When the Chicago Archdiocese hosts a celebration next week for sometime-soon-to-be retiring Francis Cardinal George, not everybody will be in a festive mood.
Gay-rights activist Andy Thayer, for one, will be on the outside protesting. "With bishops and cardinals coming from around the country, this will probably be one of the biggest assemblages of leaders opposed to equal rights for LGBTs and women that our state has seen in many years," he said.
An activist group, the Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ), of which Thayer is a co-founder, plans to picket a reception and dinner, scheduled Wednesday evening, Dec. 18, at the Drake Hotel.
Along with GLN, Chicago Catholic activist group Rainbow Sash Movement also plans to protest what GLN terms "a sumptuous feast."
Rather than celebrate, the group says the cardinal's "virulent anti-gay language and behavior deserves scorn, not honor."
In all, there are three events set to mark the 50th anniversary of George's ordination to the priesthood. The first is the celebration of an anniversary Mass at Holy Name Cathedral, followed by lunch at Roy's, located across the street. The big-bucks reception and dinner are scheduled that evening at the Drake.
Local mainstream media reported in early October the cost of the anniversary celebration would be paid for by private donations, with dinner tickets ranging from $300 to $10,000 for prime-seat tables.
The local CBS affiliate also reported as many as 150 bishops and cardinals from the U.S. and beyond were expected a week before Christmas at Holy Name, where in 1997 George first introduced himself as Chicago's Roman Catholic spiritual leader.
The late Pope John Paul II appointed George, a Chicago native, cardinal in 1998. He served as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops ( USCCB ) from 2007 to 2010.
George, 76, is nearly two years past the church's mandatory retirement age for prelates. He turns 77 on Jan. 16.
Since he submitted his retirement letter two years ago to then-Pope Benedict XVI, moreover, speculation has swirled around his likely successor, as well as if and when George would step down.
As recently as Nov. 11, his spokeswoman told the Chicago Sun-Times, "The cardinal has no plans to retire soon," said Colleen Dolan. "He submitted his perfunctory resignation in 2012 and has heard nothing."
But two years ago, Benedict XVI was pope. Now Francis is pontiff.
All of which raises key questions: When will the new pope move to replace George? What is the appointment process? And what would Chicago gay-rights activists and LGBT's among the faithful like to see in a new spiritual leader in the nation's third largest Roman Catholic archdiocese?
Those questions have gained considerable traction as George has battled cancer twice now. Speaking to heath concerns, his spokeswoman told the Sun Times last month, that George is "tired, doing well, watches his health carefully, works too hard, and maintains the regular schedule he has for the last 10 years," adding, "The reports of his death were greatly exaggerated."
Meanwhile, in a few words, the selection process for a new bishop or archbishop is deliberative and orderlyand highly secretive, with little to no input from the laity.
As the Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who is an expert on the appointment process, explained in some detail Nov. 12, in the National Catholic Reporter:
"The appointment process begins when a bishop turns 75 or dies. The nuncio, the pope's representative to the U.S. church, is responsible for drawing up a list of three names [called a terna] that is sent to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. The nuncio usually consults with all the U.S. cardinals and the archbishop of the province containing the diocese, as well as the retiring bishop.
"The Congregation for Bishops reviews the terna and the nuncio's report. If they do not like the names, they tell the nuncio to submit a new list. Ultimately, they vote on the list, and the prefect of the congregation takes three names to the pope, listed in order of preference. The pope makes the final decision."
Reese also says that the newly elected vice president of the USCCB, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Texas, may well be a "kingmaker" in the appointment of bishops in the United States.
Reese cites attributes like DiNardo's service as former staffer in the Vatican Congregation for Bishops and his "knowledge of the process, key players and the politics of episcopal appointments."
And DiNardo, Reese said, can on his many visits to Rome "make his recommendations known to the right people, including Pope Francis."
Another advantage: DiNardo is fluent in Italian at the same time Francis is not "at home in English," according to Reese, who adds that the pope has "little personal knowledge of the United States."
Therefore, the pontiff will need to depend on others to advise him. And while the closest U.S. prelate to Francis is Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley, Reese says, "O'Malley is a saint not a politician," who "will not push favors or even give his advice unless the pope asks."
Who emerges from the appointment process as Chicago's next archbishop is anybody's best guess.
Local media ( CBS Chicago ) and beyond have speculated on several strong candidates with local ties to succeed George. They are Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta; Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki of Milwaukee; Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois; and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of San Antonio, Texas.
Both Gregory and Listecki are former Chicago seminarians. Paprocki, who offered prayers of supplication and exorcism on the same day Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the marriage equality bill into law, is a Blackhawks fan, nicknamed "Holy Goalie." Garcia-Siller, a former Chicago auxiliary bishop, learned to speak Polish enabling him connect with the region's large Polish-American population.
Gregory is African-American. He served as president of the USCCB from 2001-2004, was Bishop of Belleville, Ill., from 1993 to 2004, and auxiliary bishop of Chicago from 1983 to 1993.
A decade ago, moreover, the late Timothy J. Russert, on Meet the Press ( June 16, 2002 ), asked Gregory about a controversial comment he made regarding gay priests.
Said Russert, "Homosexualitya few months ago you made a comment which got a lot of attention about homosexuals in the priesthood, and I'll show you exactly what you said and give you a chance to respond to it. I think we have it there on our screen. 'It's most importantly a struggle to make sure that the Catholic priesthood is not dominated by homosexual men.' Explain that."
Gregory replied, "One of the things that I think that this moment calls for is that the church must look carefully at the caliber of priests that serve us, and the caliber of candidates who seek to enter the priesthood. It's a call for holiness and integrity of life. And that statement was made in that context, that this is a moment of purification and introspection. We need healthy, holy priests, who live the promises that they make with integrity."
In a follow-up question Russert asked, "Can a homosexual be a healthy, happy priest?"
Said Gregory, "I think we have some who are. I think we have men who have embraced the promise of celibacy irregardless of their sexual orientation and they've lived it with integrity."
Any other strong candidates to replace George? The local CBS affiliate reported the strongest contender might well be Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle, Washington. Another possibility is Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, Texas.
Meanwhile, what are local gay-rights activists and LGBT's among the faithful looking for after George, who over the years has been an ardent opponent of LGBT rights, especially marriage equality?
One thing is clear, nobody wants another anti-gay general in the culture war against LGBT's.
Oddly enough, like many Catholic families with LGBT family members, even his own, Cardinal George acknowledged his oldest nephew is gay and a "fine man."
Earlier this year, in a wide-ranging interview with America magazine, a Jesuit publication, Pope Francis said the Roman Catholic Church has been overly "obsessed" with condemning same-sex marriage, abortion, and contraception and should shift its focus, emphasizing compassion and mercy rather than "small-minded rules."
Chris Pett, a past president of the local Dignity Chicago chapter, hopes the new leader heeds Francis' words.
"My vision and hope for the new archbishop would be that he reflects the perspectives and world view of Pope Francis, who envisions a church of inclusion, justice, focused on the poor and marginalized, and injustices of all kinds such as racism and economic inequality," said Pett.
He added, "While we want this new shepherd to share Francis' worldview and clarification of the church's true mission, this leader could also be a shepherd who will help the local church of Chicago and national church to address some of the disconnects that still are not recognized by Francis, such as how can you put forward a worldview focused on injustice and inequality and not see the connection with challenges to LGBT Catholics and the leadership role of women in the church; that the church's moral teaching that LGBT sexuality is 'intrinsically evil and morally disordered' is not seen in itself an injustice and recognizing that this teaching is dis-ordered and willfully ignorant of what the human sciences tell us. Nor is denying women their rightful place in the ministry and leadership of the church an injustice and in opposition to Gospel imperatives."
For his part, Dignity Chicago's media coordinator Martin Grochala offered a perspective. "Someone who is not only willing to converse, but also who is also willing to listen. Someone who takes to heart the Pope's focus on justice, service and love. Without those three values, doctrine is a dry and empty shell," said Grochala.
Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, went further, expanding on local Dignity spokespersons' hopes for new leadership.
"This will be the first appointment of a U.S. archbishop since Pope Francis' election. It is an opportunity for the Pope to send a strong message by appointing someone with a strong, clear record of pastoral leadership. If, instead, the new leader of the Archdiocese rose to prominence by attacking LGBT people, same-sex marriage and women's health care, and continues along those lines without being called on the carpet, it will cause many to question how the pope's words and actions relate to each other," she said.
"DignityUSA members hope that Chicago's new leader will be someone who is deeply rooted in the sense of the Church as the living Body of Christ, and who sees himself ( and, of course it will be 'himself' ) as shepherd and minister rather than enforcer-in-chief. We want him to recognize love and commitment between couples as reflecting the Divine Spirit, especially as legal same-sex marriage becomes a reality in Illinois," Duddy-Burke added. "He should help all members of our Church greet this reality with a peaceful spirit, and ensure that Church institutions respect the legal commitments couples have made to each other."
For Joe Murray of the Rainbow Sash Movement, openness and humility are necessary characteristics of a new leader.
"The Rainbow Sash Movement hopes the next leader of the Archdiocese of Chicago is both humble and a servant. He needs to be open to a diversity of opinions; and 'Yes,' we think he should sit down with the LGBT Chicago political leadership to really understand those concerns. This would go a long way to opening up communication between these two significant communities in Chicago with possible ramifications nationally," said Murray, who also voiced sharp criticism for what he termed George's "extravagant retirement parties" saying they "are both out of place and clueless when it comes to the poor."
Murray added, "The key attribute for George's replacement is he has to be a good pastor first. He needs to be able to listen to people who he may not either agree with or like, but this is what the Gospels call us to do. Loving each other is a messy business, but in that messiness is wonder and hope."
Similarly, Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, offered his thoughts.
"After Cardinal George's tenure as archbishop of Chicago, what is needed is a pastoral, listener. Cardinal George's heavily theological and political tone has caused many in the LGBT community to be alienated from the Catholic Church. We need a healer and reconciler to undo the damage that he caused by insensitive remarks and aggressive political involvement," said DeBernardo.
Not only has George's tenure rankled local gay- rights activists and LGBT's among the faithful, but also his stridency has alienated others in pastoral ministry with gays and lesbians.
"In 1999, in a welcome address to the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian/Gay Ministries, Cardinal George warned this group of professional ministers not to discuss that year's Vatican directive which attempted to ban Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert Nugent from ministering with lesbian and gay people," DeBernardo explained.
"George's action revealed an authoritarian small-mindedness that feared disagreement and discussion. After his long tenure in Chicago, Catholics need someone who will not only listen to their concerns, but will encourage, not discourage, them to voice their opinions to church leaders on the crucial topics of sexuality, LGBT people, and ministry."
Longtime gay-rights activist Rick Garcia, who is Catholic, said concern for anti-violence measures and the poor should be a top priority for the next spiritual leader.
"We need an archbishop who, unlike Cardinal George, will speak out about the number of children and others who have been victims of gun violence in Chicago. A bishop who will focus on the needs of those who are poor, the undocumented immigrant, those who are victims of domestic violence, those who are oppressed and those who have no voice of their own," said Garcia.
For Thayer and GLN, an end to archdiocesan opposition to LGBT civil rights would be a welcomed change. Over the years, he said, the archdiocese could be "counted on to virulently oppose every move for LGBT social equality in Illinois. Now that we have largely won legal equality, we want LGBT-affirming education in our public schools" and "social services delivered in a non-sectarian manner where people of all faithsor no faithwill receive them without favor or discrimination."
Thayer added, "As the African-American civil-rights movement learned more than a generation ago, winning formal legal equality is just one important step on the road to full equality, with many battles that still need to be won."
For their part, Mary Ellen and Casey Lopata, co-founders of Fortunate Families, a Rochester, N.Y.-based ministry with parents of LGBT children, their families and siblings, offered yet another perspective. "A clone of Pope Francis would work for us," they said. "Oops, church teaching won't allow that."
©Copyright. Chuck Colbert. All rights reserved.