Monday, September 8, 2008

First Gay Saint?

According to a Catholic News Service report, John Cardinal Newman is nearing beatification. Cardinal Newman had had a 30 year friendship with Father Ambrose St. John with whom he lived and is now buried in the same grave, but in a separate coffin in England. The Vatican has plans and has received permission from England to exhume his body and transfer it to the Vatican.

Peter Tatchell, a spokesman for Outrage, reminded all involved that it was Cardinal Newman's express wish to remain in England with his friend. Tatchell contends that Newman probably had a celibate gay relationship and that separating these two companians is comparable to desecration. Whether Newman was gay or not, certain Vatican officials are disturbed by the very thought. They are responding with such words as "rubbish," "horrendous," "nonsense," etc. There is a homophobia implied in all these responses that cannot imagine that any candidate for sainthood could gay. These officials needs a reality check. Using simple statistical analysis, it becomes obvious that there must be plenty of gay and lesbian saints.

A Faithful Catholic

7 comments:

Mark said...

I am somewhat amazed at the Church's position on Newman. He has always been a great hero to me. In a book entitled "Oxford Appostles" a descendant of one of its leaders (can't remember his name now)suggests very indirectly that several of its leaders may have been gay. Not using that word, of course. I posted my feelings on a Catholic blog and they refuse to run it.I said Newman was a great man in many ways. The Church's sensitivity on this point of Newman's sexual orientation is very sick to me. My heavens, are we now in the stage of evaluating every person on their sexual thoughts?!!! Jack

Mark said...

Book I refered to written by Faber, grandson of Fredick Faber. Published 1933. Jack

Mark said...

Make that "relative" of Frederick Faber, nephew or something. Probably not grandson because Fred. Faber became catholic priest later in life. Jack

Dad29 said...

Umnnnhhh...

Whether Newman was gay or not is irrelevant to sainthood.

It's whether he (to be colloquial) kept it in his pants.

Happy to know you admired him. Too bad he didn't advocate gay "maarriage," eh?

Finally, it IS possible to have same-sex friends without SSAD.

Mark said...

dad, what in the hell is SSAD? Jack

CatholicSoldier said...

Same Sex Attraction Disorder

Mark said...

catholic soldier, thank you for definition. Jack