The Springfield diocese is small but important. Good folks there. It’s also within the capitol city of Illinois, so political movements pop up frequently and I’m not surprised at the attempt for this kind of demonstration. There have been a number of demonstrations by LGBT groups in Chicago, for example.
chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/02/12/activists-rally-for-same-sex-marriage-outside-holy-name-cathedral/
Why aren’t these fanatics going into mosques and temples trying to take over!
Immediate reason is these activists identify as Catholic, not Muslim or Jew. Second reason is that LGBTQ Muslims, Jews and Protestants can find a congregation to belong to, for the most part, that affirms their lifestyle. This is just a note - not the greatest news story but some anecdotes in one place:
dailynews.com/general-news/20130630/gay-marriage-and-god-activism-varies-at-local-houses-of-worship
By the way, this group - the Rainbow Sash Movement - wrote up a piece on their blog about Pope Francis, asking followers to give the new Pope “at least three months” before casting judgment upon him. There are so many things wrong with that call, from a group who consider themselves faithful Catholics - if you begin from the perspective that the Church is incorrect, why are you Catholic?
See it here:
rainbowsashmovement.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/gay-and-lesbian-catholic-groups-disagree-about-the-election-of-pope-francis/
What this group did is definitely blasphemy and it is outrageous that they would do such a disgusting thing!
This is evidence that we struggle against powers, against principalities, and against the rulers of the darkness of the present age (Eph 6:12). This is a spiritual war with a political component. To pray actively against a known teaching of the Church is to separate oneself from the Church. Should you see someone wearing a rainbow sash, consider him or her a schismatic and treat them charitably but firmly.
I have a lot of respect for people who are attracted to the same sex. I am attracted to the same sex and to the opposite sex but nonetheless I condemn “same-sex marriage”, “civil unions”, “domestic partnerships”, and any other legal recognitions of these perverse relationships. I have friends who are gay but I absolutely do not condone unchastity of any sort and I absolutely do not condone “gay marriage”. I condemn it. I will always condemn it.
Thank you for being courageous enough to discuss your same-sex attraction, and for having the discipline to recognize the distinction between the attraction and the lifestyle. I think we will certainly see some form of gay marriage nationwide within our lifetimes (well, within mine at least, and I’m probably older than you). To treat gay people tolerantly is not the same as to pray for what they most desire; we are to be charitable to all but not to condone sin.
My point was that the Church always gives us the view in which we should follow, neither right nor left; She is centrist.
I concur, Lapey, I’d offer that we should consider first the Church’s teachings in light of the Church, and only then consider the political landscape. The whims of humanity are temporary, inconsistent and fraught with ulterior motives. The teachings of the Church are eternal, stable and built upon a solid Rock. If the Democrats embrace the Church’s teachings, or if the Republicans do, it should be of no consequence to a faithful Catholic who lives by faith, and seeks to be both loving and holy, as God is Love and Holiness. Should we find that the political divisions drive spiritual division, we should cut away the political. Neither the GOP nor the Democrats nor any third party can save us, nor bless us in the abundance with which the Lord Jesus Christ blesses us.
So let us be Catholic first, and be wary of the promises of frail men who wield only political authority.
Yeah, I’ll have to admit that this is pretty much blasphemous as Bishop Paprocki points out. But just as outrageous and blasphemous in my opinion, were those democrats praying for abortion rights…talk about speechless with amazement!
Outrageous but not out of character. You will know them by their works (Mt 7:16). See how faithless a prayer of thanksgiving for abortion is? It is the prayer of a heart that is glad a child will not burden a mother, and glad for the hands of a murderer. It is not the prayer that trusts in the Lord to provide for the mother, or to heal the child, or to change the heart of an abusive husband, or to mend the rift a young, pregnant girl has with her family. A thanksgiving for abortion is an affirmation that what is already broken should best stay broken, and a claim that human wisdom is the extent of good, that the Lord is uncaring or uninvolved.
