Majority of Catholics in Maryland Stand by Governor O'Malley!

[workingman]

Majority of Catholics in Maryland Stand by Governor O’Malley!

They are supporting the Governor and not the Archbishop in the matter of GLBT marriage.

I was notified of this by a e-mail to day. I wrote about it in my blog here theworkingmansthoughts.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/maryland-catholics-not-supporting-archbishop-in-glbt-marriage/and the news article can be found here from their web page.

 

[Dale_M]

The organization cites a poll, taken in February, which indicates that 55% of Maryland Catholics support same-sex civil marriage. It uses this poll to claim “Archbishop O’Brien, on this political issue, clearly doesn’t speak for Maryland Catholics” and "the idea that our Archbishop has the backing of Catholics in the pews is ridiculous.”

Those are bold statements. But, of course, a good bishop shepherds the people of his diocese. He doesn’t poll them to determine what moral position he should take. Part of Archbishop O’Brien’s leadership involves speaking on political issues which touch on Catholic morality. By doing so he shapes the views and attitudes of the Catholics under his care.

It may be worth noting that the poll was taken a couple months before Archbishop O’Brien began speaking publicly against the proposals in the legislature for same-sex. And, despite the claims of Catholics for Equality, the poll did not say that Maryland Catholics are opposed to Archbishop O’Brien’s leadership… on this matter, or any other.

Perhaps the situation in Maryland is similar to that of Maine, where the Catholic bishop led a successful drive to overturn same-sex marriage. Bishop Malone described the campaign as “brutal.” He said the worst part was the organized opposition from Maine Catholics which he called “a terrible onslaught by dissenting Catholics who twice put a statement in local papers challenging my leadership.”

I wonder if Archbishop O’Brien would appreciate hearing from Maryland Catholics that he has their support?

 

[workingman]

The organization cites a poll, taken in February, which indicates that 55% of Maryland Catholics support same-sex civil marriage. It uses this poll to claim “Archbishop O’Brien, on this political issue, clearly doesn’t speak for Maryland Catholics” and "the idea that our Archbishop has the backing of Catholics in the pews is ridiculous.”

Those are bold statements. But, of course, a good bishop shepherds the people of his diocese. He doesn’t poll them to determine what moral position he should take. Part of Archbishop O’Brien’s leadership involves speaking on political issues which touch on Catholic morality. By doing so he shapes the views and attitudes of the Catholics under his care.

It may be worth noting that the poll was taken a couple months before Archbishop O’Brien began speaking publicly against the proposals in the legislature for same-sex. And, despite the claims of Catholics for Equality, the poll did not say that Maryland Catholics are opposed to Archbishop O’Brien’s leadership… on this matter, or any other.

Perhaps the situation in Maryland is similar to that of Maine, where the Catholic bishop led a successful drive to overturn same-sex marriage. Bishop Malone described the campaign as “brutal.” He said the worst part was the organized opposition from Maine Catholics which he called “a terrible onslaught by dissenting Catholics who twice put a statement in local papers challenging my leadership.”

I wonder if Archbishop O’Brien would appreciate hearing from Maryland Catholics that he has their support?

I missed the pole originaly. I had to go back and look at it. No they did not say they were opposed to Archbishop O’Brien’s leadership but they shure seemed to imply it. Like I said I pray that Maryland Catholics support/get behind their Archbishop.