Anger after Cardinal George compares some gay activists’ rhetoric to Ku Klux Klan
December 23, 2011
Cardinal Francis George, backing one of his parish priests, called upon organizers of Chicago’s 2012 Gay Pride Parade to postpone the start of the parade so as to permit parishioners to attend morning Mass at a parish along the parade route.
Over 750,000 people watched the parade in June 2011.
“Well, I go with the pastor,” Cardinal George said. “I mean, he’s telling us that they won’t be able to have Church services on Sunday if that’s the case. You know, you don’t want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism. So, I think if that’s what’s happening, and I don’t know that it is, but I would respect the local pastor’s, you know, position on that. Then I think that’s a matter of concern for all of us.”
Pressed by the interviewer, Cardinal George added, “The rhetoric of the Ku Klux Klan; the rhetoric of some of the gay liberation people-- who is the enemy? Who is the enemy? The Catholic Church.”
Asked about the pastoral care of those with same-sex attractions, he said, “You start with people who are homosexually oriented, gays and lesbians. However they picture themselves, you start with respect.”
“So, if they want to publicly be part of that community, you still have to see to it that they have the spiritual helps--the sacraments, the preaching of the Gospel that they need to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ, which means to live chastely if you're not married."
Supporters of the Gay Pride march professed outrage over the cardinal's comments. Martin Grochala said that he was "baffled" by the comparison with the Ku Klux Klan, and said that "many people are going to take great offense at the comparison."
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Further information:
- Cardinal Francis George Warns That Chicago Gay Pride Parade Might 'Morph Into Ku Klux Klan' (Fox News Chicago)
- George under fire for comparing gay rights movement to Klan (Chicago Tribune)
- Equally Blessed: George "insensitive, out of touch" in likening LGBT movement to Klan (Equally Blessed)
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Posted by: -
Dec. 24, 2011 9:53 AM ET USA
I don't think there is enough ink to list all of the people offended by Gay Parades ... but then, they seem to be oblivious to the feelings of others. Cardinal George is right in his comparison to the KKK and the way the gay pride people beat down those around them who disagree with their positions.
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Posted by: -
Dec. 24, 2011 8:59 AM ET USA
Start of with respect? I don't see anything to respect about them. And their hatred for the Catholic Church is evident.
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Posted by: Defender -
Dec. 23, 2011 12:40 PM ET USA
The analogy seems quite germane: the KKK burning a cross on someone's lawn that they hate and then gays, etc, attempting to do likewise on the "lawn" of the Church is so obvious to be plain as day.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Dec. 23, 2011 12:17 PM ET USA
This is actually a brilliant comparison when you consider the antics of these ideologues. Of course the media places the controversy at the feet of Cardinal George. We need to be on offense with the media calling them on their anti-Catholicism. Gay ideology and the mainstream media in general are birds with the same feathers in terms of their outlook on sexuality and morality and the Church. The message has to be: play offense and defeat/convert them with the help of God one person at a time.
