Courageous San Francisco Catholics speak out

In San Francisco, everyday Catholics have had enough and are standing up to protest the harmful actions of their Archbishop. 100 influential local Catholics, including civic leaders, business owners and donors to diocesan programs have joined together and publicly called on Pope Francis to replace Archbishop Cordileone because he has "fostered an atmosphere of division and intolerance" that has harmed the diocese.

The signers of the letter, which was published in the form of a full page ad in the San Francisco Chronicle, say that the Archbishop's narrow focus and refusal to listen are harming their diocese and the Church. By putting their money where their mouth is (full page ads like this one can cost tens of thousands of dollars), these Catholics are also making a statement about their own ongoing financial support of the diocese.The letter describes Cordileone's "single issue" focus on gay marriage and says that actions like instituting morality clauses and defending ultra-conservative priests have hurt the image of the Church and alienated many in the diocese.  "We are committed Catholics inspired by Vatican II," reads the letter, "We believe in the traditions of conscience, respect and inclusion upon which our Catholic faith was founded. [...] That is why we now respectfully ask you to replace Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone."