Here’s the first three paragraphs of the article from LifeSiteNews.com
Massachusetts Bishops Vacillate on Defense of Marriage Petition Campaign Spokesman says Cardinal O’Malley signed petition* “in a moment of weakness”***
BOSTON, October 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Massachusetts Catholic Conference (MCC), which represents the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts, has **offered no support **for the restoration of the state’s 1913 marriage law, which would prevent nonresident homosexuals from going to Massachusetts to be “married” in accordance with the state’s “gay marriage” provisions.
Recent actions by the hierarchy and its representatives are raising further questions about the leadership’s true sentiments on the matter.
The latest controversy began when Sean O’Malley, the Cardinal Archbishop of Boston, was approached at a public event asking for his signature endorsing the restoration of the law.
When I first read the subhead, my thought was “The diocese needs to get a better spokesman.” However, it turns out the “moment of weakness” phrase is a quote from a spokesman/leader of the group mounting the petition drive.
It’s misleading of LifeSiteNews to imply those are the words of the bishop’s spokesman unless they have evidence these were the precise words used. In this case we have four options.
*]The petition leader was paraphrasing or characterizing a statement of the Bishop’s spokesman, not actually quoting him.
*]Someone else at the chancery used the phrase, not the spokesman.
*]The spokesman did actually say this, but in a conversation that was supposed to be off the record. The petition leader was less than honest in dealing with the spokesman.
*]The spokesman actually did say this, because he is incompetent.
I find options 1 or 2 most likely here.
The troubling thing is this is so widespread. The song and dance by the caholic hierarchy on gay marriage. In the Bay Area - admittedly a liberal Catholic bastion - you will be hard pressed to find a parish where Proposition 8 and voting for it have been mentioned.
The Mormons and evangelicals got this proposition on the ballot. Many Catholic parishes in the bay Area would not allow petitions in the vestibule. The bishops were sort of forced to endorse it late on because of the looming controversy over their basic silence.
Odd isn’t it. The reluctance of the Catholic church, officially, to strongly oppose gay marriage? It makes thos catholics Come Home commericails look almost disingenuous.
It does make you wonder. And it is no wonder why so many are abadoning the church in the US. The orthodox Catholic Christians are being driven out. By stuff like this.
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