The whole Churh is wrong and I am a victim

Previously I had posted the story about Archbishop Harry Flynn forbidding a gay rights activists from speaking at a Catholic Church.

Here is a letter from the Pastor of St. Joan of Arc parish:

I continue to receive expressions of support for my homily responding to the Archbishop’s banning of Rev. Mel White’s speaking at St. Joan of Arc. Consistently, parishioners appreciate that we have chosen a path that seeks to avoid both confrontation and caving in. We are seeking a third way following the principles of active non-violence. As Thomas Merton wrote, “Nonviolence has great power, provided that it really witnesses to truth and not just to self-righteousness.”

What in the world does non-violence have to do with anything? Well I guess I am glad that weren’t planning on lynching the Bishop or going to Rome to surround the Vatican lobbing missiles until the Pope gives up and changes the Cathechism and Cannon Law.

In my homily I stated that we cannot just walk away from the issue and pretend it never happened. We as a parish are committed to following up. The Parish Council has written a letter to Archbishop Flynn asking to meet with him to discuss the basis for his decision.

Secondly, we have to commit ourselves to pursuing Satyagraha or Soulforce-the demanding process of waging a struggle for justice in which we seek, not to exterminate the opponent, but through love and a willingness to suffer, if necessary, to create a just resolution of conflict refocusing the conflict from persons to principles.. This is a demanding spirituality which draws us beyond anger and confrontation, to a new inner strength and freedom.

I must have missed that RCIA class that discussed Satyagraha and Soulforce. It must have been the class titled “Using Ghandian terms to confuse the heck out of your opponents.”

Finally, we must find new ways to commit ourselves to being a welcoming, compassionate community, especially to our gay and lesbian sisters and brothers. I think our Holy Week liturgies helped to do this.

I thank you all for supporting me in pursuing a path that moves beyond “being right” to seeking the truth and learning through this painful experience.. Even though there is still much healing to be achieved, let us stay true to our course.

Also on this page is a heading titled “Gym Liturgies.”

And a coming event is:

A May Day Parade, to honor the people, the animals and the land that have suffered through the violence of war, will be held Sunday, May 4 at 12 Noon. It is sponsored by In The Heart of the Beast Theatre. Masked and robed mourners will walk the parade carrying images of the dead.

The Heart of the Beast Theatre performs puppet and mask shows. One of these shows is called seed.

Through lyrical storytelling, science, original music, and humor, Seed explores the magic and wonder of this tiny but powerful life force, and examines the ominous undercurrents of genetic manipulation and potential global control of the world’s food supply. Join us as we journey into the mysterious secret life of the seed.

Too bad my kids our grown up, I always wanted to be able to take them to a puppet show on the dangers of genetically modified crops.