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Pope Francis Accepts Anti-lgbt Dominican Cardinal’s Resignation

Washington Blade
July 4, 2016

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/07/04/pope-francis-accepts-anti-lgbt-dominican-cardinals-resignation/

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons by Starus)

The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez of the Archbishop of Santo Domingo.

The Holy See said in a statement that the pontiff has named Monsignor Francisco Ozoria Acosta of the Diocese of San Pedro de Macoris as Lopez’s successor.

Lopez has repeatedly used homophobic slurs to describe gay U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster.

Lopez told reporters during a 2015 press conference that Brewster should “go back to his embassy” and “stick to housework, since he is a man’s wife.” The cardinal in 2013 referred to Brewster — who is married to Bob Satawake — as a “faggot” after President Obama nominated him to become the next American ambassador to the predominantly Catholic country.

Neither the Vatican nor the Dominican government has publicly rebuked Lopez over his comments.

“I would hope that the Vatican — as we would not do that with their officials — would understand and condemn those types of words to any official with any government, but especially with one of their strongest allies, which is the United States, and to the president’s personal representative in the country,” Brewster told the Washington Blade in March during an exclusive interview at the State Department.

The Vatican announced Lopez’s resignation a day after Brewster and thousands of others took part in Santo Domingo’s annual Pride celebration.

The Blade will provide additional reaction to Lopez’s resignation as it becomes available.

 

 

 

 

 




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