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| ASSOCIATION FOR THE RIGHTS OF CATHOLICS IN THE CHURCH
3150 Newgate November 24, 2005 The Vatican in its leaked document on homosexuality and the priesthood aimed at the wrong target, and consequently shot itself in the foot. This is a stereotypical move on the part of an institution that is in deep trouble with its own constituency: Distract the constituents, "attack the enemy" over there! The English-speaking Catholic world is seething over the ongoing clergy sex scandal (because the English common law system offers more of a window into institutional files when a crime is committed). What is roiling it most are the decades of systematic cover-up of pedophilia and other abuses by the bishops world-wide, with their secrecy and dictatorial arrogance - not whether some of its best priests are celibate homosexuals. The Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC) calls upon the leadership of the Church to treat all its members with equal respect in all matters, including candidacy for the priesthood. ARCC has affirmed already in its 1983 Charter of the Rights of Catholics in the Church the right of all Catholics to receive all the sacraments, regardless of gender, married status, or sexual orientation. It is not the candidates for the priesthood that the Vatican should be investigating, but the bishops and their non-accountable systemic manner of behavior. But that would be hard to do, for the response would be: Physician, heal thyself!
For further information contact:
Leonard Swidler, 215-477-1080, dialogue@temple.edu
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