Hundreds attend picnic to support archbishop

By Victoria Colliver
SF Gate
May 16, 2015

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Hundreds-attend-picnic-to-support-archbishop-6268236.php

With hundreds gathered to show support for San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone during a picnic, a dove owned by a supporter lands on top of his cap, at the Sue Bierman Park along the Embarcadero as seen on Sat. May 16, 2015, in San Francisco, Calif. Photo by Michael Macor

Gay rights supporters Frank Morris, (eft) and Jim Boyd talk with Brother Pete Ciolino, (left) Brother Alex Rodriguez and father John DeLa Riva during the vist by San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone at a picnic showing support for the Archbishop, at the Sue Bierman Park along the Embarcadero as seen on Sat. May 16, 2015, in San Francisco, Calif. Photo by Michael Macor

Maria Sitzman, of San Rafael and Blake Landry, of New Orleans joined the gathered crowd to show support for San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone during a picnic at the Sue Bierman Park along the Embarcadero as seen on Sat. May 16, 2015, in San Francisco, Calif. Photo by Michael Macor

Jim Boyd joins a small group of gay rights supporters protesting San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone during a picnic at the Sue Bierman Park along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Photo by Michael Macor

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone smiled for photos, blessed the faithful and accepted thanks from many among the hundreds of Bay Area Catholics who showed up for a picnic Saturday in San Francisco in support of the religious leader.

For months, the archbishop has been the target of demonstrations by teachers, students, parents and others who disagreed with changes he has proposed for the staff handbook and high school employee contracts at Riordan and Sacred Heart Cathedral high schools in San Francisco, Marin Catholic in Kentfield and Junipero Serra in San Mateo that defined adultery, masturbation, homosexual relations and the viewing of pornography as “gravely evil.”

“He’s like a rock star,” said Eva Muntean of San Francisco, who organized Saturday’s “family picnic day” at Sue Bierman Park near the Ferry Building in support of the archbishop, as she watched Cordileone try to inch his way through the throng of well-wishers.

Muntean, who started the website sfcatholics.org, said she organized the event because she believes many Bay Area Catholics feel their support of the archbishop isn’t being heard.

The archbishop appeared to have felt that support Saturday. “I’m just here to thank my supporters,” Cordileone said to a reporter, declining to comment further. He did not speak before the crowd at the picnic.

Cordileone became the center of controversy in one of the country's most gay-friendly cities for requiring that staff at archdiocese high schools “affirm and believe” what many Catholics say is simply the tenets of their beliefs: that marriage is between a man and a woman, that sexual relations outside of marriage are wrong and that certain types of reproductive technology and surrogacy are against the teaching of the church.

Adele Lindberg of Danville said she wanted to support the archbishop because she feels he’s being “demonized” for being faithful to the church’s doctrine.

“Nobody’s saying you have to be Catholic or that you have to send your children to school,” said Lindberg, 59. “But don’t change something that has stood for more than 2,000 years just to meet your agenda.”

Many in the crowd said the controversy was not about hate or disapproval of gay people or others but rather about loving others despite differences and following the teachings of the church.

“We support Archbishop Cordileone in his efforts to reaffirm authentic Catholicism in the schools as taught by the teachers and represented by the teachers,” said Joni Durling, 46, of Antioch, a lifelong Catholic and mother of six children. “This is in no way shape or form a witch hunt.”

“When a school says it’s Catholic, that should mean something,” said Daniella Hill, 17, a high school junior from San Leandro who previously attended Catholic schools.

A small group of protesters stood on the edge of the picnic waving a rainbow flag and holding signs.

At one point, 58-year-old Owen Hill of San Ramon, wearing a “Cool to be Catholic” T-shirt, came up to Jim Boyd, 75, holding a sign saying, “Why Aren’t Gays Welcome Here,” and asked him to join them.

That sparked a lively yet civil debate, but Boyd of San Francisco never sat down to join the picnic.