The Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM) continues to call on Cardinal Francis George of Chicago to apologize to the Chicago Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender (GLBT) Community for his scandalous metaphor of comparing the gay liberation movement to the KKK. We believe the Cardinal harsh words undermine the Church's call of service to the young, the elderly, the poor, the marginalized and the disenfranchised.
His self-serving personal bias against the GLBT Community (Pride Parade) is a knee jerk reaction to his and the Catholic Conference of Illinois recent political loss regarding Civil Unions, and the closing down of Catholic Charities adoption agencies across Illinois for their promotion of discrimination against Gay Couples who wish to adopt.
Joe Murray the Executive Director of the Rainbow Sash Movement said "I would remind Cardinal George that there is no Catholic teaching to support selective fairness."
Murray further said "Even Archbishop Dolan current president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said in the aftermath of the passage of Gay Marriage in New York that he apologizes to the New York Gay Community. He is quoted in the National Catholic Reporter as saying "to the gay community, I love you very much." And felt compelled to apologize for statement that might of implied otherwise."
Cardinal George's comments equating the gay liberation movement with the KKK were scandalous and unacceptable to most reasonable Catholics. Certainly if Archbishop Dolan can apologize for his harmful comments during the Gay Marriage debate in New York, Cardinal George should do no less.
Cardinal George's stubborn refusal to apologize thus far not only forces us to obey our consciences in calling for an apology, but also his removal from office whether that be through resignation or promotion to a Vatican Office. The Cardinal's word seriously endangers the identity and unity of the Catholic Community in Chicago.
We seek reconciliation with the Cardinal, but the first step in that journey is for him to issue a clear apology for his scandalous remarks, and not to parse and analyze it with the gimlet eye of a canon lawyer.
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