A Bishop's Gesture of Kindness to Gay Man Who Sued over Discrimination

[Soutane]

A Bishop’s Gesture of Kindness to Gay Man Who Sued over Discrimination

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By John-Henry Westen

PETERBOROUGH, ON, June 10, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A man who caused great turmoil in the Catholic Church in Canada has been shown kindness and forgiveness by the very bishop against whom he launched a human rights complaint. In June 2009, Jim Corcoran, a man who self-identifies as ‘gay’, launched a complaint seeking $25,000 in damages from Peterborough Bishop Nicola De Angelis, after he and his homosexual partner were forbidden from continuing as altar servers at St. Michael’s Church in Cobourg.

It is believed that this was the first case in Canada to be accepted by a human rights tribunal relating to the internal governance of the Catholic Church. The case led to fears of serious repercussions for the Church’s freedom in Canada. Throughout the public scrutiny of the case, which gained international attention, the bishop remained firm in his resolve not to permit the human rights mechanism to interfere in Church matters.

But in May Corcoran dropped the complaint without terms or conditions after meeting with the Bishop and praying with him.

Last Sunday, Bishop De Angelis said Mass in the troubled Cobourg parish and afterward went to the home of Jim Corcoran where he had supper with Corcoran and his mother.

In previous conversations with LifeSiteNews, Corcoran explained that he felt the situation at the parish was uncharitable toward him. He noted that while he did live with his long-time homosexual partner, they maintained celibacy and his mother lived with them in the home.
lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10061007.html

 

[wisdomseeker]

oh, Please!

 

[Soutane]

oh, Please!

Your welcome

 

[wisdomseeker]

Your welcome

forgive me, but i dont agree with what the bishop did.

 

[onthenarrowpath]

forgive me, but i dont agree with what the bishop did.

I don’t understand. You don’t agree with loving your enemy, blessing those who curse you, and praying for those who mistreat you…?? Hmmm - that’s what the Lord taught. Read Luke 6:27-36.

 

[JReducation]

I don’t believe that the bishop is asking for agreement. Bishops don’t govern their diocese by the authority of the governed, but by divine imposition on the governed.

That being said, it’s the same thing that Mother Teresa, Francis of Assisi, John Paul II, Vincent de Paul, Charles de Facould, and many other great blesseds and saints would do. We must always have the love of the Immaculate Heart.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Soutane]

Dear Wisdomseeker,

The Bishop extended an olive branch which the young man courageously accepted.This is one of the few instances where there is a happy ending and you disagree?Are you even familiar with the circumstances behind this case?You should be happy that it ended without rancor and that both sides approached our Lord together.

 

[wisdomseeker]

Here is what i know. this man lives with another man, and he was serving in teh Church. obviously, he couldnt careless about the teachings of the Church. then, father tells him he cannot serve in the holy House of God, what does he do? he takes the Church to court so he can get his way with the Church.

And here the bishop goes to his house where he lives with another man? can you see any of the Apostles doing such a thing.

here is what i see people doing in our world, we seem to want to be loved more than to love. many are seeking praises from others by acting goodie, goodie.

we have forgotten that there is evil in our world. we seem to have forgotten the First Commandment of God. i read a lot about love of neighbor without any descrimination, what i dont hear is about Love for God. no one mention the First Commandment any more. not in the Church and not in here.

but dont take my word for it.

**Thou shall love thy God with all thy heart, mind, and soul. You shall have no other God but me. **

 

[Yomic]

Mark 2:16-17 (NAB)

16 Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 Jesus heard this and said to them (that), “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Does this answer your qualms, wisdomseeker?

 

[Soutane]

Here is what i know. this man lives with another man, and he was serving in teh Church. obviously, he couldnt careless about the teachings of the Church. then, father tells him he cannot serve in the holy House of God, what does he do? he takes the Church to court so he can get his way with the Church.

And here the bishop goes to his house where he lives with another man? can you see any of the Apostles doing such a thing.

here is what i see people doing in our world, we seem to want to be loved more than to love. many are seeking praises from others by acting goodie, goodie.

we have forgotten that there is evil in our world. we seem to have forgotten the First Commandment of God. i read a lot about love of neighbor without any descrimination, what i dont hear is about Love for God. no one mention the First Commandment any more. not in the Church and not in here.

but dont take my word for it.

**Thou shall love thy God with all thy heart, mind, and soul. You shall have no other God but me. **

Well you got most of it wrong.The young man was living in his mother’s house with his friend.He admits to SSA BUT he and his friend live like brothers and maintain their chastity like all single Catholicsare obliged to do…The mother testified to this fact.Initially some misinformed parishoners complained to the Bishop because they feared scandal and he was an altar server.Suffering from SSA is NOT A SIN.Acting upon it is.The Bishop was satisfied with the testimony of all concerned and in the spirit of Christ Supped with them.These boys are chaste and blameless.Who are you to judge anyone?

 

[JReducation]

The bishop has a moral obligation to assume that the person is free from sin until proven wrong. If all the evidence points to the chastity of these men, then the bishop must accept that. As an Apostle he has a moral obligation to these men. He must be their bishop as well and he must act within the law of the Church.

The Church is very explicit on two points:

1. Homosexuality is not a sin. Homosexual acts are a sin.
2. People with gay orientation must be welcome in the Church and must be ministered to by their bishops. This was a letter sent to the bishops of the world by Pope John Paul II, “The Pastoral Care of Homosexual Catholics.”

The bishop cannot deny them his company or his pastoral care. Yes the Apostles would do the same. How else would Paul have converted so many Gentiles? He did not run into them at the market. They were friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, etc. He visited their homes and ate with them, spoke to them, enjoyed their company and they enjoyed his own.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Dale_M]

Here is what i know. this man lives with another man, and he was serving in teh Church. obviously, he couldnt careless about the teachings of the Church. then, father tells him he cannot serve in the holy House of God, what does he do? he takes the Church to court so he can get his way with the Church.

I disagree with his taking the Church to court, and I am glad that he lost.

However, the gossipy, judgmental attitudes of some of the parishioners, who assumed he was in a sexual relationship when he wasn’t, seemed to be what drove him to his action. . He had done no wrong, but yet had his position pulled out from under him in order to satisfy the mean-spirited gossips in the parish. I think this is what drove him to seek some kind of justice, rather than simply brushing the dust off of his sandals.

Its worth noting that the bishop, during his homily at the church, spoke about the gossip and judgments of some of the parishioners.
the LifeSite aticle:

In his homily at the Mass, Bishop De Angelis spoke of the “sad and avoidable division” in the parish. He recalled the Church’s teaching against slander and spoke about respecting “the dignity of each person, regardless of our differences in language, colour of our skin, religious belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status.”

 

[wisdomseeker]

Mark 2:16-17 (NAB)

Does this answer your qualms, wisdomseeker?

where does this passage relates to homosexuals living together? if it does in any way, where does it imply that they should continue in their sins after they are forgiven?

the problems with some Catholics is that they have lost the sense of good and evil.

some no longer believe in sins.

for many years now, i have not heard once from the Church NO, calling people into repetance. i hear a lot how God is love and forgiven, but not once it calls for people to repent. this is the heart of our troubles and acceptance to sin.

John the Baptist was decapitated by a man whom he called to repentance from adultery.
can you see John the Baptist approving of two man living together?

 

[ALLGIRLS]

where does this passage relates to homosexuals living together? if it does in any way, where does it imply that they should continue in their sins after they are forgiven?

the problems with some Catholics is that they have lost the sense of good and evil.

some no longer believe in sins.

for many years now, i have not heard once from the Church NO, calling people into repetance. i hear a lot how God is love and forgiven, but not once it calls for people to repent. this is the heart of our troubles and acceptance to sin.

John the Baptist was decapitated by a man whom he called to repentance from adultery.
can you see John the Baptist approving of two man living together?

Where is the proof that this man was in a sexual relationship? It appears to have been nothing but slander and gossip. And yes, that passage relates, because Jesus himself ate and visited with sinners, to minister to them, so why wouldn’t a Bishop do the same? (even though this man is apparently not even guilty of the sin the parish members accused him of, you think the Bishop should shun him??)

In Christ,

Ellen

 

[wisdomseeker]

Where is the proof that this man was in a sexual relationship? It appears to have been nothing but slander and gossip. And yes, that passage relates, because Jesus himself ate and visited with sinners, to minister to them, so why wouldn’t a Bishop do the same? (even though this man is apparently not even guilty of the sin the parish members accused him of, you think the Bishop should shun him??)

In Christ,

Ellen

is he a homosexual living with another man? or not?

 

[wisdomseeker]

I don’t understand. You don’t agree with loving your enemy, blessing those who curse you, and praying for those who mistreat you…?? Hmmm - that’s what the Lord taught. Read Luke 6:27-36.

picking verses of the Bible out of context. there are passages in teh Bible where St Paul declares that murders, homosexuals, liars, and so forth… go to eternal demnation. what do you say to St Paul on this?

 

[kristie_m]

I’m not trying to start a fight here, but wisdomseeker…did you miss the part about how they are two men, with ssa, who are living CHASTELY? I agree, it may be cause for scandal, but that does NOT make them guilty of sexual sin.

 

[wisdomseeker]

I’m not trying to start a fight here, but wisdomseeker…did you miss the part about how they are two men, with ssa, who are living CHASTELY? I agree, it may be cause for scandal, but that does NOT make them guilty of sexual sin.

one can justify any sin before the world. what one cannot do is justify sin before God.

to the world all things are ok, but to God is not so. God calls all to repentance. it means repent of those things we did before and abandomn them for good. God loves those who hear and repent from their sins and stop sinning.

i know of a lesbian lady that she stopped seeing other women. she lives alone and she is a secular servant for the Church. and she told me, she could not be happier. i know she is accepted by our God because she has repented from her sins and returned to God’s ways, instead of continue in her sins and demand that the Church accept her and her life style.

 

[Soutane]

You have completely misses the boat on this one.The two young men are living chastely-like brothers.

.If it’s good enough for thr Bishop who knows the whole story it’s good enough for you.Did you attend mass today and hear the reading of the Pharisee and
Christ?Do you recognise yourself in either one?

 

[wisdomseeker]

You have completely misses the boat on this one.The two young men are living chastely-like brothers.

.If it’s good enough for thr Bishop who knows the whole story it’s good enough for you.Did you attend mass today and hear the reading of the Pharisee and
Christ?Do you recognise yourself in either one?

why? did Jesus called the Pharisees to accept homosexual life style and they reject?

I know that people like to use Jesus, our Lord, to justify whatever wrong they are doing to make it look like it is approved by God. please, show me where Jesus says it is ok for two man or two women to live together as partners as long as they dont have sex. i am waiting.