by John T. Pawlikowski, OSM
(1) He said he has begun meeting with people from the LGBTQ community to hear their problems and concerns.
(2) He strongly defended Fr. James Martin, S.J. against the attacks leveled against him by some isolated Catholic groups. He said that these groups seem not to have read what Fr. Martin has actually written. He described them as people who have turned over their intellects to Catholic bloggers whose charges of heresy would make Pius IX blush.
(3) The Cardinal said that Catholic schools and seminaries need to include dialogue and discernment education into their programs.
(4) The Cardinal insisted that racism had to be confronted. Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese will be expected to participate in the anti-racism and anti-violence program he announced some weeks ago.
He also urged that the proposed national bishops' letter on racism include a call for a program of national reflection on the continuing impact of slavery on American society. In this context he quoted from an article by the ethicist James Keenan, S.J. of Boston College, who argued in an article for a process on slavery that would approximate the self-reflection Germany went through with regard to its participation.in the genocidal actions of Germany during the Hitler era. The Cardinal also said that breaking down racial barriers within the Catholic parishes of the Chicago area would become an integral part of the RENEW OUR PARISH process that is now beginning.