I have a copy of the Bishop's response to San Fran Nan Pelosi's warning to The Archbishop:
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO
OFFICE OF THE ARCHBISHOP
ONE PETER YORKE WAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109-6602 (415) 614-5500
June 16, 2014
California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom Gabriel Blau, Executive Director, Family
California State Senator Mark Leno Equality Council
California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Founder School of
California Assemblymember Rich Gordon the Americas Watch
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD),
San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros Gary Buseck, Interim Executive Director
San Francisco Supervisor David Campos Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and
San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener Lesbian Task Force
Dr. Michael J. Adee, Director, Global Faith and Faith Cheltenham, President, BINET USA
Justice Project, Horizons Foundations, Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director, New
San Francisco, California Ways Ministry
The Very Rev. Dr. Brian Baker, Dean of the Roger Doughy, Executive Director, Horizons
Cathedral, Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, Foundation
California Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director,
Selisse Berry, Founding Chief Executive Officer, Dignity USA
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Rev. Michael Ellick, Minister, Judson Memorial
Church
Dear Fellow Citizens,
Your letter sharing with me your thoughts on the upcoming “March for Marriage” in Washington, D.C.,
was forwarded to me while I was attending meetings out of town, and I have reflected on what you
have to say. I appreciate your affirmation of my Church’s teaching—not unique to our religion, but a truth
accessible to anyone of good will—on the intrinsic human dignity of all people, irrespective of their stage
and condition in life. That principle requires us to respect and protect each and every member of the
human family, from the precious child in the womb to the frail elderly person nearing death. It also
requires me, as a bishop, to proclaim the truth—the whole truth—about the human person and God’s will
for our flourishing. I must do that in season and out of season, even when truths that it is my duty
to uphold and teach are unpopular, including especially the truth about marriage as the conjugal union of
husband and wife. That is what I will be doing on June 19th.
With regard to your request that I not attend the March, and the reasons you give for this request, allow
me to explain the following points.
1. The March for Marriage is not “anti-LGBT” (as some have described it); it is not anti-anyone or
anti-anything. Rather, it is a pro-marriage March. The latter does not imply the former. Rather,
it affirms the great good of bringing the two halves of humanity together so that a man and
a woman may bond with each other and with any children who come from their union. This is
precisely the vision promoted by Pope Francis, who recently said, “We must reaffirm the right of
children to grow up in a family with a father and mother.” Rest assured that if the point of this
event were to single out a group of individuals and target them for hatred, I most certainly
would not be there.
2. While I cannot go into all of the details here of your allegations against the sponsors of this
event and scheduled speakers, I do know that at least some of what you say is based on
misinterpretation or is simply factually incorrect. For example, it is not true that the National
Organization for Marriage connects homosexuality with pedophilia and incest. What is true is
that three years ago a conference was sponsored in Baltimore by the group B4U-ACT for the
purpose of finding ways to encourage tolerance for pedophilia. A statement on NOM’s blogpost
objecting to this conference affirmed that this is something that would outrage people in the gay
community as well. Unfortunately, many conclusions are being drawn about those involved in
the March for Marriage based on false impressions.
3. It gives me assurance that we share a common disdain for harsh and hateful rhetoric. It must be
pointed out, though, that there is plenty of offensive rhetoric which flows in the opposite
direction. In fact, for those who support the conjugal understanding of marriage, the attacks
have not stopped at rhetoric. Simply for taking a stand for marriage as it has been understood
in every human society for millennia, people have lost their jobs, lost their livelihoods, and have
suffered other types of retribution, including physical violence. It is true that historically in our
society violence has been perpetrated against persons who experience attraction to members of
the same sex, and this is to be deplored and eradicated. Sadly, though, we are now beginning to
see examples, although thankfully not widespread, of even physical violence against those who
hold to the conjugal view of marriage (such as, most notably, the attempted gunning down of
those who work in the offices of the Family Research Council). While it is true that free speech
can be used to offend others, it is not so much people exercising their right to free speech that
drives us further apart than people punished precisely for doing so that does.
4. Please do not make judgments based on stereotypes, media images and comments taken out of
context. Rather, get to know us first as fellow human beings. I myself am willing to meet
personally with any of you not only to dialogue, but simply so that we can get to know each
other. It is the personal encounter that changes the vision of the other and softens the heart.
In the end, love is the answer, and this can happen even between people with such deep
disagreements. That may sound fanciful and far-fetched, but it is true, it is possible. I know it is
possible, I know this from personal experience. When we come together seeking to understand
the other with good will, miracles can happen.
When all is said and done, then, there is only one thing that I would ask of you more than anything else:
before you judge us, get to know us.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone
Archbishop of San Francisco
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO
ONE PETER YORKE WAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109-6602 (415) 614-5500
June 16, 2014
California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom Gabriel Blau, Executive Director, Family
California State Senator Mark Leno Equality Council
California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Founder School of
California Assemblymember Rich Gordon the Americas Watch
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD),
San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros Gary Buseck, Interim Executive Director
San Francisco Supervisor David Campos Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and
San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener Lesbian Task Force
Dr. Michael J. Adee, Director, Global Faith and Faith Cheltenham, President, BINET USA
Justice Project, Horizons Foundations, Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director, New
San Francisco, California Ways Ministry
The Very Rev. Dr. Brian Baker, Dean of the Roger Doughy, Executive Director, Horizons
Cathedral, Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, Foundation
California Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director,
Selisse Berry, Founding Chief Executive Officer, Dignity USA
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Rev. Michael Ellick, Minister, Judson Memorial
Church
Dear Fellow Citizens,
Your letter sharing with me your thoughts on the upcoming “March for Marriage” in Washington, D.C.,
was forwarded to me while I was attending meetings out of town, and I have reflected on what you
have to say. I appreciate your affirmation of my Church’s teaching—not unique to our religion, but a truth
accessible to anyone of good will—on the intrinsic human dignity of all people, irrespective of their stage
and condition in life. That principle requires us to respect and protect each and every member of the
human family, from the precious child in the womb to the frail elderly person nearing death. It also
requires me, as a bishop, to proclaim the truth—the whole truth—about the human person and God’s will
for our flourishing. I must do that in season and out of season, even when truths that it is my duty
to uphold and teach are unpopular, including especially the truth about marriage as the conjugal union of
husband and wife. That is what I will be doing on June 19th.
With regard to your request that I not attend the March, and the reasons you give for this request, allow
me to explain the following points.
1. The March for Marriage is not “anti-LGBT” (as some have described it); it is not anti-anyone or
anti-anything. Rather, it is a pro-marriage March. The latter does not imply the former. Rather,
it affirms the great good of bringing the two halves of humanity together so that a man and
a woman may bond with each other and with any children who come from their union. This is
precisely the vision promoted by Pope Francis, who recently said, “We must reaffirm the right of
children to grow up in a family with a father and mother.” Rest assured that if the point of this
event were to single out a group of individuals and target them for hatred, I most certainly
would not be there.
2. While I cannot go into all of the details here of your allegations against the sponsors of this
event and scheduled speakers, I do know that at least some of what you say is based on
misinterpretation or is simply factually incorrect. For example, it is not true that the National
Organization for Marriage connects homosexuality with pedophilia and incest. What is true is
that three years ago a conference was sponsored in Baltimore by the group B4U-ACT for the
purpose of finding ways to encourage tolerance for pedophilia. A statement on NOM’s blogpost
objecting to this conference affirmed that this is something that would outrage people in the gay
community as well. Unfortunately, many conclusions are being drawn about those involved in
the March for Marriage based on false impressions.
3. It gives me assurance that we share a common disdain for harsh and hateful rhetoric. It must be
pointed out, though, that there is plenty of offensive rhetoric which flows in the opposite
direction. In fact, for those who support the conjugal understanding of marriage, the attacks
have not stopped at rhetoric. Simply for taking a stand for marriage as it has been understood
in every human society for millennia, people have lost their jobs, lost their livelihoods, and have
suffered other types of retribution, including physical violence. It is true that historically in our
society violence has been perpetrated against persons who experience attraction to members of
the same sex, and this is to be deplored and eradicated. Sadly, though, we are now beginning to
see examples, although thankfully not widespread, of even physical violence against those who
hold to the conjugal view of marriage (such as, most notably, the attempted gunning down of
those who work in the offices of the Family Research Council). While it is true that free speech
can be used to offend others, it is not so much people exercising their right to free speech that
drives us further apart than people punished precisely for doing so that does.
4. Please do not make judgments based on stereotypes, media images and comments taken out of
context. Rather, get to know us first as fellow human beings. I myself am willing to meet
personally with any of you not only to dialogue, but simply so that we can get to know each
other. It is the personal encounter that changes the vision of the other and softens the heart.
In the end, love is the answer, and this can happen even between people with such deep
disagreements. That may sound fanciful and far-fetched, but it is true, it is possible. I know it is
possible, I know this from personal experience. When we come together seeking to understand
the other with good will, miracles can happen.
When all is said and done, then, there is only one thing that I would ask of you more than anything else:
before you judge us, get to know us.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone
Archbishop of San Francisco
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