The state of California, the city of San Francisco, and the Twelfth Congressional District of California are very upset with Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.
In spreading the tradition of the Catholic Church, the San Francisco archbishop is speaking at the National Organization for Marriage’s June 19 march. The teachings of that march, according to Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, are “venom masquerading as virtue.”
Apparently, Pelosi learned the fundamentals of virtue during her twenty-six years in Congress.
Indeed, the congresswoman asked in a letter to the archbishop, “If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?”
Last week, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee penned their own joint letter promoting “reconciliation rather than division and hatred.”
Why are these politicians, who parade themselves as loving moralists, practicing self-aggrandizement masquerading as tolerance?
It is simply not true that Archbishop Cordileone, nor the Catholic Church herself, teaches hatred. In fact, I hope to hear the archbishop officially trumpet the widespread love of Christ in his address at the Organization’s march. I'm sure he will.
For the Catholic Catechism explains that
To live out this teaching, every Catholic, gay or straight, must practice chastity. That means rejecting pornography, masturbation, premarital sex, and sodomy for a disciplined form of freedom aligned with Christ’s love.
Hopefully, Archbishop Cordileone informs every NOM attendant that everyone has a duty to be chaste, not just homosexuals. It’s a challenge for all, and we must accept gays and lesbians “with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”
Where is the venom in that, Nancy Pelosi?
Archbishop Cordileone carries the burden of preaching to those who hate him; he must ultimately preach to all the challenge of following Christ.
Our difficult choice is whether to listen or not. I know one thing: I’d rather listen to a 2,000-year old institution teaching love and acceptance than a few politicians seeking favor with their voting constituents.
