gay, catholic
As an openly gay Catholic in a 10-year
partnership that has outlasted the marriages of many of my
straight BC classmates, my heart skipped a beat when I saw
the title of David Morrison's article, "Catholic
and Gay: Thoughts on the Essential Nature of Love" (Summer
2003). Finally, I thought, BC's magazine has published
a fair piece on gay Catholics in long-term, loving, same-sex
relationships. I was very disappointed.
Although I respect Mr. Morrison's
freedom to choose a celibate life with his partner, I dispute
viscerally his assertion that homosexual sex is not "objectively
loving," and I take offense at his apologia for a Catholic
Church that continues to demonize gay Catholics as "intrinsically
evil" despite overwhelming evidence that homosexuality
is a genetic and morally neutral reality. Of course, Mr. Morrison
can believe what he wants, but I resent that you provided
such a prominent platform for his extremist viewpoints without
so much as one word of rebuttal from a gay Catholic who has
not so completely internalized the Church's toxic anti-gay
dogma. We, your readers and gay alumni, do not deserve such
disrespect.
If Boston College is serious about leading
the Church into the 21st century, then lead
by example; stop distorting our lives, get to know us, and
facilitate an authentic reconciliation between the Catholic
Church and the gay and lesbian family members that it has rejected.
Anthony E. Varona '89, JD
'92
White Plains, New York
As one who participated in the April
28 Boston College discussion on "homosexuality in the
Catholic context," I want to share my disappointment
in your decision to print only David Morrison's view
of the discussion. Certainly it is unfortunate that Andrew
Sullivan "declined to allow his remarks to be published."
But surely you recognized that the issue deserved an airing
of the full range of opinions.
I wish to commend to readers a talk available
on the Internet by Fr. James Alison, a self-described "unpartnered
gay priest," given at St. Anne's Church in London
on August 3, 2003: "Yes, But Is It True?"
Fr. Alison notes the absolutism of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's July 31,
2003, release "Considerations regarding proposals to
give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons."
He invites us to wonder why no such absolutist statement was
issued in the 1930s regarding grave Nazi moral evil in perpetrating
the Holocaust. He points out how curious it is that the Vatican
authors make statements like "experience has shown…"
but then provide no example, no footnote, and no citation
of any study showing that entrusting infants to the care of
same-sex partners has any deleterious effect on their upbringing.
Is it true? Where is the evidence?
Alison ends his statement saying, "I
beg you not to yield to the temptation of being provoked,
not to allow yourselves to be fascinated by the violence of
the language in the recent document, not to indulge in the
easy critique of the Vatican which our culture and our press
offer us, but instead to keep raising this little question:
Yes, but is it true?
"The only issue at stake for the
Church in discussions of gay and lesbian anything is the issue
of truth."
James Michael Hayes '71
Boston, Massachusetts
Fr. James Alison spoke at Boston College
on the night of November 18. Plans are in place to make the
event available for viewing at frontrow.bc.edu.
art appreciation
I was moved by the thoughtful article
on being Catholic by Alice McDermott ("The Lunatic in
the Pew," Summer 2003). As someone who has long contemplated
the issues of God and Church in modern life, who makes art
and teaches its creation, and who is as well the mother of
three interested youngsters, I appreciate the complexity and
frankness of McDermott's contemplations.
Lydia Panas '80
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
direct quote
I want to draw your attention to the
fact that my words
were not properly quoted in "Culture Klatch,"
by Richard Higgins (Linden Lane, Summer 2003). All I said
was that in Islam there is no concept of separation between
religion and the state since the state would derive its legislation
from Qur'an and Sunnah; likewise there is no "separation
between church and state" as understood in the Western
context.
Sadia Mahmood
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
talbot recalled
The recent passing of Felix Talbot, SJ,
has evoked reflection on the wonders of receiving a Jesuit
education. During the apathetic 1970s, I took Fr. Talbot's
theology course, "The Nature, Dignity, and Destiny of
Man." Preoccupied with other things, it wasn't
until about 20 years later that I appreciated the subject.
God bless you, Fr. Talbot, as you reach your destiny.
Joe Cordo '79
Sudbury, Massachusetts
yawkey considered
Having read Howard Bryant's Shut
Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston (2002), I'm
a troubled native New Englander. The Red Sox's sorry
record as the last team to integrate closely follows that
of its home city. The role of former Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey
in this record must not be dismissed, for his legacy on race
and integration reflects poorly on both the team and its city.
The $15 million donation that the Yawkey
Foundation is making for a new athletic facility at Boston
College must not lead to silence on the part of the University
about Yawkey's legacy. Anything less than a full commitment
to address historic and ongoing racial discrimination will
lead to a diminished stature for the University.
Bill Vandenberg '91
Denver, Colorado
it's progress
Re "World-wise," by Charles
Derber (Linden Lane, Spring 2003): The free exchange of goods,
services, people, and ideas (globalization, if you want to
call it that) is what brought us to where we are today, in
terms of material progress and intellectual advancement. Few
isolationist tribes run their own universities. The North
Koreans have largely been spared the "horrors"
of globalization, and, boy, must they be happy about it!
Without "exploitative" specialization,
Professor Derber would be busy hunting dinner, growing breakfast,
and worrying about surviving the night.
Patrick Franke '95
Frankfurt, Germany
author's query
In 1913, Boston College alumnus T.J.
Hurley (Class of 1885) wrote what became the University's
fight song, "For Boston." Nearly a century later,
much information has been lost on Hurley's life and
compositions.
Readers with any period documentation
about Hurley or his works (letters, programs, newspaper clippings,
etc.), please contact me at m.bellico.1@bc.edu.
Matthew Bellico '98
Brighton, Massachusetts
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