Despite Claims from Catholic Bloggers, Minneapolis Church Will Not Offer Same-Sex Marriage

Catholic bloggers have assailed the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for allowing a Catholic church in Minneapolis to perform same-sex commitment ceremonies. The only problem is, Saint Frances Cabrini Church in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis has never performed a same-sex commitment ceremony, and the priest says the church wasn't planning to. The entire episode seems to be more misunderstanding than misdeed.

The Christian websiteLifeSiteNews.net first reported on Nov. 28 that, according to the church's website, Father Leo Tibesar was planning on performing same-sex commitment ceremonies in the church -- similar to those of heterosexual marriages. In fact, the text on Cabrini's website was from a 1994 "Statement of Reconciliation" to the LGBT community outlining steps the parish would take to welcome them. In particular, LifeSite took issue with this part of the lengthy statement: "Publicly bless the relationships of a same sex couple after the couple completes a process of discernment similar to that completed by heterosexual couples before marriage." It was followed by an asterisk that read "not being implemented at this time."

But Lifesite's fanned the flames of by opening with this paragraph: "St. Frances Cabrini church, of the St. Paul and Minneapolis archdiocese, has announced on their website that they are ready to "bless" homosexual partners." The website also decried Tibesar's "role in the homosexual political movement within the Church," and that the church will make known it's "commitment to the homosexual activist agenda."

LifeSite's admonishments of Cabrini's website soon took hold among Christian blogs. The Creative Minority Report wrote, "A Catholic priest in Minnesota announced that he's ready to bless homosexual partners and repudiated the Church for its teaching of sexual oppression." Calling it a scandal, A Faithful Rebel wrote, "This priest and perhaps a good number of his parish are now in open rebellion against the Church's teachings and cannot be allowed to continue this without a response from the Church's heirarchy... I strongly urge readers to use the contact information at the end of this article to contact the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and strongly (but respectfully) request that the proper action be taken at once against Fr. Tibesar."

The Archdiocese looked into the matter and released a statement last week. "Various bloggers and websites have reported that Father Leo Tibesar, of Saint Frances Cabrini Parish in Minneapolis, announced his intention to bless same sex marriages," the statement read. "Those reports are not true. Father Tibesar has never blessed a same-sex marriage nor does he intend to do so, which would be a violation of his priestly vows and state."

Archdiocese spokester Dan McGrath told LifeSite that Tibesar wasn't aware of the content on that page of the website. The statement of reconciliation was made in 1994; Tibesar did not join St. Frances Cabrini until late 2006.

After meeting with outgoing Archbishop Harry Flynn, Tibesar agreed to take the objectionable statement off the church website.

The statement that so offended LifeSite and Catholic bloggers is as follows:

STATEMENT OF RECONCILIATION

We, the members of St. Frances Cabrini Parish, claim as our own the words of the Apostle Paul. "There is no longer Jew nor Greek, there is no longer slave nor free, there is no longer male and female: for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

As members of one body we are grieved by the separation of many of those Catholics who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual from the Catholic Church. We are aware of the centuries of oppression that these brothers and sisters have suffered at the hands of civil and religious authorities. We are aware of recent attempts by our bishops to label our brothers and sisters as "objectively disordered," and to fight against their being granted their full civil rights.

We are also aware that these brothers and sisters have walked with us in our faith throughout the centuries. They have served the Church in every capacity, from the most humble to the most exalted. Despite the hostility they have encountered, they have by their actions proven to be true lovers of Jesus. In being honest about their sexual identity, they have embraced a difficult cross.

With this history in mind we commit ourselves and our community to:

- Reach out to the gay/lesbian community, encouraging them to join our parish;

- Regularly publish our welcome in the gay press;

- Promise to educate ourselves about gay/lesbian issues and work to overcome stereotypes;

- Include a gay/lesbian perspective in catechesis at all levels, including elementary school age;

- Support lesbians and gay men in ways that promote stable, healthy relationships;

- Publicly bless the relationships of a same sex couple after the couple completes a process of discernment similar to that completed by heterosexual couples before marriage; *

- Stand willing to accept qualified, openly gay or lesbian priests or lay ministers;

- Zealously work for and guard the civil rights of lesbians and gay men, knowing that all of our civil rights are compromised when theirs are;

- Pray for greater understanding and acceptance of gay, and lesbian people in official Church teaching;

- Encourage other parishes to become publicly reconciled with the gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual community.

* Not being implemented at this time.

Approved August 1994