Yes, the early Church and the Church of Vatican II still can excommunicate some of her members for egregious public sins, such as being members of the KKK or other hate groups or groups that advocate for the destruction of innocent human life or for euthanasia and the like.
Catholics can be excommunicated for publicly advocating for racism and discrimination or seeking to create ideological divides in a diocese or parish. I've heard of bishops shutting down parishes that become schismatic.
I have never heard, though, that Catholics can be excommunicated or censured for their sexual activities no matter the orientation. Yes, sins against Chasity are sins against the 6th Commandment and that is just as serious as breaking any of the other nine Commandments. We don't excommunicate Catholics who dishonor their parents, covet their neighbor's goods or even steal or murder.
We do tell sinners, mortal sinners in particular, that if they are in a state of unforgiven sin, they should repent. For venial sins repentance and an act of Contrition are sufficient. For Mortal Sins against any of the 10 Commandments, Confession is necessary with absolution.
So I find it peculiar and almost like an ideology when I read stuff like this:
According to New Ways Ministry, an advocacy group for LGBT Catholics, the meeting “refutes the unjustified barrage of criticism [Martin] has received from a minority of church leaders and other anti-LGBTQ sectors of the church.”
“It is a clear signal that Pope Francis is calling the church to conversion away from the negative messages it has sent in the past about LGBTQ people,” the group said in a statement released on Monday. “It is a day of celebration for LGBTQ Catholics who have longed for an outstretched hand of welcome from the church that they love.”
Since when do we have to welcome special interests groups with a social, political or ideological position opposed to any of the 10 Commandments? Since when does the Church have to support gender ideology and the groups that advocate for these in society and unfortunately in the Church?
I know many people who have same sex attractions and maybe would like to dress as a person of the opposite sex or maybe even be a member of the opposite sex. But you would think if one is striving to be a good Catholic, one wouldn't flaunt unnatural desires publicly, especially in the Church, and ask/demand that not only they but their sin or disorder be accepted as moral or as a virtue.
Those who are virtuous and moral seek to live as Christ taught us through the Magisterium of the Church.
I have seen many couples attend Mass who are same sex couples. I presume if they live together they are simply roommates or live as sisters or brothers. Just like Catholic heterosexual couples who have separated from a Church Sacramental marriage in order to live with another person, if that couple lives chastely as brother and sister, they too can receive Holy Communion. The same goes with homosexual couples in a so-called civil marriage. Why should LGBTQ Catholics be given a pass when it comes chastity?
Why should special interests groups which are in fact lobbies or political entities be given a pass and embraced as a "whole?" Individuals are members of the Church and are baptized as individuals, and are judged as individuals both here on earth and at their personal and final judgement.
5 comments:
If Pius XI were around today, you could add the modern Democratic Party to proscribed organizations for Catholics.
So long as the Church continues to hurt people's feelings by implying that they might in anyway be just a little sinful now and then,the Church can not claim that it is inclusive, or welcoming.
How is it even Christian to suggest that someone is being sinful? That's just mean.
Father McDonald said..."Why should special interests groups which are in fact lobbies or political entities be given a pass and embraced as a "whole?"
His Holiness Pope Francis has addressed the question of homosexual lobbies.
During his July 28, 2013 A.D. in-flight press conference as he flew from Brazil to Rome, Pope Francis was asked:
Ilze Scamparini: "...how does Your Holiness intend to confront the whole question of the gay lobby?
Pope Francis: "So much is written about the gay lobby. I believe that when you are dealing with such a person, you must distinguish between the fact of a person being gay and the fact of someone forming a lobby, because not all lobbies are good.
"This one is not good.
"The problem is not having this tendency, no, we must be brothers and sisters to one another, and there is this one and there is that one.
"The problem is in making a lobby of this tendency: a lobby of misers, a lobby of politicians, a lobby of masons, so many lobbies. For me, this is the greater problem."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Yes, TJM, the modern Democratic party is a far cry from generations ago---while he was hardly conservative, Bill Clinton would be too liberal for today's Democrats, such as his support for welfare reform and the death penalty. LOL getting any Democrat to embrace those positions today!
But the Democrats love to embrace secularism, which unfortunately is a growing trait in the US, even in the South. You can tell by the number of churches which report membership declines and have reduced the number of Sunday worship services they hold---and not just the traditional "liberal" denominations are being affected. Here in Atlanta's wealthy Buckhead section, one of the oldest Baptist churches in town, Second Ponce de Leon, holds just one service on Sunday. And our pastor in 30327 yesterday at his "pastors forum" noted that attendance at our main Mass, 10am Sundays, it not what it used to be---maybe 5 years ago, standing room only, but not today. A number of Methodist churches have closed here and some of the ones who remain hold just one service on Sunday. Satan seems to be winning...
If the presence of Christ God in the Tabernacle isn't enough to welcome a person, no human can ever come close to such things...
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