Posted on 07/13/2007 10:37:25 AM PDT by stellarfreedom
Months before the Vatican issued a formal policy barring gay men from the seminary, Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien made his own feelings clear.
"I think anyone who has engaged in homosexual activity, or who has strong homosexual inclinations, would be best not to apply to a seminary and not to be accepted into a seminary," said O'Brien.
It was not the first time O'Brien played a central role in the church's relationship with its gay and lesbian members. In 1978, he helped found Courage, a group in New York that ministers to those with same-sex attractions and encourages them to lead celibate lives.
More recently, O'Brien has headed a seminary review, ordered by the Vatican, that examined all 229 U.S. seminaries for "evidence of homosexuality," as well as for faculty members who dissent from church teaching.
In an interview with The Sun yesterday, O'Brien said homosexuality is "not conducive to a healthy view and living out of celibacy" because "there's secrecy involved." The archbishop, who spent 12 years as a seminary rector in New York and Rome, said his view on admitting gays to the seminary is shaped by personal experience.
"There have been incidents that I've seen in seminaries and after the seminary where homosexual men strongly inclined do have special difficulties in living a counter-cultural value within a church that sees this to be a disorder," said O'Brien.
In 2005, during an interview with The NewsHour on PBS regarding the seminary review, O'Brien said, "We don't want our people to think, as our culture is now saying, there's really no difference whether one is gay or straight, is homosexual or heterosexual. We think for our vocation that there is a difference, and our people expect to have a male priesthood that sets a strong role model of maleness."
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Very true statement. I really don't trust a closeted homosexual mentoring my child in the aspects of religion. It seems common sense to keep these perverts out of the clergy. They have done so much damage already.
I am just sick of the radical, fanatic left and their queer agenda....it is bad enough they are forcing it on our kids in our government schools (camps) WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT. Our kids have a hard time adding two and two, but they do know how to treat queers....
Ha.. from the heading I almost thought they were talking about Conan.
Here is some more info. on O’Brien.
The Archbishop is absolutely right. If the Church is concerned about their immortal souls, and she is, it would be wrong to put those men in a 'near occasion of sin'.
“O’Brien said homosexuality is ‘not conducive to a healthy view and living out of celibacy” because “there’s secrecy involved.’”
I’ve never believed that celibacy among young, healthy people is “healthy”, either.
If a person is living his God given sexual orientation, then he is heterosexual. Period. You Mr. Sinnett, are the one voicing willful ignorance.
Anyone non-repentent of their sins should not be considered for priesthood; pastorship in ANY Christian denomination (pardon Catholics; I am not Catholic, but I am a Christian, and I don’t think un-repentent people should be leading the body of Christ as shepherds, deacons, priests, ect)!
At what age should people begin sexual activity, in your opinion? Healthy young people who are 13 or 14 years old can have sex drives just as strong as healthy young people in their 20s. I believe they should remain celibate until they are married. Anything else is as perverse as homosexual activity, in my opinion.
He should be looking out for pedophiles too.
This bill is on the Senate floor being debated TODAY!
Watch Teletubby and Moses get arrested at the Capitol while angry bystanders demand the release of the purple teletubby, the “moral fiber of America.” See Public Advocate activists hit the streets with this street theater demonstrating against Ted Kennedy’s Thought Control Bill to give homosexuals special privileges: http://publicadvocateusa.org/
Public Advocate demonstrates in Washington, DC, protesting the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Protection Act (H.R. 1592), which would grant special rights to homosexuals. This law would add sexual orientation to federal hate crimes statutes.
This bill is on the Senate floor being debated TODAY!
Watch Teletubby and Moses get arrested at the Capitol while angry bystanders demand the release of the purple teletubby, the “moral fiber of America.” See Public Advocate activists hit the streets with this street theater demonstrating against Ted Kennedy’s Thought Control Bill to give homosexuals special privileges: http://publicadvocateusa.org/
Public Advocate demonstrates in Washington, DC, protesting the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Protection Act (H.R. 1592), which would grant special rights to homosexuals. This law would add sexual orientation to federal hate crimes statutes.
Whatever happened to the idea of equal protection under the law ? As far as I’m concerned, hate crimes laws just make some victims more special than others.
An assault is an assault, and it doesn’t matter what is the reason.
Make that man a Cardinal! (not baseball)
People were marrying as early as 14 less than 100 years ago. That’s not ideal in today’s world (we’re no longer an agrarian economy that must populate family farms).
However, a healthy POST-PUBESCENT male that doesn’t seek companionship (and sex) from a member of the opposite sex has something wrong going on. It’s not natural.
As for marriage - it’s an institution that’s proven itself for nearly all of recorded history, so I think it’s a good start. I don’t consider pre-marital sex to be “perverse”, as the institution of marriage is not a “natural” arrangement (not required for procreation, like heterosexual sex).
I believe that many of the Catholic church’s problems result from this un-natural arrangement (celebacy) and the resultant strain on those individuals who make the attempt.
Many of those pubescent males are finding companionship in the arms of their teachers these days—if the news reports can be believed. I wonder if the pubescent girls are as sexually promiscuous in having their needs met by male teachers?
Iwonder if the equality in hiring bill would affect the Catholic Church?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.