Rain on the Parade
What to do? Many Catholic diocese in the US
are in a quandary over St. Patrick’s day celebrations since this year the feast day falls during Holy Week, a time when the Catholic Church does not celebrate mass honoring saints and events like parades are inappropriate to the solemnity of the liturgical season. Diocese in Columbus, OH and Savannah, GA have quite rightly moved their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to March 14 or 15 so as not to interfere with Holy Week.
Now,
as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t get up in arms over the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality. Frankly, I think the Evangelical Christians have cornered the market on religious homophobia in this country, but there is one time of year I feel the sting of homophobia from the church I grew up in and that’s St. Patrick’s Day. The Archdiocese in New York in cahoots with the organizers of the parade, the Grand Order of Hibernians or whatever the hell their name is, have claimed for years that theirs is a religious celebration and including Irish Gay groups would interfere with the sanctity of earsplitting bagpipes and getting drunk on green beer.
I’ve always thought the great irony of the situation given the centuries of Catholic oppression in Ireland is that Irish Americans would choose to celebrate their religious heritage by oppressing another group. And in perhaps an even greater act of hypocrisy, the
New York parade will take place on March 17, DURING HOLY WEEK. So, in effect, the parade is too religious to include gays but not religious enough to interfere with Holy Week. Whatever.
Labels: Gay Culture, Homophobia, Religion
The Godfather
Tomorrow I will be a godfather for the third time. I am godfather to all three of my nieces: Katie, Charlotte and now Julia. It’s a testament to my sisters’ attitudes about spiritualism and religion that they should choose the gay uncle to act as the spiritual guardian to their daughters. This, despite the fact that these baptisms mark their entrance into the Catholic church, which, of course, is morally opposed to homosexuality. The church’s attitude about this, the role of women, birth control and the like, understandably cause many Catholics much consternation. But not me.
I am what Pope John Paul II once negatively described as a "Cafeteria Catholic". Guilty as charged. I take what I want from the religion and leave the rest. What else is one to do with a religion that is so out of touch with the modern world, modern relationships and questions of modern morality? Fortunately, many of these conflicts were not part of my experience as a Catholic. I do not have a lot of the negative associations with the church that many other Catholics have. I went to public school, so I have no memories of yard stick-wielding nuns in the classroom. I was fortunate enough never to have been taken advantage by any of those child abusing priests and although I understand the church’s official position on gays, I don’t ever remember hearing one word about it from the pulpit in our church growing up.
My memories of church are mostly good. My mother was active in our church and converted to Catholicism as an adult, so therefore had a more mature, spiritual understanding of the religion. (My father, on the other hand, was taught to believe that if he bit the Communion host, Jesus would feel it. But that’s life in old Italy for you.) We always went to church as a family and were encouraged to participate. I was an altar boy. I loved it–the pomp and circumstance. I took lighting the candles very seriously. Father Al, who was obviously gay, was in charge of the altar boys. But there was no hanky-panky going on, believe me. He lived for Christmas midnight mass and, like me, loved to sing. My CCD teachers were my friends’ mothers. I still remember Mrs. Calabria explaining how evolution and the story of creation could co-exist (it was a non-issue). I remember food drives for the poor at Thanksgiving time and buying gifts for under privileged children at Christmas time. I remember CYO dance marathons with my friends to raise money for soup kitchens and other charities. I remember singing in church and feeling like what I had to offer was important to the celebration. Most of all, I remember being part of a community.
So, as an adult, I reconcile my role as Godfather in a church that theoretically rejects me as one to protect these girls from the insanity of an archaic, patriarchal, dinosaur of a religion and the sometimes damaging messages it can send, which, somehow, I was spared myself. I’ll make sure that they know that spirituality and one’s relationship with God are very personal things. That they are beautiful and special in God’s eyes. That their gifts and talents are valuable blessings. That no matter what, their family will always love them. That charity, compassion, kindness, patience and love are what Christ taught, not judgement or hate. And hopefully, with a little help from above, I’ll be able to set a good example.
Labels: Personal, Religion
Telling It Like It Is
Leave it to Amistead Maupin, author of the famous, gay-themed
Tales of the City book series, to publicly put into words what many in the gay community have felt or said privately for years. I always found it curious that so many Hollywood stars rumored to be gay somehow end up as Scientologists. Here is a quote via
Towleroad on the subject of John Travolta playing a drag role in
Hairspray, opening later this month.
"...of course the Church of Scientology comes in very handy. (huge laugh from audience) It's the biggest ex gay movement in America. They catch you when you're young and confused, tell you they'll look after you, even provide you with a wife and child... Then of course you have to do what they call an audit, where you confess everything you've ever done into a tape recorder, so they've got the tapes. So once you're famous and successful you have to go along with all their nonsense about people falling into volcanoes... (pause)... then you play a woman in a movie musical, a part created by a drag queen and written by a gay man..."
Labels: Gay Culture, Pop Culture, Religion
Epiphany
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany. It is traditionally known as the day the Magi, or Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for the Christ child. But in fact "Epiphany" itself refers to the "shining forth" or revelation of God in human form. Epiphay is the last day of the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas and growing up, was the last day it was acceptable to have our Christmas decorations up. So start undecking those halls.
I snapped this photo along Riverside Drive yesterday. Trees are hauled here for New York's Christmas tree recycling program which turns the trees into mulch for city parks. For the recycling schedule,
click here.
Labels: Christmas, New Yorkana, Religion
Today's Dose of Crazy
Oh, no!!!
A Devil Food is Turning our kids into HOMOSEXUALS! Click here for today's dose of crazy.
Seriously, where do they find these people?
Labels: Current Events, Gay Culture, Religion
Happy Merry!
Here we go again. Last night
ABC news opened the great Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays debate. Retailers, in an effort to be inclusive and make money from ALL the gift-giving holidays of the seasons are saying "Happy Holidays" as they greet customers. This naturally has all the bible-thumpers starting their annual
"Christmas War" to keep Christ in Christmas. After all, what better way to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace than with a war, right?
There is a very simple reason retailers say "Happy Holidays." Allow me to explain this in the clearest terms possible just in case any Christian Fundies are reading: NOT EVERYONE CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS.
Growing up as I did in New Jersey and living as I do in New York City, this is not a difficult concept for me to grasp. In fact, I can remember as a kindergartener being aware of this situation in our society. In my neighborhood we had Jewish neighbors across the street and next door. About a third of the kids I went to school with were Jewish and certainly by time I was in high school I had classmates who were not only Jewish but Hindu, Muslim, even Sikh. So saying "Happy Holidays" is nothing new for me. In fact, I'm not sure why this is a new concept for ANYONE. As far as I know greeting card companies have been printing cards saying "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays" for decades and only now is it supposedly a threat to Christianity.
The message of Christmas as I've always understood it is "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men." So doesn't "peace on earth" mean not starting a culture war? And doesn't "good will toward men" mean including ALL people in the warmth and charitable spirit of Christmas?
Might I be so bold to suggest that those who fear retailers like Wal-Mart or Target saying "Happy Holidays" will somehow rob them of keeping Christ in Christmas don't have a real firm grasp on their faith to begin with. Might I also suggest that it is up to the individual through his thoughts and actions to keep Christ in Christmas.
To further illustrate my point, allow me to quote the great Dr. Seuss from
How the Grinch Stole Christmas:
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
Why is this complicated?
"Yahoo Doray" everyone!
Labels: Christmas, Pop Culture, Religion
Some Catholics Get It
Well, it's no surprise that the US Conference of Catholic Bishop's have their heads up their a*s where most things are concerned, but it's always refreshing to find an opinion in the clergy that really seems to come from a place of love and acceptance and seems to truly understand the message of Christ which was "above all else, love one another."
After reading yesterday's post, Mom sent me this quote from a book she's reading by Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr. From "Simplicity" :
"Bishops sanctimoniously proclaim their pro-life stance and calmly sanction the murder of Iraqis by the U.S. government. They claim to be certain about God's will in regard to birth control, married priests, women priests, and all manner of sexual conduct (about which Jesus says little or nothing) and yet live in comfortable doubt about God's will in regard to war, riches, and nonviolence (about which Jesus is absolutely clear)."
Unfortunately priests and nuns like Rohr aren't in the public eye very much. For one thing, I don't think they seek it like some others do and they're probably way too busy doing stuff like feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless and caring for the sick. Ya, know--all that Jesus stuff.
Below: Fr. Richard Rohr
Labels: Religion
God Help Us
It seems the Catholic Church in its infinite wisdom is doing its best to alienate even more of its dwindling flock. It's not enough that attendance at Sunday mass is at an all time low across America, that there is a shortage of priests or that diocese left and right are filing for bankruptcy protection what with all those pesky sex abuse suits pending, but now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is voting on "Guidelines for Helping Catholics Prepare for Receiving Communion."
"Helping"--isn't that nice of them?
At the conference the bishops will be discussing how to teach core (read archaic) Catholic values to the otherwise uninvolved of the faith. In other words they will be making sure that marriage is restricted to one man and one woman and teaching people to use the rhythm method of birth control (or "Vatican Roulette" as my mother's OB/GYN used to call it). Sure boys, that'll pack 'em in!
In terms of who is "eligible" to receive communion, there are no surprises here:
The statement reiterates Church teaching that with few exceptions, only those who are members of the Catholic Church may receive Holy Communion at a Catholic Eucharist...but should refrain from the sacrament when they find themselves no longer in a state of grace because of mortal sin...Catholics who are conscious of committing any mortal sin must receive the Sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion. Catholics should also refrain from Holy Communion...when they lack adherence to what the Church authoritatively teaches on matters of faith and morals...
Now, what is a mortal sin exactly? As I recall from my Catholic upbringing that's the big stuff. You know, murder, birth control, etc. I'm not sure if "sins of the flesh" are venial or mortal, but certainly gay sex is a no-no. So basically even though none of us are murderers no one in my family with the possible exception of my parents will be going up for communion at midnight mass this year.
I also recall from my Catholic upbringing the mass already takes into account those souls who may not be in a state of grace upon receiving communion by having the congregation say "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed." As I understand it, this acts as a green light for pretty much anyone in the church. I also recall that in a pinch saying a quick Act of Contrition will clear your soul for a direct flight to heaven in the event of any life threatening situation. So I imagine it would work for communion, too. (By the way, did you know that anyone can perform an emergency baptism? Well, it's true.)
Also on the agenda at the conference: Guidelines for Ministry to Persons with Homosexual Inclination. When I first started reading this article I was actually pretty encouraged by things like this:
The document says the Church teaches that persons with a homosexual inclination must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity, and it condemns all forms of violence, scorn, and hatred, whether subtle or overt. Those who would minister in the name of the Church must in no way contribute to such injustice, the guidelines state.
But alas, a few paragraphs down they hit you with this:
The guidelines state that while the Church teaches that homosexual acts are immoral, there is a distinction between engaging in homosexual acts and having a homosexual orientation. While the former is always sinful, the latter is not.
So, go ahead, Mary--be gay as a clutch purse on Tony night! Just don't have any sex. Or better yet, join the priesthood, be celebate and pretend you don't have a sexuality at all. We all know how well that works.
Labels: Gay Culture, Gay Politics, Religion
