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Vancouver
police are investigating complaints that B.C.'s top Catholic,
who is at the centre of a fiery debate over homosexuality,
was threatened by an angry crowd of protesters outside
his window late at night.
"We
have been in contact with Archbishop [Adam] Exner about
the incident and talking to him about security measures
he can take," Vancouver Police spokeswoman Anne Drennan
said late Tuesday.
Although
police do not necessarily believe Exner's life is in danger,
Drennan said, they're taking the situation seriously and
advising him on ways to keep safe during public events.
"We
won't be commenting on any advice we've received from
the police," said Paul Schratz, spokesman for the
archbishop, spiritual leader of 340,000 Roman Catholics
in Greater Vancouver.
"Obviously
this is a sensitive and delicate matter. The archbishop's
personal safety is involved. It's been a very difficult
week," said Schratz, refusing to give any more details.
The
public has expressed strongly opposing views since The
Vancouver Sun reported last Wednesday that Exner decided
to sever ties with VanCity Credit Union because it supports
the gay and lesbian community.
"There's
a lot of emotion out there. We've had a lot of criticism
and a lot of support," said Schratz, adding the archdiocese
has received more than 100 calls and e-mails, including
one linking Exner to Nazism.
Meanwhile,
Drennan said Vancouver police are also investigating the
possibility that seven bomb threats made late last week
against VanCity Credit Union were related to the conflict
with the Catholic church.
"The
bomb threats started after the big story came out in The
Vancouver Sun, so we certainly have to look at it carefully,"
Drennan said.
So
far, Drennan said, police have no suspects, although they
know the phone booth from which the threats were made.
She
said the male caller never said why he was allegedly planting
bombs at VanCity, which he claimed were due to go off
in five minutes.
Although
the first bomb threat was made to the Fraser Street branch
on Sept. 11, Drennan said the following seven all came
in last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
That
has forced police to look for a possible connection to
Exner's decision to cut VanCity's in-school program, which
he had quietly passed on to parents and school officials
weeks earlier.
VanCity
vice-president of public affairs Paula Martin acknowledged
last week that about 520 employees were evacuated several
times from the Main Street headquarters and the Fraser
Street branch office.
Asked
about the VanCity bomb threats, Schratz, the archdiocese's
spokesman, said Tuesday, "Anyone who'd do something
like that is obviously unstable and irrational."
Since
the first story about the Catholic church's decision appeared
in The Vancouver Sun, the paper has received hundreds
of letters to the editor and e-mails, most of them criticizing
Exner for telling four Catholic school principals they
must withdraw from VanCity's junior banking program because
the 295,000-member credit union approves of homosexual
relationships.
In
an opinion piece in today's Vancouver Sun, Exner writes
that the story "opened the floodgates to letters,
e-mails, phone calls and faxes, alleging everything from
bigotry to fascism. The word 'Nazis' was even used. A
small but angry crowd screamed obscenities and threats
outside my window late at night."
Mark
Long, an official with Vancouver's Gay and Lesbian Business
Association, said he doesn't condone any harassment of
Exner at his private residence or during a church service.
However,
Long said Tuesday he's troubled by the archdiocese's criticism
of VanCity and wants to "sit down in a larger forum"
with Exner to discuss homosexuality.
Schratz
said he would put Long's request for a public dialogue
through to the archbishop's office.
VanCity
has been the most courageous about openly supporting gays
and lesbians, Long said. He noted, however, the Royal
Bank and TD Canada Trust also reach out to homosexuals.
All
three major financial institutions, Long said, are key
sponsors of a gay and lesbian trade fair scheduled for
Saturday at Vancouver's Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel.
VanCity,
Canada's largest credit union, is sure to receive more
support from gays and lesbians as a result of its conflict
with the Catholic church, Long said, noting many people
have told him they'll be switching accounts.
"It's
not a vengeful thing toward the Catholic church. It's
saying, 'Thank you' to VanCity."
Exner
writes in today's Sun he's been "accused of teaching
intolerance and hatred of homosexuals -- something contrary
to Catholic teaching and my own convictions."
However,
Long said, repeated declarations by Catholic authorities
that homosexual relations are a grave sin is convincing
young gays and lesbians to maintain an unhealthy secrecy
about their sexual orientation.
"The
archbishop's actions are adding to the kind of bigotry
and hatred already found in the schools."
dtodd@png.canwest.com
©
Copyright 2003 Vancouver Sun
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