Posted on 04/20/2005 8:41:17 AM PDT by SkyPilot
(CNSNews.com) - American Catholics who want major changes in the church are not happy with the election of a "hard-line" pope who backs longstanding Catholic doctine.
The Women's Ordination Conference, a Catholic feminist organization working for the ordination of women priests, said the church desperately needs a healer, but the cardinals have elected a divider: "This is another example of how the hierarchy is out of touch with Catholics in the pews," said Joy Barnes, executive director of the Women's Ordination Conference.
According to the WOC, recent polls show that over two-thirds of U.S. Catholics support women's ordination, yet Ratzinger has repeatedly stated his firm opposition to women priests.
"Cardinal Ratzinger's election as pope will galvanize faithful Catholics to work even more passionately for a renewed priesthood that includes women," said Aisha Taylor, WOC's program director.
"We pray for Pope Benedict XVI to lead the Roman Catholic Church toward reconciliation for the church's sins of abuse, sexism, racism, heterosexism and all oppression. We trust the Holy Spirit will continue to work in our church to fulfill Jesus' radical message of justice."
"Rigid''
The National Coalition of American Nuns noted that the new pope has the reputation of being "rigid in his position as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, silencing and expelling theologians, priests and nuns whom he perceived as not being orthodox.
"He certainly is not known for his sensitivity to the exclusion of women in the Church's leadership," the nuns said in a statement.
The group said it would pray for a miracle - that Pope Benedict XVI "will, like the Benedictines, be hospitable and welcome all persons.
"We pray that he will be open to the full partnership and full participation of women in a church that suffers because of the lack of women's creativity and lived experience. We do believe in miracles," the National Coalition of American Nuns concluded.
"Distressing''
A number of homosexual advocacy groups expressed the Catholic Church''s future treatment of homosexual and transgender people.
DignityUSA, which bills itself as the "voice for gay, lesbian, and transgender Catholics," reacted with "dismay" to the elevation of Cardinal Ratzinger.
"The new Pope is seen as the principal author of the most virulently anti-gay, anti-GLBT rhetoric in the last papacy," said DignityUSA President Sam Sinnett.
"The elevation of Cardinal Ratzinger is being seen by many GLBT Catholics as a profound betrayal by the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church and betrayal of one of the most fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ as the loving Good Shepherd who reached out to the ones separated from the flock."
Sinnett called the election of the new pope a test of faith: "We express deep sadness for all those who will find themselves further alienated from the church because of Cardinal Ratzinger's assumption of the papacy. With their support and that of all our members and allies, we will re-double our efforts to speak the truth of our lives as faithful GLBT Catholics."
DignityUSA called on its members to enter into a "period of prayer for the church and the world" from now until Pentecost, which will be celebrated on May 15th. "Pentecost is the feast of the birth of the church," said Sinnett. "We pray that this Pentecost may be a time of rebirth."
"We hope that Pope Benedict XVI will follow the biblical tradition of expressing love and compassion for all," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese in a statement.
"In the past, he has made deeply disturbing comments regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people so his selection as the 265th pope is distressing. It's imperative that there be a positive conversation with the Catholic Church about GLBT people of faith and we welcome that discourse."
The Human Rights Campaign noted that in 1986, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger delivered a Letter to the bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons. He wrote, "Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil."
"Disappointment''
The Triangle Foundation, which serves Michigan''s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and allied communities, said the new pope has been among "the most virulent, hard-line doctrinaire conservatives, especially on the issue of choice, gay and lesbian inclusion and acceptance and most of the other "social'' issues faced by the Catholic Church.
"This elevation can only be a disappointment to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics and others of us who observe and monitor the Church''s activism," said Jeffrey Montgomery, executive director of the Triangle Foundation.
"Based on his history and his demagoguery it is nearly impossible to imagine that this new Pope will usher in an era of reconciliation and welcome. Ratzinger has been the author and voice of oppression and attack on GLBT people."
"Homophobic''
The Rev. Troy D. Perry, a homosexual activist and moderator of the Metropolitan Community Churches, expressed a "deep sadness that one of the world's most homophobic religious leaders has been elevated to the papacy, and regret that his policies will continue to devalue the rich spiritual gifts of LGBT people and women of faith.
"My faith teaches that all people can change, so my prayers today are that the eyes of Cardinal Ratzinger -- now Pope Benedict XVI -- will be opened to the unique giftedness and blessing that LGBT people can be to the church.
"And my prayers today are with my brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic Church, and those whose lives will be harmed by church policies that treat LGBT people with less than unconditional acceptance and dignity.""
all I can think of is that they want to remake it in their image so they can feel holy and happy - or to destroy the finger pointing at them telling them that they are wrong!
Another relevant passage. Their narcissistic demands on the Church, is just incredible. I am rather enjoying them squirm, though. My bad?
The 10% number comes from the hideous and exploded Kinsey report.
If you can't play by the rules, get out of the game.
That passage is very appropriate. It seems to describe half of America :(
Good grief. Just who exactly IS their god?
#33 -- yes = LOL!
I didn't hear it from there. If the numbers others responding to my post are citing are true, they are statistically insignificant. Makes my case even stronger.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
"... Some of the recommended books are relatively "tame" on the surface, justifying teenaged homosexual experimentation with the usual "This is me. This is who I am." Others go much further--glorifying sex with animals, witchcraft, feminist goddess worship, worship of sexual pleasure as a form of religion, promiscuity with hundreds of partners, bisexual orgies, and voyeurism.
Ironically, one of their booklets, "Beyond the Bible: Parents, Families and Friends Talk about Religion and Homosexuality," has a section entitled, "Caution: Hate Groups." Listed organizations include Promise Keepers, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women of America, and Family Research Council.
That pamphlet recommends that religious seekers read Gay Soul: Finding the Heart of Gay Spirit and Nature, a book which labels gay sex "sacred." In it, first-person stories are told of gay men delightedly flouting their vow of celibacy in seminaries; of a man reporting that he had a peak orgasmic experience during sex with God; and of sadomasochic torture being enjoyed by a psychotherapist as a mystical experience. Another writer in the anthology labeled as "sacred" the experience of incest between fathers and brothers. (Gay Soul was reviewed in the April 1997 Bulletin.) ...
(From the chapter, "Coming Out in Spirit and Flesh"): "I was in love with the man I married, but not with the role I felt pushed into playing...After the wedding, we were no longer seen as two individuals who loved each other, but as people who had functions to fill, chiefly to have children and to 'make a nice home'...
"...I started drifting back to religion. I did not miss in the slightest the process of scraping my soul for sins to confess, nor the gory stories of tortured saints. However, I missed the atmosphere of magic, where light was transformed by stained glass into dark jewels, and water turned to wine...Before graduate school, I took a course on feminism and theology...what captured my imagination were essays about women who were forming groups and celebrating ...rituals that used images of the goddess, and symbols from nature...
"The night of the last class I took down a phone number and joined a coven of four women. Many times since then we have stood in a circle, chanting the names of goddesses, feeling our strength, our power to heal each other...I found myself repeating our ritual blessing when making love with a woman, "Bless your lips...bless your breasts"...In Wicca, the goddess becomes a metaphor...She could even be He; there are covens who celebrate the horned God...I draw strength from my religion in which 'all acts of love and pleasure are Her rituals." (p. 96) ...
(From the chapter "Sacred Rituals"): "Warm, wet mouths suddenly become ravenous as each of my lovers' tongues eagerly explore my sexual abundance. As I am being caressed, as my sexuality is being celebrated, my consciousness melts into vague memories of holy sexual union...Tonight, my lovers and I are one in orgiastic celebration...Why was I taught to love god the father instead? As I partake in this spiritual, sexual rite, I know that I, a woman, am entitled to express my sexual self in any way that pleases me. Tonight, I got religion, and it was in bed!" (111) ..."
Jada Pinkett.
Ironically she was there getting some kind of award about tolerance and diversity or some crap.
OMG..that is the freakin funniest thing I've read in a LONG time!!
Oh Chris Mathews... boy does this guy likes to instigate... and he is good at it, unfortunately.
It's a battle and we must keep fighting it, right?
Take care :)
Who did the lefties think was going to be Pope? Jim J Bollack?
Saw a good sign on a local church the other day..
"Under the same management for 2,000 years".
WHAT is it about the fact that God has ONE standard set of expectations for us (set since the beginning of time) that the deviants don't understand? It won't change - now, nor 2,000 years from now.
All of this "the church needs to get with the times" is a bunch of hooey. God isn't going to change the expectations, just because of "modern times". Nope. Nosireee. Sin is still sin. Period. These people are likely NOT going to go through the Pearly Gates - and that scares the bannanas out of them.
They can't face reality. That's it, pure and simple.
The fact that the MSM & libocrats hate the new Pope makes me think we have the RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB!!
On local news this AM, they used the words "divisive" and "controversial" to describe Pope Benedict XVI.
I knew immediately that he was the "right man for the job!".
When the MSM has a kaniption fit, you know the right decision was made, LOL!!
"My way or the highway"....God!
"or find a church that doesn't think it's sin." Which is SO easy to find these days. So why the whining? Go find a church that fits YOUR agenda better.
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