Leave it to NYT
The New York Times has dedicated extensive ink to a condescending "analysis" of the Catholic Church's irrelevance to many Catholics. Here are two excerpts from the article by Colm Toibin, apparently a gay fellow with an undisclosed homosexual axe to grind with the Church. Two excerpts:
[Catholics] may also, with no bad conscience, use artificial contraception, vote for abortion rights candidates in elections, fall in love a second time and, should they be gay, refuse to deny their sexuality. They do not see these matters as central to their spirituality. Thus the church remains central to them; it is not just a place for baptisms, weddings and funerals. They will listen to it when it preaches about love, but not when it dictates on matters that they believe to be marginal to the message of Jesus.
If one were to give advice to these grand old men [the Cardinals] -- and they are not, I notice, seeking advice -- it would be simple. Find a cardinal who was brought up with many, many sisters, who has a lesbian in the family, a cardinal whose life has been bound up and fully informed by women, who knows the problems and challenges they face in a church where they cannot minister. Even if the next pope and his cardinals were not to change the rule against female priests quickly, it might be important, as acts of witness and of love, to enter into real dialogue with women in the church, and to be seen to listen, to take heed, as St. Patrick did centuries ago, to the other's pain.
Thanks to The Dawn Patrol for bringing this piece to our attention.
