Friday, July 19, 2013

Can an open lesbian honestly be expected to offer sound Catholic doctrine?


The falling away from the True Faith continues.  At yet another Catholic parish, the "gay" agenda meets with no real opposition.  See here

In its 1986 Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had this to say:"..increasing numbers of people today, even within the Church, are bringing enormous pressure to bear on the Church to accept the homosexual condition as though it were not disordered and to condone homosexual activity. Those within the Church who argue in this fashion often have close ties with those with similar views outside it. These latter groups are guided by a vision opposed to the truth about the human person, which is fully disclosed in the mystery of Christ. They reflect, even if not entirely consciously, a materialistic ideology which denies the transcendent nature of the human person as well as the supernatural vocation of every individual.The Church's ministers must ensure that homosexual persons in their care will not be misled by this point of view, so profoundly opposed to the teaching of the Church. But the risk is great and there are many who seek to create confusion regarding the Church's position, and then to use that confusion to their own advantage.

The movement within the Church, which takes the form of pressure groups of various names and sizes, attempts to give the impression that it represents all homosexual persons who are Catholics. As a matter of fact, its membership is by and large restricted to those who either ignore the teaching of the Church or seek somehow to undermine it. It brings together under the aegis of Catholicism homosexual persons who have no intention of abandoning their homosexual behaviour. One tactic used is to protest that any and all criticism of or reservations about homosexual people, their activity and lifestyle, are simply diverse forms of unjust discrimination.
There is an effort in some countries to manipulate the Church by gaining the often well-intentioned support of her pastors with a view to changing civil-statutes and laws. This is done in order to conform to these pressure groups' concept that homosexuality is at least a completely harmless, if not an entirely good, thing. Even when the practice of homosexuality may seriously threaten the lives and well-being of a large number of people, its advocates remain undeterred and refuse to consider the magnitude of the risks involved.

The Church can never be so callous. It is true that her clear position cannot be revised by pressure from civil legislation or the trend of the moment. But she is really concerned about the many who are not represented by the pro-homosexual movement and about those who may have been tempted to believe its deceitful propaganda. She is also aware that the view that homosexual activity is equivalent to, or as acceptable as, the sexual expression of conjugal love has a direct impact on society's understanding of the nature and rights of the family and puts them in jeopardy." (Nos. 8, 9).

In No. 15 the CDF says, "We encourage the Bishops, then, to provide pastoral care in full accord with the teaching of the Church for homosexual persons of their dioceses. No authentic pastoral programme will include organizations in which homosexual persons associate with each other without clearly stating that homosexual activity is immoral. A truly pastoral approach will appreciate the need for homosexual persons to avoid the near occasions of sin.


We would heartily encourage programmes where these dangers are avoided. But we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church's teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral. The neglect of the Church's position prevents homosexual men and women from receiving the care they need and deserve.

An authentic pastoral programme will assist homosexual persons at all levels of the spiritual life: through the sacraments, and in particular through the frequent and sincere use of the sacrament of Reconciliation, through prayer, witness, counsel and individual care. In such a way, the entire Christian community can come to recognize its own call to assist its brothers and sisters, without deluding them or isolating them."

The CDF teaches us that "Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral." A couple of years ago, Father John Unni of the Boston Archdiocese promoted an organization which is not concerned with the truth about homosexuality but which seeks instead to condone homosexual activity. His proposed "Gay Pride Mass," which had the initial go-ahead from the Archdiocese, would have presented yet another problem. For the CDF says in No. 17 of this same letter that, "All support should be withdrawn from any organizations which seek to undermine the teaching of the Church, which are ambiguous about it, or which neglect it entirely. Such support, or even the semblance of such support, can be gravely misinterpreted. Special attention should be given to the practice of scheduling religious services and to the use of Church buildings by these groups, including the facilities of Catholic schools and colleges. To some, such permission to use Church property may seem only just and charitable; but in reality it is contradictory to the purpose for which these institutions were founded, it is misleading and often scandalous."

Catholics deserve to receive the Church's teaching in its purity and integrity (Veritatis Splendor, No. 113).  Does anyone honestly believe that an open lesbian will be committed toward offering sound Catholic doctrine, especially in the area of sexual morality?

When is the Church in the United States going to stop lying to itself?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The article says that the pastor wanted to "marry" the couple in 1998 but was prevented because of local protest. A Worcester diocesan priest was performing homosexual "weddings" back in 1989, as the now defunct Worcester Voice reported through the Free Republic weblog (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1603876/posts):

Catholic Priest Was Marrying Gay Couples 15 years Before It Was Legal in Massachusetts.

Worcester Voice ^ | 3/26/06

The Rev. Gerard L. Branconnier, who was removed from ministry after allegations were made that he sexually abused minors, had a gay marriage ministry in operation 15 years before it was legal in this state. However, gay marriage is not “legal” in the Roman Catholic church, which has opposed gay marriage and opposes adoption of children to same-sex couples.

Paul A. Guries of Auburn, who settled a suit with the Catholic Worcester diocese, has released a copy of a video that shows Father Branconnier in 1989 marrying two men in a traditional Catholic marriage rite. The video is available here through the auspices of Mr. Guries.

What is even more amazing is that Mr. Guries turned over a copy of the video to Monsignor Edmond T. Tinsley in 1993 after he settled his lawsuit with the diocese where he alleged sexual abuse by Father Branconnier when he was a 16-year-old parishioner at North American Martyrs Church in Auburn. The diocese has had the video since then but no public notification of its existence was ever made by the diocese. Bishop Timothy J. Harrington was bishop at the time the video was received by the diocese and no action was taken. Bishop Daniel P. Reilly came into the diocese in 1994 and still no mention was made of the video.

The diocese is now being served by Bishop Robert J. McManus, who also has not acknowledged that it had knowledge that Father Branconnier was marrying gay couples. Mr. Guries in a letter to Bishop McManus said he knows or has heard that Father Branconnier still may be conducting gay marriages although he was removed from ministry in 1993.

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