Morgan BellCatholic Nuns support Gay & Reproductive Rights
October 20th 2008 16:47
"I don't find anything in the Gospels about abortion or gay marriage."
Sister Mary Ann Cunningham
National Coalition of American Nuns
"We encourage respect for the moral adulthood of women and will choose legislators who will recognize the right of women to make reproductive decisions and receive medical treatment according to the rights of privacy and conscience."
Open letter to Catholic voters – Oct 22, 2006
National Coalition of American Nuns
The National Coalition of American Nuns was founded in 1969 by Sister Margaret Traxler and currently represents 1,200 Catholic Nuns.
Sister Jeannine Gramick has held a number of leadership positions in the National Coalition of American Nuns. She is an open advocate of reproductive rights and a woman's right to choose. In 1984 she became a signatory to the first "Catholics for a Free Choice" ad in the New York Times.
In her book A Challenge to Love (1980) Sister Gramick concludes that homosexual prejudice can be replaced "with toleration and finally with acceptance, through education and 'conscious-raising' efforts directed at the shattering of gay and lesbian 'myths and stereotypes,' the removal of discriminatory legal barriers and the end to any 'taboo behavior' society assigns as 'unnatural.'
In November 2006, Sr. Jeannine Gramick was named a recipient of the Mother Teresa Award from the St. Bernadette Institute of Sacred Art in Albuquerque, NM. Nominations come from the public to recognise people who “beautify the world”. Sister Gramick was chosen by the Institute "for her role as American Human Rights Activist, especially in the field of Spirituality"
Other books by Sister Jeannine Gramick include
A time to speak; a collection of contemporary statements from U. S. Catholic sources on homosexuality (1978)
Homosexuality and the Catholic Church (1985)
The Vatican and Homosexuality (1988)
Homosexuality in the Priesthood and Religious Life (1989)
Building Bridges: Gay and Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church (1992)
Voices of Hope: A Collection of Positive Catholic Writings on Lesbian/Gay Issues (1995).
Sister Jeannine Gramick founded the gay-friendly pro-choice New Ways Ministry with Father Robert Nugent.
83% of U.S. Catholics believe that it is morally wrong to discriminate against homosexuals (November 2001 Contemporary Catholic Trends Survey)
61% of U.S. Catholics believe that women should be priests (September 2005 National Catholic Reporter Survey)
49% of U.S. Catholics do not believe all abortions should be illegal (Oct 2006 National Catholic Reporter Survey)
31% of American Catholics agree that using artificial birth control is a sin (Mar 2008 Contemporary Catholic Trends Survey)
62% of U.S. Catholics believe the Roman Catholic Church is out of touch with the views of Catholics in America today (Apr 2008 The Washington Post - ABC News Poll)
The Catholic Call To Action
In October 1976, the U.S. Bishops held the first Call To Action conference in Cobo Hall, Detroit. At this conference, 1,351 lay, religious and clergy delegates, appointed by their local bishops, voted for an inclusive church, open to women and married priests, with shared decision-making and greater social justice. That Call To Action was the culmination of a two-year national consultation involving over 800,000 Catholics in 125 dioceses.
Today, the 25,000 lay, religious, clergy and bishop members of Call To Action continue our work for justice in the spirit of the first CTA conference.
Catholics For Choice
Catholics for Choice (CFC) was founded in 1973 to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health.
CFC believes in and works toward the following principles:
excerpts from the Catholics For Choice website
*note: "the law" refers to Catholic canonical law
What does the law have to say specifically about punishments for being a pro-choice Catholic?
The law says nothing on this subject.
Regardless, some people are afraid that they will be punished if their pro-choice beliefs are publicly known.
It sometimes feels like any pro-choice Catholic is destined for excommunication, mainly due to some bishops’ actions and the vocal campaigns of anti–choice Catholics who call for the ex-communication of pro-choice national and state legislators.
Although getting an abortion is against the church’s law, the law itself is quite different from what many think it is.
The law considers a host of mitigating factors before meting out punishment. These are familiar concepts we use in our secular legal systems. People who should receive a lesser penalty include those who act in the heat of passion, those under the influence of drugs or alcohol, those who act with immoderate force in self-defense, and even in the most serious cases, those forced through fear or necessity or serious inconvenience.
People not subject to canonical penalties and ex-communication include:
- people under the age of seventeen
- those who were unaware that they were violating a law
- those who acted in self-defense with due moderation
Changes over the years to theology and law underscore the responsibility of Catholics to form their consciences through inquiry and study, not just by simple reliance on one priest or bishop’s teaching or the memorization of a current catechism or through simplistic and generalized interpretations of canon law. The law should be used to teach and inform, not to exclude.
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Sister Mary Ann Cunningham
National Coalition of American Nuns
"We encourage respect for the moral adulthood of women and will choose legislators who will recognize the right of women to make reproductive decisions and receive medical treatment according to the rights of privacy and conscience."
Open letter to Catholic voters – Oct 22, 2006
National Coalition of American Nuns
The National Coalition of American Nuns was founded in 1969 by Sister Margaret Traxler and currently represents 1,200 Catholic Nuns.
Sister Jeannine Gramick has held a number of leadership positions in the National Coalition of American Nuns. She is an open advocate of reproductive rights and a woman's right to choose. In 1984 she became a signatory to the first "Catholics for a Free Choice" ad in the New York Times.
In her book A Challenge to Love (1980) Sister Gramick concludes that homosexual prejudice can be replaced "with toleration and finally with acceptance, through education and 'conscious-raising' efforts directed at the shattering of gay and lesbian 'myths and stereotypes,' the removal of discriminatory legal barriers and the end to any 'taboo behavior' society assigns as 'unnatural.'
In November 2006, Sr. Jeannine Gramick was named a recipient of the Mother Teresa Award from the St. Bernadette Institute of Sacred Art in Albuquerque, NM. Nominations come from the public to recognise people who “beautify the world”. Sister Gramick was chosen by the Institute "for her role as American Human Rights Activist, especially in the field of Spirituality"
Other books by Sister Jeannine Gramick include
A time to speak; a collection of contemporary statements from U. S. Catholic sources on homosexuality (1978)
Homosexuality and the Catholic Church (1985)
The Vatican and Homosexuality (1988)
Homosexuality in the Priesthood and Religious Life (1989)
Building Bridges: Gay and Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church (1992)
Voices of Hope: A Collection of Positive Catholic Writings on Lesbian/Gay Issues (1995).
Sister Jeannine Gramick founded the gay-friendly pro-choice New Ways Ministry with Father Robert Nugent.
83% of U.S. Catholics believe that it is morally wrong to discriminate against homosexuals (November 2001 Contemporary Catholic Trends Survey)
61% of U.S. Catholics believe that women should be priests (September 2005 National Catholic Reporter Survey)
49% of U.S. Catholics do not believe all abortions should be illegal (Oct 2006 National Catholic Reporter Survey)
31% of American Catholics agree that using artificial birth control is a sin (Mar 2008 Contemporary Catholic Trends Survey)
62% of U.S. Catholics believe the Roman Catholic Church is out of touch with the views of Catholics in America today (Apr 2008 The Washington Post - ABC News Poll)
The Catholic Call To Action
In October 1976, the U.S. Bishops held the first Call To Action conference in Cobo Hall, Detroit. At this conference, 1,351 lay, religious and clergy delegates, appointed by their local bishops, voted for an inclusive church, open to women and married priests, with shared decision-making and greater social justice. That Call To Action was the culmination of a two-year national consultation involving over 800,000 Catholics in 125 dioceses.
Today, the 25,000 lay, religious, clergy and bishop members of Call To Action continue our work for justice in the spirit of the first CTA conference.
Catholics For Choice
Catholics for Choice (CFC) was founded in 1973 to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health.
CFC believes in and works toward the following principles:
The right of individuals and couples to decide on when, whether and how they will form families;
Women's and men's moral agency in reproductive health decisions, supported by access to the full range of contraceptive choices, safe and legal abortion, pre- and post-natal care and family supports;
Support and respect, including treatment, prevention, and especially access to condoms, for people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk;
Social and economic justice that ensures that no one is denied sexual or reproductive health services because they cannot afford them;
Equality for and non-discrimination against women in government, civil society, and all faith groups;
Scientific and public policies that are determined by evidence-based research, democratic structures, and the common good;
The right of faith groups to participate in public policy formation and the responsibility of policy makers to legislate without privileging sectarian religious beliefs;
Freedom from all forms of intimate violence, including sexual abuse in the family, relationships, and the church;
Respect for and recognition of gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered persons and relationships with all legal rights;
Women's and men's moral agency in reproductive health decisions, supported by access to the full range of contraceptive choices, safe and legal abortion, pre- and post-natal care and family supports;
Support and respect, including treatment, prevention, and especially access to condoms, for people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk;
Social and economic justice that ensures that no one is denied sexual or reproductive health services because they cannot afford them;
Equality for and non-discrimination against women in government, civil society, and all faith groups;
Scientific and public policies that are determined by evidence-based research, democratic structures, and the common good;
The right of faith groups to participate in public policy formation and the responsibility of policy makers to legislate without privileging sectarian religious beliefs;
Freedom from all forms of intimate violence, including sexual abuse in the family, relationships, and the church;
Respect for and recognition of gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered persons and relationships with all legal rights;
excerpts from the Catholics For Choice website
*note: "the law" refers to Catholic canonical law
What does the law have to say specifically about punishments for being a pro-choice Catholic?
The law says nothing on this subject.
Regardless, some people are afraid that they will be punished if their pro-choice beliefs are publicly known.
It sometimes feels like any pro-choice Catholic is destined for excommunication, mainly due to some bishops’ actions and the vocal campaigns of anti–choice Catholics who call for the ex-communication of pro-choice national and state legislators.
Although getting an abortion is against the church’s law, the law itself is quite different from what many think it is.
The law considers a host of mitigating factors before meting out punishment. These are familiar concepts we use in our secular legal systems. People who should receive a lesser penalty include those who act in the heat of passion, those under the influence of drugs or alcohol, those who act with immoderate force in self-defense, and even in the most serious cases, those forced through fear or necessity or serious inconvenience.
People not subject to canonical penalties and ex-communication include:
- people under the age of seventeen
- those who were unaware that they were violating a law
- those who acted in self-defense with due moderation
Changes over the years to theology and law underscore the responsibility of Catholics to form their consciences through inquiry and study, not just by simple reliance on one priest or bishop’s teaching or the memorization of a current catechism or through simplistic and generalized interpretations of canon law. The law should be used to teach and inform, not to exclude.
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Comment by S.L.
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Comment by alt_ed
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Morgan has in no way 'bashed' the Catholic Church, rather she has provided us with some facts from those within the Church whose views are not as widely publicised within the mainstream media.
In the words of Someone, why don't you go fuck yourself with a pogo stick. Sideways!
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Comment by Louie
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I guess its sad but my first reaction was, well none of these Nuns will get made Saints. Who knows maybe by the time they are up for Sainthood the world will have evolved to a pont where their work will be considered noble and they will get recognised for trying to bring peace to everyone . Which would be a MIRACLE, so I guess then their Sainthood would be self fulfilling.
Thanks, you obviously put a lot of work into this.
Louie
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Bahahahahah!
hahahah...hahaha
hahahah
hahahahahahaha.
Keep up the good work my friend.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i dont consider this bashing the Catholic church, i think it is a positive article about the diversity of its constituency and some brave nuns who are speaking out against intolerance and suppression
many of my readers are gay and/or women and are interested in reading about people of faith who hold progressive views
the overall message was that you can be part of a church (and surely noone knows the bible better than a nun) and still think for yourself on matters of morals and conscience
these Catholic nuns have not been ex-communicated for their views so they obviously operate within the bounds of canon law
Catholics for Choice asks people to:
i dont think that is malicious, it is liberating and respectful
i apologise for not logging in earlier to moderate, i was attending medical appointments for my eye . . . but im here now and i will answer everyone
you may want to lead by example and not bring up the families of other bloggers
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i see you are quite passionate about the topic matter!
this is exactly what i was trying to say!
perhaps you as S.L. could refrain from making antagonistic remarks about each others family members as it really is not constructive . . . if it is impossible to address each other without personal insults i suggest in future you address me directly rather than talking to each other
as a gay man i know this topic which you take seriously because it affects your quality of life
however, you might want to consider being the bigger man here and modifying some of the language in the comments you have already posted?
Comment by Morgan Bell
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ah you know my sleeping patterns so well!
i think it is promising to know there are people of faith who dont use their religion as a vehicle for hatred . . . i was very impressed that these nuns are not just toeing the party line, they are investigating and interpretting the texts for themselves!
three cheers for free thinking!
oh and thanks for the link - what a strange little man!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i think they would probably say its your choice whether you want to tug on your privates, and if you feel so inclined its probably because that is a natural part of how you were born!
hi Louie,
thanks for recognising the work i put into the research!
i was impressed that Sister Jeannine Gramick received a Mother Teresa awards . . . perhaps with the social shift amongst the younger generation of Catholics she will be recognised as a Saint one day?
fingers crossed!
she certainly has put in alot of work in fighting for the rights of others and making people feel included!
hi Mister Smith,
well being religious is certainly no excuse for acting like a sheep!
thanks for offering such great insight into how nuns perceive the Pope and how politics can become infused in the male hierachy of the church!
i particularly liked how you said:
thanks for the comments everyone!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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both parties were given the opportunity to ammend their comments but were either away from the computer or chose not to
Comment by Wilson Pon
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However, I heard that the bible said that all the gay and lesbian will be burned in hell, do you think it's true or not?
Comment by Morgan Bell
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hey thats a good positive attitude to promote equality for women in the priesthood!
but no, im my opinion, homosexuals will not burn in hell - the bible says nothing about homosexuality at all
Comment by RubySoho
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What on earth could alt_ed and SL have said to each other that's worse than what's already been said? I've never known you to delete a comment before. Ouch!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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oh i know, im bad!
history is now forever changed!
S.L. made a specific complaint so i made an executive decision . . . i think im drawing the line at referencing members of other peoples families, its just not relevant to the topic or even relevant to me, if people want to slander each other they can do it on their own blogs . . . i guess we have made a precedent today!
i know people have said a million times worse things to you about your family to try and bait you (particularly your niece and father) and i think its really off . . . i dont think that has happened on my blog before, but if it has just point it out and ill remove it
im pretty open to suggestions on the whole really . . . the only time someone else has made a complaint was Raven, but he was asking me to alter another users display pic which i really have no control over . . . in this case there is a little delete button which is at my disposal, and i didnt think the comments were adding to the discussion
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i really liked Obama for saying that, hes a wise man in many ways!
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
???
Have you ever read it?
Because you're coming across as someone who hasn't.
Or do you just prefer to believe silly statements like the one from Sister Mary Ann Cunningham?:
She probably won't find AIDS mentioned either. Or Google. Or the internet. Or digital pornography, etc. The last Gospel (St John's) was written circa 90AD.
The teachings and beliefs of the Catholic Church are not based solely on the Gospels. Of all people, a Catholic nun should know this.
If homosexuality is styled an abomination in the Bible, which it is, I guess God thought people, especially nuns, would be smart enough to work out that He wouldn't approve of gay marriages?
Say what you like about Catholicism. You're not going to offend me. But it's in your own interests to do your research first and get your facts right.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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you are welcome to disagree but many academics (and Catholic nuns) agree that homosexuality is not mentioned at all in the bible - there inhospitality, attempted angel rape, pagan god worship, weakness of spirit, but no homosexuality
i tend to think of the bible as a bit of a magic eye puzzle, people see what they want to see
Comment by Mister Smith
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Many others have made the following simplistic sounding statement but I believe it is true:
"Why would God create homosexuals if it is wrong?"
I have heard people say "he (or she or it, whatever you prefer) also made murderers" but the gaping hole in this argument is that the nature of homosexuality harms no-one.
The Catholic church has taken all sorts of dubious stances, including the Inquisition. That is one of the things I was referring to when I said (in different words) that people use religion to justify all sorts of inhumanitarian behaviour. When I was a child we were forbidden to take part in the ceremonies of even another Christian church. Religion is made up of the people who worship together. Text can be interpreted, re-interpreted an misinterpreted.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
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In the Book of Leviticus, Chapter 18, Verse 22:
That’s a pretty specific condemnation of homosexuality to me.
St Paul is pretty specific in his First Epistle to the Corinthians:
Want any more quotes for your academic and nun friends?
Sorry?
Try reading the text. You do expect people to read your posts don't you? Not see them as some magic eye puzzle?
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Leviticus 18:22
in Hebrew: "V'et zachar lo tishkav mishk'vey eeshah toeyvah hee."
in English: "And with a male you shall not lay lyings of a woman"
translators have inserted words into the sentence to alter its meaning eg "you shall not lay [an the] lyings", to misrepresent the text and codemn homosexuality
but it is more likely to have been intended to prohibit the location of ritual pagan sex ceremonies eg "you shall not lay [in the] lyings"
in the bible used by the early Christians the Hebrew word "to'ebah" was translated into the Greek word "bdelygma" which translates to English as "ritual impurity" or "foreign cult practice"
the Hebrew word for "abomination" is "zimah" not "to'ebah"
on the whole Leviticus was a code of ritual purity devised to instruct Israelites on how to preserve their cultural identity seperate from the customs of the pagans
there is no specified sex act or reference to homosexual relationships or homosexuality as an orientation
1 Corithians 6:9-10:
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [makakoi], nor abusers of themselves with mankind [arsenokoitai] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (King James Version)
this verse hinges on the meanings of the Greek words "makakoi" and "arsenokoitai"
makakoi - means people who are soft or weak of spirit
arsenokoitai - means a fertility goddess shrine prostitute
so no i dont think there is anythink specifically against homosexuality contained in the bible as it was originally written, i think there have been many errors in translation as each new version panders to modern day fears and prejudices
the bible is an ambiguous text with many contradictions, and it can be interpretted in many ways . . . people that want to perpetrate the repression of gays will cling to the version they like best without ever bothering to consider the context, original intentions or word meanings
Comment by Morgan Bell
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so true!
its like a bad case of chinese whispers!
yet many homosexual people find solace in faith, religion, and even the Catholic church . . . they can interpret the bible as inclusive of all people . . . im glad there is a section of the Catholic community who embrace them!
Comment by RubySoho
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I admire these nuns but I do think that people who say the Bible does not condemn homosexuality are reaching. Now I want to make it clear that I don't agree with the Bible's stance, it is one of the many things that ultimately led me to dismiss it as the rantings of a few ancient, deluded gentlemen.
The other thing we have to consider is the context in which the Bible was written. I don't mean the context of the words but rather to study other evidence of the culture and practices at the time. As you have stated above the Bible does not mention "abortion". And this is indeed remarkable given that is was widely practised at the time. Furthermore, considering that the ancient Jews did not consider a baby to be viable until it reached the age of 30 days outside the womb, then it is pretty clear that abortion was not considered a crime or a sin.
Homosexuality was not openly practiced and people of the same sex were not permitted to marry which would then render their unions 'fornication'. Given that, I think it's probably safe to safe that this was frowned upon.
Personally, i think it's time we stopped trying to reinterpret the Bible to fit in with our present day values. It''s outdated. Time to just let it go. But that's just me.
Comment by Mister Smith
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I have watched a couple of television series about the early Christians which were fascinating. They showed why the bible remains a a valuable historical document in spite of, and to a great extent because of, the tampering and translation. It contains much information about the social and political times in which it was written. Interestingly, one of these shows convincingly explained how, very early on, a division took place between two followers and chroniclers. Paul? John? James? I get them mixed up but no doubt Morgan would know. Anyway, the one who triumphed was more in league with the rulers at that time so it was his version of events that came to form the basis of the New Testament. The Catholic religion springs from the Roman apropriation of the teachings of a Jewish rebel.
That's fascinating.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i think theres a difference between what the bible actually says (in its original form) and how people choose to interpret and teach it today
Sodom and Gomorra is a good example of a story that has been twisted to suit the purposes of the homophobic
if you think about it were the crimes attempted rape, intimidation and general inhospitality or was it a loving same-sex relationship?
in Hebrew the words "Sodom" (Hebrew "Cedom") and "sodomites" are not related but there is a general misconception that "sodomites" are residents of "Sodom" - this is a linguistic error
the word "sodomite" refers specifically to temple prostitutes who honour the pagan goddess of fertility through sex acts
i think it is important that people try to put the bible in the context of when it was written, the days when Judaism was emerging and competing with the existing pagan culture and rituals, a time in history where travellers depended on the hospitality of strangers to survive
as Jesus said to his followers:
“And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement, than for that city.” Mark 6:11.
is it wrong to intimidate strangers? yes
is it wrong to oppress and humiliate the helpless? yes
is it wrong to gang rape an angel? yes
is it wrong to be in a consensual homosexual relationship? no
i know this is not the most popular reading of the bible because people like to cling to their prejudices
there is a gay bible guide which was boycotted by many Christian bookstores in an effort to prevent people from having access to a new perspective
Study New Testament for Gay, Lesbian, Bi, and Transgender
by Dr Ann Nyland
classical greek lexicographer and scholar
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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oh i agree, the bible is an important historical document on the life and times of our ancestors
i just hope anyone that is trying to use it as a moral guide today also investigates the context and intentions of the influential little book
there are all sorts of guides available which offer interpretations from different perspectives
sounds like a really interesting doco you were watching, funny how politics can bury and silence the opinions of those with dissenting views!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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sorry i was too busy giving my peace and harmony speech to laugh at this little pearler:
haha
hey i wont fight you on what the bible says about women . . . it is clear they were considered inferior and objects to be owned
another interpretation i read of Leviticus 18:22 was that it . . .
"... is grounded in the old Jewish understanding that women are less worthy than men. For a man to have sex with another man 'as with a woman' insults the other man, because women are to be treated as property."
Rev. Jill Nelson
Comment by RubySoho
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One problem I have with this new gay-friendly interpretation of the Bible is that it seeks to make the Bible seem tolerant. It is not. It is full of racism and sexism and violence and murder and rape. I just don't understand what is behind this push.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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hey you will get no arguments from me on that!
even the most tolerant interpretation of the bible cannot change the unequal staus of women and the violence . . . i think the "push" is to encourage people to view the stories in the context of the culture of the time it was penned and decide for themselves what is relevant for today
many people may come to the conclusion that none of it is relevant (as you have) but i think that it up to individuals to decide for themselves in their own time and there should not be a blanket exclusion of gay people of faith . . . it is essentially just giving people extra information
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the lesbians must be really torn . . .
i dont think theres going to be any great influx of gay guys to the church any time soon, but perhaps a few less Catholic parents will disown their gay sons?
Comment by alt_ed
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Toodles.