OLYMPIA, WA... - Not everyone is happy with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger being elected pope.(AP) -- Gay Catholics call the choice a painful reminder of his role in Rome's crackdown on homosexuality, priestly celebacy and the role of women in the church.
Representative Ed Murray is an openly gay man who is one of the Legislature's most powerful members.He says he's concerned at the signal the pope's election sends, particularly with his hostile history with Seattle gays.
As head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger in 1985 upbraided Seattle's archbishop for his liberal views on women, gays and doctrinal issues.
For a time, Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen was relieved of some of his authority and Bishop Donald Wuerl was brought in as assistant.
American bishops, priests, nuns and lay Catholics complained and Hunthausen's full authority was restored.Hunthausen served as spiritual leader for Western Washington's Catholics until his retirement in 1991.
In his 1985 report, Ratzinger disciplined Hunthausen for the archdiocese's ministries to gays and lesbians, including hosting services at St. Joseph's for Dignity Seattle. That's the state chapter of a national organization of gay Catholics.
In one of the Vatican's most widely publicized reports, Ratzinger warned Hunthausen against politicizing the issue of women in the church, misuse of married ex-priests, marrying divorced people and giving them communion rights, giving communion in ecumenical settings, and granting general absolution of sins to large groups.