thanks, your excellencies

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Nov 28, 2006

Yep, hustler-turned-priest Raymond Gravel won a seat in the Canadian federal parliament in yesterday's by-election. His bishop, Gilles Lussier, acceded to his candidacy, ostensibly (we have only Gravel's word for it) having been promised that Gravel would pass on the hot-button issues -- as if neutrality were not in itself a scandal:

Gravel's liberal positions favouring same-sex marriage and opposing the recriminalization of abortion run against church doctrine. He got permission to go into politics from his bishop but has pledged to abstain on some moral issues.

Apparently Fr. Gravel's promise was subject to review:

Still, he plans to vote against reopening the debate on the definition of marriage.

So, Bishop Lussier, are we to understand that, after Gravel breaks his promise to you, you will keep faith with us by tendering your resignation?