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News & ArtsSunday, January 22, 2012
Homo Under Orders, Seattle's Catholic Churches Instruct Parishioners to Lobby Against Marriage Equality
Posted by Dominic Holden on Sun, Jan 22, 2012 at 4:24 PM
That was fast. When I went to Sunday mass last week as St. James Cathedral, their leadership was evasive and downright elusive when asked about the local Catholic Church's new campaign to oppose a same-sex marriage bill. But this week, the Catholic Church's position was in black and white.
Inside every bulletin at St. James Cathedral, the laity received marching orders today to begin pressuring their state lawmakers to stop the marriage equality measure in Olympia. In fact, Archbishop J. Peter Sartain disseminated the message to all 175 parishes under his jurisdiction of Western Washington and instructed them to print it in their bulletins. Here's the entire statement:
ARCHBISHOP SARTAIN HAS ASKED THAT THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT BE PUBLISHED IN ALL PARISH BULLETINS THIS WEEKENDPROTECT MARRIAGE Legislators will be voting soon on whether to the change current law defining marriage. Marriage between a man and a woman is essential for family life and the foundation of any society. Please call, email or write your state Senator and two Representatives urging them to support the current law and defend marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Call 1-800-562-6000 to leave a message for your legislators. Go to the Washington State Legislature website at http://aps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx to find your legislator and to write or email a message to them.
That wasn't all: Copies of a more detailed anti-gay proclamation, issued by Sartain and three other Washington State bishops on January 13, were tucked into the vestibules of St. James. "Upholding the present definition of marriage," the decree warned, is necessary for the "continuation of the human race."
This may be the tip of the Catholic iceberg (as gay marriage looks increasingly likely to appear on the statewide November ballot).
If Minnesota is any indication, Archbishop Sartain could impose the Vatican's agenda on progressive Seattle congregations the same way his colleagues are in Minneapolis: Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt demanded that priests read a "marriage prayer" from the pulpit to advance the church's agenda to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage this fall. Priests were required to get up before their congregations—and laity were expected to recite a prayer—to "proclaim and defend [God's] plan for marriage, which is the union of one man and one woman..." This effort coincided with a lobbying and fundraising campaign. And just last week, Nienstedt warned clergy there will be no “open dissent.”
In Washington State, we may be witnessing the beginning of a similar crusade to turn pulpits into stages for political rallies. After all, our marriage bill may pass the senate, and then it’s all but destined to appear the November ballot. At that point, Rome may perk up its ears, Washington will likely be declared ground zero for a religious war, and the trickle of cash that usually goes skyward from the local collection plates will instead be blasted back down on our statewide election. (Color me shocked: Sartian and the Archdiocese of Seattle have not returned several calls seeking comment.)
Of course, that may not happen in Washington State. Our bishops may not go that far. Or our priests may refuse to comply.
After all, polls show that the vast majority of Catholics—the Jesus-loving folk who go to church, not the bigot bishops who run the churches—support marriage equality. They're even more supportive than the electorate at large.
At today’s sermon—which I sat through, yes—Father Michael Ryan made zero mention of the proclamation. The wording in the bulletin was also telling: The announcement was clearly there at the request of bishop, an announcement Father Ryan wasn’t rushing to espouse. But who knows: The bishops could demand churches lead prayers and campaign, and the National Organization for Marriage, which routinely doesn't report its contributors but is tied closely to the Catholic Church, will have the ears of those bishops.
If that happens, will Seattle's church leadership like Father Ryan push back? I'd like to hope the answer is yes. But when it came to printing anti-gay lobbying messages in today's bulletin, his answer was no.
1
There was zero mention of it at Mass last night either. There was, however, a prayer that people who worked in the banking and finance sectors wake up to a fresh steaming cup of integrity and recognize how their business activity affects the poor and needy. Many Catholics if not most believe that this political messaging by a tax-exempt group is wrong. If anything the bulletin made me want to thank my state representatives and my senator for supporting same-sex relationship equality.
3
Yeah, I think most priests (at least most of the ones I know) are uncomfortable with taking a what amounts to a political stand from the pulpit, even when the politics seem to intersect what they consider to be a moral issue.
Back in my Catholic days, though, had I been forced to say that prayer, that might have been the last straw (rather than the raging hypocracy that finally broke my back...although I guess that would have all fallen under that umbrella, considering the number of gay priests I know...). I'm glad I landed in a denomination that generally stays out of people's bedrooms and reproductive choices.
Back in my Catholic days, though, had I been forced to say that prayer, that might have been the last straw (rather than the raging hypocracy that finally broke my back...although I guess that would have all fallen under that umbrella, considering the number of gay priests I know...). I'm glad I landed in a denomination that generally stays out of people's bedrooms and reproductive choices.
4
Oh, and on the bulletin thing...if the bishop tells you to print something, you print it. Every parish sends copies of their bulletins to the diocesan office, and somebody there reads every single one of them. The church is hierarchical enough that pushback on something like that would be unlikely.
With the giant step to the right the church has taken under Benedict, I would think pushback of any kind wouldn't be tolerated.
With the giant step to the right the church has taken under Benedict, I would think pushback of any kind wouldn't be tolerated.
5
Disgusting. Time to start lobbying my few remaining catholic family members. (none are in WA, but still.)
6
This is great news. It will help the Catholic church continue its long term trend of becoming smaller and smaller, as people with integrity, true compassion and intelligence finally recognize the cost of associating with this corrupt organization masquerading as representatives of god.
7
@ 6 not really, plenty of Catholics don't agree with this and yet will remain Catholics because they agree with the larger message of the Church if not for one or two issues.
8
I thought of going to St. James to light a candle for someone I lost. After reading this I decided not to. Neither I not my lost one would want to be honored in a place that corrupts the meaning of love and God so grossly.
9
Isn't part of the tax exempt status for churches, predicated on churches not taking political stands from the pulpit?
10
@7 exactly; the fight for justice takes many fronts. Or they'll move to a country with a more progressive Catholic Church--the Canadian equivalent of the USCCB is far more progressive and liberal-minded, and you don't hear Catholic priests campaigning against marriage equality here...
@9 Go read any of the five hundred other posts on this subject and the answer there. Really, stop being lazy. (The answer: they can't openly endorse candidates, but can take positions. How do I know this? Because it's asked and answered in every single post.)
@9 Go read any of the five hundred other posts on this subject and the answer there. Really, stop being lazy. (The answer: they can't openly endorse candidates, but can take positions. How do I know this? Because it's asked and answered in every single post.)
11
I can't wait for one of these bigots to debate marriage equality in a public forum...like maybe Town Hall, with say Dave Ross as a moderator.
I'm so SURE something like that will happen really really soon!
I'm so SURE something like that will happen really really soon!
12
Remember this basic truth about "the foundation of any society" It IS NOT marriage nor family, IT IS SANITATION. With out clean water you die, with out safe food you die, with out waste disposal you contaminate, with out sanitation you will look like Haiti's cholera outbreak (through no fault of their own, they are just a pointed modern example of how dangerous lack of sanitation is). Children will not die due to lack of F&M parenting. Rome did not build huge social institutions for marriage, but they DID build huge aqueducts to deliver CLEAN water. Don't let the "foundation of society is the family and marriage" lie go unchallenged. SANITATION is the foundation.
14
Father Ryan is a good man. I imagine he is struggling with this. The Pastor at Fr. Ryan's old church in Tacoma is probably also. I wonder how they will handle it. I would hope they'd both push back but I doubt they will.
15
Father Ryan cannot be considered a "good man" if he continues to serve in this Church which discriminates against women and gays and threatens the principle of free speech. This Church is the Western equivalent of the Taliban.
16
@9:
The restriction only applies to a specific endorsement of a political candidate, not to discussion of - or in this case - advocation of a political opinion or point-of-view.
The restriction only applies to a specific endorsement of a political candidate, not to discussion of - or in this case - advocation of a political opinion or point-of-view.
17
Sartain is relatively young and ambitious and wants to climb upwards within the hierarchy beyond the Pacific Northwest. He won't be in Seattle more than a few years, so the priests and deacons and involved laity who are opposed to his agenda are of little concern.
18
@17 Sartain is secretary-elect to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, so there's no way he's going to not follow orders 110%. Especially after seeing the current USCCB secretary get promoted to cardinal. Red hat fever will keep Sartain putting the welfare of Washingtonians behind his own.
19
@16 is right. Churches and other religious tax-exempt groups can lobby for causes, just not for candidates. From the pulpit of my progressive church this morning, we were encouraged to go to Olympia tomorrow to lobby FOR marriage equality.
21
So in other words, this rigidly hierarchical organization behaves exactly like a rigid hierarchy?
22
@12: Absolutely! Now that you mention it, a huge number of laws laid down in the Pentateuch are about sanitation. What determines what meats are acceptable? Whether the animal is clean. What does the Cohen Gadol do before going before the Holiest of Holies? He prays...and he takes a bath. Why might an individual be temporarily excluded from certain aspects of the community? Whether from a wet dream, menstruation, a skin condition, or even just touching something icky, that person is unclean and needs to be purified.
Abrahamic religions especially should recognize the importance of sanitation.
Abrahamic religions especially should recognize the importance of sanitation.
23
Thank God I'm a Progressive Protestant! Gay folks are plenty welcome at my church and not in that "love this sinner hate the sin" way either. We believe God created Gay folks Gay on purpose and that this is a good thing.
24
@10, 16, 19: Where are you getting your information on the prohibition of political activity by churches? According to the IRS' Publication 1828 (Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations):
"In general, no organization, including a church, may
qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial
part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation
(commonly known as lobbying). An IRC section 501(c)
(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too
much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.
Legislation includes action by Congress, any state legis-
lature, any local council, or similar governing body, with
respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive offices), or by the public in a referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by executive, judicial, or administrative bodies.
A church or religious organization will be regarded as
attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges
the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation."
Basically, whether a specific candidate is mentioned isn't the issue here--lobbying for or against legislation can also threaten a church's tax-exempt status. The question is how the IRS defines whether the church's political activities represent a substantial part of its purpose.
"In general, no organization, including a church, may
qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial
part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation
(commonly known as lobbying). An IRC section 501(c)
(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too
much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.
Legislation includes action by Congress, any state legis-
lature, any local council, or similar governing body, with
respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive offices), or by the public in a referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by executive, judicial, or administrative bodies.
A church or religious organization will be regarded as
attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges
the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation."
Basically, whether a specific candidate is mentioned isn't the issue here--lobbying for or against legislation can also threaten a church's tax-exempt status. The question is how the IRS defines whether the church's political activities represent a substantial part of its purpose.
25
The Catholic Church picked the wrong state to pick this fight. This is not fascist Italy, Spain or Portugal. Article I, Section 11 of our State Constitution provides:
Absolute freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment, belief and worship, shall be guaranteed to every individual, and no one shall be molested or disturbed in person or property on account of religion; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness or justify practices inconsistent with the peace and safety of the state. No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or the support of any religious establishment.
26
@24: the key word is "substantial". I've taken several workshops given by lawyers on 501(c)(3)s held by religious organizations and it's always emphasized that the mission and preponderant practice of religious organizations (i.e., religion, not politics) pretty much exempts them from censure when they lobby for issues.
Except, of course, fundamentalists like the megachurches were allowed to tell their parishioners to vote for Bush. The IRS had to keep its hands off them.
Except, of course, fundamentalists like the megachurches were allowed to tell their parishioners to vote for Bush. The IRS had to keep its hands off them.
29
I've looked all through my bulletin from this morning, and nothing about marriage equality appears.
30
Wake up, love. Groups that have agendas have voter guides and bulletin announcements that inform memembers who to lobby, who to boycott, who to vote for... It is a fact. This is not just the RC, Evangelical Protestants do it to, heck the NRA does it with their memembers. There are people paid to do the thinking for a group's memembership, these individuals sift through and tell the people how to vote. Sadly some people like it this way and they do as they are told. Keep your eyes open.
31
@25, I think that means that the state can't bother you because of your religion, not that religionistas can't bother you.
And yes, Sarah70, that 'substantial part' is really, really vague and also a double-edged sword. It's pretty hard to get your 501c3 yoinked and I think I fall on the side of keeping it that way. I think.
And yes, Sarah70, that 'substantial part' is really, really vague and also a double-edged sword. It's pretty hard to get your 501c3 yoinked and I think I fall on the side of keeping it that way. I think.
32
Seattle Catholics are unique in a laity in which a majority supports marriage equality.
They're good people here :)
They're good people here :)
33
If you are a progressive Catholic in Washington State, prove it. Start by refusing to put money into the till during Sunday service.
35
But then again didn't some of the organization in the civil rights era come from the churches and their leaders?
37
One of the four signers of the bishops' letter was Bishop Joseph Tyson of Yakima. My reliable gaydar suggests he is a closet case. That would be a good scoop Dominic.
38
The Catholics church in Yakima (see the diocese website) juste started doing the new anti-gay "Marriage Prayer" there.
39
@35, some of the organization in the civil rights era came from the Jewish community also. Several rabbis were in the Birmingham jail with MLK. So what does any of that have to do with the case at hand?
If you're a progressive Catholic in Washington, talk to your priest and bishop about this. Tell them you'll leave the Church. If you can't say that to them, you're not a progressive Catholic.
If you're a progressive Catholic in Washington, talk to your priest and bishop about this. Tell them you'll leave the Church. If you can't say that to them, you're not a progressive Catholic.
40
@22: I'm all about not offering gifts or taking food with the left hand.
@37/38: An interesting bit from Bishop Tyson's Wikipedia entry [emphasis mine]:
@37/38: An interesting bit from Bishop Tyson's Wikipedia entry [emphasis mine]:
In 2007, Tyson testified at a state legislative hearing on a proposed Washington initiative to offer domestic partnership benefits to same-sex couples; he promoted broadening its provisions, a controversial strategy used elsewhere by the Catholic Church, extending the definition of partnership to relationships beyond that of unmarried couples, to prevent discrimination against an elderly parent, a sibling, housemate or another in residence thus limiting its potential affirmative impact for gay rights, consistent with the Catholic Church's long-standing position.[5](That reference link at the end of the blockquote works too.)
41
@34: Back on the day, when "The Church" was the biggest single power in Western Europe (or especially when struggling to remain so). Pretty Talibanesque group at times.
Today, that's a laughable claim.... but it isn't the largest single power any more either.
Today, that's a laughable claim.... but it isn't the largest single power any more either.
45
Pull the fuckers tax exempt status. Its long past time to admit they are a political organization,
46
There isn't much that the state can do to revoke tax exempt status for the Catholic Church, except perhaps roll back the property tax exemption on church owned property. Does anyone know if that can be done by statute, or would it require a change in the state constitution?
49
A 501(c)(3) status is granted by the IRS, a federal agency. A state legislature can't do anything because it's a federal tax.
51
Hah hah, so what. Senator Haugen saw the light. We have twenty five!
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/2012012…
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/2012012…
52
Archbishop Sartain is an ambitious guy, who is clearly kissing up to the Vatican for his own self-promotion, rather than tending to the flock. If he continues these extreme measures, they'll be closing Catholic Churches in Western Washington, just like they have been in cities like New York and Chicago. St. James Cathedral still has the liberal imprint of Archbishop Hunthausen, but I expect it's just a matter of time before the pews are empty--the faithful driven away by leaders who are drunk with their own power.
53
This saddens me so much. About 2 years ago I started a group on FB called "Not All Catholics Are Roman" because as an Old Catholic, I was fed up with the way the press takes everything the Roman officials say and act like it is the only Catholic position. My group now has over 300 members, and they run the spectrum from very conservative to very liberal, using rites from eastern Orthodox to Anglican to Gnostic. They have parishes as large as 225 members and communities like mine with 7. My Bishop is a wonderful homilist who happens to be married and female and gay. One of the Old Catholic theologians I trust the most is from Germany's Old Catholic Church and the Utrecht Union.
Then there are the Independent Catholics, in such a wide variety! There is no reason for progressive Romans to be so passive. I lived near Boston when Voice of the Faithful was taking over parishes and occupying them 24 hours a day! There is simply no reason for progressive Romans to just sit there passively (they already stopped donating. They put a $5 bill in the plate and that's it).
As to those Papists who do sincerely believe that Benedict is God's representative on earth, infallible, and divinely selected, well this is a free country, and they have that right. BUT they are such a very small percentage of the Catholic world, that any press attempting to provide balanced reporting should at least file the press releases on the religion page - you know, page 28 or whatever. And when counting church membership, especially when making claims about how many members you have, and what they believe it can be pretty misleading when you include people who left the parish year ago, every infant you baptize whether they attend or not, and all the converts who can't even read your doctrine for themselves! If you counted only active, attending, donating members a whole lot of those Roman parishes would look so much smaller, because they are!
Progressive Romans have options: stay and join forces with groups like VOTF, or let God lead them to one of the many open an inclusive faith filled Catholic Churches not affiliated with Rome. The press has options: give the Vatican as little front page as they give the Seventh Day Adventists and the corner Baptist church or get several statements from a cross section of Catholic denominations on a political issue. The GLBT community has options to: Seek out and solicit comments from your local non-roman Catholics for your stories. Invite them to your parade. My parish was the first to have a Catholic Bishop march in a gay pride parade in New England a few years ago. It was amazing to hear the comments as people assumed we were episcopal, and we reminded them we were Catholic.
Praying hard that your elected folks pay attention to who's talking, and that the GLBT community actively supports those Romans who do protest, especially the clergy who do resist the Vatican call to what is wrong.
More...
Then there are the Independent Catholics, in such a wide variety! There is no reason for progressive Romans to be so passive. I lived near Boston when Voice of the Faithful was taking over parishes and occupying them 24 hours a day! There is simply no reason for progressive Romans to just sit there passively (they already stopped donating. They put a $5 bill in the plate and that's it).
As to those Papists who do sincerely believe that Benedict is God's representative on earth, infallible, and divinely selected, well this is a free country, and they have that right. BUT they are such a very small percentage of the Catholic world, that any press attempting to provide balanced reporting should at least file the press releases on the religion page - you know, page 28 or whatever. And when counting church membership, especially when making claims about how many members you have, and what they believe it can be pretty misleading when you include people who left the parish year ago, every infant you baptize whether they attend or not, and all the converts who can't even read your doctrine for themselves! If you counted only active, attending, donating members a whole lot of those Roman parishes would look so much smaller, because they are!
Progressive Romans have options: stay and join forces with groups like VOTF, or let God lead them to one of the many open an inclusive faith filled Catholic Churches not affiliated with Rome. The press has options: give the Vatican as little front page as they give the Seventh Day Adventists and the corner Baptist church or get several statements from a cross section of Catholic denominations on a political issue. The GLBT community has options to: Seek out and solicit comments from your local non-roman Catholics for your stories. Invite them to your parade. My parish was the first to have a Catholic Bishop march in a gay pride parade in New England a few years ago. It was amazing to hear the comments as people assumed we were episcopal, and we reminded them we were Catholic.
Praying hard that your elected folks pay attention to who's talking, and that the GLBT community actively supports those Romans who do protest, especially the clergy who do resist the Vatican call to what is wrong.
54
@53
You seem to be using a lot of odd terms to refer to Protestants, like "Independent Catholics," "Progressive Romans," and "Catholic Churches not affiliated with Rome."
Go ahead and do that, if that's your thing, but please realize that other people are going to notice what you're up to, and may not be inclined to go along with your attempts to redefine the word "Catholic."
You seem to be using a lot of odd terms to refer to Protestants, like "Independent Catholics," "Progressive Romans," and "Catholic Churches not affiliated with Rome."
Go ahead and do that, if that's your thing, but please realize that other people are going to notice what you're up to, and may not be inclined to go along with your attempts to redefine the word "Catholic."
56
35
Most of it did.
But don't waste your breath explaining it to slog.
They are very fond of the House Bigotries......
Most of it did.
But don't waste your breath explaining it to slog.
They are very fond of the House Bigotries......
58
@53: Thanks for that post. Very cool about your group and its views.
I totally agree, and I've felt that way since I was and at a Sunday school meeting with the priest, another kid asked "Why is it wrong to be gay?" and he couldn't give a really good answer.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Catholic church. It's traditional, it's comforting, and I don't hear any priests pushing anything negative on me. The sermons are great (if your parish has a good speaker, of course). But I don't believe what was written a million years ago, and I don't agree with discriminating against our gay sisters and brothers. I also don't think that anyone who is not Christian cannot go to Heaven.
But I think it's okay to practice a faith without subscribing to every single detail of that faith. It works for me.
I totally agree, and I've felt that way since I was and at a Sunday school meeting with the priest, another kid asked "Why is it wrong to be gay?" and he couldn't give a really good answer.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Catholic church. It's traditional, it's comforting, and I don't hear any priests pushing anything negative on me. The sermons are great (if your parish has a good speaker, of course). But I don't believe what was written a million years ago, and I don't agree with discriminating against our gay sisters and brothers. I also don't think that anyone who is not Christian cannot go to Heaven.
But I think it's okay to practice a faith without subscribing to every single detail of that faith. It works for me.
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