Catholics for Equality Takes on the Morally Bankrupt United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

While protecting child rapists among the ranks of the Catholic priesthood is apparently perfectly fine in the bizarre world of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, civil marriage - to repeat CIVIL marriage, not religious ceremonial marriage - between two loving and committed individuals of the same sex is an affront to decency. Obviously, the pedophile protectors among the Catholic Church hierarchy (and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in particular) have their priorities ass backwards. Especially since a majority of Catholics now support gay marriage. Catholics for Equality has challenged the bigotry of the USCCB led by in my view the very slimy Timothy Dolan who may have had a hand in hiding millions of dollars in his former dioceses to block efforts of victims of sexual abuse by priest to receive compensation for the damage done to their lives. Here are highlights from a rebuttal Catholics for Equality sent to the child rapist protectors at the USCCB:
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Archbishop Timothy Dolan
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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Dear Archbishop Dolan:
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It was with great disappointment that Catholics for Equality receivedthe February 23, 2011 statement by Anthony R. Picarello, General Counsel for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). In this USCCB statement, Mr. Picarello makes attempts to mislead not only public policy makers, but our American Catholic
community.
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The USCCB statement asserts that President Obama's decision to no longer defend a law that is unconstitutional is "a grave affront to the millions of Americans who both reject unjust discrimination and affirm the unique and inestimable value of marriage as between one man and one woman." While we agree with Mr. Picarello that the majority of Americans reject unjust discrimination, it is misleading to suggest that American Catholics and the public at large holds a monolithic opinion on the morality of same-sex. Most opinions polls show the nation divided on this issue with rising support for marriage equality.
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According to the 2010 Knights of Columbus/ Marist Poll 52% of U.S. Catholics support marriage equality including 63% of young adult Catholics. The shift among young Catholics will continue as more people accept their gay and lesbians siblings, friends, and co-workers as fully equal citizens and fellow Catholics. These polls also show that on this issue, American Catholics support marriage equality more than any other national Christian faith group.
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Even more troubling is the assertion that the President's decision not to defend DOMA is unconstitutional is "a serious threat to the religious liberty of marriage supporters nationwide." Mr. Picarello, as a lawyer, knows that neither the repeal of DOMA, nor the passage of state marriage equality laws, in any way makes requirements on religious institutions or privately funded church organizations.
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To testify otherwise in plain terms, Archbishop Dolan, is to bear false witness.
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This is becoming an increasingly troubling pattern with our bishops when it comes to honesty around public policy on LGBT civil rights. Last year, Archbishop of the U.S. Military Services Timothy Broglio made similar falsehoods regarding the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, . . .
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Bearing false witness is increasingly the hallmark of the leadership of the Catholic Church. If the trend continues, one can only hope that the free fall of the Church in Ireland will spread across America and other educated parts of the world.