Cardinal Dolan.

Though the Catholic Church may not be known for its quickness, Cardinal Timothy Dolan made a few changes to his political prayer in the week between the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Dolan’s Democratic prayer largely mirrored the words he gave to Mitt Romney and company at the Republican National Convention last week, with a few tweaks that injected a little bit of the pastor’s politics.

Most notably, he poked at the Dems' pro-choice platform, praying, “We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected,” adding “that they may be welcomed and protected” from his Republican blessing. Conservative bloggers and Tweeters celebrated the speech as pro-life.

He also echoed his Republican speech calling for “respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God,” asking for help to “resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community.”

Dolan said on his Twitter account yesterday before the prayer, “As I did at the RNC, I go as a pastor. Not to endorse any party, platform, or candidate."

In addition to his reference to abortion, analysts have interpreted one of those life and community institutions that shouldn’t be remodeled as strictly heterosexual marriage. Dolan had come out against the Albany bill that passed same sex marriage last summer.

While the pastor’s politics may have been in code, members of the Catholic gay community took notice of the remarks. “I think he alluded to the institution of marriage,” said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, an organization for Catholic gay and lesbian issues founded in 1977. He continued “I think what [Dolan] fails to grasp is that marriage equality laws do not remake the institution of marriage, but they simply expand the institution to people who want to commit in love to one another and these laws carefully protect all families in society.”

Jeff Stone, a spokesman for local Catholic LGBT group Dignity New York, feels a split between the cardinal and ordinary Catholics on gay marriage. “It’s a position that’s at odds with most ordinary Catholics now.” Mr. Stone preferred the DNC speech of Sister Simone Campbell, the director of Catholic social justice organization Network, who denounced vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s budget. “I think she exemplifies the split between the Catholic hierarchy and the ordinary Catholic.”

The differences between the packages are instructive: the gay-marriage package, which went on sale after gay marriage was legalized in New York, in preparation for the soon-to-commence wave of legal gay weddings, is listed as taking place in “Chelsea, Meatpacking District.” The first photo in the slideshow is of generic stock-photo golden rings instead of a red-on-white wedding tablescape.

“We don’t ever disclose whether something’s sold or not,” said Sarah Sheehan, market lead of the gay-marriage offer, “but we’re really pleased with the way it’s turned out. We wanted to send the message that we strongly support this law being passed and really celebrate equality in a big way.” It helped that the original offer for weddings at Del Posto, pre-marriage equality, had been a big success. “There were 100 people on the waitlist by the time it was over!” Ms. Sheehan disclosed. As for whether any of those waitlisted straight couples could have taken advantage of the gay marriage deal, Ms. Sheehan said: “We would have opened it up to anyone—we can’t control it, the reason we did it and branded it the way we did was just to be in support of the law.”

As for whether they’d make political statements through their deals again, Ms. Sheehan said: “I would say as a company we shy away from such things. We’re not in the business of talking about issues—but in this one case, we feel strongly.” She cited Gilt City’s president Nathan Richardson, and his presence on The Observer’s New Power Gays list. “This is a very human issue. It’s about equality. Everyone should support this belief,” she said.

ddaddario@observer.com :: @DPD_

Among the items available at truthaboutdiaz.com include the fact that:

• Diaz was investigated by the FBI
• Diaz was arrested for possession of heroing and marijuana
• Diaz sent $250,000 to the Christian Community Benevolent Association, an organization that he founded.

The approach by Fight  Back NY--using their supporters to dig up dirt on a political opponent--was something of a novel one and there is not that much here that is new.

Still, when asked to respond to the group's fighting, Diaz said he was amused.

"I'm laughing. They are in love with me. I am driving them crazy...They are making fools of themselves. They are raising money off of my name, so they should thank me...They should contribute money to my campaign so they can have somebody to keep shooting at."

Diaz was in fact arrested on drug charges back in the 1960's, and said that he was a lot more charitable about past mistakes than his opponents, especially Charlie Ramos, who is running hard against Diaz with the backing of Fight Back NY. Ramos, who was an aide to former city Comptroller Bill Thompson, has also been arrested on drug charges.

"I believe in second chances. Because I got a second chance myself 42 years ago, that's what I do as a pastor, as a preacher. I give people second chances...So when Charlie Ramos came out of my jail my son [Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr]  and I, we gave him a second chance. We the Diazes placed him with Billy Thompson. That is the only job he got since he got out of jail--because we gave it to him...And then he turned on me, but I will continue to pray for him, and I will continue giving second chances to everybody that I can."

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