I just wanted to use today's blog entry to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. This past year has been an amazing one in so many ways for me and I'm looking forward to an even better year ahead. Most of all I pray that 2009 will be a year in which each of us prospers and finds success in our endeavors, encounters hope and peace deep within and enjoys the gift of this crazy/beautiful life we've been given.
Happy New Year and see you back here in 2009!
Much love and peace,
Padre Chuck
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Lieutenant Nun
For today's entry I'd like to offer an example from history of how notions of what it means to be male and female have not always been as clear cut as the current Pope seems to believe.
The story, from the colonial period of Latin American History, relates the life and adventures of Catalina de Erauso, a Basque woman and member of the nobility from San Sebastian in the north of Spain. Although received as a nun in a Spanish convent, Catalina eventually broke away and lived for nearly twenty years as a man, fighting in the Spanish army and even killing her own brother in a duel. As the following scholarly article also shows, for a number of reasons she even received permission from the Pope to continue living as a man: The Lieutenant Nun.
Although there is much that could be said about the case of Catalina de Erauso, I'll just offer one primary thought for now. In essence, I think Catalina's story as well as those of the women and men I've blogged about recently call into serious question the position of the current Pope and others who think that the exact nature of masculinity and femininity is somehow self-evident in nature.
This position is problematic precisely because it is not borne out in human experience, either in our own generation or in history. Rather, it is far clearer that nature is something more of a spectrum - a rainbow, even. Many people feel primarily attracted to persons of the opposite sex and conform to expectations about those attractions. However, a significant minority - roughly between 5 and 10% of the population of the human community - simply do not experience the world in this way. They're not wrong, evil, sick, twisted, disordered, or deceived. They're simply different - neither better nor worse - just different.
Now, one of the concerns the Pope and others have is that the institution of the family is currently threatened in Western societies and cultures. This I can understand in many ways. The Pope is also concerned that letting everyone construct their own morality is dangerous. This also I can sympathize with. What I do find sad and tragic is that by attempting to pretend that there's absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever in nature and the human person, the Pope actually harms his own position. In wanting to shore up traditional values of love, solidarity and compassion, the Pope actually decreases his chances of success by refusing to enter into dialogue with his contemporaries - those who are doing their best to wrap their minds around what we all know is a messy, often ambiguous world. As a result, these same contemporaries are scandalized by what looks like an anti-intellectual retreat from reality and therefore feel that much more strongly reinforced in their belief that absolutely everything in life is constructed and relative and that there are no universal values to speak of. In other words, the Pope's hard line position only feeds secular philosophies that deny the relevance of religion and faith and thereby makes it that much harder for those of us who try to find common ground between faith and reason to retain any credibility or viability in our positions.
I've written too much here but the basic problem comes down to this: People acknowledging who they are and coming to peace with that is not the cause of our problems. We face challenging problems of ethics, human rights and global solidarity and action needs to be taken. However, what is not helpful is removing ourselves from the dialogue, burying our heads in the sand and pretending that life, nature and creation can be fit into neat and tidy categories. Instead, we need a spirit of compassion and courage that will help us all to enter into respectful dialogue with each other and work together to make our world a place more worthy of our dignity as God's beloved children.
With prayers of peace,
P. Chuck
The story, from the colonial period of Latin American History, relates the life and adventures of Catalina de Erauso, a Basque woman and member of the nobility from San Sebastian in the north of Spain. Although received as a nun in a Spanish convent, Catalina eventually broke away and lived for nearly twenty years as a man, fighting in the Spanish army and even killing her own brother in a duel. As the following scholarly article also shows, for a number of reasons she even received permission from the Pope to continue living as a man: The Lieutenant Nun.
Although there is much that could be said about the case of Catalina de Erauso, I'll just offer one primary thought for now. In essence, I think Catalina's story as well as those of the women and men I've blogged about recently call into serious question the position of the current Pope and others who think that the exact nature of masculinity and femininity is somehow self-evident in nature.
This position is problematic precisely because it is not borne out in human experience, either in our own generation or in history. Rather, it is far clearer that nature is something more of a spectrum - a rainbow, even. Many people feel primarily attracted to persons of the opposite sex and conform to expectations about those attractions. However, a significant minority - roughly between 5 and 10% of the population of the human community - simply do not experience the world in this way. They're not wrong, evil, sick, twisted, disordered, or deceived. They're simply different - neither better nor worse - just different.
Now, one of the concerns the Pope and others have is that the institution of the family is currently threatened in Western societies and cultures. This I can understand in many ways. The Pope is also concerned that letting everyone construct their own morality is dangerous. This also I can sympathize with. What I do find sad and tragic is that by attempting to pretend that there's absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever in nature and the human person, the Pope actually harms his own position. In wanting to shore up traditional values of love, solidarity and compassion, the Pope actually decreases his chances of success by refusing to enter into dialogue with his contemporaries - those who are doing their best to wrap their minds around what we all know is a messy, often ambiguous world. As a result, these same contemporaries are scandalized by what looks like an anti-intellectual retreat from reality and therefore feel that much more strongly reinforced in their belief that absolutely everything in life is constructed and relative and that there are no universal values to speak of. In other words, the Pope's hard line position only feeds secular philosophies that deny the relevance of religion and faith and thereby makes it that much harder for those of us who try to find common ground between faith and reason to retain any credibility or viability in our positions.
I've written too much here but the basic problem comes down to this: People acknowledging who they are and coming to peace with that is not the cause of our problems. We face challenging problems of ethics, human rights and global solidarity and action needs to be taken. However, what is not helpful is removing ourselves from the dialogue, burying our heads in the sand and pretending that life, nature and creation can be fit into neat and tidy categories. Instead, we need a spirit of compassion and courage that will help us all to enter into respectful dialogue with each other and work together to make our world a place more worthy of our dignity as God's beloved children.
With prayers of peace,
P. Chuck
Monday, December 29, 2008
With the Spirit of the Lord There is Freedom
Continuing with the series of real-life examples I'd like to offer in response to the recent misguided statements by the Pope on the topic of homosexuality, I would like to share this video today from the Christian duo Jason and deMarco. I've shared before on my blog about J & D and just think in general that they're an amazing witness of God's love. As a loving same-sex couple they've found a way to be true to themselves and also serve God in a ministry that's making a difference in the lives of so many people who listen to and are inspired by their music.
This video, "With the Spirit of the Lord There is Freedom," is appropriate not only for the exuberance and joy it exudes but also for the important message it conveys. Although there is always a need for discipline and community discernment within the broader church, there is also a need to let the Spirit move and liberate those who are downtrodden. In the case of LGBT people of faith, there is a growing recognition on the part of many people of conscience for the need to allow the Spirit to move in our lives and free us from entrapment within overly strict categories of what it means to be either male or female.
Something of an awareness of this reality is what we need today in the church - among the community of believers. We need to let the Spirit move, allowing God to liberate LGBT people from religious oppression and helping them find meaningful lives of hope, service to God and community and loving lifetime commitments together.
Come, Holy Spirit, open our hearts, free us from the shackles that deny us our dignity as children of God and lead us forth into your authentic freedom and peace.
Padre Chuck
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Singing With Our Own Voices
This beautiful American folk song, "Shenandoah" provides an ideal vehicle for the vocal talents of David Daniels, an operatic countertenor. Daniels and other men who sing in what is more typically the female vocal range have the power to create uniquely beautiful tones - sounds that soothe and heal, comfort and encourage.
Although singing outside the normative masculine range probably wouldn't conform with what the Pope and others think of as a properly masculine thing to do*, Daniels and other singers like him show with their lives what a beautiful thing it is to sing - whether literally or metaphorically - with the voice God gave us.
With hope in the God who loves us and transcends our narrow fears,
Padre Chuck
*Ironically, the papacy has traditionally been a supporter of the fine arts, including vocal music in which men sing outside of the current Pope's implied notions of a properly masculine range.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Closer to Fine
I thought for the next few days I'd share some examples of how LGBT people have long ago shaken the dust off their feet and left behind prejudices directed against them and started reclaiming their God-given rights to dignity, respect and love.
Today's musical example comes from the pop and folk due the Indigo Girls - Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Both of these women are proud to be who they are as lesbians and have been inspiring countless young people and working for social justice for decades now. No doubt they fail to comply with how the Pope and others think all women "should" be, but in their honest sharing of who they are they show that God, creation and life itself are all much bigger than the narrow categories we sometimes try to impose on them.
Thanks, Amy and Emily, for your awesome music and for showing us how beautiful it is to be who you are.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Thursday, December 25, 2008
A Prayer of Freedom and Hope
Today is Christmas - a day to celebrate and to rejoice at the birth of Christ. A time to remember that God's compassion and mercy are boundless and that we are ever surrounded and supported by this loving presence.
On a personal note, as I celebrate Christmas this year I do so both with gratitude for my faith and all God's many blessings in my life but also with a crushing and profound sadness I am still trying to put behind me. The Pope's statement from this past Monday, which compared the presence of homosexuals in the human community to the destruction of the rain forest was and is stunningly hurtful and unspeakably cruel. I don't know if there's even a way to begin to describe how profoundly betrayed and systematically violated I feel. LGBT people already experience so much suffering and marginalization in society and the church, so why the Pope felt it was necessary to say what he did is simply incomprehensible. Further, when there are so many true injustices and authentic threats to human dignity perpetuated each day, why we keep wasting our time trying to shoe-horn people into preordained thought categories is truly beyond me.
Still, despite the darkness, there is light that shines today and the darkness has not overcome it. I, for one, refuse to consign myself to being a victim. I will not allow what the Pope said to overcome me. I will reaffirm my dignity. I will walk with my head held high. I will accept the gift of loving and being loved. I will worship and praise God in a community that welcomes me as I am and preserves all the essential elements of the Christian faith. I will walk in faith and freedom, I will live in hope and I will not be overcome.
In that spirit, here is a prayer I'd like to share today, originally from the South Bay Queer and Asian group here in California, which I've modified for today's entry:
"A Prayer of Freedom and Hope"
I bless my anger. It tells me I am alive.
I bless my sadness. It reminds me I am real.
I bless my confusion. Out of it comes clarity.
I bless my tears. They heal me.
No matter what the Pope said today,
First thing tomorrow, I will speak for myself.
Even if I decided against myself as child,
And thought I could never be happy,
I will begin reversing the old judgments
I harbor against myself,
I claim the power to judge for myself,
in every area of my own life.
No misguided abuses of power will keep me
From satisfying relationships.
I reach out and my needs are met.
In meditation and prayer, I find serenity.
I am more than a person being discriminated against.
I survive and persevere.
I am a being of light and love.
I am a soul - yearning, expansive, timeless.
I am free.
Amen
With wishes for peace on Christmas and always,
Padre Chuck
On a personal note, as I celebrate Christmas this year I do so both with gratitude for my faith and all God's many blessings in my life but also with a crushing and profound sadness I am still trying to put behind me. The Pope's statement from this past Monday, which compared the presence of homosexuals in the human community to the destruction of the rain forest was and is stunningly hurtful and unspeakably cruel. I don't know if there's even a way to begin to describe how profoundly betrayed and systematically violated I feel. LGBT people already experience so much suffering and marginalization in society and the church, so why the Pope felt it was necessary to say what he did is simply incomprehensible. Further, when there are so many true injustices and authentic threats to human dignity perpetuated each day, why we keep wasting our time trying to shoe-horn people into preordained thought categories is truly beyond me.
Still, despite the darkness, there is light that shines today and the darkness has not overcome it. I, for one, refuse to consign myself to being a victim. I will not allow what the Pope said to overcome me. I will reaffirm my dignity. I will walk with my head held high. I will accept the gift of loving and being loved. I will worship and praise God in a community that welcomes me as I am and preserves all the essential elements of the Christian faith. I will walk in faith and freedom, I will live in hope and I will not be overcome.
In that spirit, here is a prayer I'd like to share today, originally from the South Bay Queer and Asian group here in California, which I've modified for today's entry:
"A Prayer of Freedom and Hope"
I bless my anger. It tells me I am alive.
I bless my sadness. It reminds me I am real.
I bless my confusion. Out of it comes clarity.
I bless my tears. They heal me.
No matter what the Pope said today,
First thing tomorrow, I will speak for myself.
Even if I decided against myself as child,
And thought I could never be happy,
I will begin reversing the old judgments
I harbor against myself,
I claim the power to judge for myself,
in every area of my own life.
No misguided abuses of power will keep me
From satisfying relationships.
I reach out and my needs are met.
In meditation and prayer, I find serenity.
I am more than a person being discriminated against.
I survive and persevere.
I am a being of light and love.
I am a soul - yearning, expansive, timeless.
I am free.
Amen
With wishes for peace on Christmas and always,
Padre Chuck
Monday, December 22, 2008
Now is the Time
In today's post I will reply to a recent statement by Pope Benedict XVI. In his comments, Benedict compares saving humanity from homosexuality to saving the rain forests, arguing that homosexuals are a threat to the survival of the human person.
Of course the timing of this pronouncement is particularly cruel and heartless, released as it was in the days before Christmas, but I will not touch on that aspect. What must be said above all is that the Pope actually has honed in on the essence of the issue quite precisely. He, as a theologian, knows that responsible scholarship of the Bible demonstrates that there is simply no condemnation in Scripture of loving same-sex partnerships. For that reason, the only remaining support for the Catholic Church's current opposition to same-sex unions is what the Pope and other bishops have cited as church tradition.
Now, this is the essence of the question. This is the crucial point. What the Pope is saying is that God created humanity as fundamentally either male or female. According to this view, all women are female and all men are male - there is no ambiguity, there are no exceptions, and what it means to be male or female is unfailingly self-evident. Further, this view implies that to acknowledge that some people do not conform fully to expectations of what it means to be male or female is the equivalent of rebelling against God and creation. Here is what the pope actually says:
“[The Church] must defend not only the earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to all...It must also defend the human person against its own destruction. What’s needed is something like a ‘human ecology,’ understood in the right sense. It’s not simply an outdated metaphysics if the church speaks of the nature of the human person as man and woman, and asks that this order of creation be respected.”
“Here it’s a question of faith in creation, in listening to the language of creation, disregard of which would mean self-destruction of the human person and hence destruction of the very work of God...That which is often expressed and understood by the term ‘gender’ in the end amounts to the self-emancipation of the human person from creation and from the Creator. Human beings want to do everything by themselves, and to control exclusively everything that regards them. But in this way, the human person lives against the truth, against the Creator Spirit.”
Now, on the surface of it this seems like a strong argument. In truth, who would want to rebel against God? It would seem that if God created us as men and women then that's how we as human beings should be - men should be men and women should be women. However, the problem with this logic and the essence of the matter comes when the Pope reminds us that, "Human beings want to do everything by themselves, and to control exclusively everything that regards them."
In many ways this is patently the case. From the earliest creation stories (including the story of Adam and Eve) found in all human cultures, there is a received wisdom and consensus passed down to us from our ancestors, which reminds us not to try and control things too much. Both God and life itself, our forebears remind us, are not to be manipulated, boxed in or controlled. Rather, the mystery at the heart of existence - located in the depths of every human heart - is to be reverenced and held in deep esteem but never fully grasped, understood or controlled on this side of heaven.
Practically, as Adam and Eve learned the hard way, this means realizing what a wise priest I admire deeply once said: "God is God...and we are not." When Adam and Eve wanted to have things their way, they rebelled precisely by refusing to let God be God - by declining to surrender to the mystery of life and instead seeking the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, that is, trying to fully understand and control God.
This kind of strategy - thinking we can control God - didn't exactly turn out well for Adam and Eve and clearly it's not working for the Pope either. For, when the Pope decries what he calls the "self-emancipation of the human person from creation and from the Creator," he is arguing that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and those who are transgendered, by accepting ourselves for who we are, rebel against the order of creation by eschewing what would otherwise be our true nature as men or women. However, the problem with this is that it ignores the basic truth that a certain portion of the human population feels attraction to persons of the same sex as an essential element of who we are - as part of our innermost being, as a reflection of the goodness of creation itself - rather than as a choice made in rebellion against God.
Therefore, what myself and many other LGBT people of faith argue - actually, proclaim from the depths of our being - is that in accepting ourselves and the deepest, sacred longings of our hearts and souls for companionship and love we are not in fact rebelling against God or creation but actually honoring both. By reverencing who God created us to be we come fully alive and glorify God to our fullest potential.
In fact, if anything it is the Pope's position that requires careful examination. Just as Adam and Eve rebelled against the mystery of creation and tried to impose their will on God, so those who refuse to see that to be human does not require remaining trapped in inflexible categories of maleness or femaleness are rebelling once again against God. By imposing rigid expectations of maleness on all men and femaleness on all women, the Pope and others are doing exactly what Adam and Eve tried to do - fleeing with trepidation from the mystery and ineffability of creation and attempting to impose static, preconceived categories of thought on the wondrously supple, organic and diverse creation entrusted to us by God.
Now is the time, therefore - in fact it is long past - for us to wake up from this misguided notion of humanity the Pope still wishes to defend. Now is time to let God be God again and to lay aside our rebellions against the mystery of creation. Now is the time to stop blaspheming our Creator by shackling God's beloved children to rigid, preordained epistemological categories that sap their vitality, stifle their hope and promote their spiritual and even physical demise. Now is the time for this oppression to stop. Now is the time for all of us to stand up as best we can wherever we are and say, no more. God grant us the strength and the courage to do just that.
With hope in the God who created us and has told us we are beautifully and wondrously made,
Padre Chuck
Of course the timing of this pronouncement is particularly cruel and heartless, released as it was in the days before Christmas, but I will not touch on that aspect. What must be said above all is that the Pope actually has honed in on the essence of the issue quite precisely. He, as a theologian, knows that responsible scholarship of the Bible demonstrates that there is simply no condemnation in Scripture of loving same-sex partnerships. For that reason, the only remaining support for the Catholic Church's current opposition to same-sex unions is what the Pope and other bishops have cited as church tradition.
Now, this is the essence of the question. This is the crucial point. What the Pope is saying is that God created humanity as fundamentally either male or female. According to this view, all women are female and all men are male - there is no ambiguity, there are no exceptions, and what it means to be male or female is unfailingly self-evident. Further, this view implies that to acknowledge that some people do not conform fully to expectations of what it means to be male or female is the equivalent of rebelling against God and creation. Here is what the pope actually says:
“[The Church] must defend not only the earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to all...It must also defend the human person against its own destruction. What’s needed is something like a ‘human ecology,’ understood in the right sense. It’s not simply an outdated metaphysics if the church speaks of the nature of the human person as man and woman, and asks that this order of creation be respected.”
“Here it’s a question of faith in creation, in listening to the language of creation, disregard of which would mean self-destruction of the human person and hence destruction of the very work of God...That which is often expressed and understood by the term ‘gender’ in the end amounts to the self-emancipation of the human person from creation and from the Creator. Human beings want to do everything by themselves, and to control exclusively everything that regards them. But in this way, the human person lives against the truth, against the Creator Spirit.”
Now, on the surface of it this seems like a strong argument. In truth, who would want to rebel against God? It would seem that if God created us as men and women then that's how we as human beings should be - men should be men and women should be women. However, the problem with this logic and the essence of the matter comes when the Pope reminds us that, "Human beings want to do everything by themselves, and to control exclusively everything that regards them."
In many ways this is patently the case. From the earliest creation stories (including the story of Adam and Eve) found in all human cultures, there is a received wisdom and consensus passed down to us from our ancestors, which reminds us not to try and control things too much. Both God and life itself, our forebears remind us, are not to be manipulated, boxed in or controlled. Rather, the mystery at the heart of existence - located in the depths of every human heart - is to be reverenced and held in deep esteem but never fully grasped, understood or controlled on this side of heaven.
Practically, as Adam and Eve learned the hard way, this means realizing what a wise priest I admire deeply once said: "God is God...and we are not." When Adam and Eve wanted to have things their way, they rebelled precisely by refusing to let God be God - by declining to surrender to the mystery of life and instead seeking the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, that is, trying to fully understand and control God.
This kind of strategy - thinking we can control God - didn't exactly turn out well for Adam and Eve and clearly it's not working for the Pope either. For, when the Pope decries what he calls the "self-emancipation of the human person from creation and from the Creator," he is arguing that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and those who are transgendered, by accepting ourselves for who we are, rebel against the order of creation by eschewing what would otherwise be our true nature as men or women. However, the problem with this is that it ignores the basic truth that a certain portion of the human population feels attraction to persons of the same sex as an essential element of who we are - as part of our innermost being, as a reflection of the goodness of creation itself - rather than as a choice made in rebellion against God.
Therefore, what myself and many other LGBT people of faith argue - actually, proclaim from the depths of our being - is that in accepting ourselves and the deepest, sacred longings of our hearts and souls for companionship and love we are not in fact rebelling against God or creation but actually honoring both. By reverencing who God created us to be we come fully alive and glorify God to our fullest potential.
In fact, if anything it is the Pope's position that requires careful examination. Just as Adam and Eve rebelled against the mystery of creation and tried to impose their will on God, so those who refuse to see that to be human does not require remaining trapped in inflexible categories of maleness or femaleness are rebelling once again against God. By imposing rigid expectations of maleness on all men and femaleness on all women, the Pope and others are doing exactly what Adam and Eve tried to do - fleeing with trepidation from the mystery and ineffability of creation and attempting to impose static, preconceived categories of thought on the wondrously supple, organic and diverse creation entrusted to us by God.
Now is the time, therefore - in fact it is long past - for us to wake up from this misguided notion of humanity the Pope still wishes to defend. Now is time to let God be God again and to lay aside our rebellions against the mystery of creation. Now is the time to stop blaspheming our Creator by shackling God's beloved children to rigid, preordained epistemological categories that sap their vitality, stifle their hope and promote their spiritual and even physical demise. Now is the time for this oppression to stop. Now is the time for all of us to stand up as best we can wherever we are and say, no more. God grant us the strength and the courage to do just that.
With hope in the God who created us and has told us we are beautifully and wondrously made,
Padre Chuck
Letting Our Light Shine
Yesterday I happened to have the chance to speak with a group of representatives of a local church that is doing outreach and service in the community. This was a group of mostly Spanish-speaking adults and young people and in many ways it was inspiring to witness their faith and enthusiasm for sharing the Gospel with others. The only sad thing was realizing that they were uncomfortable knowing that I am gay, since they made it clear that they believe the Bible condemns loving, monogamous same-sex partnerships.
It was hard to realize that was the case and yet at the same time I was also grateful for a conversation I had with one member of the group, in which she emphasized that it's important to be open to dialogue and learn from each other. Her primary concern seemed to be that acknowledging same-sex partnerships in the church could in the end lead to more people 'becoming' gay, with the result that fewer children would be born in families and communities.
Although I did my best to be patient and compassionate, I must say it's hard sometimes to hear things like that. The lives of so many LGBT people are filled with so much emotional suffering and estrangement from churches, communities and families that it's hard to imagine how anyone would consciously accept being 'recruited' to become gay and thereby potentially enter into a life of severe alienation from loved ones and other structures of support.
So the struggle continues. Sometimes I must say I feel pretty sad and discouraged by the sheer magnitude of the work of education that needs to be done. And then often either through prayer or speaking with family and friends I realize that all each of us can do is simply let our light shine in the places where we're at. There's so much to do and yet the best way to make it happen is just to start in little ways each day, standing up for love, justice, tolerance and peace as best we can in the ways God call us each to do.
May God's Spirit of love touch our hearts in this sacred time of year, granting us the gifts of patience and compassion with and for each other as we walk this journey of life together.
Peace,
P. Chuck
It was hard to realize that was the case and yet at the same time I was also grateful for a conversation I had with one member of the group, in which she emphasized that it's important to be open to dialogue and learn from each other. Her primary concern seemed to be that acknowledging same-sex partnerships in the church could in the end lead to more people 'becoming' gay, with the result that fewer children would be born in families and communities.
Although I did my best to be patient and compassionate, I must say it's hard sometimes to hear things like that. The lives of so many LGBT people are filled with so much emotional suffering and estrangement from churches, communities and families that it's hard to imagine how anyone would consciously accept being 'recruited' to become gay and thereby potentially enter into a life of severe alienation from loved ones and other structures of support.
So the struggle continues. Sometimes I must say I feel pretty sad and discouraged by the sheer magnitude of the work of education that needs to be done. And then often either through prayer or speaking with family and friends I realize that all each of us can do is simply let our light shine in the places where we're at. There's so much to do and yet the best way to make it happen is just to start in little ways each day, standing up for love, justice, tolerance and peace as best we can in the ways God call us each to do.
May God's Spirit of love touch our hearts in this sacred time of year, granting us the gifts of patience and compassion with and for each other as we walk this journey of life together.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Exult and Rejoice
As we near the time that Christians celebrate the birth of Christ I thought I would share here a favorite musical piece: J.S. Bach's "Jauchzet, Frohlocket," from his Chirstmas Oratorio. For me, the exuberance of this music expresses not only my faith in God but also the joy I've discovered in knowing that I'm truly loved and accepted by God just as I am. As the lyrics of the song proclaim, "Set aside fear, banish lamentation. Exult with rejoicing and celebration."
May the joy and wonder that come from knowing the compassion and love of God touch all of our hearts during this season and always.
Love,
P. Chuck
"Exult, Rejoice, Awake, glorify the days
Praise what the Most High has done today
Set aside fear, banish lamentation
Exult with rejoicing and celebration.
Serve the Most High with glorious song.
Let us worship the name of the Lord."
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Working for Marriage Equality
This video from the Christian singer Ray Boltz was prepared by Soulforce, an organization I've shared about here in previous blog entries. Although there's still much work to do in the various churches and places of worship that still struggle with same-sex marriage, it is becoming clearer to many that denying civil marriage rights to same-sex couples is not only unfair but also discriminatory and analogous in many ways to some of the injustices we've been fighting in our country for the past several decades.
Although my greatest hope with this blog is to help reach hearts and minds within churches and other places of worship, I also hope that this can be a place to reflect on the ways in which discrimination against LGBT people is also very much a civil rights and social justice issue in our country and our world.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
More of my story...
Since I began my reflections here last month I've wanted to share both a little about myself and also some of the resources I've found helpful in my own journey. Although I don't want this blog to just be about me, I do think it's important that I share here from time to time both where I'm at personally and where I've come from spiritually and vocationally.
I was ordained a Roman Catholic priest four years ago and since then have worked in parish ministry and in a variety of other contexts and communities. Over the course of that time I have also come to peace with being gay and from my studies and reflections am convinced that there's nothing in either the Bible or church tradition that need condemn loving same-sex partnerships. For that reason, in my own conscience I knew that I was free both to continue pursuing my vocation to ministry and to do so in the context of the kind of loving relationship I'd always longed for.
In the context of this very personal journey, where this blog comes in is with the responsibility I take very seriously from my ordination to serve the People of God and help them to come to know the love, mercy and compassion of God in their lives. Just as others in church history have felt obligated in conscience to dissent from certain teachings in order to serve a more essential obligation, so I feel that I must take a stand against what I have known in my own life and seen in the lives of others to be teachings (namely, those would deny the validity of loving same-sex partnerships) that stifle rather than promote life, dignity and human flourishing.
What's very important to realize is that nothing I say is necessarily "the" truth. Mine is just one voice and each of us has to look at questions like those I deal with here and discern for ourselves. Some may conclude that the institutional church is correct and I can understand that. I don't agree but I also understand how some come to that conclusion, especially without the benefit of the time I and others have had to reflect on these questions. What I'd most hope for here is that anyone who's open to thinking and praying through these questions might consider doing so with me and other lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and transgendered people of faith. Maybe you won't fully agree with us but perhaps there's something to be gained in the process of learning to see how many of us have experienced God's liberating grace, love and care in our lives.
Many thanks for reading, praying and reflecting here with me and I look forward to continuing to walk together in faith.
Peace,
P. Chuck
I was ordained a Roman Catholic priest four years ago and since then have worked in parish ministry and in a variety of other contexts and communities. Over the course of that time I have also come to peace with being gay and from my studies and reflections am convinced that there's nothing in either the Bible or church tradition that need condemn loving same-sex partnerships. For that reason, in my own conscience I knew that I was free both to continue pursuing my vocation to ministry and to do so in the context of the kind of loving relationship I'd always longed for.
In the context of this very personal journey, where this blog comes in is with the responsibility I take very seriously from my ordination to serve the People of God and help them to come to know the love, mercy and compassion of God in their lives. Just as others in church history have felt obligated in conscience to dissent from certain teachings in order to serve a more essential obligation, so I feel that I must take a stand against what I have known in my own life and seen in the lives of others to be teachings (namely, those would deny the validity of loving same-sex partnerships) that stifle rather than promote life, dignity and human flourishing.
What's very important to realize is that nothing I say is necessarily "the" truth. Mine is just one voice and each of us has to look at questions like those I deal with here and discern for ourselves. Some may conclude that the institutional church is correct and I can understand that. I don't agree but I also understand how some come to that conclusion, especially without the benefit of the time I and others have had to reflect on these questions. What I'd most hope for here is that anyone who's open to thinking and praying through these questions might consider doing so with me and other lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and transgendered people of faith. Maybe you won't fully agree with us but perhaps there's something to be gained in the process of learning to see how many of us have experienced God's liberating grace, love and care in our lives.
Many thanks for reading, praying and reflecting here with me and I look forward to continuing to walk together in faith.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Monday, December 15, 2008
We're All Angels
For today's entry I'd like to share a movie recommendation (the above video is a preview for it). It's a documentary called We’re All Angels, which tells the story of the inspiring duo Jason and deMarco - musicians, believers and also a married couple.
I've mentioned Jason and deMarco a few other times here for a couple of reasons. First, I happen to very much enjoy their music and think they're both amazing singers. But also, what's really special to me about their music is that I happened to discover it in the process of my journey of coming to peace with my identity as a gay man and accepting that God really loves me exactly as I am.
As I listened to Jason and deMarco's music (especially their moving renditions of traditional sacred music) it made me realize that not only was it okay to be who I am but that the deepest truth about me is exactly the place from which I can most compellingly praise and thank God. In other words, rather than thinking I needed to pretend to be someone I'm not in order to please God, I discovered that the best way to glorify God with our lives is simply by being who we are - letting God love each of us and then sharing that love and care with others.
May God's Spirit come into all of our hearts in a special way at this sacred time of year - consoling us, strengthening us and blessing us with confidence in our dignity as beloved children of God.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Friday, December 12, 2008
Gracias Virgencita, Nuestra Madre
Today, December 12th, is a very special day for many people of faith in Mexico, Latin America and throughout the world - the day in which her many daughters and sons commemorate the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico in the earliest days of the Spanish conquest. Although many years have passed since her devotion began, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe continues to speak to the millions of pilgrims who visit her shrine each year - sharing with them her unmistakable message of compassion, welcome and acceptance, especially for those who are most marginalized and disowned by society.
In my own life I've felt touched and embraced by la Guadalupana in some amazing ways. Each time I've had the chance to visit her shrine I've felt a warm sense of welcome and acceptance there - a feeling that I was accepted and embraced exactly as I am. In fact, over the years as I've both affirmed my vocation to ministry and journeyed out of the closet toward acceptance of myself as a gay man I've sensed that she's been with me every step of the way, guiding me and helping me to know that, although the institutional church still lags far behind in getting the message that love between two men or two women is equally blessed by God, I know that Nuestra Madre understands the true love and compassion of God and desires to share them with me and all of her many children.
As today's reflection I'd like to offer this video footage of Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solis singing before the image of Nuestra Madre on her feast day. I would like to dedicate today's entry as well in thanksgiving to la Morenita for walking with me through this journey and especially for my visit to her shrine this past summer - when I stood before her with two very special people in my life, both of whom I know I met through her special care - a dear friend who has become a sister to me and the wonderful man who has become my life partner and husband.
Gracias, Vigencita por tu intercesión por nosotros. Ayúdanos en nuestro camino y ruega por nosotros, tus hijos LGBT, para que a través del amor de tu hijo salgamos de las tinieblas y econtremos contigo y en él la plenitud del amor y de la paz. Amén.
Bendiciones,
P. Chuck
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Human Rights for All
Today, December 10th, is a special day of worldwide commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Although there is much progress to celebrate, of course there is still so much work to be done on many fronts in the fight for human dignity in numerous parts of the world.
Sadly, one particularly insidious kind of human rights violation comes from a number of religious groups that otherwise are quite prophetic in defending human dignity. This is exactly the case with the Vatican's recent position in opposition to decriminalizing homosexuality in more than 80 countries worldwide. As a person of faith this position saddens me profoundly - both for the opportunity that is lost to protect those who are often the most marginalized in their societies and for the senseless waste of time and of lives it is for some Catholics to keep discriminating against a group of people that could be such a valuable ally in bringing values of spirituality and service to the human community.
On a more hopeful note, I've included here a press release from Dignity, a Catholic group working for liberation for LGBT people both in the church and the world.
With prayers that the Spirit might touch and change more hearts somehow,
P. Chuck
Gay Catholics & Allies Protest Vatican Opposition to Decriminalizing Homosexuality
Boston, MA. DignityUSA, New Ways Ministry and Call To Action—three Catholic organizations that support gay equality—will hold vigils in five cities across the nation on Wednesday, Dec 10, to protest Vatican opposition to a United Nations resolution that would decriminalize homosexuality. In more than 80 countries, gay people can still be imprisoned or even executed. The resolution will be presented to the UN on the day of the vigils.
“We applaud the United Nations for its call to end the laws that make gay and lesbian people criminals,” said Marianne Duddy-Burke, DignityUSA’s Executive Director. “But our joy is overwhelmed by our shock over Vatican’s opposition to this initiative. Using faith and religion as an excuse to support laws that allow countries to imprison or execute gay people is shameful. We cannot be silent—the Vatican does not speak for all Catholics on this.”
Sadly, one particularly insidious kind of human rights violation comes from a number of religious groups that otherwise are quite prophetic in defending human dignity. This is exactly the case with the Vatican's recent position in opposition to decriminalizing homosexuality in more than 80 countries worldwide. As a person of faith this position saddens me profoundly - both for the opportunity that is lost to protect those who are often the most marginalized in their societies and for the senseless waste of time and of lives it is for some Catholics to keep discriminating against a group of people that could be such a valuable ally in bringing values of spirituality and service to the human community.
On a more hopeful note, I've included here a press release from Dignity, a Catholic group working for liberation for LGBT people both in the church and the world.
With prayers that the Spirit might touch and change more hearts somehow,
P. Chuck
Gay Catholics & Allies Protest Vatican Opposition to Decriminalizing Homosexuality
Boston, MA. DignityUSA, New Ways Ministry and Call To Action—three Catholic organizations that support gay equality—will hold vigils in five cities across the nation on Wednesday, Dec 10, to protest Vatican opposition to a United Nations resolution that would decriminalize homosexuality. In more than 80 countries, gay people can still be imprisoned or even executed. The resolution will be presented to the UN on the day of the vigils.
“We applaud the United Nations for its call to end the laws that make gay and lesbian people criminals,” said Marianne Duddy-Burke, DignityUSA’s Executive Director. “But our joy is overwhelmed by our shock over Vatican’s opposition to this initiative. Using faith and religion as an excuse to support laws that allow countries to imprison or execute gay people is shameful. We cannot be silent—the Vatican does not speak for all Catholics on this.”
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Great Article
This week's issue of Newsweek magazine features a very helpful article entitled The Religious Case for Gay Marriage. As in similar resources I've tried to share here, this article outlines the basic reasons why the Bible has nothing at all to say against loving same-sex partnerships and in fact has a great deal to say in their favor. When you have a minute, you might consider taking the time to read through this thoughtful article with an open mind and heart - the more of us who inform ourselves about these questions the more we'll be able to share the good news that God's love does not exclude LGBT people but in fact is working slowly but surely to liberate us and help us fulfill our dream to find love, happiness, acceptance and peace.
Blessings,
P. Chuck
Blessings,
P. Chuck
Monday, December 8, 2008
A little more on the Bible
Another excellent author to read on the question of Scripture and its relevance for LGBT concerns is the Catholic priest, theologian and psychologist Daniel Helminiak. For example, Helminiak's book on What The Bible Really Says About Homosexuality provides an excellent summary of the state of biblical scholarship on this topic. As he states at one point, the more that the evidence for this matter is studied and understood the more that homophobic and prejudicial attitudes will give way to tolerance, inclusion and a culture that celebrates God's love for all human beings.
Happy reading!,
P. Chuck
Happy reading!,
P. Chuck
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Love for All
After going last night to see the new movie Milk about the life and prophetic witness of Harvey Milk, I felt a renewed sense of the ways in which mistaken religious notions about homosexuality are what continue to sow seeds of prejudice and discrimination. For that reason, the video I've chosen for today, while perhaps a bit provocative, is also precisely something we all need to reflect on. If this video makes us a bit uncomfortable, why is that? How can we work together toward building a civilization of love for God and neighbor that includes all? Some good food for thought at least in this season of reflection and prayer for many religious traditions.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Thursday, December 4, 2008
You Gotta Give Them Hope
These words, "You gotta give them hope," come from a true hero for the LGBT community, Harvey Milk - the first openly gay man to hold elected office in California. Harvey's story of courage and determination continue to be an inspiration to all of us as the fight continues for equality in our country, our places of worship and our world.
In my own journey to self-acceptance, Harvey's example and witness have been a source of inspiration and encouragement. I remember when I was first considering finally coming out of the closet and accepting myself I came across a quote from Harvey that called for an end to all closets that we shut ourselves up in. May Harvey's courage and example continue to inspire all of us, whatever our sexual orientation, to stand up for human dignity and equality.
Peace,
P. Chuck
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A Culture of Life
During his many years of service to the Catholic Church and the world, the late Pope John Paul II often spoke of the need for what he called a culture of life — a way of seeing the world that promotes human dignity, social justice and solidarity with the poor and the oppressed, both among Christians and all people of good will. This culture of life was to foster respect for human life at every stage, recognizing the special dignity of each person as a sister or brother — someone whose sufferings and whose triumphs are also our own.
While the human societies, nations, governments, communities and individuals that the pope and other religious leaders often rightly challenged to live up to this ideal of respect for human life continue to need this prophetic message, unfortunately what is less often recognized is the need for the church itself — the community of believers and its leaders — to hear and respond to this same message. While those of us who believe in God and hope to pass on something of the compassion we’ve discovered in our own lives are often capable of bearing a great deal of hope to others, we also have the capacity to do exactly the opposite. By proclaiming that we believe in the dignity of human life and then sending mixed messages about specific people or groups we actually give scandal to those who look to us for signs of hope and thus ourselves contribute to the very patterns of turning away from life, hope and dignity that we seek to mitigate and heal.
While the examples of how this tragic situation occurs are sadly many, two will suffice here for now. First, in the case of the Catholic Church, there’s the issue of justice within the church itself. Why, for example, does church leadership continue to persist in clinging to the notion that women cannot be ordained as priests, stating that women somehow cannot represent Christ at the altar since they are female and Christ was male? Why do these tired, archaic arguments continue to be employed when the very human sciences the Church aspires to no longer reactively dismiss clearly and decisively demonstrate that to be a man or woman is not a rigid, air-tight category—that women can sometimes represent values traditionally associated with men and vice versa? Unfortunately, as was the case with Galileo and others in history, the Catholic Church and other churches and religious groups tend to persist in defending outdated ways of understanding the human condition and in doing so alienate and scandalize the very people they aspire to serve, elevate and encourage.
The other clear example that comes immediately to mind is the treatment received by the LGBT community in various churches and religious groups. Again, because of uniformed, entrenched views of the Bible and/or church traditions, many religious groups and their members deny queer people of faith a place at the table, telling us we’re somehow unworthy, condemned, disordered, sinful, rejected or cast out. Of course the cruelest irony and the gravest consequence of these unthinking attitudes is that our community is then doubly condemned by these same groups and individuals when, without the nurturing environments of faith, community and support that are denied to us, we try to seek out life, hope and freedom as best we can, sometimes finding ourselves far distanced from faith in a God who loves us and occasionally losing our way and falling into situations and patterns that are neither life-giving nor integrally liberating.
As Fr. John McNeill, one of the pioneers in the movement for LGBT liberation in the Catholic Church once said: Basta, Enough ! The time is long past for all of us in churches and religious organizations to wake up and stop oppressing our own people. It is time to finally let go of our mindless persistence in antiquated ways of thinking that are neither helpful, life-giving, nor hope-inducing. It is time to cease giving scandal to those who look to us for signs of hope, freedom and peace in their lives. It is time to repent and make sincere atonement for the ways that each of us has failed to stand up for the rights and dignity of others. It is time to start building an authentic culture of life, beginning in the church itself and then moving outwards—time to affirm the dignity of all God’s daughters and sons, defending their rights and working for their integral liberation.
This is not easy and is a task that will not happen overnight. It will take generations to build up the kind of culture of life, tolerance and human dignity we are talking about here. Moreover, there is no one, set way to contribute to this goal. Each of us must examine our own hearts and consciences and allow God to guide us into the ways we can respond in our own circumstances and situations. And yet our ultimate goal is the same and is indeed our solemn task as human beings, as children of God — not to lose sight of the suffering of others but instead to allow the compassion and love we each have received to touch us, comfort us, strengthen us, set us free and empower us to bring joy, peace, hope, freedom and love to our world.
Blessings,
P. Chuck
While the human societies, nations, governments, communities and individuals that the pope and other religious leaders often rightly challenged to live up to this ideal of respect for human life continue to need this prophetic message, unfortunately what is less often recognized is the need for the church itself — the community of believers and its leaders — to hear and respond to this same message. While those of us who believe in God and hope to pass on something of the compassion we’ve discovered in our own lives are often capable of bearing a great deal of hope to others, we also have the capacity to do exactly the opposite. By proclaiming that we believe in the dignity of human life and then sending mixed messages about specific people or groups we actually give scandal to those who look to us for signs of hope and thus ourselves contribute to the very patterns of turning away from life, hope and dignity that we seek to mitigate and heal.
While the examples of how this tragic situation occurs are sadly many, two will suffice here for now. First, in the case of the Catholic Church, there’s the issue of justice within the church itself. Why, for example, does church leadership continue to persist in clinging to the notion that women cannot be ordained as priests, stating that women somehow cannot represent Christ at the altar since they are female and Christ was male? Why do these tired, archaic arguments continue to be employed when the very human sciences the Church aspires to no longer reactively dismiss clearly and decisively demonstrate that to be a man or woman is not a rigid, air-tight category—that women can sometimes represent values traditionally associated with men and vice versa? Unfortunately, as was the case with Galileo and others in history, the Catholic Church and other churches and religious groups tend to persist in defending outdated ways of understanding the human condition and in doing so alienate and scandalize the very people they aspire to serve, elevate and encourage.
The other clear example that comes immediately to mind is the treatment received by the LGBT community in various churches and religious groups. Again, because of uniformed, entrenched views of the Bible and/or church traditions, many religious groups and their members deny queer people of faith a place at the table, telling us we’re somehow unworthy, condemned, disordered, sinful, rejected or cast out. Of course the cruelest irony and the gravest consequence of these unthinking attitudes is that our community is then doubly condemned by these same groups and individuals when, without the nurturing environments of faith, community and support that are denied to us, we try to seek out life, hope and freedom as best we can, sometimes finding ourselves far distanced from faith in a God who loves us and occasionally losing our way and falling into situations and patterns that are neither life-giving nor integrally liberating.
As Fr. John McNeill, one of the pioneers in the movement for LGBT liberation in the Catholic Church once said: Basta, Enough ! The time is long past for all of us in churches and religious organizations to wake up and stop oppressing our own people. It is time to finally let go of our mindless persistence in antiquated ways of thinking that are neither helpful, life-giving, nor hope-inducing. It is time to cease giving scandal to those who look to us for signs of hope, freedom and peace in their lives. It is time to repent and make sincere atonement for the ways that each of us has failed to stand up for the rights and dignity of others. It is time to start building an authentic culture of life, beginning in the church itself and then moving outwards—time to affirm the dignity of all God’s daughters and sons, defending their rights and working for their integral liberation.
This is not easy and is a task that will not happen overnight. It will take generations to build up the kind of culture of life, tolerance and human dignity we are talking about here. Moreover, there is no one, set way to contribute to this goal. Each of us must examine our own hearts and consciences and allow God to guide us into the ways we can respond in our own circumstances and situations. And yet our ultimate goal is the same and is indeed our solemn task as human beings, as children of God — not to lose sight of the suffering of others but instead to allow the compassion and love we each have received to touch us, comfort us, strengthen us, set us free and empower us to bring joy, peace, hope, freedom and love to our world.
Blessings,
P. Chuck
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A little more about my story...
So to pick up where I left off a few posts ago...In my journey to self-acceptance and reaffirmation of my faith, once I knew that neither the Bible nor church tradition had anything authentic to say against loving same-sex partnerships, I also knew that I needed to go back and rethink some decisions that I'd made. Although I had sincerely committed to serving God in ordained ministry, one part of that commitment--the vow of celibacy--was not something that I had entered into freely. Rather, because I thought the kind of relationship I'd always longed for was somehow wrong, I never allowed myself even to 'go there.'
So because I had never given myself the chance to consider these questions, I knew that I needed to pray through them again, this time knowing that it was okay to choose either way. After a period of prayer and discernment, I knew that I was called to continue to serve and minister and to live out the commitment to God that I'd made but also to do so in the context of a loving relationship with another person. For that reason, although I can no longer officially serve in the Roman Catholic Church, I know that I can do so in the way that matters most--through ministry in whichever communities of faith affirm my call to serve.
Many thanks for allowing me to share more of my story here and I hope that my experience might help others--perhaps you or someone you know--to come to full personal self-acceptance and to affirm the call to serve that each of us has received from God.
Peace and blessings,
P. Chuck
So because I had never given myself the chance to consider these questions, I knew that I needed to pray through them again, this time knowing that it was okay to choose either way. After a period of prayer and discernment, I knew that I was called to continue to serve and minister and to live out the commitment to God that I'd made but also to do so in the context of a loving relationship with another person. For that reason, although I can no longer officially serve in the Roman Catholic Church, I know that I can do so in the way that matters most--through ministry in whichever communities of faith affirm my call to serve.
Many thanks for allowing me to share more of my story here and I hope that my experience might help others--perhaps you or someone you know--to come to full personal self-acceptance and to affirm the call to serve that each of us has received from God.
Peace and blessings,
P. Chuck
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