exceptionally inclusive of me

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Sep 12, 2006

Cardinal Mahony popped into St. Victor's in West Hollywood last Saturday to remind the assembly of the "importance of the broader church to be inclusive to all people." Think he was giving voice to his concern at the paucity of millwrights and welders on St. Victor's parish council? Neither do I.

The present-day uniqueness of St. Victor's, said Msgr. Jeremiah Murphy, who is 69 and has been pastor at the church since 2000, is traceable in part to the congregation's sizable contingent of entertainment industry hopefuls and gays.

St. Victor's uniqueness, curiously enough, is a uniqueness duplicated by half-a-dozen boutique parishes in every major city, with an identical mission to marginalized entertainment industry hopefuls. Not surprisingly, Msgr. Murphy is keen on outreach:

Catholic doctrine forbidding gay marriage and Pope Benedict XVI's declaration that men with "deep-seated" homosexual tendencies should not be allowed to enroll in seminaries have fed the widespread perception that the church and gays are adversaries. The perception, Murphy said, is a false one.

"I find the gay community takes religion seriously and are very faithful to religious exercise -- saying the rosary, doing meditation, going to church," he said. "That may be the reason they're hurt more when the church is portrayed as against them."

Doubtless. You're a shrewd observer there, Murph.

Sexual orientation is irrelevant to religious belief, said church member John Aiello, a 46-year-old former casting director. Aiello is chairman of the church's finance committee and life partner of 52-year-old Bryan Smith, a lawyer and recent Catholic convert who sings bass in the choir.

Can't help thinking there's a problem here somewhere. Doesn't religious belief include acquiescence in the moral doctrine proposed by the religion in question? Though he may strengthen the choir, basso Bryan weakens his roommate's claim to good faith. Five years from now, when polygamist rights are the hot topic and the LA Times is interviewing a Catholic advocate for change on the subject, the innovator may well declare "sexual avidity is irrelevant to religious belief." When his eight wives all nod their agreement, however, some of us may feel he doth protest too much.

H/T to L.A. Catholic.

"Homophobia drives you CRAZY!" protests a University of Paris theologian (and entertainment industry hopeful) -- or, more idiomatically rendered, "Sexual orientation is irrelevant to religious belief."