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Archdiocese of St. Paul claims no "Subculture of Homosexual Priests" Here

But Vicar General's Own Brother Teaches Against Vatican on Homosexuality

By John-Henry Westen

MINNEAPOLIS, March 28, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, the most authoritative voice in the archdiocese next to Archbishop Harry Flynn, in comments published by the St. Paul Pioneer Press today, said he did not believe that there is a "subculture of homosexual priests" in the diocese. The statement is raising eyebrows in a diocese known to be overrun with clergy at odds with Church teaching on homosexuality, including the Vicar General's own brother.

The statement is also being challenged by Dr. David Pence. Pence is a  a local physician who heads up a group of faithful lay Catholic men who have made it their business to restore honour and decency within the archdiocese by confronting priestly sexual abuse and the homosexual subculture in the hierarchy head on. In an interview with LifeSiteNews.com today Dr. Pence pointed out that the Vicar General qualified his statement, nullifying its effect. 

Vicar General Rev. Kevin McDonough's quote read: "I don't believe in this archdiocese there has ever been an active subculture of homosexual priests who were sexually active and justifying their behavior."

Dr. Pence told LifeSiteNews.com that "the issue is not only about priests who are actively homosexual but also, and perhaps more importantly, about priests who teach and preach that homosexuality is not disordered."
  (see the article http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/14194832.htm )

Dr. Pence explains that "the male relationship of love Christ had with the apostles, is not peripheral but central to the Catholic Church.  It is reflected today in the relationship between diocesan priests and their bishops. And that understanding of male relationship is fundamentally corrupted by homosexuality."

McDonough's public assertion was surprising especially since his own brother William McDonough, a priest (active as such at least until 1998) in the diocese, is on public record going against Church teaching on homosexuality.  William McDonough is nevertheless stationed in a comfortable post as a professor at the Catholic women's college in the archdiocese and taught "sexual morality" at the diocesan seminary from 1991-1997.  In 1999 he travelled to local Catholic high schools providing in-services for teachers on "an adequate Catholic moral response to homosexuality and homosexual persons."

At The Society of Christian Ethics, professor McDonough convened the "Gay and Lesbian Issues Interest Group sessions" from 1997-2005.  There in 2001, he presented the paper "Toward a MacIntyrean ethic of same-sex life partnerships".  And in the May-June 1996 issue of Review for Religious he authored "Acknowledging the gift of gay priestly celibacy."

In addition to these facts, William McDonough's curriculum vitae which is posted online here (http://minerva.stkate.edu/offices/academic/theology.nsf/973d574997ee262886256edd... ) also demonstrates the professor's fixation with homosexuality. 

As recently as January of this year, professor McDonough was publicly bashing the Vatican for its document barring men with deep seated homosexual tendencies from the priesthood.  In Commonweal, a left-leaning magazine, he wrote, "Many things can be said about the Vatican's Instruction on gay candidates for the priesthood. Here I want to argue that it is a failure against hope. It indulges, at least materially, in one of the two cardinal sins against hope, presumption . . . Surely the church will apologize one day for this Instruction's presumption, since our magisterium, by definition, cannot act against hope. It is indeed sad that, as the new year begins for both church and society, we need to turn away from the church's teaching authority to find living models of hope."  (see the full article here: http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/article.php3?id_article=1485 )

Moreover, there is definitely a hornet's nest among clergy in the diocese regarding the Church's teaching on homosexuality.  In February 2006, 27 priests of the diocese sent a letter to the bishop saying his support of the marriage amendment was a scandal and act of discrimination, but the archdiocese is unwilling to release the names of the priests who signed the letter. (see coverage http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06031006.html ) 

A week later, over 130 staff and faculty at the Catholic University of St Thomas protested against the administration with a letter stating "the love, commitment and monogamy" of a lesbian couple as "no less real because they are not married."

On Ash Wednesday, 2006, a St. Paul priest who objected to the sexualization of children in the diocesan touching program was silenced by what the "tough" nun in charge promised would be a "two by four" from Fr. Kevin McDonough. (see coverage http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06030602.html )

In 2004, the Vatican intervened in the archdiocese to have a parish pull 'gay pride' promotions from it's website. (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/oct/04102806.html )

Dr. Pence's group, DocSociety, is set to issue a white paper on April 11 outlining the history of the chancery and seminary entanglement with the homosexual and feminist ideology. (see coverage http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06031311.html )

LifeSiteNews.com calls to Vicar General Rev. McDonough and to archdiocesan spokesman Dennis McGrath were not returned by press time.

To POLITELY express concerns:
Contact Archbishop Flynn
226 Summit Avenue
Saint Paul, MN, USA 55102
(651) 291-4400

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