Cdl. George: Seminary no place for gays

[stumbler]

By Margaret Ramirez
Chicago Tribune religion reporter
June 17, 2005

As the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops gathered in Chicago Thursday for a meeting to review their sexual abuse policy, Cardinal Francis George said homosexual men should not be admitted into seminaries.

George, who is archbishop of Chicago and vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in light of the sexual abuse crisis, bishops are paying closer attention to the sexual backgrounds of men interested in entering the priesthood. Part of the commitment is that a man is celibate when he enters seminary.

“Also, anyone who has been part of a gay subculture or who has lived promiscuously as a heterosexual would not be admitted … no matter how many years in his background that might have occurred,” George said.

The role, if any, of sexuality in the sexual abuse scandal is being debated. Critics have charged there is no evidence that gays are more likely to engage in abuse than heterosexuals. Others have said placing attention on homosexuality is a way of deflecting attention from bishops who allowed the scandal to unfold. . . .

---

Full article

 

[fix]

I can’t access the article but the quote you posted does not say he said no homosexual should be admitted it says no one who participated in the gay subculture should be admitted. Is there a difference?

 

[CatQuilt]

When you find a newspaper site that requires registration, you can go to www.bugmenot.com to get a userid and password already set up by someone else for that particular newspaper site.

Just go to bugmenot and type in the other site’s address (url), for example chicagotribune.com and hit Enter. bugmenot will show you a userid and password to use…

 

[CatQuilt]

fix:

I can’t access the article but the quote you posted does not say he said no homosexual should be admitted it says no one who participated in the gay subculture should be admitted. Is there a difference?

Hate to hijack the thread but the article also had this…

Another item on the bishops’ agenda for Friday would ban an acclamation from the mass. If accepted, Catholics would no longer recite the words: “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.”

Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, Pa., who chairs the liturgy committee, said the “Christ has died” language is “much beloved” by Catholic faithful, but theologically incorrect.

The refrain–a “memorial acclamation”–comes after the consecration of the bread and wine for the Eucharist.

It has been used in Catholic churches for at least 30 years, but elements of it can be traced throughout church history and worship. It is also common in Episcopal, Lutheran and Methodist Communion rites.

Trautman suggested using another familiar refrain: “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.”

 

[stumbler]

fix:

the quote you posted does not say he said no homosexual should be admitted it says no one who participated in the gay subculture should be admitted. Is there a difference?

Are you suggesting the MSM would purposefully twist a Cardinal’s statement to make him look bad? I’m shocked!

Is there a difference between what the Cardinal said and the headline? Theoretically, yes. Practically? I don’t know.

 

[Cockney_Clive]

He also said that any young man who had led a ‘dissolute’ life of any sort, not just participation in the Homosexual lifestyle but the modern, sexualised lifestyle generally.

By that criteria St. Augustine would never be allowed into any Seminary run by Cardinal George !

 

[puzzleannie]

other considerations aside, allowing a young man who experiences homosexual attractions to live 24/7 in a state of constant temptation is grossly unpastoral and uncharitable. to put him in a position of constant temptation, especially at an age where he is coming to terms with his identity and trying to master those temptations, shows a lack of pastoral care and concern that is unspeakable in those charged with care of his soul and his spiritual formation.

 

[batteddy]

As for that memorial acclamation, it is apparently translated VERY liberally…taking a lot of license from the original Latin. There are many problems with the ICEL translations:

“1. There are three acclamations given in the Missale Romanum [Roman Missal] as options (ad libitum seligendae). But in all the canons, it is the first option which is given, with the indication that there are other acclamations (aliae acclamationes). This seems to indicate a certain priority.
2. The first option, however, is not properly reflected in any of the present or proposed ICEL translations. Latin: “Mortem tuam annuntiamus. Domine, et tuam resurrectionem confitemur, donec venias.” English: “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and confess your resurrection, until you come.” The attempt is apparently made with: “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” But, aside from eliminating reference to our proclamation and profession, it completely eliminates the most striking part of this acclamation: that we are directing the acclamation to Christ (your death, your resurrection, until* you* come again). This is the only place in the Mass where a prayer is so clearly directed to the Son.”

From this article: adoremus.org/396-ICELrevisions.html

Also, it seems perhaps that Cardinal George is still using the “old” definition of homosexuality…back when the label was reserved for behavior and not attraction.

He said “niether should a heterosexual who has been promiscuous”. So it seems that the whole debate is still wrapped up in the issue of whether or not the person can be celibate and chaste and not exude any sort of sexual aura when they are supposed to be celibate figures. It seems to still be not so much attractions, but whether one can keep them quiet.

Which in some ways fits more with the Catholic idea that homosexuality is not something someone “is” but more or less just something someone feels but shouldn’t do.

 

[Lisa_N]

puzzleannie:

other considerations aside, allowing a young man who experiences homosexual attractions to live 24/7 in a state of constant temptation is grossly unpastoral and uncharitable. to put him in a position of constant temptation, especially at an age where he is coming to terms with his identity and trying to master those temptations, shows a lack of pastoral care and concern that is unspeakable in those charged with care of his soul and his spiritual formation.

Not to mention being uncharitable to the young men whom he will encounter and who may be victimized. Good for Cardinal George for calling it what it is, predatory homosexuality.

Lisa N

 

[tuopaolo]

stumbler:

Are you suggesting the MSM would purposefully twist a Cardinal’s statement to make him look bad? I’m shocked!

Whatever the MSM did, it makes His Eminence look good, not bad. I don’t think homosexuals should be admitted to the seminary.