In the fight against Prop 8, religion has been a cornerstone. And it’s not just the Mormon Church who took heat, but also conservative Catholics with a “traditional” definition of marriage. So anger toward them can be rationalized — vandalism, however, cannot. And such is the case of a church in San Francisco’s Castro district, which was spraypainted with swastikas on Saturday night by Prop 8 foes. The kicker? That church happened to be gay-friendly.
Vandals spray-painted swastikas on a Catholic church in San Francisco’s Castro District Saturday night.
It appears the vandals are upset about the Catholic church’s support of Proposition 8, which made same-sex marriage illegal in California.
But, the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church on Diamond Street is gay-friendly. Many parishioners voted against Prop 8 and they are upset their church was targeted.
“We’re very disturbed by the hierarchy’s support of the Yes on Eight Campaign. We’ve been in conversation with the bishop, which is the way I think we need to handle it. I think Catholic teaching shows us we’re all a community and we all need to talk to one another about it even if we have disagreements,” said Rob Hopckey. [ABC KGO]
Darth Paul
I guess it’s good to see that queers can be just as idiotic as straights. Huzzahs for equality!
Tim in SF
Unless they catch who did it and question them, the vandal’s support of prop 8 is speculation.
RichardR
Dumb. Wait ’til O’Limity get hold of this one.
fuzzygruf
This parish provides support for Archbishop George Niederauer who is the guy who roped in the mormon support. They also help fund the Pope. Their masochistic support, and that of all practicing catholics, oppresses gays worldwide.
tallskin
Religion is the enemy, the root of homophobia in all our western societies since christianity became the state religion of ancient Rome.
Throw them all to the lions.
Raphael
I have two thoughts on this:
1) A “gay-friendly” Catholic church is still supports the Catholic orthodoxy of persecuting homosexuals. They may share dissident views, but they take their orders from the top. I’m not cutting them any slack.
2) Vandalism is always misguided, even if it were targetting Saddleback Churck.
Al
hey Raphael – the Catholic Church DOES NOT persecute homosexuals. Rather it condems the sin of homosexuality, – NOT the homosexual. Get your facts straight before speaking errors about the Catholic Church.
Bruno
@Al:
Give me a frigging break with this already. If I got on TV and started a ministry that called for all Catholics to be purged of their sin of choosing Catholicism, all the while “loving” them, you wouldn’t think it was kind-hearted, now would you?
Jason
Al,
Do you think you could open your mind just for a minute to consider this simple idea: What if some people — I know not you– just some people — consider “condem[ing] the sin of homosexuality” to be equivalent to persecution of homosexuals? I know you’ll disagree here, but can you suspend your judgmental nature for just a few minutes while you consider the fact that FOR SOME OF US BEING GAY IS NOT A SIN, and to define it as a sin is a form of persecution?
I know you might not be ready to hear this but I thought I’d just point out how your language is open to different interpretations.
Raphael
@Al:
You say potato, I say the Catholic church persecutes homosexuals.
audiored
Umm.. it is still a church (and catholic to boot!).
I’m not going to cry over vandalism, which is a perfectly acceptable form of political protest.
Religion is the enemy of reason and freedom. Regardless of how toned down or civilized they make their rhetoric.
Lee
Most Holy Redeemer kicked out the sister of Perpetual Indulgence AFTEr they made fire code renovations to the basement for their Bingo. How “gay friendly” is that?
Glenn I
Vandalism? C’mon, Martin Luther’s nailing a manifesto to the Church door — that was vandalism! You know how hard it was back then to find putty to fill in the nail holes?
If you’ve got a building in the city and you don’t have a stock of housepaint ready to cover up the taggers’ marks then you’re just being negligent. At least this was a political message rather than the ego stroke of a sig.
Anyone who feels shame or disgust over this has climbed down into the cesspool of their internalized homophobia for a soak. Remember, no Catholic Church is allowed to be “gay-friendly”. If they advocate for equal rights or even equal speech for gay people, the Catholic hierarchy will shut them down. Relatively quietly hostile for a Catholic Church, that’s the best we can expect.
Nickthekick
Back in the late 1980’s and everywhere around the Castro guys were dying or sick. And we were all freaked out, and scared and thinking, “who’s next?” Plus the hugh responsibility of caring for our friends and lovers. I was 29, watching my friends, lovers and neighbors died.
Most Holy Redeemer set up a hospice across the street from the Church, for AIDS patents. Most Holy Redeemer had weekly BINGO games to raise money for AIDS charities including the hospice. The Bingo Games attended by just as many old ladies as Gay Men, and we all got along! Drag Queens called each game.
Most Holy Redeemer was the site for so funerals of Gay Men who died of AIDS. It feels like I sat thru at least hundred. Most Holy Redeemer help set up Kiros House, which provided support and drop in counsiling for care givers.
For my Beautiful Latino boyfriend who I held as he died, his funeral at Most Holy Redeemer, helped heal his broken family. Him getting a proper Catholic Funeral, was so important for them. The whole MHR staff was so kind to us. Thinking back, I might have stiffed the Priest and Organist as it was all new territory for me.
This act of vandalism if committed by a Gay group is truly shameful.
Raphael
@Nickthekick:
Your post is touching, and it shows how complicated our relationships with the church’s are.
Despite all their work for victims of AIDS, I can’t help but hold them responsible for encouraging the silence that killed so many people. They fight safe-sex education. They fight acknowledging our relationships. They promote the closet and all the death it causes, through disease, violence, and suicide.
So I don’t give them too much credit for the occasional charity they offer.
Charles J. Mueller
@Al:
Oh, I get it now. The Church only burned the “homosexuality” of those gays burned at the stake.
The homosexual himself repented, renounced the error of his ways and escaped unscathed. Right?
When will I ever get my facts straight about the Catholic Church?
Charles J. Mueller
Before we all don our hair shirts and commence flagellating ourselves, perhaps we would do well to heed what Tim in SF (No. 2 post) said.
For all we know, the vandalism might well have been perpetrated by someone that wants it to look like it was done by a member of the LGBT community and thus discredit us even more.
Anyone remember “Innocent until proven guilty?”
Raphael
@Charles J. Mueller: I don’t care who did it or why. I think that this sort of vandalism is not a good way to express onesself, contrary to #11. And the vandal is no Martin Luther (#13), who actually took some effort to craft his message, and didn’t have other means of widespread communication (like, say, a blog).
But I often speculate that some of the anti-church vandals are just right-wingers who want to make the homos look bad. Esp. if a white, powdery substance is involved (long the M.O. of right-wing nutters, not the left).
emmy
If Most Holy Reedemer Catholic Church in San Francisco is gay-friendly, it’s a shame that the church was targeted in a vandalism incident.
I know that there isn’t much regard for the church nowadays as some of its adherents haven’t been consistent in their demonstration of belief, but the fact that this specific church does its best to work through byzantine contradictions and orthodoxy and make connections with the community is why we should not fall prey to stereotyping. It’s divisive, and it’s wrong.
In his post titled “10 New Year’s Resolutions for the Gay Community” (posted December 29, 2008), Mr. Grant offered some excellent advice in making meaningful, positive change. If one is to defeat an unjust law, a variety of advocates from many different communities will help in the cause. And while there are many Catholics who hide behind faith as an excuse to flex their intolerance, there are a few of us who see otherwise.
Mandy Anderson
@Raphael:
Yes. And I say the homosexuals are persecuting the Catholic church.
PS I am not a Catholic, and still it is glaringly obvious.
Kurt
“This parish provides support for Archbishop George Niederauer who is the guy who roped in the mormon support. They also help fund the Pope. Their masochistic support, and that of all practicing catholics, oppresses gays worldwide.”
No they don’t. MHR is poor parish. It is a money loser that is subsidized by the Archdiocese. The money flows the other way.
Whatever others elsewhere do, the targets of this vandalism were wronged.
It would be like bashing me because I have a homophobic uncle or parent.
Steve R
Some of you sound like you’re a bit afraid of the Catholic Church.
You should be.
We’re coming for you 😉
Puddy Katz
No one should engage in this type of vandalism against churches, private property or businesses, but especially churches since they are protected by the First Amendment. Any attack on the First Amendment weakens our own protections under the same.
If this was done by gay activists, and that is proven, then I hope the gay community does the right thing and condemns the actions.
chuck
@Mandy Anderson:
And I say that you are a blooming idiot!
So, which one of us is right?
chuck
@Puddy Katz:
Well, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.
And until that time arrive, then all judgement should be withheld.
Assuming makes an ass out of u and me.