Cardinal Mahony
In an article, Cardinal Roger Mahony was quoted as saying the reason for the closing of the sanctuary program at Our Lady Queen of Angeles Church was because “There was drug-dealing, homosexual activity, crime, murder going on . . . “ (June 28).
Since these problems could be controlled through closer supervision of the facility, it is hard to believe that they are the direct reasons for its closure.
It particularly saddens us in Dignity/Los Angeles that the cardinal would place a portion of the blame on “homosexual activity” (was there no heterosexual activity going on?). It is also unfortunate that he links homosexual activity, which between consenting adults and in private is not a crime in California, with other criminal activities.
This type of statement, coming from the leader of the largest archdiocese in the country, serves no purpose other than to encourage homophobia in the Latino and immigrant communities and to justify the homophobia of others that leads to violence against gay and lesbian people.
ROBERT P. ADAMS, President, Dignity/Los Angeles
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