Posted on 04/06/2015 6:29:36 PM PDT by ebb tide
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski, head of the Catholic diocese of Metuchen, N.J., would not say whether he agrees with the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church pertaining to homosexuality and marriage as quoted directly from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Instead, a diocesan spokeswoman directed CNSNews.com to a statement on the diocesan website where the bishop writes, We have never wavered from our traditional Catholic teachings.
In a March 30 e-mail to Bishop Bootkoski and his office of communications, CNSNews.com asked the following three questions:
1) Do you, Bishop Bootkoski, agree with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2357, which says, Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved?
2) Do you agree with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2359, which says, Homosexual persons are called to chastity?
3) Do you agree with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1605, which quotes Jesus Christ Himself on the issue of marriage, saying, Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been in the beginning: So they are no longer two, but one flesh?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the depository of Catholic teaching on theological issues and basic moral questions; it is the book that explains Catholicism from A to Z.
Despite two e-mails, Bishop Bootkoski did not respond and a spokeswoman from his office, by telephone, referred CNSNews.com to the March 20, 2015 statement: Bishops statement on status of teacher at Immaculata High School, Somerville.
It notes that, "Pope Francis reminds us that we are to accept all of our brethren. We must ensure that our educators steer away from harsh and judgmental statements that can alienate and divide us."
In explaining the establishment and role of a bishop in the church, the Catechism states (1558), Episcopal consecration confers, together with the office of sanctifying, also the offices of teaching and ruling.... In fact ... by the imposition of hands and through the words of the consecration, the grace of the Holy Spirit is given, and a sacred character is impressed in such wise that bishops, in an eminent and visible manner, take the place of Christ himself, teacher, shepherd, and priest, and act as his representative (in Eius persona agant). By virtue, therefore, of the Holy Spirit who has been given to them, bishops have been constituted true and authentic teachers of the faith and have been made pontiffs and pastors.
According to the 2013-14 annual report for the Diocese of Methuchen, it serves 636,280 Catholics in 90 parishes (churches), with 233 priests. The diocese operates 25 elementary schools and 5 high schools, with a combined enrollment of 10,568 students. It also runs one hospital, 4 health care clinics, and 9 social service centers. Paul Gregory Bootkoski was appointed bishop of the diocese in 2002.
Why is he soft on this topic? What isn’t he telling us about himself?
He should be pushed, and pushed, and pushed until he answers -— or dares not show his face in public again.
He knows that they are just looking for a sound bite.
Another troublesome Bishop.
My thought is that he should be investigated, investigated, and investigated until we obtain the answers, and if we find what is untoward, then he will be exposed and we will know that he is a wolf, not a true shepherd.
sitetest
Any bishop who won’t respond on whether he specifically agrees with certain tenets of the the Catholic faith should get a lot of sound bites; negative soundbites.
The pudgy pink prelate has not been taught how to face the camera. He also indulged in a no-no with finger pointing at the interviewer, treating him (and the audience, if any) as a deranged 6th grader.
He also got around to saying absolutely nothing in several thousand words about homosexuality, etc. etc. Said nothing substantive about Islam, but what splendid chaps those moderate Muslims were. And in general, qualified himself as NYC Minister of Cults in the DeBlasio Régime. Seriously, the Pope ought to consider trading this guy to the Unity Church for a utility softball platitude pitcher yet to be named. He did claim that he was an historian at least 5 times. He did NOT, I am happy to report, attempt to indulge in his stage Irishman Dennis Day Act with Pat'n'Mike jokes, etc.
O well, he does have better diction than Al Sharpton.
Bootkoski is one of “Uncle Teddy McCarrick’s Boys”.
McCarrick has quite an interesting personal history himself, according to some of his priests and seminarians.
I agree. Why should it be so hard or unusual for him to affirm Catholic teaching and declare his fidelity to it?
This go along to get along stuff that has taken over the Church is sickening. Of course, since the Pope has just published a song (words by him, music by an argentine pop star) called “That All May Be One,” banal, kitschy, completely secular and absolutely the expression of the worst of Vatican II, I guess maybe he’s taking his cues from Rome - though not from the Church!
Brace yourself for this song. It’s only in Spanish at the moment, but he plans to have it translated immediately into Portuguese, Italian and English, because he wants it sung “by the young people.”
I really feel sorry for orthodox bishops. Sadly, the unorthodox ones like the above are probably clapping their hands.
This should result in clergy automatically losing their positions. No exceptions.
Oh we are in so much trouble
If he doesn’t agree with the church’s teachings, then he should resign and get a different job. Perhaps as an Episcopalian, they accept gay bishops.
In the last days even the elect will fall away from the Faith.
http://www.canon915.org/view_person.php?id=117
It all adds up huh?
"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
The Episcopalians tried this back in the 50's. Perhaps they should have tried it en Español?
Bootkoski, The Dolan Boyo, and Governor Krispie Kreme Kristie on the same dais would really represent a civil engineering challenge, and a far greater danger to the planet than any amount of Global Warming.
I believe he told us all we need to know when he fired the school teacher for her FB post on the truth of the matter, where the Church stands against homosexuality.
This same bishop called her remarks, “intemperate”, and summarily fired her. I mean, she used exclamation marks!!!
I read her post. What she said was true and accurate and were not intemperate. But, oh, those exclamation marks must have deemed it “intemperate”!!
Now you see him shifting the blame to Pope Francis, putting words in his mouth he never said, that I know of, though heaven knows he has said plenty.
But this bishop behaves as a coward trying to bury his conscience and hides to avoid discussing his dissident behavior.
I think we know quite enough, without having to guess or wonder.
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