WOW!!
I can't think of a better candidate for such a position!
Your diocese will be lucky to have you as a future deacon!
Posted on 04/19/2005 5:13:20 PM PDT by Alex Marko
BOSTON (Reuters) - Liberal U.S. Catholics on Tuesday expressed dismay at the choice of a conservative new pope and doubted he will heal an institution racked by disillusionment and tarnished by a sex abuse scandal among the clergy.
The election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI rankled those who advocate married priests, a bigger role for women within the church and softening its policy on homosexuality, birth control, euthanasia and abortion.
Since taking over the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as the Roman Catholic Church's chief ideologue, Ratzinger has denounced homosexuality and even branded other Christian churches as deficient.
"Gay and lesbian Catholics are going to be very hurt by this election because Cardinal Ratzinger was the lightning rod for so much of the anger they felt under the previous pope," said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the New Ways Ministry, a national ministry for lesbian and gay Catholics.
Under the Pope John Paul II, American Catholics' attendance at weekly Mass declined as many were put off by what they saw as increasingly conservative Vatican doctrine.
The sense of alienation deepened with a well-publicized scandal over pedophile priests, which erupted in 2002 in the Archdiocese of Boston as court documents showed bishops shuttled pedophile priests from parish to parish.
Victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy reacted skeptically to word that Ratzinger was the new pope.
"Ratzinger is a polarizing figure to many, who seems to prefer combativeness to compromise and compassion," Mary Grant of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said in a statement. "It's ... crucial that the new pope follow the words and views of John Paul II who said 'there is no place in the priesthood for anyone who would harm the young."'
MORE OF THE SAME
Catholics for a Free Choice, a progressive group based in Washington, laid out an action plan for the new pontiff to pursue in his first 100 days with the goal of healing fractures within the church.
It urged the new pope to appoint a commission to review church policy on condoms, to establish a pontifical academy on women's rights in the church, and to welcome back those marginalized over the last quarter-century -- including gays and lesbians.
But those familiar with Ratzinger said to expect more of the same, and they doubted he would tailor his views to adapt to the liberal forces evident in the U.S. church.
"This is the guy who's been in charge of stifling dissent in the church," said lawyer Carmen Durso, who represented dozens of plaintiffs in clergy abuse lawsuits against the Boston archdiocese.
"This says to me that the Vatican ... is not prepared to move into the 21st Century, which it desperately needs to do," said Durso, who was raised Catholic but no longer practices.
Christine Schenk, a nun from Cleveland, Ohio, who favors opening the priesthood to married men, said she was disappointed and puzzled by Ratzinger's selection, but she saw glimmers of hope.
Schenk explained that Ratzinger had never ruled out the idea of married priests, and that the church is facing a deepening shortage of priests -- so he may be forced to act.
In a 2004 document, Ratzinger denounced "radical feminism" as undermining the family and natural differences between men and women.
Asked if there was anything in his background that gave her hope that Ratzinger would build a stronger partnership with women in the church, Quinn said: "We always hope for miracles".
More than 90% of the proven molestations were priests with young boys, approximately 95% who were sexually mature at ages 11 and above.
Keep the homosexuals out of the priesthood and the pedophilia problem disappears.
WOW!!
I can't think of a better candidate for such a position!
Your diocese will be lucky to have you as a future deacon!
Backlogged?
LOL!
I'm running out of sympathy for these people.
In retrospect, they remind me of the Tailhook "scandal". In the end it was not about women being groped by drunk aviators and all about an agenda to get women in the military. SNAP appears to have its own agenda.
Wow he's not the only one I'm sure HAHAHAHAHAHA
Heck, you are already a part of my family anyway. ;^)
5.56mm
He wasn't liked, so they brought in a feel-good, type of guy.
I left there and went to another, same thing.
I keep trying though...
I know the MSM is ONLY showing lesbian, liberal nuns....not having seen a nun i Habit since I was a child, I an wondring if there are any left in the USA.
This "priest abuse business" started cranking up in the 1950s, under Pius XII, and was going full bore in the 60s and 70s.
ff topic, but is fr. Martin that Joe Scarboug has had on, author of "The Good Comapnay"...is he GAY? He looks and acts gay and he's VERY LIBERAL.....just wondering.
I had to travel MILES and MILES in Ohio to find a priestly priest.....but I did......my parish priest practically turned this cradle Catholc to Hatred, but I wouldn't allow that liberal priest n Ohio to do that to me.
you have freepmail!
It reminds me of the similar position by "progressive" people who want the Constitution to be a living document that changes with every social whim.
But the Constitution is a living document, and it includes very specific procedures to follow if it is to be modified.
The gospel doesn't.
Not to "Liberal 'Catholics'":
1) No one cares what you think---you are irrelevant. THe Pontiff gives you instruction in Dogma and Doctrine--not vice versa.
2) If you do not like the new Holy Father or his policies, I suggest that you go to your local Diocese and renounce your Catholic Faith--something you have already done in deeds, if not in words.
3) BUGGER OFF!
I applaud this Pope for his letter to the Catholic bishops instructing them to deny communion to those politicians (i.e., John Kerry) who advocate abortion and euthanasia.
for "NOT" read "NOTE"
I'm Jewish, so I freely admit I don't know much about Catholicism. HOWEVER, I do know that if you are in a group and you don't like the rules of that group, why don't you just start your own group?
They can all go join Vicky Gene Robinson's Church, I'm sure they'll all be happy there.
These people are fools if they believe they have the power to overwrite God's Word. Which they do believe. His Word is Absolute. Eternal. Incorruptable.
And...they will find that out.
Catholics can have free choice. They can choose to be Catholic or leave. Either way.
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