Cardinal Dolan: Inclusion of the New Minority

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A very refreshing, consistent theme of the synod has been inclusion. The Church, our spiritual family, welcomes everyone, especially those who may feel excluded. Among those, I’ve heard the synod fathers and observers comment, are the single, those with same-sex attraction, those divorced, widowed, or recently arrived in a new country, those with disabilities, the aged, the housebound, racial and ethnic minorities. We in the family of the Church love them, welcome them, and need them.

Can I suggest as well that there is now a new minority in the world and even in the Church? I am thinking of those who, relying on God’s grace and mercy, strive for virtue and fidelity: Couples who — given the fact that, at least in North America, only half of our people even enter the sacrament of matrimony– approach the Church for the sacrament; Couples who, inspired by the Church’s teaching that marriage is forever, have persevered through trials; couples who welcome God’s gifts of many babies; a young man and woman who have chosen not to live together until marriage; a gay man or woman who wants to be chaste; a couple who has decided that the wife would sacrifice a promising professional career to stay at home and raise their children — these wonderful people today often feel themselves a minority, certainly in culture, but even, at times in the Church! I believe there are many more of them than we think, but, given today’s pressure, they often feel excluded.

Where do they receive support and encouragement? From TV? From magazines or newspapers? From movies? From Broadway? From their peers? Forget it!

They are looking to the Church, and to us, for support and encouragement, a warm sense of inclusion. We cannot let them down!

cardinaldolan.org/index.php/inclusion-of-the-new-minority/
 
I have felt that Cardinal Dolan has let us down by not recognizing us. God bless him for this. It’s perfect.
 
I’ve heard from the Cardinal before as I do check in on his satellite radio show once in a while. He seemed to be a good communicator with some crossover appeal, but I do know he has been criticized in the past for not really speaking up for more “conservative” Church beliefs, being too chummy with certain politicians, etc.

So this Synod speech is a breath of fresh air and I think it is true. Often, it seems we assume that people who do the right thing do so because they have some kind of inner grace or virtue, and do it with no inner conflict at all. And so, why “waste” time supporting them when there all these “lost sheep” to reach out to. And oh, we can’t say anything that would drive away the people who aren’t doing it right! There is even some Biblical backing for this, the Shepherd leaving his 99 other sheep to fend for themselves while he goes looking for his 1 lost sheep.

Even on CAF I have noticed this tendency. Any praise of large families, SAHMs, etc., is interpreted by many who don’t have a “traditional” Catholic family as a put-down of them. They voice their hurt feelings and point out such a lifestyle is not the only valid one. But then the “other side” often assume that those in non-traditional households, are attacking those who are.

The assumption on both “sides” leading to much unnecessary strife, is that endorsing one way of life is an automatic denigration of the other ways. I think many in the Church are afraid to support the “new minority” knowing this will be taken by those outside it, as an automatic rejection of them.

I suppose this speech is so different, because it was intended for a quite different audience than his radio show, which seems to be geared more toward the average Catholic who probably doesn’t (especially in the State of NY) actually adhere to all Catholic teachings. As well as non-Catholics who are interested in what this visible Church figure has to say. Not that the Cardinal has said anything heterodox, of course.
 
No offense, but a number of people are suing Cardinal Dolan and the Archdiocese of New York at the present time.
 
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