Two prominent LGBT Catholic organizations have issued releases about Pope John Paul II's death just days after the pontiff's passing.
The Rainbow Sash Movement's release ( at www.rainbowsashmovement.com ) reflected the conflicting feelings that many LGBT Catholics currently experience. The statement read in part as a testament to the laudable traits of the Pope's character: '... The Rainbow Sash Movement ( RSM ) cannot impeach [ the Pope's ] personal integrity, his single-minded dedication to what he perceived to be his duty, and his commitment to an almost mystical holiness of life.'
In addition, the release also commended many feats that the pontiff accomplished, whether by himself or with others.
In particular, the organization acknowledged John Paul's travels, his efforts to improve 'the Jewish/Catholic dialogue process' and even his role in the disintegration of the Soviet Empire.
However, the statement listed what the organization believed were the Pope's shortcomings, including decreasing attendance at Mass, higher divorce rates among Catholics, and—most devastating for those in Rainbow Sash and for many others—his failure to reach out to the LGBT community. Regarding the latter, RSM's statement was clear: 'There are many more things that can be said about Pope John Paul II, but what cannot be said of this Pope is that he reached out to the Gay and Lesbian Community. ... He believed in Universal Truths, [ and ] he could not allow those truths to be challenged in any way, especially by the reality of Gay and Lesbian lives. For many Gay and Lesbian Catholics we believe this moment in history is a bittersweet moment.'
The release concluded as RSM noted the passing as 'a lost opportunity of pastoral outreach from John Paul II' and included hope that his successor will try to reach out to LGBT Catholics.
DignityUSA, another LGBT Catholic group, issued a statement ( www.dignityusa.org ) that is similar to the RSM release, although its overall tone may come off as harsher. The leadership of DignityUSA praised the Pope for his efforts in inspiring unity but also censured him for his treatment of LGBT Catholics during his reign. In particular, DignityUSA mentioned the 1986 'Halloween letter' that resulted in the expulsion of DignityUSA chapters from Catholic properties, including churches and convents.
'While we join millions around the world in earnest prayer for the Pope's eternal salvation and the future of our Church, we remember that this papacy has used harsh and derogatory language such as 'objectively disordered and intrinsically evil' to describe [ GLBT ] people,' DignityUSA president Sam Sinnett opined. 'This Pope led the Church in teaching damaging misrepresentations about the health and holiness of our loving relationships—calling them part of an 'ideology of evil'—and about the raising of our children while covering up the real abuse of children and related abuse of power by some of John Paul II's brother bishops and priests.' DignityUSA's statement also discussed how the pontiff used his authority to support the denial of equal rights to the LGBT community.
Like RSM's statement, DignityUSA's release also expressed hope that the next pontiff will be more supportive of LGBT people and will attempt to bridge the gap between the Vatican and LGBT Catholics: 'It is time for Vatican leaders to move beyond the limited view many hold of GLBT people. In this regard, we believe they must fully inform their consciences as moral law requires by seeking to understand the spiritual lives of GLBT Catholics, by considering the ongoing works of theologians and social science researchers knowledgeable about GLBT issues and relationships, and by exploring the genuine Gospel call of Jesus Christ to love and inclusion.'
Other sites have noted John Paul's history of anti-gay actions. For example, GayNZ.com reported that, especially in his later years, the pontiff became almost obsessed with same-sex marriage, labeling it part of the 'ideology of evil' very recently. The Vatican launched a global campaign against it which began in 2003, and in the Pope's outline for the church's priorities for 2005, opposing same-sex marriage became a focal point. He also denounced the media for glamorizing homosexuality and not promoting 'traditional family life' enough. In 2000, the Pope called a gay pride parade in Rome an insult to Christianity. Then he urged Catholics to treat gays with respect.
According to CNN, the pontiff, who led the world's 1 billion Catholics for 26 years, died at 9:37 p.m. ( 1:37 p.m. CT ) in his private apartment at the Vatican April 2 at the age of 84. He suffered from Parkinson's disease, arthritis, and kidney malfunction due to a urinary tract infection.