I would not normally paste a press release in its entirety, but the entire statement bears reading and I can't find a copy yet on the MCC web-site.
(Los Angeles) -- One day after openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson criticized the Roman Catholic Church's stance on gay clergy as "vile," the Moderator of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), the world's largest predominantly gay Christian denomination, echoed the bishop's words and issued a challenge to Pope Benedict XVI.
The comments by the Reverend Nancy L. Wilson came as the Vatican prepares to issue "Instrumentum Laboris," a document that recommends a purge of seminaries of all gay men preparing for the priesthood. According to Vatican officials, the purge is designed to address the causes of priestly sexual abuse of minors.
"Metropolitan Community Churches strongly condemns the sexual abuse of minors, and also condemns this scapegoating of an already marginalized and demeaned population within the Church and larger society," said Wilson.
In 1987, Wlson became one of the first openly gay rights leaders to meet Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger now Pope Benedict XVI, when she represented Metropolitan Community Churches as an ecumenical observer at the Bilateral Dialogue of the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches in Columbia, South Carolina, .
Wilson announced today that Metropolitan Community Churches will release a document, "Be As Compassionate As Your God Is Compassionate: A Faithful Challenge to the Roman Catholic Church's Instrumentum Laboris" on Thursday, November 10, 2005.
An advance copy of the document indicates Wilson will call upon Pope Benedict XVI to exercise restraint and compassion in the implementation of Instrumentum Laboris, invites Catholic bishops, priests, and laity to speak the truth, encourages Roman Catholics to resist the implementation of Instrumentum Laboris, and calls people of goodwill to unite in prayers for religious equality.
The release of the MCC document coincides with the "Global Week of Prayer for Religious Equality," November 6-12, 2005.
In advance of the document's release, Wilson, recently installed as Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches, said, "We call on the Roman Catholic hierarchy to take moral responsibility for the crimes of sexual abuse against minors in its care, to genuinely apologize for its failures and to initiate restitution and reconciliation, and to immediately pursue and institute the kinds of internal reform that will make the Church safe for all people, including children."
According to Wilson, "That could best be accomplished by publicly acknowledging that all social and scientific studies indicate that most pedophiles are heterosexual males and by publicly repenting of the prejudice and violence perpetrated and tolerated against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities by deliberately and deceptively connecting pedophilia primarily with gay men. The answer to pedophilia will not be found in demonizing the gay community," said Wilson. "Pope Benedict XVI and the Roman hierarchy will not find the answers in "Instrumentum Laboris," but rather, by instituting a ministry of reconciliation and healing for victims, and treatment for perpetrators."
"Until then, we call upon gay priests and religious to come out now and witness to the integrity and sanctity of the lives of service you lead," said Wilson.
"And we call upon people of faith everywhere to join with us in pursuing a healthy integration of sexuality and spirituality by affirming the divine image in all life, gay or straight and by blessing the lives, relationships, households and children of its LGBT parishioners," said Wilson. "It's time to stop the violence and hate, and the only way to do that is to tell and deal with the truth: Gay priests are no more likely to be pedophiles than anyone else. LGBT people are created in God's image. Honoring that truth will set us all free to live the lives of integrity and wholeness God intended."
Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) offers positive, affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons through local congregations in 23 countries. For more information on MCC's work and ministry, as well as the "Global Week of Prayer for Religious Equality," visit www.MCCchurch.org
Leave a comment