Activist laments US bishops’ silence on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
December 29, 2010
A military activist who opposed the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy lamented the failure of “the Catholic Church”-- presumably, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops-- to speak more forcefully on the issue.
“When the issue got right down to the final vote-- the one that ultimately was successful, the Catholic Church, among other organizations that had spoken in June, [was] silent,” said Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness.
Criticizing Cardinal Donald Wuerl’s comment that “there isn’t a specific Catholic Church position” on the issue, Donnelly noted that Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Services had earlier spoken against the repeal of the policy.
Archbishop Broglio’s reservations about the enlistment of homosexuals in the US military have justification in Catholic teaching. In 1992, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith taught that “there are areas in which it is not unjust discrimination to take sexual orientation into account, for example, in the placement of children for adoption or foster care, in employment of teachers or athletic coaches, and in military recruitment.”
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Further information:
- Military watchdog: Catholic Church silent at wrong time (OneNewsNow)
- Center for Military Readiness
- Open homosexuals to serve in US military (CWN, 12/20)
- Some Considerations Concerning The Response To Legislative Proposals On The Non-Discrimination Of Homosexual Persons (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1992)
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Posted by: Defender -
Dec. 30, 2010 12:00 AM ET USA
Isn't it amazing that a Roman Catholic cardinal would say such a thing? It seems the Vatican needs to provide a refresher course for some (a lot) of the U.S. clergy, doesn't it? Start with the catechism.
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Posted by: -
Dec. 29, 2010 11:22 AM ET USA
The problem we have with the USCCB is their "Selective Catholicism". They can't be Catholic when they need to be and foster the wrong kind of support for Illegals to get federal money. NO AMNESTY in any form. DADT IS A CATHOLIC ISSUE. Wake up USCCB or you will become Irrelevant to anyone but yourselves. Why are you all so PC? BE CATHOLIC like Bishop Olmstead! Do the "CATHOLIC" thing and Stay Out of things you have no business in:START? Why voice an opinion when no one listens. It's bad policy!
