Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Catholic Pastor Aapplauded Ffor Shunning Anti-Equality Marriage Drive


A couple of weeks back, I posted about the Reverend Michael Ryan, of the St. James Cathedral in Seattle, who announced that he would not circulate petitions inside his parish for the campaign to repeal Washington's same-sex marriage law. [see post HERE]
That was kind of big news, a minister standing up to the all-mighty, all-knowing, all-powerful....I kid....Catholic Church, but then it happened again.
The Reverend Tim Clark, of Seattle's Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, was the recipient of a standing ovation from his congregation when he announced that his parish would also not gather signatures for that anti-marriage equality referendum.
Clark's parish is now the sixth one in Seattle to opt out of the petition drive for Referendum 74. 
Reverend Tim Clark:

“I am happy to report that Our Lady of the Lake parishioners have been overwhelmingly and, thus far, unanimously supportive of the decision I made NOT to gather signatures in support of this Referendum. The standing ovation experienced during one of the Masses says less about me and much more about the health of this parish.  I only wished the archbishop could have experienced the sustained applause--the ‘sensus fidelium’--of the people.  He needs to listen to this ‘voice.’ That is my prayer.”
Other parishes to stand up to the Archbishop, and the Church, are St. James Cathedral, St. Joseph Church, St. Mary’s Church, St. Patrick Church and Christ Our Hope Catholic Church.
Now, Clark isn't exactly coming down on the side of marriage equality, he is simply refusing to inject his religious message with a political one; as it should be. He will, however, place Archbishop Sartain's letter that asked the Catholic faithful in Western Washington to support Referendum 74 into a parish bulletin next week, .
But, Clark stated in his announcement: 
“When I first read the archbishop’s letter I was troubled by the content and his intentions. In conscience, I could not allow signatures to be gathered, to allow the faith to be politicized in this way....What troubles me is the message this whole approach sends which I find discriminatory and insensitive.  To follow through with his wishes would be hurtful, divisive and a countersign to what we are trying to foster in this Catholic community in Wedgwood. I deeply believe, and say this with boldness, that this approach is not in the mind of Christ.”
And, Clark added, he appreciates that Archbishop Sartain left the decision whether or not to gather signatures to the discretion of pastoral leaders. But you can just bet the Archbishop isn't too happy about his requests being denied.
Still, as a non-religious, yet spiritual man, I can, and do, appreciate Father Clark's desire to keep the politics out of hos religion, and his religion out of politics.
As it should be.

3 comments:

  1. So far, I have not seen either of the petitions - which means they are traveling through the evangelical churches, like they did with Ref 71 (which they lost in the election).
    That, in and of itself, seems to be an anti-democratic way of attempting to *listen* to the people of WA.

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  2. He stood for something

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  3. Every now and then there is a brave man (or woman) who takes a stand on principal. Bravo for Rev. Tim Clark. He is a rarity in today's risk adverse world.

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