There has to be a middle approach to these two ways of "leadership":
Catholic Leaders Clash over Gay Pride Month
Bishop Tobin of Providence is being vilified and crucified for upholding Church teaching in what appears to be a "mean" way. Catholics are polarized and a schism is on the way as it regards sexuality in the Church and that schism will produce another Protestant denomination which will look like the Anglican Communion as it regards post-Christian sexual morality and sacramental life.
But with that said, only someone living in a cave would not know that how the world views those with same sex attractions or other sexual disorders has changed dramatically.
Gay couples now civilly married live in our neighborhoods, are invited into our homes, and work next to us. There has to be a Christian way to deal with people who don't agree with or live by what the Church teaches.
Most Catholics, like in the 1950's, accepted that divorce and worse yet, remarriage outside of the Church was morally wrong. But most Catholics would not hesitate to invite these kinds of people into their homes and families and reach out to them in their need.
The Church and her leaders must uphold Catholic moral teachings as it regards sexuality and marriage. But we must do so in a way that does not polarize the Church or offend Catholics who otherwise are good Catholics.
But then again, martrys aren't made or killed by people who agree with what the Church believes. Remember that St. John the Baptist was beheaded at the request of Herod's wife to her daughter and asked for his head on a platter because he had offended her about her illicit, immoral marriage.
9 comments:
Bishop Tobin is my Bishop. I have met him and listened to him over the past 2.5 years and I can say I support his statements 110%! He is NOT mean spirited, hard line, or disrespectful in any way. He is just speaking the truth and reminding his flock what the church teaches and expects of those who profess the one true faith. In a society that is hostage to rampant moral relativism a statement such as the one he made can seem counter cultural. Guess what? It is. I just wish more Bishops would lead their flock and stop trying to thread the needle. Now if he would just definitively state that those RI "Catholic" politicians who keep voting for and supporting an abortion bill the likes of NY's, cannot participate in the sacramental life of the church, we would have a full stand!!
I suppose it is ironic---or is it?---that Rhode Island (by percentage of the state's population) is considered the nation's most Catholic state, yet it often elects pro-abortion and pro-same sex marriage candidates. Then again, neighboring Massachusetts always elects those types of politicians. Would be interesting to see how Catholic support for Trump varied by state---I suspect it was higher in the blue-collar states (like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) than in the secular Northeast.
Gay Pride Month is about being glad (one ‘d’) that one is homosexual and actively living as ‘gay’. The Church leaders that are most noticeable on this subject seem to go beyond saying that a homosexual does not need to be suicidal or fear for life to actively embracing the behaviour and encouraging it. There is not any actual compassion involved because in this frame work none is needed since being homosexual is OK. We can credit, or blame, God with it since He created everything anyway. I also think it is a mistake to tell people that same sex attraction is God’s special Cross for them as if they should be glad (ibid) for it. Frankly I think it is pretty obvious that the reason for the support from the famous clergy is that they are either anxious for the change themselves or are scared that their bishop is and will suppress them for preaching actual Church Doctrine on the matter.
In the Eastern tradition, there is a thing called Adelphopoiesis--which in zero means is a form of gay marriage, it is the solemnisation of a brotherhood, which allowed for the inheritance of property. and some sense of community. One could say that male religious communities are a form of communal Adelphopoiesis. Were there those that abused this? Of course!, their sins are o them, and they must go to confession and repent if they have done this. The Bishop is absolutely right gay marriage can't be recognised.
Being religious is increasingly counter-cultural. Given this, it should come as no surprise that Bishop's reinforcement of Catholic teaching was received this way by the mainstream. What is so mean about that other than it can and likely will cause strife in some families where such relationships and arrangements exist?
Pure hatred was hurled at Holy Mother Church, as well as Bishop Tobin, via Twitter responses that I had read in regard to Bishop Tobin's comments in question.
But I give thanks unto God for the following fantastic Twitter response from Father Richard Heilman:
@FatherHeilman
Replying to @ThomasJTobin
"The Apostles were not silenced by the sin of Judas. All but one gave their lives for the sake of the Truth of Jesus Christ. His Excellency, Bishop Thomas Tobin has the courageous heart of the first Bishops. I stand with you, Your Excellency!"
Pax.
Mark Thomas
MT,
Yes, and those people are Democrats, not Republicans. Yet some evil bishops and priests still vote Democratic. Here is what is happening in Illinois:
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/illinois-senate-approves-bill-declaring-abortion-a-fundamental-right
Cardinal Cupich, a Democrat, is a phoney, an enabler of this sort of legislation because he fails to take action against Catholic legislators who vote for this evil . If I saw him on the streets, I would let him have it for being the enabler of evil he is. Unlike Cupich, Bishop Paprocki of Springfield has banned fake Catholic Democrat Senator Durbin who is rabidly pro-abortion from receiving Communion. Paprocki should be the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, not Cupich, a little toady. FYI, your golden calf, Francis, appointed this toady, Archbishop of Chicago.
AB Tobin caved. He is not going to be martyred, not if he can help it.
Is bishop Tobin the only bishop to warn about “gay pride month?” What about Cardinal Dolan? I recall a fuss about the Saint Patrick parade he led many years ago. Are Catholics being bullied into an opinion?
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