Catholic Priest Admits 14-Year Gay Marriage, Says Forced Celibacy Leads to Abuse

Christian Post Reporter ^ | July 11,2012 | Stoyan Zaimov

[count-your-change]

Father Bernard Lynch, a homosexual Catholic priest and activist known for defying Vatican teachings, has once again challenged the Roman Catholic Church by revealing that he has been married to a man for the past 14 years. Lynch also blames teachings on celibacy for the child sex abuse cases gripping the Catholic Church.

[Cronos]

Similarly for yr Jehovah’s Witnesses, the decision should be left to the individual whether they want to have blood transfusions or not

[Cronos]

I am humbled and grateful for our non-Catholic friends like ReformationFan and Persevero to point out the obvious: He was not forced into celibacy. He chose it. No one forces you to be an RC priest.

You two are perfect examples of why I will not club all non-Catholics into one "p" basket. In personality, devotion, beliefs and others we all may differ, so using blanket terms or ideas of beliefs are wrong.

[Just mythoughts]

So I take it you don’t go to a church because the minister would be a filtration system speaking for God, right? With 40,000 Christian denominations and constantly splitting more and more, I would think any Christian, Catholic or not would eventually think: Isn’t there one person of final authority and unity to settle these endless disputes over scriptures, doctrines and divisions?

Since the Gulf War wherein I had a sibling shipped over to 'fight', I set on my own personal mission to find 'truth'. My prayer was that I no longer placed a 'flesh man' between me and the truth (our Heavenly Father). Well I got the truth dumped into my lap, and I began an ever so careful journey to discover for my self what that WORD literally says and what it meant for me. I take none of it lightly. And I am yet a mere student in the WORD, but once the clarity and simplicity of the Word on the level I could/can understand, I cannot return to pre-school.

“that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” - John 17:22 “one”, not 40,000. Notice that at the end of the scripture, Jesus said one of the main reasons many in the world don’t believe in Him is because of the endless divisions among Christians.

I have no disagreement with John 17:22.

[Antoninus]

1.) This guy is British, not American.

2.) His argument that celibacy causes sex abuse is ludicrous. Celibate men do not abuse children. Non-celibate homosexual hypocrites in collars abuse children.

3.) Homosexual attractions apparently have a lot to do with sex abuse considering 80% of the priestly abuse cases are homosexual in nature.

The solution? Ban those with homosexual attractions from the priesthood and any other job having close contact with children. Of course, the Vatican did that in 1961, but many of the bishops in the English-speaking world paid no heed to the mandate. There will be hell to pay for them. Literally.

[count-your-change]

Despite any bans on homosexuals entering, and that's the point of said “ban”, the entrance of homosexuals into the priesthood, those sympathetic to the homosexual movement and those homosexuals in positions of power and authority will continue to protect and promote their own.

Thus the ranks of the Catholic priesthood are likely to have a substantial number of homosexuals within for many years to come and indeed no one has suggested purging the ranks of bishops and priests of known homosexuals.

Further those who live outside the normal moral parameters and feel themselves part of a misunderstood and persecuted minority are not likely to be too troubled by violating any vows of celibacy and covering for others who do like wise.

[SuziQ]

Then the decision could be left to the individual priest whether to marry or not.

It IS left to the individual. If he chooses to become a priest, he no longer has the opportunity to be married, but no one is forcing him, either way.

[fatima]

Well he got this part right “Lynch shared in an interview for SiriusXM radio that he believes celibacy is a special gift that only a select few receive”I have worked with many priests ,so much so that I can't remember them all.I never worked on air that it came out they were an abuser.I do know at least 17 of the list from our local diocese that were accused.When I say know I worked with them on projects..My latest one was on mandatory leave along with others for a look up of past stuff.People loved him.They threw the cuffs on him a few weeks ago.I can say only one fooled me for 4 years as he studied to become a priest.I was at the low end of spiritual directing him.No-one was ever allowed to be alone with my children.Clean ups stink.Holy men and woman are few so watch your hearts.

[count-your-change]

How did the Catholic church manage when priests were allowed to marry, before the celibacy requirement?

[count-your-change]

I have worked with many priests....

Who is the “I” here?

[fatima]

What does I mean.

[count-your-change]

Your reply isn’t clear, the first or second but no big deal. It’s late and I’m slow.

[fatima]

God bless you count-your-change,I posted to you with a good heart.What can I say.I means me.

[count-your-change]

I see. The paragraphing confused me. Thanks!

[fatima]

((((Hugs))))

[MDLION]

“discover for myself what that WORD literally says”

To swear off help in reading the Bible is to go against the Word.

“’Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone instructs me?’” -Acts 8:30,31

What does the following sentence mean?

“John is gay.”

Maybe you said it means John is a homosexual. But what if I then told you it was written not in 2012, but 1912. Then it means John is happy. Same three words, two totally different meanings. The same thing can happen with the scriptures. I read the Word myself every day, but I also consult real live people, commentaries and the wisdom of the ages on the Word. I can’t pretend that I’m smart enough or educated enough to get all it’s meaning on my own. I’m concerned that the following scripture would be true of me.

“In them (Paul’s letters) there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.”
-2 Peter 3:16

[ReformationFan]

Thanks. I think it’s because of the church and state separation(in the original sense, i.e. protecting the church from the state, not the other way around as today’s psycholib atheists constantly holler) we’ve enjoyed in American culture since the founding. As a Protestant, I have my disagreements with Rome(if I didn’t, I’d be a Roman Catholic myself) but since membership in any religion is voluntary here, I am free not to attend an RC church and to attend a PCA one instead. In the same manner, Roman Catholics are free to put whatever requirements on their clergymen and laity that they wish. Those who agree with this are free to remain, those who do not are free to leave. Freedom’s a wonderful thing that today’s liberals seem to confuse with licentiousness.

Sidenote: in the Protestant world, clergymen have the opposite issue to deal with. If he doesn’t have a wife, the vast majority of Protestant churches will refuse to even consider hiring him. For example, I have a Baptist preacher cousin who had great trouble finding a church to pastor because he was single for a long time. Thankfully, he’s now married to a wonderful lady and they have an adorable baby boy.

[MDLION]

“Freedom’s a wonderful thing that today’s liberals seem to confuse with licentiousness.”

Excellent! That’s exactly right.