I am writing this letter in response demonstration outside Holy Name Cathedral Feb. 14 at 10:30 a.m. Curiosity, more than anything else, motivated me to both go to Holy Name to see the demonstration sponsored by the Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ) , and attended the 11 a.m. liturgy.
What was the purpose of this demonstration? Was the purpose to engage in dialogue and not make people uncomfortable? Or was it something else? GLN co-founder Andy Thayer said, "Our goal here today is to pull Cardinal George and the Catholic leadership out of the closet for their anti-gay bigotry. You don't see the Catholic leadership out on the frontlines opposing our equal rights. What is happening, though, is that they're quietly and effectively lobbying legislators against equal rights for gay people. We want to make everyone aware of that because it's not right,"
Some have suggested such as Nora Doherty, a young Catholic attorney—and mother of two—who has been very active in pro-life demonstrations outside abortion clinics that some of demonstrators were not very polite, and that she witnessed anger. Even from our own community Brother Michael Oboza, an orthodox Catholic monk and founder of Straight and Gay Alliance Ministry, said, "If we want to be equal and be treated with respect, if we're yelling at people without any real dialogue, then we're not really respecting them."
Both responses seem to indicate a naïve understanding of the situation. Doherty appears not to recognize the double standard she is promoting when she ignores the nature of her demonstrations in front of abortion clinics, and Oboza, while well-intentioned, has totally missed the purpose of the demonstration and its overall peaceful nature given the circumstances. On the contrary, the deeper question for both of these individuals should be, "Is the gospel message of justice relevant in our world today?"
While attending the 11 a.m. liturgy I could hear the chanting outside of the cathedral and saw the response from my fellow parishioners. Clearly this had an educational affect on the many within the cathedral. I might add it had the same affect on those individuals leaving the 9:30 a.m. Mass. As a gay Catholic I saw the demonstration as balanced given the nature of Cardinal George's attacks on our community. Calling for dialogue and making people uncomfortable are not mutually exclusive, as some may indicate.
My only regret was that that it was not Catholic social-justice organizations instead of GLN outside the cathedral Valentine's Day giving voice to the voiceless within the Church, and proclaiming that "every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ and, therefore, is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family."
I would like to take this opportunity to publically thank GLN for doing what we could not do.
The Rainbow Sash Movement has video of the demonstration at www.rainbowsashmovement.com, and it is also posted on YouTube.
Sincerely,
Joe Murray
Executive Director
Rainbow Sash Movement
Demonstration a success
Dear Editor:
Gay Liberation Network's Freedom to Marry Day demonstration at Holy Name Cathedral Feb. 14 was a huge success. I know because I was one of the participants. There were well over one hundred of us in what I believe to be the largest, pro-gay demonstration ever in front of Holy Name. It was a spirited, in-your-face protest against the church and its laity with visuals, i.e., placards, banners and signs as well as chants ( "Holy Name, Holy Shame!" and "Homophobia is a sin!" ) , affirming our rights and pointing the finger at the laity for its compliance with hateful Catholic dogma.
Over 150 flyers were put into the hands of parishioners either on their way into church or on their way out explaining how, in so many words, "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." To be sure, as it was stated in our flyers, it is the laity, through its weekly tithe, that contributes important financial support to the Catholic Church. Far from being docile sheep at the whim of the papacy or Cardinal George, the Catholic laity is an important voting block that exerts powerful influence on what church leaders say and defeats pro-gay legislation, including gay-marriage laws in California and Maine. The Knights of Columbus is a perfect example of a powerful grassroots Catholic group having little do to with church hierarchy that has contributed millions of dollars to quash our civil rights.
I say "Right on!" to the activists who were out there on a cold Valentine's Day taunting the real movers and shakers of Catholic demagoguery and hate.
Craig Teichen
Chicago
