Member of Board of Catholic Charities Stands Up to Dolan

Listening to New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan yesterday on Face the Nation was almost enough to make me want to vomit. The man is a liar, and enemy of religious freedom for all citizens and likely has dirty hands in terms of the handling of child rapists within the ranks of the Catholic priesthood and doing all in his power to screw over victims of sexual abuse by priests. Frankly, in my view, the man's credibility ranks in about the same category as Tony Perkins of FRC and similar hate merchants. Dolan is nothing short of a raging homophobe despite his efforts at a jovial persona and he's a true enemy of LGBT citizens. Finally, one young gay Catholic, Joseph Amodeo (pictured at right), has said enough to Dolan's bigotry and has publicly resigned from involvement with Catholic Charities which increasingly has been used as a vehicle to push the Dolan's disingenuous claims that "religious liberty" for Catholics is threatened. The only threat to religious liberty is Dolan himself and other doyennes of the Christian Right who seek to force their religious views on all. Huffington Post has an explanation of Amodeo's actions by the man himself and his resignation letter that correctly calls out Dolan. Here are highlights:

In light of Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan's comments directed at the LGBT community, I resigned from the Executive Committee of the Junior Board of Catholic Charities. By this action, I seek not to disparage the work of Catholic Charities, but to voluntarily remove myself as a leader with an organization under the pastoral leadership of Dolan. Below is an open letter that I sent to the Chief Development Officer and the staff person assigned to the Junior Board:

[I]t is with mixed emotions that I submit my resignation as a member of the Executive Board of the Junior Board of Catholic Charities. Although I have a great deal of respect for the work of the organization and the incredible talent behind its efforts, I have found it difficult in recent weeks and months to reconcile serving on the Executive Committee of a board under the pastoral leadership of Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan. The comments that His Eminence has made regarding same-sex couples, the LGBT community in general, and his recent in-action in response to the Ali Forney Center's plea for pastoral assistance, has left me with no other choice but to resign. Contrary to His Eminence's response to Ali Forney's Executive Director, Mr. Siciliano's comments were not inflammatory, they were truth; they were a call for help; and they were expressive of the cry in the wilderness that LGBT people have been making for far too long. As a religious and pastoral leader for millions of Catholics, his voice is needed as together we work to create homes that are safe, affirming and welcoming for LGBT youth.

As someone who believes in the message of love enshrined in the teachings of Christ, I find it disheartening that a man of God would refuse to extend a pastoral arm to the Ali Forney Center and the hundreds of LGBT youth that are housed, fed, educated and provided free health services. These are concerns that I will share with the Office of the Cardinal and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council as well.

As a gay Catholic who teaches religious education (more than eight years in service to the Archdiocese of New York), is active in parish life and supports Catholic organizations, I'm afraid that the Archbishop has caused my heart to ache and my soul to feel pierced. With a discerning mind, I have tried to overlook the Cardinal's actions and comments, but this has now become impossible in light of his curt words to Mr. Siciliano and New York City's homeless LGBT youth.

I submit this resignation with great respect for Catholic Charities and with hopes that one day the vision of peace and love that Christ promised will be realized.

I have long argued that the Catholic Church cannot be changed from within given the Church's archaic feudal power structure. Only massive losses of members - and most importantly, financial support - will cause the horrible, bitter men in charge accept modernity and move into the 21st century and leave behind their current 13th century mindset. Amodeo, Andrew Sullivan, and many others need to vote with their feet and walk away from the Catholic Church and encourage others to do likewise.