Apr 22, 2006

Gumbleton and VOTF

Jan 6,2003
I never did get a reply from RomeoMarquis nor from an 'official spokesperson' about the use of 'diocese' in their name. I guess they just ignore questions they can't or don't want to answer. I did notice this on their website tonight which I believe is a new addition. Anyone care to interpret?

VOTF is a voluntary association of concerned Catholics with chapters in many places and a national office in Newton, Massachusetts. Worcester Diocese VOTF is affiliated with the national office and makes its own the mission statement and purposes of VOTF available on its website. It is called diocesan because it welcomes Catholics who live within the diocese of Worcester and it devotes particular attention to questions of diocesan policy while supporting and assisting parish chapters of the VOTFwithin the Worcester diocese. It has no canonical status. The national office is considering available options for lay organizations within canon law but at this moment VOTF remains a non-canonical voluntary association.

Comment (1)
Sounds like they are following the letter of canon law with this small print disclaimer. It may actually be a sign that they are at least concerned about the appearance of flouting the Church, or a sign that they are exercising marketing savvy. We can point out to people that while they use the name of the Worcester Diocese, the small print tells the truth that they have no status as part of the Diocese. When you emphasize "read the fine print", most people will see this as the manipulation it is.

The VOTF/Worcester web site quotes Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton as urging Bishops to start thinking about "reform". This is the same Bishop Gumbleton who in the September 30 issue of the Jesuits' magazine America, defended ordaining gay priests. Bishop Gumbleton spoke at New Ways Ministry's National Symposium Conference held in Louisville, KY on March 8 -10, and quoted the questionable Pastoral Letter, "Always our Children" and defended homosexual activity as long as one followed their conscience. Bishop Gumbleton forgot to mention that only the bishops on the committ ee that wrote the letter, not the entire bishop's Conference, endorsed this letter. Nor did he mention that the Vatican recalled the document.

Gumbleton also said that because the Catechism (2357) says that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered", then he incorrectly interprete this to mean we are all evil and unworthy of Christ - leaving the impression the Catechism and Scripture are wrong. He went on to say, "Somewhat surprisingly, they (homosexuals) make love more humanely, largely because they are better able empathetically to feel what their partner is feeling." In response to a question from the audience concerning when the church will accept homosexual "marriage' Bishop Gumbleton answered, "My hope is within 2 years."

And yet they claim they have no agenda.
Jay G.

No comments :