Washington Blade - November 5, 2004

WASHINGTON (AP) - Cardinal James A. Hickey, former archbishop of Washington, who led the Roman Catholic Church in the nation's capital for two decades and was known for anti-gay stances, died Oct. 24; thousands attended funeral services held on Saturday. He was 84. One of 13 Americans in the College of Cardinals, Hickey headed the Washington Diocese from 1980 to 2000. Often described as a conservative on church issues despite his social activism, Hickey expressed compassion when a priest in his diocese died of AIDS in 1987. Hickey said he never asked the priest how he contracted AIDS.

Archdiocese censures Minn. church over Gay Pride material Friday, November 05, 2004

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The leader of a local Roman Catholic church known for its support of gay issues said he will comply with an order from the Vatican to remove Gay Pride material from the church Web site. Rev. George Wertin of St. Joan of Arc said he would also stop allowing unordained guests to speak during the celebration of Mass, which was requested two weeks ago in a face-to-face meeting with two local bishops. Archbishop Harry Flynn sent Auxiliary Bishops Frederick Campbell and Richard Pates two weeks ago to deliver the message, which, according to a follow-up statement issued last week from the archdiocese, originated with the Holy See. Campbell left last week to become bishop of Columbus, Ohio. Wertin said it's unclear what prompted the order. In the statement, the archdiocese said it "welcomes gay and lesbian worshippers who are in full communion with the moral teachings of the Church as they apply to all Catholics. It does not, however, endorse the promotion of sexual relations among unmarried persons."

United Methodist minister in Philly faces trial on lesbian relationship

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A United Methodist minister who is in an open relationship with another women will face a church trial in December to determine whether the relationship violates church law. Rev. Elizabeth Stroud, 34, has been associate pastor of First United Methodist Church of Germantown since 1999. In April 2003, she told the congregation that she was a lesbian living in a "conventional relationship." "I knew when I preached that sermon that this day might well come," Stroud said last week. "I'm spiritually and mentally as prepared as I can be." Church law forbids the ordination or appointment of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." The church's highest legislative body reaffirmed the ban in May. Stroud's congregation has declared support for her and set up a legal defense fund.

Irish bishop has 'no difficulty' with civil unions for gays

DUBLIN - Senior Catholic Bishop Dr. Willie Walsh does not object to offering civil union recognition to same-sex couples in Ireland, Ireland On-Line reported. Walsh, speaking on the 10th anniversary of his installation in the Killaloe Diocese, also said that being gay is not sinful but simply is a fact, IOL reported. Although the teachings of the Catholic Church may promote homophobia, Walsh said, he has no difficulties with legislation that recognizes and protects partnership rights for gay couples. But he added that the institution of marriage should be reserved only for heterosexual couples, IOL reported. "I have no difficulty in relation to recognizing the civil liberties of people of homosexual orientation," Walsh told the media. "I do have a difficulty in relation to marriage. I do believe that marriage is a loving life-long relationship between a man and a woman."

Baptists consider rules change to back anti-gay convention

RAYTOWN, Mo. (AP) - Baptist churches in Missouri that support any national church coalition other than the Southern Baptist Convention or any state group besides the Missouri Baptist Convention would be ousted from the state convention under rules considered last week. Discussion of a proposal banning affiliation with rivals to the Southern Baptist Convention dominated discussion at the Missouri Baptist Convention's annual meeting Oct. 27. Membership or financial support of groups such as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist General Convention of Missouri - both founded in response to the growing conservatism of the Southern Baptist Convention - would be grounds for dismissal from the Missouri Baptist Convention under the recommended changes. Among the conservative positions held by the Southern Baptist Convention are a ban on the ordination of women and an increasingly hardline stance on homosexuality.

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