distinction between male and female and called for “an ecology of the
human being” to protect mankind “from self-destruction”. Photo: CNS.
Archbishop puzzled by response to Papal address
Hobart Archbishop Adrian Doyle has defended Pope Benedict XVI, saying
the media have unnecessarily created an “adversarial environment”
between the Holy Father and the gay community.
The Archbishop says he was puzzled by a December 24 report in
Tasmania’s News Limited publication The Mercury – and radio, television
and internet media outlets around Australia and the world – about Pope
Benedict attacking the gay community.
Media reports had the Pope saying that ‘gender theory’ blurred the
distinction between male and female and called for “an ecology of the
human being” to protect mankind “from self-destruction”.
ABC News had the Pontiff saying that saving people from homosexual or
transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforest
from destruction.
During the address, given to curial cardinals at the Vatican on
December 22, Pope Benedict discussed Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae
Vitae issued in 1968 and which addressed the issue of contraception in
marriage.
Without mentioning the word homosexuality, the Pope instead said the
Church must save man from his own destruction, and that “man wants to
create himself and to arrange always and exclusively that which
concerns him. But this means living contrary to the truth and … to the
creator Spirit.”
Archbishop Doyle said he had read the address the Pope gave to the Curia.
He said it makes no reference to, or condemns homosexuals or lesbians.
“To use the quote in the Mercury headline – ‘homosexuality is as great
a threat as rainforest destruction’ – is completely incorrect and
inflammatory,” Archbishop Doyle said.
He said the Pope’s address focuses on the events of World Youth Day
2008 in Sydney and has the theme of an “authentic vision of ecology”,
and that “if we respect God’s creation in the earth and the
environment, as we must, then we must also respect God’s creation of
humankind and the wonderful way human beings were created. If we fail
to keep the two things in balance, we strike trouble,” the Archbishop
said.
“To me, this is a fundamental message focused around the current issues of climate change,” Archbishop Hart said.
Archbishop Doyle said that Pope Benedict XVI has spoken of joy being
the expression of happiness, of being in harmony with oneself, which is
only possible if one is in harmony with God and His creation.
“Sadly, it is the media who have created the adversarial environment in
this case by choosing to misquote key parts of the speech of His
Holiness,” Archbishop Doyle said.
He added that over the festive season, all members of Tasmania’s
communities were welcome to attend one of the many services being held
across the State.
Responding to media reports/allegations that the Pope said humanity
needs to be ‘saved from homosexuality’, Auxiliary Bishop of Canberra
and Goulburn Pat Power told ABC that he believes the Pontiff was
“probably reacting to more militant elements within the gay community”.
“When I heard that message of the Pope today I said, ‘What’s that
saying to those people that I love and share a great deal with’,” he
said.