Posted on 01/27/2006 3:51:57 AM PST by Aussie Dasher
DETROIT, Illinois, January 26, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, who is known as an activist for homosexuality in the Church, has handed in his resignation to the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI is expected to announce the resignation today.
Bishop Gumbleton resisted mandatory retirement last year when he reached the age of 75, asking to continue on as Auxiliary Bishop to Detroit Cardinal Adam Maida. His request, given to the head of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Giovanni Re, was denied.
”Some time ago he indicated that my request to defer my resignation was not acceptable,” Bishop Gumbleton said in an open letter to his parishioners at St. Leo’s Church.
Bishop Gumbleton has spent his years of spiritual authority in the Catholic Church working to promote the homosexual lifestyle. He is affiliated with numerous gay activist organizations such as the Triangle Foundation, the Rainbow Sash Movement, and New Ways Ministry, SHARE, and Call to Action. In 1995 he received the Call to Action leadership award.
He has been a prolific speaker and writer on the subject of homosexual acceptance in the Church, openly challenging the Church’s teaching that homosexual activity is “intrinsically disordered.”
Speaking to a conference for New Ways Ministry, a psuedo-Catholic movement that has been banned by the Church for openly promoting homosexual behavior, Bishop Gumbleton once outlined his position on homosexuality:
“…homosexual people are not disordered people. They are psychologically healthy people. ... Homosexuals are as healthy as anyone else."
Bishop Gumbleton has recently been campaigning against the Vatican’s direction that homosexual men should not be admitted to the priesthood. Gumbleton revealed earlier this month that 60 years ago, as a teenager, he was sexually molested by a Catholic priest. He has called for legislative changes that would allow time-sensitive allegations of priestly abuse come to trial, a suggestion that has triggered intensive controversy.
Gumbleton maintains that his work as a Bishop will continue, despite having retirement forced on him. It is not clear, however, if Cardinal Maida will allow him to remain in his position as pastor to St. Leo’s Church. Archdiocesan spokesman Ned McGrath suggested Cardinal Maida would raise major questions over Bishop Gumbleton’s history of activism, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Thank you Holy Father. Keep it coming!!!!
Good !
Clean out the garbage.
The right pope at the right time
I'm not a Catholic but I know I will never look at a priest the same way again. I played for a "French night" party at a big Catholic church last Saturday night (I'm not French either!) and there were 2 young priests there who looked like....
Well, like I said, I kinda look at them differently now. I know, I'm bad. Sorry.
No, you're not bad. As for them, well...
My faith has been severely shaken of recent years by a priest who taught me at school. A while back he was accused of sexual molestation of one of my classmates. I didn't believe it, rang him and told him so.
It's since been shown he was a serial offender. It makes me sick!
They should be booted out of the Church!
Methinks the author must mean Detroit, MI. Yes, there is a Detroit, IL, however it is a crossroads village off the Illinois River in the West-central part of the state. If there's a cathedral there it must take up the entire town.
The reference to the Detroit Free Press also implies that the Cardinal is based in Detroit, MI.
This is a curious error for an organization who's website lists them as having offices in New York and Canada.
No, they are not, Bishop Gumbleton. No matter how much you pretend, homosexuality just isn't normal.
To tell you the truth, I wouldn't have a bloody clue!
Both are a looooong way from Melbourne, Australia...
But not from me. I live in Northern Illinois.
It must have meant something, as you felt compelled to respond.
He admits that 60 years ago he was molested by a Catholic Priest. Yet he now says they are mentally healthy. He writes and has worked his whole career in the Church to promote the homosexual lifestyle.
I dont know how other people think but to me it sounds like the priest who molested him as a child made a big impression on him. He sounds a little fruity himself.
This is a problem that goes back a long way.
When I was a kid, criticism or challenging of priests was not tolerated.
I can understand how they got away with it for so long.
In my own case, I thought it was just "Catholic bashing" for a long time. Sadly, I now know differently.
about time.
If an individual (probably gay) priest is hurting kids, it is our obligation to call that individual out, to make him pay for his crimes. If a bishop is protecting him (like Cardinal Law did), or preaching heresy, then it is equally just to question that bishop's judgment and ask Rome to put an end to the bishops rule.
Note that none of this should hurt your Catholic Faith (belief in Sacraments, Church traditions, etc.). Only it should put you on guard against the weakness of man toward sin. Pedophilia, and the advocation of gay rights are not flaws in the Catholic Faith. They are flaws in individuals.
Now go to Church!
On a side note, Bishop Gumbleton was also active in the pro-Sandinista movement in the US back in the 1980's.
He testified in front of US House committees several times, condemning our support of the Contras against the "peace-loving" Sandinista govt in Nicaragua.
Not at all. That seems very rational to me. As a Catholic, these days every priest has to be considered suspect until proven otherwise by his behavior. The lay people had their part in this disaster also. We have been lazy in the past and put them up on a pedestal where they don't belong. They are just as human as anyone else and subject to temptation like anyone else. Any good priest will tell you they are a sinner. Being in a position of trust and behaving in a trustworthy manner is difficult for anyone, they didn't get an exemption when they were ordained.
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