Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Gay rights activist accuses Vatican of "moral vandalism"


You really couldn't make this stuff up. Newman is pictured in his ten gallon hat. Apparently he was Brokeback before Brokeback was cool.

"The gay rights activist Peter Tatchell claims the Vatican is promoting “an act of moral vandalism” for requesting the removal of the body of a Victorian British Cardinal from his grave.

"The Vatican has asked for the body of John Henry Newman to be transferred from his grave at a cemetery in Rednal, near Birmingham to the Oratory Church in Edgbaston, prior to an expected decision by the Church to declare Newman "blessed", a penultimate step on the path to sainthood, in 2009.

Arguably the most famous convert to Catholicism in Victorian England, Newman was originally an Anglican clergyman who spearheaded the Oxford movement which attempted bring the Church of England back to what he viewed as its Catholic origins. After a prolonged bout of self-questioning, Newman converted to the Catholic Church in 1845. Upon his death in 1890, Newman was buried alongside his close friend, former companion and fellow convert, Father Ambrose St John. Previously, they had shared a house.""

Its all here -


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4566639.ece

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