Bucks
Father Riegler, Jay Hill,Gay Sheep
Dear Friends,
Good morning. I thought of Father Frederick Riegler as I looked at two editorial cartoons from the London Times which Jay Hill, a rowing friend, sent to me. Father Fred is the pastor of St. Isidore’s Catholic Church near Quakertown. We often have talks about celibacy, ethics, history, gay rites, and politics.
Father Fred sent me an email about one of my columns where I suggested that Governor Ed Rendell was the perfect dark horse presidential candidate for 2008. I reasoned that even though Hillary Clinton was the front-runner, by the time the Democratic Convention meets in the summer of 2008, party leaders will conclude that Hillary is a detrimental lightening rod. The Democrats may look for a healer…someone who can bring this nation together.
I wrote that Rendell has had remarkable success against formidable odds. As Mayor of Philadelphia, he turned the city around and led it out of financial ruin. He’s a pro business politician and, as Governor, was able to advance his agenda in spite of a hostile, Republican legislature.
My pollster friend, Dr. Terry Madonna, talks about Rendell’s sex appeal. “It’s [his sex appeal] amazing,” Madonna told me. “How do you explain Rendell’s charisma? He’s a fat, bald man who walks with a tilt!”
Father Fred reacted to my logic with this email: “How about another “dream ticket?” he began. “This involves two Democrats: Barack Obama and Ed Rendell. Interesting. Ed is a proven vote getter and Obama has the makings of an ideal candidate. Neither supports the war. Ed brings with him the reputation of being business-friendly. Obama is every campaign manager’s ideal. And let’s face it: Americans would love to elect an acceptable African-American as a sign that we are dealing with race in a constructive fashion. It’s something to think about.”
And speaking about Obama, I’m reading his newest book, “The Audacity of Hope.” It’s worth your attention. I like Obama. He served only eight years in the Illinois legislature before becoming its United States Senator…rather like Abraham Lincoln. No one had any idea about Lincoln’s presidential potential before the 1860 election.
Good grief! This is coming from a Rockefeller Republican. What will Harry Fawkes, the Chairman of the Bucks County Republican Party, say?
I often tease Father Fred about the church’s insistence on celibacy for its priests. According to “The Timetables of History,” celibacy became the edict, which the Synod of Pavia promulgated for the higher clergy in 1022.
By the way, the Vatican permits Ukraine Catholic priests to marry to this day. Father Fred believes that Rome will ease the celibacy restriction during his lifetime…but not female ordination.
We have several disagreements…such as the ordination of women or gay priests who are not celibate. So I thought of him as I laughed over the editorial cartoon, which Jay Hill sent to me. The London Times article, which prompted the cartoon, read: “A bid by the Catholic and Anglican Churches to exempt Catholic adoption agencies from being forced to place children with gay couples under a new law looked set to fail.”
And the hilarious cartoon…a perfect likeness of Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, tucked into a double bed, with a sign above them reading: Gays! Heaven Forbid!
Speaking about gayness, I must chat with Father Fred about the New York Times article (Jan. 25) about gay sheep! A study of sheep by Dr. Charles Roselli at the Oregon Health and Science University states that 8 percent of rams seek sex exclusively with other rams instead of ewes.
“The rams’ preference appears to have a biological root,” the magazine “The Week” explained. “Gay sheep’s brains have a significantly smaller hypothalamus than do straight sheep’s.” Many scientists believe that sexual orientation in humans is determined before birth. Maybe we humans are similar to sheep.
“Are we like sheep?” Handel wrote in the “Messiah.” (Pun intended) The sheep story may lead toward unwanted speculation for humans. If scientists can, some day, alter the sexual orientation of sheep before birth, how will that affect our attitude about human homosexuality? Will we try to change the gay gene before human birth?
It’s far too complicated for me. I’d best consult with Father Fred. Stay tuned.
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith