Mexico: 'Clarifying' Cardinal Ennio Antonelli's statement on homosexuality

So you know the one about the Vatican wanting gays and women to stay at home all the time? The gays so no one will see their gayness, and the women to serve their men? It's no joke! It's what Cardinal Ennio Antonelli has been saying as a representative of the Vatican at the 6th World Annual Meeting of Families taking place in Mexico City (read previous post).

Well, apparently, Cardinal Antonelli's words weren't clear enough for some people. Zenit, which calls itself "a non-profit international news agency... convinced of the extraordinary richness of the Catholic Church's message, particularly its social doctrine" and which "view the modern world through the messages of the Pope and the Holy See" has translated a Spanish language statement "clarifying" the Cardinal's words ("Clarification of Statement on Homosexuality").

The Cardinal himself did not write his own clarification. The statement was released by Monsignor Carlos Simón Vazquez, subsecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family. I won't post it in its entirety (you can read the whole thing at the link above) but here is a couple of choice quotes:

Legislators make an anthropological error when they want to socially organize homosexuality. They run the risk of provoking an intellectual confusion, as well as confusion of identity and relationships. It should not be forgotten that confusion frequently favors insecurity, unstable relationships and violence, when legislators don't respect the fundamental sense of human relationships.

[...so granting equal rights to the gay community leads to violence?]

The exercise of homosexuality does not reflect the truth of friendship. Friendship is inherent to the human condition in that it offers relationships of proximity, help and cooperation, in a courteous and amiable climate. Friendship should be lived chastely.

[...so gays 1. cannot participate in activities that are inherent in the human condition, 2. are incapable of developing friendships and 3. cannot have platonic friendships with others?]

The statement also reaffirms the Catholic church's opposition to same-sex marriage. That one I knew. And not that the Cardinal's statements were that surprising or that I am shocked by the "clarification" but it's chilling to see how much darkness still exists out there when it comes to the Vatican.

Previously:

• Women and gays should stay confined at home, say Vatican leaders (Jan. 15, 2009)
• As Pope slams the gays, the gays await Vatican-led international 'family' confab (Dec. 23, 2008)