Friday, July 07, 2017

Cardinal Joseph Tobin: Disingenuous

Cardinal Joseph Tobin, in a feeble attempt to justify his decision to welcome an "LGBTQ" pilgrimage to the Newark Cathedral, has said, “I don’t presume that every person who identifies him or herself as LGBTQ is sexually active...If they’re attempting to live a chaste life, then they certainly need the support of the believing community, a chance to pray, and to know that they’re welcomed within the body of Christ.”

The Cardinal is being disingenuous. Nothing new for him.  See here.

The Roman Catholic apostolate Courage, which assists those with a homosexual inclination to live authentically Catholic lives, embracing chastity, explains why it will not use the terms "gay" and "lesbian":

Q. Why doesn’t Courage use the terms “gay” and “lesbian”?

A. Courage discourages persons with same-sex attractions from labeling themselves “gay” and “lesbian” for the following reasons:

1) The secular world usually uses those terms to refer to someone who is either actively homosexual or intends to be. When a person decides to “come out” and say “I am gay” or “I am lesbian”, the person usually means “this is who I am – I was born this way and I intend to live this way. I have a right to find a same-sex partner with whom to have a romantic sexual relationship.” To “come out” as being “gay” or “lesbian” doesn’t usually mean “I have homosexual attractions and I have a deep commitment to living a chaste life”.

The Cardinal isn't being honest is he?

Courage continues:

2) By labeling someone [as the Cardinal does by referring to people with a homosexual inclination as "gay"], we discourage those who may wish to try and move beyond homosexual attractions. Some people, especially young people, are able to further their psychosexual development with spiritual and psychological aid. If we labeled them “gay” and “lesbian”, they might think there’s no possibility of moving beyond these attractions.

3) There is more to a person than one’s sexual attractions. Even if one experienced same-sex attractions for most of one’s life, he or she is first and foremost a child of God created in His image. To refer to that person as “gay” or “lesbian” is a reductionist way of speaking about someone. We are even trying now to avoid using the term homosexual as a noun, or as an adjective directly describing the person (i.e. homosexual person). Although it takes more words, we prefer to speak of “persons with same-sex attractions”. Fr. Harvey has said that, if he could, he would rename his first book “The Homosexual Person” to something else like “The Person With Homosexual Attractions”.

There are people within the Catholic Church who might argue that those who label themselves “gay” or “lesbian” aren’t necessarily living unchastely. That’s true, but the implications of the terms in today’s society don’t commonly connote chaste living. Furthermore, they are limiting their own possibilities of growth by such self-labeling, and reducing their whole identity by defining themselves according to their sexual attractions. At Courage, we choose not to label people according to an inclination which, although psychologically understandable, is still objectively disordered."

Pray for Cardinal Tobin to repent of his intellectual dishonesty.



6 comments:

Cyn M said...

Courage is correct in their assessment of self labeling being "reductionist". Heterosexuals do not identify themselves as such on a daily basis. There is so much more to a human being than their sexuality. By using the terms "gay" and "lesbian" as common descriptors of oneself, one limits the human being to that single, small aspect of self. This does not predispose tbe individual to their higher spiritual nature, or even tend towards integrating body, soul, and spirit into a cohesive whole. Prayers offered all who suffer same sex attraction,and fir our clergy, that they employ not only compassion, but spiritual wisdom and guidance.

Paul Anthony Melanson said...

Well said Cyn! I'm banned from the Facebook Page of Saint Mary's Parish in Orange because my posts, which always adhere to the exact truth, are deemed "too controversial."

It is time for those who claim to be Catholic to cease the Culture of Enabling with regard to the homosexual clergy problem and the homosexual agitprop within the Church.

Winking and nodding at homosexual behavior is gravely sinful.

Anonymous said...

Let us not forget how the term "gay" used be a beautiful word describing one who is filled with joy and levity.

But now it is no longer safe to use this word without giving off the wrong message.

At least not until Our Lord returns and restores beauty to sister earth.

Paul Anthony Melanson said...

http://josephsciambra.com/organizer-of-lgbt-pilgrimage-to-newark-cathedral-is-gay-married-man/

Anonymous said...

This is just more snake venom from yet another shameless and profoundly ignorant Roman catholic cardinal.
Expect a lot more of this poison from that part of the catholic church that has split off as a consequence of Pope Benedict XV1,s decision to allow a conclave elect a second pope.

TLM said...

Cardinal Tobin says a lot in regard to the 'acceptability' of homosexual people in the Church. Me thinks he may have his eye on the Papacy, and could be courting the St. Gallen Group in a bid to succeed Bergoglio.

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