Open Letter to Catholic Author Richard Rodriguez

Dear Mr. Richard Rodriguez:

I write as a fellow Catholic who read your recent interview in Salon.com entitled “Why Churches Fear Gay Marriage.” You describe yourself as a practicing Catholic who receives communion at the Most Holy Redeemer Church in San Francisco, so you may know that there are seven Spiritual Works of Mercy Catholics are urged to practice; number two is “Instruct the uninformed” and number five is to “Be patient with those in Error.”

Your statements reveal that you are in error.  And being a public person who identifies himself as Catholic – and then doesn’t support what the Church teaches – you also are creating a scandal.  Because of your influence as a writer and intellectual, you may potentially lead other Catholics astray.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing (2285).”

You publicly identify as a gay man, state that you have a partner, and that you receive the Eucharist at your local Catholic parish. Certainly you know that when you receive the Eucharist, this is a public affirmation that you agree with what the church teaches. The Catechism, which Pope John Paul II called a “sure norm” for teaching the faith, states:

“Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.” (Catechism: 2357).

Remember that pride  is at the root of all human evil; and that pride often manifests itself these days in rejection of what the Catholic Church teaches. There may be many reasons that you publicly reject the teachings of your Church, but keep in mind:

1792 “Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one’s passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, rejection of the Church’s authority and her teaching, lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct. (Catechism).”

You also addressed the issue of abortion:

“At the same time that women are claiming more responsibility for their religious life, they are also moving out of traditional roles as wife and mother. This is why abortion is so threatening to many religious people — it represents some rejection of the traditional role of mother.”

The Catholic Church is not threatened by abortion because it’s one consequence of women’s changing role in society, but chooses to condemn abortion because it is the intentional killing of innocent life. And your Church has condemned abortion since the beginning: “ Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable (2271).”

You end your interview by saying that:

“(My partner and I) take communion together, the priests know who we are, they’re supportive of who we are, and what we are, and they see us in various roles — giving eulogies to dead friends but also helping to baptize little babies. We’re very much a part of that community. That’s why I’m not prepared to lose it because some archbishop in Colorado or cardinal in Los Angeles is behind Proposition 8. It is not my church that they’re talking about.”

Priests who are aware of scandalous behavior and do nothing about it, need to understand charity as Pope Pius X explained it: “Catholic doctrine tells us that the primary duty of charity does not lie in the toleration of false ideas, however sincere they may be.”

And you say that your San Francisco Parish is separate, not related to the Parishes in Colorado or in Los Angeles – you are mistaken. Your Church is part of the universal church that is in communion with your Bishop, who is in communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.

If you cannot find pastoral care in the Castro district that is faithful to the teaching of the Catholic Church, I encourage you to seek out a priest in another parish or diocese who can truly serve you and your spiritual needs. Remember that there is nothing that God can’t forgive.

Please consider what the late great Cardinal John Henry Newman wrote concerning the pull of the world and all its specious arguments about civil rights, freedom, liberation, etc:

“Do you think (the Prince of Lies) is so unskillful in his craft, as to ask you openly and plainly to join him in his warfare against the Truth? No; he offers you baits to tempt you. He promises you civil liberty; he promises you equality; he promises you trade and wealth; he promises you a remission of taxes; he promises you reform.

“This is the way in which he conceals from you the kind of work to which he is putting you; he tempts you to rail against your rulers and superiors; he does so himself, and induces you to imitate him; or he promises you illumination, — he offers you knowledge, science, philosophy, enlargement of mind. He scoffs at times gone by; he scoffs at every institution which reveres them. He prompts you what to say, and then listens to you, and praises you, and encourages you. He bids you mount aloft. He shows you how to become as gods. Then he laughs and jokes with you, and gets intimate with you; he takes your hand, and gets his fingers between yours, and grasps them, and then you are his.”

Please consider the Church as a wise and loving mother, who is always trying to call us back to the truth, who is Jesus Christ. You also spoke passionately about women and the issues raised by feminism. Your Church holds a woman – the Blessed Virgin Mary – as the most perfect person every created and a model for all Catholics. Please pray to the Blessed Mother and seek guidance, she will not let you down.

Having said that, I should say I appreciate your record of achievement as a author and an intellectual. Your points concerning the failure of heterosexual marriages are well made, and should be taken seriously by all Catholics. Divorce is a scandal no doubt. I also admire the fact that you advocate English fluency for all immigrants. Thank you for your time and patience.

God Bless,

Editor, Catechism on Call