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Key Advisor to Cardinal O'Malley Writes Pro-Gay 'Marriage' Column in Boston Newspaper

By Peter J. Smith and John-Henry Westen

BOSTON, June 14, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Gay marriage is just another step in "natural social evolution" writes a high profile lay advisor to Boston Archbishop Cardinal O'Malley. The advisor, Peter Meade--one of seven members of Catholic Charities in Boston who resigned over the Archdiocese's decision to ban same-sex couples from adopting--maintains his position on the committee O'Malley appointed to recommend which parishes in the Archdiocese ought to be closed.

"On May 17, 2004, the day marriage was made legal for everyone in Massachusetts, we looked out our window to see - contrary to apocalyptic predictions - that the sun had actually risen," wrote Meade and his wife Rosanne Bacon Meade in a column published Tuesday by the Boston Herald. "Life went on quite normally not only that day, but every day since."

The couple wrote to thwart a possible overturning of same sex marriage in the state, claiming that "no harm has resulted from the marriage of same-sex couples" and that overturning same-sex "marriage" would in fact be contrary to the progress of the nations' democratic institutions.

Before his resignation over the Church's refusal to allow homosexual adoption, Meade was the Chair of Catholic Charities in Boston. Meade is currently co-chairman of the Meade-Eisner commission with Sister Janet Eisner, which reviews parish closings in Boston.

"Voting on the matter now would serve no positive end," wrote the Meades.  "In fact, we believe it would be contrary to the traditions of our democracy (as counterintuitive as that may sound), and degrade the political discourse in our state. Worse, it would deprive other worthy issues of time and attention - issues such as education, urban crime, state finances and much more."

The proposed amendment, which would have allowed the public a ballot measure on same sex marriage, required only 50 votes to pass.  It was defeated by a vote of 151- 45.

Phil Lawler, the editor and founder of Catholic World News who has an upcoming book called The Faithful Departed on the collapse of Catholic influence in the Boston area, commented to LifeSiteNews.com about the situation in light of today's vote loss.

"It's clear that the archdiocese is not serious about this issue," said Lawler.  "There is no real penalty being exacted on people who are in support of same sex marriage."

Lawler explained, "People who are supporting traditional marriage, who supported the marriage amendment were going to have to pay a pretty heavy price in terms of the wrath of the gay rights lobby, of Governor Patrick, of the editorial writers all around the state.  But people who abandoned the cause, people who supported same sex marriage, and opposed this amendment were not going to face any real problems with the leadership of the Catholic Church."

He concluded, "And that's really in my mind the biggest reason for today's outcome."

See Meade's column in the Boston Herald here:
http://news.bostonherald.com/editorial/view.bg?articleid=1005992

To contact Cardinal O'Malley to respectfully voice your concerns:

Archbishop Cardinal O'Malley
Archdiocese of Boston
2121 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02135-3193
Telephone: 617-254-0100
FAX: 617-783-4564

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