NEW YORK (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI may not see them or hear them, but aggrieved Roman Catholic activists hope his U.S. visit this week will help them draw attention to issues ranging from the ordination of women and gay rights to sex abuse by priests and the Vatican ban on contraception.
The groups have planned vigils, demonstrations and news conferences to press their causes as the pope visits Washington and New York. On Monday evening, the eve of his arrival, supporters of women's ordination will host what they are calling "an inclusive Mass" at a Methodist church in Washington, presided over by Catholic women — including two who were recently excommunicated.
"We cannot welcome this pope until he begins to do away with the church's continuing violence of sexism," said Sister Donna Quinn, coordinator of the National Coalition of American Nuns.
Participants in the service will include Rose Marie Hudson and Elsie McGrath, who were excommunicated last month by Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis because they were ordained as part of a women-priest movement condemned by the Vatican.
"In the face of one closed door after another, Catholic women have been innovative, courageous and faithful to the church," said Aisha Taylor, executive director of the Women's Ordination Conference. "They continue to make a way where is none."
Gay Catholic activists, who plan to demonstrate Tuesday along the papal motorcade route in Washington, have compiled a list of statements by Benedict during his career which they consider hostile to gays and lesbians. These include forceful denunciations of gay marriage and of adoption rights for same-sex couples.
"He has issued some of the most hurtful and extreme rhetoric against our community of any religious leader in history, and we want to call him into account for the damage that he's done," said Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA.
Duddy-Burke said she hopes the protests will be coupled with celebration of the gains made by gay Catholics in America in recent years. She cited the growing number of parishes welcoming openly gay members and the dozens of Catholic colleges that now have gay-straight alliances.
Another gay Catholic group, New Ways Ministry, hosted a news conference at which speakers conveyed what they would tell the pope if they had the opportunity. The speakers included Gregory Maguire, author of the best-selling novel "Wicked," who along with husband Andrew Newman is raising three adopted children as Catholics in Massachusetts, the only state to allow same-sex marriages.
"We invite you to spend a day, a meal, a weekend with us," Maguire said in his message to the pope. "We don't want to serve as a poster-family for gay Catholics. ... We will just be ourselves, in all our confusion, aspiration, need and joy."
Another divisive issue being raised this week is the Vatican's ban on contraception. Gay rights groups and others say the ban undermines programs promoting condom use to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
In a conference call Monday organized by Catholics for Choice, four Catholic theologians will be examining the impact of the 1968 encyclical "Humanae Vitae," which defined the Vatican's opposition to artificial birth control.
"Catholics wonder why there's this huge disparity between what the hierarchy says we should do in regard to contraception and what Catholics on the ground actually do," said Catholics for Choice president Jon O'Brien. Continue >>
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I'm pleased to see pastors from other churches defend the Catholic church. I find it interesting that most people look down on us because they don't know anything about us. It's so easy to pass judgment without actually doing any research. I am a Catholic and I believe that we are the church founded by Christ. Christ himself said the church would be attacked but nothing could ever destroy it. As far as Gay Catholics, the church does not ban the individual but the act, in accordance with what's in the bible. We are merely following the word of God. God bless all of you.
JonnyBlad,
Thanks for sharing.
Pimp My Religious Leader
http://poleblog.polemos.net/2008/04/pimp-my-religious-leader.html
"There are not more than 100 people who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive to be the Catholic Church. " Fulton Sheen.
The comments I read every time there is a story about Catholics - any Catholics - support Bishop Sheen's observation. Many, many, many will criticize the Catholic Church, but very, very, very few can actually hold an intelligent conversation concerning what Catholics actually believe.
pburwell-
You are right, the Pope alone does not save, nor does mary, nor does idolatry. (Asking Mary to pray for you is not idolatry) is it idolatry when you ask a Reverand or whatever God-comparing term you call them? No... it isn't, grow up. But as all Non-Catholic Christian faiths have shown, an infallible scripture means nothing without an infallible interpreter. I admonish anyone that gave you a thumb's up. Your responses concerning Catholic beliefs were obviously ill-researched... Does lynching people save you? Yoyu Protties know ALL about that, don't you? Huh? Those three black men that went "missing" after being picked up by an ironically Protestant police officer? Then three days later they were found hanging from a tree... Does THAT save you? What about burning Catholic Churches? Does THAT save you? What about going in and completely ruining Ireland? Does THAT save you?
Shame on a lot of you on this board for your anti-Catholic tirades. It is shameful and not Christian at all! Being slanderous is not a Christian virtue. The Pope is a Christian and the leader of the largest Christian Church. I may not agree with him on various points of doctrine, but then again I don't agree very often with Fundamentalist or Baptists. As a Reformed Church Pastor, and after reading a great deal on Catholicism, I tend to find many things that we Protestants think the Catholics think and they do not.
Let's allow Catholics to speak for their own faith and not insert our thoughts. While we may disagree on areas of doctrine, I have yet to find a doctrine of theirs that specifically denies that Jesus is God, that he died for our sins and that his death was insufficient. I accept them as Christians just as much as I do with Lutherans, Presbyterians, and many others.
When are we going to stop tearing down each other and build up the body of Christ? I am so sick of all of our divisions!
I think a lot of these Posts below are sad. As a Pastor, I did not find the Pope's remarks at odds with the continous position of the RCC. He was making a theological statement that was to be heard of by Theologians and not regular people like most of you.
The Historical Church always had Priests, Bishops and Deacons and celebrated a Eucharist and because we non-Catholic Christians neither have the same hiearchy nor the Eucharist it is an accurate statement if that is how you define "Church". While we may not have these things we are still churches, but as I've been finishing my Doctorate I have found that we Protestants have a less Biblical hiearchy and less historical worship ceremony. My goal of my paper is to find out why and when we lost these things.
We must continue to reach out to Catholics because truly when their Pope talks people listen, much like that of those old EF HUTTON commercials. We Protestants and Evangelicals do not have such a figure and it is difficult to ever appoint someone who speaks for all non-Catholic Christians when there is so much division even within my own denomination. Thank God this Pope has the Moral high ground and I pray that all Christians will listen to what he says and pray.
Needless to say, that America is being overrun by her minorities.
Why would anybody listen to somebody named Gregory who is married to somebody named Andrew, stating that they are holier than most everybody else. Laughable
American Sodomites always looking for global Church recognition, do not hold your breath.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
ML,
"The pope directly said that the only true church is the Roman Catholic Church. And thus, the pope denies all Protestants and their churches. Thus he has condemned himself. The pope has a faulty theology, and is against the Bible which accepts all the churches who put true faith in Christ."
Jesus only founded one church. Also, it depends on what you mean by 'church.'
pburwell,
"Enough with the nonsense. Only Jesus Saves. PERIOD. No pope, no priest, no Mary worship, or any other idolatry, will change the truth that only by Y'Shua, Jesus the Messiah, can you be forgiven your Law violations."
The pope and the Catholic Church would agree. The Catholic Church has never taught that Pope Benedict XVI is the savior.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me – John 14:6.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ – 1Corinthians 3:11.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved – Acts 4:12.
God Bless you .... pburwell...you are right on target!!!!
The pope directly said that the only true church is the Roman Catholic Church. And thus, the pope denies all Protestants and their churches. Thus he has condemned himself. The pope has a faulty theology, and is against the Bible which accepts all the churches who put true faith in Christ. Poop on the pope !
Enough with the nonsense. Only Jesus Saves. PERIOD. No pope, no priest, no Mary worship, or any other idolatry, will change the truth that only by Y'Shua, Jesus the Messiah, can you be forgiven your Law violations. YAHWEH is God the Father and Y'Shua is the Son and Messiah. No Jew, no Muslim, no Catholic, no Baptist, no Buddhist, and no Secularist can be saved by any other means but reliance in, repentance and surrender to Jesus as LORD, Messiah and God. Jesus came to save but only those who will submit to Yahweh in penitence. Repenting is not a work any more than begging forgiveness when you sin against anyone else. WAKE UP and receive the Mercy of Yahweh while you still can.
Patrick J Burwell / OnlyJesusSaves.com
The day the RCC or Orthodox allow women priests or bishops, or that they embrace homosexuality, is the day that they would lose all credibility. Glad to see they are not budging on these issues.
dgnymn,
"Maybe the protests should be about Papism - the unruly and unorthodox and unbiblical position that the Papacy is the successor to Peter!!!!"
Except that the papacy (or bishop of Rome) being the successor of Peter is NOT unruly nor unorthodox nor unbiblical.
Maybe the protests should be about Papism - the unruly and unorthodox and unbiblical position that the Papacy is the successor to Peter!!!!
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!!!!
Oh, I forgot something. The reason why the Jews and Muslims are all upset with the POPE on a regular basis is because this Pope especially doen't just want a KOOMBAYA type Ecuminism. Rather, Pope Benedict says the fullness of Truth is revealed in JESUS CHRIST ALONE! This Pope will not apologize for knowing and preaching the Truth that is Christ.
Jews and Muslims must accept Jesus Christ, repent from their sins and be Baptized so they can be with God in Heaven when they die. We must use charity and love to win all battles and God will equip us with the Sword of the Spirit that will open their hearts and minds to the Truth of the New Testament and the fact Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament and He was before Abraham.
May we all pray, Protestants and Catholics and Orthodox, for a quick conversion of all Jews and Muslims!! May these monotheistic religions all come home to Jesus Christ!
LAUS DEO!
I wonder what Paul or Peter would say if they came to America this week and were greeted with these same special interests. Would they be "all inclusive" or would they take the stance that Benedict is taking? Think about it. An 80 year-old man stands up to an army of secular forces arrayed against him, and he's winning. They call him a "German Shepherd" for good reason.
Liberals and Moral & Theological Relativists will not bend the Pope. He Stands Firm on Scripture and Sacred Tradition and the 2000 years of teaching authority which represents the three in one platform of Catholic Teaching.
We should love all people including gays and facists style faminists, but we must hate their sin. You can be gay, but you must not act out on that disordered attraction. A woman may have all the faculties to be a Priest, but she is simply not a man like Jesus. If she became a Priest then she would be a PriestESS. Priestess is Pagananism. Moreover, God only called men so like John Paul II said, "We have no power to change something that Christ instittuted only for men, otherwise He would have chosen women which he did not."
Until 1930 All Christian denominations said Birth control was a Moral Evil. In fact, Baptists, Catholics, Orthodox, Presbyterians, Methodists, Church of Christ, Pentacostal all had fairly large families. First the Anglicans said birth control should be only used in dire situations like if the mother would die the next time she became pregnant. We can now see what a slippery slope that was and now today ALL PROTESTANT Churches allow Birth Control, they also allow Invitro Fertilization too. Both of these methods for not wanting children and having them when you can't has killed millions. Birth control contains abortifacient chemicals that create a hostile environment in the Womb, which creates a mini-abortion. Most women do not know this. How many women have created an abortion through BC and didn't know it? Millions! InVitro Fertilization also kills embryos until one of them works. Where is the dignity of a human being?
Also, ever since contraception has been allowed by the Churches divorce rates have sky rocketed. It is all connected. We also see around the world how population control is killing our world in China, Japan, Russia and many other places.
You can't sway the Pope who is the Rock on which Christ built His Church, because Christ is the Rock who holds the Pope strong.
You should go to your local court and start screaming at the lawyers who use: your honor when they refer to a judge...."he is just a man like me. He is no better or no worse than anyone and to give him that title raises his status which is sinful".
Cate7- I dont want to start a debate about this but "His Holiness"....................Come on, he is just a man like me. He is no better or no worse than anyone and to give him that title raises his status which is sinful.
I think something is seriously wrong with American Catholics who think they can strong arm His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI into bending to our culture! The Church has clear teachings on homosexuality and on the role of women in the Church and the way I see it, if they don't like what She teaches (what the Pope upholds)why not join a group like say the Episcopal Church who is willing to change with every cultural wind that blows. As for the Episcopalians that are breaking away, I applaud you all and as soon as someone in my town establishes a conservative Anglican Church, I'm there!!
Good/Bad...I've been disappointed with the coverage of the Pope's visit. I hope people who like/dislike the Pope show up in big numbers because it will make evident that a Christian leader has relevance. Bush has never before given a visiting leader the honor of picking him up at the airport. In fact, no president has done so at Andrews Air Force Base, the typical landing spot for modern leaders. The White House crowd meeting the Pope will be the largest of Bush's presidency.