Catholic bishop supports benefits for gay couples

Ch 6 ^

[narses]

Boston-AP) -- The Catholic Church in Massachusetts may be open to extending some benefits to gay couples.

That was the message of Worcester Bishop Daniel Reilly at today's Statehouse hearing on legalizing gay marriage.

Reilly said the church is firmly against gay marriage and civil unions, but believes that the state should provide gay couples with certain economic and social benefits, including bereavement and hospital visitation rights.

Gay rights advocates welcomed the Catholic Church to the debate, but said that denial of marriage would be a violation of same-sex couples' civil rights.

The Judiciary Committee today hosted the first-ever legislative hearing on the legalization of gay marriage or civil union.

The panel also heard testimony on an abortion bill that would require women to wait 24 hours before consenting to the procedure.

[Antoninus]

Do you think it is prudent public policy to yank children away from their gay parent?

Yes. Homosexually inclined people live in sterile relationships. They have to get these kids from somewhere else, either previous real marriages or via adoption. Even a foster home is a more healthy environment for a kid than with to homos playing house.

If not, your argument in my view sort of falls by the wayside. If you do, then see ya in the public square from the opposite end.

I could have told you that from your first post.

[Antoninus]

Relax. The courts are not going to rule that a 40 year old has a Constitutional right to have sodomy with a 16 year old any time soon.

If by "any time soon" you mean "within the next 6-8 months" I would agree. After that, all bets are off.

The California legislature might though. :)

And this is a :) happy event for what reason, exactly?

[Jorge]

Being "nice" doesn't cut it. One may be civil, but still tell someone they are in DEEP doo-doo; and it's far more charitable to make that announcement at the risk of 'losing' a friend.

Ok then. The Junior Pharisees on this thread are "in DEEP doo-doo".

They better pray to God that He is more merciful toward them over their sins than they have been toward others.

[Torie]

You know what your real problem might be? Let me help you with some of this. You are a relative young man, who as so many young men do, may take himself far too seriously, and thus among other things, may lack a) a sense of humor, and b) a sense of irony, and c) a sense that there are many shades of gray on this complex planet, and trying to get it right is not as easy as one though in his salad days. If the shoe fits ... .

[Torie]

By the way, does Catholic doctrine mandate that children be yanked from homes where the parent is in a homosexual relationship? Just curious.

[sinkspur]

You know what your real problem might be? Let me help you with some of this. You are a relative young man, who as so many young men do, may take himself far too seriously, and thus among other things, may lack a) a sense of humor, and b) a sense of irony, and c) a sense that there are many shades of gray on this complex planet, and trying to get it right is not as easy as one though in his salad days. If the shoe fits....

It fits.

[Antoninus]

You know what your real problem might be? Let me help you with some of this.

I don't recall asking for your advice or help. I'm not buying the relativist snake oil you're peddling.

You are a relative young man, who as so many young men do, may take himself far too seriously,

And you can tell all that just by reading my posts? How very perceptive of you. You would do well to be wary of unsolicited "advice" that may drop into your freepmail box...

and thus among other things, may lack a) a sense of humor,

You would be the first to accuse me of this.

and b) a sense of irony,

Yeah, I am pretty stupid when it comes down to it.

and c) a sense that there are many shades of gray on this complex planet,

Wow, that's really deep. Where can I subscribe to your newsletter?

and trying to get it right is not as easy as one though in his salad days.

I disagree. It's only difficult when one has no moral compass. I was fortunate enough to be born into the Catholic Church and despite the best efforts of heretical "Catholic" educators to warp my brain, I have come to love and cherish the true teachings of Christ which that fine institution has guarded and transmitted to us.

If the shoe fits ... .

And if it don't, I guess I'll just leave it on the curb for the Purple Heart. Here's another platitude for you: "Free advice is worth what you paid for it."

[Antoninus]

You know what your real problem might be? Let me help you with some of this.

I don't recall asking for your advice or help. I'm not buying the relativist snake oil you're peddling.

You are a relative young man, who as so many young men do, may take himself far too seriously,

And you can tell all that just by reading my posts? How very perceptive of you. You would do well to be wary of unsolicited "advice" that may drop into your freepmail box...

and thus among other things, may lack a) a sense of humor,

You would be the first to accuse me of this.

and b) a sense of irony,

Yeah, I am pretty stupid when it comes down to it.

and c) a sense that there are many shades of gray on this complex planet,

Wow, that's really deep. Where can I subscribe to your newsletter?

and trying to get it right is not as easy as one though in his salad days.

I disagree. It's only difficult when one has no moral compass. I was fortunate enough to be born into the Catholic Church and despite the best efforts of heretical "Catholic" educators to warp my brain, I have come to love and cherish the true teachings of Christ which that fine institution has guarded and transmitted to us.

If the shoe fits ... .

And if it don't, I guess I'll just leave it on the curb for the Purple Heart. Here's another platitude for you: "Free advice is worth what you paid for it."

[Antoninus]

It fits.

MYOB, gramps.

[sinkspur]

LOL!!!

[Torie]

Take it for what it is worth, I agree. Some of what I posted may merely reflect my personal journey. Boomers never really grow/grew up in the way our GI parents did; we tend as a generation to value the childlike aspect of our character for ever and ever. Maybe you matured in the sense to which I was referring more rapidly than I did. One thing I do know though, is that you are ill suited for diplomacy. Now, let me say this to you with the fist out of velvet glove: LIGHTEN THE F UP! JMO of course, as always.

[Torie]

Did one of your cop kids carry on the Sink name behind your back? Life is grand.

[Antoninus]

Some of what I posted may merely reflect my personal journey. Boomers never really grow/grew up in the way our GI parents did;

Yeah, and they have an annoying habit of thinking the entire world cares about their own "personal journeys."

we tend as a generation to value the childlike aspect of our character for ever and ever.

I've couched it in similar terms before, e.g.: "Baby-boomers are a generation of spoiled brats."

One thing I do know though, is that you are ill suited for diplomacy.

Not true. I'll bet I'd be a heck of a negotiator with communists or anyone else who doesn't negotiate in good faith.

Now, let me say this to you with the fist out of velvet glove: LIGHTEN THE F UP!

When it comes to people trashing the teachings of the Catholic Church, this is as light as it gets, bud.

;-)

[Torie]

You do know the varying connotations between the words childish and childlike don't you? If not, then this useless old secular humanist self absorbed Boomer has perhaps not been totally of the same to you.

[Antoninus]

You do know the varying connotations between the words childish and childlike don't you?

Oh yeah. I may be stupid, but I'm not an idiot.

[narses]

This is just like the capitulation a few years ago by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The city passed a law that any corporation doing business with the city had to offer same-sex partner benefits. And since Catholic Charities receives contracts from the city, the archdiocese caved and now extends spousal benefits to unmarried heterosexuals and homosexual live-in partners. This is a violation of the Church's teaching and so is Bishop Reilly's statement. And it's darn imprudent because it makes people misunderstand the Church's teachings on these matters. Already I have people waving it under my nose, saying "See the Church says homosexual partnerships are okay."

http://www.cwnews.com/offtherecord/offtherecord.cfm

[narses]

A priest in the Worcester, Mass., diocese is under indictment for allegedly embezzling $250,000 from his parish. Now investigators are looking into whether he gave some of that money to a prison inmate. William Lamontagne is serving a 12 to 15 year sentence for-- you guessed it--child rape and indecent assault and battery on a child. They aren't saying what the relationship between the two men is. You don't have to be Nostradamus to predict what the answer will be.

There was a case in Middleton, Mass., a few years ago of a youth minister who was abusing boys. The pastor never knew about it because he was too busy having sex with men on work release programs from the county jail. In the Paul Shanley case, some of the victims allege that Shanley was part of a ring of child molesters who passed their victims around from one to other. Oh, and had sex with one another.

It could be that Father Ouellette and Lamontagne simply had a legitimate business transaction with no untoward sexual issues involved. But I wouldn't bet my house on it.

Here is another story with more details. A legal aid attorney who first spoke to Lamontagne says, "There are priests and clergy who try to do a lot for people in prison. Whether (Ouellette) does that for other people I don't know." Well, giving part of a quarter million is certainly do a lot. Ouellette was never assigned to prison ministry. How does he know him? What was the money for? It's conceivable it was hush money. I think we'll get more details in days to come.

Keep repeating to yourself that homosexuality has nothing to do with the Scandal. you might convince yourself.

http://www.cwnews.com/offtherecord/offtherecord.cfm

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"Follow the money..."