Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Catholics For Equality: Using the 'Catholic' name in vain.


Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy Broglio Says the homosexual advocacy group is not 'Catholic'.
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After receiving a letter from the group Catholics for Equality urging a change to the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, the Archbishop for Military Services responded, saying that the archdiocese's position is “clear.” The prelate added that the group “cannot be legitimately recognized as Catholic.”
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Catholics for Equality had requested a meeting with Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy Broglio, claiming he offered misleading and false arguments in his June 1 statement against allowing open homosexuals to serve in the U.S. military.
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The organization was founded by groups such as New Ways Ministry and Dignity USA with cooperation from the homosexual advocacy group Human Rights Committee (HRC). It aims to “support, educate, and mobilize equality-supporting Catholics to advance LGBT equality at federal, state, and local levels.”  It also charges the Catholic hierarchy with favoring discrimination and having an “anti-equality voice” that does not represent Catholics.
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In his Monday statement, Archbishop Broglio explained that according to canon law a group may call itself Catholic if it has been approved by a bishop or recognized by the Holy See in some manner. CNA
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Check out the credentials of anyone fundraising or claiming to speak for the Catholic Church.
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Catholics for Equality is not authorized nor is it approved.  Somehow I have been placed on their mail list, and have received emails from them.  Initially I thought it was an official group - obviously it is not.  I'm concerned this type of propaganda/marketing campaign is going to happen with greater frequency these days.
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This past weekend another rogue group calling itself the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform held a 'synod' in Minneapolis, claiming to be working in union with the local Catholic Church, as noted in their press release:
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Although CCCR currently works independently of the clerical leadership of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, it considers itself in union with Archbishop John Nienstedt and as working for church reform within the Catholic tradition. “The majority of coalition members are part of local parishes,” says co-chair Michael Bayly. “The dialogue we encourage and engage in is grounded in well-formed consciences – something our church values and expects.” - Wild Reed
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Not true.
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In a comment on Michael Bayly's blog, the error was promptly called out by Dennis McGrath, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis.
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Michael:   The fourth paragraph in your press release about tomorrow’s synod is absolutely untrue and was craftily phrased to give the impression that CCCR and this synod are “in union with Archbishop John Nienstedt.” That is, as you well know, patently untrue. CCCR is not “in union” with either the Archbishop nor the Archdiocese in any way, shape or form. That fact has been posted on our Archdiocesan web site since this past August and has been printed in the Catholic Spirit.
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From the claim that some of CCCR’s “members” are also members of individual parishes does not justify the giant leap to conclude that CCCR is “in union” with this Archdiocese or its parishes in any way. 
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The decent thing for you to do would be to issue a correction of this claim, but since I presume that’s unlikely, we would ask you, on behalf of Archbishop Nienstedt, to refrain from making this kind of false claim again. - Wild Reed comments
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Call your chancery if you have questions about any group, fundraising effort, no matter if the person be priest, religious, religious order or organization, or lay people claiming to be working for the Roman Catholic Church.

6 comments:

  1. Terry - I read the other comments at Wild Reed. I found this humorous and yet sad at the same time:

    How can CCCR's statement that they consider themsevles in union with the Archbishop and working within the Catholic tradition for reform be said to be "untrue"? If that's what they actually think then it's a true statement. Or is Mr. McGrath saying that the group doesn't really think this?

    The paragon of relativism.

    So because CCCR believes they are in union with the Archbishop, that automatically means it's true? Heck, Arians believed Jesus wasn't divine - but that didn't make it true.

    For some reason, I think the group Catholics for Equality has the potential to do more harm to American Catholics than any other irregular so-called Catholic group. I hope I'm wrong.

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  2. Martin Luther thought for a very long time that he was a Catholic in good standing. He didn't want to leave the Church. But ultimately the German princes and other noble potentates thought they would be better off economically not under the thumb of the Pope.

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  3. "If that's what they actually think then it's a true statement"

    It's called denial in A.A.

    Just one more drink, I mean it this time. I swear, I'll control it this time.

    All battles are won or lost, in the mind.

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  4. CNA didn't edit very well- HRC is Human Rights Campaign, not committee.

    But beyond that, why is the military archdiocese concerned with this issue? I won't even comment about where their energies could be better spent pastorally and prophetically.

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  5. The archbishop is concerned with this issue because he is the leader of the military archdioces and it is his job to instruct those under his pastoral care on issues of faith and morals, as well as to warn against so-called Catholic groups seeking to undermone Church teaching.

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  6. Well, I understand. However, he's been on this one for quite some time.

    I just don't get it. We have soldiers killing Afghans and collecting fingers as souvenirs and not a word from the archdiocese.

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