Celebrating 35 Years of Ministry in the LGBT Catholic Community!

The statement from the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine concerning New Ways Ministry's booklet, Marriage Equality: A Positive Catholic Approach, shows a lack of true leadership on the part of church officials. By condemning the publication without dialogue with its author, the bishops continue to ignore the voices of Catholics who support marriage equality. Refusal to engage a substantial segment of the Catholic faithful is perilous to the life of the Church.

In their terse statement, Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Bishop Salvatore Cordileone do not identify any particular objections to the text. They merely imply disagreement with the book.

Marriage Equality: A Positive Catholic Approach is a descriptive and expository text that explains a variety of views on marriage equality held by various segments of the Church. It attempts to explain why the majority of Catholics support marriage for lesbian/gay couples based on the church's social justice tradition. The book strives to be a contribution to the dialogue in church and society on this important issue.

Cardinal Wuerl and Bishop Cordileone refer to a 2010 statement by Cardinal Francis George concerning New Ways Ministry. Following Cardinal George's statement, I requested a meeting to discuss his concerns. The Cardinal's reply, that we could talk when I accept the "immorality of any law that would change the nature of marriage," illustrates the aversion or inability of church officials to engage in rational discourse with those holding differing views.

Although the U.S. Bishops have urged parishioners to oppose marriage equality, spending large amounts of financial resources from the Catholic laity, authentic Catholic voices with a different outlook on the matter, are ignored. According to church law (Canon 212), the faithful have a right to speak their opinions to their leaders. Bishops should be providing opportunities for such discussion.

The bishops' unwillingness to respond respectfully to the complex issues of sexual morality, social justice, church governance, and history, which are examined in the Marriage Equality booklet, seems to imply that the voices of theologians and lay Catholics are not important in the life of the church. This does not engender confidence in their leadership style. Catholic bishops can no longer rely on the blind obedience of the Catholic faithful.  Reasonable Catholics require reasonable explanations.

Statement of Francis DeBernardo
Executive Director, New Ways Ministry,
and Author, Marriage Equality: A Positive Catholic Approach