A little while back, I reported a bit of news concerning a new spark in the culture wars between a grieving lesbian and a Catholic priest . In case you missed it, the link is above. Otherwise, here’s a quick summary: mourning her mother, Barbara Johnson attempted to take Holy Communion at the funeral last month near Washington DC. The Russian-ordained priest, Rev. Marcel Guarnizo, refused to allow her to take the sacrament due to her identity as a lesbian.
The moment has sparked new discussion and new controversy in sociopolitical circles.
Guarnizo’s decision to withhold communion from Johnson has led to his suspension, and a resulting war of words between opposing camps. Critics accuse Johnson of abusing her mother’s memory by using the funeral and the subsequent fallout to promote a liberal political agenda .
The two who find themselves at the center of this moral debate have proven to be fascinating, if not diametrically-opposed personalities. Guarnizo has criticized his superiors, calling Catholic politicians who support gay marriage “morally repugnant”, rubbed elbows with powerful friends in Russia and Eastern Europe, and participated with such ferocity in anti-abortion rallies, that many found him to be physically intimidating.
By contrast, Johnson is an arts educator and a Buddhist who is attempting to find a peaceful dichotomy between her lifestyle and her Catholic roots. Now that Guarnizo is out of work, Johnson seems to have won the first round, but her family says that her wounds from the incident are still raw.
Guarnizo hasn’t lost any steam of conviction, saying that he remains “my bishop’s and my Church’s, and above all Christ Jesus’ obedient servant.”
Can’t we all just get along?
