 5/31: $28,840 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!
 Off the Record

Borealis

By Diogenes (articles ) | August 12, 2003 5:19 PM

Canadian MP Svend Robinson has emerged from six months of fasting and prayer and intense study of the rabbinic, patristic, and scholastic commentary on Leviticus 20 and, with heartfelt regret and seemly reticence, is obliged to confess he cannot align himself with Cardinal Ratzinger's conclusions on the subject.

As an elected member of the House of Commons, I am saddened by the recent attempts of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, in the Vatican and in Canada, to bully and threaten MPs on the issue of same-sex marriage. And I am angered by Archbishop Fred Henry of Calgary's statement that the Prime Minister risks eternal damnation for his stand. As a gay man, involved in a committed, loving relationship with my partner, Max, for almost a decade, I am disgusted by the language of vilification and condemnation in the recent statement issued by the Vatican on this subject, denouncing me and other gay and lesbian people as "evil," "deviant," "immoral," "intrinsically disordered" and "depraved" if we do not live by the priests' vows of chastity.

I'll go out on a limb and admit that I suspect that Max feels the same way as Svend.

How dare they utter such hateful lies in the face of their own history -- of real abuse inflicted on hundreds and hundreds of children in parishes around the world, abuse covered up, denied and still not fully atoned for to this day?

Let's see if I have this right. The Church is wrong about what Svend does to Max. Here's the proof: she has brought ignominy on herself through those priests who agree with Svend (but happened to hit on a mini-Max). Other institutions are held responsible for the crimes of those who concur with their program; the Church is blameworthy for the crimes committed in defiance of her teaching. Any further questions?

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($28,840 to go):
$80,000.00 $51,159.70
36% 64%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

Show 1 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments
  • Posted by: Pseudodionysius - Aug. 12, 2003 11:22 PM ET USA

    As a Canadian, I have been hearing lots from Canada's Svend Robinson these last few years. May I also suggest, Diogenes, that Svend has a problem with Aristotle's Categories, Posterior and Prior Analytics, The Isogoge of Porphyry and Aquinas' De Ente et Essentia. He is "saddened". He is "angered". He is "disgusted". Feelings, nothing more than feelings........

Think with the Catholic Leaders: Subscribe to Catholic Culture Insights Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Learning from the sick, and from the death of a child May 17
The case for change in Irish abortion law: based on a framework of falsehood May 17
The Smell of the Sheep May 16
Too many missing funds: Catholic institutions need tighter financial controls May 16
What capitalists should learn from the Pope's critique May 16

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8