Posted on 03/23/2002 5:34:00 AM PST by father_elijah
I encourage any Catholic to ask your priest and bishop to bring this program to your parish. Your parish council will be very happy with the results!
Salvation
I do think the homosexuality part in the RC church is driven by the church rule on marriage of priests..
There are some gay men that think it is a good hiding place.No one questions a single 40 year old priest
I have shared before on this forum that some years ago I introduced a young man that was fatherless and had an alcoholic mom over to a Catholic priest, I encouraged the relationship. I knew this priest from work..a year or so later the young man (13) attempted to hang himself on Christmas eve
My family had kind of "adopted" him..we could not understand the why of it and the young man never said. A couple years later it came to light that the priest was sexually abusing young men...I had introduced this kid to him..encouraged him to go to spend time with him (The "gifts " from the priest never tipped me off)
That kid could have died and it would have been MY fault..I want this issue solved..I want to be able to believe that priests are safe..that ministers are safe..that is my goal..
BTW My info on marriage in the church at one time is good (given to me by a friend that is a Catholic nun and historian)...The conflict over inheritance in Spain started the policy that we see now
Sar ..some of the holiest men I know are married..God created sex and he said everything he created was "good".
Well, presumtuous is a good word to use. This is not a "flame." I find most of your arguments to be sane and even noteworthy. IMHO you need to withdraw the following "actions" from your final text (my reasons given):
4. Ask the Holy Father to give the Church in the USA new Cardinals especially elevating Archbishop Chaput of Denver
- You should not call upon the Pope to "elevate" those you perceive to be worthy... you should pray for their elevation.
10. Ask the Holy Father to excommunicate Catholic politicians who support the holocaust of abortion.
This is playing "politics." IMHO the Church should develop a "Policy" to withdraw support of any kind from organizations or representatives who support abortion, assisted suicide, homosexuality, etc., etc. Excommunication is too extreme, a public announcement or refusal to extend the sacraments is a far better solution.
11. Ask the Holy Father to give the Cardinal’s red hat to Archbishop Chaput, Bishop Bruskewitz, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J.
&
13. Ask the Holy Father to make Fr. Benedict Groeschel the next Archbishop of New York.
See #4 Above.
In short, while I applaud your efforts (and will implement some of your suggestions in my own life) I don't feel we as Catholics have the right to place demands upon the Pope. I agree we can (and should) voice our objections to corruption and misuse of the Holy Scriptures we seek to follow.
Thank you for posting your draft-copy.
Training a team of people who can listen to these fallen away Catholics is a must, but such a rewarding adventure.
PS. Forgiveness is asked. (Very powerful)
I wish I knew!
To my eyes, this is one of those verses that we must pray to the Spirit for discernment about. I have, but I confess I don't have any insights.
To my eyes, I believe it means that Jesus is saying and stressing in the most profound and powerful language available to him that we must take His teachings and His example and make it part of ourselves. Just as the food we eat and the wine we drink becomes part of our body, I believe Jesus is saying that we must not just "understand" what He says, but rather we must become what He says...
But it certainly is a tough verse.
Mark W.
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