The Hateful Pulpit of the Archbishops

Archbishop Chaput with the man he "didn't endorse" soon after the election he didn't endorse him for.

Clarification: I've incorrectly stated there are three archbishops in Colorado. Charles Chaput is the only archbishop. The other two clergy (Tafoya and Sheridan) mentioned are bishops. Also I've been told Catholics recognize other Christian marriages but my point was to be a Catholic I had to be married in the Church even though I'd already been married by a Baptist minister twenty five years earlier.

Charles Chaput and his fellow archbishops here in Colorado should be ashamed for the deceptive and disingenuous way they endorse Amendment 43 and call for the defeat of Referendum I in the upcoming election.
Both ballot issues concern same sex marriage/same sex unions. Amendment 43 would create an amendment to the state constitution that defines marriage as “one man, one woman”. This amendment is explicitly directed at gays and lesbians as a group to prevent any possibility of a legally accepted marriage.
Amendment 43 does nothing to enhance the lives of people but does perpetuate homophobic hatred. The archbishops claim the amendment is needed to “protect” the sanctity of marriage and family as God intended.
Since the Catholic Church only accepts a Catholic marriage as a marriage recognized in the eyes of God it seems strange they’d be worried about civil arrangements. It’s highly improbable the Church will ever allow a same sex marriage. So what is the threat to the Catholic family these clergy are worried about?
Referendum I is a proposal to give same sex partners the same benefits as married couples in areas of medical benefits, insurance and confidential medical care. The referendum would become specific only to the state of Colorado and have no legality in any other state.
The benefits of Referendum I is provision of health care to a significant other, provision of legal standing to a partner in the case of a medical emergency in order to make critical decisions and to allow a partner to be the beneficiary of insurance in case of a death of the significant other. This would honor the wishes of the partner in the disbursing of benefits.
The three clergy in their letter read to all parishes in the state of Colorado claim Referendum I is simply recognition of same sex marriage and therefore a threat to marriage and the family.
It seems strange the Church should oppose health benefits, medical decision making of the person closest to the patient and insurance benefits given to the most loved of the deceased. Still stranger is how this in any way threatens marriages and families.
If I recall correctly, the Catholic Church only recognizes a marriage of a man and a woman married in the Church. That marriage is supposedly a lifetime partnership of the man and woman and an irrevocable contract of faith.
Of course if we look at the state of heterosexual marriages in the United States we’ll find a divorce rate of 50% or greater. It’s doubtful that horrendous failure rate has anything to do with same sex unions. It’s likely the failures of marriages in this country have more to do with the lack of faith in the concept of marriage, immaturity of the man and woman and inadequate counseling by family and clergy.
So instead of worrying about the issue of same sex marriage it seems the leaders of the Church might want to put more emphasis on preserving the concept of fidelity to heterosexual marriage by men and women.
What’s also sad and shameful about the uproar caused by Chaput, Sheridan and Tafoya over same sex unions is the diversion it creates from some truly urgent matters we face in this country and world wide.
The three have yet to make a clear statement concerning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There’s been no statewide reading of a letter to parishes to condemn the war in Iraq based on the lies of our government.
There’s been no statement to recognize the 650,000 dead Iraqis and nearly 3000 dead Americans as immoral and illegal. There’s been no outrage or organized opposition by the Church to a war portrayed as a “crusade” against the axis of evil. A war sold to the world with lies and deceit of immoral leaders in Washington, D.C..
Chaput in a recent interview by Jean Torkelson of the Rocky Mountain News denies he endorsed Bush in the last presidential election because it would violate the rules of a non-profit organization endorsing any candidate. When confronted with his statement against John Kerry’s candidacy based on views about abortion and same sex unions, Chaput protested he didn’t say the things quoted to him.
The reporter read Chaput’s words to him verbatim. He acknowledged them but evasively stated they weren’t meant to endorse any candidate. Of course he never made any type of statement to question the war or the other immoral acts of the President.
To quote Chaput himself in his remarks about John F. Kennedy’s political views on the state-church relationship….”if it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.” If it sounds like an endorsement, Archbishop, it must be an endorsement.
The deceptions of the clergy about issues that threaten no one but those who refuse to recognize the reality of sexual preference by some is hypocritical and shameful. The endorsement of an amendment so hateful to gays and lesbians is hardly something I could envision Christ endorsing. To add to the hate by opposing a proposal that only helps individuals live a better life is not in keeping with the love inherent in Christ’s teachings.
Shame on you, Archbishops.

Wm. Terry Leichner, RN