From yesterday's Post-Gazette, I discover  that the Vatican has sent teams to determine if American seminaries are providing "proper spiritual, moral and theological training for the priesthood."

This includes visits to St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, SS. Cyril & Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary on the North Side  and St. Paul Seminary in East Carnegie.

Only one of 55 questions deals with homosexuality but that question is one of the 6 mandatory questions.   The Vatican claims this isn't a witch hunt to ferret out the queer priests, but the timing is suspiciously coincidental. 

The Vatican issues a clearly homophobic statement banning priests with "homosexual tendencies" from seminaries and then sends out the minions to ask questions. 

What the heck kind of questions are they asking?  Do the emissaries have to go undercover to explore the steamier side of the seminary?  How exactly does one determine homosexual tendencies from one simple question?  Or measure the depth of those tendencies? 

It is nothing but homo-hate in priestly clothing.  And yet another attempt to distract the American Catholic Church from the sexual abuse perpetrated by their priests and covered up by their bishops. 

Disgusting.

Sue

Well, you knew it wouldn't be too long before the clash between state and federal acknowledgement (or lack thereof) of same sex partnerships would create turmoil. 

Rhode Island has just sent notices to domestic partners of state employees informing them that the health and insurance benefits they received are federally taxable income.  And the state "forgot" to collect those taxes for the past five years.  So now its time to pony up the money.

In a grand gesture, the state will not issue penalties on the overdue taxes and will allow payment plans.  They can also issue short term loans.  However, the loans might be considered further taxable income.

Here's what one Rhode Island resident had to say:

Rhode Island state employee Barbara Margolis and her partner said the issue is discrimination. 

"It's a hard thing for me because I'm very grateful to the state is finally coming around and treating our relationship as an equal relationship as a married couple. At the same time, the federal government is coming back and saying, 'No, no, no. You're strangers to each other,'" Margolis told WJAR.

You tell 'em Barbara.  This is one heck of a mistake.  LGBT activists think the state should pick up the tab, but the state believes that would be unfair to other taxpayers. 

How like the homo-hater run federal goverment to send in the IRS rather than acknowledge the disparity and do something constructive to address it. 

Perhaps now that heterosexual partners are included in the big tax oops people will begin to recognize that anti-gay marriage efforts have a significant toll far beyond the LGBT community.  This impacts heterosexuals, too.  And the financial impact on low and moderate working families is most likely disproportionately high. 

Too bad we aren't all Mary Cheneys with rich daddies who help us turn a blind eye to the realities facing working gay families in her daddy's hate-laden society.  Traitor.

Sue