Friday, November 14, 2008
GAY PRIEST'S SECRET RETREAT
A couple of weeks ago I blogged a Fox News story about Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson holding a secret retreat for 75 Catholic priests. A few more details have come to light.
According to an AP story at boston.com. Robinson admitted his participation in the retreat after screening a film about Robinson's life story which features his parents discussing having a son come out. According to the article:
The documentary was shown at Gilford's First United Methodist Church as part of the Open Doors Fellowship, which aims to make the church welcoming for gays and lesbians.
The film makes a link between sexism and anti-gay prejudice, contending that, "at its root, the hatred of gays is driven by a hatred and second-class status of women," Robinson said.
Robinson said he made a similar point in the priests' retreat.
"I had said to them, `It's too dangerous for you to come out as gay to your superiors, but I believe that if you work for the ordination of women in your church, you will go a long way toward opening the door for the acceptance of gay priests," Robinson said.
This appears to be a clear statement linking women's ordination to acceptance of homosexuality in the priesthood. Was this assumption taken up by the Catholic clergy in attendance? The implications of the statement for all of the newly forming "Catholic but not Roman Catholic" congregations that accept homosexuality and women priests is clear. The two movements are of one and the same composition--confusion over gender identity.
