Posted on 10/17/2016 4:52:09 PM PDT by marshmallow
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — An ideological tug of war over the firing of a Rhode Island church music director for marrying his same-sex partner illustrates the confusion that permeates some U.S. Roman Catholic parishes over Pope Francis' words on homosexuality.
Francis' famous declaration "Who am I to judge?" in 2013 energized Catholics who had pushed the church to accept gays and lesbians. Now, some gay Catholics and supporters who hoped for rapid acceptance find themselves stymied by many bishops and pastors.
Francis is being cited by both the music director, Michael Templeton, and by Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin, known for taking a hard line on church teaching about marriage and abortion. Tobin has criticized Francis, writing after the pope's summit on the family two years ago that "Francis is fond of 'creating a mess.' Mission accomplished."
The pope has upheld Catholic teaching on homosexuality, reiterating the church's opposition to same-sex relationships. But his shift in tone and broad statements about mercy have left a trail of comments that amount to a Rorschach test open to interpretation, say those who have closely followed Francis.
"Pope Francis has not said, 'Here's what you should do in a parish where you have a music director who has married his partner of the same sex,'" said the Rev. James T. Bretzke, a professor of moral theology at Boston College. "Pope Francis is articulating general principles: forgiveness and mercy and not harsh judgment. But how you handle a particular case like this, he has been very reluctant to weigh in on it."
That means a gay Catholic's fate depends on his diocese or individual pastor.
Templeton, 38, says he was called in last month and fired from the job he held for five years at the Church of St. Mary. The pastor, appointed in......
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
What’s with choir directors? Whether Protestant or Catholic, as I’m sure with Jews, they always are light in the loafers!
Ball of confusion, that’s what the Church is today.
Gays and Catholicism: Pope's Words Open Door to Confusion Confession
At least that's what should be happening.
Thou
Shalt
Not
Commit
Adultery
No real Christian (yes,Catholics are Christians) is confused.
Thou
Shalt
Not
Commit
Adultery
You didn’t fix anything; especially when Bergoglio disses the Sacrament of Confession (as he has with the Sacraments of Holy Matrimony and Holy Communion).
“If someone comes to you and feels something must be removed from him, but perhaps he is unable to say it, but you understand … it’s all right, he says it this way, with the gesture of coming. First condition. Second, he is repentant. If someone comes to you it is because he doesn’t want to fall into these situations, but he doesn’t dare say it, he is afraid to say it and then not be able to do it. But if he cannot do it, ad impossibila nemo tenetur. And the Lord understands these things, the language of gestures. Have open arms, to understand what is inside that heart that cannot be said or said this way … somewhat because of shame … you understand me. You must receive everyone with the language with which they can speak.”
Why is it necessary for apologists for sexual deviants to refer to homosexuals with a euphemism?
As a socially liberal latent catholic I am amazed and perturbed that the LBGT&whatever community believes that Catholicism needs to conform to their lifestyle choices... It doesn’t. If you want to have marriage within the clergy and practice alternative lifestyles there is a church out there for you... It just isn’t a Catholic one.
Get used to it... Martin Luther didn’t and they excommunicated him in 1521, so he formed his own religion. You are welcome to do the same, or to join one of the offshoots of Catholicism formed since the 16th century... There are plenty of other religions to choose from. Leave the Catholics be please.
With wiki leaks, it wouldn’t surprise me if the DNC helped put Francis in power and pushed these guys to marry.
Our government is deplorable.
The Catholic Church allowed the devil into its tent years ago, when they started turning a blind eye to the homosexuals in the priesthood. Sounds like that chicken is now coming home to roost.
I sympathize with homosexuals that have bought into the lie that one can serve a holy God with grave sin so prominent in one’s life. But the fact is, it is a sin and an unrepentant sinner should not be allowed to minister to the Body of Christ.
"Francis' famous declaration "Who am I to judge?" in 2013 ..."
With all due respect to Pope Francis, his declaration about judging others is evidence that he hasn’t really studied the Holy Bible imo.
For example, Francis should know that Matthew 18:15-17 shows that Jesus taught his followers to expel unrepentant sinners from a congregation if necessary.
In fact, note that 1 Corinthinas 5, particularly verses 11-13, reflects on Jesus’ teaching in the following way. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, reprimanded that congregation for tolerating the actions of a certain member, a sexual offender. Paul emphasized that it is appropriate for members of a church to judge other members and ultimately expel unrepentant members.
And in stark contrast to the Pope not regarding himself as worthy to judge people, note that In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul goes on to instruct the congregation to appoint ordinary members to judge disputes between members.
Again, I have a hard time believing that Pope Francis spends much time with the Holy Bible.
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