On "Civil Unions and Logical Disconnects"

Utterances from the Pope, Cardinal Dolan, and Bishop Strickland Teach a Common Lesson: Some things just shouldn't be said.

In today’s fast-paced world, interfaith dialogue is both a delicate and absolutely necessary undertaking, aimed at fostering understanding and respect among different religious communities. When public figures and religious leaders, such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Joseph Strickland, step into this arena with the intent to communicate with those of other faiths, their approach can have a profound impact—positive or negative—depending on how their message is conveyed.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan's Address to "Islamic Brothers and Sisters"

In a video message meant to reach out to the Islamic community, Cardinal Timothy Dolan's intentions were clearly rooted in good faith. The desire to bridge gaps and express solidarity is commendable. However, the execution fell short as it proposes false equivalence with Catholicism, and false parity with Christianity. While his words may have been chosen to convey unity, they inadvertently suggested a superficial understanding of the subject. Efforts like these, while well-meaning, risk patronizing and misinforming the very people they intend to respect, and misdirecting the people the Cardinal is supposed to pastor.

Bishop Joseph Strickland's Post

Moving on, Bishop Joseph Strickland's post reveals a different issue. In expressing a strong desire to return to receiving communion only on the tongue, his message can be perceived as erring 'to the right', indicating a stance that some might interpret as overly rigid. This is not to say it lacks a foundation in truth, but rather that the presentation was limiting and flawed.

In both Dolan’s and Strickland’s cases, the core issue lies in the 'attitude' of the messages—the rhetorical attitude, the attitude of the argumentation, and the attitude of delivery.

Pope Francis and Civil Unions

Next, I delve into the debate ignited by an ostensibly innocuous remark from Pope Francis regarding civil unions. ("it is right that these people who live the gift of love can have legal coverage like everyone else.") This statement, while seemingly straightforward, opens a Pandora's box of inquiries. Nonetheless, it has been commandeered by elements within the Catholic community as fodder to attribute fabricated statements to the Pontiff. My response tackles this issue head-on. By scrutinizing his stance on civil unions—articulating both his expressed and unspoken views—I draw upon his tenure as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires to shed light on his track record and decipher the underlying implications of his contentious comment.

You can listen to the episode here on Substack or on various podcast platforms/apps