To the editor:
I am responding to Cardinal Francis George's response to Pope Francis' call for the Catholic Church to stop obsessing on same-sex marriage, abortion and contraception.
While the cardinal's response supports the general sense of love and mercy, he ignored Francis' call for the Roman Catholic Church's ministry to stop being "obsessed" with a "disjointed multitude of doctrines," and that without a new balance, "the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards." He said "small-minded rules" are driving the faithful away.
Pope Francis said he is "no one to judge" gay people who are of good will and in search of God. Also, he expressed his desire for the Church to be accepting of all people. This is where Francis and George differ. The pope clearly understands what the Church teaches andcontrary to the cardinalhe understands that by promoting those teachings under the mantle of judgment is not done in the spirit of love.
The Rainbow Sash Movement is calling on Cardinal George to honor the pope's words and stop attacking the Illinois LGBT community over marriage equality. We all know Cardinal George and the Catholic Church are opposed to same-sex marriage.
In my opinion, when the pope inferred that "small-minded" people are driving the faithful away from the Church, he was referring to cardinals and bishops such as George.
The only question in my mind is what Cardinal George can say positively about the LGBT community without it being based in bigotry.
Joe Murray, Chicago