Protesters call for Cardinal George to resign
Protesters call for Cardinal George to resign
By Gary Barlow
Copyright by The Chicago Free Press
Gay Catholic activists and others called on Cardinal Francis George to resign as the head of Chicago’s Roman Catholic diocese April 14, saying his actions have led to children being abused by priests.
“We now know that the Cardinal’s most recent actions have put children in harm’s way and enabled the sexual abuse of a child,” said Joe Murray, of the Rainbow Sash Movement.
Murray was one of about 60 protesters outside Holy Name Cathedral calling on George to step down as parishioners attended Good Friday services inside the church.
Murray and the other protesters focused on the recent case of the Rev. Daniel McCormack, who’s been charged with sexually abusing three boys at the West Side St. Agatha’s Church between 2001-2005. A church report revealed that George and other diocesan officials knew of allegations against McCormack as early as the late 1980s but repeatedly failed to take action against him.
“When I heard about this last incident, I thought that was the last straw for me, the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Murray said. “Cardinal George has continued to say, ‘I’m trying, I’m trying to get something done,’ but I believe the job is above his skill level.”
Rainbow Sash is a predominately gay group that works for greater inclusion and tolerance of GLBTs in the Catholic Church. Murray and other Rainbow Sash members joined a host of groups, including Call to Action, Voices of the Faithful, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and Voices of Outrage, to stage the Good Friday protest at Holy Name and other Catholic churches around the country.
“This is a coalition, a pulling together of all the groups to address this crisis we have with Cardinal George,” said James Fields, an Indiana man who has testified before legislative committees about being abused by multiple priests as a child. Fields helped organize the Holy Name protest.
“This is the first time that victims’ groups have reached out to us in the gay community,” Murray said of the organizers’ request for Rainbow Sash to participate in the protest.
Murray also criticized George, one of America’s top Catholic bishops, for his role in attempting to lay blame for the priests abuse scandals on gay clergy.
“It’s scapegoating, pure and simple scapegoating,” Murray said. “It’s pointing the finger somewhere else. ÉWe have gay victims as well straight victims.”
Murray contrasted George’s attitude towards gays with that of his predecessor, the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin.
“The difference is night and day,” Murray said. “While Cardinal Bernardin also promoted the church’s teachings, he did it in a way that was respectful. Cardinal George comes at us with a sledgehammer.”
A brief controversy erupted over the location of the protest after two church officials came outside and talked with police about 15-20 minutes before the church service ended.
Police had set up barricades on the sidewalk directly adjacent to the front of the cathedral, giving the protesters a few feet of space between State Street and the barricades while leaving a wide swath of the sidewalk open for pedestrians and congregants of the church.
After the church officials talked with police and went back inside the cathedral, police ordered the protesters to move across the street. CPD Sgt. Mike Collins told protest organizers that his orders came from his superiors and said a City ordinance prohibits demonstrations in front of a house of worship while services are going on.
Protest organizers briefly argued with Collins but moved peacefully across the street before parishioners began leaving the cathedral.
By Gary Barlow
Copyright by The Chicago Free Press
Gay Catholic activists and others called on Cardinal Francis George to resign as the head of Chicago’s Roman Catholic diocese April 14, saying his actions have led to children being abused by priests.
“We now know that the Cardinal’s most recent actions have put children in harm’s way and enabled the sexual abuse of a child,” said Joe Murray, of the Rainbow Sash Movement.
Murray was one of about 60 protesters outside Holy Name Cathedral calling on George to step down as parishioners attended Good Friday services inside the church.
Murray and the other protesters focused on the recent case of the Rev. Daniel McCormack, who’s been charged with sexually abusing three boys at the West Side St. Agatha’s Church between 2001-2005. A church report revealed that George and other diocesan officials knew of allegations against McCormack as early as the late 1980s but repeatedly failed to take action against him.
“When I heard about this last incident, I thought that was the last straw for me, the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Murray said. “Cardinal George has continued to say, ‘I’m trying, I’m trying to get something done,’ but I believe the job is above his skill level.”
Rainbow Sash is a predominately gay group that works for greater inclusion and tolerance of GLBTs in the Catholic Church. Murray and other Rainbow Sash members joined a host of groups, including Call to Action, Voices of the Faithful, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and Voices of Outrage, to stage the Good Friday protest at Holy Name and other Catholic churches around the country.
“This is a coalition, a pulling together of all the groups to address this crisis we have with Cardinal George,” said James Fields, an Indiana man who has testified before legislative committees about being abused by multiple priests as a child. Fields helped organize the Holy Name protest.
“This is the first time that victims’ groups have reached out to us in the gay community,” Murray said of the organizers’ request for Rainbow Sash to participate in the protest.
Murray also criticized George, one of America’s top Catholic bishops, for his role in attempting to lay blame for the priests abuse scandals on gay clergy.
“It’s scapegoating, pure and simple scapegoating,” Murray said. “It’s pointing the finger somewhere else. ÉWe have gay victims as well straight victims.”
Murray contrasted George’s attitude towards gays with that of his predecessor, the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin.
“The difference is night and day,” Murray said. “While Cardinal Bernardin also promoted the church’s teachings, he did it in a way that was respectful. Cardinal George comes at us with a sledgehammer.”
A brief controversy erupted over the location of the protest after two church officials came outside and talked with police about 15-20 minutes before the church service ended.
Police had set up barricades on the sidewalk directly adjacent to the front of the cathedral, giving the protesters a few feet of space between State Street and the barricades while leaving a wide swath of the sidewalk open for pedestrians and congregants of the church.
After the church officials talked with police and went back inside the cathedral, police ordered the protesters to move across the street. CPD Sgt. Mike Collins told protest organizers that his orders came from his superiors and said a City ordinance prohibits demonstrations in front of a house of worship while services are going on.
Protest organizers briefly argued with Collins but moved peacefully across the street before parishioners began leaving the cathedral.
posted by Carlos T Mock at 5:30 PM
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