Letter: Effort to change Catholic teaching
President Barack Obama meets with Pope Francis on March 27, 2014, in Vatican City. Credit: AP
Benjamin Brenkert recounted his dilemma of being an openly gay man who left his studies for the priesthood because of what he perceived to be unfair treatment of gays .
He cites cases where actions were taken by the Catholic Church against lay people serving in leadership positions because of their flagrant violation of orthodox doctrine, such as the gay religious teacher from Oceanside who was removed when he "married" his gay partner.
Brenkert suggests that he does not want to change Catholic moral doctrine in regard to the sanctity of holy matrimony, which the church insists can only exist between one man and one woman. He says he wants the church to be more "compassionate and understanding." Newsday's story offered little defense of the church for doing nothing more than upholding its moral doctrine.
There is no religious institution that is more compassionate and welcoming to gays than the Catholic Church. The church has continually insisted that homosexuality is not a sin; it is the act of homosexuality that is a sin. Brenkert claims that he does not want to change Catholic teaching, but isn't that what he is really advocating?
Robert L. Olson, Baiting Hollow
