I am not upset, nor am I offended.
I was raised Catholic. I was baptized and took my first Holy Communion when I was younger. I was educated about the Catholic ideology in Catechism classes.
As an adult, I admit, I drifted away from the church as a lot of people my age do.
That doesn’t mean I don’t believe in God. It doesn’t mean I don’t pray or have faith.
While I don’t usually put matters from my private life in print, I feel now I am compelled to do so. People that I don’t really know from the community have reached out to me to apologize for their parish and its actions. While I accept the apology, I explain to them that I’m not offended.
On Saturday, a group of people gathered on the steps of St. Charles Catholic Church and prayed the Rosary and other prayers. They acted peacefully. Then, I noticed the banner that read, “God’s Marriage=1 man + 1 woman.”
A member of the church decided to post on The Pioneer’s Facebook page that the demonstration was not against same-sex marriage, that there was no hatred or talk of gay marriage.
That comment, not my story of the event, would be factually inaccurate.
Perhaps the event was not to instill hatred, that I am inclined to believe, but holding a sign that clearly states that their belief is in traditional marriage is, in my opinion at least, an attack on gay marriage, no matter what way you want to spin it.
The person has since deleted that message.
Still, I was not upset, nor was I offended. Mostly, I was surprised. But I do understand there are people who would have been hurt.
But I’m not the kind of person to be easily offended. People are entitled to their beliefs and opinions. As am I.
Obviously considering our relationship, we’re going to experience times of hate and insensitivity, but I don’t feel that was necessarily one of those moments.
Together, Nate and I have helped support St. Charles. We’ve taken part in its events, purchased raffle tickets for its fundraisers and items at its rummage sales.
I have also printed each and every church related story that has been submitted to me from the community, in addition to writing some of my own in the past.
Despite St. Charles not deigning to support our marriage or accept it as anything true or sacred—despite the feelings of Pope Francis—we will continue to support the church in any way we can. That’s just who we are.
I love this community, and that won’t change either.
- BRYCE MARTIN, Pioneer editor
