What Pope Francis went on to condemn was a "gay lobby" that would promote immorality especially as it concerns natural law and marriage, secular or religious. "Lobbies are not good" in this regard.
Now we have Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt once again being accused of homosexual misconduct earlier in his priestly and episcopal career with consenting adults (outside of his current assignment). You can read the details by pressing the RSN news story HERE.
Archbishop Nienstedt last year was falsely accused of touching a young confirmandi inappropriately during a group photo session after a Confirmation with parents and others present taking pictures. Because of the nature of the accusation, he followed diocesan policy, stepped down and was found innocent and resumed his ministry.
Archbishop Nienstedt has been a very vocal supporter of natural law as it concerns sex and marriage and has opposed the changing of the definition of marriage which violates natural law. Because of this the "GAY LOBBY" in and out of the Church absolutely hates him and seeks to rid the Church of this man who dares to support the Church's teaching in the public square as it concerns natural law, sexuality and secular and religious marriage.
But let's say that Archbishop Nienstedt is guilty before being found innocent? If he repented of his sins, did penance and was returned to ministry and now "searches for the Lord and has good will," who is the homosexual lobby there to judge?
Isn't it telling that the homosexual lobby and the media are not invoking Pope Francis famous words as it concerns Archbishop Nienstedt?
But the question remains, can a priest or a bishop who may have sinned with consenting adults of the same sex be forgiven and can they still teach what the Church teaches in terms of this type of immorality and the need to repent and conform to Christ and His Church? Is not the Church a field hospital for sinners to seek medication and healing, that is the forgiveness of sins and the grace to rise above one's sinful disorders?
Keep in mind, though, that Archbishop Nienstedt is innocent until proven guilty and that the homosexual lobby will stoop to anything to stop his ministry in the Twin Cities. They have a proven track record in this regard.
Pray for the Archbishop and his Archdiocese!
14 comments:
People in positions of such authority should be held to a higher standard than everyone else. It comes with the territory, and those in such positions know that. Regardless of penance and all that if guilty, then or now, he should step down or be dismissed. Re-appointing someone with that history is tantamount to permission to others. "To whom much is given, much then from them shall be required."
A cleric who commits overt fornication, adultery or sodomy, but who later repents and agrees to perform a fitting penance, should certainly be forgiven, but he should also be removed from the ranks of the clergy.
Pope Benedict was 100% correct when he said the Catholic Church will get much smaller and loose all influence in the world. But he was wrong to let the wolves chase him away.
Pope Francis was correct with his "who am I to judge" statement. He was wrong to remain silent when he saw that his words were wildly being misused to permit immorality.
The archbishop is weathering what is about to become the norm for any faithful Catholic. Persecution. The Church needs to preach the Truth in season and out. Yes Holy Mother Church needs to show compassion, and always has for 2000 years, it didn't begin with Francis, but she must also stand strong in the face of evil. For the last 50 years the Faith has be undermined by those who knew better. The result is a Church full of people who reject everything the Church teaches. Where does that leave us? A small but faithful Church on her knees that picks up that cross and continues.
Yes, JBS--
One only has to remember the horror visited on Milwaukee by Abp. Rembert Weakland. If you don't remember the story, you should re-read it: Abusive priests moved around to continue committing their horrible crimes with children, Weakland's $450,000 embezzlement of church funds to payoff his homosexual lover, and the archdiocese now mired in a 4-year-old bankruptcy. Also remember his years of controversial, divisive ultra-liberal church restructuring policies that should have been a red-flag to his flawed character. But he was answerable to no one until his spectacular very public fall from grace. Surely the church hierarchy can do better, and the HF must model the better.
BTW, Burger King is now offering...get this now…a "Gay Pride Whopper." I am not kidding…a "Whopper." Now, tell me the jokes do not write themselves. LOL! LOL!
Doesn’t it depend on the circumstances? Hypothetically, then, for example, isn’t one act of fornication or homosexual conduct when under the influence of alcohol (with or without a drinking problem) ten years ago, at one end of the spectrum, rather different from a persistent affair today without any such mitigating factor, at the other end?
In any event, echoing Anon. Friend’s comment, isn’t the following a far more troubling allegation?:
“Nienstedt came under fire in September for allegedly failing to report or discipline clergy suspected of molesting children. Those allegations sparked ongoing criminal investigations. The allegations surfaced after Haselberger, who had resigned her post in frustration in April 2013, began leaking internal church documents that appeared to detail efforts to shield abusers.”
Gene: Are you sure you’re not telling us one – a Whopper, that is? =)
Anon 2…look it up.
It was a joke, Gene. You of all people should recognize a joke when you see one.
I deleted the followed by accident but copy and paste it here:
Anon friend has left a new comment on your post ""WHO AM I TO JUDGE?" REDUX--DOES THIS APPLY TO AN ...":
No, Anon 2, as bad as cover-up allegations and transfers of criminals are (and believe me, I am STILL horrified by it!) it was all so, so secret for so many years. What is truly incomprehensible is the church not catching embezzlement of nearly a half a million $$, rendering the archdiocese financially insolvent. How can this very easily-assessed kind of crime be totally overlooked. WHO is the watchdog of this kind of behavior? Unfortunately, we are still dealing with this kind of financial non-transparency in a lot of dioceses, although not as common as ten years ago, TBTG, given the very strong input from Pope Francis to priests and hierarchy about the sin of financial extravagance. So sad that it took what it took for transparency in all areas of clerical activity to be finally seen as a need.
I am skeptical that he is all that contrite. HE is more than aware of the size of what he did and has plenty of resources and time to make it as publicly right as he made it wrong. It does not look like he is putting a lot of effort into it.
Anon. Friend:
I am sorry I was not clear enough. I was comparing the different kinds of allegations against Archbishop Nienstedt as reported in the article linked in Father McDonald’s post. Unless I have missed something, there has been no such allegation of embezzlement made against him.
Ok, A2, your post is understood now; I probably should have figured that out myself! Thanks
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