Amidst the backdrop of the circus of a Synod going on in the Vatican–where some of the highest ranking officials in the Catholic Church hierarchy are skating around Christ’s teachings on marriage and flagrantly ignoring the admonition of St. Paul to the Romans, “Do not conform yourselves to this age”–comments by Cardinal O’Malley to a staffer from New Ways Ministry about recognition for gay “married” couples after the recent Crux event in Boston merit a response and correction.
In this post, we mentioned how Cardinal O’Malley failed to articulate Catholic teachings in response to a question during the event about the firing of “gay Catholics” from Catholic institutions. But it got worse after the event when the New Ways Ministry staffer asked Cardinal O’Malley a follow-up question. Here is how it was reported by the National Catholic Reporter and New Ways Ministry (an organization that pushes the GLBT agenda):
Boston’s Cardinal O’Malley: LGBT Church Worker Firings “Need to be Rectified”
In a one-to-one conversation following a public speaking engagement, Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley said that the firing of church workers because of LGBT issues is a situation that “needs to be rectified,” becoming the first prelate to speak against this trend.
Earlier in the evening, the cardinal publicly spoke positively of the need to include and minister to the LGBT community…
At the end of the event, after the crowd had dissipated, I had the opportunity to thank Cardinal O’Malley one-on-one for his compassionate remarks earlier about the LGBT community.
As we spoke, the cardinal told me that we must first convince people we love them before talking about the Ten Commandments. I pointed out that it has been hard to convince LGBT Catholics and their allies of this love when so many church workers have had LGBT-related employ-ment disputes with Catholic schools and parishes. Responding to my comment, Cardinal O’Malley said this trend was a situation that “needs to be rectified.”
O’Malley also indicated that not all church positions require a Catholic marriage. Most of the employment disputes involved same-sex couples legally marrying, announcing an intention to marry, or publicly acknowledging a long-term committed relationship.
Earlier, in a period when panelists answered audience questions, Cardinal O’Malley answered a question which I had submitted:
Given Pope Francis’ emphasis on mercy and welcome, can we expect improved pastoral care and inclusion for those who are LGBT, especially when almost 20 US church workers have been fired in 2014 for their sexual orientation, gender, or marital status?
The cardinal’s answer is below:
“I think the Holy Father’s notion of mercy and inclusion is going to make a big difference in the way that the church responds to and ministers to people of homosexual orientation…It is not necessarily that the church is going to change doctrine, but, as somebody said, the Holy Father hasn’t changed the lyrics, but he’s changed the melody. I think the context of love and mercy and community is the context in which all of the church’s teachings must be presented, including the more difficult ones.”
O’Malley himself was considered to be a papal candidate before Francis’ election, and one resigned Catholic priest listed Boston’s cardinal as the most gay-friendly of the candidates.
What struck me most last Thursday was the cardinal’s willing admission that terminating church workers due to their sexual orientation or marital status is indeed problematic..I hope Cardinal O’Malley will use his prominent position to help end situations where LGBT and ally church workers face discrimination and exclusion….Cardinal O’Malley is the first bishop to acknowledge that these employment actions are a problem. Let’s hope and pray that he will not be the last.
First off, if you change the melody, you change the song, so that argument is simply bogus. And it is fine to approach people with love and then preach the truth, but the impact of what Cardinal O’Malley is proposing here is scandalous. If the person in a “gay marriage” working for the Catholic Church does not end their irregular, disordered relationship when presented with the truth, there is only one possible consequence of “rectifying” the situation of their termination–leaving a “gay married” employee in their position in the Catholic Church and thereby giving tacit and direct recognition of the legitimacy of that “gay marriage.”
In December of 2005, Pope Benedict XVI blasted “dismal theories” on gays, saying that granting legal recognition to unwed couples was a threat to traditional marriage, which required a higher level of commitment. But he saved his strongest words for those who suggest gay couples should be put on the same level as a husband and wife.
“This tacitly accredits those dismal theories that strip all relevance from the masculinity and femininity of the human being as though it were a purely biological issue….Theories “according to which man should be able to decide autonomously what he is and what he isn’t,” end up with mankind destroying its own identity.
Cardinal O’Malley, that’s you–proposing to “rectify” a problem with a solution that would recognize and legitimize gay couples by putting them on the same level as a husband and wife, rather than preaching the truth to the gay couple and getting them help to solve the problem of their gravely sinful and disordered relationship.
The 7 spiritual acts of mercy call for nothing less than preaching the truth:
- To instruct the ignorant;
- To counsel the doubtful;
- To admonish sinners;
- To bear wrongs patiently;
- To forgive offences willingly;
- To comfort the afflicted;
- To pray for the living and the dead.
We are still waiting for you to preach the truth in-season and out-of-season as you said should be done back in 2005, when you said we must call people to embrace the cross of discipleship, live the commandments, and communicate “Because we love you, we cannot accept your behavior.
The ever-courageous Cardinal Burke made comments on a similar topic this week in response to a presentation at the Synod that talked about parents welcoming their and his homosexual partner for a family gathering with grandchildren:
“If homosexual relations are intrinsically disordered, which indeed they are — reason teaches us that and also our faith — then, what would it mean to grandchildren to have present at a family gathering a family member who is living [in] a disordered relationship with another person?” Burke added, “we don’t want our children” to get the “impression” that sexual relationships outside God’s plan are alright, “by seeming to condone gravely sinful acts..which are always and everywhere wrong, evil.”
Cardinal O’Malley, you have a black and white choice. Love and compassion requires speaking the truth. Will you preach the truth in-season and out-of-season that people must embrace the cross of discipleship and live the commandments, and that sinful behavior is unacceptable, or will you propose a different melody and give the message to all in society that sexual relationships outside of God’s plan are just fine? We hope and pray it’s the former rather than the latter.
Boston Catholic Insider 
Worth thinking about…
I watched the film (46:34). You could have put Cardinal O in the role of the minister. “This is your church. This is your school” But is it? Do the people make the rules or is it God? I do not like many of the issues that Cardinal Burke preaches. However, he speaks the truth and is being crucified for doing so. When he was Archbishop of St. Louis, he was removed by the Vatican in August of 2008, just in time to make sure of the election of the current president. I have conclusive emails from the Chancery to prove so. His voice against pro abortion Catholic politicians was stifled.
Mary, I looked at the first comment on the video link you posted. It says, “I wonder if they will want the teachers to “teach” the children to “appreciate” idol worship, witchcraft, or satanism? This episode was a misguided disappointment.” I’m not going to waste my time even watching it, and hope other BCI readers don’t either.
I lived overseas for 21 years in a multicultural, multireligious society. We had Christians of various flavors as well as Hindus and Muslims of various flavors. We had no Satanists or witches or idol worshippers. Everyone was trying to be their best selves. Regardless of what you think, the film makes some very good points. Jesus told us to love our neighbor. How can we love him or her if we know little about the other person. Oh, and I also taught in a Catholic school where we had staff members of other faiths. And by the way, our Archbishop learned Hindi from a young Hindu woman. When she got married she asked the Archbishop to also lead a prayer at the wedding which was officiated at by a Hindu priest.
Mary Sweeney,
We ask readers who comment on the blog to keep their comments relevant to the topic of the blog post. This post has nothing to do with different religions. BCI agrees that we need to approach sinners with love, but we still must preach the truth to them about their sin if we love them. If you agree with natural law and what the Catholic Church has taught about God’s plan for men and women for more than 2000 years, then you would agree with the main point of this blog post. If you do not agree with natural law or what the Catholic Church teaches about the sin of homosexual activity or what the Catholic Church teaches about God’s plan for men and women, then would you kindly come right out and acknowledge that? Furthermore, if you do not agree with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, you will probably find other blogs more to your liking.
Touched by an angel?
These sodomites are touched by human excrement.
Mary, I think you are a phoney.
“I lived in a foreign land with Hindus and Muslims and we all held hands.” That’s great, perhaps you should move back to that lovely culture? Hindus are poly-deists pagans, and Muslims are a demonic cult. As Catholics we need to bring them into the fold so they can avoid eternal damnation. To do less is uncharitable.
Love Jesus, help people meet him here and in eternity.
Mary, I also don’t find your comment credible. Were you also all singing “Kumbaya” while you helped them understand that the path to salvation was via the one Holy Catholic Church, not through their errant religions?
More of the same from Cardinal Eunuch. The teachings of the Church are an embarassment to the worldling cardinal. He will work incessantly to submerge the Gospel and the Magisterium in double-talk, obfuscation and cant.
I can think of some examples where I actually agree with the Cardinal. Does the plumber who is called into the rectory to clear a backed up toilet need to adhere to Catholic teachings or even be Catholic themselves? How about the cable TV guy or the folks who mow the lawn around the Church property?
But it would seem to me that someone in a public role where they should be setting an example of proper Catholic behavior such as a religious education teacher, the music director, and the parish office staff should be practicing Catholics.
I’m not suggesting that the priests inquire into the personal behavior of the parish staff, but if their public behavior, such as having a bumper sticker on their car supporting abortion or planned parenthood, letting it be known in the community that they are in a homosexual or adulterous relationship, etc., then they should not be in a public position at the Church.
When the St. Cecilia’s Rainbow Ministry which is located at St. Cecilia’s Church in Boston advertised to the parishioners:”We are pleased to welcome Pam Garramone who will be with us at the six o’clock liturgy on Sunday, November 24(2013). Pam is the executive director of Greater Boston PFLAG. PFLAG offers help to lesbians,gay,bisexual and transgendered youth as well as their families and communities around the topic of sexual identity orientation and gender identity…..,”Pam conducts educational programs annually in middle and high schools statewide…She conducts diversity training programs for community, corporate, and religious organizations. Pam will be speaking at the six o’clock liturgy and will be available for questions in the Parish Pastoral Center after Mass. All are welcome to attend and learn more about PFLAG’s remarkable work…”, I wrote to Cardinal O’Malley to ask why a Catholic Church would be sponsoring this advocacy for Pam Garramone and PFLAG that are dedicated to convincing children to “come out” and persuade their parents, family and friends that
“this is who I am”.
The effort by PFLAG is to twist the language that has always termed the act of same-sex sexual activity,which is a verb, into a noun, thereby deceiving people into thinking that the freely chosen action of engaging in same-sex sex activity is a person, namely, the person who is actually performing an action thus becomes the action itself. Making the action into a person is a deliberate deception. It is a lie.
The Catholic Church and most people in all of our civilizations have always considered the action of same-sex sexual activity to be sinful behavior inclining the person who is performing this action into degrading consequences.
Cardinal O’Malley’s response to my letter, through his secretary, was that what was going on at St. Cecilia’s Church in Boston was in keeping with the teaching of the Catholic Church. Does he realize the consequences of having Catholic children encouraged to accept same-sex sexual activity as “normal” and “desirable”, and to embrace those who engage in this behavior as just engaging in their “identity”? Does he really want us to lie to our children?
Does he honestly want us to join with the PFLAG leaders such as Pam Garramone in encouraging this effort and call sinful behavior as good behavior to be tried and perpetuated? I don’t think he has really thought this out prayerfully. May the Holy Spirit enlighten him!
Yet another reason why the Church of Rome is widely and rightly thought of as apostate
This post is right on. We must protect the sinner and teach them the truth of their ways. Otherwise, we are only opening the door to hell even further so more can enter. I wonder what God will say to Cardinal O’Malley for his teaching and Cardinal Dolan for his outrageous behavior.
This pro gay stuff has been going on for decades. Is not one one the reasons that the priests were not turned in is that their superiors were either pro gay or gay themselves. GAY MEN SHOULD NOT BECOME PRIESTS. PERIOD.
To hear that our church leaders are not speaking the truth always makes me sad. I love Jesus and His Catholic Church. I thought I had found a pearl, but I’m disappointed that it may be just another oyster -in Boston anyway.
Dear 98Convert,
Please do not leave the Church. You have found the pearl but it needs to be protected and defended always against those who want to hand you the oyster. You were brought into the fullness for a reason, do not abandon those who need you to stand for the truth with them. We may be the remnant, bu we are also the church militant. Remember Jesus’ traitor was as an apostle. We must fight the good fight as St. Paul says.
Pat, Thanks for your words of wisdom. The sacraments and the Eucharist, once you have learned about and accepted them as truths, are the reasons to stay Catholic. Hoping and praying that our leaders do not cave in to the untruths of gay marriage, just because it seems mean to not condone it. In my small parish, there are people I admired as Catholics who are devout in many ways, but have gone to gay marriage celebrations elsewhere. They said they did not wish to be judgmental. I could not go, knowing that marriage is a sacrament.
The road to hell is paved with skulls of bishops…Most are politicians, but very few are true shepherds like Card. Burke.
This attitude by our bishop is right in line with the rhetoric of Pope Bergolio, who seeks to remake the Church of Jesus Christ into an arm of the secular culture in the manner of his home church of liberation theology. Go to ‘The Remnant Online’ and look for an essay by Christopher Ferrara titled “The Rise of Bergolianism.” If you’re not depressed now, you will be. Our Church is on the cusp of apostasy and O’Malley is one of the cheerleaders. It’s looking more and more that the only way our for faithful Catholics is schism. SSPX anyone?
Beyond the very unchristian (and indeed unCatholic) prejudice against Gay Americans. It will soon become unambiguously clear that discrimination against orientation is no less onerous (and soon illegal) than discrimination against color, creed, or origin. A fight was picked that cannot (and will not) be won.
And if that was insufficient, Jesus said nothing on the matter of homosexuality (let alone his condemnation).
Wrong!
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/popp/140101
LWC, you refer to “Gay Americans” as though you feel they have an inborn ethnic/racial background like “American Indian” or “Native American.” Unlike color, creed, or ethnic origin which are inborn and immutable, sexual orientation is declared. Those who engage in homosexual activity do so by choice. It’s terribly sad–and frankly, prejudicial of you and others–to describe those who feel a sexual attraction to others of the same sex and who engage in homosexual activity in terms that make it seem like homosexuality is an immutable trait that they can never be free from. That’s patently false and there is plenty of evidence to prove it! For good reason, we don’t discriminate against inborn immutable traits. But to try and put homosexual relationships on the same level as heterosexual relationships is like saying wine and grape juice are the same, just because you say they are and they both happen to come from grapes.
The Catholic Church’s mission is bringing souls to salvation–and anyone who engages in immoral disordered sexual activity isn’t on the path to saving their immortal soul.
James, Precious, orientation is no less immutable than the color of eyes, hair, or height. You may elect to instill blue contacts onto brown eyes, but they are no more blue than one who is gay and ‘acting straight.’
It is precisely the ignorance you assert that perpetuates the prejudice, discrimination, and hostility toward Gays.
They are no less of God’s design.
LWC, have you declared yourself to be “gay”? You’re so wrong it’s pathetic. Color of eyes, skin, or hair, or someone’s height are immutable. Even if a person might think their sexual orientation is the way they were made, it’s still something they declare.
Even the most pro-gay “science” out on this issue has found homosexuality is only partly genetic with sexuality mostly based on environmental and social factors. A recent Northwestern Univ. study found that, while gay men shared similar genetic make-up, it only accounted for 40 per cent of the chance of a man being homosexual. The other 60 percent was from environment and social factors.
Here’s one for you:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/is-sexual-orientation-a-choice-9582897.html
A lesbian said, “I’ve met a huge number of lesbians who say, ‘I don’t believe I was born that way, and I believe any woman can be a lesbian and believe we’re stopped from feeling sexual attraction to the same sex because of external pressure’. For women who live under a compulsory heterosexual model, it can be liberating.”
Put that in your “non discrimination” pipe and smoke it.
There is a fantastic ministry in the Catholic Church called Courage:
http://couragerc.org/courage/
They help people move beyond the confines of the homosexual label to a more complete identity in Christ. If you’re gay or believe there’s no hope for people who are gay to live a life consistent with how Christ taught us to live, I’d urge you to check out Courage.
James, “…[f]or women who live under a compulsory heterosexual model, it can be liberating.”
Wow. Almost mind-numbing.
Assuming you are heterosexual, could any degree of threats, intimidation or coercion make you homosexual? What then makes you think any degree of threats, intimidation or coercion could make one heterosexual?
Orientation is indeed an immutable trait. And while environmental, psychological, sociological (and many other) factors influence sexual behavior that may be contrary to one’s orientation, it is no less akin to dying black hair blond.
The animal kingdom is replete with examples of innate homosexual tendencies that are entirely immune to the imposition of judicial, political, and dare-say, moral influence.
What makes you think (if indeed that’s possible) that human beings are exempt from ordinary biological influence?
Do you therefore dispute God’s design?
LWC, Enough is enough. You have obviously never followed BCI before and are barging in spewing rhetoric that has no regard for Catholic Church teachings or natural law. BCI followed the link you included to another blog–perhaps yours. You criticized Cardinal Burke for his courageous defense of Catholic moral teachings and you offered similar illogical commentary as you have here while refusing to respond to the logical arguments presented by others that showed the flaws in your thinking. Please take your comments elsewhere–they will no longer be permitted here.
On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 12:27 AM, Boston Catholic Insider wrote:
>
LWC, I asked you a question and you conveniently ignored it, so I’ll ask it again. Have you declared yourself to be “gay”? I’m assuming the answer is yes. Are you engaged in homosexual activity? Even if you find yourself sexually attracted to another person of the same sex, what if you chose to not act on the attraction and disassociated yourself from others who have that same attraction? Would you still declare you are “gay”? Those who have that unwanted problem and live chastely consider themselves as having a same-sex attraction, but they do not label themselves as being “gay.”
You did it again–you mixed up your own emotions and established fact. You might FEEL or want to THINK “orientation is an immutable trait” but that is not fact. A lot of the science around this today is driven by political agendas. The most recent study on this published earlier this year says that homosexuality is a combination of nature and nurture–“It is nurture and environment more than nature and genes that determine sexual orientation in men, according to the most comprehensive study into the question of the ‘gay gene’ to date. While there is a genetic element to homosexuality, this new research concluded that it is not the primary determining factor.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/research.points.to.genetic.element.in.homosexuality/35856.htm
“While Dr Bailey said that the largest factors in determining sexual orientation were most likely environmental, The Telegraph quoted him clarifying his statement, “Don’t confuse ‘environmental’ with ‘socially acquired’. Environment means anything that is not in our DNA at birth, and that includes a lot of stuff that is not social.”
An earlier study by the same researcher found that adoptive brothers, who shared no genetic connections whatsoever, were even more likely to both be gay than genetically linked siblings, suggesting an environmental link.
Just curious, LWC, assuming you’re “gay,” did you have any family issues when you were growing up? Parents divorced or fighting all the time? Domineering mother? Absent or uninvolved father?
I’m with “The captain.” This is a Catholic blog. You and others who are intolerant of those who oppose the immorality of homosexuality are trying to push the homosexual agenda and turn the Catholic faith into something meaningless by painting Catholics as intolerant. Please do us all a favor and take that agenda elsewhere.
LWC,
How about addressing the canard about whats Jesus said about homosexuality? This is a Catholic blog after all…
“And if that was insufficient, Jesus said nothing on the matter of homosexuality (let alone his condemnation).”
Here’s the link again…
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/popp/140101
Have at at it, where’s the dialogue?
Jesus was no more tolerant of homosexuality than adultery, murder, theft or any other of the broken commandments. A sin is a sin is a sin, homosexual, heterosexual, asexual…
It is your obsession with homosexuality and desire to push an agenda to turn Catholicism into the “Cult of Main” by obfuscating Jesus words and Christian/Catholic teaching that is turning this into a civil rights issue. The ends justify the means, right?
No amount of distortion of scripture, intellectual dishonesty or legal wrangling by you, your ilk or our dear Cardinal and his minions will matter in the afterlife.
Captain and James, LWC is making the rounds on the internet and posting its original message ad nausium. Homosexual activists are deaf to reason and discussion.
Note: My message re: Hehir was mean to follow Alice Slattery’s report on the goings on at St. Cecilia’s.
Bryan Hehir is the engine behind this atrocity. I don’t know what he has on O’Malley, but I wish someone would find out so we can get this heretic out of our Church.
Good news : Heretics are already out of The Church.
We need to toss them out of our buildings.
He plays Sean’s vanity like a fiddle. I believe it to be that simple. The root sins of pride, vanity and sensuality can get the best of all of us. Would you be vulnerable to a confidant who can provide and secure for you your every earthly desire? It is The Third Temptation he is up against.
The traditional Latin Mass offers clergy protection against these three root sins.
Stephen, I wish the problem was as simple as a coddled ego. There has to be a larger reason for the Cardinal to bring the Church and himself repeatedly into scandal, to permit homosexuals to preach evil from the pulpit in the presence of children (Garrity at St. Catherine’s in Norwood) and to accept practicing homosexuals without admonishing them about their sinful behavior (Unni at St. Cecelia’s). Remember, Hehir was an acolyte of the odious Joseph Bernardin, the creator and leader of the Lavender Mafia which has polluted our Church ever since. There is something much more sinister afoot than merely a weak character.
I for one an not prejudiced against happy and carefree people. They are a delight to be with. On the other hand most of the homosexuals I’ve known are some of the most miserable people I’ve ever met. And, in case you missed it, all the discrimination is going the other way. Homosexuals are in every court in the land and you pretty much having it your way. Making this ruination of our culture a civil rights issue is one of the many lies you tell to society, especially children. Demanding decent people fall in line for your degraded lifestyle or be ostracized is tyranny. But it’s just about here now and you’re winning the legal battle. Your problem is, you’re still a homosexual. Try legislating that away.
Re: Read what I wrote again. It is not Ego it is the nature of man (one singular man) against the forces of Evil. When evil prowls in positions of power man’s concupiscence, vanity and pride are always under attack. I believe we are essentially in agreement. The Modernist heretics create a diabolical disorientation.
It would be just and right if the talk that Pam Garramone gave during the Mass at St. Cecilia’s,Boston, on Nov. 24,2013 (and at her previous talk there) were published and given to Cardinal O’Malley and also be published in The Pilot so that the parishioners
in the Boston Archdiocese can see exactly what Pam Garramone, as the Director of Greater Boston PFLAG, is teaching to our middle and high school students in the public schools, and wants to be able to teach to our children in Catholic schools. Cardinal O’Malley appears to be very open to this happening. He refused to stop Pam Garramone from using the Mass at St. Cecilia’s parish to give her talk about the “wonderful” work she is doing in our public schools to advocate for the message of the PFLAG belief that children who feel sexually attracted to
a person of their same sex should “come out”,be allowed to perform same-sex sex acts with that person under the belief that “this is my true identity”. Cardinal O’Malley and the members of the Catholic Church in the Boston Archdiocese have a right to know exactly what is being taught to our youth under the PFLAG beliefs.
Dear Cardinal Sean – silly, silly me! And all along I thought marriage was a sacrament. Guess I’ll just to have to start evolving. (Oops, you forgot one thing– where’s that in the Bible?)
To all readers – here is a remarkable resource:
Robert R. Reilly. Making Gay Okay. Ignatius Press, 2014
I must say, this blog and comments strike me as vicious, condesending and decidedly unchristian. Another case of “more Catholic than the Pope”.
So Jim, obviously you have no responses to the “Catholic” positions put here so you launch meaningless ad hominem attacks, typical…
No judgement or condescending remarks in your comments huh Jim?
How about addressing the issues?
Jim Scott, What specifically about this post or about preaching the truth do you find vicious, condescending, or un-Christian? See our earlier comments to Mary Sweeney. Do you disagree with natural law theory as put forward by Plato and Thomas Aquinas? Do you not believe homosexual activity is morally wrong and is a sin? Do you disagree that we must preach the truth to people about their sin if we love them? If you agree with natural law and what the Catholic Church has taught about God’s plan for men and women for more than 2000 years, then surely you would agree with the main point of this blog post. If you do not agree with that or what the Catholic Church teaches about the sin of homosexual activity then would you kindly come right out and acknowledge that? Furthermore, if you do not agree with natural law or the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, you will probably find other blogs more to your liking. By the way, we read the description of this book referenced by Sonny’s Mom and feel it would be a very worthwhile read:
>
Ok, I’ll come right out and say it: I believe that religious teachings evolve and change. If the Pope and bishops were to signal a shift in attitude (as they seem to be doing) then that has majesterial weight. The synod is espousing “graduality”. Sounds reasonable. But, I guess I’m just taken aback buy the vitriole of some of the comments: “excrement”, “Cardinal Eunuch”. Why do 2%-3% of the population (gays) evoke such anger?
Jim,
The teachings of Jesus Christ cannot change. Nor can Church dogma and doctrine. Natural law doesn’t change, including that man and woman biologically complement each other. Aquinas wrote that for a given sex act to be moral it must be of a generative kind, and there is only one way that can be achieved naturally–that is in the marital act between a man and woman. Only sex acts of that type are generative (even if a given sexual act does not lead to reproduction and even if procreation is impossible due to infertility). What exactly do you believe is flawed with this reason?
In order to have a blog with open comments, BCI cannot take responsibility for the language used by those who comment. You, for example, said this blog and the comments were vicious, condescending, or un-Christian.
When you ask, “Why do 2%-3% of the population evoke such anger?”, our answer would be because that small minority are forcing their immoral views and agenda upon the rest of the population and into the Catholic Church trying to have their activity seen as normal, and calling those who object intolerant, bigots, un-Christian, vicious, and all kinds of other names.
Please take a moment to re-read the blog post. Cardinal O’Malley said in 2005, we must call people to embrace the cross of discipleship, live the commandments, and communicate “Because we love you, we cannot accept your behavior.”
Note: “Because we love you, we cannot accept your behavior.” That is calling out the truth. If you have an objection to this and are not doing this in your own life with the people you interact with, then it is you are the one that is being un-Christian.
Things in Rome are heating up. I think the good guys may yet win. I think the folks here are very angry. I’m going to delete this blog as soon as I send my comment. Good bye.
Jim, Yes, things in Rome are heating up. If the “good guys” are the ones concerned about the salvation of souls and the “bad guys” are the ones who want to accept and embrace worldly immoral practices and values regardless of whether that leads people to sin or not, then based on the relatio document just released, it would appear that the “bad guys” manipulated the document to express their own views–not those of the synod as a whole. That would suggest the “bad guys” won that particular battle. We are hoping and praying that the “good guys” prevail.
My request that the talk given by Pam Garramone at Mass at St. Cecilia’s be made public was not meant to be condescending ,but rather was meant to be honest about what the Director of PFLAG wants to have Catholics believe. I think that Cardinal O’Malley is being deceived by the leaders of PFLAG. If he doesn’t know what the PFLAG teaching is, then he can easily be deceived. Is there anyone among us who has never been deceived? Do we believe in the admonition that “Thou shall not deceive, nor be deceived”?
Can it be that Cardinal O’Malley is being deceived by PFLAG supporters who are taking advantage of the Cardinal’s attempt to be charitable?
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