Putting Lipstick on a Pig

Cardinal Sean O'Malley gave the Globe an interview (as part of his Rainbow Tour?): "O'Malley sees a test of values" and talked about Boston being "a rich testing ground for the church as it attempts to convince a secular culture of its religious values." Unfortunately I don't think he gets that Boston IS a very religious town. We just don't believe someone that says: ''It's about Christ, his church, his mission. I'm just a small part of it. I'll do my best." and then does something completely opposite.

My knowledge of Cardinal O'Malley goes back to when he was the Bishop of Fall River. There, like Boston, he was brought in to close churches and shuffle people around. The church that my grandparents were baptized/married/buried in and I was baptized in was closed by O'Malley. He came in and closed churches that were noted for the ethnic ties and combined them into "generic" non-ethnic churches. So he was a "closer" way back then.

From the Globe:

O'Malley suggested that, for example, other states would have been more receptive to the recent request from the archdiocese that it be allowed to exclude gays and lesbians from adopting children through Catholic Charities. The Massachusetts Legislature declined to consider the exemption.

Funny, these other states also have the death penalty and high divorce rates too in addition to legally allowing discrimination. But he goes on to say:

''It is challenging to teach in this environment, but this is a very important environment for the church to be involved in teaching in. Here we have so many intellectual centers, this is the Athens of the West, and they say that St. Paul's most eloquent sermon was given in Athens and it's the one that had the least impact," he said, chuckling. ''I think certainly this is a great challenge for us as Catholics in an atmosphere where our doctrines are being challenged and questioned, but I think that makes us stronger in responding to those kinds of challenges."

So in one paragraph he equates himself to St. Paul AND calls Boston an intellectual center. What he will soon realize (because he hasn't already) is that this intellectual center KNOWS that gay people are not intrinsically evil.

I imagine St. Peter at the gates hitting O'Malley upside the head saying:

"You were supposed to protect and care for the children and instead you prevented them from getting loving homes and parents. You also screamed of Red Ink yet paid to send out millions of newletters attacking your gay and lesbians neighbors. And those socks AND sandals, Sister, what were you thinking!?!"