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Rockford LGTBQ advocates say Catholic recognition of same-sex unions doesn’t go far enough
WQRF ^ | Dec 19, 2023 | Drea Barone

Posted on 12/19/2023 3:49:23 PM PST by nickcarraway

On Monday, Pope Francis gave Catholic priests around the world permission to bless same-sex unions, with certain limitations.

A document, signed by the Pope, emphasizes that while blessings are approved to be given to gay couples, they are not recognized with the same sacrament of marriage in the eyes of the Church.

LGBTQ advocates in Rockford say they have mixed feelings about the pope’s declaration.

“While it is a huge step forward towards a recognition of many diverse viewpoints, it doesn’t change the fundamental teaching of the Catholic Church,” said Jessica Green, president of Rockton Pride.

“The blessing that’s going to be occurring is going to have to be a separate occasion from the marriage itself. It’s still that separation between the two (that) still indicates… the underlying issue that we’re still dealing with, with trying to get to a place of marriage equality,” she added.

The Church still enforces its teaching that marriage remains solely between a man and a woman.

“We are moving toward a future that recognizes LGBTQ relationships,” Green said.

Monday’s declaration follows a 2021 ruling from the Vatican Doctrine Office that banned blessings of same-sex couples, saying “God cannot bless sin.”

“There’s so much more work to be done, but it’s good to know that at least Pope Francis is behind us a little bit,” said Rockford Area Pride Committee chair Andrew Mertzenic said.

The Rockford Diocese declined to comment for this story.


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To: Telepathic Intruder

False pope.


21 posted on 12/19/2023 7:57:51 PM PST by bgill
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To: Dr. Sivana

I’m still there, I totally agree. I’ve gotta rag on the local media, they’re no better than any other media. A former weatherman is now the democrat congressman who took Kinzinger’s place. They fawn all over Pritzger. Also Biden when he was in Belvedere applauding the end to the UAW strike.

There is a lot of crime here (some I’ve personally witnessed) that the police never follow up on. My own brother’s picture window had a 9mm round sent through it, lodging in the wall on the far side of his living room. He was laying on his couch at the time. If he had been standing, there would be a good chance that he would’ve stopped that round with his head.

Nothing found out by the cops, except the 42 shell casings across the street.
NOTHING said by the local press, at all.

The local press here sucks.


22 posted on 12/19/2023 8:03:34 PM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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To: telescope115

We always called the paper the Rockford Red Star.

The Rockford Labor News was always interesting. Does it still exist? The owner was pro-life.


23 posted on 12/19/2023 8:05:34 PM PST by Dr. Sivana ("If you can’t say something nice . . . say the Rosary." [Red Badger])
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To: Dr. Sivana

The Rockford Labor News and the Rock River Times are online only now.

One online resource locally for crime news is https://rockfordscanner.com/


24 posted on 12/19/2023 8:31:37 PM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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To: Flaming Conservative

That is not what Catholics believe regarding excommunication.

Excommunication of laypeople principally means that they are cut off from receiving the sacraments. It does not mean that the Church is condemning a person to hell. In fact, excommunication is intended to be a medicine to inspire people to repent and be reconciled to the Church. Once reconciled to the Church, that person may again receive the sacraments.

If an excommunicated person dies without being formally reconciled to the Church, he can be saved if he truly and sincerely repents all of his mortal sins before death.

Excommunication is a restriction of the reception of Sacraments for an individual Catholic who has repeatedly committed a public sin or deceptively taught a heresy as Catholic doctrine and repeatedly refused to correct it. Excommunication is always intended to be temporary and is primarily intended to be used as an encouragement to correct an overt public behavior that misleads large numbers of people about what the Church teaches. It is by no means an expulsion from the Church or even a permanent declaration. The root of the word is “communion.” Communion is the central Sacrament of Catholicism and excommunication generally means that you are restricted from receiving that Sacrament until you have corrected the issue. There are many forms of excommunication that are automatically imposed by certain actions by Catholics that can be removed very easily by simply receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For instance, any Catholic who commits a mortal sin (which means all of them) has incurred a form of excommunication that can be lifted by going to confession. This is considered a normal routine for any serious practicing Catholic.


25 posted on 12/19/2023 9:03:56 PM PST by Cronos (I identify as an ambulance, my pronounces are wee/woo)
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To: Cronos

Thanks for that explanation.


26 posted on 12/19/2023 9:41:33 PM PST by married21 (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

What do they even care about the Catholic Church? If they do not believe in sin, why do they care about what the Church teaches about sin? This is just pure tyrannical bullying on their part.


27 posted on 12/20/2023 6:41:31 AM PST by Chicory
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To: Chicory

Yes, the point isn’t absolution, it is to remove all recognition of right and wrong so that nothing they do is “viewed” as wrong. But does being blind to danger make the danger go away? Of course not. It just means we won’t see it coming.


28 posted on 12/20/2023 11:00:35 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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