VATICAN HOMOPHOBIA / PATRIARCHAL ABUSE–PART 1

In our Catholic conversations, media commentary and future synodal dialogue it is crucial to be accurate in our use of the word “church”. It can mean a building or a patriarchal hierarchy clique or the People of God. Accordingly, when we discuss church teaching, we must specify whether the teaching is merely the limited opinion of a small group of clerics as distinct from the free consensus of wholesome women and men/People of God happily incarnate in the modern world and enlightened by science and family experience. The Vatican Decree not to bless same-sex unions is the opinion of a small group of clerics locked in loyalty to the warped teachings and outdated traditions of the Ancient Fathers. In 2015, the People of God in Ireland looked into their hearts of love, listened to modern science, and discerned the signs of the times. They voted for marriage equality and asserted their Christian belief that all of creation is good and that the Creator God of Love does indeed bless all loving unions and families in all their glorious variety. Similar consensus is emerging throughout the developed world. Tragically, the Roman clerics double down as always and refuse to listen and reform. History has shown that dictators and monarchs are very reluctant to share power.

The Papal Encyclical Humanae Vitae about artificial contraception in 1968 is another relevant example. It is only the teaching of a small but powerful group of clerics within the Roman Curia who persuaded Pope Paul V1 that Rome must never admit that clerical teachings can develop and change. This small group refused to accept the measured majority consensus of the Birth Control Commission established by Pope John XXIII in 1963. The clerical encyclical has not been accepted or received by the Catholic People of God worldwide. The clerics had doubled down and refused to share power. They did not listen and lost authority. They were locked into the clerical supremacism of being an elite corps with special knowledge and ability to represent God. Catholics worldwide have correctly walked away in their millions from clerical nonsense and intransigence. Those Catholics have not walked away from the Creator God, Lord Jesus Christ or Holy Spirit of Wisdom, Justice and Love. 

In all our Catholic conversations about teachings, we need to differentiate between core religion/faith formulations over against more peripheral matters which may vary and change in place and time. Clerics and adult Catholic believers are in full agreement on the core Good News of Jesus Christ. However, in the developed world, clerics and lay people may have quite different viewpoints on issues such as governance, women, contraception, divorce, and homosexuality etc. People are not in the mood today for any further collusion with cruel clerical denunciation especially in the light of clerical abuse worldwide, official cover-up and complete refusal thus far to deal with the systemic root causes as pinpointed by caring professionals and experts. Unfortunately, many clerics were on a “learning curve” and did not know that paedophilia was a crime as well as a sin. All the sad reports in recent decades have shamed us Catholics about our sheepish submission in the pews and cowed complicity with dictates from the pulpits.

“Who am I to judge”? This was a reply given a few years ago by Pope Francis when he famously sidestepped a query about Vatican homophobia. His Jesuitical response provided a glimmer of hope that the clerical teaching might be repealed in favour of more wholesome counsel. We had hopes that Pope Francis might be a strong pastoral priest rather than a loyal clerical club member helping to lay burdens. Our hopes have been dashed since he assented to the publication of the recent Vatican Decree not to bless same-sex unions. The clerical patriarchs are using outdated biblical interpretation and are trained to be deeply suspicious of modern science including best insights in regard to sexuality. Sadly, the injustice and abuse of enforced celibacy has deprived them of personal adult experience of marriage, family, and erotic love. Accordingly, it is difficult for them to read the signs of the times. Meanwhile, we are extremely concerned that the cruel clerical teaching on LGBTQ+ love and union has damaging and disastrous consequences for them and their families worldwide. The weapon words of “intrinsic disorder” etc. are available for homophobic assault despite the duplicitous blather and pious talk about respect and welcome for LGBTQ+ persons. When will those weapon words be removed from the clerical Catechism? It is true that the developed world has listened to psychology and science and has advanced from Old Testament times towards decriminalisation, new understanding, respect, and marriage equality. However, even in our developed world, the trolls, bullies, and ignorant homophobes continue to use the clerical words as holy cover to persecute LGBTQ+ persons.

Can we as practising Catholics continue to be complicit in this ongoing abuse and collude in clerical obscurantism? Sadly, the heavily programmed patriarchs have refused to heed our cries for reform and seem unable to respond to our warm invitation to them to walk joyfully with us women and men in the good news, freedom, and equality of the 21st century.

To be continued - Part 2 later.

Joe Mulvaney,

Dundrum, Co. Dublin