Vatican stance on gay clergy criticized

Boston Globe ^ | March 4, 2002 | Michael Paulson

[Jim Noble]

The Vatican, in its first comments on the clergy sexual abuse crisis, declared this weekend that gay men should not be ordained as priests.

The comments by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the chief spokesman for Pope John Paul II, were made at a time when a growing body of research suggests that a large proportion of Catholic priests are gay, and scholars who study sexuality and the priesthood said any effort to bar them would lead to a dramatic reduction in the number of priests in the United States.

[NYCVirago]

You talk about: a saint who murdered St. Maria Goretti for not giving in to his rape attempts

And then say: We honor them, not for those sins, but because of their heroic virtue in resisting temptation.

You mean we have a rapist murderer saint? How in the world was he picked? It doesn't sound like he was "heroic" in "resisting temptation"!

[NYCVirago]

Someone who is illicitly remarried is not, because the relationship necessarily continues.

Not unless you're Frank Sinatra or Ted Kennedy or Tommy Mottola, all divorced Catholics who were able to remarry in the church, thanks to getting annulments (I guess the common denominator in their marriages not being considered "real marriages," and thereby able to be annuled, was the fact that none of them could be faithful to their first wives! And being rich and famous might have contributed as well.)

[sinkspur]

The Catholic Church is not now, nor has it ever been a democracy. Thankfully, the Church does not compromise her long standing doctrines and traditions just because a vocal minority of theologically ignorant americans, want it to.

The hierarchy enjoys the respect of the laity only insofar as it deserves it.

If the Vatican bureaucrats, in tandem with the American bishops, don't address the rapidly diminishing reputation of the priesthood, you can expect lay people to vote with their pocketbooks.

"Theologically ignorant" people have lots of power when they control the purse strings.

[sinkspur]

Annulments are handed out like lollipops in the Catholic Church.

And I know that to be true, because I was one who handed them out.

[Cvengr]

Hopefully, the Vatican and bishops have the Great Commission more in mind than the checkbooks of the laity. Although the loss of their attention to the Great Commission might well be just cause for loss of the financial blessings. Immortal blessings far exceed those however.

[heyheyhey]

We have His assurance: The gates of hell shall not prevail.

Dear fellow-Christians, my prayers for the Church and for you.
God bless you!

This thread will be saved on my HD for the future generations to ponder upon :)

[Alan Chapman]

You need government and you need it to restrict people's freedoms sometimes.

Freedom doesn't need to be restricted. People with an inclination to do violence need to be restricted.

The conservative says the reason for government to exist is to restrain evil and make it possible for good men to do good, with good and evil being defined by the Bible.

Depends on what the definition of evil is. The definition seems to change depending on who is in power. The Bible says that it is proper only to pray to the God of Abraham. Would you make it a crime, punishable by fines and imprisonment, for prayer to any God other than the God of Abraham?

...you are framing these questions in order to paint a picture of me as being a Nazi.

The only person who can paint a picture of you as a Nazi is you.

I ran at one time as a Libertarian...I soon realized it was a mistake...

To run under the banner of a party without knowing where they stand forces me to question your competence.

[Protagoras]

You can comment but, if you are not Catholic and you are going to engage in Catholic-bashing, it is wise to wear your sturdiest asbestos underwear.

I did not see, and have never experienced the poster in question do anything like that. Please reference the specific posts. Thank you.

[OWK]

Me: "Peace and prosperity to you."

you: My, how Islamic of you,...but I forget, Islam is a religion of peace, isn't it? /sarcasm off

Me: Huh?

[Protagoras]

BTW if your "feelings" are that strong then go join the protestants. Their diminishing ranks could use it.

Please provide the statistics which show "diminishing ranks" of protestant denominations. Not just large so called "mainline denominations" but all demoninations.

[Khepera]

As I have stated I ran on the Libertarian ticket to gain experience in running a campaign. It was a lot like picking up an unloaded gun to see how it feels. I didn’t have to worry about it firing because (libertarians rarely win) it was unloaded. Second I was trying to gain experience like on the job training. This was a good place to try to gain that experience. Regardless of the Libertarian Philosophy, I would still learn how to run a campaign and I could polish my public speaking skills. I would also have my positions heard as a real candidate. This is as if I accepted a job at DELL computers to gain experience even though as a Gun owner I disagree with their support of Handgun Control International or don’t as a Christian believe in providing benefits to live in same sex or otherwise couples without the benefit of being married.

I expect no less than for you to totally misconstrue this as being somehow “Bad” of me and to blow it all out of reasonable proportion. I have been truthful and forthcoming and believe me only a select few will fail to notice your deceitful tactics for what they really are. You represent your party well.

[Diago]

Theologically ignorant" people have lots of power when they control the purse strings.

Poverty might do the Roman Catholic Church some good in America. Let's have a schism. You liberals can have the Church buildings, the Schools, Catholic Charities and all the money. Just don't call yoursleves Catholics

We'll keep the Faith and the orthodox priests and nuns. In one hundred years, your churches will be empty and the true faith will be alive and well and thriving in America.