Catholic Provocation?

Monday, I posted about a federal judge's decision stating that the Catholic Church's position on same-sex adoptions "justified" the city of San Francisco's anti-Catholic resolution condemning Catholic moral teaching on homosexuality and urging the Archbishop of San Francisco and Catholic Charities of San Francisco to defy Church directives.

This is the most troubling line in the judge's written opinion:

"The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith provoked this debate, indeed may have invited entanglement, by its [doctrinal] statement. This court does not find that our case law requires political bodies to remain silent in the face of this provocation." (emphasis added)

As Catholic Caveman notes, "Provocation"? Catholics being Catholic is now judicially defined as a "provocation"?

Indeed.

Here's more on that decision and the judge's choice of words from Jeff Mirus at CatholicCulture.org:

Catholic Provocation?

The Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, California has taken on the Catholic Church, with the backing of a federal judge. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel is perhaps most widely known for her prominent role in the music-sharing case involving Napster back in 2001. But she's a former counsel for the National Organization of Women, and her vehement bias against the Catholic Church shows.

As you might expect in San Francisco (or anywhere, nowadays), same-sex adoption is at the root of the controversy. The case is currently on appeal, but you'll find the history both interesting and disturbing: Governmental Gay Hostility to the Church

A Naked and Depressing Public Square

If Judge Patel gets her way, any effort on the part of religious groups to influence the beliefs of citizens will be construed as a clear provocation of government, which must respond accordingly. This takes secularism to new heights in yet another demonstration of how ideology inevitably tends toward totalitarianism.

In a democratic society Christian voters have a chance to shift government toward sanity by influencing elections. The bishops of Scotland have issued a brief letter to Catholics urging them to do exactly that: Catholic Bishops Urge Voters to Challenge Attacks on Christian Values "at the Ballot Box". Even this, of course, may well be regarded as a provocation. You may recall that Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, where the administration of Prime Minister Tony Blair has also shown a tendency to force Catholics to violate their religious beliefs...

(emphasis in original)

My Comments:
So far, it looks like Judge Marilyn Patel is far-and-away the leading candidate for this week's Rosie Award.



Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Federal Judge: Catholic Church’s Position Against Homosexual Adoptions Justifies Government Hostility Towards Church

San Francisco's Hateful Anti-Catholic Resolution Prompts Lawsuit by Thomas More Center

9th Circuit Rules Okay to Censor Terms "Marriage" and "Family Values" as Hate Speech

San Francisco: Intolerant City

San Fran Mayor Nixes Rome Trip Over Church Policy Against Homosexual Adoptions

Catholic League Says Gay Adoption Issue Spurring Anti-Catholic Bigotry