Cardinal 's Feelings on Chicago, Chick Filet & Marriage

[Guest guest]

Cardinal slams Chicago mayor’s comments on Chick-fil-A marriage flap

by Thaddeus Baklinski

CHICAGO, July 31, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Cardinal Francis , the Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, has taken aim at remarks by the mayor and an alderman of Chicago slamming Chick-Fil-A’s public stance in support of true marriage.

“Recent comments by those who administer our city seem to assume that the city government can decide for everyone what are the ‘values’ that must be held by citizens of Chicago,†Cardinal wrote in a “Reflection on ‘Chicago Values’.â€

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is also co-chair of President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, told the Chicago Tribune last week that he agreed with the reasons for Alderman Proco “Joe†Moreno’s effort to stop Chick-fil-A from opening a new restaurant in the city based on CEO Dan ’s “bigoted, homophobic†views.

, who is famously outspoken in his Christian beliefs, had said that he was “guilty as charged†for supporting traditional marriage, saying that redefining the institution means “inviting God’s judgment on our nation.â€

“Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values,†Emanuel told the Tribune. “They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.â€

The following day mayoral press secretary Tarrah issued a statement saying, “The Mayor simply said that Chick-fil-A’s CEO does not share Chicago’s values. He did not say that he would block or play any role in the company opening a new restaurant here. If they meet all the usual requirements, then they can open their restaurant, but he does not believe the CEO’s values are reflective of our city,†according to a Sun-Times report.

But Cardinal begs to differ with the mayor’s understanding of ‘Chicago values’. “I was born and raised here, and my understanding of being a Chicagoan never included submitting my value system to the government for approval,†he wrote. “Must those whose personal values do not conform to those of the government of the day move from the city? Is the City Council going to set up a ‘Council Committee on Un-Chicagoan Activities’ and call those of us who are suspect to appear before it?

“I would have argued a few days ago that I believe such a move is, if I can borrow a phrase, ‘un-Chicagoan.’â€

The Cardinal said that support for gay “marriage†has become “a litmus test for bigotry.†But, he pointed out, Jesus affirmed true marriage “when he spoke of “two becoming one flesh (Mt. 19: 4-6).â€

“Was Jesus a bigot? Could Jesus be accepted as a Chicagoan? Would Jesus be more ‘enlightened’ if he had the privilege of living in our society?†the cardinal asked.

“One is welcome to believe that, of course; but it should not become the official state religion, at least not in a land that still fancies itself free. Surely there must be a way to properly respect people who are gay or lesbian without using civil law to undermine the nature of marriage.â€

“Marriage exists because human nature comes in two complementary sexes: male and female,†the cardinal said. “The sexual union of a man and woman is called the marital act because the two become physically one in a way that is impossible between two men or two women. Whatever a homosexual union might be or represent, it is not physically marital. Gender is inextricably bound up with physical sexual identity; and ‘gender-free marriage’ is a contradiction in terms, like a square circle.â€

The full text of Cardinal ’s Reflections on “Chicago values†is available here.

Dr. Peck, MD, CCD, ABFM, Marquette NFP Instructor

Pecks Family Practice, PLC

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