tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18822701.post8557508714671870305..comments2023-11-02T08:16:05.444-04:00Comments on A Cheeseburger and the Bathroom Key: The Pope Comes to AmericaVpOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432603409060053359noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18822701.post-81450750012466309282008-04-17T10:29:00.000-04:002008-04-17T10:29:00.000-04:00When the Pope visits Ground Zero, he will be greet...When the Pope visits Ground Zero, he will be greeted by a vigil honoring the late FDNY chaplain, Father Mychal Judge, the first official casualty of the 9/11 attacks. <BR/><BR/>Mychal was considered a living saint by many even prior to his heroic death. His extraordinary works of compassion have been compared to Mother Teresa (see <B>http://SaintMychalJudge.blogspot.com</B> ) <BR/><BR/>But ironically, Fr. Mychal Judge would be barred from the priesthood today because he was openly gay, though celibate. He often asked, <I>“Is there so much love in the world that we can afford to discriminate against any kind of love ?!”</I><BR/><BR/>We have no illusions that this pope is going to change. Rather, we are bearing witness to two truths -- that God created and loves gay people, and that the pope does not speak for the whole Church, the Ecclesia, on these matters.<BR/><BR/>Indeed, two-thirds of U.S. Catholics-in-the-pews reject the pope’s views and support either civil unions or full marriage rights, according to numerous surveys. As Fr. Mychal also said, <I>"Don't let the (institutional) church get in the way of your relationship with God."</I><BR/><BR/>Boston offers many local parishes which are GLBT friendly. Check out St. Cecilia's, St.Ignatius (Newton), the Franciscans and Paulists downtown, and others.Mychals Prayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02007558689850864312noreply@blogger.com