QUOTE TO NOTE: Cardinal Basil Hume on Love
In light of the recent statement in favor of same-gender relationships made by Berlin’s Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, a friend provided a historical precedent by sending along this quotation, made 17 years ago by London’s Cardinal Basil Hume:
“Love between two persons, whether of the same sex or of a different sex, is to be treasured and respected… When two persons love, they experience in a limited manner in this world what will be their unending delight when one with God in the next… To love another, whether of the same sex or of a different sex, is to have entered the area of the richest human experience…” (Cardinal Basil Hume, Note on the Teaching of the Catholic Church Concerning Homosexual People, 1995).
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry
So did Cardinal Hume get away with this? Was he on his death-bed or something? Or are cardinals so far above the rest of us that they don’t get whacked when saying such things? It will be interesting to see what, if anything, happens to Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. Of course, he can always fall back on that alternative translation…
March 3, 2013: Did you note that the Cardinal said ‘love’ between 2 persons – not sex? It could be love between brothers or friends or children, etc…he did not say sex between 2 persons…
For more context on Cardinal Woelki’s remarks (which indicate SSM advocates should be celebrating less than they currently are), I recommend reading http://danielsilliman.blogspot.de/2012/05/german-catholic-cardinal-calls-for.html
Thanks, LK. I found Daniel Silliman’s comments the day after I wrote this post. In that second post, http://newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/a-giant-hopeful-step-in-the-direction-of-full-equality/ , I referred readers to the post by Silliman you suggested. While I still believe the Cardinal’s remarks are hopeful, I don’t think that we have heard the end of this story yet.