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from Theological Issues
PFLAG Criticizes
Newly Elected Pope Benedict XVI
April 20, 2005 -
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) has expressed public concern
over the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new Pope of the Catholic
Church.
The gay advocacy group said that Ratzinger's election "does not present a
hopeful vision of the future or inspire optimism for affirming language,
policies or outreach."
PFLAG notes that it was Cardinal Ratzinger who authored the 2003 Vatican
document, Considerations Regarding Proposals To Give Legal Recognition To
Unions Between Homosexual Persons.
In it, the Cardinal noted that "No ideology can erase from the human spirit the
certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman, who by mutual
personal gift, proper and exclusive to themselves, tend toward the communion of
their persons. In this way, they mutually perfect each other, in order to
cooperate with God in the procreation and upbringing of new human lives."
PFLAG's Executive Director Jody Huckaby said, "Our PFLAG families have values of
love, respect and compassion--perhaps the most distinguishing thing about those
values is that they don't exclude anyone." Huckaby, a former Catholic, urged
gays to confront bigotry in the Catholic Church and other faith traditions.
Huckaby continued: "We cannot shy away from explaining how discrimination in
organized religions can tear families apart. The fight for GLBT equality must
include our willingness to challenge our religious leaders." He accused Catholic
leaders such as Cardinal Ratzinger with "vilifying" gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered people.
Updated: 8 February 2008
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