Catholic priest apologies for 'Adam and Steve" remark
A Catholic priest in Cheltenham has apologised after members of his flock accused him of making a homophobic comment.
The Rev Frank Wainwright insists his reference to “Adam and Steve” while discussing marriage was not meant to be offensive to the town’s gay community.
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Rev Frank Wainwright
The deacon made the comments at St Gregory’s Catholic Church, in St James Square.
He said: “Marriage is between a man and a woman in a lifelong relationship, which in most cases is only ended by death, as it was in the beginning with Adam and Eve, and so it remains – not Adam and Steve.”
After it emerged some people were upset at the remark, made during a Sunday mass, Mr Wainwright moved swiftly to apologise.
He said he regretted using the phrase and has insisted he is not homophobic.
“I want to apologise for the wording of what I said,” he said. “It was very badly said and it shouldn’t have been said – I totally accept that.
“More than 1,000 people come here to mass and there were five complaints. I’m absolutely not homophobic.
“I expressed Church teaching in a very bad way and I’m sorry for that.”
The comments sparked several complaints to the Echo and community leaders in the town.
A spokesman for the Gloucestershire Gay and Lesbian Community group said the words were poorly chosen, but accepted Mr Wainwright’s apology.
He said: “I can understand why he has said it as there are canonic references. However, we are living in a different world and one would hope that anyone who is in a loving relationship would be accepted.
“In this country, it is legal for people of the same sex to enter into a civil partnership and that is not necessarily a religious relationship.
“But we appreciate he has apologised for the remark and we would not want to stir anything up.”
Mr Wainwright said he was required to teach the views of the Catholic Church, but swore he would never deliberately attempt to spread prejudice.
He added: “What I am saying is that the Church has a particular viewpoint on it and it is our duty to teach what the church says.
“But it is also true that those people who find it impossible to follow those teachings are still loved and welcomed into our community.
“To say anything which promotes prejudice and discrimination is totally wrong.”
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by Michael Stephenson, Jamaica, St. Elizabeth
Thursday, March 11 2010, 10:14PM
“The Ten Commandments are not suggestions. They are God's law to order our steps in his ways. "Your ways are not God's ways...and God's ways are not your ways." We must love the sinner but hate the sin. God is a Godof the present and not the past. He is here in his Church, sinful though we be. He is always calling us to himself. We must not be silenced by the world, but whatever we say must be said in love. To say that the world has changed is to say that God has changed. Yes, the world is changing...But God is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. God is not bounded by space or time but we are. "A thousand ages in your sight are like an evening gone." We have a duty to be charitable but not accomodating to the wrongs of this world. We must understand their situation and be with them in prayers. To speak in love is not being against them...it's showing others the way to the spiritual truth. Truth is not a thing. It is a Person. And that Person is Jesus Christ. "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life..no one can come to the Father, except through Me. (Jesus Christ). Let us encourage our brothers and sisters to give their sexuality back to God with all its struggles. It belongs to him. It is when we can live out our sexuality in His way that true love can begin. I the lover is with my Beloved (Jesus). Tell him how you feel. Tell him the love you feel for the person but centre it on Him. His name is Love. How can you leave Love out of your love..I will continue to pray that as we experience our love for one another may we continue to be guided by the Greater Love, the greatest Lover that came down to earth to show us how to love.”
by Jason, SC, USA
Thursday, March 11 2010, 6:46PM
“John Todd in Derby,
Your post reads:
"...and sex does NOT equal a relationship."
Ann, Cheltenham
No. But love does and gay people can and do fall in love.
I have to say you are quite wrong. Love does not equal relationship. Let¿s look at the two concepts:
Love - a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person (from dictionary.reference.com)
Relationship - a connection, association, or involvement; connection between persons by blood or marriage; an emotional or other connection between people: the relationship between teachers and students; a sexual involvement; affair.
However, I can only assume you mean by your argument that Love = relationship = marriage. It is quite clear that this is not the case, as the two concepts, marriage and love, are different. As such, let us keep the matter simple and on track. Marriage is a specific type of relationship, in which individuals may ideally find love for each other. However, I am married and I love a great many people to whom I am not married. I love my wife but that is not the sole reason I married her. Certainly, I wish to love the one I marry but to love someone, even someone for whom you have a great sexual attraction, is not to marry him or her. Marriage is bigger than that. The implications of marriage go far beyond that as to effect society in general. They go so far beyond that as to make your comments appear an inadequate and silly contribution to the discussion.”
by Jason, SC, USA
Thursday, March 11 2010, 6:12PM
“Please forgive the typos in my previous comments. I am a reasonably fast typist but not a careful one.”
by Tom, USA
Thursday, March 11 2010, 5:23PM
“I know other Americans have alredy posted. But I wanna vent too. How can you call a contry a democracy when there is no concept of freedom of speech. I mean Holocuast Denial a Crime?? I don't know about the UK but it is in some country's that have the gall to call themselves democracies. I mean of coursee saying teh Holocaust didn't Happen is a tad Wacko, but a CRIME??? And in some countries "inciting hatred" is a crime. Such a counrty IS NOT A DEMOCRACY! Here this Catholic deacon expressed the beliefs of the Catholic Church and people are attcking him. Just express your own beliefs and leave it at that. BTW many comments here seem to be about "inciting hatred" against Catholics, but that's okay: it's free speech. Learn to love it. Deacon, you were a wuss to apologize.”
by Adam Smith, U.K.
Thursday, March 11 2010, 3:59PM
“But what is the difference between marrage and partnership?”