Bishop Sample explains decision to ask Bishop Gumbleton not to visit diocese

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Bishop Thomas Gumbleton / Bishop Alexander Sample

Marquette, Mich., Oct 15, 2009 / 11:40 pm (CNA).- Bishop of Marquette Alexander K. Sample has commented on his request that Bishop Thomas Gumbleton not come to the diocese. He said it was “unfortunate” that the request has become public, but he explained that Bishop Gumbleton’s position on issues like homosexuality and the ordination of women required it.

Bishop Gumbleton, a retired auxiliary bishop of Detroit, had been invited to speak by Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice at St. Mark's Lutheran Church on the topic "Gospel's Call: Action for Peace." He also planned to speak at the Peter White Library about abolishing nuclear weapons.

Explaining that his action did not concern the group itself or Bishop Gumbleton’s speech topic, Bishop Sample said he was sorry for the negative impact upon the group, which canceled its meeting.

However, he noted that it is “common courtesy” for one bishop to inform another bishop ahead of any visit and to seek his approval.

“Only on October 9 did I receive any communication from Bishop Gumbleton, after this situation had already become public,” Bishop Sample said in an October 9 statement.

The Bishop of Marquette then noted his “grave responsibility” to teach Catholics on matters of faith and morals.

“Given Bishop Gumbleton’s very public position on certain important matters of Catholic teaching, specifically with regard to homosexuality and the ordination of women to the priesthood, it was my judgment that his presence in Marquette would not be helpful to me in fulfilling my responsibility,” he added.

Bishop Gumbleton was an early advocate of ministries specifically for homosexuals and opposed what he saw as unjust discrimination against them.

The bishop, who has a homosexual brother, has also challenged the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that a homosexual orientation is intrinsically disordered.

Bishop Sample said he would not be able to prevent issues of contention from becoming a topic of discussion at Bishop Gumbleton’s appearance.

“In order that no one becomes confused, everyone under my pastoral care must receive clear teaching on these important doctrines,” his Oct. 9 statement concluded.

The prelate also offered his prayers for Bishop Gumbleton and all those negatively affected by “this unfortunate situation.”

Comments: 17

Subscriber comments:

Published by: dahveed
MA 01/17/2010 05:12 PM EST

"Clear teachings of the Catholic Church" Whaaaa??? To be true, teaching can never be static, definitive, but must constantly revise, re-examine, reinterpret according to the model given us by Christ in the Gospel, with the goal of becoming closer to God. Do you people really believe that Jesus was AGAINST homosexuals and FOR war, or AGAINST women priests but FOR silencing people (BISHOPS EVEN!)? Whoa...

Published by: dahveed
MA 01/17/2010 05:02 PM EST

Thank God for Bishop Gumbleton, for his honesty and courage and for his lifelong commitment to following the message and the model of Jesus as revealed in the Gospels.

Published by: Elaine
IL 12/31/2009 03:48 AM EST

Yea! Bishop Sample has just joined the ranks of Tobin, Chaput, Finn, Burke and others who have taken a strong stand against the hedonism in our society. Thank the good Lord for leaders like him.

Published by: Bob
Detroit, MI 12/24/2009 11:31 AM EST

Tom Gumbleton has simply and consistently answered the question, "What would Jesus do?" Bishop Sample and numerous others like him in the Church today can only hope to emulate the compassion and sense of justice personified by the prophet in our midst.

Published by: Basil
Seattle, WA. 12/22/2009 07:41 PM EST

As one who is just returning to The Church after 35 years absence, I thank you very much, Bishop Sample! I have been quite concerned that perhaps I might be making a mistake returning to the Church considering there seems to be an acceptance by the Papal of these subversive ones in our midst. Your encouragement is refreshing to me and incites me to take up the good fight for the faith within the Church rather than abandoning it.

Published by: Doris
Loomis, CA/USA 12/15/2009 01:20 PM EST

Thank you, Bishop Sample. You have restored my hope for the future of the Church.

Published by: Martin
Ireland 11/29/2009 01:21 PM EST

Good. It is encouraging to see a bishop stand up for the truth to protect the little flock.

Published by: Theresa M.
Lexington/KY/USA 10/25/2009 03:14 PM EST

Just substitute the word "blacks" for the words "homosexuals" or "women" in this article to see how shameful this is. (For those of you who do not believe that homosexuality is genetic, you will know the truth if one of your own children turns out to be homosexual.) I am praying for everyone to love one another.

Published by: Tonya
Salt Lake City, UT 10/20/2009 05:31 PM EST

Thank you Bishop Sample for your faithfulness. I pray that God will continue to bless Holy Mother Church with Bishops and Priests, Religious and Laity that are willing to protect the teachings of the Church, no matter the cost.

Published by: Barbara Edsall
Frazier Park, CA, USA 10/17/2009 12:11 PM EST

God bless Bishop Sample for standing up to the truth and not allowing himself to be manipulated. I can't help but add this is especially commendable in that Bishop Sample, in his picture, appears to be quite a young man.

Published by: Michael
Nebraska 10/16/2009 10:59 PM EST

Praise be to God for Bishop Sample, a bishop upholding the Church's teaching!

Published by: paolo
pittsburgh pa usa 10/16/2009 04:05 PM EST

Since his faculties have not been removed by the Holy See -- Bp. Gumbleton is a bishop in good standing. So why should he not speak? NOW, if his ideas etc., are indeed contrary to catholic doctrine -- then he should be silenced. But he has not been silenced. Thus the ROMAN game and the BISHOPS game ... and geographic morality [=Gumbleton, although retired, can/does function/speak etc., in his diocese ... but is not allowed to do so in certain other places]. SHAME on all of you.

Published by: Fred
Chicago 10/16/2009 11:50 AM EST

All of my sympathies lie with the excellent Bishop Sample,but the real problem is at a higher "pay grade," you might say. The fact is that Bishop Gumbleton is a Roman Catholic bishop in good standing with the Holy See, just like other notorious men like Archbishop Weakland, which in turn makes the Bishop Samples of the Church look like they holier than thou, and ready to pick an ideological fight.

Published by: GFFM
St. Louis, MO 10/16/2009 09:58 AM EST

There is no need to explain the disinvite. Bishop Sample is completely within his rights because of Gumbleton's conscious and abiding subversion of Church teaching.

Published by: Laura Baylis-Lockett
Mango 10/16/2009 06:41 AM EST

Praise to Bishop Sample for standing firm on the teachings of the Church. I pray that all our American Bishops will follow suit.

Published by: William James, PhD
Sacramento/ CA/USA 10/16/2009 01:18 AM EST

Thank you Bishop of Marquette Alexander K. Sample: “In order that no one becomes confused, everyone under my pastoral care must receive clear teaching on these important doctrines.” If the whole USCCB walked the talk like this, indeed no one would be confused. Walking the talk brings sinners to salvation. Not walking the talk brings no one to salvation, but is a cause of scandal, which confuses and leads many into sin. It only adds to and exacerbates the cultural divide within the Church.

Published by: Greg
Lexington, KY 10/16/2009 01:10 AM EST

Initially, the decision by Bishop Sample seems a bit harsh. I must say I agree whole heartedly with him after personally hearing this Bishop Gumbleton speak in my diocese earlier this year. Gumbletons open dissidence to the clear teachings of the Catholic Church are well known. As a result, Catholics at his talks always ask about them and use them to justify their own personal misunderstands. How can they be corrected when they heard it from the "mouth of a bishop?" Bishop Sample is protecting his sheep from the confusion and misrepresentation that Bishop Gumbleton spreds about the faith.

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