Cordileone Defends Marriage March

on June 18, 2014

Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco Salvatore J. Cordileone has responded to a letter from a number of California elected officials, LGBT groups and religious figures asking him not to participate in the June 19 March for Marriage in Washington, D.C.

In their June 10 letter, the officials criticize sponsoring organizations such as the Family Research Council (FRC), the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and quote Pope Francis’ words “If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

Cordileone, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops subcommittee for the promotion and defense of marriage, also quotes Pope Francis in his response, saying, “We must reaffirm the right of children to grow up in a family with a father and mother.”

Characterizing the march as not anti-LGBT, but instead pro-marriage, the Roman Catholic official asserts that the event “affirms the great good of bringing the two halves of humanity together so that a man and a woman may bond with each other and with any children who come from their union.”

The Archbishop declines to address each of the individual charges in the letter, characterizing them as misinterpretation or “simply factually incorrect.” Suggesting that he and the groups “share a common disdain for harsh and hateful rhetoric,” Cordileone notes “that there is plenty of offensive rhetoric which flows in the opposite direction” listing the loss of jobs, livelihoods, and physical violence against those who support traditional marriage. “Most notably, the attempted gunning down of those who work in the offices of the Family Research Council.”

Cordileone concludes on a conciliatory note, asking the signatories to “not make judgments based on stereotypes, media images and comments taken out of context,” and instead “get to know us first as fellow human beings.” The Archbishop offers to meet personally with any of the letter signers, adding “When we come together seeking to understand the other with good will, miracles can happen.”

Regular readers of this blog will recognize several signatories of the initial letter as oldline Protestant caucus group officials in fights over marriage and sexuality. Among them are Israel Alvaran, Western Region Organizer for the United Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network, Phil Lawson, Pastor Emeritus of Easter Hill United Methodist Church in Richmond, CA and Karen Oliveto, Senior Pastor of Glide Memorial UMC in San Francisco.

Episcopal Church signers include Retired Michigan Bishop Wendell Gibbs, Integrity USA Executive Director Vivian Taylor, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice President (and past Integrity USA Director) Harry Knox, and Sacramento Trinity Cathedral Dean Brian Baker.

Other oldline Protestant officials are also represented, such as Bruce Reyes-Chow, Former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and past More Light Presbyterians official Michael J. Adee, now with the Horizons Foundation.

Roman Catholic dissident groups are also signatories, including School of the Americas Watch Founder Roy Bourgeois, DignityUSA Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke, Call To Action USA Executive Director Jim FitzGerald, and National Coalition of American Nuns (a small organization that regularly speaks out against church teachings on birth control and abortion) Executive Coordinator Sister Jeannine Gramick.

  1. Comment by Nick Porter on June 18, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    Standing for what’s right “in and out of season”. Amen.

  2. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 18, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    The current issue is about Equality among all people who seek to marry.
    There need not be an exclusivity to that institution, as not all marriages are formed to bear children.
    Nothing detrimental will occur to those marriages already ordained. And the ‘Greater Good’ will be served by embracing marriage for all who seek it.

  3. Comment by Nick Porter on June 18, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    Well, let Catholics and other Christians hold to their views on marriage. People are going to do what they want regardless but it doesn’t mean people are going to remain silent. Let them march for what they feel is right. Again, you should check out those pro-homosexual blogs so you can see exactly who you’re supporting.

  4. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 18, 2014 at 8:09 pm

    I, nor anyone else, can dictate how people behave, so it’s not my responsibility to manage others.
    we all pride ourselves for living in, and promoting a free society, so why should you, or the Church try to determine who can marry?
    It’s a social institution that shares it’s benefits among the populace when we can all abide by it’s covenants.
    Many on this site feel that homosexuals can’t be civilized. Funny, that’s the same attitude the white supremacists held about black citizens in our not so distant past.

  5. Comment by Nick Porter on June 18, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    And I agree with you, no one is telling you to manage anyone. But do they not have the right to march, even if their view is unpopular with secular society, even if it’ll be all for nothing in the end, don’t they have that right?? One thing I’m not personally going to stand for are the attempts to draw parallels between race (something that you’re without a doubt born with), and homosexuality (a behavior). Check out the pro-homosexual blogs. Check out the GLAAD website. Look at who you’re defending on here. Or do you already know what you’ll find…

  6. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 22, 2014 at 3:27 pm

    If you hold the opinion that Homosexuality is NOT a trait one is born with, then you will never feel the same way I do.
    Regardless of whether you agree with my opinion is not important, what is important, is that each person should decide for themselves whether their lifestyle is in accordance with (their) God.

  7. Comment by Lephteez Arfoneez on June 22, 2014 at 8:38 pm

    That is correct, I believe that is called the Jerry Sandusky philosophy. “I enjoy it, that makes it OK.”

  8. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 23, 2014 at 9:12 am

    Lephteez Arfoneez,
    Jerry Sandusky is a Pediphile. What does that have to do with the subject we’re discussing?

    (BTW, you have a very clever Blog-Name. Well played sir.)

  9. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 22, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    Nick,
    Just in case you thought I was trolling for an argument,

    I just visited the GLAAD website, and I heartily agree with all that they promulgate.
    I don’t see how anyone can find fault with what their site and Mission Statement supports.

    Thanks for insisting I check them out. Now to post support on Facebook…Thanks!

  10. Comment by Neil Bragg on June 18, 2014 at 8:02 pm

    Please tell us how this “Greater Good” will benefit us. Other than making sodomites feel good about their insecure selves, I don’t see how it benefits anyone. If you think it will change promiscuous men into monogamous men, you must live in a fantasy world.

  11. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 18, 2014 at 8:12 pm

    Neil, the Greater Good is exactly what it is meant to be…Good for the greater populace.
    How will it not be good for you?
    You are not responsible for those who you don’t understand or agree with, so why does it bother you that Gays and Lesbians should marry?

  12. Comment by Ramon Estevez on June 18, 2014 at 9:10 pm

    I’m curious too.
    How does it benefit us?

  13. Comment by MarcoPolo on June 22, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    It will benefit anyone living in a free country…which we claim ours to be!

    A country where all rights are protected.

    If you’re opposed to Marriage Equality, then you needn’t participate.

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