text: Complementarity is still abstract concept. Let's remember that the issue here is not about sexuality. It is about marriage rights. Gays have them. Merlino is suffering from a bad case of sour grapes and is venting. Interestingly, none of his thoughts were directive, only suggestive, but I assume people will be watching and reporting back to him. To not acknowledge a spouse, however much you disagree with their gender, at a funeral is beyond tacky, as is worrying about whether the spouse and the celebrant are mentioned on the prayer card. Merlino's indignation is not enough to reverse the trend, which will ultimately include priests blessing gay marriages privately and families demanding formal recognition of such unions at a Wedding Mass. Rear guard actions involving inocmplete natural law arguments or scriptures meant to differentiate Jewish exiles from their Babylonian captors will not stop this. God will not rescue the Church from this nor female ordination.