Posted on 08/03/2018 9:55:47 PM PDT by unlearner
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Pro-homosexual dissident 'Catholic' groups see in Pope Francis' ‘changing’ of the Church’s teaching on the death penalty the hope that the Church will one day also change its teaching against homosexuality.
New Ways Ministry called the change in the Catechism proof that "Church teaching can change."
"It's important for Catholic advocates for LGBT equality to take note of this change because for decades Catholic opponents of LGBT equality argued that it is impossible to change church teaching. They often pointed to the fact that condemnations of same-sex relationships were inscribed in the Catechism, and so were not open for discussion or change. Yet, the teaching on the death penalty is in the Catechism, too, and, in fact, to make this change in teaching, it was the text of the Catechism that Francis changed," the group stated on its website.
New Ways Ministry, which works to "promote the acceptance of LGBT people," said that Pope Francis' move will help advance "LGBT equality" in a number of ways.
"First, we now have a clear, explicit contemporary example of church teaching changing, and also a look into how it can be done: with a papal change to the Catechism," it stated.
"Second, we can see that the process that brought about this change has been decades of theological debate and discussion, and not just a papal whim. That means the theological and even ecclesial discussions and debates right now about LGBT people have great potential to shape future changes in church teaching in regard to those topics," it added.
The pro-gay group was not the only one to see the significance of Pope Francis' rewrite of the Catechism.
In a post that appeared yesterday on Twitter, Lexington-based “Fortunate Families” wrote:
The church cannot change its teaching. That is what so many others say about other topics, for example regarding LGBTQ persons. But doctrine develops. Today’s news is a sterling example.
"The idea first floated by [the] Pope on Catechism’s 25th anniversary last fall to signify development of doctrine,” the tweet continued, “rescript issued today sees Francis issue edit of the 1994 official text, now deeming capital punishment ‘inadmissible’-- the new formulation.”
“Development of doctrine”, legitimately used to describe how the Catholic Church refines and expands, but never undermines or rejects, what was taught earlier, has now been interpreted by some to mean the erasure of settled Church teaching.
Critics say Pope Francis attempted to do that yesterday when he promulgated a new teaching concerning the death penalty in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, saying that it was “inadmissible.” The perennial teaching of the Church, based on Scripture and unanimously accepted by the Church Fathers and every pope until Francis, is that legitimate civil authority may impose the death penalty on a malefactor. Although both Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI were strongly opposed to capital punishment--and John Paul’s Catechism strongly circumscribed it--neither pope denied this principle.
Pope Francis’ innovation has already become a club for American liberals to beat conservatives with. Jane Fleming Kleeb, Chair of the Democratic Party in Nebraska, has tweeted “Let's be clear Nebraskans, @GovRicketts is going against the teachings of the church. We can change leaders by voting different on Nov. 6--Democrats are against the death penalty.”
Fortunate Families, founded in 1992 by Mary Ellen and Casey Lopata, the Catholic parents of a same-sex attracted man, is a group of Catholic religious and laypeople who dissent on authentic Church teaching regarding sexuality and marriage. From 2010 until this July Fortunate Families was part of a coalition with Call to Action, the banned Dignity, and the censured New Ways ministry.
Astonishingly, since November 2017 Bishop John Stowe, OFM of Lexington has served as the dissident group’s “ecclesial advisor”. Stowe is one of the five bishops who have endorsed Fr. James Martin’s pro-LGBT book Building a Bridge. The bishop was appointed to the Lexington diocese by Pope Francis in 2015.
Fortunate Families was last in the news when a Lexington Catholic church stretched an LGBT flag across its front lawn. The first executive director of the group, Stan “JR” Zerkowski, is a parishioner at St. Paul’s parish, and told media that he hoped the banner got wide publicity.
“This is a church that is open to all people and I hope this sign gets that across,” he said in the TV report. “I don’t think a Catholic Church has ever had a sign like this before in front of it during Pride Week or any other time. However, in other parts of the country we see this regularly.”
The banner read “LBGTQ+ Catholic /Family, Friends & Allies/all are welcome”, insinuating that at other Catholic churches Catholics who experience same-sex desires or suffer from gender dysphoria are barred from the worship of God.
Former homosexual Joseph Sciambra retweeted the group’s Twitter message, saying “Bishop Stowe’s ‘Fortunate Families’ believe that the [Catechism of the Catholic Church] will also ‘change’ in terms of homosexuality. FF operatives are embedded within several dioceses around the US.”
Sciambra, a survivor of the San Francisco 1990s “gay scene”, is dedicated to helping people with same-sex attractions avoid being trapped in what he says is a dangerous way of life.
So ebb tide is not only rude, he (or she) is slothful. What gives you the right to claim the high ground morally and yet denigrate this person in such terms? My experience of ebb tide is that he/she is generally a cool customer who refrains from getting into arguments with people. Unlike me. Ebb tide generally just likes to post articles.
Oh, and please give us all those examples of Protestant caucuses being breached by wild-eyed, Protestant-hating Catholics since you are so hepped up on it. From what I’ve seen, they are mostly devotionals. Even the Protestants don’t breach the Catholic devotionals.
But now, even if they qualify, they can be reposted as an open forum in less than four hours of the original, like this one was done.
Back that up with a link or post a retraction of that total misrepresentation.
I have NEVER done that.
I don't know if you read the Bible but here is what it says about what you just did:
Proverbs 19:5 King James Version (KJV)5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
Exodus 20:16 King James Version (KJV) 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Your post #212.
Dear All, Everybody, everyone:
I have NEVER been with miss marmelstein.
Although I would love to sit down with her and explain the Gospel message to her using God's Word.
I’m still waiting for the examples of Catholics invading evangelical/Protestant posts.
I did NOT defend non-Catholics breaking caucus guidelines.
In fact in another post I showed where it was wrong and should not be done.
Try again, you will NOT find what you are looking for.
Use strong reading comprehension when you do to prevent more accusations towards me.
Here is another scripture for you to ponder, a nice gentle one:
Ephesians 4:25 King James Version (KJV)25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Where’s the proof that we Catholics are invading Protestant caucuses? I’ve asked several times now.
Quote:
"...give us all those examples of Protestant caucuses being breached by wild-eyed, Protestant-hating Catholics since you are so hepped up on it."
Another example of not respecting the guidelines, personal and mindreading.
Oh and LOL @ hepped up...
For "all" the description posted; "wild-eyed, Protestant-hating Catholics" is miss marmelstein's vision of her faith mates, not mine.
He’s going to wait until I’m more civil, lol.
You can’t make this kind of dishonest stuff up.
Syncro: go work for CNN & MSNBC; they undestand your kind of reporting and statistical evidence.
Yes, you did.
You defended non-Catholics posting on Catholic caused threads with this, "Some times OTH (Other Than Catholic) posters post on Catholic caucused threads because many of them don’t qualify for the Catholic caucus designation."
It's not up to a poster to determine what qualifies as a caucus. If you want to have a caucus label removed, go to the moderators.
A few years ago, a long time non-Catholic Freeper posted some threads on the Religion Forum that were positive about the Reformation and Evangelical/Protestant doctrines in opposition to Roman Catholicism and some RCs were so incensed by them they were able to get the threads deleted AND the poster zotted. I was so disheartened, I stopped donating for a bit in protest. It was completely uncalled for as what she posted was no worse than many of the Roman Catholic threads that criticize Protestants that STILL find their way here.
For a religion that boasts of its longevity, strength and exclusivity, you would think they could tolerate some disagreement as well as be able to defend their beliefs without calling others "haters", "anti-Catholics" and insulting. I'd be curious to see how their donations match up against the non-Cath's.
Why are you being so irrational?
No it was just a statement of fact.
It’s time to stop the false accusations concerning my posts.
Reading comprehension should be practiced before you post any more false interpretations of my comment.
Dang LC! Looks like someone has a “thing” for you. ;o)
No false interpretations, just quoting your own words.
It's a good thing Paul didn't have the "caucus" thread protection while he was advancing the Gospel!
I grew up in Buffalo, and was born and raised in the Catholic church in a Catholic family which included priests and nuns.
Buffalo is Catholicism on steroids and it’s not a pretty picture.
Not to mention that virtually every Catholic there votes liberal.
And when directly asked why they voted for pro abortion democratic candidates in light of the church’s teachings, each and every one of them responded with *Because the dems are for the poor.*
And these were active Catholics who attended mass whenever they could and were very active in their parishes, not the twice a year cafeteria Catholic crowd.
Waiting.
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