Posted on 03/05/2019 10:39:10 AM PST by ebb tide
DURHAM, N.C. (ChurchMilitant.com) - After a controversy forced the rescinding of a speaking invitation given to a lesbian city councilwoman, the pastor reversed course and invited her back to the parish.
In February, Immaculata Catholic School's African-American Heritage Committee invited Durham City Council member Vernetta Alston to speak at the school during Black History Month. Alston was chosen because she is an alumnus of Immaculata and the committee felt she is an influential African-American woman.
Then-Cdl. Theodore McCarrick with
Fr. VanHaight (back left) and other friars at ordination in 2008
Alston is also a lesbian in a same-sex "marriage" who openly dissents from the Church's teachings. In her response to the cancellation, she painted the issue as a racial one and said, "Immaculata is a religious institution and I believe strongly in the freedom to believe and worship how one chooses, even if a belief contradicts with something fundamental to my own life."
Out of concern for the students' safety, Fr. Chris VanHaight, the pastor of Immaculata Catholic School and Immaculate Conception Church in Durham, North Carolina, rescinded the invitation and closed the school for the day. He claimed there would be two groups protesting. One of the groups of protestors was reported to be coming in from Washington, D.C.
"As pastor, I cannot place our Immaculata students into this contentious environment," he wrote in a letter to parents. The diocese of Raleigh supported Fr. VanHaight's decision.
The diocese's statement read: "Bishop Zarama continues to support the recent decisions Fr. Chris made in this matter and looks forward to further supporting him in inviting constructive dialogue with the school, parish and broader community."
After learning about the new invitation, Church Militant reached out to Fr. VanHaight to ask how he would handle the scandal of Alston's same-sex "marriage" and if he was planning to review Alston's talk or warn the parishioners that she dissents from the Church's teachings. He responded with, "I will carefully consider what you have written."
A member of the Order of Friars Minor, Fr. VanHaight was ordained by Cdl. Theodore McCarrick in 2008. The dissident group New Ways Ministry lists Immaculate Conception as an LGBT-friendly parish.
The following Sunday, during Mass, Fr. VanHaight spoke to the congregation about the controversy. He praised Alston for her work as an "anti-death penalty activist" and for striving for social justice causes. He did mention the fact that she is a "pro-gay marriage politician" saying, "And that was problematic."
"It was certainly problematic for the parents who emailed me," he said, noting they were wondering if Catholic teachings had been changed or if Immaculata was really a Catholic school.
"In order to be clear about Catholic teachings, even the ones many people disagree with, I decided to ... very reluctantly, to rescind the invitation," Fr. VanHaight said.
Father VanHaight apologized for how the situation was handled and how it got mixed up with the parish's Black History Month celebrations. He also went on to say they would avoid having politicians speak for a while.
"We're going to be very careful about that," he said, adding, "Another group, however, who were hurt by this, and I, really, am so sorry, is our lesbian, gay, Bisexual, transsexual and questioning brothers and sisters — our parishioners."
Father VanHaight then questioned, "Are we welcome here? Is there a place for us? Will we be attacked?" He added, "To my gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, questioning brothers and sisters, not only are you welcome here, you're valued here."
On Feb. 14, and with reporters present, he visited Alston to apologize and extend another invitation.
"Certainly, we foresee her coming to the campus at some point before the end of the school year for sure," Fr. VanHaight told WRAL-TV. He said it wasn't really a change of heart that made him extend another invitation, explaining, "We're looking at a different setting, a different venue ... you know, a different time."
Vernetta Alston
During the city council meeting on Feb. 18, Alston's message to the students was, "I want to applaud them for their commitment to each other and for the lessons they are teaching all of us about resilience, overcoming bigotry and the power we have to create change when we stand up for each other."
Alston added, "I have an amazing wife and daughter ... and we help each other experience happiness."
"We also continue to work toward our full recognition as individuals and as a family, for full and equal rights for LGBT people and for the space for those who need to fight for something else," she said.
Alston told reporters, "I made it clear I still want to talk to students."
Church Militant reached out to the diocese of Raleigh but none of our communications were answered.
Ping
Practicing homosexuals are not Christians. The Scriptures say that in many many places.
Vatican II and our Jesuit Pope . . . the end of Biblical Catholicism.
I thought the emphasis on Maryology would eventually crush the church, but this pandering to sodomites is just plain incredible.
The people who are among the most confused by this world, and who thus need Jesus most of all, are the least welcomed.
Best tread with caution on this path. The measure with which we measure will be used to measure us.
We are NOT judging the sinner, but the sin. God is quite clear there will be no sodomites in heaven. But Paul said there were former homosexuals in the church at Corinth. Not stoning a sodomite is much different that allowing them to speak in church. If they are a practicing sodomite, they have nothing cogent for me to hear in church. If they come to church it should be to repent, not to tell me sodomy is now somehow accepted by God and I have to change my thinking.
No one wants to see anyone burn for their sin, but until they repent, they have nothing for the Body. The lukewarm will be spewed from Christ's mouth.
Throw a charge of racism at them and they’ll fold every time.
Sad, but true.
If I were to be deeply involved in a habitual sin, I hope that my friends would love me enough to call me out on it and call me to repentance.
This woman, by her own prideful proclamation, is involved habitually in sexual sin so much so that she defines herself and her life by her sin. We should love her enough to call her to repentance. Telling her it's OK to keep on sinning would indeed be hateful and destructive to her soul.
I am not saying, nor would I ever say, that her sins or anyone’s sins should be celebrated. The Bible doesn’t say that, why would I?
What I am saying is that we are all sinners and, there but for the Grace of God, go I and everyone else, too.
Therefore, all of us, especially New Testament, Jesus emulating Christians, should be careful who we exclude from our churches and for what reasons.
Our pride in such situations appears to be self-condemning and could easily be used against us in the Court of the Lord.
The Father will turn us over to our delusions, but the Son never gives up on saving us, both from the world we were born to and from our sinful nature, as we are all born sinners.
There is a huge difference between "excluding someone from our Church", and refusing to give them a platform from which to spew heresy and the approval of sin.
From the article:
Alston is also a lesbian in a same-sex "marriage" who openly dissents from the Church's teachings.
This individual is certainly welcome as a repentant sinner. She should NOT be welcome as a speaker to promote her anti-Biblical support of sodomy and the perversion of marriage.
You say that you would welcome her as a repentant sinner and so would I, of course.
Would you also welcome her as an unrepentant sinner? Or would you exclude her?
This is the rhetorical question a spiritual hospital answers when it opens its doors to the spiritually sick, the dead, the lost, the prodigals and those given over, yet who are there at the hospital anyway.
Like I was saying, this is tough cross to bear for all. A test?
In my Church anyone, believer or not, is welcome to come in during the liturgy. Disruptors get ejected (because they're disruptors), but it's very rare. I have only seen it once. Sinners, repentant or unrepentant, should not expect that their sins will not be called sins. Sodomy is a sin; a homosexual relationship is not a marriage. If "you" don't like hearing that, either stand convicted (and repent) or find some other place to be.
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