Of course, there are crazy lay people, too

Or lay men, at any rate. Case in point: Sean Forrest, "youth minister and contemporary Catholic musician," who seems to have taken a page from the fundamentalists' book and is asserting that men are the "natural heads" of the household--and women deep down want it that way.

Speaking at a Boston Catholic men's conference, Forrest said, according to the Boston Herald: "The first thing we have to do is get you off the birth control"--presumably so wives can fulfill their divinely mandated duty to serve as incubators--"[then] devise a plan to get them to stay home with the kids." A plan? What, shackles?

Don't get mad yet, Catholic women, this guy really has your interests at heart: "They want that strength and security from you,” Forrest said, drawing a standing ovation at the close of his speech. ‘‘They might resent it at first . . . (but) that is the natural position for a man: to lead your family to Christ.” That is really what you want, right, ladies--divinely mandated patriarchy? And to be beaten when you get too uppity. And, don't worry, I think Forrest knows what you really want. Heh, heh.

Actually, women, you are to blame for this mess anyway, says Forrest, who accused "feminist women in the church” of ‘‘watering down” its teachings, noting that 10 percent of women who hear him speak ‘‘get up in a huff and call me a sexist pig.” Only ten percent? What's disturbing is that not a single man got up and walked out.

‘‘I say [to the women who leave], ‘You’ll be back,’ ” he said. I don't think "pig" really covers it. How 'bout "misogynist." Oh yeah, and he suggests a book for parents on how to "prevent" homosexuality.

Of course, this kind of talk evidently has episcopal approval, since "Cardinal-designate" Sean O'Malley closed the conference by presiding at Mass. Now that's classy.