Cardinal Apologizes For Linking Gay Parade To KKK

CHICAGO — Chicago's Cardinal Francis George is apologizing for remarks comparing an annual gay rights parade to a Ku Klux Klan rally.

In a Chicago Tribune interview, George said he is "truly sorry for the hurt my remarks have caused."

George said he has gay and lesbian family members, and his remarks "evidently wounded a good number of people. I am sorry for the hurt."

The cardinal's initial remarks last month were prompted by plans by gay pride leaders to route a parade at a time that would have interfered with services at a church. He said it resembled anti-Catholic marches once staged by the Klan. The time of the parade was changed.

Gay rights groups condemned his comments.

An official of The Civil Rights Agenda, which called for George's resignation because of his remarks, said Friday that he is pleased by the cardinal's apology. Anthony Martinez, executive director for the gay rights group, said George has set a good example of leadership by admitting he was wrong.

Comments

[iknowscottyknows]

07:48 PM on 01/14/2012

God puts no one into hell. They go willingly, gladly, joyfully, marching as if with pride in parades.

[Sunwyn Ravenwood]

11:38 PM on 01/12/2012

Is it just me or does this guy look like Uncle Fester on the Addams Family?

[Pax333]

10:18 AM on 01/12/2012

Considering his position in the hierarchy of the church his apology just confirms that he has most likely reached his level of inefficiency. A living embodiment of the Peter Principle isn't quite as desirable as appearing to be the living embodiment of, say, the Christ.

[Claudia L]

08:22 AM on 01/11/2012

The Holy Inquisitions
The Church
"Anyone who attempts to construe a personal view of God which conflicts with Church dogma must be burned without pity."
- Pope Innocent III

APOLOGIZE FOR THAT FIRST!

Why is he apologizing? The KKK is a Christian organization.

[lookskyward]

08:57 AM on 01/11/2012

Now who's living in the past the Catholic Church or the gay intelligentsia?

[Claudia L]

09:41 AM on 01/11/2012

This statement's in the past.

[Narcissistic Misanthrope]

04:55 PM on 01/12/2012

Wow...
I'll go with the Catholic Church on that one. Everything they believe was invented by primitives to try and overcome their fear of death and deal with natural phenomena they didn't understand. Sheesh... talk about living in the past.

[Asmondius]

02:09 PM on 01/11/2012

The Pope has already made an apollogy related to those who suffered during the inquisitions.

If the KKK is a Christian organization, why do they hate Catholics?

[Claudia L]

02:32 PM on 01/11/2012

Look it up on the internet, KKK. They are a self-proclaimed Christian Organization. Do you think the Catholics are the only religion to bastardize Jesus' word?

[Claudia L]

02:33 PM on 01/11/2012

Show me the apology.

[lookskyward]

02:50 AM on 01/11/2012

test

[lookskyward]

02:56 AM on 01/11/2012

did you get my last comment? The one before test? Thank you.

[lookskyward]

02:42 AM on 01/11/2012

Proposition: Catholic Church guilty of a cover up of predatory priests activities.
Proposition: Gay live style is innocuous. No harm no foul. The Church should mind it's own business
and allow the state to determine "of what consists a marriage union".
Question: Has a Catholic Priest ever been accused or convicted of spreading aids?
Question: Has a member of the gay community ever been accused of convicted of spreading aids?

[BOBinPS]

07:59 PM on 01/10/2012

Some times the most devout, politically correct, bigot speaks its real beliefs. The apology usually follows.......

[VictoryBlue]

01:04 PM on 01/11/2012

And rings hollow when it does come.

[Mac1000]

01:32 PM on 01/10/2012

A non-apology, apology..."sorry if I hurt anyone" not "sorry for my misinformed, hateful comment, I was wrong." Mr. Martinez, the cardinal sounds like he was apologizing for hurting people, not sorry for the comment itself.

[Michele Bennington]

01:13 PM on 01/10/2012

I accept your apology.

[Josegoodtime]

04:15 AM on 01/10/2012

You mean a church leader that is a bigot? No never. LOL Just kidding they are every where.

[gardinsprite13]

01:12 AM on 01/10/2012

do what you can to help

TAX THE CHURCH!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/tax-the-church/

[Mark Van Kekerix]

12:39 PM on 01/09/2012

While I am glad that he has apologized, I question whether it was sincere or just a way of doing damage control. If he was truly sorry for how his comments offended others, why did he continue to repeat them for a week after the original statement?

The truth is that he should never have been so insensitive as to make those comments in the first place. Most of the LGBT community has been calling for both an apology AND his resignation. Clearly he's not resigning; so now the question is whether we will see more disrespectful, homophobic, anti-gay comments coming from him and his organization.

I'm betting he'll sin again...

[Asmondius]

06:11 PM on 01/11/2012

Making a stupid comment is self-defeating. Calling for a resignation based on a comment is just as much self-defeating - it's not going to happen and just makes people look like bullies.

That may reveal a mutual dislike which feeds this type of conflict regardless of the subject matter.

[Jampa]

12:35 PM on 01/09/2012

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/23697.htm

[Oneandoneandone]

12:32 PM on 01/09/2012

While I do not believe for one second that he means his apology, I appreciate the part where he swallowed his pride in order to make one.

[littlepuffycloud]

11:28 AM on 01/09/2012

Another monster who slipped and let his true feelings of hatred and bigotry be seen..

[Asmondius]

06:11 PM on 01/11/2012

Sounds like KKK-speak to me.