HOW TO PROMOTE CATHOLIC TEACHING WITHOUT BEING LIKE THE TALIBAN
Now, how do we be more Taliban like with Catholics who are anti-Catholic, undermine the Church and still want to be Catholic and receive Holy Communion? "To be or not to be, that is the question!"
Well said, Father; but to round out how "Taliban" our Church should be, there is this take by a very wise Priest from another Catholic blog:
"Do we have dissenters from this faith in the Catholic Church? Of course we do. Big deal. Even the fact that they are dissenting proves the objective claims of the Catholic faith--otherwise they would have nothing to dissent from. They might be kicking against a rock, but at least the rock is there, and the fact that they are kicking against it validates it."
I think Archbishop Dolan gave an excellent example of how to do just that -- by explaining the Church's teaching in a loving, clear way, not backing away from the truth but not attacking individuals in the process. It is imperative that we adhere to the truth with which we as Catholics have been blessed while reaching out in love to those who do not yet understand or accept that truth.
I think too we have to realize that today homosexual children are open about their orientation and parents are coming to terms with that, although I think many parents feel some guilt that perhaps they could have prevented it or might have done something to cause it, but it is very complex. I do think that for many teenagers it is a transitory thing and they can mature out of it, but our culture is encouraging them to stay stuck. But that's not the case with everyone. So if a Church leader comes across in a hateful way toward the children of parishioners who are gay, that is not going to sit well. And course it doesn't sit well with homosexuals who are singled out. Our over all problem in terms of sexual immorality is heterosexual. We've failed to feel free to call people to chastity before marriage, fidelity in marriage that is for a life time and chastity if separation becomes necessary. We've also failed to teach Humanae Vitae and the purpose of sex not only from a Biblical perspective from natural law. There are some acts even in marriage that are immoral. How many people either know that or if they know that believe it? It is all very complex.
4 comments:
Well said, Father; but to round out how "Taliban" our Church should be, there is this take by a very wise Priest from another Catholic blog:
"Do we have dissenters from this faith in the Catholic Church? Of course we do. Big deal. Even the fact that they are dissenting proves the objective claims of the Catholic faith--otherwise they would have nothing to dissent from. They might be kicking against a rock, but at least the rock is there, and the fact that they are kicking against it validates it."
I think Archbishop Dolan gave an excellent example of how to do just that -- by explaining the Church's teaching in a loving, clear way, not backing away from the truth but not attacking individuals in the process. It is imperative that we adhere to the truth with which we as Catholics have been blessed while reaching out in love to those who do not yet understand or accept that truth.
I think too we have to realize that today homosexual children are open about their orientation and parents are coming to terms with that, although I think many parents feel some guilt that perhaps they could have prevented it or might have done something to cause it, but it is very complex. I do think that for many teenagers it is a transitory thing and they can mature out of it, but our culture is encouraging them to stay stuck. But that's not the case with everyone. So if a Church leader comes across in a hateful way toward the children of parishioners who are gay, that is not going to sit well. And course it doesn't sit well with homosexuals who are singled out. Our over all problem in terms of sexual immorality is heterosexual. We've failed to feel free to call people to chastity before marriage, fidelity in marriage that is for a life time and chastity if separation becomes necessary. We've also failed to teach Humanae Vitae and the purpose of sex not only from a Biblical perspective from natural law. There are some acts even in marriage that are immoral. How many people either know that or if they know that believe it?
It is all very complex.
PIN, well said!
Post a Comment