One Fish, Two Fish
Cardinal Roger Mahoney is a voice of reason in the Catholic Church. Mahoney created quite a bit of controversy by actually recognizing gay Catholics. His Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Catholics was starting in 1986.
“MLGC has as its primary goal "to foster a spirit of community and fellowship among gay Catholics so that they can offer and receive mutual support in living our their lives of faith with the Church." (Archbishop Roger Mahony, (2-2-86).”
Most of the more liberal Catholic Churches in his archdiocese have gay and lesbian groups. For the 20th anniversary of the group the Cardinal has issued a pin that has combined a rainbow flag with the ancient Christian symbol of a fish.
Needless to say the more conservative wing of the church is very unhappy about this and is screaming to the Vatican to get Mahoney stopped. So far the screams have gone unanswered. Finally there is a high profile person within the church who is willing to put their neck out to help cause change.
A Link to the Los Angeles Archdiocese information about the pins is below.
http://www.archdiocese.la/ministry/mlgc/index.php
posted by Scott E D @ 2:35 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
I wish the article had shown a picture of the pins.
We have an enclave of sanity within the Catholic culture of exclusion and hate here in Boston. It's the Jesuit Urban Center. The "little gay opera company" I design for needed a church in which to perform Britten's "Curlew River" because the music was written for a church acoustic. The JUC and its head, Father L, welcomed us and couldn't have been more helpful or supportive.
A day or so after we moved in the set and lighting, I noticed that up in the apse where the altar used to be (it was moved down among the congregation several years ago) there were small pictures of parishioners who had died, mostly gay men, with votive candles and some hand-written memorial notes.
I later learned that the place is nicknamed "Boston's Gay Catholic Church" and that a lot of pressure is being placed on the organization to stop Sunday night AIDS memorial Masses, support for Boston Pride, etc. I felt really honored to be presenting the work of a gay composer written to the text of a gay writer/director, presented by a director, cast and orchestra of twenty four or so gay men in such an enlightened surrounding.
I hope the JUC never caves in to the pressure, and is never broken up by the homophobic hierarchy.
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