Something nice happened to me

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:00pm

During my Lenten hiatus, I was elected to our church's Parish Council. Now this may not be big news to most people, but I think it's a small step in the right direction for the Catholic church.

All candidates were asked to fill out a form that was attached to the Sunday bulletin along with our pictures so that parishioners would know who they were voting for. In the section about Marital Status I wrote "Single, Openly Gay". It didn't seem to affect any of out church-goers because I was elected with the largest percentage of the vote.

At our organizational meeting, we were all asked to introduce ourselves to the group and my opening comment was, "Okay, I see one married couple here; one teenager; a senior citizen...I guess I'm the token homosexual". It got a big laugh and I made it clear that they could joke about me in any way they liked. It was at that point that our pastor added that the only thing they couldn't joke about was my cooking. (The guy likes to eat!)

As I said, I think it's a small step in showing how the Catholic Church is becoming more and more accepting about gays.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:03pm

Don't screw it up...

[DG]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:05pm

Dolly - that seriously made me cry. Good for you - and us - and them.

The only thing I might comment on is that it's probably the American Catholics who are ready to 'move beyond' (well, maybe some of the Europeans, as well.)

But, GOOD FOR YOU for being a PART of the process!

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:07pm

That is wonderful DollyPop. These things happen one small step at a time. But, they do add up! Along the same lines, the Jewish Theological Seminary has just started admitting Gays and Lesbians into their cantorial and rabbinical programs. Too me, people are just people. I am very happy for you.

[D2]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:09pm

Congrats, Dollypop!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:13pm

DG,

Some of the Church documents are revealing that Benedict IVI is much more progressive than people thought. He is seriously putting together a committee to explore the possibility of a married clergy ANd feels that the Church has to reach out to the victims of pedophile priests.

Updated On: 4/12/07 at 09:13 PM

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:38pm

Way to go, Dollypop.

Christ is risen indeed.

About time they let the R.C. priests marry. Let's hope it happens.

[DG]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:49pm

Dolly - in the event that D2 and DG got mixed up (they are kind of similar!) - that's interesting, and I'd be curious to see and hear about what you're referencing.

[shira467]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:52pm

Awesome, DollyPop. Amen to you for helping progress.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:54pm

Do DG and D2 wear identical outfits when they go out in public together?

[DG]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:25pm

He wears the tops, I wear the bottoms.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:28pm

And to think this all started with a posting of a religious nature!

[D2]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:29pm

Wanna bet?

[DG]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:30pm

Dolly - I'm still with you - we're talking about priests, right?

Seriously, I WOULD be interested in what His Holiness has said that has affected you this way.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:31pm

I don't have the document here. I'll have to do some research.

[DG]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:32pm

Please PM it if you find it - I really AM curious.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:40pm

Actually, I found those documents the last time I was hanging out at the rectory. I'll snoop around there this weekend.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:40pm

That's absolutley fantastic Dollypop! Good for you!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:47pm

That's really wonderful, Dollypop. Congratulations and good for you!

I'd like to see that link as well. It was my understanding that, as Cardinal Ratzinger, the Pope was responsible for some of the most stringent and homophobic actions the Church has ever made, including the persecution of Jesuits who were in any way progressive or gay friendly. He may have lightened up his views towars personal pastoral behavior, but he seems to have reconfirmed his view of homosexuality as intrinsically disordered and a moral evil.

No?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:53pm

From what I'm gathering, Ratzinger was just doing the bidding of John Paul II and came off as being extremely conservative. Now that he's the pope, his more moderate views are surfacing.

The documents I read were paper, not on-line.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:59pm

That's not my understanding of Ratzinger's anti-gay policies.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 11:04pm

That is absolutely not true, Dollypop. Ratzinger the Nazi Pope, in FACT wrote the document that called gay people fundamentally disordered. You know, the one that J2P2 rubber stamped?

These so-called "more moderate" views that you think you have heard about surfacing are only so much wishful thinking. He took a little time in his very first Christmas Mass as Pope to affirm his support for the ban on married clergy.

He's done nothing to lessen the silencing of Sister Jeannine Gramick who dared to work on ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics.

I doubt very much that there's an exploratory committee on married clergy and the people I know on the inside (including one of those need-for-silencing Jesuits) will laugh when I ask them if they've heard of anything to that effect.

People interested in Sister Jeannine's story should check out the fabulous documentary by Barbara Rick with cinematography by Grey Gardens' Albert Maysles.

In Good Conscience

Updated On: 4/12/07 at 11:04 PM

[Mamie]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 11:18pm

Bravo, Dolly!

Whether or not the Pope, the clergy, the Europeans or anybody else are supporting the 'alternate'(?) lifestyles, the mere fact that the congregation was open and supportive is incredibly positive news! I didn't think a large group of Catholics were capable of that kind of free thinking.*


*that reminds me of a running argument I used to have with one of the nuns who taught us in high school. Of course she supported Church dogma as handed down through the clergy while I felt that the human brain was a gift from God and that it was immoral for each human being with the capability of independent thought to fail to use it fully. I usually ended up being 'invited' to leave the classroom after one of these arguments!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 11:51pm

Ha, as I was reading your initial post I thought you were going to say, "My Pastor stood up and said, 'I can vouch for him, he gives one hell of a BJ.'"

Oh and I LOVE that the Pope feels that the Church has to reach out to the victims of pedophile priests. Gee, what a guy.
I am glad you feel welcomed by those people who claim to be Catholic in your neighborhood. The thought of attending myself, however, turns my stomach.

Updated On: 4/12/07 at 11:51 PM

[actor]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 11:53pm

Congratulations! I don't usually attend church because I'm afraid of the fact that I might be discriminated against for being gay. It's nice to know that progress is being made!