Gay-ministry group refuses to affirm Catholic teaching
June 27, 2012
Leaders of the Catholic Association for Lesbian and Gay Ministry (CALGM) have refused to sign an oath promising to uphold Catholic teaching, casting doubt on the group’s continued existence as an approved Catholic ministry.
The National Catholic Reporter has learned that in March, after a series of discussions with Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland, the board of CALGM declined the bishop’s request for an “oath of personal integrity.” In April the bishop replied that if the group continued to refuse the oath, he would “take public action to clarify the status of CALGM with regard to authentic Catholic ministry.”
Bishop Cordileone had identified a number of concerns about CALGM after undertaking an in-depth review of the group’s activities. He noted that the group’s members frequently criticized Church teaching regarding human sexuality, as did speakers at CALGM events. Bishop Cordileone had asked the group’s leader to make a public affirmation of Church teaching.
CALGM has its headquarters in Berkeley, California, which is within the Oakland diocese. Bishop Cordileone, who was installed in the Oakland diocese in 2009, began his investigation the next year.
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