In an institution more commonly known for repressive members, sex scandals and the commonly used and misunderstood word "dogma" (ode to Kevin Smith), love and acceptance seem like a far cry from the norm. And for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, under the direction of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, they seem to be headed in that direction. That is, if you're gay.
In it's own archaic way, the church closes it's doors to you, and the old message of love now strongly resembles hatred, discrimination and intolerance. You know, the bad stuff in life. At least that's the homophobic message one gets from the bishop.
According to The Arizona Republic, Olmsted asked several Valley priests to take their names off a statement of gay acceptance, the No Longer Silent Phoenix Declaration.
The declaration claims that, "The verdict is in. Homosexuality is not a sickness, not a choice and not a sin. We affirm that GLBT persons are distinctive, holy and precious gifts to all who struggle to become the family of God."
And so the declaration in itself is a strong statement of acceptance, demonstrating the ability of local clergy to look beyond simple surface level interpretations to mix theology with much deserved and needed civil rights for a group all too often discriminated against.
As the declaration goes on to say, "We stand with the countless Christian ministers, scholars and laity who, from prayerful study of the scriptures and Christian tradition, find no rational biblical or theological basis to condemn or deny the rights of any person based on sexual orientation." Amen to that.
More than just an issue of whether you simply agree or disagree with the gay lifestyle, it's a matter of acceptance in a community of God.
The Catholic priests who have signed the declaration should be applauded for taking such a step forward, truly acting as leaders in their community. And yet they're not.
Funny, coming at a time when the Valley's own Catholics still suffer from the revelation of corruption, like wounds not yet scabbed over. At a time when the sentencing of Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien still lies in people's minds reminding us all of the church's imperfections and last summer's incidents, this step backwards is absolutely perfect.
While the now-infamous former Bishop O'Brien cowers under the microscope as a flaw in the church, his past includes chairing the committee that created "Always Our Children: A Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministers."
The pastoral message it proclaimed advocated acceptance of homosexuality and stressed the importance of family support. It claimed, "The Christian community should offer its homosexual sisters and brothers understanding and pastoral care."
With such a great start on acceptance, the Roman Catholic Church doesn't need to be one in which stereotypes portray it as cold and hardhearted.
Rosie Cisneros is a journalism sophomore. Reach her at rosie.cisneros@asu.edu.