It is becoming more problematic to be both Gay and Catholic. On the one hand you have a Church that condemns GLBT people at the drop of hat. On the other hand you have certain parts of the GLBT Community who think it is not ethical for GLBT people to be Catholic.

The recent Vatican Instruction on Gay Priests was not a doctrinal statement about the moral status of homosexuality, but rather a prudential judgment about who should be admitted to seminaries. Prudential judgments are by definition open to question. However, rhetorically the Vatican can punch, and has been known to use its elbows and the occasional low blow in the clinches. Certainly one cannot read this document and arrive at any other conclusion than it is a mean spirited, and a homophobic document.

A recent article by syndicated gay columnist pretty much sums up the other side of this coin. We should out any clerics we can, that way we will force them to support gay rights or be seen as hypocrites. In striking out at the Vatican I think it is important not to strike out at GLBT Catholics in the process. The syndicated columnist engaged in what borders on an irrational attack on gay priests. Such an attack also denies the ability of GLBT Catholics to trust their own moral experience when it comes to assenting or dissenting as matter of conscience on current Church's positions.

My issue is not with the syndicated columnist. I think he has every right to express his opinion in an uncensored manner; rather my concern is with balance. None of the Gay Media that ran this syndicated journalist column made room for a GLBT Catholic response in their letters to the editor, however, other members of the gay media and straight media did print our response. My point is not to attack the syndicated columnist who wrote the article, but to raise the issue of fairness and balance in the Gay Media when dealing with the issue GLBT Catholics.

Many GLBT Catholics stay in the Church because of their deep love for their parish communities, and do challenge homophobia in the Church through debate. The debate, is taking place, and gay Catholics betray no disloyalty or impiety to either the Church or the GLBT Community by participating, and remaining with in the Church.

Sincerely Yours,


Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement