Pope's Anti - Gay Mass
Pope Benedict XVI blessed an anti-gay marriage mass last Sunday in Madrid, Spain, it's been reported by Clarin.com and ontopmag.com.
Ten of thousands of people lined the city's downtown Plaza de Colon square to celebrate the mass conducted by Cardinal Atonio Ruoco Varela, the archbishop of Madrid.
Ruoco Varela attacked the reforms of the socialist government, which include gay marriage, fast-track divorce and easier access to abortions. He talked about the truth of marriage, a veiled reference to the country's 5 year old gay marriage law.
“Anytime you deny the truth of marriage and family, in theory or practice, the negative consequences will come forward rapidly,” he said.
The mass enjoyed the support of the conservative Popular Party, which has challenged the constitutionality of the gay marriage law in court.
Pope Benedict appeared via satellite from Rome to bless the gathering. He called on Catholic families to remain authentic to the church values of “loyalty, respect and understanding.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.)
This is the fourth annual mass against gay marriage held at the square.
2 comments:
To conflate opposition to gay "marriage" with being anti-gay either shows a failure to be able to draw distinctions or is simply a rhetorical trick.
I'm sorry for the curt tone of my previous comment, but whenever someone accuses the Pope or the Catholic Church of being anti-gay, I have to object, because I think it's a gross oversimplification. It is true that they say gay sex is wrong and gay marriage is wrong, but to say that are anti-gay, which suggests that they are totally opposed to gay people, does not follow. They encourage gay people to be members of the Church and to live holy lives.
I feel at home in the Catholic Church. I can understand that anyone who thinks the Church is wrong might well not wish to be a member.
But I still think calling the pope, the Church, or even that Mass "anti-gay" fails to take due account of the nuances and complexities of a whole set of questions, which cannot simply be expressed by a single phrase of support or opposition.
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