No gay priests, part 2: Objectively stupid

Kudos to Archbishop Sean O'Malley for getting out front and assuring lesbian and gay Catholics that the church doesn't hate us. Although he frames his remarks in light of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's legalization of same-sex marriage, the timing is, uh, serendipitous to say the least.

O'Malley writes: "We do not want Catholics who have a homosexual orientation to feel unwelcomed in the Catholic Church. We remind them that they are bound to us by their baptism and are called to live a life of holiness. Many homosexual persons in our Church lead holy lives and make an outstanding contribution to the life of the Church by their service, generosity and the sharing of their spiritual gifts. We must strive to eradicate prejudices against people with a homosexual orientation."

Wow, that's a hell of a way to welcome gay and lesbian Catholics. And thanks for the reminder about baptism, archbishop. Are you also not "bound" by the baptisms of gay and lesbian people, bound to speak out when our dignity is impugned as it has been and continues to be by Catholics in the public square, by documents that fail further undermine our dignity? You say you recognize the contributions of gay and lesbian Catholics; if we do contribute and some of us lead holy lives, why is it that gay men cannot be ordained?

And please name one single way the institutional church in a gathering larger than one bishop has striven to "eradicate prejudices against people with a homosexual orientation." Unless you mean actively opposing civil rights legislation and non-discrimination ordinances for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, I'm not sure what you could be talking about.

[I know, I know, some bishops have said nice things, but not many, and certainly not if it cost them anything, Bishop Gumbleton of Detroit the exception.]

I hate to say it, but in addition to thinking that gay and lesbian Catholics are "objectively disordered," they must also think we're objectively stupid.