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For years
rumors abounded about Cardinal Spellman being a homosexual. As a result, many
felt–and continue to feel–that Spellman the public moralist may well
have been a contradiction of the man of the flesh. Others within the Church
and outside have steadfastly dismissed such claims. Finally, to make an absolute
statement about Spellman’s sexual activities is to invite an irresolvable
debate and to deflect attention from his words and deeds.
rumors abounded about Cardinal Spellman being a homosexual. As a result, many
felt–and continue to feel–that Spellman the public moralist may well
have been a contradiction of the man of the flesh. Others within the Church
and outside have steadfastly dismissed such claims. Finally, to make an absolute
statement about Spellman’s sexual activities is to invite an irresolvable
debate and to deflect attention from his words and deeds.
The dutiful
Times then had another former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and friend of
the Church, William V. Shannon, review The American Pope for the Book
Review. Shannon’s review was scathing, attacking Cooney for even bringing
the subject up at all: “Prurient interest in the sex lives of public figures
serves no useful purpose.”
Times then had another former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and friend of
the Church, William V. Shannon, review The American Pope for the Book
Review. Shannon’s review was scathing, attacking Cooney for even bringing
the subject up at all: “Prurient interest in the sex lives of public figures
serves no useful purpose.”
A Jesuit
priest wrote a letter to the Book Review, published a few weeks later:
“Cardinal Spellman’s sex life does not matter, but [his] homosexuality
does… It matters to thousands of people whose jobs, relationships and whose
very lives are threatened because of their sexuality, all the while being forced
to view and eat the hypocrisy of their church. And it enrages people that church
men and women can retain their jobs, hiding behind their clerical and religious
statutes while their own people suffer persecution, disease and discrimination.”
priest wrote a letter to the Book Review, published a few weeks later:
“Cardinal Spellman’s sex life does not matter, but [his] homosexuality
does… It matters to thousands of people whose jobs, relationships and whose
very lives are threatened because of their sexuality, all the while being forced
to view and eat the hypocrisy of their church. And it enrages people that church
men and women can retain their jobs, hiding behind their clerical and religious
statutes while their own people suffer persecution, disease and discrimination.”
Sadly, the
Jesuit’s words still ring true today, almost 20 years later. While Spellman
has been long dead, his legacy of hypocrisy lives on: there are closeted homosexuals–often
condemning “sexual immorality” publicly while having gay sex privately–throughout
the uppermost echelons of the church today. The gay movement in the past 15
years has taken on the Hollywood closet and the Washington political closet,
both with dramatic success–and both those institutions have p.r. operations
far more sophisticated than the Vatican’s antiquated machine, which can’t
even seem to get the aging cardinals to attend a press conference. The media
these days also has a much greater appetite for exposing sexual hypocrisy, and
is no longer cowed by the Catholic Church. Going down this treacherous road
of increased gay-bashing and scapegoating, the Vatican perhaps doesn’t
realize what it may be unleashing upon itself. If I were a closeted bishop or
cardinal in America, I would be very afraid.
---
Additional: Francis Spellman - Patron Saint of Closeted Clergy
Jesuit’s words still ring true today, almost 20 years later. While Spellman
has been long dead, his legacy of hypocrisy lives on: there are closeted homosexuals–often
condemning “sexual immorality” publicly while having gay sex privately–throughout
the uppermost echelons of the church today. The gay movement in the past 15
years has taken on the Hollywood closet and the Washington political closet,
both with dramatic success–and both those institutions have p.r. operations
far more sophisticated than the Vatican’s antiquated machine, which can’t
even seem to get the aging cardinals to attend a press conference. The media
these days also has a much greater appetite for exposing sexual hypocrisy, and
is no longer cowed by the Catholic Church. Going down this treacherous road
of increased gay-bashing and scapegoating, the Vatican perhaps doesn’t
realize what it may be unleashing upon itself. If I were a closeted bishop or
cardinal in America, I would be very afraid.
---
Additional: Francis Spellman - Patron Saint of Closeted Clergy
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