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Vatican's Anti-Gay Stance Criticized by U.S. Nuns

Call for Resignation of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

Say Ending Gay Church Ministry Misguided/Travesty

Compiled By GayToday

Chicago---Two board members of a national organization of Roman Catholic nuns issued a blistering criticism of the Vatican for forbidding a nun and priest from ministering to gays and lesbians and called for the resignation of the Vatican official responsible for the ban.

Last week, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ordered School Sister of Notre Dame Jeannine Gramick and Salvatorian Father Robert Nugent to stop their ministry to gay persons and their families citing the pair's "ambiguity" on the immorality of homosexual activity.

"The Vatican's misguided action against these two ministers should be reversed," said Sister Margaret Traxler, founder and board member of the National Coalition of American Nuns (NCAN).

"Sister Jeannine and Father Nugent have done enormous good in helping the Catholic community understand gay people and respond appropriately to their pastoral needs. To forbid their ministry sends the unacceptable message that gay persons and their families are not entitled to the Church's pastoral care."

Gramick and Nugent have been involved in ministry with the gay community for almost thirty years with the full approval of their respective religious orders. They have written and lectured extensively on the topic of homosexuality and the Catholic Church and their work has been lauded by many including a number of Catholic bishops.

In 1974, the National Coalition of American Nuns was the first Catholic organization and one of the first national organizations to affirm the rights of gay and lesbian people.

Throughout its history, NCAN has testified in support of gay civil rights legislation and has been outspoken in its call for authentic pastoral care for gay people and their families within the Church.

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"Gay people have been the objects of derision and scorn. They have been abused, denied, and their pastoral needs have been ignored," said Sister Donna Quinn, an NCAN board member and director of Chicago Catholic Women.

"Sister Jeannine and Father Bob have attempted to dispel the myths surrounding homosexuality and respond to the needs of this group. They have done this in faithfulness to the Church and in fidelity to the truth. Forbidding their ministry is a travesty."

While never challenging the official teaching of the Church that homosexual activity is objectively immoral, Gramick and Nugent have stressed the Church's teachings that gay persons are to be treated with respect and that they deserve a special degree of pastoral care. Some Catholic officials wanted the pair to highlight the immorality of homosexual activity and give less emphasis to the Church's call for understanding, compassion and justice.

"Father Bob and Sister Jeannine have influenced thousands of pastoral ministers and their approach has become the model of gay ministry throughout the U.S.," said Sister Quinn.

"Silencing them will not take us back to the time when gay people were despised and ignored nor will it stop others from ministering to gay persons and their families. We fully support Sister Jeannine and Father Bob and we recommit ourselves to stand in solidarity with gay and lesbian people who long for justice and understanding in our Church."

In addition to urging that the ban be reversed, the nuns have called for the resignation of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the man responsible for barring the nun and priest from ministry to gay persons and their families.